Basic Meringues

INGREDIENTS

• 4 egg whites, at room temperature
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup (220g) CSR Caster Sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence

• Step 3
  Once all the sugar has been added, continue to whisk on high for 3 mins. Whisk in the vanilla essence.
• Step 4
  Use two teaspoons to spoon meringue onto lined trays. Reduce the oven temperature to 90°C.
• Step 5
  Bake meringues for 1 hour 30 mins. Turn oven off and leave meringues in the oven to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Custard Cake

Magic Custard Cake Ingredients: 

4 eggs (whites separated from  yolks), room temp 

1 tsp vanilla extract 

3/4 cup sugar 

1 stick butter, melted 

3/4 cup all purpose flour 

2 cups milk lukewarm 

powdered sugar for dusting cake 

Instructions: Preheat oven to 325 F degrees. Grease and Line 8 inch x 8 inch baking dish with parchment. 

Separate eggs and add the egg whites to a mixer and beat egg whites stiff. Place egg whites in a bowl and set aside. Beat the egg yolks & sugar until light. Add butter and vanilla.  Beat for two mins.  Add the flour and mix it in until fully incorporated. Slowly start adding the milk and beat until everything is well mixed together. Add the egg whites, a third at a time and gently fold them in using a spatula, repeat until all egg whites are folded in.   Pour batter into baking dish and bake for approx 60 minutes or until the top is lightly golden.  Cool and dust heavily with powdered sugar. 

Nigella's Vanilla Fudge

• 250 grams soft butter
• 1 x 397 grams can condensed milk
• 175 ml milk
• 2 tablespoons golden syrup
• 800 grams granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

Method

1. Fill a small bowl or jug with ice cold water and put near the stove. Grease a tin of approx. 30 x 20cm / 12 x 8 inch or 25cm / 10 inch square, or use a throwaway foil tin, as I have in the picture.
2. Put all the ingredients, apart from the vanilla, into a large, heavy bottomed pan and bring to the boil, stirring constantly.
3. Boil for 12-20 minutes, still stirring all the time, until the mixture is golden and, when a bit is dropped into the water, it turns solid but still squidgy, i.e., till soft-ball stage (see intro). How long this takes depends on how ferociously it bubbles as well as on the properties and dimensions of the pan. This is hot work!
4. When the fudge is at soft-ball stage, very carefully remove the pan from the stove and stir in the vanilla.
5. Preferably using an electric whisk beat for about five minutes, by which time the fudge will have thickened to the texture of stiff peanut butter - this is quite steamy and strenuous - and pour and push into the prepared tin. Smooth the top as well as you can.
6. Put in the fridge to cool, but don't keep it there for more than 2 hours, or it will set too hard, then remove and using a sharp knife, cut into squares. This is not a geometrically accurate term, as you can see from my cutting skills.

Peanut butter fudge

Ingredients

         14 ozs sweetened condensed milk (eagle brand)

         1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (jif)

         12 ozs white chocolate (squares or white baking bars chopped)

         3/4 cup peanuts (chopped)

                  1 tsp vanilla extract

In heavy saucepan, heat sweetened condensed milk and peanut butter over medium heat until just bubbly, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in white chocolate until smooth. Immediately stir in peanuts and vanilla.

Spread evenly into wax paper lined 8-or 9-inch square pan. Cool. Cover and chill 2 hours or until firm. Turn fudge onto cutting board; peel off paper. Sprinkle with additional chopped peanuts if desired. Cut into squares. Store leftovers covered in refrigerator.

Caramel Pudding Cake

This showpiece sponge cake topped with a soft and heavenly caramel pudding is definitely a show-stopper kind of cake. It is both rich and delicious! Amazingly, the cake and pudding are baked together, and somehow during the baking process, the cake part separates from the pudding into two distinct layers whilst remaining attached!

This recipe will make one 8" cake.

Ingredients & Instructions

First, grease an 8" pan. Preheat the oven to 170 C and prepare a water bath. A water bath is basically a big pan (that will comfortably hold your cake pan) which is filled about halfway with boiling water.

