HOW TO MAKE CHOUX PASTRY

1. Choux pastry is the lightest, crispiest, airiest pastry, which can be used to make profiteroles, éclairs or savoury gougères. It puffs up in the oven until it is eventually set by the heat. The airiness, in fact, is caused because choux has a high water content, which is turned into steam during baking and this forces the pastry shell outwards and gives it volume. What is really good about choux is that it doesn’t call for any particular pastry skills, like lightness of hand or careful rolling. I never pipe choux because I am convinced that a freshly baked golden profiterole looks so much crustier if it is spooned, rather than piped, on to a baking sheet.

2. To make about 30 choux buns you will need 2½ oz (60 g) of strong plain flour, which, with its higher gluten content, gives crisper results than ordinary soft, plain flour. As you are going to need to ‘shoot’ it quickly into the water and melted butter, fold a sheet of silicon paper (baking parchment) to make a crease and then open it up again. Sift the flour straight on to the square of paper and add a teaspoon of caster sugar if you are making sweet choux, otherwise use a seasoning of salt and pepper.

3. Next, put 5 fl oz (150 ml) of cold water in a medium-sized saucepan together with 2 oz (50 g) of butter, cut into small pieces, then place the saucepan over a moderate heat and stir with a wooden spoon. As soon as the butter has melted and the mixture comes up to the boil, turn off the heat immediately, as too much boiling will evaporate some of the water.

4. Then tip the flour in – all in one go – with one hand, while you beat the mixture vigorously with the other. You can do this with a wooden spoon, though an electric hand whisk will save you lots of energy.

5. Beat until you have a smooth ball of paste that has left the sides of the saucepan clean – this will probably take less than a minute.

6. Next beat 2 large eggs well, then beat them into the mixture – a little at a time, mixing each addition in thoroughly before adding the next.

7. Beat until you have a smooth glossy paste. At this stage, lightly grease a baking sheet then hold it under cold running water for a few seconds, and tap it sharply to get rid of excess moisture. This will help create a steamier atmosphere, which, in turn, helps the pastry to rise.

8. To make the choux buns, place teaspoons of the mixture on the baking sheet, leaving 1 inch (2.5 cm) between them, then bake on a high shelf in a pre-heated oven – gas mark 6, 400°F (200°C) – for 10 minutes. After that, increase the heat to gas mark 7, 425°F (220°C), and bake for a further 15-20 minutes until the buns are crisp, light and a rich golden colour.

Creme patisserie

4 egg yolks
60g caster sugar
25g plain flour
2 tsp cornflour
280ml milk
Method

Beat the egg yolks and sugar for a few minutes until pale and slightly thickened.
Whisk in the flours.
Heat the milk in a saucepan until stating to boil.
Whisk the milk into the egg mix.
Put the whole lot back into the pan, stirring all the time until thick and boiling.
Take the pan off the heat – cover with cling-film to prevent a skin from forming.

RECIPE AND PHOTO:  Samantha Compere

Submitted by:  Amanda Struwig

VLEIS, GROENTE EN GORT SOP
Resep en foto:  Elsabie Templeton
FOOD LOVERS RECIPES
1 kg bees kookvleis, in stukke gesny met die vet aan
1 pak sop groente (of 3 wortels, 1 groot ui, 2 rape, 2 preie, seldery stingels & blare en vars pietersielie, 2 groot aartappels)
1 k 3-in-1 sop mengsel (perel gort, oranje lensies & droë ertjies)
½ blikkie tamatie puree
1 blokkie beesvleis ekstrak, in kookwater opgelos
1 pakkie bruin uiesop poeier
Goeie knippie droë rissie vlokkies, opsioneel

Braai die vleis stukke in olie tot begin verbruin (ek doen dit sommer direk in my stoompot).
Gooi 2 koppies kookwater by die vleis en stoom vir so 45 min.
Haal die vleis uit die pot en maak seker daar is geen beentjies in die water nie. Moenie die water weggooi nie.
Spoel die 3-in-1 gort sop mengsel goed af en gooi dit by die water waarin die vleis gaargemaak is in die stoompot.
Kap al die groentes op in kleinerige stukke (ek gebruik sommer my voedsel verwerker) en gooi by die gort sop mengsel
Gooi nog ten minste 1 liter kookwater by die groentes en die halwe blikkie tamatie puree.
Verwyder al die beentjies en vet van die vleis en sny die vleis in klein stukkies.
Gooi by die groente in die stoompot en prut totdat al die groente gaar en die gort sag is.
Gooi die beesvleis ekstra & water by die sop.
Meng die bruin uiesop poeier met ‘n koppie koue water en gooi by die sop.
Prut nog so 15 min en bedien.
As die sop nie dik genoeg is na jou smaak meng nog so bietjie sop poeier met water en gooi by die groente sop.
Indien verkies kan jy die droë rissie vlokkies by die sop gooi wanneer jy die groentes insit.

Mix 1 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup dijon mustard
and the grated zest and juice of 1 orange in a bowl.

Recipe: Shan T Russ

1 kilo Gemsbokstertjies
1 blokkie oxtail bees vleisaftreksel
5 knoffel tone in dun skyfies gesny
2 eetlepels meel
1 eetlepel paprika poeier
teelepel growwe see sout
halwe theelepel chillie vlokkies
3 groot vars rooi tamaties opgekap in blokkies
1 red pepper opgekap in blokkies
2 middelgroot uie in halwe ringe gesny
2 liter water
2 eetlrpels donker bruin nat suiker
2 eetlepels regte botter.

