Christmas Dessert

Meringue Ice Cream Loaf

Serves: 8-10
Time: 15 minutes prep (3hrs overnight freezing)
Ingredients:
350g strawberries
600ml whipping cream
2 tablespoons icing sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
50g meringues, broken into chunks

Method:
Grease a 1.5L loaf pan and line with cling wrap or use a silicone one. Drop some berries into the loaf pan – these will be the top of the slice. Whip cream with sugar and vanilla to soft peaks then fold in berries and meringue. Pour into pan, shake to remove any air bubbles, and smooth top. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 3 hours or overnight.
Remove from freezer 20 minutes before serving. Tip out and garnish with extra berries, drizzle with honey and cut into slices to serve.

Tip:

• You can either make your own meringues or use store bought ones which are much easier to use. Buy coloured meringues for a nice colourful loaf

Chocolate Bundt Cake

Serves: 8
Time: 1hr 15 min
Ingredients:
2 cups cake flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder, sifted
1 ½ bicarbonate of soda
½  teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla essence
¾ cup sour cream
3 cups grated baby marrow
200g dark chocolate, roughly chopped
1 cup cherries

Ingredients:
Pre-heat oven to 180°C. Grease a Bundt pan and set aside.
Combine flour, cocoa powder, bicarb and salt in a bowl and mix together. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl beat sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla and blend well. Add sour cream and beat until well blended. Add dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Mix in the baby marrow and chocolate and cherries.

Pour batter into pan and bake for 50 -60 minutes or until skewer comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes and remove from pan

Tip:

• Instead of the cherries you can use any canned fruit of choice.
• Serve with warm custard or drizzled with warm chocolate sauce.

Kids Snacks

Berry and beetroot ice lollies

Make: 12 Lollies

Time: 7 minutes cooking time and overnight freezing

Ingredients:

1.5 kg mixed  fresh, tinned or frozen berries (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries)

½ Cup Sugar

6 medium sized beetroots, cooked and peeled

2 Tablespoons Water

Method:

Make a berry compote by placing all berries in a large pot add ¾ of the sugar (if using fresh berries add a little bit of water and lemon juice), allow to come to a boil then lower heat and allow to simmer. You want the berries to stew and soften while releasing their juices to create a sauce.  Once cooked set aside and allow to cool.

Roughly chop beetroots and add to blender with water and remaining sugar, blend until smooth.

Fill your mould halfway with berries and then top with beetroot puree. Set in freezer overnight. To easily remove from mould immerse in hot water for a few seconds then remove or take out of the freezer a few minutes before serving and allow to stand at room temperature.

Tips:

• For a different flavor try berry, yoghurt and beetroot ice lollies, simply add a layer of yoghurt between the berries and beetroot. 
• You can also try yoghurt and peanut butter lollies by adding yoghurt, honey and peanut butter to a blender, puree until smooth then pour into your moulds and allow to set overnight.
• Make fruit juice and fruit pops. Add pieces of fruit to your mould (sliced strawberries, sliced kiwi, sliced figs) then top with fruit juice of choice and leave in freezer overnight.
• What I love about these is the fact that you get to control what goes into your child’s lollies especially the amount of sugar. You can also experiment with different vegetables green smoothie using spinach, apples and banana or carrot and pineapple etc. 

Zucchini brownies

Makes: 12 mini brownies

Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

1 packet brownie mix

1 cup grated zucchini
½  cup chopped walnuts
½  cup dark chocolate, roughly chopped

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 180C and line a 20 x 20 cm cake tin. Prepare brownie mix as per packaging instruction then add grated zucchini, walnuts and dark chocolate. Fold in.

Pour batter into baking pan and bake for 25-30 minutes (I prefer to bake these for 20 minutes on 180C, then turn off the oven and leave them inside for the remaining 10 minutes. I find they are moist and still have a little runny chocolate in the middle). If you prefer them a bit more solid bake for the whole 30 minutes.  Do not over bake. Allow to cool before cutting into squares or circles using a round cookie cutter.

Tips:

• I love this recipe because it can be quite versatile with regards to the ingredients you can add to it. You can replace the zucchini with cooked beetroot or even thawed frozen spinach
• If you don’t want to use a packaged brownie mix use your brownie recipe and simply add your choice of vegetables into the brownie mix and bake.

