Preheat your oven to 180℃ and line a baking sheet with baking paper. Combine the flour, salt, turmeric and curry powder in a mixing bowl. Add the cubed butter and rub the mixture together with your fingers until you are left with pea-sized clumps of butter and flour. Add the grated cheddar and pecorino cheese and mix through. Now knead/push the mixture together with the heel of your hand so that if forms a dough ball. It takes a while to come together, just keep kneading/pushing. Lightly flour a work surface and roll the dough to a 5mm thickness. Cut out shapes with biscuit cutters and transfer them to the prepared baking sheet. Bake the biscuits for about 12 minutes. Take them from the oven and cool in the baking sheet for 10 minutes before removing them to cool completely. Store the biscuits in an airtight glass jar.
For the topping: 160g chocolate, chopped 125ml cream 5ml corn syrup
Preheat your oven to 180℃. Spray and line the bottom (not the sides) of a 38cm X 25cm X 2,5cm baking tray with baking paper. Spray the paper lightly with a cooking spray. Add the egg whites to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Turn the mixer to high speed, add the 83ml sugar and whisk for 5 minutes until the mixture is stiff. Set aside. Add the egg yolks, 125ml sugar and vanilla to a mixing bowl and beat for 2 minutes with electric beaters. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt into another mixing bowl. Add the espresso powder to the dry ingredients. Melt the butter and pour it over the dry ingredients. Add the egg yolk mixture as well and beat on medium speed until the ingredients are combined. Now fold in the stiff egg whites by stirring in a third and then gently folding in the rest. Keep folding until there are no white streaks in the batter. Spoon the batter into the prepared baking tray and spread it evenly into a thin layer. Bake for 10 minutes.
Rolling the cake: Place a thin kitchen towel on a work surface and sift about 30ml cocoa powder over the towel. Take the cake directly from the oven, run a sharp knife around the edges of the pan and immediately invert the cake onto the cocoa powder/kitchen towel. Gently peel off the baking paper and roll the cake and the kitchen towel in a coil. Set aside to cool completely.
Making the cream filling: Pour the whipping cream into a mixing bowl, sift over the icing sugar and add the vanilla. Beat the mixture with electric beaters until it is stiff enough to have a spreadable consistency. Unroll the cold cake and remove it from the kitchen towel. Spread the cream filling over the surface and roll the cake once again. Place the Swiss roll on a cooling rack to cover with the chocolate topping.
For the chocolate topping: Add all the ingredients to a heatproof bowl and set it over a saucepan with barely simmering water. Stir until the chocolate has melted completely and the mixture is amalgamated. Take the bowl from the heat and set aside for about 15minutes, stirring it every now and then so that it cools down a bit. Pour the chocolate over the Swiss roll and spread it slightly with a spatula. Wait for the first batch/layer to set slightly before pouring the rest of the chocolate over the cake. Allow the cake to stand on the cooling rack until the topping has set completely.
Transfer the Swiss roll to a serving plate and enjoy!
4 – 5 beets 340ml water and beetroot-water, lukewarm 10g dry yeast 10ml sugar 10ml salt 20ml olive oil 500g cake flour 100g feta cheese, crumbed rosemary sprigs extra olive oil to drizzle
Peel the beetroot and cut it into chunks. Cover with water and cook until a sharp knife easily pierces the beet chunks. Remove the beetroot from the cooking liquid, but reserve the liquid. Mash enough of the soft beetroot so that you have 45ml of pulp. (Keep the rest of the cooked beetroot in the refrigerator and add it to a salad). Measure 340ml of the beetroot water in a jug. If you don’t have enough, fill it to measurement with tap water. Warm the water so that it is lukewarm. Add the yeast, sugar and olive oil to the water and stir to dissolve. Set aside. Add the flour and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook and mix on low speed. Add the yeast mixture and the 45ml beetroot pulp and turn the mixer to medium speed. Knead for about 4 minutes. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl and cover with a clean tea towel. Set aside to rise for 1 -2 hours.
