TEATIME TREATS

My favourite time of the day

VELVETY VANILLA CUPCAKES

I always use the same cupcake recipe and adjust it according to the flavour I want. It’s flop-proof and so easy. My number 1 teatime treat.

CUPCAKE BATTER

• 100 g softened butter
• 2.5 ml vanilla paste or
• 5 ml vanilla essence
• 115 g castor sugar
• 2 extra large eggs
• 160 g self-raising flour
• 30 ml milk

VANILLA BUTTER ICING

• 150 g butter
• 300 g icing sugar, sifted
• 45 ml tepid milk
• 1 vanilla pod, split and deseeded

PREPARATION

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper cases.

TO MAKE THE BATTER

1. Place all the ingredients into a cake mixer and beat until soft and fluffy. Spoon the batter into the paper cases.

BAKING AND ICING

1. Bake for 12–15 minutes or until a metal skewer inserted into the centre of a cupcake comes out clean. While the cupcakes are baking, make the icing. Beat the butter until soft. Slowly mix in the icing sugar and, when the mixture starts to thicken, add the milk. Add the vanilla seeds and beat until thick and fluffy. Remove the cupcakes from the oven, place on a wire rack and ice when cool.

AUTHOR’S TIP: Pipe on the icing. Use a piping bag with a star nozzle and decorate simply. A simple cupcake can look so elegant with a clean touch.

Makes 12

ROSE DELIGHT CUPCAKES

Rose water essence has a subtle and soft flavour, like a rose. The secret is to buy the best essence you can afford.

CUPCAKE BATTER

• 100 g softened butter
• 5 ml rose water essence
• 115 g castor sugar
• 2 extra large eggs
• 160 g self-raising flour
• 30 ml milk

MERINGUE ICING

• 325 g granulated sugar
• 125 ml water
• 90 ml egg white (about 3 extra large eggs)
• a few drops rose water essence
• 5 ml rose syrup (available at Pick n Pay)

PREPARATION

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper cases.

TO MAKE THE BATTER

1. Place all the ingredients into a cake mixer and beat until soft and fluffy. Spoon the batter into the paper cases. Bake for 12–15 minutes or until a metal skewer inserted into the centre of a cupcake comes out clean. While the cupcakes are baking, make the meringue icing. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and place on a wire rack. Ice when cool.

TO MAKE THE MERINGUE ICING

1. Heat the sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Test the temperature of the syrup with a sugar thermometer. Bring to the boil and when the sugar syrup reaches 110 °C, whisk the egg whites in a separate bowl to the stiff peak stage. When the sugar syrup reaches 113 °C, remove the pan from the stove and slowly drizzle the syrup down the side of the bowl into the egg whites, whisking continuously until the meringue has thickened and the bowl has cooled. Fold in the rose essence and syrup.

AUTHOR’S TIP: I always pipe my meringue icing, but if you don’t have the piping equipment, spreading it evenly with a knife. Dolloping it onto your cupcakes is just as pretty.

Makes 12

RED VELVET MINI CAKES

These attractive mini cakes don’t only look pretty, they taste delicious too. The layers of cake and icing ensure a good moist cake.

CAKE BATTER

• 125 g softened butter
• 250 g castor sugar
• 2 extra large eggs
• 200 g cake flour
• 30 ml cocoa powder
• 5 ml baking powder
• 60 ml red food colouring
• 125 ml buttermilk

ICING

• 50 ml butter
• 1 × 250 g block cream cheese
• 250 g icing sugar, sifted
• 1 vanilla pod, split and deseeded

PREPARATION

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Grease and line 2 × 25 cm cake pans.

TO MAKE THE CAKES

1. Cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time and beat until pale and fluffy. In a separate bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. Mix together the food colouring and buttermilk. Fold the butter mixture and dry ingredients into the buttermilk mixture. Divide the batter between the two cake pans and smooth down the top with a rubber spatula. Bake for 15–20 minutes or until a metal skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. If you touch the cakes lightly they should spring back when baked through.

TO MAKE THE ICING

1. Cream together the butter and cream cheese, then add the sifted icing sugar and vanilla seeds. Beat until smooth and thick.

ASSEMBLING THE CAKES

1. With a 6 cm circular cutter, press out four rounds from each cake, so you end up with eight rounds. Ice each layer and assemble two rounds on top of each other, so that you have four mini cakes. You can also use a slightly smaller cutter, press out more rounds and stack three rounds on top of each other for even taller mini cakes.

AUTHOR’S TIP: A lovely idea when serving these cakes is to brush rose petals with egg white and dust with castor sugar. Set aside to harden, then place on top of each cake. Or simply decorate with any beautiful edible non-sprayed flowers that you have in your garden.

