treat – Page 50 – My Whisk and I

Breadsticks

May 31, 2021May 31, 2021by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

Breadsticks are delicious and versatile: serve them as canapés, a dip like hummus or as a side to soup.

80g bread flour
5g instant yeast
2,5ml sugar
150ml tepid water

160g bread flour
15ml olive oil
2,5ml salt
1 egg
chopped herbs and/or grated parmesan cheese

Add the 80g flour, yeast, sugar and water to the bowl of a stand mixer.
Whisk the ingredients by hand until you have a smooth mixture.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a clean tea towel.
Stand the bowl in a warm place for 30 minutes or until the mixture is foamy.

Add the 160g flour, oil and salt to the foamy-mixture.
Fit the mixer with the dough hook and turn it on to a low speed. Mix for 2 minutes.
Increase the speed to medium and knead the dough until smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes).
Cover the mixing bowl with a tea towel and allow to proof for 30 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 190℃ and line a baking sheet with baking paper.
Dust a work surface with flour and take the dough from the mixing bowl.
Knead it by hand for one minute.
Portion the dough by cutting it into equal sized pieces. About 16 portions would do but it depends on the length of breadstick you want. (Long is better as you may always cut them in half before baking).
Roll each piece of dough into a log.
To make twists: cut the log lengthwise into two and twist the one around the other.
To make braids: cut the log into three, keep the top end together, and braid as you would hair.
Place the breadsticks onto the prepared tray, brush with egg white and sprinkle with herbs and/or grated parmesan.
Bake the bread for 15 minutes.
Remove from the oven and cool completely on a cooling rack.
Serve with soup, hummus, a dip or as a canapé.

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Pancake Puffs

May 26, 2021May 23, 2021by Karen Claassen1 Comment

These mini cupcakes are little bites of pure happiness and comfort! The recipe yields 24 mouthfuls.

45ml + 125ml sugar
250ml flour
5ml baking powder
2,5ml bicarbonate of soda
1,2ml salt
190ml cultured buttermilk
5ml vanilla
30g + 75g butter, melted
1 egg
5ml cinnamon

Preheat your oven to 180℃, NO FAN!
Grease a 24-hole mini muffin tin and put aside.
Add the 45ml sugar, flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt to a mixing bowl and whisk together.
Add the buttermilk, vanilla, 30g melted butter and egg to another bowl and whisk together.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients in a thin stream while whisking to combine.
Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins and bake for 12 minutes.
Take the puffs from the oven and leave to stand for about 5 minutes before removing them from the tin.
Pour the 75g melted butter into a small bowl and have a pastry brush ready.
Mix the 125ml sugar and cinnamon in a separate bowl and mix through.
Brush each puff with the butter and then roll it in the cinnamon sugar.
Serve warm.

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Apple Crumble

May 24, 2021May 23, 2021by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This is an easy, uncomplicated apple crumble in one dish but it is full of flavour and absolutely delicious when served slightly warm with ice cream.

450g cooking apples
62ml sugar

Crumble:
40g oats
40g flour
40g butter, cubed
30g brown sugar
2,5ml cinnamon

Preheat your oven to 190℃.
Peel, core and cut the apples into quarters. Cut the quarters into chunks.
Add the apple pieces to a small saucepan with the sugar and 45ml water.
Cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.
Spoon the apple into an ovenproof dish or individual ramekins. Put aside.

For the crumble:
Add the oats, flour, butter, sugar and cinnamon to a mixing bowl.
Rub the butter into the mixture with your fingers until it has an even crumb texture.
Spoon the crumb mixture onto the apple chunks.
Place in the oven and bake for 20 – 25 minutes.
Serve slightly warm with vanilla ice cream.

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Chocolate Cake with Prunes

May 7, 2021May 3, 2021by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

If you like chocolate and you like prunes, this flourless cake is what you have been waiting for!

400g prunes
200ml Port or Madeira
30g granulated sugar

For the prunes:
Add the prunes, port and sugar to a small saucepan and place on medium heat.
Stir to dissolve the sugar and then allow the mixture to simmer on a medium to low heat until the liquid is reduced to a syrup.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and set aside to cool.

