Triple Chocolate Milk Tart ...

I was on a chocolate roll one evening and decided I wanted to try and make a chocoalte milk tart ...but not just any chocolate milk tart BUT a triple chocolate milk tart.

You don't know what a milktart is? Here let me help ...

'Melktert, which means "milk tart" in Afrikaans, is a South African dessert consisting of a sweet pastry crust containing a creamy filling made from milk, flour, sugar and eggs. The ratio of milk to egg is higher than in a traditional European custard tart or Chinese egg tart, resulting in a lighter texture and a stronger milk flavour. Some recipes require the custard to be baked in the crust, and others call for the custard to be prepared in advance, and then placed in the crust before serving. Cinnamon is often sprinkled over its surface. The milk used for the custard can also be infused with a cinnamon stick before preparation.' WIKIPEDIA

So you can see that I veered from the traditional in every way and it proved to be a winner ...

Preparation & Cooking time : 30minutes
Serves : Makes 1 Pie - approx 12 slices
Difficulty : 3/10

You will need:
For the filling :
4  cups milk
½ cup cream
2 ½ tbsp cornflour
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
pinch of salt
2 ½ tbsp flour
1 tsp vanilla essence
a big spoon of butter
3 Tbsp Cocoa
½ cup grated dark chocolate

2 Nectarines sliced to decorate (you can use any other fruit such as strawberries, peaches and even bluberries)

For the Biscuit base :
200gr butter
2 packets Vanilla Biscuits
2 Tbsps Cocoa

Method: 
For the biscuit base :
Crush all the biscuits really fine , add the butter and cocoa, rub in until a clumpy mixture is formed. Mould this mixture into a pie dish and place in the fridge to set.


For the filling :
- Bring milk to the boil.
- Beat eggs well and add sugar, flour, cornflour,cocoa, salt and-mix well.
- Pour boiling milk into the mixture and stir well.
- Return to stove, add the grated chocolate and stir rapidly until mixture thickens.
- Add butter and vanilla essence and pour into the biscuit base.
- Allow to cool in the fridge (you do not need to cook the tart any further)- Decorate with fresh fruit prior to serving , serve with cream on the side.

** cooks note - 
Milk tart is quite rich and so rather cut it into slices as opposed to dishing up large slices which will go wasted.

Bon Apetit! 

Sticky Nougat Pudding

I love a good old fashioned baked pudding and it's a firm favourite of my dad's too , in fact he is obseesed with Malva Pudding which I always make using my trusty Woolworths Recipe .

Using this same recipe as inspiration I recently decided to make a baked pudding with a twist ...

Preparation & Cooking time : 50 minutes
Serves : 4
Difficulty : 4/10

You will need:

For Pudding:
250ml castor sugar
2 X-Large eggs
1 Tbsp golden syrup
175 g cake flour
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
A pinch of salt
Butter for greasing
1 Tbsp vinegar
125ml milk
115 g butter, plus extra for greasing


For Sauce:
75ml Sally Williams Nougat Liqueur
55ml Ideal Milk
2 Tbsp butter, plus extra for greasing
250 ml fresh cream
100g white sugar

Method:
For the Pudding :
Pre-heat the oven to 180'c

- Beat the sugar and eggs until fluffy, then beat in the syrup until creamy.
- Sift the castor sugar, cake flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a separate bowl.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the vinegar and milk.
- Add the mixed dry ingredients to the egg mixture, alternating with the milk mixture, mixing until well combined.
- Pour into an ovenproof dish/ramekins/mugs and bake for 30 minutes. (test with a knif as cooking times may vary according to oven temperatures)

For the Sauce :
To make the sauce, melt the butter, cream, 100g of sugar and the Sally Williams Nougat Liqueur together and pour over the pudding when it comes out of the oven.

** cooks note - 
Do not over fill your Ramekins or mugs as this pudding will cook over (as mine clearly did , less is more)

Bon Apetit!

** This recipe is developed inconjunction with Sally William Liqueur

Savoury Chicken Cheescake with Mushroom sauce ...

This is my take on a firm favourite that I often munch on at a cute boutique restaurant & Coffee shop in Blouberg (Cape Town) called 'Petit Fours' .
I have a savoury tooth of note and so this little heap of happiness is less like a cheescake ... and more like a 'glorified' quiche ... either way it is yummy!