Pinwheels

Serves: 8

Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1 egg

1 tablespoon water

¾ cup grated cheddar cheese

⅛ tsp. garlic powder

Flour

1 sheet ready rolled puff pastry , defrosted

250g packed  frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry

Method

Preheat oven to 200C. Line two baking sheets with baking paper  and set aside. Beat egg and water together in a small bowl; set aside.

Stir cheese and garlic powder together. Set aside. Lightly flour work surface. Unfold puff pastry and roll lightly with a floured rolling pin. Brush surface with beaten egg. Top with cheese mixture, then evenly top with thawed spinach.

Starting at the short end, roll up like a jelly roll. Slice into rounds and place on baking sheet. Brush with egg wash.

Bake 15 minutes or till golden brown. Remove to wire racks and let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Tip:

• Instead of puff pastry you can also use dough. Make you leaven dough as per usual and once ready roll and cut into triangles then add your topping.
• Try using different vegetables, bacon bits and mushrooms for variety.

Summer Fruits

Peach Tarte
Whether served with cream, ice cream or both, this peach tarte tatin looks extravagant while also being light on the wallet. With peaches in season, it’s even cheaper and fresher. Go on, treat yourself with this easy and delicious dessert.

(Serves: 6)

You’ll need:
1 packet ready-rolled puff pastry
6 peaches; halved and stones removed
75 g butter
75 g castor sugar
1 vanilla pod; halved and seeds scraped 
Vanilla ice cream; to serve

Method
1. Preheat oven to 190 °C. 
2. Unroll puff pastry onto a lightly floured surface and cut into a 26 cm circle. 
3. Place on a baking tray and let chill in the fridge.
4. Slice the peaches into 2 cm slices, then set aside. 
5. Melt butter in a 24 cm ovenproof pan, then add the sugar, vanilla pod and seeds. 
6. Leave to melt without stirring until sugar dissolves. 
7. Allow sugar to reach a light caramel stage, then arrange the peach slices over the caramel in a spiral pattern. 
8. Cover with the puff pastry and gently tuck the excess ends of the pastry into the pan. 
9. Bake in the oven for 30 min. until golden brown and puffed.
10. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 5 min. 
11. Loosen pastry from the edge of the pan with a butter knife, place a plate on top of the pan and carefully flip over. 
12. Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Tips: 
• If you don’t have an ovenproof pan, make the caramel in any pan that you have. Once done, transfer to a 24 cm round cake pan (not spring-form) and follow the rest of the steps.
• Puff pastry cooks best in a hot oven, so make sure that your oven is preheated before you bake, otherwise the pastry will not puff as desired and will look soggy and undercooked.

Mango Cheesecake
Full of fruity flavour and ever so delicate, this mango cheesecake is the perfect summer dessert. Visit your nearest Shoprite store to buy fresh, in-season mangoes at a low, low price.

(Serves: 8–10)
You’ll need:
150 g Tennis biscuits 
80 g butter; melted
500 g plain cream cheese
½ cup castor sugar
300 ml cream; whipped
1 tbsp. gelatine
¼ cup hot water
4 mangoes; peeled and thinly sliced lengthways
1 mango; peeled and diced
2 tbsp. lime juice

Method
1. Place biscuits in a food processor and blitz until finely crushed. 
2. Add butter and blitz to combine. 
3. Press into a greased 20 cm round spring-form cake pan and chill for 15 min.
4. In a bowl, using an electric whisk, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy. 
5. Fold in the cream. 
6. Soak gelatine in a tbsp. of cold water, then gently stir into the hot water until dissolved. 
7. Add gelatine into the cream cheese mix and stir to combine. 
8. Pour half the cream cheese mixture on top of the biscuit base. 
9. Smooth out with a butter knife, then top with half the mango slices and the remaining cream cheese mix. 
10. Refrigerate overnight or for 4¬–6 hrs until set.
11. Remove cheesecake from fridge 15 min. before serving. 
12. Make a mango coulis by placing diced mango and lime juice into a blender and blitzing until smooth.
13. Arrange remaining mango slices over the cheesecake and drizzle with the coulis. 
14. Serve, and enjoy!

