funnel cake

Ingredients

Serves: 12

• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups (375ml) milk
• 2 cups (250g) sifted plain flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups (500ml) vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup icing sugar

 

Preparation method

Prep: 20 minutes | Cook: 20 minutes

 

1.Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.

 

2.In a large mixing bowl stir together the eggs and the milk. Add flour mixture to the egg mixture and beat with a mixer until smooth. The consistency should be thin enough to run through a small kitchen funnel. Test it and if it is too thick beat in a little more milk; if too thin, beat in a bit more flour.

 

3.In an 20cm frypan heat the oil to hot.

 

4.Put your finger over the bottom opening of the funnel and fill the funnel with a generous 1/2 cup of the batter. Hold the funnel close to the surface of the oil and release the batter into the oil while making a circular motion. Fry until golden brown. Use tongs and wide spatula to turn the cake over carefully. Fry the second side one minute. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with sifted icing sugar.

tuna and chive burgers

Ingredients

Serves: 4

• 500g fresh tuna steaks, minced
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh chives
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup panko crumbs or breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

 

Preparation method

Prep: 20 minutes | Cook: 20 minutes

 

1.In a large bowl, mix together tuna, onion, chives, eggs, panko crumbs and mayonnaise. Season with garlic salt and black pepper. Form into patties.

 

2.Heat oil in a frypan over medium heat. Arrange patties in the pan (only as many as will fit easily in the pan). Cook, uncovered, 10 minutes per side, or until golden brown.

coconut bars

Ingredients

Serves: 24

• Base:
• 1 1/4 cups (300g) white sugar
• 3/4 cup (125g) brown sugar
• 2 cups (250g) plain flour
• 125g butter, softened
• 1/2 cup desiccated coconut
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• Centre Layer:
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 egg
• 1 cup (250g) buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• Top Glaze:
• 1 cup (155g) icing sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk

 

Preparation method

Prep: 20 minutes | Cook: 35 minutes

 

1.Preheat the oven to180 degrees C. Grease a 22x32cm cake tin.

 

2.Base: In a medium bowl combine the sugar, brown sugar, flour and butter. Continue to blend until the mixture is in coarse crumbs. Remove 2 cups of the mixture to another bowl and reserve the rest.

 

3.Stir the coconut and walnuts into the 2 cups of the sugar mixture. Pat firmly into the greased tin.

 

4.Centre Layer: Stir the bicarbonate of soda, salt and cinnamon into the reserved mixture. Then mix in the egg, buttermilk and vanilla until well blended. Spread this over the crust in the tin.

 

5.Bake for 35 to 45 minutes in the preheated oven or until firm. Allow to cool.

 

6.Top Glaze: Make a glaze using icing sugar and enough of the milk to give it a drizzling consistency. Drizzle over bars before cutting into squares.

Szechuan Sweet and Sour Pork

Ingredients

Serves: 2

• 250g pork fillets
• 1 teaspoon rice wine
• 2/3 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 4 tablespoons cornflour, divided
• 100ml chicken stock
• 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 2/3 teaspoon soy sauce
• 300ml vegetable oil, for frying
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 4 spring onions, finely chopped

 

Preparation method

Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 20 minutes

 

1.Pound the pork with a meat tenderiser then slice into 4x1cm strips. Marinate with rice wine and 1/3 teaspoon salt for 30 minutes.

 

2.Make the batter by beating together the eggs and 3 tablespoons cornflour. Set aside.

 

3.Make the sauce by mixing together the chicken stock, sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, remaining salt and remaining cornflour.

 

4.Heat the oil in a wok to medium high. Drop the pork into the batter and stir to coat. Add the pork, one piece at a time, to the hot oil. Deep fry until lightly golden. Remove with a slotted spoon.

 

5.Heat the oil to high and return the pork to the wok. Fry until golden brown, remove with a slotted spoon and place onto a serving dish. Drain all but 2 tablespoons oil from the wok.

 

6.Heat the oil in the wok until hot. Stir-fry the garlic until aromatic. Add the spring onions and sauce mixture; stir until the sauce begins to thicken. Pour the sauce over the pork and serve.

chocolate macaroon

Ingredients

Serves: 10

• 1 pinch salt, to taste
• 3 egg whites
• 120g almond meal
• 1 cup (185g) icing sugar
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• Chocolate Filling:
• 130g dark chocolate, cut into pieces
• 40g double cream
• 85g unsalted butter

 

Preparation method

Prep: 30 minutes | Cook: 13 minutes | Extra time: 30 minutes, resting

 

1.Add a pinch of salt to egg whites in a bowl and whisk until stiff.

