Video: Puff Pastry

Hello!

To kick-start the new year, I have made my first video on how to make puff pastry. Enjoy!

Apple Bake

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cake flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup oil
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 big green apples
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1 tbsp cinnamon sugar
• 100ml milk
• Lemon juice
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts

Method:

• Whisk eggs and sugar until light in colour
• Then add oil and whisk
• Sift the dry ingredients into a mixture
• Add milk until a batter is formed (be careful not to make it too runny or stiff)
• Grease an oven-proof dish and pour a thin layer of the batter to cover the surface

• Peel, core and thinly slice the apples. Arrange the apples and raisins on top of the layer of batter you just put into the pan.
• Sprinkle cinnamon sugar and lemon juice

• Cover with the remaining batter
• Decorate with chopped nuts
• Bake at 180°C for 20 minutes
• Allow it to cool and serve with cream, custards or with cherries on top

Salmon Bake with Basil and Mint Sauce

 Dreams smell better than reality

The Fish

Ingredients:

• 1kg salmon fillets washed, dried and cut into 6 – 8 pieces
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp cake flour

Marinade:

• Rub all the dry ingredients into the fillets.
• Sprinkle some lemon juice and keep aside for an hour

Sauce:

• Ingredients
• Handful of mint and basil
• ½ cup plain yoghurt
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• ½ cup water
• ½ an onion
• 1 ripe tomato
• Mix all of these into a food processor to make a nice, smooth paste

On the Side:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup mushrooms: chopped, washed and dried
• Red, yellow and green pepper (1/2 each): washed, dried and chopped
• 1 Tbsp oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

 Method:

• Fry the marinated fish lightly on both sides at medium heat.
• Arrange the fish side by side in an oven-proof dish (Spray the dish with cooking spray before-hand or grease it in a way that you prefer)
• Fry the mushrooms using the same oil you used previously.
• Spread this on top of the fish.
• Pour the sauce that you made onto the fish
• Decorate your dish with the red, yellow and green peppers.
• Add salt and black pepper to taste.
• Bake at 180°C for 10 minutes

Spinach and Dhania Bake

Ingredients:

• 1 cup fresh sweetcorn (tinned or frozen is fine)
• 1 bunch fresh spinach, washed, dried and finely chopped with the white stems removed
• 2-3 green chillies
• 2 eggs
• 1 onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• ½ cup milk
• ½ cup cakeflour
• ½ cup chickpeas
• ½ cup maize meal
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt (varies according to your sleep)
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp paprika
• ½ tsp mustard powder
• 1 tsp kolangi (onion seed)
• ½ tsp black-pepper powder
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 2 handfuls of fresh dhania (coriander)
• ½ cup cooking oil

Method:

• Preheat your oven at 180°C and grease an oven-proof dish
• Mix the sweetcorn, chili, eggs, onion and garlic in a food processor. Blend it until its smooth before adding milk. (This makes an interesting smoothie J)
• In a separate bowl, mix the chickpea flour

Carrot-Apple-Banana Cake

Ingredients:

•          2 cups of sifted cake flour
•          160ml brown sugar
•          3 eggs
•          ½ cup cooking oil.
•          1 apple
•          1 banana
•          1 cup grated carrot
•          ½ cup chopped nuts
•          20ml mixed spice
•          10 ml cinnamon powder
•          Pinch of salt
•          20ml baking powder

Method:

•          Beat eggs and oil until its light
•          Mix all the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
•          Peel and grate the apple and finely slice the banana.
•          Mix the apple, banana and carrot with the dry ingredients one at a time.
•          Add the beaten eggs and oil into the mixture.
•          Mix well
•          Grease a round oven-proof tray with oil or greasing-spray.
•          Pour the mixture into the tray evenly using a wooden spoon.
•          Bake at 180°C for 25-30 minutes
•          You can store this in the fridge as long as you first wrap it with aluminum foil before placing in an airtight container.

Sugar-free Fruit Scones

This makes about 12 scones. Remember that every oven is different, you know yours the best. Don’t hesitate to deviate from the temperature and duration which I have used.

Ingredients:

• · 2 cups of cake flour
• · 15ml baking powder
• · 3ml salt
• · 5ml cream of tartar
• · 125g margarine OR you can use ½ cup of grated cheese
• · ½ cup fruit mix
• · 1 Tbsp sunflower seeds
• · 1 tsp aniseeds
• · 2 egg yolks
• · 2 egg whites (for glaze)
• · ½ cup milk
• · 1 Tbsp icing sugar for dusting

Method:

• · Sift the first four ingredients and rub in the margarine until the mixture appears like breadcrumbs.
• · Add the fruit mix, sunflower seeds and aniseeds.
• · Whisk the egg yolk and milk separately and pour this liquid into the dry ingredients to make soft dough.
• · Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Press out and cut into any shape you desire.
• · For the glaze, beat the egg whites until they are foamy and brush the top of the scones with this. Also, sprinkle the scones with icing sugar.
• · Good luck and god bless.