Chocolate delight cake

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My Gran was an amazing baker, she could turn plain cakes into amazing works of art. To this day people will tell me that my granny made the most mouth watering cream horns or mandelines and lamingtons were her favourite to make.

 

When I came around my gran had already hung up her baking hat but she kept her recipe books.

 

My gran passed away in 2008 a year before I turned 21. She gave my mum her cook books with strict instructions to give them to me for my 21st birthday gift from her.

 

I am not sure how she knew I would eventually turn to baking, back in those days I barely managed to make 2 minute noodles I couldn’t even make spaghetti to save my life.

 

In memory of her I decided to try out her chocolate delight cake.

 

She bought this book in 1962 so the ingredients are all in ounces but my scale has ounces as well. phew 🙂

 

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Ingredients for the cake:

  • 2 x heaped tbsp. cocoa powder.
  • 4 x tbsp. hot water.
  • 8 ounces cake flour.
  • 2 x level tsp baking powder.
  • Pinch of salt
  • 8 x ounces margarine.
  • 10 x ounces castor sugar.
  • 4 x eggs
  • 2 x tbsp. milk.

Ingredients for the chocolate butter cream:

  • 2 x heaped tbsp. cocoa powder.
  • 3 x tbsp. boiling water.
  • 3 x ounces margarine.
  • 8 x ounces icing sugar.
  • 1 x tbsp. milk.
  • Almond nibblers.
  • Chocolate milk buttons.

Method for the cake:

  • Mix the cocoa powder and hot water together, set aside and allow to cool.
  • Sift the cake flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl and set aside.
  • In another bowl , whisk the margarine and castor sugar till light and fluffy.
  • Add the cooled cocoa mixture and mix well.
  • Add 1 egg at a time and whisk for 2 seconds between each egg.
  • Fold in the flour mixture.
  • Mix well till everything is well combined.
  • Pour into a round greased 20cm cake pan.
  • Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 30 – 35 minutes or until the cake tester comes out clean.
  • Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, before turning out onto a cooling rack and allowing to cool completely.

Method for the icing:

  • Mix the cocoa powder and hot water together, set aside and allow to cool.
  • Cream the margarine till light and fluffy.
  • Add the icing sugar and whisk together.
  • Add the milk and whisk.
  • Add the cooled cocoa powder mixture and whisk till well combined.

To assemble this cake:

  • Place one round cake ontop of an cake board.
  • Evenly spread some icing over the top of this layer.
  • Place the second layer of cake ontop of the icing.
  • Apply a crumb coat of icing all over the cake and pop into the fridge to chill for an hour or until the crumb coat icing is set.
  • Apply a generous layer of icing all over the cake, sprinkle with almonds and place chocolate buttons on the cake.
  • Pop back into the fridge and allow to set for a further 20 minutes.

Masala omelette

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The saying goes, “ Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” That is true in certain households.

Most people can agree with me, when you work 13 hour shifts a day, getting up extra early to make a healthy breakfast is just not an option.

Cereal out the box, or coffee and toast or grabbing a fruit as you rush out the door are most working households breakfast options. Unfortunately I fall into that category. Coffee and a banana is my daily breakfast, and I eat that while I am packing the bags not even sitting down.

The other night, I was watching Anjum Australians spice stories on BBC lifestyle and she was making a masala omelette.

The masala omelette has been on my must learn to make list since forever, but I never came across the recipe until now.

It seemed simple enough to make and didn’t require any fancy flips.

Ingredients:image1

  • 1 x onion, chopped.
  • ½ x tomatoe, chopped.
  • Salt to taste.
  • 1 x green chilli, chopped.
  • 3 x medium eggs, whisked.
  • A handful of chopped coriander.
  • ½ to 1 tsp of garam masala… becareful as this does tend to make the egg have a bitterish strong taste.
  • A little oil to grease the pan

Method:image2

  • Add everything, except the oil, into a bowl and whisk till well combined.
  • Add the oil to a pan and allow to warm up.
  • Pour the omelette mixture into the warm pan and allow to brown, once nice and gold brown flip and allow the other side to brown as well.
  • Slide onto a plate and enjoy

I tweaked the recipe as the original recipe used ghee instead of oil. In my household we only use ghee prayer time.