I am so sad however that my final image did not do it justice, forgive me whilst I am still learning ....


Preparation & Cooking time : 50 minutes
Serves : 4

Difficulty : 5/10

You will need:
For the Savoury Chicken Cheese Cake :
2 Small Oven Roasted Chicken Breasts - (shredded)
1.5 Cups Grated Mature Cheddar Cheese - (grated)
100ml Double Cream
6 X-Large Eggs
Salt & Pepper to taste
Paprika

For the Base/Crust :
1 Packet Savoury Cheese Biscuits -  crumbled
100gr Butter

For the Mushroom Sauce :
1 Punnet Mushrooms - chopped into chunks
1 Pinch Mixed Herbs
175ml Double Cream
1 Tbsp corn flour dissolved in a little warm water
1 Tbsp butter - for sauteeing

Method: 
Preheat oven to 180'c

For the Base/Crust :
In a bowl crush all the biscuits until fine , rub in the butter until all are combined and mould into the base of four ramekins.
Place the ramekins in the oven whilst prepaing the filling to blind bake a little.

For the Savoury Chicken Cheesecake Filling :
Keep a small heap of grated cheddar to one side and thereafter, in a glass bowl add all the ingredients and mix together well.

Remove the ramekins from the oven and spoon this chicken mixture over the biscuit base , sprinkle each ramekin with a little cheese as pictured below ...

Bake at 180'c for 30 - 40 mins ( always test with a knife as oven temperatures may vary)

For the Mushroom Sauce :
In a sauce pan add the 1 Tbsp butter and sautee the mushrooms until slightly golden in colour, add the cream and herbs and allow to the flavours to infuse for a few minutes.


In a drinking glass mix 1 Tbsp Cornstarch into a little cold water , pour this into the mushroom mixture and allow the sauce to thicken to your desired consistency and remove from the heat.

Once the Chicken Cheescakes are ready and a lovely golden hue , remove them from the oven ...

You can now serve warm, either in the ramekin or alternatively loosen it and turn it out onto a plate.
Serve with a fresh dollop of mushroom sauce

** cooks note - 
This tastes great when served with a side of Coleslaw Salad.

Bon Apetit!

Cheesy Hasselback Potatoes ...

I have loads of Scottish heritage in my blood from my dad's side of the family, and so it goes without saying that a 'spud' in any form is sacred and to be cherished.
We recently celebrated our family Christmas and yes it was early as all the families were going away for the holidays. I was asked to bring the potatoes and so I decided to fall back on an old and trusted favourite ...Hasselback Potatoes.

Here are my easy peasy and rather Cheesy Hasselback Potatoes ...

Preparation & Cooking time : 1hr 30minutes
Serves : 6

Difficulty : 2/10

You will need:
6 Large Potatoes (try and get the long ones)
100gr Butter
1 tsp Rosemary
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Brown sugar
Pinch of pepper
1 Tub Cheese Spread
50ml Milk

1 x silicon piping bag

This is my new found favourite but any cheesespread will do ...

Method:
For the preparation :
Heat
- Pre-cook the potatoes , but only parboil do not cook completely and leave to cool.
- Soften the Chesse spread by adding the milk and mixing well..
- Melt the butter on the stove top and leave on warm plate ready to use.

For the Cheesy Hasselback Potatoes :
Take the cool potatoes and slice ( take care not to cut all the way through) , as below ...

Lay all the cut potatoes carefully onto a baking tray , taking care once again not to break the slices apart.


Now take the cheese spread place it into a silicon piping bag and squeeze a little between each of the potato slices as below ...

Lastly take the melted butter and spoon over the potatoes with the cheese filling, adding the finishing touch by sprinkling with your herbs and spices over the potatoes.

Bake at 180'c for 40mins - 1hr (always test with a knife as cooking times vary according to different ovens)


These potatoes are delicious for a raost supper or even as a side to a barbeque/braai.

** cooks note - 
Another favourite is to create my own cheese spread using blue cheese and fresh cream and follwoing the same procedure. In place of Rosemary use Thyme.

Enjoy!

