Celebrate the season in style with three festive treats that are as fun to make as they are to eat.
Summer trifle
Serves 10-12
Ingredients
2 packets (80g each) peach jelly
2 (350g each) madeira cake layers, cut into squares
2 punnets (100g each) raspberries + extra for serving
4 cups (1L) custard
5 yellow-flesh nectarines, quartered + extra slices for serving
1½ cups (375ml) cream
½ cup (110g) castor sugar
½ tsp (3ml) vanilla essence
Method
- Prepare jelly according to packet instructions and set in a 3L trifle bowl.
- Top with half the madeira cake squares and half the raspberries.
- Pour custard over cake and layer with remaining cake and raspberries, then nectarines.
- Whisk together cream, castor sugar and vanilla to firm peaks and spoon onto fruit.
- Serve topped with extra raspberries and nectarines.
Recipe & styling: Fresh Living Magazine
Photography: Fresh Living Magazine
Peppermint Crisp & Caramel Swiss Roll
Serves 6–8

Ingredients
For the Swiss roll
3 eggs
1 cup (130g) caster sugar
1 cup (130g) cake flour
¾ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
To assemble
1 can Caramel Treat
1 (49g) Peppermint Crisp chocolate bar, finely chopped
½ cup cream, whipped
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180 ºC. Grease and line a 23 x 33cm Swiss roll tray.
- Using an electric hand mixer, whip the eggs and castor sugar until tripled in volume and pale in colour, about 5 minutes.
- Sift the flour, baking powder and salt over the egg mixture. Gently fold in using a large metal spoon until the flour is just
- Pour the batter into the prepared tray and bake for 10 min until lightly golden.
- Line a kitchen cloth with a piece of baking paper and sprinkle a layer of castor sugar. When the cake is baked, tip it out onto the cloth and roll up into a tight coil starting from the short end. Leave for 10 minutes until cool, then carefully unroll.
- To assemble, whip the caramel with an electric mixer until smooth.
- Spread three-quarters of the caramel in an even layer over the Swiss roll. Sprinkle over half the chopped Peppermint Crisp and top with a layer of whipped cream.
- Carefully roll up the Swiss roll and chill in the fridge until ready to serve. Decorate with the remaining caramel and chocolate.
Cook’s note: Experiment with flavour. You can also fill this Swiss roll with your favourite jam and serve with fresh berries.
Recipe & styling: Jezza-Rae Larsen
Photography: Callen Jefferson/hmimages.co.za
Vegan pavlova with cardamom and pineapple
Serves 8

Ingredients
For the topping
1 can (400g) coconut cream
1 cup (250ml) yoghurt
For the vegan pavlova
1 cup aquafaba (liquid from a tin of chickpeas)
¼ tsp (1.25ml) cream of tartar
1 cup (200g) brown sugar
2 tsp (10ml) ground cardamom
For serving
½ pineapple, peeled and sliced
⅓ cup (80ml) fresh coconut shavings
Method
- Place the coconut cream in the freezer to partially solidify.
- Preheat the oven to 170°C and line a baking tray.
- For the vegan pavlova, whip aquafaba and cream of tartar in a stand mixer until frothy.
- Gradually add the sugar and beat for 10 minutes, or until thick and glossy.
- Toast cardamom in a dry pan until fragrant. Allow to cool before gently folding into the meringue.
- Dollop spoonfuls onto a baking tray in a circle. Make peaks using the back of a spoon.
- Bake for 40 minutes, or until set, then turn the oven off and allow the meringue to crisp up for an hour.
- For the coconut cream, remove the solid layer of coconut cream and mix it through the yoghurt. Dollop on top of the meringue.
- Top with pineapple and coconut shavings and serve immediately.
Recipe & styling: Chiara Turilli
Photographs: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za
