Tag: cakes

Orange Mud Cake

ORANGE MUD CAKE (40 PAX)

Cakes for special occasions can be quite expensive.Looking for a cake recipe to make for a special occasion for approximately 40 people?
This recipe is perfect for such occasion. you can change the citrus to your preferred flavor. IE Lemon, Lime, Combination.

18 flat teaspoons of grated orange rind
875gm unsalted butter
450 gm of white chocolate
5 cups of caster sugar
3 tsp of vanilla essence
2 tsp of natural orange essence
3.75 cups of milk
7 large eggs
5 cups of plain flour
1.75 cups of self raising flour

WHITE CHOCOLATE ICING

900gms of white chocolate
10 flat teaspoons of orange rind
1 tsp of natural orange essence
1.5 cups of sour cream

2 cups of toasted threaded coconut for sides.
1 cup of triple sec liquor.
Decorations IE, Ribbon, Flowers,Candles,Cake board ETC

Baking/Roasting/cake dish 29cm x 38cm

METHOD:

1.Preheat oven to 160C or 140C if using a fan forced oven.
2.Grease dish and line base and sides with 2 layers of baking paper
3.Combine orange zest,butter,chocolate,sugar,vanilla/orange essences and milk in a saucepan over low heat.Stir until smooth and transfer to a large bowl and let cool for 10 minutes.
4.Beat eggs together until smooth and add to mixture and mix well.
5.Add sifted plain flour and self raising flour and stir to combine well and then pour into prepared cake dish.
6.Bake for 2 hours or until a skewer comes out clean.
7.Stand in cake for as long as possible before decoration.

8.To make ganache,place chocolate, orange rind and sour cream in a heatproof bowl over simmering water and gentle stir for 5 minutes until smooth.Remove from heat.
9. Refrigerate for 30 minutes of thick enough to spread over cake.
10. Cut cake length ways carefully into 3 equal slabs,Use a piece of grease-proof paper to slide between layers to remove and reset.
11. Soak cake layers with even liberal splashes of Triple sec liquor to add moisture.
12.Spread ganache to approx 5mm layer, and lay next layer of cake on the ganache and repeat layer of ganache to 5 mm thick.
13. Place top layer of cake of that layer of ganache and spread ganache on top and sides evenly making sure you use a hot palette knife to smooth the top icing nice and smooth with no ripples.
14.Gently push cold toasted threaded coconut into icing on sides making sure there is no gaps.Refrigerate.
Will keep for up to 3 days but for best results, serve within 24 hours of decorating.

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Chocolate, Prune and Port Upside down Cake

Chocolate, Prune and Port Upside Cake

This is a lovely moist cake, deep chocolate flavor with an almost brownie like texture with the added treat of those port soaked prunes.

Perfect with a little dollop of thick cream and some extra port soaked prunes as garnish.For best results ,eat on day of baking or serve warm.

You might be thinking there’s nothing luxurious about prunes but these prunes have been soaked overnight in port turning them into deliciously soft  boozy pockets of joy.Enjoy!!

INGREDIENTS:

350 grams whole prunes or 285 gm pitted prunes
1 cup of Port
250 grams unsalted butter, cubed
250 grams dark chocolate, roughly chopped (good quality)
4 eggs, separated
100 grams raw castor sugar
100 grams soft brown sugar
50 grams plain flour
50 grams almond meal

METHOD:

Pit whole prunes by slicing length-ways halfway and removing stone carefully and then reshaping back to natural prune shape.
Place the prunes in a small bowl and pour in port to soak into the prunes. Seal and store in the fridge overnight.

Next day, carefully pick the prunes from the liquid, and lay them out on paper towels and cover with another sheet of paper towel and set to one

side.

1.Preheat oven to 170C.Put the butter and chocolate into a heatproof bowl and place it over a pot of gently simmering water. Give it a little

stir when you see it starting to melt and when it is almost totally melted, remove from the heat and stir until smooth. Let this cool a little

before proceeding.

