Guiness chocolate cake

Beer in a cake, genius! I am not generally a fan of Guiness, I wouldn't order it in a bar, at a restaurant or as my sun-downer drink. The bitterness is just not really my thing, but I have heard so much how beer can really make a foodie difference. So, for my brothers birthday I decided to roll with it and made him a Guiness Chocolate Cake.

Chocolate Guiness cake

Ingredients:

For the Sponge

• 250ml Guiness
• 250g unsalted butter
• 80g cocoa powder
• 400g castor sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 140ml buttermilk
• 280g plain flour
• 2 tsp bicarb
• 1/2 tsp baking powder

For the cream-cheese frosting

• 50g unsalted butter
• 300g icing sugar
• 125g full fat cream cheese
• cocoa powder for dusting

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Line and grease the sides of a 23cm springform cake tin.
Pour the Guiness into a saucepan(med heat), add the butter and gently stir until all butter has melted. Remove the pan from the heat and blend in the cocoa powder and castor sugar. Be sure that all cocoa powder has dissolved to make a smooth consistent mix. In a separate bowl, mix together the eggs, vanilla and buttermilk. Add this to the pan. In the bowl of an electric mixer, sift together the flour bicarb and baking powder. Add the pan ingredients to the dry mixture and on a medium speed combines until your mixture is smooth. Turn down the heat of the oven to 180 degrees. Add the cake mix to the cake tin and bake for 45min. Remove from the oven and cool.

For the frosting:

Wash the mixing bowl out and dry with a  cloth. Sift the icing sugar into the bowl. Mix the butter and icing sugar together until there are no large lumps, sand-like in texture on a low speed. Add the cream-cheese and increase the speed by one, until the icing becomes medium thick. Do not over mix. With a spatula or flat knife smear the frosting over your sponge so that the whole cake is Dust with cocoa and serve.


Enjoy x x

Thai prawn Curry

I am about to wine and dine four girls tonight, and being open to experiment I am allowed to cook whatever I see fit, which is quite exciting in its own sense, there are no briefs or special requirements that need to be executed, which is just the way I like to cook. It's completely Carte Blanche.

Being naturally inspired by Thai cuisine, which is my all time favorite, I am thrilled to roll with this theme. Thai red prawn curry is on my cooks list, and I am in raptures at gnawing at a spicy prawn- soaked in sauce, and filled with fusion. I was lucky enough to get my hands on some really decently sized prawns from Food Lovers, although frozen, good- enough to make this an award winning supper surprise.

Thai red prawn curry

Prep time: 10 min    cooking time: 40 min   Serves: 6

Ingredients

• red curry paste
• 2 stalks lemon grass (chopped)
• 1 red chili
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2x 400g can coconut milk
• small bag of mange toute
• 4 jarred red peppers in oil
• kaffir lime leaves (dried)
• splash of fish sauce
• splash soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• a thumb sized piece of ginger
• a bunch of fresh coriander
• 12 whole raw tiger prawns (de-veined, topped and tailed)
• 2 limes
• Seasoning

Method:

In a saute pan, or heavy based pan, add your curry paste and fry off until the oil separates. Add the lemongrass, chili and garlic.Add the coconut milk and allow the flavors to infuse.Add the mange toute and jarred peppers with the oil, until softened. Then add the kaffir lime leaves, fish sauce, soy sauce and sesame oil. Grate the ginger before adding to the curry, then add the fresh coriander and allow to cook for 10 min before adding the prawns.cook for a further 30 min. Add the limes before serving. Season.

Serve with jasmine rice infused with green tea.

Enjoy x x

Cinnamon Bun Ice-Cream

I know, I know. Its Winter and you're wondering why I would be daft enough to make ice Cream, it's a silly thought I agree with you, but I am experimenting now for Summer. You'll thank me. I wanted to experiment with different flavors, and veer  away from mundane ones: vanilla, lemon, strawberry and chocolate. I  love cinnamon and wanted to embellish it in my creation- so I came up with Cinnamon Bun or Cinnabun.


Cinnamon Bun Ice-Cream

Ingredients:

• 2 cups heavy Cream
• 1 tin condensed milk
• 3 tbsp butter melted
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup raisins

Method:

With an electric whisk, whisk cream to stiff peaks. In a separate bowl, whisk up the condensed milk, butter, cinnamon, vanilla and raisins until all combined. Fold in the whipped cream until all combined and mixed. Pour the ice- cream into a 2 litre container and freeze for 6 hours.

Enjoy x x 

My love for De Kloof.

Yes, of course I love mountains and beautiful landscapes, but that is not what I am about to write about by any means.De Kloof is a culinary experience set in a breathtaking estate of Waterkloof, it is a five star dining wonder and its no wonder why.