Preheat your oven to 180℃ and spray a 38cm X 25cm baking tray with non-stick spray. Transfer the dough to the baking tray and gently start spreading it by pushing down on it with the tips of your fingers. Keep pushing and prodding the dough until it fills the entire tray. Break the feta and spread over the dough. Add a few sprigs of rosemary and then drizzle a generous amount of olive oil over the dough. Lightly cover the bread with a plastic bag and allow to rise for about 20 minutes.
Sugar cones filled with crème pâtissière and then brûléed to a crunchy sweetness makes for a fabulous casual dessert. The crème pât can be made well in advance and kept in the refrigerator, however, assemble the dessert when you are ready to serve.
4 large sugar cones granulated sugar for the topping/brûlée For the crème pâtissière: 40g cornflour 500ml milk 50g + 50g caster sugar 4 egg yolks 5ml vanilla
Making the crème pâtissière: Add the cornflour to a small bowl. Drizzle a small amount of milk into the bowl while stirring – you want a runny, pourable paste. Set aside. Add the egg yolks and 50g caster sugar to a large mixing bowl. Pour the cornflour slurry into the egg mixture and stir to mix with a whisk. Set aside. Pour the milk into a small saucepan and add the other 50g caster sugar. Place on medium heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Take the saucepan from the heat as soon as tiny bubbles start to appear around the edges of the pan. Drizzle the warm milk mixture into the egg mixture while whisking continuously. Remember: pour slowly, whisk quickly. Now pour the mixture back into the saucepan and place it on a medium-low heat. Stir with a wooden spoon until thick and creamy. Allow to simmer lightly for 30 seconds before removing from the heat. Add the vanilla and stir through. Pour the crème pâtissière into a clean bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Push the step onto the surface with your hand to prevent a skin from forming. Allow to cool completely. Refrigerate until you are ready to serve the cones.
Assembly: Stand the sugar cones in drinking glasses. Whisk the cold crème pâtissière by hand until you have a silky smooth consistency. Spoon the mixture into the cones and sprinkle an even layer of granulated sugar on the surface. Brùlée the sugar with a blowtorch and serve immediately.
Cook the spaghetti and set aside. Make zucchini strips by placing a zucchini on a chopping board and running a vegetable peeler over the length of it. Pull as many strips as you can, flipping the zucchini from time to time. Keep the zucchini strips aside. Pour a small amount of vegetable oil in a saucepan, add the bacon and cook over medium heat for about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Remove the bacon and garlic from the pan and set it aside. Pour the cream in the same saucepan and bring it to a simmer. Add the egg yolks one at a time while whisking continuously. Add the parmesan and zucchini strips and simmer for about 2 minutes. Now add the bacon and cooked spaghetti and toss through. Serve the pasta with more grated parmesan and an egg yolk on top.
You will keep this recipe as a quick and delicious go-to whenever you are in need of a dessert, something sweet or a treat. The taste is dramatically altered by the chocolate of your choice … choose wisely!!
Preheat your oven to 170℃ and line a 18cm cake tin with baking paper. Cover the bottom and about half way up, of the cake tin with tin foil and place the tin in a roasting dish. Put aside. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Stir until completely melted and remove from the heat. Allow to cool slightly. Add the cream cheese and egg yolks to a mixing bowl and beat with an electric beater. Drizzle in the cooled chocolate and mix until blended. Add the egg whites to a clean mixing bowl and beat until stiff peaks. Stir about a third of the whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Add the rest of the whites and gently fold through until no trace of white is visible. Gently scrape the mixture into the prepared cake tin and level the surface with a spatula. Now pour very hot water from the TAP into the roasting tray so that the water reaches about 3cm. Place the cake in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Lower the temperature to 160℃ and bake for another 15 minutes. Turn the oven off and leave the cake inside for another 30 minutes before removing it from the baking tin. Serve the cheesecake slightly warm with a chocolate sauce.
