treat – Page 11 – My Whisk and I

Cassata

December 2, 2023August 29, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

6 egg whites
62ml + 62ml caster sugar
500ml cream
250ml chopped mixed nuts
125g mixed dried fruit
125g red and green glacé cherries

Line a baking tin with a 1 litre capacity (or a Tupperware container) with plastic wrap or baking paper.
Add the egg whites to a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric whisk until it forms soft peaks.
Add a teaspoonful of the 62ml caster sugar while whisking. Wait for the sugar to be incorporated (about 30 seconds) before adding the next teaspoonful. Keep going until all of the sugar has been incorporated. Set aside.
Pour the cream into another mixing bowl and add the other 62ml caster sugar all at once.
Beat the cream until it forms stiff peaks.
Spoon about a third of the cream mixture into the egg white mixture and fold through with a large metal spoon.
Add the rest of the cream and fold it in until incorporated.
Sprinkle the chopped nuts, dried fruit and half of the cherries over and fold it in to the mixture.
Arrange the other half of the cherries on the bottom of your prepared container.
Spoon the mixture into the container and lightly level it out.
Place the cassata in the freezer until frozen.
Serve in slices with or without a sauce.

To store leftover, cover the cassata with plastic wrap and place back in the freezer as you would with ice cream.

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Baked Chocolate Mousse

November 29, 2023October 29, 2023by Karen Claassen2 Comments

300g dark chocolate, chopped
160ml butter, cubed
6 eggs, separated
30ml + 30ml caster sugar
5ml vanilla

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and line a 22cm loose-bottom cake tin with baking paper.
Add the chocolate and butter to a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan with simmering water.
Stir every now and then until the chocolate is melted and you have a silky smooth mixture.
Take the bowl from the saucepan and set aside.
Add the egg yolks and 30ml caster sugar to a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer for 5 minutes.
Pour the chocolate mixture into the egg yolk mixture and mix well. Set aside.
Add the egg whites to a large mixing bowl and whisk until soft peaks.
Add the remaining 30ml caster sugar a little at a time while whisking until you have a thick, glossy consistency.
Stir a third of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture.
Add the rest and gently fold it through.
Add the vanilla and fold it in until your mixture has an even colour without any white pockets of egg white in it.
Spoon the mousse into the prepared cake tin and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven and cool the cake in the baking tin.
Remove from the tin and sift over some icing sugar to serve.

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Breakfast Tortilla Bake

November 26, 2023October 29, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

1 large tortilla
1 onion, sliced
1 sweet pepper, sliced
100g + 100g cheddar cheese, grated
100g baby spinach
4 eggs

Preheat your oven to 190℃.
Lay the tortilla flat in a cast iron (or any other oven-friendly)pan and press it down slightly so that it covers the bottom and comes about halfway up the sides.
Sprinkle 100g of the cheddar cheese over the bottom of the tortilla.`
Spread the sliced onion over the cheese and then scatter over the sliced sweet pepper.
Place the spinach onto and spread it out evenly to cover the rest of the ingredients.
Break the eggs on the spinach leaves and season with salt and pepper.
Sprinkle the remaining 100g cheddar over and bake in the oven for 15 minutes.
Serve the tortilla with a good, crusty bread.

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Quick Beef Sliders

November 19, 2023October 27, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

1 tray of small hamburger/hotdog rolls
horseradish
200g mozzarella cheese, sliced
300g roast beef, sliced
1 jar caramelised onions
150g gruyère cheese, grated
30ml butter, melted
2,5ml garlic flakes
30ml poppy seeds

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and line a roasting tin with aluminium foil.
Slice the rolls in half horizontally and remove the top section.
Place the bottom half of the rolls in the lined roasting tin. Pack the rolls tightly together, touching.
Spread some horseradish over the bottom halves.
Now lay the mozzarella slices on top.
Cover the mozzarella with an even layer (or two or three) of sliced beef.
Spread a layer of caramelised onion on top and sprinkle over the grated cheese.
Place the top half of the rolls on top.
Mix the melted butter and garlic flakes in a small bowl and brush the rolls.
Sprinkle over the poppy seeds and cover the roasting tin with aluminium foil.
Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
Remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes.
Serve the sliders warm.

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Romany Creams

November 17, 2023August 27, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This recipe yields about 30 sandwiched romany creams.

250g butter
250ml caster sugar
2 eggs
500ml flour
60ml cocoa powder, sifted
5ml baking powder
2ml salt
375ml desiccated coconut

Filling:
60ml sugar
15ml butter
80ml cream
30ml milk
5ml vanilla
625ml icing sugar, sifted
30ml cocoa powder, sifted

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and cream together.
Add the eggs one at a time while beating and wait for it to be incorporated.
Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt into a bowl.
Add the coconut and stir to mix.
Turn the mixer to a low speed and add the flour mixture a spoonful at a time, allowing time for it to be incorporated.
Scrape the bowl down and mix on high speed for 1 minute.
Scoop a teaspoonful of the dough in your hands, roll into a ball and space it evenly on the baking sheet.
Flatten the dough balls slightly by pressing down on them with the tines of a fork.
Bake for 12 minutes and allow to cool on the baking sheet.