Proceed with preparing the cake.

Caramel Topping

60gm sugar (grinded/castor)
3 tbsp. water
First, add 1 tbsp. of the water into the sugar. Melt on VERY LOW heat until the sugar melts and caramelises to a golden brown colour. Immediately add the remaining 2 tbsp. of water, stir well and pour this syrup into your greased cake pan.

Pudding

500ml milk (fresh)
70gm sugar (grinded/castor)
4 eggs (at room temp)
1 tsp vanilla essence

Mix the milk with the sugar until all the sugar is melted. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with vanilla essence lightly. Do not over-whip the eggs, if they become frothy, your pudding will not have the best/smoothest texture. It will end up with small holes in it. Mix the eggs into the milk+sugar and stir gently until well combined. Pour onto the caramel in the pan.

Sponge Cake Base

3 eggs, separated into whites and yolks (at room temp)
90gm sugar (grinded/castor)
100gm plain/all purpose flour
30gm butter (melted)
2 tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla essence

First, beat the egg whites with half the sugar, a pinch of salt and half the vanilla until stiff peaks are achieved. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks with the remaining sugar until thick, pale and creamy. Add the milk, remaining vanilla and melted butter and stir. Sift the flour into this mixture and fold/stir it in very gently until combined.

Next, add a third of the egg white mixture into this batter, whisk it in, then add all the remaining egg white mixture and fold it in using a spatula. Make sure to use a light hand to combine as any heavy handling or vigorous mixing will deflate the batter.

Gently add dollops of this airy batter into the cake pan on top of the pudding mixture and try to level it out as much as you can. Do not worry if things get muddled up a little bit, the layers will separate during baking.

Place this pan in the water bath and stick the whole thing into your preheated oven. Bake for about 40minutes.

Remove the pan from the water bath and set it on a wire rack to cool. Do NOT invert the cake out of the pan at this point. Allow it to cool completely, then cover with foil and refrigerate at least for a few hours or preferably overnight. Then place a plate over the pan and turn it over.

Serve chilled and Enjoy! :)

Krispy Kreme Donut Recipe!

Step1:
This recipe makes 3 baker's dozen donuts (that's 39!). You can scale it down - or up - as you need!

Donuts
3 (1/4 ounce / 7g) packages yeast (3/4 oz / 21g total) - I used "Rapid Rise" but traditional is fine too - it just affects the rising times
1/2 cup (120ml) water (105-115F / 40-46C)
2 1/4 cups (530ml) milk, scalded, then cooled
3/4 cup (169g) sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 eggs
1/2 cup (113g) shortening
7 1/2 cups (940g) all-purpose flour
canola oil for frying

Glaze
1/2 cup (113g) butter
3 cups (375g) powdered sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons vanilla
6 -9 tablespoons (90-135ml) evaporated milk (can substitute regular milk or water for milder flavor)

Step 2:
Proof your yeast by adding it to the warm water. Mix it up and let it rest.

Scald the milk in your microwave or on top of your stove, and let cool.

Combine yeast, milk, sugar, salt, eggs, shortening and 3 cups (375g) flour.

Beat on low for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly.

Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.

Carefully (not like me), stir in remaining flour until smooth.

Cover and let rise until double, 30-60 minutes, depending on the yeast you used. I went the full 60, and you can see in step 4 what happened! (I would do it again, they were great!)


Step 3:
Show All 7 Images
After the dough has risen, turn dough onto floured surface; roll around lightly to coat with flour.

Gently roll dough 1/2-inch thick with floured rolling pin.

Cut with floured doughnut cutter. Separate donuts and holes, as they take different frying times (but are equally delicious). Save your scraps - they are both great to test your fry time and to snack on while you're making the rest!

Cover and let rise until double, 30-40 minutes.

**If you want to make these donuts for breakfast, let the donuts rise in the refrigerator overnight!***

Step 4:
I am about to reveal how you can easily make Krispy Kreme donuts (doughnuts?) AT HOME (and make you the most popular person in the neighborhood). Kiss your diet goodbye, because once you try this super easy recipe, you're going to be hooked. It's the time you put in to the double rise, and the added ingredient of evaporated milk to the glaze that really make this recipe sing!