2.Place the egg yolks, caster sugar and brown sugar into a bowl and whisk until light and creamy. Pour in the cooled chocolate mix and stir well

3. sift together the plain flour and almond meal and add to the bowl, folding this in until evenly distributed.

4.In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until thick (firm peak stage). Take a large spoonful and add to the cake mix – stir this in to slacken

the mixture. Add in the rest of the egg whites, folding it through gently.

5.Line the base of a 22cm/23cm cake tin (either spring-form or removable base works best) and butter the sides.Layer prunes in a symmetrical

pattern and then cover with the cake mix.

6.Place in a preheated 170°C oven and cook until set but still slightly soft in the middle.This will take about 45 minutes.

7.Let the cake cool in the tin for about 30 minutes and using a palette knife, run it along the sides to loosen the cake from the tin. Remove the

tin but let the cake cool completely before trying to place it on your serving dish.

 

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Christmas puddings with Muscat Custard

Christmas puddings with Muscat Custard

If you haven’t had time to make a Christmas cake this year,this recipe is the next best thing.
These rich and opulent Xmas puddings make a great gift once made and wrapped nicely.
You can reheat the pudding(s) the same way you cooked it by reheating in a steamer for 90 minutes.
This recipe is designed for 1 large pudding but will make these in 5/6 smaller pudding moulds.
Once cooked these puddings will last 1 month in refrigerator.
Serve with muscat custard, fresh raspberries, icing sugar and holly leaves for the ultimate Xmas day pudding!

Merry Christmas and safe and a Happy new year to you all!

INGREDIENTS:

300GM PITTED PRUNES (FINELY CHOPPED)
150GM CURRANTS
150GMS RAISINS
150GM DRIED CRANBERRIES
150GM PITTED FRESH DATES (FINELY CHOPPED)
100GM OF ALMONDS (FINELY CHOPPED)
100GM OF CANDIED ORANGE PEEL (FINELY CHOPPED)
1 ORANGE (JUICED AND FINELY GRATED RIND)
125ML MUSCAT
60ML GRAND MARNIER OR COINTREAU
60GM QUINCE PASTE (FINELY CHOPPED)

250GM OF SOFTENED UNSALTED BUTTER (GIRGAR BUTTER PREFERRED)
250GM BROWN SUGAR
3 LARGE EGGS
200GM FINE SOURDOUGH BREADCRUMBS
1 CUP OF PLAIN FLOUR
150ML OF MILK
2 TSP CINNAMON
2 TSP MIXED SPICE
1/2 TEASPOON OF BICARBONATE SODA

1.5 CUPS OF POURING CREAM
75ML MILK
1 VANILLA BEAN, SEEDS SCRAPED
6 EGG YOLKS
110GM CASTER SUGAR
150ML MUSCAT.

METHOD:

1. COMBINE PRUNES,CURRANTS,RAISINS,CRANBERRIES,DATES,ALMONDS,CANDIED ORANGE PEEL AND ORANGE RIND IN A BOWL.
2.COMBINE ORANGE JUICE,MUSCAT,GRAND MARNIER AND QUINCE PASTE IN A SMALL SAUCEPAN, STIR OVER LOW HEAT UNTIL QUINCE PASTE IS MELTED (5MINUTES) AND THEN POUR DRIED FRUIT MIXTURE AND MIX.
3.COVER WITH A LID OR PLASTIC WRAP AND LET STAND FOR A MINIMUM OF 4 HOURS.FOR BEST RESULTS LET STAND OVERNIGHT.
4.WHEN READY TO MAKE PUDDINGS, BEAT BUTTER AND SUGAR IN AN ELECTRIC MIXER UNTIL LIGHT AND FLUFFY, ADD EGGS ONE AT A TIME,BEATING VERY WELL AFTER EACH EGG AND THAN TRANSFER TO A VERY LARGE BOWL.
5.ADD BREADCRUMBS, FLOUR,MILK ,SPICES, BICARBONATE OF SODAS,AND 1/2 TEASPOON SALT AND STIR IN DRIED FRUIT MIXTURE TO COMBINE.
6.SPOON MIXTURE INTO EITHER A 2.5 LITRE PUDDING MOULD OR 5 X 500GM PUDDING MOULDS.
7.SECURE WITH 2 LAYERS OF FOIL WITH 1 LAYER OF BAKING PAPER CLOSEST TO THE PUDDING MIXTURE.
8.PLACE PUDDING(S) IN A LARGE SAUCEPAN AND FILL WITH ENOUGH HOT WATER TO REACH BELOW THE RIM.
9.COVER COMPLETELY WITH LID OR FOIL AND LET SIMMER OVER LOW HEAR FOR 5 HOURS.KEEP ADDING HOT WATER AS NEEDED.DON’T NOT LET WATER DRY OUT!
10.ONCE FINISHED COOKING LET PUDDINGS COOL IN BASIN OF WATER FOR 30 MINUTES BEFORE REMOVING.

