DEBBIE’S BAKLAVA
¾ lb finely chopped walnuts (340 gram)
½ lb chopped blanched almonds, lightly toasted (230 gram)
¾ lb finely chopped pistachios (340 gram)
½ cup icing sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
Mix all the above together.

Preheat the oven to 350º F (180º C).
25 sheets phyllo pastry (about 1 lb.) (454 gram)
1 lb butter (454 gram)

Brush melted butter on the bottom and sides of a large baking pan.
Place 1 sheet of pastry in the pan, brush with butter. Repeat until you have 5 sheets of pastry.
Spread ¼ of the nut mixture over the pastry.
Repeat with another 5 sheets of pastry and ¼ of the nut mixture. Continue until all the ingredients are used, ending with 5 sheets of pastry.
Cut the pastry into diamond shapes.
Pour any left-over butter over the baklava, then place pan into the oven and bake for 1 – 1½ hours until golden brown.
Remove from the oven and pour all the syrup over the baklava.
Let stand (uncovered) overnight.

Syrup:
2 ½ cups sugar
1 ¾ cups water
1 orange rind, finely grated
1 lemon rind, finely grated
5 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup honey

Combine all ingredients except the honey in a saucepan. Bring to a boil.
Simmer, uncovered, for 5-10 minutes to thicken syrup.
Remove from heat, pour through a sieve into a large heat-proof jug. Discard spices.
Stir in the honey, then allow to cool to room temperature.
When the baklava comes out of the oven, pour all the syrup over hot baklava.
Let stand (uncovered) overnight.
Recipe posted by Debbie Edwards
Photo: Debbie Edwards

ITALIAN SPONGE CAKE WITH AFRICAN TWIST
Ek het nou hierdie vinnige Italiaanse sponskoek gebak en dit ruik heerlik! Sodra dit afgekoel is gaan ek proe.
Super quick and easy recipe but YOU DO NEED A SCALE to weigh ingredients.
4-5 eggs, cracked in a bowl and weighed
Rest next 3 ingredients must each weigh the same as the eggs:
Soft butter
Self raising flour and 1 teaspoon of baking powder extra
Castor sugar
Pinch of salt
100 ml dried raisins soaked in Amarula Gold liqueur (or rum as traditionally done) till completely swollen out (I left them for 3 days until they could not walk straight anymore😃)

Mix all the ingredients together in mixing bowl of your Kenwood or blend by hand with wooden spoon.
Spoon into a ring cake tin or Bundt pan that has been thoroughly sprayed with non-stick spray. Smooth the surface and bake in pre-heated oven at 180°C for 45 min until the top is golden brown and baked throughout.
Allow to sit in tin for a few minutes before turning out on a cooling rack.
I think this will make fantastic French toast in 2 day’s time if there is anything left!
Recipe posted by Elsabie Templeton
Photo: Elsabie Templeton

DESIGNER BISCUIT CAKE
1 layer shortbread cake
1 layer Blueberry cream cheese piping
Alternating with another two layers of above (altogether 3 layers).
Decorate with edible flowers, fresh fruits, assorted sweets and chocolates.
Anything you like (eg. nougat, whiskers, pink coconut ice, Turkish delight, mini Marshmallows, honeycomb, meringues and macaroons, wafer chocolate, decorated chocolate)
Sprinkle with: Edible glitter and non-pareils (looks like pearls)also large 100’s and 100’s and chocolate shavings

SWEET SHORTBREAD BISCUIT
125 g butter
55 g caster sugar, plus extra to finish
180 g plain flour

Heat the oven to 190ºC.
Beat the butter and the sugar together until smooth.
Stir in the flour to get a smooth paste.
Turn on to a work surface and gently roll out until the paste is 1 cm/½ inch thick.
Cut into the form you want and place onto a baking tray.
Sprinkle with caster sugar and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes.
Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until pale golden-brown.
Set aside to cool on a wire rack.

BLUEBERRY CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
150 g blueberries
1½ tbsp sugar
½ tbsp corn starch
1 tbsp lemon zest
60 g butter, room temperature
1½ cups icing sugar
225 g cream cheese, softened
1 tsp vanilla

Combine the blueberries, sugar, cornstarch, and lemon zest in a saucepan over medium heat.
Stir the mixture until the sauce thickens and the cornstarch becomes translucent (around 10 minutes.)
Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
Once cooled, blitz the mixture in a food processor to remove any big blueberry chunks.
Cream the butter and icing sugar together until well mixed.
Add the cream cheese in cubes slowly until incorporated.
Add in vanilla extract and continue mixing for 5 minutes until the icing is light and fluffy.
Gradually add the blueberry sauce and gently fold into the cream cheese frosting.
Posted by: Amanda Conradie
Cake and photo: Melicia de Meyer

4-LAAG WORTELKOEK
Gebruik 2 x 22.5 mm panne
8 eiers
3 koppies suiker
2 koppies kookolie
4 koppies koekmeel
250 ml pekaneute
20 ml bakpoeier
10 ml koeksoda
10 ml neutmuskaat
10 ml kaneel
650 g gerasperde wortels
5 piesangs

Versiersel:
90 g margarien
450 g versiersiersuiker
1 bakkie roomkaas
2 ml vanielje essens
pekaneute (vir versiering bo-op)

Klits eiers en suiker tot dik en romerig. Klits dan kookolie by en klits nog so 3 minute. In ander bak sif koekmeel, bakpoeier, koeksoda, neut en kaneel en voeg dan die pekanneute by. In ander bak rasper wortel en piesangs. Voeg dan die meelmengesel om die beurt by eiermengsel tesame met die wortelmengsel. Smeer/spuit twee ronde koekpanne en verdeel die beslag in die twee panne.
Bak vir 75 minute teen 160°C.

