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.

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.

RECIPE: Lemon meringue cupcakes

I've been wanting to make lemon meringue cupcakes for ages.... so when I had leftover lemon curd and Italian meringue from a pastry test at college, I decided to finally try them out!

If you LOVE cupcakes and LOVE lemon, you will totally LOVE these! They are DELICIOUSLY tart with a beautiful burst of lemony flavour and marshmallowy fluff icing.

Lemon Cupcakes

adapted from The Hummingbird Bakery

Makes 12 big ones

Ingredients:

120g/1 cup cake flour

140g/ 3/4 cup caster sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder

3 Tbs softened butter

120ml/ 1/2 cup full cream milk

1 large egg

1/4  tsp vanilla extract

zest of 1 lemon

Preheat the oven to 170C/325F. Put flour, sugar, baking powder, lemon zest and butter into a mixing bowl. Using a handheld electric whisk on slow speed until combined. Gradually pour in half the milk and beat until the milk is just incorporated. 

Whisk the egg, vanilla extract and remaining milk together in a seperate bowl, then pour it into the flour mixture and continue to beating until smooth. Spoon the mixture into the lined cupcake tin (two-thirds full). Bake for 20-25 min or until golden. Leave cupcakes to cool. 

Lemon Curd

adapted from Martha Stewart

Makes approx 500ml

Ingredients:

8 egg yolks

 Zest of 2 lemons

155ml lemon juice (fresh)

 1 cup sugar

150ml butter

Method:

Combine yolks, lemon zest, lemon juice, and sugar in a heavy-bottom saucepan; whisk to combine. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon (be sure to scrape the sides of the pan), until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon, 8 to 10 minutes (160C on an instant-read thermometer).

Remove saucepan from heat. Add butter, one piece at a time, stirring until smooth. Strain through a fine sieve into a medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface of the curd to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until chilled and set, at least 1 hour or up to 1 day.

Italian Meringue

From The Way to Cook, by Julia Child

Ingredients:

For the Egg Whites:

2/3 cup egg whites (4 to 5 whites)

A pinch of salt

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

For the Sugar Syrup:

1-1/3 cups sugar

1/2 cup water

Method:

Beat the egg whites at slow speed until the foam throughout, add the salt and cream of tartar, gradually increase the speed to fast, and beat to soft peaks. Turn the machine to slow as you complete the sugar syrup.

Bring the sugar and water to the simmer, swirl the pan to dissolve the sugar completely, cover tightly and boil to the soft-ball stage (234°F to 240°F; 112°C to 116°C on a candy thermometer).

Beating the egg whites at moderately slow speed, dribble into them the boiling syrup — trying to avoid the wires of the whip. Increase speed to moderately fast and beat until cool and the egg whites form stiff, shining, upstanding peaks. The meringue is now ready to use as your recipe directs. 

 Assemble:
Once the cupcakes have cooled, cut a little cone out of the centre of each, fill them with lemon curd and replace the lids. Pipe the Italian meringue on top and brown with a blow torch. If you do not have a blow torch, put them under the grill for 2min until golden. 
Decorate with lemon wedges, mint and edible glitter.

COLLEGE: Panna cotta

RECIPE: Camembert pie

At this point, you should already know that I WORSHIP camembert! This really is so quick, easy, delicious and SUCH a crowd pleaser... sereve as a appetiser, starter, dessert or snack, savoury or sweet. If you share my passion, this one's for YOU!

The idea for the Camembert pie was sparked by Kristen, one of the WorldTeach volunteers of 2010.

Ingredients:
Puff pastry (pre-bought or homemade)
wheel of RIPE camembert (that means; soft, oozy and a little stinky!)
butter/ egg wash
Optional flavouring:
*dried cranberries and honey
*cape gooseberry preserve
*garlic, thyme and white wine (only a teaspoon or it will make the pastry soggy)
*anything you can think of!

Method:
If using frozen pre-bought puff pastry, defrost. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. 
Roll out the pastry. Smear a teaspoon of preserve onto the pastry the size of the camembert. Place the camemberbert over it, then another smear of preserve on top. Sprinkle with dried cranberries. Fold the pastry over the camembert forming a parcel - seal the edges with melted butter or egg wash and smooth over. Brush the parcel with egg was or butter - when baking, this will give it a golden colour. Place in the oven for 30min or until golden brown. Serve immidiately with sliced apples.

Make mini pies by cutting the camembert into little blocks.
This recipe works well with phylo pastry too!