TO MAKE THE CUSTARD, BRING THE CREAM,MILK, VANILLA BEAN AMD VANILLA SEEDS TO THE SIMMER IN A SAUCEPAN OVER MEDIUM HEAT.
WHISK YOLKS AND SUGAR IN A HEATPROOF BOWL UNTIL THICK AND PALE THEN POUR OVER CREAM MIXTURE WHISKING CONTINUOUSLY, RETURN TO PAN AND CONTINUE COOKING UNTIL COATS BACK OF WOODEN SPOON (3-4 MINUTES), STRAIN, ADD MUSCAT AND SET ASIDE. EITHER SERVE WARM OR CHILLED.

PICTURE COMING SOON

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Salted Bourbon Butterscotch Cupcakes

Salted Bourbon Butterscotch Cupcakes

Yield: 12 cupcakes

With the festive season fast approaching, this recipe will bring a lot of smiles to your family and friends at your next special function.

Can add extra bourbon by brushing tops of cupcakes with bourbon before filling for extra punch.Will keep to up to 3 days in an airtight container.

Enjoy!!

Ingredients for the Brown Sugar Bourbon Butterscotch Cupcakes:

1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk, at room temperature
1 large egg plus 1 large egg white, at room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tablespoons bourbon
1/4 teaspoon extra strong butterscotch flavoring, such as butterscotch flavoring oil (optional)
1 1/4 (160 grams) cups plain flour
2 tablespoons cornflour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup (125 grams) dark brown sugar
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick, 85 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into 6 pieces

Ingredients for the Butterscotch Swiss Meringue Buttercream:

4 large egg whites (4 ounces or 113 grams)
1/2 cup (110 grams) dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or flaky sea salt
3 sticks (339 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into chunks
1/2 cup (120 ml) Salted Bourbon Butterscotch Sauce

Ingredients for the salted Bourbon Butterscotch Sauce

1/4 cup /4 tablespoons, unsalted butter
1/2 cup (about 109 grams) packed dark or light brown sugar
1/2 cup (118 ml) heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon (2 grams) flaky sea salt (or 1/4 teaspoon regular salt), plus more to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons (8 ml) vanilla extract, plus more to taste                                                                                                                                                    2 teaspoons of Bourbon

Best to make the butterscotch sauce beforehand , Melt butter in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the sugar, cream and salt and whisk until well blended and bring to a very gentle boil and cook for about five minutes, whisking occasionally.

Remove from heat and add one teaspoon of the vanilla extract,and the teaspoon of bourbon stirring to combine and dip a spoon in the sauce and carefully taste the sauce to see if you want to add additional pinches or salt or splashes of vanilla. Tweak it to your taste, whisking well after each addition.

Instructions for the Brown Sugar Bourbon Butterscotch Cupcakes:

1.Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius and line a muffin tin with 12 paper liners.

2.In a measuring cup, whisk together the milk, egg, egg white, vanilla, bourbon, and butterscotch flavor.

3.In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and dark brown sugar.

4.With the mixer on low, add the butter one piece at a time until the mixture looks like moist crumbs.

