Red and white croissants by Akhona Swazi
- Ingredients:
• 1 roll ready-made puff pastry
• 150 g strawberries, cleaned, hulled and halved
• 3 teaspoons castor sugar
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• lemon scented Chantilly cream
• 250 ml whipping cream
• 4 tablespoons icing sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- Method:
1. Preheat oven to 190ºC.
2. Roll the puff pastry and cut into long triangular shapes.
3. Once cut, roll in from the wide side to the small side (side with the tip). Place in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.
4. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and cool on a wire rack.
5. In a separate bowl, mix the strawberries, sugar and juice, and allow to macerate for about an hour.
6. Whip cream with the sugar and fold in the lemon zest. Spoon the Chantilly cream into a piping bag.
7. To assemble: Cut a slit in the croissant, pipe in the Chantilly cream, top with the macerated strawberries and garnish with fresh mint and edible flowers.
Chocolate mousse by Charne Wylie
- Ingredients:
• 3 eggs
• 125 g dark chocolate, 70% cocoa
• 10 g unsalted butter
• 125 ml cream
• 35 g castor sugar
- Method:
1. Separate egg whites and yolks while the eggs are cold. Place the whites in a large bowl and yolks in a small bowl.
2. Leave whites while you prepare other ingredients. Whisk the yolks.
3. Place the chocolate and butter in a bowl, and melt in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring in between, until smooth. Set aside to cool.
4. Beat the cream until stiff peaks form.
5. Beat the egg whites and slowly add the sugar while continuing to beat until firm peaks form.
6. Fold the egg yolks into the cream using a rubber spatula.
7. Pour the lukewarm chocolate into the cream yolk mixture and fold through.
8. Add a quarter of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate mixture and fold through until incorporated.
9. Next, pour the chocolate mixture into the egg whites and fold through until incorporated and no more white lumps remain.
10. Divide the mixture between two glasses or pots, and refrigerate for at least five hours, preferably overnight.
11. To serve, garnish with blueberries, strawberries or raspberries, and a tiny sprig of mint for colour.
Mahalabia by Hendrik Pretorius
- Ingredients:
• 990 ml milk
• 250 g sugar
• 80 g corn starch or white rice flour
• 25 ml rose water or orange extract
• 50 g pistachio nuts, roasted and crushed
- Method:
1. Warm the milk and sugar in a heavy based saucepan over a medium heat, stirring occasionally.
2. Place the corn starch or white rice flour into a separate bowl. Pour in 50 ml of the warm milk and sugar mixture, and whisk until smooth.
3. Pour the mixture back into the into the pot with the sugar and milk, and stirring continuously over a medium-low heat. Cook until the mixture thickens and resembles a custard (for about 15 to 20 minutes), then remove from the heat and add the rose water or orange extract.
4. Pour the mixture into pretty serving dishes, glasses or cups, and place in the refrigerator to set for at least three hours.
5. Before serving, sprinkle the crushed pistachio nuts on top along with a dash of rose water or orange extract (whichever one you are using). If you want to make this dessert in advance and keep the Mahalabia overnight, cover the dishes with clingfilm to prevent the surface from becoming too dry or absorbing any fridge smells.
– Source: Capsicum Culinary Studio