Makes 4 small cakes

As with most things, store-bought is just not as good as home-made. Bake these buns and eat them hot from the oven, smeared with butter. To have them only once a year is just not enough. I don’t call them hot cross buns, I call them…

CHOCOLATE CHIP BUNS

DOUGH

• 45 ml canola oil for greasing
• 500 g cake flour
• a pinch of salt
• 30 ml ground mixed spice
• 15 ml ground cinnamon
• 5 ml ground nutmeg
• 45 ml castor sugar
• 200 ml tepid water
• 15 g active dried yeast
• 1 large egg
• 250 ml dried mixed fruit
• 250 ml dark chocolate chips

PIPING DOUGH

• 85 ml cake flour
• 10 ml canola oil
• 60 ml milk
• a pinch of salt
• 2.5 ml baking powder

SYRUP

• 50 ml granulated sugar
• 50 ml water

TO MAKE THE BUN DOUGH

1. Grease a large glass bowl with the oil and set aside. Sift together the dry ingredients, keeping aside 5 ml of the sugar. Dissolve the reserved sugar in the tepid water and add the yeast. Set aside for 5 minutes. The mixture will foam when ready. Pour the yeast mixture and egg into the centre of the sifted dry ingredients. Mix together to form a soft dough then knead on a lightly floured surface for 10 minutes, until pliable and elastic.

PROVING

1. Place the dough in the prepared glass bowl. Cover and leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in size. Knock back the dough and knead in the fruit and chocolate chips.

SHAPING AND BAKING

1. Dust a large baking tray with some cake flour. Divide the dough into 12 portions and shape into balls. Arrange the balls around a small cake pan on the baking tray, to form a wreath shape, and cover. Leave to prove until doubled in size. Preheat the oven to 220 °C.

TO MAKE THE PIPING DOUGH

1. Mix together the piping ingredients and place into a small piping bag. Pipe crosses onto the buns and bake for 20 minutes, reducing the temperature to 180 °C after 10 minutes.

GLAZING

1. While the buns are baking, place the sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Remove the buns from the oven. When the sugar has dissolved completely, brush each bun with the sugar syrup and serve hot or cold.

AUTHOR’S TIP: Stack the buns on a tiered stand and decorate with flowers. Enjoy them fresh from the oven with butter. I like to halve them and toast them lightly under the grill.

Makes 12

CHOCOLATE AND HAZELNUT MERINGUES

Meringues keep well, so make them in advance and simply use as a treat or a topping on cakes or ice cream.

• 240 g egg whites (about 8 eggs)
• a pinch of salt
• 480 g castor sugar
• 5 ml cornflour
• 100 g roasted hazelnuts, chopped
• 50 g dark chocolate chips
• 40 ml cocoa powder, sifted

PREPARATION

1. Line two baking trays with foil and preheat the oven to 110 °C.

TO MAKE THE MERINGUES

1. Whisk the egg whites to the soft peak stage, add the salt and continue whisking until the stiff peak stage. Add one tablespoon of castor sugar at a time, whisking continuously until all the sugar has been incorporated. This should result in a fluffy meringue.

FLAVOURING THE MERINGUES

1. Fold the cornflour, hazelnuts and chocolate chips into the meringue mixture. Finally add the sifted cocoa, lightly swirling it through the meringue. Use a large metal spoon to scoop eight meringue dollops (spaced about 3 cm apart) onto the foil.

BAKING AND COOLING

1. Bake the meringues for 1 hour or until they are hard on the outside and easily peel off the foil. Leave to cool on the tray.

AUTHOR’S TIP: Dollop some stiffly whipped cream on top of each meringue and decorate with fresh figs, or any topping of your choice, and a drizzle of passion fruit curd.

Makes 8

NUTELLA CUPCAKES

CUPCAKE BATTER

• 100 g softened butter
• 2.5 ml vanilla paste or 5 ml vanilla essence
• 115 g castor sugar
• 2 extra large eggs
• 160 g self-raising flour
• 30 ml milk

CHOCOLATE GANACHE ICING

• 250 ml cream
• 400 g dark chocolate, broken into small chunks
• 100 g Nutella

PREPARATION

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper cases.

TO MAKE THE CUPCAKE BATTER

1. Place all the ingredients into a cake mixer and beat until soft and fluffy. Spoon the batter into the paper cases.

BAKING

1. Bake for 12–15 minutes or until a metal skewer inserted into the centre of a cupcake comes out clean. While the cupcakes are baking, make the icing.

TO MAKING THE CHOCOLATE GANACHE ICING

1. Place the cream in a small saucepan over low heat and scald (heat until just before boiling). Add the chocolate chunks, stir until the chocolate has melted and you have a smooth ganache. Set aside to cool completely.

ASSEMBLING THE CUPCAKES

1. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Using a small serrated knife, cut a nest out of each cupcake. Soften the Nutella slightly in the microwave and spoon into the nests, and then ice the cupcakes with chocolate ganache.

AUTHOR’S TIP: Ice the ganache in a swirling motion ending with a peak, to create height, and top with some blueberries if you prefer. With the thinner paper cases, the butter in the cupcake batter can seep through the paper case and ruin it. I often place a fresh paper case around the one the cupcake was baked in. This gives the best finished look.