340g dark chocolate, chopped
170g butter, cubed
80g sugar
200g cooled prunes (from the mixture you have made above)
6 eggs, separated
1,2ml salt

Preheat your oven to 170℃.
Grease a 22cm loose-bottom cake tin and dust the bottom and sides with cocoa powder.
Add the chopped chocolate and butter to a heatproof bowl over simmering water. Allow to melt, stirring occasionally until completely melted and smooth.
Add half the sugar (40g) to the chocolate mixture and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Remove the bowl from the saucepan.
Now take 200g of the prunes from the port syrup, drain and chop into small pieces and add these to the chocolate mixture.
Allow the mixture to cool for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the egg yolks to the cooled chocolate and stir to combine.

Add the egg whites and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
Whisk the whites until they form soft peaks.
Now start adding the remaining half of the sugar, a teaspoon at a time, with the machine running.
The whites should hold their shape and be glossy.
Spoon a third of the whites into the chocolate mixture and stir it through to slacken the chocolate.
Fold the rest of the whites into the mixture with a metal spoon, until there are no white streaks left.
Gently pour the batter into the prepared cake tine and bake for 45 minutes.
Cool the cake in the baking tin.
Serve with the remaining prunes in the syrup.

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Pumpkin-Pecan Pie

May 6, 2021April 28, 2021by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

This is one of the easiest and tastiest side dishes you will ever make and as a bonus, you will have one bowl and one jug to clean! You may prepare this dish the day before you want to serve it and simply heat it up when needed.

500ml pumpkin purée (cooked pumpkin, finely mashed)
375ml flour
250ml sugar
60ml butter, melted
250ml cream
3 eggs, lightly beaten
250ml pecan nuts, roughly chopped
45ml granulated sugar
5ml cinnamon

Preheat your oven to 180℃.
Add the pumpkin purée, flour and sugar to a mixing bowl and stir to combine.
Add the melted butter, cream and egg to a wide-mouthed jug and whisk together.
Pour the wet ingredients into the pumpkin mixture and mix to a batter.
Stir in the chopped nuts.
Grease a ceramic pie dish and pour the mixture into it.
Add the sugar and cinnamon to a small bowl and mix. Sprinkle onto the pie surface.
Bake the pie for 1 hour, until set.
Serve warm.

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Marmite-Feta Cupcakes

May 3, 2021April 28, 2021by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

If you cannot decide whether you want to have savoury or sweet it is best to go with both! These cupcakes are quite unusual but very satisfying and ticks all the boxes when you honestly don’t know what you are craving… it simply balances your tastebuds and it works! The recipe yields 12 regular cupcakes.

75g butter, cubed
160g sugar
1 egg
200g flour
10ml baking powder
2ml salt
250ml milk
250ml + 80ml feta cheese, crumbed

150g butter
45ml Marmite

Preheat your oven to 190℃.
Line a 12-hole cupcake/muffin tin with paper cups and lightly spray with a cooking spray.
Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until soft and creamy.
Add the egg to the mixture and beat a few seconds more.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl.
Add one spoonful of the flour mixture, alternating with the milk until everything is incorporated.
Switch off the mixer, add the 250ml of crumbed feta cheese and mix through with a spatula.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking tin and bake for 25 minutes.

Add the 150g butter and marmite to a small saucepan.
Place on medium heat and once the butter has melted, take it from the heat and whisk to incorporate.

Take the baked cupcakes from the oven and spoon the marmite mixture over the cupcakes.
Cool slightly on a cooling rack before serving.

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Sweet Potato Brownies

April 30, 2021April 28, 2021by Karen ClaassenLeave a Comment

These brownies are moist with an intense chocolate taste and surprisingly, very light in texture. Store them in a sealed container at room temperature for 3 – 4 days.

100g butter
250g dark chocolate, chopped
250ml sweet potato, cooked and mashed
125ml brown sugar
250ml granulated sugar
4 eggs
7,5ml vanilla
2,5ml salt
165ml flour
125ml cocoa powder

Preheat your oven to 180℃.
Line a baking tin, 18cm X 28cm or 23cm X 23cm with baking paper.
Add the butter to a small saucepan and place on medium to high heat.
Take the saucepan off the heat as soon as the butter starts to make small bubbles and add the chopped chocolate. Leave to stand for 5 minutes.
Add the mashed sweet potato, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla and salt to a mixing bowl and whisk together.
Return to the butter and chocolate and whisk the mixture until the chocolate has melted and you are left with a smooth, emulsified mixture.
Add the chocolate and butter mixture to the sweet potato mix and stir through.
Sift the flour and cocoa powder into the same bowl and mix until incorporated.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking tin and bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake, comes out clean.
Cool the brownies completely, on a cooling rack.
Store in an airtight container for 3 – 4 days, at room temperature.