Sago Pudding

Sago pudding is one of the winter comfort puddings that I make a lot in the winter, and everyone loves it.  I have however noticed that the sago itself is much more popular than the meringue part.  What I have dome is fold the meringue into the sago mixture and bake it like that. It looks prettier with the meringue at the top though and who cares if nobody has the meringue, sure you will have the takers for the meringue. I sometimes I even have it for dinner, milk, egg, jam why not ;-)

What you need:
4k Milk
1k Sago
2 Tbsp Butter
3/4k Sugar
4 Large Eggs
1tsp Vanilla Extract
Pinch of Salt
A few Tablespoons apricot jam

What to do:
Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius

In a Saucepan simmer together the milk, sugar, salt, and sago until the sago is see through. (Be carefully not the burn the milk - if you are scared of this you can do this in the microwave in a microwave friendly bowl).

Allow this mixture to cool slightly.

Then add the butter.

Beat the egg yolks and the extract and add to the sago mixture.

Spoon into an oven safe dish.

Spoon some apricot jam on top of the sago mixture.

Beat the egg whites until stiff, gradually adding 6 tablespoons of sugar.

Spoon the egg whites on top of the apricot jam.

Bake in the pre-heated oven until the egg whites are light brown.

Remove from the oven and serve hot.

Hertzoggies

Apparently these little tartlets were named after an Old president of South-Africa J B M Hertzog.  They look complicated to make, but they really are not.  They are usually made in a muffin tin or patty pan tin that is not that deep (this recipe makes about 30) but I like it bite size so I make it in a mini muffin pan. This recipe is from the You winning recipe book, a lovely book to have with wonderful recipe's in it.

What you need:
Crust:
250g Flour
25g   Castor Sugar
2 tsp Baking powder
1/2 tsp Salt
125g Butter (room temperature)
3 large Egg Yolks
15 ml Water
Filling:
6 Tbs fine Apricot Jam
3 large Egg Whites
250g Castor Sugar
500ml desiccated coconut (not sweetened)

Heat the oven to 180C

Sift together the flour, castor sugar, baking powder and salt.

Rib the butter into the flour mixture, until mixed and has a crumb texture.

Beat the egg yolks, mix with the water and add to the flour mixture.

Mix until a soft but manageable dough forms.

Add a few drops more water if needed.

Cover and set aside for a few moments.

Spray the muffin tins.

Roll the dough out on a floured surface.

Cut circles large enough for the hole of the muffin tin.  Remember not to measure the size of the hole the dough must go inside, so you will need something a bit bigger.

Now place these circles in the hollows and lightly press down to take the shape of the hollow.

Put about a half teaspoon of jam in the hollow.

Now beat the egg whites until stiff.

Slowly add the sugar bit by bit, beating well after each addition.

Fold in the coconut.

Put a spoon full on each tartlet to make a pretty dome on top.

Bake for 20 - 25 min in the centre of the oven.

Allow to cool on cooling rack once cooked.

Serve as is with tea.

Milkshakes {Steri Stumpie}

Steri Stumpie, my favourite flavoured milk!

It's a great post exercise drink... apparently the ratio of protein and carbs is just right for recovery.

But even better, today I'm making some milkshakes with the steri stumpies.  It's a great idea... and everyone can choose what flavour they want {anything from strawberry, chocolate, bubblegum, vanilla, cream soda and much more}... easy and seriously yummy!

What you need: {per serving}
1/2 steri stumpie
2 scoops vanilla ice-cream

In a blender, combine the steri stumpie and ice-cream, and blend till smooth.

Pour into glasses and serve.

That easy, and the best milkshake!

Styling and recipe: Denise {ilovethisandthat}
Photography: Angelique Smith

Hot chocolate cups

With winter still in Cape Town, and snow on the mountains, here is a bit of comfort drinking until somer does arrive. This is not for the skinny hot chocolate lovers, but if you have a serious chocolate craving this will sort that out! 