Braai die halwe uie ringe saam met die knoffel in ‘n groot pot met die botter.
Gooi die meel en die sout, paprika poeier en chillievlokkies in ‘n bak en bedek die gemsbokstertjies met dit.
Gooi dit in die pot en bak tot bruin.
Sit die 2 liter water by en 1 blokkie bees vleisaftreksel.
Sit die tamaties en red pepper by en laat staan op ‘n lae hitte maar hy moet prut vir so 4 ure.
Op die einde sit jy 2 eetlepels olyf olie in ‘n pan en bak jy die cous cous baie vinnig.
Dan gooi jy 2 koppies kookwater in ‘n glasbak en sit ‘n hoender aftrekselblokkie van knor by en roer.
Dan sit jy die cous cous by en sit selfkleefplastiek bo oor.
Laat staan vir 10 minute en maak los met ‘n vurk.
Moenie sout by sit nie want die hoender aftreksel is sout genoeg.
Dan voeg jy 2 eetlepels nat bruin suiker (die donker een) by die gemsbok stertjies en roer.
Bedien bo-op die cous cous.

Eet “smakelijk”

Resep en foto: Claudia Bellink

(Makes 2)
Prep: +/- 20 m
Bake: 1 h

1 cup butter, softened
1,5 cups white sugar
4 eggs
1 cup peanut butter
5 bananas, mashed
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup crushed Nut Puffs

Directions
Preheat oven to 165 degrees C.
Lightly grease 2 5×9 inch loaf pans.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar.
Add eggs; beat well.
Stir in peanut butter, bananas, flour and baking soda until blended.
Fold in Nut Puffs.
Pour into prepared pans.
Bake at 165 degrees C for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Recipe and Photo:  Wylene Grobler

BENHET SE ALLES-IN-EEN-ONTBYT

Rol n sny brood bietjie platter en druk rond uit!
Sit onder in muffin pannetjie!
Sit gebraaide bacon en tamatie en uie smoor op.
Klits eier en voeg by, strooi kaas oor en bak.
Bak 20min by 180c

Resep en foto:  Benhet Nieuwenhuis

UMQUSHO-SKAAPNEKBREDIE
500 ml stampmielies
250 ml suikerboontjies
sout en peper
2 uie, in ringe gesny
1 greenpepper, in ringe gesny
4 knoffelhuisies, gekneus
12 stukke skaapnek
2 tamaties, ontvel en gekap
6 klein aartappels, geskil
100 g klein worteltjies
15 ml kerriepoeier
25 ml borrie
1 hoenderaftrekselblokkie opgelos in 500 ml kookwater.

Week mielies en boontjies oornag in koue water. Dreineer en plaas in dikboomkastrol saam 1L water. Kook tot sag en geur met sout en peper. Verhit olie en sorteer uie, knoffel en greenpepper tot sag. Geur vleis met sout en peper en voeg by. Braai bruin. Voeg alles by mielies en bone. Plaas tamaties, aartappels en wortels bo-op. Meng kerrie en borrie met hoenderaftreksel en giet oor bestanddele. Prut tot vleis lekker sag is. Voeg ekstra water, sout en peper by indien nodig.

Resep en Foto: Tanya Smith

GEBAKTE GEMMERPATATS
Resep:  Mickayla Swart
FOOD LOVERS RECIPES

4 tot 5 groot patats, gekook in skil en afgekoel
4 tot 5 groot piesangs, nie te ryp nie
2 pakkies gemmerkoekies, fyn gemaal
125 g margarien, gerasper
STROOP
1 koppie suiker
½ koppie water
1 teelepel vanilla geursel

Kook stroop en laat afkoel.
Smeer ‘n oondbak ± 20 x 25 cm en so 4 cm diep met botter of spuit met spray and cook.
Skil die patats, sny in ringe van so 1 cm dik en pak ‘n laag op bodem van bak.
Sny piesang in dun skywe en pak ‘n laag bo-op die patatskywe.
Gooi n lagie gekrummelde koekies bo-op en sprinkel helfte van die geraperde margarien oor dit.
Pak weer ‘n laag van elk en strooi laaste koekies bo-op met laaste margarien weer bo-oor.
Vat nou die stroop en giet van middel af in sirkel bewegings oor die gepakte bak.
Bedek bak met foelie en bak in oond op 140 ºC vir 30 min haal foelie dan af en bak bo vir so 10 min of tot goudbruin!

CUCUMBER LIME AND MINT SAMBAL
INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 red onion finely chopped
1 chile finely chopped
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger
Juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons chopped mint
1 large grated cucumber

Mix ingredients

Recipe & Photo:  Shan T Russ

Ingredients:
250 gram red lentils
5 cups of water
6 tablespoons oil
1 onion roughly chopped
2 chopped garlic cloves
2 tablespoon chopped ginger
4 cloves
3 cardamon
1 chopped ripe tomato(optional)
1 cup of chopped green pepper
1 cup of tomato puree (mixed with some water)
3 or more chopped chillies (depending how hot you want it)
4 lime leaves
1t teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
3 tablespoon mixed curry spice
(I used mutton spice)
1 cup fresh Coriander

Method:
Add lentils to water and boil for 10 -15 minutes
In a different pot heat oil and add onion, fry for 5 minute then add garlic, ginger, chillies and whole spices.
Then add chopped tomato and lower heat,
add chopped green pepper, tomato puree, lime leaves, lemon juice and curry spice
Then add the cooked lentils to this and let it simmer on low heat for another 5 to 10 minutes
Garnish with fresh coriander
Also good with a scoop of yogurt on the side

Recipe & Photo:  Shan T Russ