Edamame Hummus

Edamame Hummus

This spread or dip is packed with protein as edamame beans are green soy beans. Enjoy it on toast, crackers, as a dip or stirred into roasted veg.

250ml edamame beans, thawed
30ml tahini paste
30ml lemon juice
30ml olive oil
1,2ml salt
2 cloves of garlic, minced
30-60ml water

Add all the ingredients to a food processor and blend for one minute.
Add the water a little at a time and keep blending until the hummus is smooth and creamy.
Taste the hummus and adjust the seasoning – often it needs a pinch of salt and some lemon juice.
Serve on crostini or crackers as a canapé or simply spread on toast.

Banana and Carrot Bread

Banana and Carrot Bread

Serve this Banana and Carrot Bread as is or with a subtle cinnamon frosting to elevate it tot a cake!

500ml flour
250ml sugar
5ml baking powder
2,5ml salt
2,5ml ground cinnamon
2 eggs
250ml mashed banana (about three bananas)
83ml vegetable oil
250ml grated carrot
125ml pecan nuts, chopped

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and line a 25cm x 11cm loaf tin with baking paper.
Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon to a mixing bowl. Set aside.
Add the eggs, mashed banana and oil to a jug and whisk together until amalgamated.
Pour the mixture into the flour and mix just until you can no longer see dry ingredients.
Add the grated carrot and pecan nuts and fold through until evenly distributed.
Place in the oven and bake for 1 hour. Test the bread by inserting a skewer to see if it comes out clean.
Cool in the loaf tin for 10 minutes before removing and cooling on a wire rack.
The bread should be completely cooled before slicing.

Cinnamon Frosting:
110g cream cheese, room temperature
80ml icing sugar, sifted
1,2ml ground cinnamon
5ml vanilla

Beat/whisk together for 1 min.
Smear on the top of the bread and top with pecan nuts.

Dressed up Corn on the Cob

Dressed up Corn on the Cob

Cook the corn to your liking and then simply dress it up in one of two ways. Both the recipes are enough for 6 – 8 corn on the cob.

Spicy Mexican Corn:
125ml mayonnaise
10ml + 10ml smoked paprika
5ml chilli flakes
5ml salt
125ml grated parmesan cheese
2 lemons

Add the mayonnaise and 10ml smoked paprika to a small bowl and mix through. Set aside.
Add the other 10ml smoked paprika, chilli flakes and salt to another bowl and mix together.
Brush the cooked corn with the mayonnaise mixture, sprinkle over the spice rub and roll the corn in the grated parmesan.
Cut the lemons into quarters and serve with the corn.

Herbed Corn:
60ml parsley, tightly packed
60ml coriander, tightly packed
60ml garlic chives
30ml grated lemon rind
80g grated parmesan cheese
60ml butter, cubed

Chop the parsley, coriander, chives and grated lemon rind together until very fine and spoon into a shallow dish.
Add the grated parmesan to another shallow dish.
Melt the butter and brush it all over the cooked corn.
Roll the corn in the herbs and then in the parmesan.
Serve immediately.

Baked Custards

Baked Custards

125ml granulated sugar
5ml instant coffee dissolved in 30ml boiling water
385g can of condensed milk
340ml can of evaporated milk
3 eggs
2,5ml salt

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and set 6 ramekins in an ovenproof dish that is at least 7cm deep.
Place a small saucepan on medium-high heat and pour in the sugar and coffee.
Swirl (do not stir!) the saucepan until the sugar has dissolved.
Now bring the mixture to the boil and turn the heat down to medium.
Simmer for 5 minutes.
Divide the mixture amongst the ramekins.
Set aside so that it can harden.
Add the condensed milk, evaporated milk, eggs and salt to a mixing bowl and whisk together.
Place a fine sieve over a jug and pour the mixture through.
Divide the mixture evenly between the ramekins.
Place the oven dish with the ramekins in the oven and pour enough boiling water into the pan to come two-thirds up the sides of the ramekins.
Bake for 30 minutes. The custard should be just set, with the centres still wobbly.
Remove from the oven and stand for 15 minutes.
Take the ramekins from the oven dish and set aside to cool.
Place the custards in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours.
Loosen the custards from the sides of the ramekins with a small knife and invert on plates to serve.

Green Olive Tapenade

Green Olive Tapenade

250ml green olives, pitted
2 anchovies, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
60ml fresh parsley, chopped
60ml olive oil
15ml capers
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
45ml lemon juice

Add all the ingredients to a food processor and blend together.
Check whether you’re happy with the texture.
Taste and season with salt, lemon juice and black pepper if needed.
Serve on toasted baguette or crackers as a canapè.

Coconut Milk Crêpes

Coconut Milk Crêpes

250ml flour
1,2ml baking powder
2,5ml salt
250ml coconut milk
125ml water
62ml sunflower oil
2 eggs

Add the flour, baking powder and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
Add the coconut milk, water, oil and eggs to a large jug and whisk together until the eggs are incorporated.
Turn the mixer on a low speed and slowly drizzle in the liquids.
Keep going until all has been added.
Set the mixer on its highest speed and whisk for 2 minutes.
Take the bowl from the mixer and check whether there are any lumps in the batter.
If there are, set a sieve over a large bowl and pour the batter through.
Cover the batter with a tea towel and set aside for one hour.
Place a crêpe pan on medium-high heat, wait for it to heat up and then add a few drops of oil.
Spoon some batter into the pan and swirl around to evenly distribute and cover the pan surface.
Cook for about 2 minutes, flip over and cook another minute or so.
Serve the crêpes warm with honey and a squeeze of lemon.