Also if my parents had to find out that I was putting ghee in their food, they would give me a lecture about how bad ghee was and I was giving them cholesterol and making their arteries clog up. To save myself from that speech, I rather opted for oil.

Lemon curd cake with meringue icing

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I did not follow any particular recipe. I used my own sponge cake and then let my imagination run wild.

The meringue icing was supposed to be blow torched, but when I tried to use the blow torch, it didn’t want to work and my mum discovered that there was no gas.

The recipe for the cake batter only makes one cake, so I doubled up so that I could make a double layered cake.

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Ingredients for the cake batter.

  • 2 x cups cake flour.
  • 1 x cup castor sugar.
  • 1 x cup water.
  • 1 x tsp lemon essence.
  • 1 x tbsp. white wine vinegar.
  • 1 x tsp bicarbonate of soda.
  • ½ x cup cooking oil.

Ingredients for the meringue icing

  • 4 x egg whites
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 x cup castor sugar.
  • ½ x tsp vanilla essence.

Ingredients for lemon infused butter cream icing

  • 250g x icing sugar.
  • 125g x room temperature rama margarine.
  • 2 x tsp boiling water.
  • 1 x tsp lemon essence.

Method:

  • In a bowl, mix the cake flour and the bicarbonate of soda.
  • In another bowl, mix the water, lemon essence, white wine vinegar, castor sugar and cooking oil.
  • Whisk till all the castor sugar has been dissolved.
  • Pour the water mixture into the flour mixture.
  • Whisk until well blended and there are no lumps.
  • Pour into a greased 20cm cake pan and bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 25 – 30 minutes or until the cake tester comes out clean.
  • Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, before turning out onto a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.

To make the meringue icing:image

  • Whisk the egg whites, vanilla essence and salt until they start to get bubbles.
  • Add the sugar, a little at a time and keep whisking till the mixture starts forming soft peaks.
  • To check if the meringue is ready turn the bowl upside down and if it stays in the bowl, then the meringue icing is ready.

To make the butter cream icing, whisk everything in a bowl together till well combined.

To assemble this cake:

  • Place one of the cake layers onto a cake board.
  • Place some butter cream icing in a pipping bag and carefully ice a circle around the edge of the cake.
  • Fill the center of the icing ring with lemon curd.image
  • Place the second layer of cake ontop of the icing.
  • Ice the entire cake with the left over butter cream icing, this will be known as the crumb coat.image
  • Pop into the fridge for an hour.
  • Take the meringue icing and ice the entire cake, using a butter knife create waves in the icing.image
  • Pop into the fridge another hour to set and enjoy

Whose feeling toasty?

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When the urge gets me and I don’t feel like reading  a magazine online, I do go out and buy one even if it is just to feel human again and turning a page with the lick of a finger instead of scrolling on the computer screen.

I came across this article where it showed an array of different toast toppings. It immediately caught my attention as my mother is a massive lover of toast, she hasn’t eaten plain bread in 5 years it always toast. I thought making these toppings would be just up her street.

Of course she is old school where most toast toppings are peanut butter with jam, avocado and toast, plain butter and cheese spread. Making her try these new toppings was like a walk in Jurassic park.image

The nutella and and banana one she loved, till she landed up in the emergency room with an allergic reaction to the banana that was an eventful trip. My mum went it for her allergic reaction and they landed up taking an EGC and giving her be calm tablets because she was hyped. lolimage

The avocado one was delicious, but people who do not love the strong tangy taste of Tabasco sauce should STAY AWAY.image

The salmon and cucumber was another hit but the fishy after taste didn’t seem to want to go away and it also made me crave sushi the rest of the day.image

I myself am not a huge fan of blackberries, but seeing as I was trying to follow this page to the tee I gave it a try… the chunky cottage cheese and the mind of matter thing when it came to the black berries… I did not like this option at all

I hope my fellow readers and followers will try out these delicious, healthy and nutritious toast toppings as well.

