15 January 2013

Made to Order: "to die for..." Chocolate Fudge cake

Deliciously decadent chocolate fudge cake with silky smooth chocolate Italian meringue buttercream, fresh strawberries, elegant dark chocolate sails and shards...


09 December 2012

Made to Order: "inner child" Red Velvet cake

Rich red velvet cake with whipped cream and cream cheese frosting bejeweled in a fantasy of sweeties doused with nonparallels and edible glitter.



10 November 2012

RECIPE: Avocado ice-cream

I am possibly the HUGEST avocado fan on the planet... especially the Fuerte varietal. The best part about it is they are pretty much available all year round, with specials like 3 for R10 at Rodgers Fruiterers, who wouldn't be a permanently stoked avo fan? Just one avo provides a source of monounsaturated fat and omega-3fatty acids, antioxidants, including Vitamin E, fiber, Vitamin K and folate and many essential minerals including potassium, thiamin, iron, riboflavin, niacin, magnesium and manganese and zero cholesterol!

Soft and buttery scooped with a spoon is the best way to go for me - with a dash of sriratcha for a bit of a kick, a squirt of lime juice and a crush of garlicy hummm, in salad, on pizza, in a smoothie... so why not put it in ice-cream? I PROMISE you will be pleasantly surprised by this creamy, almost guilt-free treat!

Supplemented photos from: http://www.laventel.com/, http://www.yuppiechef.co.za/, http://www.tastespotting.com/features/avocado-smoothie-recipe















Avocado ice-cream
adapted from two peas and their pod 
Makes 1 litre

Ingredients: 
3 medium ripe avocados
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup cream (i like the double tick one from Woolies)
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
Pinch of salt


Slice open the avocados, remove the pits, and scoop out the flesh. Put the avocados in a bar blender/ food processor/ stick blender. Add the sugar, sour cream, cream, lime juice, and salt. Blitz until smooth.

I churned mine in my sorbetiere then in the freezer for a firmer texture - if you don't have a sorbetiere/ ice-cream machine,just put it in the freezer and give it a stir periodically to break up the ice crystals. 

 This ice-cream would go well with a citrus tart, something chocolatey, dollop on a summer gazpacho - endless possiblities.

18 July 2012

RECIPE: Banana Smoothie

There is nothing I love more than a banana smoothie to get my energy flowing...
Bananas are packed full of potassium, manganese, B6 and vitamin C and naturally fat, sodium and cholesterol free! Whenever I do the 5am shift at work I have my smoothie as a pre-breakfast breakfast or as a boost before dance class.













For one portion, blitz one banana, a dollop of Greek yoghurt (my favourite is the double thick) and some milk using a stick/bar blender and voila, done!

There are so many different variations you could make:
*Raw honey and almond
*a sprinkle of oat bran
*a handful of berries or other soft fruit
*swap Greek yoghurt for flavoured yoghurt
*replace the milk and yoghurt with soy milk or fruit juice for a dairy free option
*a dash of cinnamon or cardamom
*a dollop of peanut butter or other nut butters
*a scoop of ice-cream or nutella for something naughty
 

09 February 2012

Made to Order: Dark chocolate cake with creamy ganache

Delicious chocolate cake coated in creamy chocolate ganache topped with sweet strawberries!

05 December 2011

COLLEGE: Graduation

Officially a chef!











Officially the Top Pastry Chef for 2011!
My prize? A set of Wüsthof knives sponsored by Lurpak - couldn't be more stoked!
 
Pastry exam:
white chocolate and cardamom infused bavarois topped with a white wine and berry jelly, fresh fruit salad, tuille, chocolate garnish and berry coulis.