treat – Page 4 – My Whisk and I

Almond Pastries

May 5, 2024May 3, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Almond cream:
215ml almond flour (125ml + 60ml + 30ml)
125ml sugar
2,5ml vanilla
2,5ml almond extract
15ml flour
1 egg
30ml milk

2 x rolls puff pastry
egg wash: 1 egg yolk + 15ml water/milk
100ml slivered almonds
45ml icing sugar

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Add the almond flour, sugar, vanilla, almond extract, flour, egg and milk to a mixing bowl and mix together. Set aside.
Lightly flour a working surface and lay out one sheet of puff pastry.
Spread the almond cream onto the pastry in an even layer.
Lay the second sheet of pastry on top and lightly press down onto it.
Slice into 2cm wide strips.
Twist the strips and then twist it again and bring the ends together to form a circular shape.
Press the ends together and lay each pastry circle on the prepared baking sheet.
Brush the pastries with the egg wash and sprinkle over the almond slivers.
Bake in the oven for 25 minutes.
Dust the hot pastries by sieving over the icing sugar.
Set aside to cool slightly.

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Smoky Bangers

May 4, 2024April 24, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Serve these smoky pork bangers as breakfast, brunch or a simply in-between snack. Quantities are for you to decide.

banger sausages
mozzarella cheese
smoked streaky bacon

Preheat your oven to 200℃ and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Slit each sausage lengthwise, making a cut that is about three quarters into the sausage – do not cut through!
Place a strip of mozzarella cheese, about 0,5cm thick and more or less the length of the sausage, into the slit.
Wrap each sausage with bacon and place on the baking sheet.
Bake for 25 minutes and serve immediately!

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Cheesy Orzo

May 2, 2024April 24, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

300g orzo pasta
45ml olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
30ml thyme leaves, chopped
250ml cream
1 lemon, grated zest and juice
250ml grated parmesan cheese
40g pine kernels, toasted

Place a large saucepan over high heat, pour in a good quantity of water and add a teaspoon of salt.
Bring to a boil, add the orzo pasta and cook until al dente.
Place a large pan on medium-high heat and add the olive oil and onion to it.
Cook until the onion is translucent.
Add the garlic and thyme and stir-fry for one minute.
Pour in the cream, turn down the heat to medium and simmer until slightly reduced – 3 minutes or so.
Add the lemon zest, lemon juice and parmesan and stir through.
Now add the drained orzo to the sauce and simmer for another 2 minutes while stirring to coat the pasta with the sauce.
Spoon the orzo on to a serving dish and scatter the pine kernels over to serve.

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Membrillo / Quince Cheese

April 30, 2024April 24, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

1kg quince, weighed after peeling, coring
750g white sugar
30ml lemon juice
250ml water

Line a 20cm x 20cm baking tin with baking paper and set aside.
Peel, core and dice the quince into 2cm chunks.
Add the sugar, lemon and water too a saucepan set over medium heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
Add the quince, turn the heat down to a low simmer and cook for 1 hour, stirring every now and then.
Take the saucepan from the heat and blitz the mixture with an immersive blender.
Pour into the prepared baking tin and smooth the top.
Set aside to cool to room temperature and then refrigerate for 48 hours.
Invert the membrillo on to a chopping board and slice.
Serve the membrillo on a cheese board and store wrapped in baking paper (not plastic!) in the refrigerator for three months.

Old fashioned quince sweets:
Cut the membrillo into bite-sized pieces and roll it in white, granulated sugar before serving.

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Beef and Pumpkin Coconut Curry

April 28, 2024April 23, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

30m vegetable oil
80ml rogan josh curry paste
10ml ground ginger
15ml sugar
1,5kg beef chuck, cut into 3cm cubes
1 x 385g tin chopped tomato
250ml beef stock
600g pumpkin, cut into 3 cm cubes
15ml cornflour
1 x 385ml tin coconut milk

Place a large saucepan over medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil to it.
Add the curry paste, ground ginger and the sugar and cook while stirring for 2-3 minutes.
Add the cubed beef and stir to coat in the curry paste.
Pour in the chopped tomato and stock and bring to a boil.
Turn the heat down and simmer the beef for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Now add the pumpkin cubes and simmer for another 20 minutes or so.
Mix the cornflour with 3 spoonfuls of the coconut milk and drizzle this slurry back into the remaining coconut milk while whisking.
Pour the coconut milk mixture into the curry and simmer for 5 minutes.
Serve the beef and pumpkin curry on fragrant, steamed rice.

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Apple Cheesecake

April 27, 2024April 23, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

300g dry biscuits
100g butter, melted
500g cream cheese, room temperature
100g caster sugar
300g sour cream
10ml vanilla
3 eggs
1 x 385g tin unsweetened pie apple slices, drained
2,5ml ground cinnamon

Preheat your oven to 150℃ and spray a 17cm x 27cm (22cm round) baking tin with cooking spray. Set aside.
Break the biscuits into the bowl of a food processor and blitz to crumbs.
Drizzle in the butter while the engine is running – the mixture should resemble wet sand.
Spoon the mixture into the baking tin and evenly press into the base and up the sides.
Place in the refrigerator until needed.
Add the cream cheese, caster sugar, sour cream, vanilla and eggs to the bowl of your clean food processor.
Process until well combined and spoon into a mixing bowl.
Add the drained apple slices and fold the mixture through.
Bake the cheesecake for 45minutes. It should just be set and still be slightly wobbly in the centre.
Turn off your oven, open the oven door slightly and rest the cake in the oven for 20 minutes.
Remove the cheesecake from the oven, sprinkle over the ground cinnamon and cool to room temperature.
Now refrigerate the cheesecake overnight.