Chocolate Hazelnut Cake

Chocolate Hazelnut Cake

250g whole hazelnuts
200g butter, cubed
200g dark chocolate, chopped
6 eggs, separated
200g caster sugar
45ml orange juice
80g hazelnut flavoured chocolate

Preheat your oven to 200℃.
Spread the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and roast them in the oven for 10 minutes. Give the pan a shake halfway through baking time.
Spread the warm nuts between two tea towels and rub them so that the skins come off.
Turn your oven temperature down to 180℃ and spray a 22cm loose-bottom cake tin with cooking spray. Line the bottom of the tin with baking paper.
Add 200g of the cooled hazelnuts to a food processor and blitz until fine – a similar texture to that of breadcrumbs.
Add the butter and chocolate to a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water and allow to melt.
Remove from the heat and stir in the ground hazelnuts.
Set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
Add the egg yolks and sugar to a mixing bowl and beat for 4 minutes with an electric whisk.
Add it to the hazelnut mixture and stir by hand until well combined.
Pour in the orange juice and stir through.
Add the egg whites to a clean bowl and whisk to stiff peaks.
Spoon a third of the whites into the hazelnut mixture and stir through to loosen.
Now add the remaining whites and gently fold through.
Spoon the batter into the prepared cake tin and bake for 40 minutes.
Remove the cake and leave to cool in the baking tin for 30 minutes.
Unclip the outside ring and invert the cake on a serving plate.
Pull off the baking paper and leave the cake to cool completely.
Melt about 80g of hazelnut chocolate, pour on the cake and sprinkle over the remaining hazelnuts.

French Toast Rolls

French Toast Rolls

8 slices fresh white bread
45ml + 45ml butter
80ml brown sugar
5ml + 5ml ground cinnamon
2 eggs
60ml milk
60ml granulated sugar

Trim the crusts from each slice of bread and then roll each flat with a rolling pin.
Add 45ml butter to a heatproof bowl and melt/soften it in the microwave oven.
Add the brown sugar and 5ml cinnamon and mix together. You are looking for a spreadable consistency.
Spread each slice of bread with a thin layer of the sugar mixture.
Roll the slices up in a tight roll.
Add the eggs and milk with a pinch of salt to a shallow bowl and whisk together.
Add the granulated sugar and other 5ml cinnamon to another shallow bowl and mix through.
Place a non-stick pan on medium heat and add the remaining 45ml butter.
Now dip one of the bread rolls in the egg mixture and place in the warm pan.
Repeat with the rest.
Fry until golden, turn until browned all over.
Remove the rolls from the pan and roll each in the cinnamon sugar while warm.
Serve with a good cup of coffee.

Easter Hunt Cupcakes

Easter Hunt Cupcakes

You can top these cupcakes with a chocolate ganache icing or leave them plain – I prefer plain as they are sweet and gooey with the melted Easter egg on the inside.

200g butter, room temperature
200g sugar
200g flour
83ml cocoa powder, sifted
7,5ml baking powder
1,2ml bicarbonate of soda
2,5ml salt
150ml sour cream
2 eggs, lightly beaten
7,5ml vanilla
12 small, filled chocolate eggs

Preheat your oven to 180℃ and line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cups.
Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Cream together on high speed, scrape down the bowl and mix again on high speed.
Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt.
Mix on low speed until the ingredients are incorporated.
Remove the mixing bowl from the mixer and add the sour cream, eggs and vanilla.
Stir through by hand until just incorporated.
Divide the batter between the 12 paper cups and insert a filled chocolate egg in each.
Bake the cupcakes for 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

Easter Celebration Bread

Easter Celebration Bread

500ml milk, tepid
250ml x 6 all-purpose flour
30ml sugar
15ml instant yeast
10ml salt
85ml butter, cubed, room temperature

Fit a dough hook on your stand mixer.
Add the milk, 5 x 250ml flour, sugar, yeast and salt to the mixer bowl.
Turn the mixer on a low speed and knead to bring together.
Add enough of the remaining flour to form a soft, workable dough.
Knead for 3 minutes on medium-low speed, until you have a smooth elastic dough.
Add the butter and continue to knead on medium-low speed until the butter is completely incorporated and the dough is smooth, shiny and elastic.
Cover the dough with a tea towel and allow to rise for 60-90 minutes.
Spray a 22cm loose-bottom cake tin with cooking spray and set aside.
Lightly flour a work surface and turn the dough out onto it.
Divide in half.
Shape one half into a 22cm diameter disc and place in the prepared cake tin.
Divide the other half into three equal portions and roll each into a rope about 60cm long.
Now braid the three ropes together and place the braid flat around the edge of the pan, forming a circle.
Trim the ends of the braid so that it “meets” neatly.
Place an uncooked egg in the centre of the circle – this symbolises birth/new life.
Cover the tin with a tea towel and leave to double – it should take about an hour.
Preheat your oven to 180℃.
Place the bread in the oven and bake for 55 minutes.
Remove from the cake tin and cool completely on a wire rack.