treat – Page 38 – My Whisk and I

Deep Fried Chocolate Banana

June 2, 2022May 25, 2022by Karen Claassen1 Comment

4 wooden skewers
4 ripe bananas
80g chocolate, chopped
1 egg
62ml sugar
125ml milk
15ml vegetable oil
250ml flour
10ml baking powder
1ml salt
oil for deep frying

Peel the bananas and push the skewer into the banana lengthwise so that it is easy to handle. Place in the freezer.
Add the chocolate to a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water and allow to melt.
Take the bananas from the freezer. Hold the banana over the bowl with the chocolate and spoon the melted chocolate over with a spoon so that the entire banana gets covered in chocolate. The cold from the freezer will help to set the chocolate.
Now stick the skewer into a piece of styrofoam or an egg carton or even an empty cereal box so that the banana is held upright and the chocolate won’t smudge.
Add the egg and sugar to a mixing bowl and beat together with an electric beater.
Add about half the milk and the oil and beat some more.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a separate mixing bowl.
Add a spoonful of the flour mixture to the egg mixture while beating.
Gradually add the rest of the milk so that you create a smooth runny batter.
Heat your deep fryer, dip the bananas in the batter and fry them until golden brown.
Dust the fritters with icing sugar and serve immediately.

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Quick Lemon Curd Puddings

May 31, 2022May 25, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

375ml milk
190ml desiccated coconut
50g butter, melted
1 egg
125ml flour
250ml caster sugar
125ml lemon curd (you may search my Lemon Curd recipe or simply use store bought)
icing sugar for dusting

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and lightly spray 6 individual ramekins.
Add all the ingredients to a blender and blend together until completely smooth.
Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and space them apart.
Pour the mixture into the ramekins and bake for 20 minutes or until just set.
Serve the lemon puddings with a generous dusting of icing sugar.

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Quince Granola Crumble

May 27, 2022May 16, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

5-6 quince
250ml sugar
500ml water
5ml vanilla

Crumble:
250ml granola
250ml almond meal/ground almonds
5ml ground cinnamon
125ml brown sugar
60g butter, cubed

Quarter the quince and then halve each quarter. Peel and cut out the core. Set aside.
Add the sugar, water and vanilla to a saucepan set over medium-high heat and stir the mixture until the sugar has dissolved.
Add the quince slices to the poaching liquid and bring the mixture to a simmer.
Gently simmer the fruit until it can easily be pierced with a toothpick.
Take the saucepan from the heat and allow the quince slices to cool in the liquid completely.
Drain the quince and transfer the slices to a 18cm x 28cm ovenproof dish.

For the crumble:
Preheat your oven to 180℃.
Add the granola, almond meal, cinnamon, sugar and butter to a mixing bowl.
Rub the butter into the dry ingredients with your fingertips. Keep going until the butter is well distributed throughout the mixture.
Spread the crumb mixture evenly on the quince slices and bake for 30 minutes.
Serve the quince crumble with a scoop of ice cream or yoghurt.

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Chocolate and Fig Overnight Oats

May 25, 2022May 16, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This is a healthy and delicious breakfast or post-workout snack and may be kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Yields 6 portions.

500ml rolled oats
45ml cocoa powder
500ml milk (or non-dairy milk)
190ml greek yoghurt
10ml vanilla
190ml honey
80g sugar-free chocolate, finely chopped
12 fresh figs, cut into quarters

Add all the ingredients to a mixing bowl and stir through to combine.
Divide between 6 cups or one large glass jar.
Refrigerate overnight or for a minimum of 4 hours.
Take the oats from the refrigerator and spoon out a portion. Leave to stand for 30 minutes.
Scatter the fresh figs and some mint leaves onto the oats to serve.

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Mushroom Polenta with Gremolata

May 24, 2022May 16, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Gremolata:
62ml pine nuts (you may replace with sunflower seeds)
a big bunch of parsley
2 cloves garlic, peeled
the zest of 1 lemon
a pinch of salt
the juice of 1 lemon
45ml olive oil

Polenta:
750ml vegetable/chicken stock
5ml salt
250ml quick cooking polenta
62ml butter

Mushrooms:
45ml butter
30ml sunflower oil
500g mixed mushrooms, roughly chopped
15ml thyme leaves
salt and pepper

For the Gremolata:
Place a large frying pan on medium heat and add the pine nuts to it.
Shake the pan over the heat or stir the seeds around with a spoon, until it starts to toast and change colour.
Remove the seeds from the pan and set aside.
Place the garlic, parsley and half the pine nuts on a chopping board and mince together until finely chopped.
Add the lemon zest and a pinch of salt and chop the ingredients together.
Scrape the chopped ingredients into a small bowl and add the rest of the pine nuts to it.
Now add the lemon juice and olive oil and stir together. Set aside.

