baking
Photo by Andrea Van Der Spuy
I must confess that I am more of a savoury person. I would rather eat a sandwich after a meal than dessert – when will this become acceptable? But life is just too sad without a little sweet indulgence so here is a cake that is delicately sweetened by honey, livened up by some zesty lime, full of fresh, tangy apples and crowned with a creamy natural yoghurt.
Read MorePhoto by Andrea Van Der Spuy
I have a love for all things Italian. This may be because I have a Nonna or am lucky enough to have an Italian passport, but I think it has to do with the humility of their food – the emphasis on simplicity and a few, really good ingredients.
This cake is no different. It is a local reinvention of a fool-proof dark chocolate torte I found in an old Italian recipe book. It combines all the local flavours we love – Bar-One, Amarula and good old-fashioned Tennis Biscuits. It’s gooey, crunchy and covered in chocolate sauce – what’s not to love?
Read MoreWith the weather heating up and it being Heritage (read: BRAAI) month, us South Africans are all getting that wonderful, delirious, warm-summer-air, late-nights-outside-by-the-fire, weekends-away-at-the-sea kinda feeling. At the centre of this most delicious summer feeling is BRAAING – chops, steak, wors, chicken flatties, whole fish, crayfish, potjies, braaibroodjies - anything cooked on the fire and all the yummy sides we eat with it all!
Read MoreThis really yummy creation happened completely by accident! I was baking my Spicy Apple, Cinnamon & Nut Cake for a bunch of friends for tea, got far too carried away in conversation (this happens often) and completely forgot about my cake! Luckily it didn't burn, but it had completely lost all its wonderful soft moistness that makes it so perfectly delicious. I was devastated as I HATE wasting anything, especially the possibility of a yummy slice of cake. So nobody got cake with their tea and I tossed and turned most of that night.
Read MoreSweet Berry, Hazelnut & Dark Chocolate Brioche Swirl. This is the kind of recipe that your friends will go OOOH and AAAH and WOW! YOU’RE AMAZING at and think they could never make because it looks so impressive (and complicated). Good news, it’s not complicated at all, but will still leave you looking like a super-baker!
Read MoreSo, I am getting married in December (TOO much excitement!) and with that comes the usual bride-to-be stress of fitting into a wedding dress. That’s all good and well for some one happy to eat steamed greens for the next 3 months, but if you know me (and my all consuming passion for EVERYTHING food) then you know that I am not (and will never be, thank goodness!) that person! So what appeals to me about these cookies, considering my current challenges, is that they are completely delicious and on the healthier side of the cookie scale (well, in moderation, which is always challenging!). In a few words these cookies are quick, sweet, crunchy, chewy and just completely addictive!
Read MoreThis the PERFECT summer picnic or lunch-outside-on-the-stoep (veranda) tart. Sweet red onion marmalade and roasted peppers, salty goat's cheese, soft filling, crunchy pastry - all complemented perfectly by a sunny day under the trees with a cold glass of wine and a fresh side salad.
Read MoreThe combination of apples, nuts and cinnamon - how could you ever go wrong? This is a really delicious spicy cake, perfect to end off a wintery lunch served with a beautiful little glass of dessert wine or eaten indulgently by yourself with a hot cup of tea! Best served still slightly warm from the oven.
Read MoreI have tested this recipe many times and each time I tweak it a little as it doesn’t feel quite right. I think it is finally all tweaked out and has reached perfection (well in my rusk world)!
I think the secret is to pre-roast all your nuts and seeds, it just gives it that extra toasted depth of flavour. You could also add in raisins or dried cranberries.
These rusks are super crunchy, light, nutty and leave crumbs all over you, just like a good rusk should!
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