What you need: {Makes 4 cups}
180g good quality dark chocolate
1/2 cup of cream
pinch of salt
teaspoon of vanilla essence
4 small cup cake cups
4 wood spoons

Break the chocolates into small pieces and put in a double boiler.  {Use a glass mixing bowl that fits onto a pot, then boil water in the pot over a medium heat, the heat of the water then melts the chocolate, do not let the water touch the top glass bowl}

When melted, add the cream, salt and vanilla essence, and keep on stirring the mixture {keep stirring, you'll see that it becomes a smooth mixture}

Once everything is melted and well mixed, remove from the heat.

Pour the mixture into the cupcake cups, and allow to cool slightly, then put the spoon into the chocolate mixture.   

Store in the freezer until serving {can be stored for weeks}.

Serve with a steaming mug of hot milk!

Photographer: Angelique Smith
Recipe and Styling: Denise @ ilovethisandthat

Find these in my online store

Cremora Tart {no bake}

This is a very easy recipe, and takes about 20min to make and half hour to an hour to set.  All the ingredients you can keep for a while so the perfect tart for those unexpected guests. :-) This is my grandmothers "flop free all ingredients in the home" tart when we pop in.  She uses fridge water though... but all other recipes other than her's use hot water :-) {which makes more sense for the powder to dissolve better}  she is 83 years old, so we'll excuse her ;-) which ever you prefer they both work! {the rest of the recipe is hers though}

2 cups Cremora powder {coffee creamer}

1 cup Hot water

1 {200g} packet Tennis Biscuits 

100 g Butter

1 {385g} can condensed milk

3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Mix the Cremora powder and the water together till well mixed and leave to cool in the fridge.

Crush the biscuits and mix well with the butter to form a crumble mixture {I find it easiest to put the biscuits in a bag and crush them using a wooden spoon}.

Line a pie dish {or individual containers} with the crumb mixture and place in the refrigerator.  

Remove the Cremora mixture from the fridge and add the condensed milk and mix well.

Now slowly add the lemon juice and mix well {you will see that this thickens the whole mixture}.

Remove the Pie dish from the fridge and pour over the Cremora mixture.  

Allow it to refrigerate for about a hour before serving.

Top with some biscuit crumbs, lemon rind or leave as is.

It can be served as a dessert or as a tart with tea.

Rice Krispies Stars {no bake treats}

What you need:
3 Tablespoons Butter
1 Pack Marshmallows {about 40}
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal

Line a pan of approximately 35 x 25 x 5 cm with wax paper and cook 'n spray.

In a large saucepan melt the butter over a low heat.

Add the marshmallows and stir until completely melted then remove from the heat.

Add the Rice Krispies and stir until well mixed.

Spread the mixture evenly into the lined pan {make sure that your mixture is not spread thicker than your cookie cutter, but not too thin that it will break}

Allow to cool.

Cut out your star forms with a star cookie-cutter {or any other form that you wish to cut out}

To put it on a stick: Dip the stick into melted white chocolate, then push it into the Rice Krispie star {it just helps keeping it together, not necessary}.

You can cover a piece of Styrofoam with material and push the "stars on the sticks" in this to serve!

Kids LOVE them and adults as well! ;-)

{Store at room temperature for not more than two days in an air-tight container}
{Can be frozen, use wax paper to separate the treats, and remove from freezer 15min before serving}

Easter {Vanilla and Marshmallow} cake

This is such a beautiful cake, one that deserves a photo taken of it :-) it looks very impressive {and it's not that difficult}

What you need:
2 basic vanilla cakes
butter icing
400g marshmallows {10 for the middle of the cake}
1 packed of speckled eggs
1 Tablespoon butter

Place the one layer of vanilla cake on the cake stand, and spread half of the icing on the cake.  Cut the marshmallows in half and spread it on the cake.  Cover the bottom of the other vanilla cake with the res of the butter icing.  Then place it on top of the marshmallows.  

Melt the butter in a saucepan.  Place the rest of the marshmallows in the pan and stir until melted.  When all the marshmallows have melted completely, pour it over the cake.

Place the speckled eggs on top of the cake.

This is a beautiful cake, but difficult to cut.  So make sure you have a sharp knife to cut it with.  Kids also love it they can pull everything apart.