5.Add all but 1/3 of the milk mixture and beat on medium speed for about 60 seconds.

6.Add the remainder of the milk mixture and beat on medium for an additional 30 seconds.

7.Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and beat for 20 more seconds.

8.Divide the cupcakes between the 12 paper liners and bake for 15-18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

9.Let cool completely on wire racks.

 

For the Butterscotch Swiss Meringue Buttercream:

1.Combine the egg whites, brown sugar, and salt in a mixing bowl

2.Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water. The bowl should not touch the water, nor should the water be at a rolling boil.

3.Heat the egg white mixture until it reaches 71 degrees Celsius, whisking frequently so as not to get scrambled eggs.

4.Remove the bowl from the heat, and whip the egg whites on medium high using the whisk attachment of your stand mixer.

5.Whip the egg whites until they become fluffy and double in volume. The bowl should be neutral to the touch (this will usually take several minutes).

6.Turn the mixer down to medium low, and add the butter in one chunk at a time, until it has all been incorporated.

7.If the mixture looks curdled at this point, this is normal. Just keep whipping for a few more minutes until it comes together. If the mixture looks soupy, you can add a few cubes of chilled butter, or stick the whole bowl in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes and then continue beating.

8.Beat till smooth with half a cup of the cold salted bourbon butterscotch sauce.

 

To Assemble the Cupcakes:

Use an apple corer to make a hole on the center of the cupcakes and scoop out the middle (leave enough on the bottom so the sauce will not spill out).

Fill each hole with butterscotch sauce and place the scooped out portion back on top.

Using a piping tip, pipe the frosting on the cupcakes.

Drizzle with the remainder of the butterscotch sauce and top with a few flakes of fleur de sel (salt flakes).

PICTURE COMING SOON!

Recipe of the month , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Lumberjack cake - Cheffing Around

Old fashioned Lumberjack Cake

People enjoy and ask for old fashioned cake recipes like Grandma used to make.
This cake is perfect for all age groups and freezes very well.
Great recipe for adjustments as you can add more apple, or less dates depending on your taste.Great with almanac soaked dates or prunes.
Enjoy!!

Lumberjack cake - Cheffing Around

Cheffing Around Recipe of the month for March 2015 is the old fashioned Lumberjack Cake

Ingredients – Cake

  • 1 Egg
  • 2 Large Granny Smiths Apples (400 grams) peeled and finely chopped
  • 180 grams Chopped Dates
  • 225 grams Caster Sugar
  • 190 grams Plain Flour
  • 1 Teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda
  • 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Essence
  • 125 gram Butter
  • 1 cup boiling water
  • 2 Vanilla pods, split into two and seed removed

Ingredients – topping

  • 70 grams Unsalted Butter
  • 175 grams Brown Sugar
  • 185 ml Milk
  • 200 grams Threaded or Shredded Coconut

Method – cake

  1. Butter a 24 cm spring form round cake tin and line bottom with grease proof paper
  2. Pre-heat oven to 170C
  3. Combine the apples, dates, bicarbonate of soda and the boiling water in a bowl and let stand
  4. Beat the softened butter and vanilla essence, vanilla seeds and sugar with an electric mixer until it's light and creamy
  5. Add Egg and beat until well combined
  6. Slowly add the sifted flour to the Apple mixture
  7. Mix all together and transfer to cake tin
  8. Bake for 40 minutes at 170C

Method – Topping

  1. Mix butter, milk, sugar in a saucepan and stir over a low heat until the butter and sugar is melted
  2. Set aside until the cake is read

Method – Combine and complete

  1. After 40 minutes baking, remove cake from oven and spread the topping and then bake for a further 20 - 25 minutes until the topping goes golden brown
  2. Cool cake completely in cake tin before removing
Recipe of the month , , , , , ,
Coconut Creme Brulee Papaya - Cheffing Around

Coconut Creme Brulee Papaya

A summer dessert with a twist. This dessert is best shared between friends and family and quite a hit with young children also.
The glazing of sugar , like a creme brulee, makes a sugary toffee topping adding an element of crunch to the dessert.
Whilst not a true creme brulee, the creme patisserie can be flavored as you like eg: Kaffir lime, lime zest, lemon zest or orange zest are also great flavors that match with the Papaya.
You can add extra fruit down the bottom of papaya for an extra surprise!.
PS. You will need a butane gas gun for glazing and these can be bought at any good hospitality supply store quite cheaply.