So if you're addicted to Krispy Kreme donuts (like me), but don't have one near you (like me) or just want a fun project to do (like me!), you're going to love this Krispy Kreme Donut Recipe.

p.s This was my first time making donuts, and it was a huge success!
Step 1: Ingredients
This recipe makes 3 baker's dozen donuts (that's 39!). You can scale it down - or up - as you need!

Donuts
3 (1/4 ounce / 7g) packages yeast (3/4 oz / 21g total) - I used "Rapid Rise" but traditional is fine too - it just affects the rising times
1/2 cup (120ml) water (105-115F / 40-46C)
2 1/4 cups (530ml) milk, scalded, then cooled
3/4 cup (169g) sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 eggs
1/2 cup (113g) shortening
7 1/2 cups (940g) all-purpose flour
canola oil for frying

Glaze
1/2 cup (113g) butter
3 cups (375g) powdered sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons vanilla
6 -9 tablespoons (90-135ml) evaporated milk (can substitute regular milk or water for milder flavor)


Step 2: Time to make the donuts!
Proof your yeast by adding it to the warm water. Mix it up and let it rest.

Scald the milk in your microwave or on top of your stove, and let cool.

Combine yeast, milk, sugar, salt, eggs, shortening and 3 cups (375g) flour.

Beat on low for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly.

Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.

Carefully (not like me), stir in remaining flour until smooth.

Cover and let rise until double, 30-60 minutes, depending on the yeast you used. I went the full 60, and you can see in step 4 what happened! (I would do it again, they were great!)



Step 3: Shaping the Donuts

Show All 7 Images
After the dough has risen, turn dough onto floured surface; roll around lightly to coat with flour.

Gently roll dough 1/2-inch thick with floured rolling pin.

Cut with floured doughnut cutter. Separate donuts and holes, as they take different frying times (but are equally delicious). Save your scraps - they are both great to test your fry time and to snack on while you're making the rest!

Cover and let rise until double, 30-40 minutes.

**If you want to make these donuts for breakfast, let the donuts rise in the refrigerator overnight!***
Step 4: Make the Glaze
I like to make up the glaze at this point because it can sit at room temp until the donuts are fried and ready to be dipped.

Melt the butter and stir in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth.

Add milk (or water) until desired consistency is reached.


*** to make chocolate glaze, melt 6 ounces of chocolate along with the butter!***

Step 5:
Use a deep pan to heat the oil. I used a shallow one to be able to take better pictures, but this provides a real fire hazard. So be safe!

Heat your oil to 350F (180C). A thermometer makes this part fool-proof, and you can monitor the heat to make sure it stays in this prime frying range.

I like to use a scrap of donut first to test different frying times.

Even after you take the donut out of the oil, the remaining oil on it is hot enough to continue cooking it!

Carefully place the donuts in the oil. Cook on each side for about one minute. Use chopsticks to flip the donuts and remove them from the oil.

Place donuts on a rack or paper bags or paper towels to drain.

Step 6:
Now is the time to take your donuts into a magical dimension. Dip them in the glaze and set them on a rack to dry. I dipped both sides of my donuts in the glaze (obviously!), but you can just do one if you would like.

These donuts are simply amazing. Once you try them, you're going to want to make them again and again. In fact, I woke up the next morning craving them, and I can assure you, they're still good the second day.

Yestervarkies

Koek

• 230 g (250 ml) botter
• 250 g (310 ml) suiker
• 3 eiers
• 420 g (750 ml) koekmeel
• 10 ml bakpoeier
• knippie sout
• 250 ml melk

Verhit oond tot 200 ˚C. Klits botter en suiker tot lig en romerig. Voeg eiers een vir een by en klits goed ná elke byvoeging. Sif droë bestanddele saam en voeg om die beurt met die melk
by botter-mengsel. Gooi in 'n gesmeerde vierkantige pan van 22 x 22 cm en bak vir 20 - 30 minute. Haal uit en laat koud word. Sny in 25 blokkies.