This is an easy, quick dessert that will satisfy ALL sweet cravings!! Serve one banana per person.
30ml brown sugar 2 bananas, halved in their length 150ml coconut milk shredded coconut vanilla ice cream to serve
Put a dry frying pan on a medium-high heat and add a handful of shredded coconut. Toast until light brown, moving it around in the pan (with a spoon) so that it doesn’t burn. Remove from the heat AND the pan when ready and set aside. Add the brown sugar to the same pan and allow it to melt. Place the bananas in the pan and fry for 1 minute. Gently flip the halves and fry for another minute. Remove the banana from the pan. Add the coconut milk to the melted/sticky sugar, lower the heat and stir continuously until the sugar has dissolved. Reduce the sauce until it has thickened. Place the banana halves in serving bowls/plates and drizzle with the caramel sauce. Sprinkle with the toasted coconut and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Preheat your oven to 190℃. Grease 6 ramekins with a minimum capacity of 175ml. Place them on a baking tray and set aside. Pour the cream into a small saucepan over a low-medium heat until just warm. Add the espresso and Kahlúa and stir until the coffee granules are dissolved. Divide the mixture between the prepared ramekins. Add the 4 egg whites to a clean mixing bowl and beat until it forms soft peaks. Now whisk in the sugar, adding a teaspoonful at a time until the mixture is stiff and glossy. Add the chocolate to a heatproof bowl set over simmering water and stir until completely melted and silky smooth. Take the chocolate from the heat and set aside for 10 minutes. Stir it every now and then so that it cools down. Add the egg yolks to the chocolate and stir through. Stir in a third of the beaten egg white mixture. Now fold in the rest of the whites until no trace of whites are left. Spoon the mixture into the ramekins and bake it for 15 minutes. Sift the puddings with cocoa powder (or icing sugar if you want a sweeter pudding) and serve immediately.
Beignets are French doughnuts that are really easy and straightforward to make. Once you have tasted a fresh, warm beignet it will become your favourite in-between treat!
190ml warm water 62ml + 62ml sugar 10g instant yeast 1 egg 125ml milk 10ml vanilla 4 X 250ml flour 5ml salt 45ml butter, very soft vegetable oil for frying icing sugar to dust
Pour the warm water into the mixing bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Add 62ml sugar and sprinkle the yeast on the water. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Whisk the egg, milk, vanilla and remaining 62ml sugar together in a small mixing bowl and add it to the yeast mixture. Turn the mixer to a slow speed and gradually add the flour and salt. Add the butter and incorporate. Increase the speed to medium and mix/knead for about 4 minutes, until the dough comes together in a ball. Place the dough, which will be very soft, in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and leave to rise for about 2 hours or until doubled in size. Pour about 5cm of oil into a saucepan and place on the heat. The ideal temperature is 179 – 180℃. Lightly dust a work surface with flour and roll the dough to a thickness of about 1,5cm. Cut into 5cm X 5cm squares and fry until golden. Dust the warm beignets with icing sugar. Serve with another dusting of icing sugar and a cup of coffee.
This is a refreshing drink to have on a summer’s day and a real crowd pleaser. Add a shot of vodka or tequila and serve with aperitifs!
500ml water 2 sprigs rosemary about 15cm long 125ml sugar 125ml honey 300ml fresh lemon juice 1,5 litre cold water
Pour the water into a small sauce and bring to a boil. Add the rosemary, cover the saucepan with a lid and reduce to a simmer, for 10 minutes. Take from the heat and remove the rosemary. Stir in the sugar and honey. Pour the mixture into a jug and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Add the lemon juice and 1,5 litres cold water. Chill the lemonade for at least an hour. Serve over ice and top with fresh lemon slices and a sprig of rosemary.
My Whisk and I 