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Passionfruit Cream

April 25, 2024April 22, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

600ml milk
80ml caster sugar
3 eggs, separated
6 passionfruits
45ml gelatine powder

Syrup:
125ml caster sugar
pulp of 4 passionfruit

Pour the milk and caster sugar into a small saucepan and set it over medium-high heat.
Stir until the sugar has dissolved and bring the mixture to just under boiling point.
Remove from the heat and set aside.
Add the egg yolks to a heatproof bowl and whisk together.
Drizzle the hot milk mixture into the yolks while whisking continuously.
Place the bowl over a saucepan with simmering water and stir with a wooden spoon for about 7 minutes or so. The mixture is ready when it very lightly coats the back of the wooden spoon.
Remove the bowl from the heat and set aside for a few minutes.
Set a sieve over a bowl and scoop the passionfruit into it. Press down on the seeds to extract the juice.
Stir the juice into the custard mixture and set aside again.
Pour 100ml HOT water into a small bowl and sprinkle over the gelatine. Stir to dissolve.
Add the gelatine mixture to the custard and stir through. Set aside.
Add the egg whites to a clean mixing bowl and whisk to stiff peaks.
Add the whites to the custard and gently fold through.
Divide the mixture between 6 bowls/glasses and refrigerate for one hour, until set.

Syrup:
Pour 125ml water and the 125ml caster sugar into a small saucepan and place over a low heat.
Stir until the sugar has dissolved.
Increase the heat to medium-high and simmer until syrupy – about 3 minutes or so.
Remove from the heat and stir in the passionfruit pulp.
Allow the syrup to cool and refrigerate until cold.

Pour the syrup on the passionfruit cream and serve.

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Caramel Pumpkin Tart

April 23, 2024April 22, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

250ml flour
250ml sugar
5ml salt
750ml cooked, drained pumpkin
60ml butter, melted
250ml cream
3 eggs, lightly beaten together
5ml ground cinnamon

Caramel Sauce:
250ml brown sugar
125ml butter, cubed
60ml milk
5ml vanilla

Preheat your oven to 180℃.
Add the flour, sugar and salt to a mixing bowl, stir to mix and set aside.
Add the pumpkin, butter, cream and eggs to another mixing bowl and beat together with a spatula.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix well.
Scoop the mixture into a 23cm diameter pie dish and level the surface.
Bake in the oven for one hour.
Sprinkle the pumpkin tart with the cinnamon as soon as you take it from the oven.
Set aside to cool somewhat – it is ideal to serve when warm.

Caramel Sauce:
Add the sugar, butter and milk to a small saucepan set over a low heat.
Stir until the sugar has dissolved.
Turn the heat up, do not stir again and bring the mixture to a boil.
Turn the heat down slightly and cook the sauce until it thickens and has lost its wateriness. Keep in mind that the sauce will thicken more as it cools.

Drizzle the pumpkin tart with the caramel sauce and serve.

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Prawn Curry

April 21, 2024April 19, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

30ml olive oil
15ml turmeric
15ml ground coriander
15ml ground cumin
30ml curry powder
1 kg prawns, shelled and deveined

Curry sauce:
30ml vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 green chilli, chopped
10ml ground ginger
15ml curry powder
5ml ground cumin
5ml ground turmeric
15ml ground coriander
2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
250ml coconut milk

Pour the olive oil into a large mixing bowl and add the turmeric, coriander, cumin and curry powder to it. Mix through.
Add the prawns and stir to cover with the spice paste. Set aside for 30 minutes.
Place a saucepan on medium heat, add the vegetable oil and onion and cook until translucent.
Add the garlic and stir-fry for one minute.
Add the green chilli, ginger, curry, cumin, coriander and turmeric and cook for 30 seconds.
Now blitz the two tins of tomatoes and add it to the saucepan.
Turn down the heat and simmer the mixture for 10 minutes.
Add the marinated prawns, pour in the coconut milk and simmer for another 10 – 15 minutes.
Serve the prawn curry with fresh coriander and steamed rice.

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Beetroot Hummus Salad

April 20, 2024April 16, 2024by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

1 x 400g tin chickpeas
30ml tahini
2 cloves garlic, minced
15ml lemon juice
5ml salt
150g beetroot, cooked and cubed
5 beets, cooked and sliced about 0.5cm thick
100g feta cheese
50g pistachio nuts, roughly chopped
balsamic vinegar

Drain the chickpeas and add it to a liquidiser.
Add the tahini, garlic, lemon juice, salt and cubed beetroot and blitz until smooth. Set aside.
Arrange the sliced beetroot on a serving plate.
Place dollops of the beetroot hummus on the slices, crumb the feta over and scatter over the pistachio.
Drizzle the salad with balsamic vinegar and serve.