 

2.In a bowl, mix the almond meal with the icing sugar and cocoa powder. Stir this mixture into the egg whites in several batches and whisk until smooth.

 

3.Line a baking tray with baking paper.

 

4.Pour the batter into a pastry bag. Pipe about a spoonful of batter onto the baking paper at regular intervals. Set aside for 30 minutes.

 

5.Preheat the oven to 150 degrees C.

 

6.Bake the macarons in the oven for 13 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool.

 

7.Add a teaspoon of chocolate filling on the flat side of a macaron, take a second macaron and put it on the filling. The 2 macarons will stick to the filling.

 

8.Chocolate Filling: Melt the chocolate in a double boiler and stir in the double cream and butter. Mix well then cool.

lemon sheet cake

Ingredients

Serves: 1

• 350g soft butter
• 350g sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla sugar
• 6 eggs
• 2 3/4 cups (350g) flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 lemons, zested
• Icing:
• 1 cup (185g) icing sugar
• 4 tablespoons lemon juice

 

Preparation method

Prep: 5 minutes | Cook: 20 minutes

 

1.Preheat oven to 200 degrees C.

 

2.Beat butter, sugar and vanilla sugar until fluffy. Add eggs. Add flour and baking powder then mix well. At the end stir in lemon peel.

 

3.Spread on a greased baking tray and bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Let it cool.

 

4.Stir icing sugar and lemon juice to make a cake covering. Cover the cake with it. Allow to set.

white chocolate mousse

Ingredients

Serves: 4

• 1 1/4 cups (310ml) thickened cream
• 350g white chocolate
• 250g soft cream cheese

 

Preparation method

Prep: 10 minutes | Cook: 10 minutes | Extra time: 2 hours, chilling

 

1.Bring the thickened cream to the boil using a microwave or the stove then take off the heat.

 

2.Break up the white chocolate into small pieces in a bowl and pour the cream over the chocolate. Stir occasionally until all chocolate is melted. Allow to cool but not set.

 

3.Add the soft cheese and blend. Spoon into ramekins. Chill in fridge for at least two hours preferably overnight.

 

 

pumpkin and feta triangles

Ingredients

Serves: 15

• 250g pumpkin puree
• 200g feta, crumbled
• 1 egg, whisked
• 1 pinch salt, to taste
• 1/2 tablespoon chilli flakes, to taste
• 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 250g filo pastry
• 1/3 cup (80ml) olive oil
• 1 egg white, whisked

 

Preparation method

Prep: 30 minutes | Cook: 30 minutes

 

1.Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C and line a baking tray with baking paper.

 

2.In a medium bowl mix together the pumpkin, feta, egg, salt, chilli flakes and black pepper.

 

3.Lay out a sheet of filo pastry on a clean work surface and cut into 7cm wide strips longways. Using a large spoon place a dollop of the pumpkin mixture at the top right-hand corner of the filo strip. Take the top right-hand corner and fold it over the pumpkin mixture to the left. The strip should now have the beginnings of a triangle, with the peak at the upper left-hand corner. Continue folding the strip in the shape of a triangle, brushing the filo pastry with olive oil before each fold. Once you’ve reached the end of the strip, place on the baking tray and brush with egg white. Continue until all the pumpkin mixture has been used, making about 15 triangles.

 

4.Bake for 30 minutes or until the filo is crispy and a dark golden brown. Serve immediately.

berry and yoghurt smoothie

Ingredients

Serves: 3

• 1 banana, chopped
• 1 kiwi fruit, sliced
• 3/4 cup blueberries
• 1 cup ice cubes
• 250g vanilla yoghurt

 

Preparation method

Prep: 5 minutes

 

1.Combine the banana, kiwi fruit, blueberries, ice cubes and vanilla yoghurt in a blender; blend until smooth.

artichoke chicken

Ingredients

Serves: 4

• 1 (470g) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 pinch garlic pepper
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

 

Preparation method

Prep: 10 minutes | Cook: 30 minutes

 

1.Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.

 

2.In a medium bowl, mix together the artichoke hearts, parmesan cheese, mayonnaise and garlic pepper. Place chicken in a greased baking dish and cover evenly with artichoke mixture.

 

3.Bake, uncovered for 30 minutes in the preheated oven or until chicken is no longer pink in the center and juices run clear. Serve.