 

 

Strong frikkadel curry

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Every now and then I love myself a lekker pot of strong frikkadel curry, so strong that my nose starts running. My mother says its the best medicine to kill any germ in your body and also to keep the flu away… better than any medication that a modern day doctor can provide.

I like to lightly fry my frikkadels before hand and drain them on a paper towel, before I add them to the curry. This prevents the frikkadel from breaking up while it is cooking in the gravy.

This dish is best served with creamy mash potatoe and rice

 

imageIngredients:

  • 1 x dozen lightly fried frikkadels.
  • 2 x tbsp. tomatoe paste.
  • 1 x onion, finely chopped.
  • 1 x tsp garlic and ginger paste.
  • 2 x green chillies chopped.
  • Few fresh curry leaves.
  • Chopped dhania for garnish.
  • 1 x tsp Bombay delight masala.
  • 1 x tsp Chowan’s masala.
  • 1 x tsp Kashmiri masala.
  • 1 x tsp Mixed masala.
  • ¼ x tsp turmeric powder.
  • ½ x tsp dhania powder.
  • ½ x tsp jeera powder
  • 1 x tsp garam masala.
  • Salt to taste.

Method:image

  • Heat some oil in a pot.
  • Add the onions and chillies and sauté till transparent.
  • Add the ginger and garlic paste and mix well.
  • Add the spices, except the garam masala, mix well.
  • Add the curry leave and a cup of water.
  • Mix well and allow the mixture to come to a boil.
  • Add the tomatoe paste and salt and mix.
  • Add the frikkadels, cover pot and allow to cook.
  • Every couple of minutes take a spoon and scoop the gravy over the meat balls.
  • Once the gravy is nice and thick, remove from the heat, sprinkle the garam masala over the top and garnish with chopped dhania

When toasted cheese becomes your friend

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imageI don’t fast, unless it is like a major temple service or a family prayer then yes, I am a strict vegetarian for the duration of that period.

My parents fast, Tuesdays and Fridays which makes cooking meat for one person a tad bit difficult. I tend to either take aways or eat veggie food with them on these days.

To cook vegetables 2 times a week becomes more and more difficult as month end nears and the foodie inspiration dries up.

But I can always trust on the old faithful…toasted cheese and tomatoe sandwiches, of course there are may ways to make this sandwich, with plain bread, health bread, seeded bread, rolls and even naan bread, you can add what ever your heart desires.

The best combination I have come up with, well the combination that touches my soul to the corners, that makes me feel as if I am part of the fasting crew and actually fills me up is that combination of buttered white bread, layered with gouda cheese, grated sweetmilk cheese layered ontop of the gouda, thinly sliced tomatoes, fried onions and seasoned with salt and pepper. Grilled in a pan over a low heat till both sides and nicely brown. Remove from the heat and cut the sandwich in triangles. For the piece de resistance add some fried potatoes chips on the side.

The perfect meal for any fasting day and everyone will be smiling and happy, tummies will be full.

Boston cream doughnuts

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I have love doughnuts from when I was a teeny tiny child, when I would shopping with my gran, as soon as we stepped in to the super market, I would run to the bakery counter and pick out a doughnut and then my gran would put me in the trolley and do her shopping while I contently ate the doughnut.

When I came across this recipe I knew I had to give it a try in memory of our shopping trips with Granny Grey.

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Ingredients:

  • 1 x roll store bought puff pastry.
  • 1 x pack vanilla pudding mixture.
  • 1 ¼ x cup milk.
  • 1 x cup cream.
  • 2 x tsp vanilla essence.
  • 1 x cup icing sugar.
  • ¼ x cup cocoa powder.
  • A little melted margarine.

