Hello everyone!
To follow up on last week’s soetgoed, and drive out the chilly weather, today we feature some classic winter warmers.
When I think of winter desserts, it’s something that needs to be baked with a plan and timed perfectly because it needs to be dished and enjoyed the minute it comes out of the oven!
Usually, these kind of desserts have warm hints of cinnamon and cardamom that makes its presence known when being baked, and as it comes out of the oven you can’t wait to dig in for a bite.
Whether it’s still steaming hot and you burn your tongue in the process, it doesn’t matter, that first bite makes everything worth it!
If you’re pressed for time and need to make something quick, a warm bowl of custard always hits the spot too. Add some sliced banana and tennis biscuits, and you have a lekker dessert.
I know life is made easy by the ready-made boxed custard, but I love making custard the old-fashioned way, slow cooked on a stove top and stirred and stirred to a silky smooth consistency.
It can be enjoyed anytime, warm you up on a cold night (or morning) or even if you’re not feeling well and just need some comforting warmth to make everything better.
Whether I make sago pudding, bread pudding, porring or milk tart, I always find myself reaching for the custard and adding a spoon or two, depending on my mood.
For more recipes or baking and cooking inspiration, visit my website www.sprinklesandspice.co.za or visit my social media platforms on Instagram or Facebook @sprinklesandspicect or Sprinkles and Spice by Farzana Kumandan.
Love, your Cooksister!
Tru Cape’s baked apple and caramel bread pudding
Ingredients
80g soft butter
1 tsp icing sugar
400ml milk
250ml cream
60ml castor sugar
½ tin caramel
3 apples
3 eggs
16 slices of bread
Method
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
Peel, core the apples and cut into rings.
Lightly butter the baking dish, and divide the remaining butter amongst the bread slices, buttering each slice on one side only.
Divide the caramel treat amongst the bread slices and spread on top of the butter.
Place the apple slices on top of the caramel.
Cut each bread slice in half diagonally.
Arrange the slices standing upright in the greased baking dish.
Heat the milk and cream together but do not boil.
Whisk together the eggs and castor sugar, then slowly pour the warmed milk mixture in while stirring.
Pour the egg mixture over the bread, ensuring that all the bread is covered.
Allow the pudding to stand for 30 minutes, then bake for 40 minutes.
Remove from the oven and sift over the icing sugar and serve warm.
Basheera Fakier’s sago pudding
Ingredients
1 litre of full cream milk
1 cup of sago soaked in 2 cups of water.
¾ cup of sugar
3 cinnamon sticks
¼ teaspoon fine cardamom
1 tablespoon of custard powder dissolved in ¼ cup of milk
4 extra large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
Method
Soak the sago until it doubles in volume and then drain excess water.
In a pot, add the milk, sugar, sago, cinnamon sticks, cardamom and bring to a slow boil, on a medium heat until sago is translucent. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Add the custard milk and simmer, stirring occasionally until the mixture starts to thicken.
Add in the vanilla essence, remove from heat, and allow to cool.
Whisk the eggs and add a few spoons of cooled mixture into egg mixture at a time, stirring after each addition.
Add the pudding to a greased Pyrex dish and dust with fine cinnamon.
Sprinkle some cinnamon sugar over the top.
Bake for 45 minutes on 180 degrees.
Apple and cinnamon cake
Ingredients
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 tbsp melted butter
1 tablespoon vanilla essence or 1 tablespoon vanilla custard (liquid)
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ cup milk
1 tin pie apples drained
Method
Cream the eggs, butter, sugar, and vanilla essence until light and fluffy.
Add in the flour, baking powder and milk and mix till smooth and lump free.
Pour batter into a small or medium rectangle Pyrex or a round tart or pie dish.
Add the drained apples to the batter and add a sprinkle of cinnamon.
Bake at 180 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes until golden brown or a toothpick comes out clean. Once the cake comes out of the oven, pour over the sauce immediately while the cake is hot.
Recipe for sauce
2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup sugar
¾ cup milk
1 tablespoon vanilla essence
Mix all ingredients together in a mug, heat in the microwave until it comes to a boil, stir well, and pour sauce over cake while cake and sauce is hot.
Garnish with toasted almonds or a dust with icing sugar before serving (optional)
Serve with warm custard.
Potato Porring
Ingredients
6 eggs
250 gr butter
2 cups sugar
1 cup self-raising flour
1 level teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons custard powder
1 litre full cream milk
1 tablespoon vanilla essence
1 teaspoon fine cardamon
Half teaspoon cinnamon
1 kg potatoes
5 ml salt
Method
Boil your potatoes with salt until it's soft.
Drain it and mash the potatoes with the butter. Allow to cool.
Liquidise all your ingredients (including the potato) until well combined.
Bake in a large Pyrex dish for an hour at 180 degrees.
After an hour, turn off the oven and rest the pudding for a half hour in the hot oven to set.
Mom’s patat stew
Ingredients
3 large sweet potatoes
1 litre full cream milk
1 cup sugar
Stick cinnamon
Pinch fine cardamom
Drop of yellow food colouring
¼-½ cup fine coconut
2 tablespoons butter
Method
Rinse, peel and cube the sweet potato.
Immediately add the sweet potato to a bowl of warm water so it does not turn black.
Rinse the sweet potato and drain.
In a large pot add the sweet potato, cinnamon stick, cardamom, sugar, milk, yellow food colouring and coconut and mix well. Bring to a slow boil.
Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally until the sweet potato has softened and the milk is thick and saucy. If you feel it needs more liquid while boiling, add extra milk and not water.
Once cooked and the sweet potato is soft add in the butter and stir.
Serve as is or with warm custard.
dailyvoice@inl.co.za