For the Polenta:
Add the stock and salt to a saucepan set over high heat and bring the stock to a boil.
Add the polenta and whisk the mixture together until it has thickened.
Take the saucepan from the heat, add the butter and whisk well. Set aside.

For the Mushrooms:
Add the butter and oil to a frying pan set over high heat.
Add the mushrooms, thyme, salt and pepper and cook for about 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat.

Spoon the polenta into bowls and top with mushrooms and a spoonful of gremolata.

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How to make Gremolata

May 23, 2022May 15, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

62ml pine nuts (or sunflower seeds)
a large bunch of parsley
2 cloves garlic, peeled
the zest of 1 lemon
a pinch of salt
the juice of 1 lemon
45ml olive oil

Place a large frying pan on medium heat and add the pine nuts. Shake the pan over the heat (or stir the seeds around with a spoon) until it starts to toast and change colour.
Remove the seeds from the pan immediately and set aside to cool.
Place the garlic, parsley and half the pine nuts on a chopping board and chop together until very fine.
Add the lemon zest and a pinch of salt and chop again.
Scrape the chopped ingredients into a small bowl and add the rest of the pine nuts to it.
Now add the lemon juice and olive oil and stir together to blend.
Serve the gremolata with rich dishes like oxtail, stew or simply add a bit of zingy crunch to any of your favourite foods.

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Poached Pears with Chocolate and Red Wine Sauce

May 19, 2022May 15, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This is a rich, thick, dark and indulgent chocolate sauce where the wine is the star of the show. Choose a wine you enjoy drinking …
I use a good, full bodied Merlot, but the choice is yours.

750ml red wine (Merlot)
250ml water
10ml vanilla
250ml sugar
2 slices orange peel
2 star anise
4 cloves
1 cinnamon quill
6 firm, ripe pears

Select a saucepan that is large enough for the pears to fir snugly but still be submerged in the liquid, even if they have to lie flat.
Add all the ingredients, except the pears, to the saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer while stirring to dissolve the sugar.
Now peel the pears and gently lower them into the poaching liquid.
Turn the heat down to medium-low and poach the pears for 25 minutes. Rotate each pear every 5 minutes.
Turn off the heat and allow the fruit to cool in the liquid.
Remove the pears from the liquid once it is room temperature.
Strain the mixture through a sieve but reserve the poaching liquid.

Chocolate and Red Wine Sauce:
190ml cream
190ml poaching liquid from the pears
15ml cocoa powder
125ml sugar
240g chocolate, chopped
60g butter, cubed
a pinch of salt

Add the cream, poaching liquid, sifted cocoa powder and sugar to a small saucepan.
Set the saucepan over medium heat and stir to dissolve the sugar.
Bring the mixture to a simmer and whisk for 5 minutes while simmering.
Remove the saucepan from the heat.
Add the chopped chocolate, butter and pinch of salt and whisk until smooth. (If the sauce cools and becomes too thick, thin it down by gently reheating it).
Place the pears on a serving dish and pour over some chocolate sauce to serve.

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Crispy Crumbed Sandwich

May 17, 2022May 15, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

4 slices white bread
4 slices processed cheese
2 slices smoked ham
2 eggs, beaten
62ml milk
a pinch of salt
125ml Panko breadcrumbs

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Crustless Milktart

May 16, 2022May 11, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

30g butter
200g sugar
5 eggs, separated
140g self-raising flour
a pinch of salt
1 litre milk
5ml vanilla
ground cinnamon for dusting

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and spray 2 x 22cm tart dishes with cooking spray.
Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Cream together until pale and fluffy.
Add the egg yolks one at a time with the engine running. Scrape the mixture down a few times during mixing.
Sift the flour and salt together and add spoonfuls to the mixture until everything is incorporated.
Turn the mixer to its lowest speed and drizzle in the milk.
Add the vanilla and mix through. Set aside.
Add the egg whites to a clean mixing bowl and beat until it reaches stiff peaks.
Add the stiff whites to the batter and fold it into the mixture.
Scoop the batter into the two prepared tart dishes and bake for 40 minutes.
Remove the milk tarts from the oven and sift over the ground cinnamon while the tarts are warm.
Allow the milk tart to cool completely before serving.

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Pistachio Chocolate Brownies

May 12, 2022by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

380g soft butter
320g chocolate, chopped
6 eggs
15ml vanilla
500g sugar
230g flour
5ml salt
300g pistachio nuts, roughly chopped

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and line an oven tray with aluminium foil.
Melt the butter and chocolate together over a very low heat.
Take from the heat and allow to stand for 10 minutes so that it cools down slightly.
Add the eggs, sugar and vanilla to a mixing bowl and beat with an electric whisk until the sugar has dissolved.
Now beat the egg mixture into the chocolate mixture.
Add the flour, salt and nuts and mix through.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking tray and bake for 30 minutes.
The top should be dried and pale and the middle still dark and gooey!!
Enjoy as is or serve slightly warm with vanilla ice cream.