Spoil your loved ones with these delectable South African-inspired treats
Rooibos tres leches cake
Prep time: 35 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Makes: 16 squares
Ingredients
5 large eggs, separated
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
½ cup full-cream milk
1 ½ cups cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp salt
ground cinnamon
strawberries, to decorate
Tres leches mixture
2 rooibos teabags
1 can (385g) condensed milk
1 can (410g) evaporated milk
125ml full-cream milk
Topping
2 cups cream
¾ cup icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
Method
For the cake
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a 22 x 33cm baking tray with baking paper.
2. Whisk egg yolks and 3/4 cup sugar using an electric mixer for about 5 minutes or until tripled in volume.
3. Mix in the vanilla and milk. Add the flour, baking powder, bicarb, salt and mix until just combined.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites with the remaining 1/4 cup sugar until medium peaks form.
5. Carefully fold egg whites into the batter.
6. Pour cake mixture into the baking tray and bake for 30-35 minutes. Allow to cool.
For the rooibos ties leches mixture
1. Heat the three kinds of milk and tea bags in a small pot over medium heat and let the tea bags infuse for 15 minutes. Set aside to cool completely.
2. Poke holes into the cooled cake using a fork. Pour the tres leches mixture over the cake. 3. Place in an airtight container and chill in the fridge for 2 hours or overnight.
For the topping
1. Whip the cream, icing sugar and vanilla until thick.
2. Spread the cream mixture over the cake and sprinkle with cinnamon.
3. To serve, cut into squares and top with sliced strawberries.
Apple vetkoek fritters
Prep time:10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients
3 apples, peeled, cored and chopped into cubes
¼ lemon, juiced
2 eggs
1 cup milk
2 ¼ cups self-raising flour
2 tbsp sugar
¼ tsp salt
vegetable oil, for deep-frying
1 cup store-bought vanilla custard
2 tsp cinnamon
Method
1. Toss the apple cubes in lemon juice and set aside.
2. Mix the custard and cinnamon in a bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
3. Whisk the eggs and milk. Sift in the flour, then add sugar and salt. Whisk until well combined.
4. Add in apples and fold through to coat in the batter.
5. Heat oil in a pot over medium heat. Drop spoonfuls of batter into the oil in batches and fry until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel.
6. Serve vetkoek fritters with cinnamon cream.
Tip: Make your own self-raising flour by sifting together 1½ tsp baking powder for every cup of flour.
Peppermint Crisp lamingtons
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 35m minutes
Chilling time: 30 minutes
Makes: 16
Ingredients
230g cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
150ml full-cream milk
2 tsp vanilla essence
100g butter
70g oil
220g caster sugar
3 eggs
For the icing and filling
2 x 49g Peppermint Crisp chocolate bars, chopped
200ml full-cream milk
40g butter
200g icing sugar
20g cocoa powder
4 tbsp water
360g tinned caramel
200g desiccated coconut
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a 20cm square baking tin with baking paper.
2. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the milk and vanilla essence.
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, oil and sugar until pale and creamy.
4. Add the eggs one by one to the creamed butter, whisking well between each addition.
5. Gently stir in the dry ingredients (flour mixture) alternating with the wet ingredients (milk and vanilla mixture) to make a smooth batter.
6. Pour into the prepared baking tin and bake for 25-35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
7. Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
For the peppermint crisp icing
1. Place a heatproof bowl over a pot of gently simmering water. Add the chopped Peppermint Crisp chocolate, milk, butter, icing sugar, cocoa and water.
2. Continue to heat, stirring, until melted.
To assemble
1. Trim off the edges of the cake (using a serrated knife), then cut in half horizontally to create two layers.
2. Spread a thick layer of caramel evenly on one half and place the other half on top, with the cut side facing up.
3. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up.
4. Cut cake into 5cm squares. Dip each square into the icing, allowing any excess to drip off, then toss in coconut
5. Place on a wire rack to set before serving.
Tip: To make the process less messy, use one hand to dip the lamingtons in icing and the other hand to toss in coconut. Don’t use all your coconut at once, as it may become chocolatey. Instead, top up the bowl or plate with more coconut as you go.
Crunchier with caramel cornflake topping
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Makes: 16
Ingredients
237g oats
85g unsweetened desiccated coconut
170g cake flour
185g treacle sugar
250g butter
2 tbsp golden syrup
For the topping
300g caster sugar
200ml cream
100g butter
Method
For the crunchies
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line the base and sides of a 20cm square baking tray with baking paper and set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, coconut, flour and sugar.
3. Melt the butter in a small pot over medium heat. Add the syrup and stir until melted.
4. Pour the butter-syrup mixture into the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
5. Press the mixture firmly into the prepared baking tray to about 2cm thickness. Bake for 20 minutes until golden.
For the topping
1. While the crunchies are baking, melt the sugar in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat until golden.
2. Take the pot off the heat and gradually stir in the cream. Be careful of the steam as the mixture will bubble furiously.
3. Once all the cream is added, stir in the butter, salt and vanilla until melted and fully incorporated.
4. Transfer the pot back to the heat and simmer for at least 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Remove from the heat and add the cornflakes, mixing until they are completely coated in caramel sauce.
6. Spread the cornflake topping over the baked crunchies and leave them in the tin until completely cooled.
7. To serve, cut into squares.
Tip: If your sugar mixture becomes lumpy after adding the cream, place the pot over low heat and stir until the caramel is melted and smooth again.
Recipes and photographs: courtesy of My Kitchen