A few weeks back I had my first involvement  here, a wine tasting. Boschkloof wines to be exact. An evening of friends, cape-wine tasting and canapes is a sure fine way to spend your time, at a decent price too. Tasting five wines,all from different grape varietals- made Boschkloof  a bit of a prize-winner. De Kloof not only do superb cuisine, but they ensure that you are styled, just like its gourmet, encouraging you to be as hip as they are.

De Kloof offers amazement, with weekly events such as wine tastings, Gourmet tastings and other yearly, more common events like Father days. De Kloof do it well. I can promise a pleasing savoir-fair!

You would be stupid to not be wowed.

Lets make lamb

A little rack of lamb goes along way. I have been experimenting with recipes lately, as a foodie you ought to, and find myself theming dishes that tie up nicely. Morocco is always at the forefront of my adventures with food, because I find its flavors intriguing, to say the least. Odd spices, like nutmeg, cumin and harissa are infused together to create a taste explosion- the flavors are not everyday, which I love. When I theme my dishes, its a form of escapism-transforming me to the very place and as flavors of Morocco begin to lift the household air-so do my thoughts. To be in souks, market spaces, and far away places.

 

Harissa rack of lamb

 

Prep time: 20min        Cook time 40min             Serves: 4

 

 

Ingredients:

• 2 rack of lamb
• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp grated nutmeg
• 2 tsp harissa paste
• 2 tsp thyme
• 2 tsp paprika
• olive oil
• salt/pepper

Method:

 

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Get a baking tray ready. With a sharp knife, split the 2 racks in two so that you are four racks. Score the underside of the racks with a knife in a criss-cross fashion. Rub in all the spices with your hands and ensure that all the cutlets are covered and coated. Rub in the olive oil, season.

 

In a pan on high heat, brown the racks on all sides- its should take you 5 minutes for each side. Remove from the heat, allow to rest for 5 min before placing on your baking tray. Make sure that the bones of the rack are facing up. Place in the oven and cook for 15min, for med rare, 20min for med, 25 min for well-done. Serve with tabbouleh and humus.

 

 

 

Enjoy x x



Breakfast at Blos!

We gathered a table of hungry breakfast-goers and made our way to Blos,something that never fails to satisfy some rather hungry bellies. For those of you unaware of Blos, its is a little bristro-type restaurant that boasts excellence, well almost.Set in Pretoria, hidden among lush greens and hidden corners,its a mystery well found.

Breakfasts are Blos' thing, and finding a table is tricky if you havn't pre-booked. Menus are intriguing with titles for breakfast like 'Morning Glory', 'Power Petals' and my best yet: 'In fine feathers'. To say the least I felt rather confused with what to choose, for the titles could very well be just as they suggest. Thankfully enough, there were well-written descriptions to fit each title,and nasty visuals were put at bay.

Its a funny thing really, when I go into a restaurant, any restaurant I find myself ogling at the decor, judging the service, perusing the menu and anticipating the ambiance. I do not do this deliberately, it just so happens. I guess because I am a foodie, its totally acceptable.

Order eggs, they will be done to perfection. Your coffee will be frothy, not too hot. And if you're lucky, which of course you are, you'll be treated to a small ball of deliciousness- a chocolate brownie-truffle-like biscuit, as accompaniment. Yum.

 The presentation is not what I would have expected for a breakfast bizarre, soup spoons loaded with butter are no presentation ploy for me, but I'm a judge mentalist, it could very well be your thing. The service is great, something which South Africa all too often lacks.

The outside garden is a must for Spring mornings and sunny days, but be sure to get a table, oh wait I have mentioned that already.

It's almost faultless, give it a go!

 

 

 

 

Enjoy x x

Thai Red Salmon Curry

Its almost unusual to use fish, unless prawns of course, in a Thai red curry, but because Salmon is a buttery fish,it works well. I wanted to try a new recipe and give this authentic curry a twist, a salmon-way. Deviate away from the norm of beef, chicken or duck.

Fragrant ingredients, like lemongrass and galangal, compliment the salmon winningly- rhapsodizing a fresh appeal.

Perfect dinner for two.

Thai Red Salmon Curry

Prep time: 20min  Cook Time: 20   Serves: 2

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp Sunflower oil
• 1 small jar Thai red curry paste
• 1 can coconut cream
• 1 can coconut milk
• 2 salmon fillets (organic)
• 250ml chicken stock
• 1 tbsp palm sugar
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 red pepper (sliced)
• handful green beans or mange tout
• Coriander

Method:

In a heavy based pan or work, add the oil and the curry paste, allow the flavors to infuse, and split before adding the coconut cream, stir until the cream is colored reddish, add the coconut milk before adding the salmon fillets. Allow to simmer. Add the chicken stock, palm sugar and fish sauce. Add the sliced red pepper, green beans. allow to cook for a further 10min. Garnish with Coriander.

Enjoy x x