Klits die botter en versiersuiker saam, voeg dan die roomkaas en vanielje by en meng goed tot romerig. Sny die twee koeke in die helfte deur sodat daar vier lae is en smeer van die vulsel op elke laag om opmekaar te plak. Rond af met pekanneute.
Resep en foto: Maretha Niemand Prins

PERFEKTE VANILLA KOEK
Sif saam:
2 koppies koekmeel
4 teelepels bakpoeier
1 teelepel sout

Verhit saam:
1½ koppie water
½ koppie sonneblom olie
Klop saam tot lig en skuimerig:
4 extra groot eiers
1¾ koppie wit suiker
1 teelepel vanielje

Klop nou die meel en water mengsel beurtelings by eiermengsel op lae spoed tot gemeng, deel mengsel tussen 2 gesmeerde 22 cm panne en bak vir 35 min op 160°C.

SJOKOLADE KOEK:
Jy kan ook 90 ml kakaopoeier by die oliemengsel voeg en 5 ml fyn gemmer by die meelmengsel en ‘n heerlike sjokoladekoek bak.
YSTERVARKIES:
Vir ystervarkies, bak die koek die dag voor die tyd, sny dan in blokke en doop in die volgende stroop:
400 ml kookwater
15 ml botter
750 ml versiersuiker
80 ml kakao
5 ml vanilje
Kook alles saam vir 2 min behalwe die botter, haal van hitte af en roer die botter by, doop die koekstukkies vinnig daarin (nie week nie) laat afdrup en rol in klapper.
Resep en eerste foto: Magda Van Der Merwe
Tweede foto: Rina Brits

AANIEBRAND SJOKOLADE LAAGKOEK
Ek het die een sopas hernoem, want my pan was te klein en toe borrel dit oor die kant.
Ek was nie van plan om die oond oop te maak en die koek te laat platval nie.
Toe ek uiteindelik besluit dis nou genoeg baktyd en die koek uithaal, toe le daar twee sulke gloeiende stukkies koek-kole en flikker onder in die oond, net reg vir ‘n vuurmaak.
Maar sjoe dis ‘n lekker resep. Klink ingewikkeld maar is vreeslik maklik.

Koek:
1.5 koppies suiker (330 g)
1 koppie en een eetlepel koekmeel gesif (250ml en 15ml) (155g)
¾ koppie kakao gesif (90g)
2 ½ teelepels (12.5 ml) bakpoeier
1 ½ teelepels koeksoda (7.5 ml)
1ml sout
1 koppie (250 ml) karringmelk
3 ekstra groot eiers
2 teelepels (10 ml) vanilla
8 eetlepels botter gesmelt (120 ml) (115 g)

Ryk versiersel:
500 g sjokolade (donker of half donker half melk sjokolade)
1 koppie (250ml) dik room (thickened cream)
2 eetlepels suiker (30ml)
6 eetlepels botter (90 ml) 86 g

Suikerstroop:
2 eetlepels (30 ml) suiker
2 eetlepels (30 ml) water
5 ml vanilla
Sjokolade skilfers en kersies vir versiering

Voorverhit oond tot 160 ºC (ja 160, nie 180 nie ons bak stadig en lank).
Plaas bakpapier in die bodem van 3 panne, of een pan (bak langer, sny na gebak in 3 dele). Jy kan ook die bodems en kante smeer met mengsel van 1 deel olie, 1 deel botter en 1 deel koekmeel gemeng (non stick mix).
In ‘n groot mengbak, meng droë bestanddele: koekmeel, kakao, bakpoeier, koeksoda en sout.
In ‘n kleiner bak, klits suiker, karringmelk, eiers, vanilla en botter totdat suiker gesmelt is. Meng twee bakke se inhoud saam. Verdeel tussen panne (of een groot pan, pasop dit rys baie, jy wil nie ook jou oond gebruik om koek-kole te maak nie).
Bak 30 minute totdat mes skoon uitkom. Vir 2 panne bak 40 minute en vir een pan bak 50-60 minute.
Koel af, maar maak solank jou versiersel.

Kook room en suiker saam tot gesmelt, moenie te vinnig kook nie net tot begin borrel. Breek sjokolade in blokkies as jy nie chips gebruik nie, en giet room oor.
Roer tot gesmelt, voeg botter by en roer in. Plaas in yskas totdat dit lekker dik genoeg vir smeer en haal uit. Jy kan ook laat dit baie koud word en dan klits met draadklitser vir ligter versiersel, dan is dit amper mousse. Plaas in spuitsak tot gebruik.