For the filling:
Place a small saucepan over MEDIUM heat and add the sugar and butter.
Stir until the sugar has melted.
Add the cream and milk and remove from the heat.
Add the vanilla and stir through.
Sift the icing sugar and cocoa powder into the saucepan and mix until the filling has a spreadable consistency.
Sandwich the biscuits together. (You may re-heat the filling over a low heat if it becomes un spreadable)
Store the romany creams in a glass container.

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Whole Roasted Cauliflower

November 15, 2023October 8, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This recipe has two flavour profiles – it is an either or, and not a combination!!

1 head cauliflower (or two if you are making both flavour profiles)
80ml olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, minced
15ml turmeric OR 15ml dried mixed herbs
60ml + 60ml grated parmesan cheese
5ml salt

Preheat your oven to 200℃.
Remove the green outer leaves of the cauliflower head and place the cauliflower in an oven dish. Set aside.
Add the olive oil, minced garlic and EITHER the turmeric or the mixed herbs to a small bowl.
Add 60ml parmesan cheese and the salt and mix through.
Flip the cauliflower head upside down/with the core facing up.
Brush about a third of the olive oil mixture on the cauliflower, allowing it to drip down the core.
Flip it over and brush the top and sides of the head with the rest of the mixture.
Cover the dish with aluminium foil and bake in the oven for 45 minutes or until a wooden skewer can easily pierce the head.
Remove the foil from the baking dish and scatter over the remaining 60ml parmesan.
Place the cauliflower back in the oven until the cheese has browned.
Serve immediately.

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Chickpea Salad

November 12, 2023October 15, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Dressing:
15ml wholegrain mustard
15ml red wine vinegar
45ml olive oil
30ml honey
a pinch of salt

2 x 400g tins of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 small red onion, finely chopped
200g feta cheese, cut into small cubes
1 large English cucumber, cut into small cubes
40g parsley, chopped

For the dressing:
Add the mustard and red wine vinegar to a small bowl.
Drizzle in the olive a little at a time while whisking. Keep going until the olive oil is incorporated.
Add the honey and a pinch of salt and whisk again. Set aside.

Add the chickpeas, chopped onion, feta, cucumber and parsley to a salad bowl and mix together.
Drizzle the dressing over the salad and give it another good mix before serving.

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Brown Rice Salad

November 11, 2023October 27, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

250ml brown rice, cooked according to packet instructions
1 red onion, finely diced
400g cocktail tomatoes, quartered
120g mozzarella cheese, cubed
30g coriander leaves, chopped
30ml pumpkin seeds
30ml sunflower seeds

Dressing:
60ml olive oil
30ml thick, sweet soya sauce
1 clove of garlic, minced

Add the cooked and cooled rice to a large mixing bowl.
Now add the diced onion, tomato and mozzarella and give it a good mix.
Sprinkle over the coriander, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds and stir through. Set aside.

For the dressing:
Pour the olive oil and soya sauce into a cup and add the garlic.
Whisk the dressing with a fork until it is amalgamated.
Drizzle over the brown rice salad and give everything a very good mix.
Serve the salad at room temperature.

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Hertzoggies

November 10, 2023September 1, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Yields about 18 cookies.

Pastry:
250g flour
25g caster sugar
10ml baking powder
1,2ml salt
125g butter, room temperature, cubed
3 egg yolks
15ml cold water

Filling:
3 egg whites
250g sugar
500ml desiccated coconut
about 100ml smooth apricot jam

For the pastry:
Preheat your oven to 180℃ and spray 2 x 12-hole muffin tins with cooking spray.
Sift the flour, caster sugar, baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl.
Add the butter and rub it into the dry mixture with your fingertips.
Whisk the egg yolks and water together and add it to the mixture.
Mix and knead by hand until you have a soft pastry.
Wrap the pastry in plastic wrap and set aside for 10 minutes.

For the filling:
Add the egg whites to a mixing bowl and whisk to medium peaks.
Add the sugar a spoonful at a time, waiting about 15 seconds between each addition so that it is incorporated into the whites.
Add the coconut and fold through. Set aside.

Roll the pastry out to a 3mm thickness and cut out pastry circles of 7cm diameter.
Line the muffin tins with the circles.
Spoon about 7ml apricot jam into each pastry case and then divide the coconut and egg mixture amongst the cakes, topping it.
Bake in the oven for 22 minutes.
Cool the Hertzoggies in the muffin tins for 10 minutes before gently removing them to cool on a cooling rack.
Store in an airtight container.

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How to clean and season/maintain a cast iron pan

November 8, 2023October 26, 2023by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Wash the pan under very hot running water
Dry with a clean kitchen towel
Preheat your oven to 245℃
Fill the pan with course salt (I use dishwashing salt!)
Place the pan on high heat for about ten minutes. The salt will spit and jump our of the pan, but be brave!!
You will be able to see the dirt in the salt which means it is time to turn off the heat. Leave pan and salt to cool, it is extremely hot!!
Tip the dirty salt in a bag and dispose of it. Wipe the the remnants from the pan with kitchen paper.
Put a few drops of Linseed oil on kitchen paper and rub over the inside and outside of the pan.
Place the oiled pan in the oven and bake it for one hour. Turn off the heat and leave in the oven to cool completely.
Your pan is now clean and seasoned and will serve you for many more years.