Alas, yes, I suffer a sweet tooth and have a weakness for caramel condensed milk. Well, what can I say? A family weakness, would be my feeble excuse and the ultimate reason of flipping from one diet to another, with a zealous weighing in each morning on my bathroom scale. Now I believe we can indulge once, or twice on the weekend and begin our diets on the famous Monday mornings.....

But, for a whole new story. My passion for baking. And through the journey we share, I will include a vast array of divine cakes, cookies and puddings.

 

My one experience in attending a close friend's party, was to experience a fridge tart like no other. Fortunately my friend did not guard her recipes with maniac jealousy and shared this creation with me, insisting it was self invented.

 

NOUGANTINA

 

4 eggs separated

2 cups icing sugar

"cap" of brandy

2 teaspoons of vanilla essence or scraping of a vanilla pod

250 grams butter

4 Packets of boudoir biscuits

1 cup walnuts

 

Method

 

Beat the sugar, butter, egg yolks, brandy and vanilla together until light and fluffy.

Crush the biscuits and nuts and stir into the mixture

Beat egg whites into stiff peaks and fold  into mixture

Place into a lightly oiled mould and allow to set overnight in fridge.

 

Topping

 

Beat 250ml cream with 2 Tablespoons of icing sugar until stiff. Pile on top of tart and decorate with coloured bits of angelica and crushed nuts. Serve at room temperature.

 

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Hubby, Basil, no doubt prefers Portuguese food, which he loves to prepare with a glass of red wine on the side.

My eldest son, Francis, has developed an astonishing talent for cooking. Working in a string of restaurants, hotels and catering functions, he has a keen interest in food. I will have to include a special page for his unique style.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CARAMEL CUSTARD FRIDGE TART

 

1 Box of Nuttikrust biscuits - crushed and mixed with 1/4 cup melted butter. Press into the bottom of a pudding dish.

 

Filling

 

1 Tin condensed milk

300ml Full cream milk

600ml Cold water

90grams of Custard powder

 

Mix the above ingredients in a large pot over low heat, stirring continuously until a thick custard texture forms. Add a teaspoon of caramel essence and after mixing well, pour immediately over unbaked biscuit base.

 

Allow to cool completely.

 

Topping

 

250ml cream and 2 tablespoons of Castor sugar

3 Tablespoons of crushed Nuttikrust biscuits (bought biscuits made with caramelised oats)

 

 

Whip 250ml cream with 2 tablespoons of Castor sugar and spread over custard. Dust with a 1/4 cup of crushed Nuttikrust biscuits. Place in fridge for at least two hours. Serve cold.

 

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A QUICK WAY TO SATISFY GUESTS 

A simple and quick delight, is serving meringue nests filled with caramel condensed milk.

 

SWEET POTATOES BAKED IN PASTRY AND A FUDGE SAUCE

Preheat oven to 200 degree C


1 Small Pocket of sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into blocks
500ml Carton orange juice
1tsp of ground ginger
Pinch of salt
2 Packets of Flaky Pastry made with butter
Brown sugar
500ml Cream

Place all ingredients in a large pot and cook over low heat until potatoes are soft. Mash and set aside to cool.
Once potatoes are cool, unfold two sheets of flaky pastry.
Divide the pastry and place down the centre of the pastry. Carefully roll over to cover the pastry, similar to a Swiss roll.
Carefully slice the pastry into fairly thick slices, and place pinwheel style on a large buttered baking tray.
Spoon 2 tablespoons of brown sugar over each pinwheel, or to taste. Now pour over the cream.
Bake in pre heated oven for approximately 30 minutes or until a light golden brown. Do not burn!
Serve warm, or at room temperature. I serve this only once or twice a year at festive occasions.

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PUMPKIN FRITTERS IN CARAMEL SAUCE

500ml Cooked pumpkin
2 Eggs beaten
2ml Salt
500ml Cake flour
10ml Baking powder

Method

Mix all ingredients well.
Fry spoon fulls in deep oil over medium to low heat, until golden and puffed.
Set aside to drain off excess oil

Syrup

250ml Sugar
125ml Water
125 Full Cream Milk
10ml Butter
5ml Maizena
Dash of cinnamon
1Teaspoon of vanilla essence

Cook all ingredients for syrup in a medium sized pot for 5 minutes. Don't use a small pot, as it tends to boil over.
Pour the hot sauce over the warm pumpkin fritters and carefully roll the fritters in the syrup.
Serve warm or at room temperature
Enjoy