Coconut Creme Brulee Papaya - Cheffing Around

Cheffing Around Recipe of the month for February 2015 is the amazing Coconut Creme Brulee Papaya

Ingredients

  • 1 SMALL PAPAYA (RIPE BUT FIRM)
  • 8 EGG YOLKS
  • 750 MLS OF MILK
  • 250GMS OF CASTOR SUGAR
  • 125 GMS OF PLAIN FLOUR
  • 150GMS OF DESSICATED COCONUT.
  • 100GMS OF CASTOR SUGAR.

Ingredients

  1. To make creme patisserie, you will need to separate eggs and whisk to light and creamy with the 250gm of castor sugar.
  2. Boil milk carefully with the coconut, as milk likes to boil up and spill over the stove.Let cool slightly.
  3. Add plain flour to egg/sugar mix and mix well.
  4. Add hot milk mixture and mix well.
  5. Return back to pot and cook out slowly on a low heat carefully as mixture will thicken quickly, making sure to stir the the bottom pf the pot to prevent sticking and burning.
  6. Cook out for at least 10 -15 minutes till mixture starts to go shiny and flour taste has disappeared.Place in a bowl to cool and once warm refrigerate to completely cooled.
  7. Cut Papaya lengthways and remove all seeds leaving as much papaya flesh as possible.
  8. Fill with cool coconut creme patisserie and level to smooth and even.
  9. Cover with castor sugar and glaze like a creme brulee sugar is a golden brown caramel all over evenly.
  10. Serve with fresh ice-cream and double cream. Enjoy!!
Recipe of the month , , , , , , , ,

Upside down Quince and Ricotta Cake

There is a late season run of Quinces at the moment and this cake is an amazing way to showcase their wonderful flavors, texture and color.
This cake can be kept in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days and best eaten warm with double cream and a drizzle of fresh quince syrup..Enjoy!!

quincecake

Ingredients – Pouching Quince

  • 4 Quinces (aprox 1.5 kg)
  • 5 pieces of Orange peel
  • 6 cups water
  • 650 gram Castor sugar
  • 2 Cinnamon sticks

Method – Pouching Quince

  1. Rub ,wash and core the quinces.
  2. Dissolve the sugar over low heat and then add all the rest of the ingredients.
  3. Simmer slowly for approximately 2-3 hours, or until the quinces change to a crimson red color.
  4. Carefully drain the quinces and preserve all of the poaching syrup into a container altogether in an sealed container.

Ingredients – cake

  • 3 eggs
  • 170 grams Castor Sugar
  • 1/2 cup of Ricotta
  • 230 grams Self Raising Flour
  • 175 grams Melted Butter
  • 1/2 Tablespoon Vanilla Essence

Method – cake

  1. Simmer about 3/4 cup of the poached quince syrup, until it is reduced to about 1/2 cup.Preheat oven to 160C.
  2. Using a mixer, beat eggs and sugar for 10 minutes, or until the mixture is thick.Add vanilla essence.
  3. Pour the melted butter in next and then folds in the sifted flour alternately with the ricotta.
  4. Using a 22cm cake tin, well buttered and with the bottom-lined, place the poached quince in concentric circles.
  5. Drizzle over the 1/2 cup of reduced quince syrup.
  6. Using a spoon, spread the batter over the carefully placed quince and bake at 160C and bake for about 1 hour.Test with a skewer.
  7. Let cool for 30 minutes before serving onto a serving plate and serve slightly warm with double thick cream and a drizzle of the spare quince sugar syrup.
Recipe of the month , , , , , ,

Danish Failla

This recipe is really a chocolate lava cake but this is the traditional recipe from which is sprung from.You can serve them in a small concotte or souffle dish from frozen or make in muffin tins for bulk lava cakes for a kids birthday party or function dessert.
Delicious with whipped cream and fresh strawberries. Enjoy!!