If you don’t have a recipe for a basic vanilla cake or butter icing here is some out of the “You, Let’s cook book” a very easy cake recipe and only need one mixing bowl :-)

Basic white cake
150 g soft margarine
3 extra-large eggs
200 ml milk
5 ml (1t) vanilla essence
500ml (2c) cake flour
12 ml (2.5t) baking powder
pinch of salt
250 ml (1c) caster sugar

Preheat the oven to 180C
Grease two 20cm loose-based cake tins with butter, margarine or nonstick spray.
Line the base with baking paper.
Place the margarine, eggs, milk and Vanilla essence in a large mixing bowl and beat well.

Sift the Flour, baking powder, salt, and caster sugar over the margarine mixture in the bowl.  Beat with an electric beater for 1min or until well blended.

Divide the batter between the 2 cake tins, making a slight well in the centre of each.  Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 min or until a testing skewer comes out clean when inserted into the centre of the cakes.  Turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely.  {makes 2 layers}

Butter icing
150g soft butter
900ml icing sugar
5ml (1t) vanilla essence

Beat the butter until creamy.  Sift in the icing sugar by the spoonful while beating continuously.  Add the vanilla essence and beat until creamy.

HAPPY EASTER!

Chocolate mousse {for easter}

I'm not sure if the hollow sugar coated chocolate eggs are available all around the world... but if not i'm sure you can use the hollow chocolate eggs.  I thought this would be a nice dessert for easter to bring in the theme.

What you need:
4 eggs, separated
125 ml castor sugar
25 ml strong coffee
200g dark chocolate
100g unsalted butter chopped into blocks

To start I recommend you "prepare" your eggs :-) by just hitting off the top of the egg with a knife {softly}

Turning the egg around as you hit it until it comes off.

First mix the egg yolk and the castor sugar until it becomes thick and lighter in colour.  
Then mix in the coffee.  
Melt the chocolate over hot water on the stove {double boiler}.  
As soon as the chocolate is melted, start adding the butter one block at a time, until a smooth cream is formed. 
Now mix the chocolate to the egg-yolk mixture.  
Beat the egg whites until stiff, then fold into the chocolate mixture.  
Let the mixture rest in the fridge for about 30min before dishing into the eggs {the mixture is then less runny}

Refrigerate for at least 6 hours.

Enjoy!

Homemade ice-cream {basic}

Adri, a friend of mine has been "bragging" with her easy but delicious ice-cream recipe for a while now.  So I made it over the week-end.  I gave my boyfriend a taste and said "what do you think..." and his answer was "more please" :-)

Warning: Don't start this in the evening... you need at least 4 hours till it's done!

So here it is

What you need:
1 tin Condensed Milk {sweetened}
1 tin Evaporated milk
250 ml Fresh Cream

Whip the cream until stiff.

Fold in the evaporated milk and the condensed milk {until well mixed}

Place in freezer for 1 hour, then remove, mix and place in the freezer for another hour {repeat every hour for 4 hours}

Then your ice-cream is done!

Serve as is, or with your favourite sauce :-)

Enjoy

Mango and banana yogurt gelato

I'm a huge Donna Hay fan and saw this recipe on her show on TV.

Now that it's somer in South-Africa, I decided to make some yummy gelato...
It takes 10 minutes to prepare {but you need at least 2 to 3 hours of freezing time}

What I did was to chop up my mango's and banana's as they got ripe and stuck them in the freezer in an airtight container.  It is important that your fruit is ripe {almost too ripe} as the flavour is then just much better!

What you need:
2 bananas, peeled, chopped and frozen
3 mangos, peeled, chopped and frozen
280 g natural or vanilla yogurt (I used a 250 ml tub)

Place the frozen fruit and the yogurt in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

Serve immediately or place in sealed container and freeze.  After freezing, allow to soften for about 5 minutes before serving.

enjoy!

:-)

biscuit fudge {zebra fudge}

I remember making these as a child when we had to take something for "cake sales".  They are quick, easy and yummy, but not recommended for those on a dieet ;-)

What you need:
1 packet (200g) Marie Biscuits
250g Butter {or margarine}
1 packet {500g} icing sugar, sifted
75ml {5 T} cocoa powder, sifted
1 egg whisked
1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Grease a baking sheet or square bowl with butter, margarine or non stick spray

Crush the biscuits with a rolling pin into small pieces, not crums :-) {best work by putting it in a carrybag and rolling a few times lightly with a rolling pin, but you can also use your hands to just crush them}

Melt the butter in a deep saucepan and add the sifted icing sugar and cocoa powder. Stir over medium heat until smooth.