Method:

  • Roll out the puff pastry onto a floured surface.image
  • Brush with melted margarine.
  • Fold in half, lengthwise.
  • Using a circle cookie cutter cut out circle rounds.image
  • Place on a greased baking tray.
  • Using a tooth pick, prick 3 holes in the puff pastry.
  • Pop into the freezer for 10 minutes.
  • Deep fry each round until they are nice and golden brown.image
  • Remove from the oil and place on hand towel to drain excess oil.
  • In a bowl, pour the vanilla pudding mixture, 1 cup milk, cream and 1 tsp vanilla essence, mix well till nice and thick.image
  • Pour the mixture into a pipping bag that is fitted with a star tip.
  • Press the tip into the side of the doughnut and fill the doughnut with the cream mixture.
  • Set aside.
  • In another bowl, mix the icing sugar, cocoa powder, 1tsp vanilla essence and the ¼ cup milk, mix till everything is well combined.image
  • Dip the top of the doughnut into the mixture.
  • Place on a plate and allow to chill in the fridge for 10 minutes till the icing is set.

Mum’s trifle

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I love trifle… I love eating it and I love watching my mum make. I have never ever tried making it.

For mother’s day this year, I thought I would give it a shot for Sunday dessert. Its actually really easy who would have thought???

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Ingredients:

  • 1 x medium sized caramel swiss roll.
  • Assorted bowls of ready made jelly.image
  • Chopped pecan nuts.
  • 250ml x fresh cream whipped.
  • custard
  • Can of peaches, the juices drained off.
  • flake

Method:image

  • Cut the swiss roll into slices.image
  • Layer a deep rectangle dish with the swiss roll.image
  • Pour some custard over the top of the swiss slices and evenly spread it so that the entire layer is covered.image
  • Chop up the jelly into nice size pieces and layer it over the top of the custard.
  • Layer the peach slices onto of the custard.
  • Add the chopped nuts.image
  • Finally add the whipped cream.
  • Grate the flake over the top.
  • Pop into the fridge till ready to be served.

Red velvet cake

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When my boss turned 60 the other day. His insurance company posted him a birthday card with a recipe for a red velvet cake attached to the card.

He was kind enough to bring it to work for me.

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Ingredients:

This makes one round cake, to make a double layered cake, double the batter ingredeints.

  • 125G x rama margarine.
  • 250g x castor sugar.
  • 2 x eggs.
  • 200g x cake flour.
  • 25g x cocoa powder.
  • 1 x tsp baking powder.
  • 125ml x buttermilk.
  • 20ml x red food colouring.

Method:

  • In a bowl, cream the margarine and sugar together, till fluffy.
  • Add one egg at a time and whisk for a couple of seconds between each egg.
  • Mix the dry ingredients in another bowl and sift the flour mixture into the egg mixture.
  • In a separate bowl, mix the food colouring and the buttermilk together.
  • Add this wet mixture to the egg mixture.
  • Gently fold all the ingredients into each other, till everything is nicely mixed.
  • Pour into a greased 20cm cake pan and bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 15 – 20 minutes or until the cake tester comes out clean.
  • Remove from the oven and allow to cook in the tin for 15 minutes, before turning out onto a cooling rack.

Ingredients for the cream cheese icing:

  • 250g x room temperature cream cheese.
  • 250g x room temperature rama margarine.
  • 1 x tsp vanilla essence.
  • 500g x icing sugar.

Method:

  • Cream the margarine till light and fluffy.
  • Add the cream cheese and mix well.
  • Add the vanilla essence and mix well.
  • Add the sifted icing sugar and mix well till everything is well combined.image

*  I halved my icing and coloured one half pale pink while I left the other plain. When I iced the cake I added blobs of pink icing and then ran the icing smoother around the cake.

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*  I then took a sharp pointed spatula and stuck it in the icine and turned the turn table round and round creating a funky design around the cake. I repeated the method on the top of the cake.image

* When I was done, I sprinkled pink and white stars over the cake and around the cake.