Ingredients – Ganache

  • 125 gram Cream
  • 175 gram Chocolate
  • 2 drops of Orange Essence

Method – Ganache

Melt together, cool completely and roll into small balls (25 gms) or coins (15gms) depending on product choice.

Ingredients – Cake Mixture

  • 250 gram Chocolate
  • 125 gram Chopped Butter
  • 6 Egg Yokes
  • 6 Egg Whites
  • 50 gram Icing sugar
  • 50 grams Ground Almonds
  • 100 grams plain flour
Recipe of the month , , , , , , , , , ,

Chocolate Heaven Cake

Probably the lightest and moistest chocolate cake recipe ever! Delicious served with a double thick cream and light dust of icing sugar. Great recipe for the whole family and a perfect end to that dinner party! Enjoy!

Ingredients

  • 400 gram chopped dark chocolate
  • 85 grams of raisins
  • 125 ml whiskey
  • 6 eggs (separated)
  • 225 gram butter
  • 300 gram sugar
  • 100 gram plain flour
  • 160 gram ground almonds
  • 125 ml warm water

Method

  1. Butter and line a 22 cm spring form round cake tin.
  2. Marinate the raisins in the whiskey for about 1 hour.
  3. Combine the chocolate and the butter in the top of a double saucepan and stir over simmering water until it is melted and combined.
  4. Remove from the heat and stir in the warm water.
  5. Beat the eggs yolks and sugar until thick and creamy, and then add to chocolate mixture.
  6. Fold in the flour and almonds, and stir in the raisin and whiskey mixture.
  7. In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form and then gently fold into mixture.
  8. Bake at 180C for approximately 50- 60 minutes.Let cake cool for an hour before removal.

If you would like one of our expert Chef's to help you create this and any other lovely dishes for your next function, send us a note using the contact form below with your details and requirements and we'll be happy to get back to you.

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Mango Cake - Cheffing Around

Upside Down Mango and Lemon Cake

This time of year Mangoes are in abundance and affordable.This cake is best eaten of the day it is cooked either hot or cold. Serve with double cream and some fresh mango for nice contrast. Enjoy!!

Mango Cake - Cheffing Around

This time of year Mangoes are in abundance and affordable.This cake is best eaten of the day it is cooked either hot or cold. Serve with double cream and some fresh mango for nice contrast. Enjoy!!

Ingredients

  • 2 large Mangoes
  • 340 gram softened butter
  • 340 gram castor sugar
  • 6 eggs
  • 240 gram of self raising flour
  • 2 tablespoons baking powder
  • 90 gram ground almonds
  • zest of 4 lemons
  • 2 tablespoons of lemons

Glaze

  • 1/2 cup of lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup of caster sugar
  • 6 tablespoons of water

Method

  1. Butter and line a 28 cm spring form tin.Preheat oven to 180C
  2. Peel and slice mango into wedges and arrange on the base of your cake tin
  3. Beat the butter and sugar until light and creamy.
  4. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
  5. Sift the flour and baking powder together and fold into butter mixture, alternately with the ground almonds, zest and juice.
  6. Pour the mixture over the mangoes and bake at 180C for 40 minutes.
  7. Reduce the temperature to 150C and bake for an additional 25 minutes.Check that it is cooked by inserting a metal skewer: you will know it is cooked when the skewer comes out clean.
  8. Leave to cool for 30 minutes before inverting on to your cake plate.
  9. To make Glaze, combine the lemon juice, sugar and water in a saucepan and stir over a gentle heat until the sugar dissolves.Bring to the boil, without stirring, until the syrup has thickened.This will usually take about 5 minutes.Using a pastry brush, brush over the top of the cake.

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