caster sugar
Ingredients:
2 cups self-raising flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup caster sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups milk
100g dark chocolate, chopped (I used 70% dark chocolate)
1/2 cup thickened cream
8 strawberries, halved (you can use any type of fruit you like)
1 tbs. Queen vanilla bean dusting sugar (for dusting)
Method:
1. Combine flour, sugar and cocoa powder in a large bowl. Add the beaten eggs and milk and whisk until smooth.
2. Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat and spray with oil spray. Cook about 1/4 cup of batter for 2 minutes each side or until cooked through (make sure you don’t over cook the pancakes as it will burn easily and you will have that bitter taste). Transfer to a plate.
3. To make the ganache, place chocolate and cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring until smooth.
4. Divide pancakes among serving plates and drizzle with chocolate. Top with strawberries or your favorite fruit. Dust with vanilla bean powder (you can use icing sugar if you like).
Ingredients:
250g macadamia biscuit or any plain sweet biscuit
120g butter, melted
4 gelatine leaves
1/3 cup milk
3x250g cream cheese, softened
395g condensed milk
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla essence
125g raspberries
125g blueberries
Blueberry coulis:
1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries
1/4 cup caster sugar
1 tsp. corn flour
Method:
1. Grease and line the base and side of a 25cm (base measurement) springform pan.
2. To make the coulis, bring all ingredients to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring constantly and crushing berries with the back of spoon. Boil for 2 minutes to thicken. Pour into a blender and whiz until smooth. Strain through a fine sieve into a jug.
3. Place the biscuits in the bowl of a food processor and process until finely crushed. Add the butter and process until well combined. Transfer mixture to the prepared pan.
4. Use a spoon or a straight-sided glass to spread and press mixture firmly over the base of the pan. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill.
5. Soak gelatine leaves in cold water for 5 minutes. Heat milk in a pan over medium heat until just below boiling point. Squeeze excess water from the gelatine leaves and add to the hot milk, stirring until dissolved. Set aside.
6. Whiz cream cheese, sugar, condensed milk, vanilla, lemon juice and the milk mixture in a food processor until smooth. Pour mixture over biscuit base. Use a teaspoon to drizzle the coulis on top of the cheesecake and use a toothpick to create swirls. Chill for 5 hours or overnight.
7. Serve the cheesecake with berries, drizzled with blueberry coulis.
Ingredients:
4 egg whites
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
2/3 cups caster sugar
500ml thickened cream, whipped
1 punnet raspberries
1/4 cup Aeroplane Delightful Strawberry Topping
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 120 degrees Celsius. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Draw 4 x 12cm circles on each sheet of baking paper, leaving space between each circle for spreading.
2. Use an electric mixer to beat egg whites, cream of tartar and vanilla until soft peaks forms. Add sugar 1 tablespoon at a time until sugar dissolves. Mixture should be stiff and glossy.
3. Spread the mixture evenly among the circles on trays. Bake for 1 hour. Turn off oven and leave meringues to cool in oven with the door slightly ajar.
4. Spoon a little of the whipped cream on a meringue disc and top with another meringue disc. Repeat until the stack is 4 discs high.
5. Finish with whipped cream, top with raspberries and drizzle the strawberry topping over the meringue stacks.
Ingredients:
3 cups self-raising flour
1 1/2 cups raw sugar or caster sugar
2 cups milk
1 tbs butter or margarine, melted, cooled
1 tsp. vanilla essence
1/4 tsp yellow food coloring, optional
Method:
1. Line muffin tins with paper cases. Place flour, sugar, milk and butter in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat on slow speed then increase to high speed until combined. Stir in food coloring.
2. Fill muffin pans up to three-quarters full with mixture. (you can use Multix patty pans if you don’t have a large steamer) Steam the muffins for 12-15 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Serve warm with butter.
Makes approximately 16
STEAMED MUFFINS ~ We call them “PUTO” in the Philippines. This is a slight modification of my dad’s unwritten recipe. They are my favorite afternoon snacks. I like to serve them warm with butter.
![neapolitan cake 034fadecorrW_thumb[1]](https://sarahlynskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/neapolitan-cake-034fadecorrW_thumb1.jpg "neapolitan cake 034fadecorrW_thumb[1]")
Vanilla Cake:
115g butter, softened
1 cup caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups self-raising flour, sifted
1/2 cup milk
1/4 tsp pink food gel
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Grease and line the base and sides of a 20cmx9cm (high) spring form cake pan.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Add the vanilla and beat for 1 minute. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition (the mixture will look curdled at this stage). Add the flour and milk, in alternate batches. Add the food gel. Continue mixing for another 2 minutes until combined.
3. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted in centre comes out clean. Stand in pan for 5 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Halve the cake horizontally using a sharp knife.
Chocolate Cake:
1 cup hot water
2/3 cup cocoa powder
170g butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 1/2 cups caster sugar
2 cups plain flour
1 1/4 tsp bicarbonate soda
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Grease and line the base and sides of a 20cmx9cm (high) spring form cake pan.
2. In a large bowl, sift flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. Mix hot water and cocoa powder in a heatproof bowl until dissolved. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool.
4. Using an electric mixer, beat butter for 30 seconds and then gradually add sugar. Beat for 2 minutes.
5. Add eggs one at a time and then beat in the vanilla until fluffy. Gradually add the flour mixture and cocoa mixture in three parts until just blended.
6. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Cool cake for 20 minutes. Turn cake onto a wire rack, top-side up. Cool completely. Halve the cake horizontally using a sharp knife.
Buttercream frosting:
200g butter, softened
1kg icing sugar
1 tbs vanilla essence
1/3 cup milk
1/4 tsp pink food coloring
1 tsp strawberry essence
Method:
1. Using an electric mixer, beat butter in a bowl until pale and fluffy (about 5 minutes).
2. Gradually add icing sugar mixture, milk, strawberry essence and food coloring, beating constantly until combined.
To assemble the cake: Place 1 cake base, cut-side up, on a serving plate. Spread with buttercream mixture. Continue layering with 3 layers of the cake and the remaining buttercream mixture, finishing with the cream mixture. Use the remaining icing to completely cover the cake. Decorate with your favorite fruit.