Rapidly wisk in the egg, and the vanilla essence.

Remove saucepan from the heat and stir in the biscuits.

Spoon into prepared baking sheet and leave to cool for atleast 2 hours.

When firm, cut into squares and store in fridge.

Makes about 40 squares

tiramisu...

My first tiramisu I made a few weeks ago for a dinner party, but if I have to say so myself it wasn't the tastiest tiramisu I have tasted. It wasn't sweet enough, the biscuits were soaked too much, and the recipe used filter coffee and not espresso and it tasted watery.  

So, like I am, I've experimented with the recipe and come up with my own easy but yummy tiramisu recipe.

What you need:
double espresso
1/2 cup of frangelico (hazelnut liqueur) or marsala
a tablespoon castor sugar and a 1/2 cup of castor sugar
3 eggs separated
500g mascarpone
250 ml double cream, whipped
1 large packet of sponge finger biscuits
200g dark chocolate

Pour the espresso, frangelico and a tablespoon of castor sugar into a bowl and set aside to cool and allow for the sugar to dissolve.

Beat the egg yolks and the remaining sugar in a large bowl till pale and thick.

Add the mascarpone and whipped cream gently until just combined.

Beat the egg whites in a dish until soft peaks form.  Using a metal spoon, fold the egg whites into the mascarpone mixture.

Now quickly dip the biscuits in the espresso mixture (they must not be soaked) cover the base of the dish with the dipped biscuits.  (Enough for a 20cm x 30cm dish)

Cover biscuits with half mascapone mixture, then a layer of grated chocolate (only half).  Then repeat with a layer of biscuits, cream and end with chocolate layer.

Refrigerate for at least 2 to 4 hours, best is if made the previous day.

For a non-alcoholic option replace the frangelico with orange juice.

Enjoy!!!

Peppermint Crisp Tart

One of my favorite fridge tarts, peppermint crisp tart :-)

Its proudly South-African, quick and easy and super yummy!

You can serve it as a tart, and dish it up, or you can make individual servings.

What you need:
1 tin (375g) Caramel Treat
250ml Fresh Cream whipped
a packet of Tennis biscuits (coconut biscuit)
200g mint crisp chocolate grated

To start, fold the caramel treat into the whipped cream

Then start with the layers... first the tennis biscuits

Then a layer of caramel cream

Then a layer of grated mint chocolate

Repeat until your container is filled to the top

Put it in the fridge for about a hour... then serve :-) And don't expect any left overs!

portuguese custard tarts

I just love these custard tarts, or better know as Pasteis de nata! 

One of my favourite coffee shops, Vida e makes them... I ate one and just had to try them myself! So I researched a few recipes and combined a few of them.  And even if I have to say somy self, these are good, and maybe even better :-)

This recipe makes about 12 tarts depending on the size of your pans

What you need:

50ml cake flour

200ml sugar

3 egg yolks

1egg

300ml milk

1t lemon rind shavings

Pre-heat the oven to 250°C (or the maximum your oven can go)

• Sift the flour and sugar together
• Lightly beat together the egg yolks and whole egg
• Put the milk and the lemon rind in saucepan and gradually bring to the boil ( when done remove the lemon rind)
• Pour half of the boiling milk over the flour and sugar and stir until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is smooth, then add this mixture to the remaining milk.
• Pour a few spoonfuls of the hot mixture onto the beaten egg and stir well. Then pour the egg into the flour and sugar mixture, stirring constantly until completely mixed. Now the custard is done and your should leave it to cool down for at least a hour or more. 
• While the mixture cools down you can prepare the pastry cases.
• Flatten the puff pastry slightly with a rolling pin and cut out into discs to fit the muffin pan that you are using
• Press the disc into the pan
• Pour the custard into the pastry cases, leaving about a centimetre between the custard and the rim of the pastry
• Bake 8-12 minutes or until the pastry edges start to brown. You should get brown spots on the custard, but if you don’t, don’t worry. 
• Once you have removed the tarts from the oven, let them cool for a few minutes, then remove them from their pans, and place them on a rack to cool. 

Next you need to make a steaming cappuccino and enjoy!