Country Style Caramalised Carrots

Preparation & Cooking time : 30 minutes
Serves : 4 - 6

Difficulty : 2/10

You will need:
18 Carrots ( the ones pictured aboove are the colourful Heritage Carrots)

For the Caramelising :
White/Caramel Sugar
Olive Oil

Method: (see below for pictorial)
Wash Carrots and leave to dry.
Once carrots are dry place on a baking tray , sprinkle a good amount of oilve oil to coat carrots. Now take your sugar and coat the carrots with enough sugar to just coat the carrots.


Place in the oven and grill until a lovely caramel brown , approximately 15-20 minutes.

Serve as a side dish with any main meal.

** cooks note - 
Do not over sugar as this will causing burning , carrots are already naturally sweet and contain sugars.

Creamy Coconut & Chocolate Hazelnut Ice Lollies

Preparing & Cooking time - 15mins min 1 hour for freezing
Serves 4

Ingredients
100ml Double Cream Yoghurt
50ml Cream
2 Tablespoons honey
50gr Coconut Flour
200ml Full Cream Milk
4 Tsp chocolate Hazelnut Spread

Method:
In a glass bowl mix together the yoghurt , cream , honey, coconut flour and milk. Set this mixture aside.

Inside the ice lollie mould spoon a teaspoon of Chocolate Hazelnut Spread into each and spread it around a little.
Now you can stir up the yoghurt mixture and pour into the moulds adding to them the ice lollie sticks and freeze for a minimum of 1 hour.

Serve just as they are.

Cooks notes -
You can easily exchange the Chocolate Hazelnut Spread with berry coulis/ Sweetened Granadilla Pulp for a fruity and milky treat that is super yummy.

The Breakfast Stack ...

Preparing & Cooking time - 45mins
Serves 4

Ingredients:
4 soft boiled eggs

For the stack -
4 Courgettes
1 egg
1 Tbsp Psyllum Husk ( or alternatively Cake Flour)
Pinch of salt
Pinch of mixed herbs
Coconut Oil to fry
2 Sweet Potatoes
1 Pinch Wild a Garlic Flake Salt
50ml Olive Oil

For the sauce -
2 small tomatoes (chopped)
1 Tbsp Tomato Paste
1 Tsp Garlic and Ginger Paste

Method:
For the stack -
Par boil the sweet potatoes until firm but cooked , cut in halves and butterfly. Place on a baking tray and drizzle with olive oil and wild garlic flake salt. Grill until golden brown.
Remove from oven and set aside.

Grate the Courgettes and place in a glass bowl , add the egg , Psyllium husk , salt and mixed herbs. Stir together and set aside for 15 mins to allow for binding.
Spoon some of the courgette mix into a hot pan with coconut oil and fry into four fritters.
Set these aside.

For the sauce -
In a hot pan add the olive oil and chopped tomatoes , fry until soft and glossy , add the garlic and ginger paste. Add the tomato paste and cream , simmer until the correct consistency is achieved.

Assembly of the breakfast stack:
Place a butterflied sweet potato slice on the bottom , top with a courgette fritter , cover with the tomato sauce/ reduction and break one the soft boiled egg on top and sprinkle with mixed herbs.

Cooks notes -
If you boil the eggs and grill the sweet potatoes whilst making the courgette fritter , this is a quick and easy wheat free, carbohydrate free breakfast.

** you can make the fritters in advance and freeze them

Apricot , Walnut & Feta Salad ...

I love summer ... well after 5pm anyway as I'm not one for the heat. What I do really love about summer are the fabulous salads and side dishes that are just bursting with fresh fruit and sweet summer flavours.

Today I am sharing what is the first of many summer salads to come...

Yoghurt Dressing and marinade for chicken

I am one of those strange people who don't really enjoy chicken pieces , however a lovely kebab always goes a long way in my kitchen.

This recipe can be used for both...

Three Cheese Meatballs ...

Courgette , Avo and Peppadew Salsa .....

This is one of my favourite side dishes when cooking a steak or having a barbeque (braai in SA).

Shepards Pie ...

This my twist on a famous family meal to make it low carb but also extend the meat using mushrooms and thereby making it budget friendly too.



** cooks note - 
Do not wash mushrooms in water , simply wipe with a damp cloth to avoid getting additional moisture in your food. Mushrooms absorb water when being washed or soaked. 

Pork and Potato Pies ....