Makes 12

ICED BUTTER BISCUITS

This is a recipe for those with a serious sweet tooth, but you can tone down or increase the sugar kick by using as little or as much icing as you want. These biscuits are delicious.

BISCUIT DOUGH

• 200 g butter
• 100 g castor sugar
• 300 g cake flour, sifted
• a pinch of salt

ROYAL ICING

• 2 extra large egg whites
• 200 g icing sugar, sifted

PREPARATION

1. Preheat the oven to 150 °C. Grease two baking trays and set aside.

TO MAKE THE BISCUIT DOUGH

1. Mix together the butter and sugar, then add the flour and salt and mix to form a soft dough. Cover the dough with clingfilm and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

ROLLING AND CUTTING

1. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to 1–2 cm thickness and use a cookie cutter of your choice to press out shapes. Arrange them on the baking trays and bake for 5–7 minutes or until lightly golden and cooked through. Remove the biscuits from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

TO MAKE THE ROYAL ICING

1. While the biscuits are cooling, make the icing. Beat the egg whites until the stiff peak stage and slowly add the sifted icing sugar to form a thick glossy icing; make sure it is piping consistency. Place the icing in a piping bag and decorate the biscuits as desired.

AUTHOR’S TIP: If you don’t want to bother with a piping bag, thin the icing with a little water and you will have an icing you can simply drizzle over the biscuits. Add a few drops of gel colourant if you want to add colour to the icing.

Makes 15 large biscuits

CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

These brownies are crisp on the outside and deliciously gooey inside. The better the quality of your cocoa, the better they taste. It’s worth spending the extra money.

• 4 extra large eggs
• 250 g castor sugar
• 150 g butter, melted
• 150 g cake flour
• 80 g good-quality cocoa powder
• a pinch of salt
• 100 g pecan nuts, roughly chopped
• 100 g pistachios, chopped

PREPARATION

1. Preheat the oven to 160 °C. Line the base of a 23 cm square cake pan with greaseproof paper and butter the sides.

TO MAKE THE BATTER

1. Cream together the eggs and sugar until pale and fluffy, then stir through the melted butter. Sift together the dry ingredients and fold into the egg mixture. Fold in the nuts. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread out evenly with the back of a spoon.

BAKING AND PORTIONING

1. Bake for 30–35 minutes. The brownies should be crisp on top and risen. Leave to cool in the pan for 10 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Cut into 16 or 20 squares.

AUTHOR’S TIP: I like my brownies gooey, but if you prefer them not to be, bake for an additional 10 minutes. Delicious with home-made ice cream – try the salted caramel ice cream (see page 92).

Makes 20

LEMON LOAF CAKE

Another favourite classic, this light refreshing cake can be served all year round and at any time of the day. It will last three days if stored correctly.

• 200 g butter
• 200 g castor sugar
• 3 extra large eggs
• zest and juice of 2 small lemons
• 250 g cake flour
• 5 ml baking powder
• a pinch of salt

PREPARATION

1. Preheat the oven to 160 °C. Grease the base and sides, and line the base, of a 22 × 12 cm loaf pan.

TO MAKE THE BATTER

1. Cream together the butter and sugar until thick, pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and beat well after each addition. Fold in the lemon zest and juice. Sift together the dry ingredients and gently fold into the butter mixture. Pour into the prepared pan and spread out the top evenly with a rubber spatula.

COOKING AND COOLING

1. Bake for 1 hour until golden on top and a metal skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely.

AUTHOR’S TIP: Drizzle over glacé icing (see page 26) and decorate with lemon slices.

Makes 1 standard sized loaf

VANILLA AND PASSION FRUIT SPONGE

This recipe has always worked for me, it’s flop-proof and deliciously moist. You can layer it with any filling you desire. My number 2 teatime treat.

CAKE BATTER

• 250 g butter
• 250 g castor sugar
• 4 extra large eggs
• 1 vanilla pod, split and deseeded
• 250 g cake flour
• 7 ml baking powder
• a pinch of salt
• 180 ml milk

ICING

• 80 ml whipping cream
• 80 ml passion fruit curd (see page 10)
• castor sugar, for dusting

PREPARATION

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Grease a 22 cm bundt cake pan.

TO MAKE THE SPONGE CAKE

1. Cream together the butter and sugar until thick, pale and fluffy. Slowly add one egg at a time, whisking well between each addition. Add the vanilla seeds and mix well. Sift together the dry ingredients. Alternately fold in the dry ingredients and the milk. The batter should be of a stiff dropping consistency. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread out the top evenly with a rubber spatula. Reduce the oven temperature to 160 °C and bake for 40 minutes, or until golden on top and a metal skewer inserted comes out clean.

ASSEMBLING AND ICING

1. Remove the cake from the oven and leave to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool. Whisk the cream to the stiff peak stage and set aside. Once completely cooled, dollop the whipped cream onto the cake and top with passion fruit curd. Dust with castor sugar.

AUTHOR’S TIP: Serve with a little extra passion fruit curd (see page 10) on the side.

Serves 8