Sous

• 60 ml kakao
• 375 ml water
• 600 g (750 ml) suiker
• 15 ml botter
• 500 g klapper

Plaas al die bestanddele behalwe die klapper in 'n kastrol. Bring tot kookpunt en laat kook vir 2 minute. Doop koekblokkies in stroop en rol dan in klapper.

Poached pears and spiced red wine

Ingredients

Ingredients
1 vanilla pod
1 bottle red wine
225g caster sugar
1 cinnamon stick , halved
fresh thyme sprig , plus sprigs to seve
6 pears , peeled, but kept whole with stalk intact

Halve the vanilla pod lengthways, scrape out the black seeds and put in a large saucepan with the wine, sugar, cinnamon and thyme. Cut each piece of pod into three long thin strips, add to pan, then lower in the pears.
Poach the pears, covered, for 20-30 mins, making sure they are covered in the wine. The cooking time will very much depend on the ripeness of your pears - they should be tender all the way through when pierced with a cocktail stick. You can make these up to 2 days ahead and chill.

Take the pears from the pan, then boil the liquid to reduce it by half so that it's syrupy. Serve each pear with the cooled syrup, a strip of vanilla, a piece of cinnamon and a small thyme sprig

Danish creme caramel

12 eggs, separated
1 cup sugar
1 quart light cream
2 teaspoons vanilla
brown sugar
Directions:
1Preheat oven to 250°F.2Beat 6 egg whites and 12 egg yolks with the sugar for 15 minutes at low speed with an electric beater.3Add the cream and vanilla.4Melt enough brown sugar in some water to line the bottom of a baking dish.5Pour the batter over this and bake in a hot water bath for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until set (jello like texture/jiggle) in 250F oven.6Whip the other 6 egg whites with a little sugar until stiff but not dry.7Spread over the dish of custard.8Raise oven heat to 425°F.9Return baking dish to oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until meringue is golden brown.

Read more: http://www.food.com/recipe/danish-caramel-custard-93796#ixzz1Vxfwp54H

Malay koeksisters

* From "Every day Malay cooking" author Zainab Lagardien*
These can be deep-fried and frozen [without the syrup] for up to 14 days.
Thaw for 1 hour, make the syrup and eat!

250 ml 1 cup cake flour
250 ml 1 cup self-raising flour
5 ml 1 teas salt
60g ¼ cup butter or margarine
5 ml 1 teas ginger
5 ml 1 teas cinnamon
5 ml 1 teas mixed spice
2.5 ml ½ teas cardamom
10 ml 2 teas soft brown sugar
10 ml 2 teas white sugar
10 ml 2 teas instant dry yeast
375 ml 1 ½ cups warm water

Syrup

250 ml 1 cup water
125 ml ½ cup sugar
15 ml 3 teas desiccated coconut
1 piece naartjie peel

- In a mixing bowl, combine the flours with salt.
- Add butter and rub in lightly until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
- Add remaining ingredients, using the warm water to form a dough.
- Do not kneed.
- Cover with plastic and leave in a warm place for about 1½ - 2 hours or until doubled in size, then turn out on a lightly floured surface.
- Dip fingers and knife into flour and use your hands to stretch the dough.
- Cut into 4 cm x 8 cm strips and deep-fry over medium heat in a deep saucepan.
- Insert fork to check if done and remove quickly, one by one, and drain in a colander or on kitchen paper.
- To make the syrup, bring water, sugar, coconut and naartjie peel to a slow boil in a large saucepan until syrup starts to bubble.
- Prick each koeksister, then lower into the syrup.
- Add as many koeksisters as the pan will hold.
- Turn koeksisters and allow them to absorb syrup until they are brown - about 2 minutes.
- Remove from pan with a slotted spoon, placing them on a platter sprinkled with a litte extra coconut.
- Serve while hot.

Makes about 25.

Tips: Make double quantity syrup or you will run out before all koeksisters have been dipped.
Sprinkle coconut over each layer of koeksisters on the platter.
Don't leave koeksisters too long in the syrup or they will fall apart.