Kook stroop deur suiker, vanilla en water te kook tot suiker net gesmelt is, koel af.
Sny koek in 3 dele of gebruik 3 lae. Gebruik kwassie en verf stroop oor 1 laag, knip punt van spuitsak (of sommer ziplock sakkie) af en spuit ‘n worsie versiersel al om die rand van koeklaag (soos ‘n damwalletjie) vul middle met versiersel en maak gelyk.
Herhaal met elke laag. Smeer baie dun lagie bo oor koek en aan kante (crumb coat) en plaas koek in yskas vir 30 minute maar hou versiersel in sak teen kamertemperatuur. (as jy versiersak in yskas sit, gaan dit hard word en jy gaan nie kan spuit nie).
Haal koek uit, smeer versiersel aan kante en rol in sjokolade krummels of amandels. Spuit die res van versiersel bo op koek en smeer gelyk. Versier met kersies indien verkies.
Dis ‘n baie ryk maar baie lekker koek. Moet net nie jou oond aan die brand steek nie.
Foto: Kiti de Jager (KitiCiti)

GIANT CUPCAKE WITH ICING
125 ml Stork Bake margarine, room temperature
312 ml castor sugar
3 eggs
5 ml vanilla essence
625 ml flour
2.5 ml salt
15 ml baking powder
167 ml milk
6 drops pink food colouring

Icing:
375 g stork bake margarine
750 g icing sugar
5 ml vanilla essence
milk to soften
For chocolate icing add cocoa to icing mixture, I did not measure mine, but 125 ml to 185 ml should be enough.

Cream the Stork Bake and sugar together. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla essence.
Sift dry ingredients and add alternatively with milk, mixing well.
Grease a giant cupcake pan and divide the mixture between the two sides. Tap lightly to break large air bubbles.
Bake at 180°C for 40 – 45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean, and then turn onto a wire rack and allow to cool before icing.

Soften your margarine. Mix icing sugar and cocoa powder, and add to margarine. Beat and add milk little by little to make a soft icing. Be careful not to use to much milk, otherwise the icing will not keep its form. Add vanilla and mix. Ice as desired.
Photo: Elaine Steyn Steyn

KOFFIEKOEK MET ROOM EN KARAMEL
Resep: Lizelle Samons
Foto:  Zelda Ellis
FOOD LOVERS RECIPES
1 ½ koppie meel
1 ½ koppie suiker
3 eetlepel kakao
¾ koppie olie
¾ koppie kookwater
6 eiers (geskei)
1 knippie sout
3 teelepel bakpoeier
1 teelepel vanielje

Sous:
1½ koppie suiker
3 eetlepel koffie poeier
1½ koppie water
1 teelepel vanielje
1 blik karamel (gewoon of cappuccino)
250 ml room

Sif meel, suiker en kakao.
Meng olie en kookwater.
Meng met meel mengsel (Is nogal ‘n stywe deeg dan).
Voeg eiergele by.
Voeg sout, vanielje en bakpoeier by.
Klop eierwitte styf en voeg by.
Bak teen 180ºC vir 28-35 minute
Steek koek vol gaatjies en gooi sous oor koek terwyl dit nog warm is.
Laat afkoel.
Klits karamel en smeer oor koek.
Klop room styf en smeer bo-op karamel.
Eet lekker!
Nota:  Zelda Ellis –  ek klits die room styf saam met die karamel om bo-oor te sit.

DASSIE SE WORTELKOEK
250 ml olie
4 eiers
250 ml gekapte okkerneute
625 ml meel
5 ml bakpoeier
2 ml sout
500 ml suiker
500 ml fyn gerasperde wortels
1 blik “crushed” pynappel (432 g)
5 ml koeksoda
10 ml kaneel

Klits olie en suiker saam. Voeg eiers 1 vir 1 by en klits goed. Voeg wortels, pynappels met sous en neute by. Sif droë bestanddele saam en meng met nat bestanddele. Gooi in gesmeerde ringpan en bak by 180ºC vir 1 uur. (20 tot 30 min vir cupcakes)

VERSIERSEL:
115 ml margarien
1 bakkie maaskaas
500 ml gesifde versiersuiker
5 ml vanilla geursel

Meng saam, maar moenie te veel roer nie. Smeer oor koek.
Strooi gekapte neute oor.
Resep geplaas deur Dassie Meyer
Foto: Dassie Meyer

YASMEEN’S LAMINGTONS
4 eggs
250 g butter
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ cup of milk
3 cups of flour

Beat butter and sugar well.
Add eggs and beat some more.
Stir in the milk.
Fold in sifted dry ingredients.
Bake at 180 ºC for 30 minutes.

When cool, dip in a syrup made from:
4 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 ½ cups of water
1 tablespoon butter
3 cups of sugar

Mix all ingredients and boil together for 5 minutes.
Roll in desiccated coconut.
Recipe and photo: Yasmeen Ibrahim