Apple Pie With Honey Syrup

Apple Pie With Honey Syrup

Shopping list:
- 1 can (400 g) pie apples or 3 apples, peeled, seeded, cut into wedges and cooked
- 125ml butter or margarine
- 125ml sugar
- 30ml water
- 1 extra large egg
- 250ml cake flour
- 5ml baking powder

Syrup:
- 80ml butter or margarine
- 80ml honey

How to cook:
1.Preheat the oven to 180°C and grease a 20 cm pie dish with butter or nonstick spray.
2.Drain the apples, reserving the syrup. Heat the butter or margarine, sugar, reserved apple syrup and water.
3.Once the sugar has dissolved leave to cool.
4.Beat in the egg.
5.Combine the cake flour and baking powder and add to the butter mixture.
6.Mix to form a slack batter. Arrange the apple wedges in the pie dish and pour the batter on top.
7.Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the pie is golden brown and baked through.

Syrup
1.Melt the butter or margarine with the honey and pour over the pie as soon as it comes out of the oven.
2.Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream.
3.As soon as it comes out of the oven.
4.Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream.
5.Makes 1 medium-size pie.

Orange And Coconut Rusks

Orange And Coconut Rusks

Shopping list:
- 2kg self-raising flour
- 25ml baking powder
- 10ml salt
- 750ml desiccated coconut
- 500ml sugar
- 4 extra•large eggs
- 500g margarine, melted
- 1 litre milk
- 15ml orange essence

How to cook:
1.Preheat the oven to 160°C and grease large loaf tins with butter or non-stick spray.
2.Combine the dry ingredients, except the sugar, in a large mixing bowl.
3.Beat the sugar, eggs, melted margarine and milk together.
4.Add the orange essence and mix with the dry ingredients to form a dough.
5.Shape the dough into balls and arrange in the prepared tins. Bake for 20 minutes.
6.Reduce the oven temperature to 140°c and bake for another 60 minutes or until done (a testing skewer inserted into the centre of the rusks should come out clean).
7.Cool slightly in the tins before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
8.Break the rusks into pieces or cut into fingers, arrange on baking sheets and dry in a 100°C oven. 9.Store in airtight containers.
10.Makes about 10 dozen rusks.

Sunflower And Pannesan Loaf

Sunflower And Pannesan Loaf

Shopping list:
- 500ml wholewheat flour (Nutty Wheat)
- 180ml cake flour
- 7ml salt
- 5ml bicarbonate
- 3of so da ml garlic
- 3 flakes ml dried oregano
- 20ml grated Parmesan cheese
- 60ml sesame seeds
- 60ml sunflower seeds
- 500ml buttermilk

How to cook:
1.Preheat the oven to 180°C and grease a 27x12 cm loaf tin with butter or nonstick spray.
2.Line the base with baking paper and grease once more.
3.Mix all the ingredients and turn into the prepared tin.
4.Bake for 50-60 minutes or until done (The loaf will sound hollow when tapped with your knuckles).
5.Cool the loaf in the tin before turning out. Serve lukewarm with butter and cheese or a savoury spread.
6.Makes 1 medium-size loaf.

Banana Cake

Banana Cake

Shopping list:
- 125g butter or margarine
- 180ml (3/4 c) sugar
- 2 extra-large eggs
- 430ml (1%c) cake flour
- 10ml (2t) baking powder
- 42ml CI4 t) salt ml bicarbonate of soda
- 15ml (1T) water
- 250ml (1c) mashed banana
- 15 (1T) ml milk

Topping:
- 30ml (2T) brown sugar
- 7ml (1 1 /2 t) ground cinnamon
- 60ml (1/4c) walnuts, finely chopped

How to cook:
1.Preheat the oven to 180°C and grease a 22 cm loose-bottomed cake tin with butter or nonstick spray.
2.Dust with flour. Cream the butter or margarine and sugar together, then add the eggs one by one, beating well after each addition.
3.Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together.
4.Dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in the water and mix wi th the mashed banana and milk.
5.Add to the creamed mixture, alternating with the dry ingredients.
6.Mix all the ingredients for the topping.
7.Turn the batter into the tin, spreading evenly.
8.Scatter with the top ping mixture.
9.Bake for 45 minutes or until risen and a testing skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
10.Makes 1 medium-sized cake.