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Page 17
For the lemon filling, whisk together the yolks, lemon juice and rind, castor sugar, milk and cornflour, pour into a heavy-based saucepan and stir over very low heat until cooked – like a thick custard. Leave to cool, stirring occasionally to prevent a skin from forming. Whip the cream with the vanilla, give the custard a quick whisk to make sure it’s absolutely smooth, then fold it into the cream in small dollops. Pour into the meringue shell, spreading evenly, sprinkle with the almonds, and refrigerate until firm. Makes 6 wedges.
Passion Meringue
Some people dislike passion fruit (granadilla) pips. They think they have lost a filling. Try the following variation, which uses only the juice, with fresh mango and thick cream. Ingredients are easily doubled to fill a larger shell.
PASSION FRUIT FILLING
3–4 large, ripe passion fruit, halved
125 ml (1⁄2 cup) fresh cream
15 ml (1 Tbsp) icing sugar
1 ripe mango (300 g), peeled and cut into small cubes
Hold the passion fruit halves over a small strainer and squeeze hard until you have 30–40 ml (6–8 tsp) juice. Whip the cream with the icing sugar, add the juice and whip until very stiff, then fold in the mango. Pile the filling into the shell, and serve, or refrigerate for a few hours if working ahead.
No decoration is needed, as the flavour is delicate and should be left to speak for itself – although, having said that, the juice (and pips) of just one granadilla will enhance the appearance. Makes 6 wedges.
Strawberry Meringue
Ingredients are easily doubled for a large meringue shell. Other fruits such as bananas could, of course, be added, but there’s something very summery and delicious about a pure strawberry meringue.
STRAWBERRY FILLING
250 g ripe, red strawberries
5 ml (1 tsp) castor sugar
5 ml (1 tsp) balsamic vinegar
125 ml (1⁄2 cup) fresh cream
15 ml (1 Tbsp) icing sugar
20 ml (4 tsp) Amaretto liqueur*
a few drops of vanilla essence
Rinse and hull strawberries and slice enough of them into fairly small pieces to fill 250 ml (1 cup) or measure 150 g in weight. Reserve the remaining berries for decoration. Place the sliced berries in a single layer on a large plate and sprinkle over the castor sugar and vinegar. Leave for about 20 minutes, then pour off the juices that will have drawn. Whip the cream with the icing sugar, liqueur and vanilla, fold in the berries, spoon into the meringue shell, decorate with the remaining berries and serve or refrigerate briefly. Makes 6 wedges.
* This may seem very little, and more can be added to taste, but be careful not to make the cream runny.
Apple & Mango Crumble
There’s hardly a fruit that hasn’t been turned into a crumble, for the simple reason that when it comes to homespun, comforting desserts, crumbles are probably top of the list. The following is another variation on the theme, with mango and coconut introducing a tropical touch, and cashews adding crunch.
1 × 765 g can unsweetened pie apple slices
1 × 410 g can mango slices, drained and syrup reserved
30 ml (2 Tbsp) golden syrup
30 ml (2 Tbsp) sugar
CRUMBLE
375 ml (11⁄2 cups) cake flour
5 ml (1 tsp) baking powder
a small pinch of sea salt
7 ml (11⁄2 tsp) ground cinnamon
90 ml (6 Tbsp) castor sugar (or vanilla sugar if available)
90 ml (6 Tbsp) desiccated coconut
100 g butter
cashew nuts, halved or roughly chopped
If the apples are in large slices, chop into chunks. Chop the mango slices too. Place in a buttered 23 × 5 cm pie dish, pour over 125 ml (1⁄2 cup) of the reserved mango syrup, and mix in the golden syrup and sugar. To make the crumble, place the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a processor fitted with the metal blade and pulse to mix, then add the castor sugar and coconut, pulse again, then add the butter and pulse until the mixture is finely crumbed. Sprinkle this over the fruit – it will be thickly covered – and finish with a scatter of cashews. Bake at 180 °C for 45 minutes until the crumble is toast-coloured and the syrup is bubbling through. Serve warm, rather than hot, with thick cream. Serves 6–8.
* If you’d prefer a more wholesome topping, mix 250 ml (1 cup) unsweetened muesli with 125 ml (1⁄2 cup) self-raising flour, 30 g chopped pecan nuts, 5 ml (1 tsp) ground cinnamon, 90 ml (6 Tbsp) light brown sugar and 125 ml (1⁄2 cup) oil.
Orange Bavarois with Hot Chocolate Sauce
Everything here can be done in advance, making this an ideal dessert when entertaining. The hot dark sauce drizzled over the chilled little puddings is both colourful and delicious, and the addition of egg whites lightens the traditional rich bavarois-type custard, making the flavour very delicate.
15 ml (1 Tbsp) gelatine
125 ml (1⁄2 cup) fresh orange juice
375 ml (11⁄2 cups) milk
finely grated rind of 1 medium orange
2 XL free-range eggs, separated
60 ml (4 Tbsp) castor sugar
a small pinch of salt
a few drops of vanilla essence
125 ml (1⁄2 cup) fresh cream, softly whipped
SAUCE
Melt 100 g broken up plain milk chocolate (not white, nor dark) with 30 ml (2 Tbsp) pouring cream and 30 ml (2 Tbsp) milk in a small double boiler or saucepan over low heat. Stir occasionally until smooth – do not allow to boil or bubble. It may now be set aside and gently reheated, with 20–30 ml (4–6 tsp) Van der Hum liqueur (optional) added just before serving.
Sprinkle the gelatine onto the orange juice and leave to sponge. Scald the milk with the orange rind – do this over low heat, in order to release all the orange flavour. Whisk the egg yolks with the castor sugar until pale and thick. Using a fine sieve, slowly strain the hot milk onto the egg mixture, stir to mix, add a pinch of salt, then return to the saucepan and cook as for custard over very low heat, stirring, until the mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon. It has to thicken, but dare not boil. Remove from the stove, stir in the sponged gelatine and vanilla, give a quick whisk to make sure that all the gelatine has dissolved, then cool in a mixing bowl. Hurry this up by standing the mixing bowl in a bowl of cold water. Once cooled, it may be chilled briefly until just thickening, but not yet setting. Fold in the cream, and then the stiffly whisked egg whites – use a metal spoon and stir a spoonful through the mixture first, then fold in the remainder. Pour into eight rinsed ramekins (about 6 cm diameter, 5 cm deep) and refrigerate until set. Overnight, if you wish.
Unmould the ramekins onto serving plates by running a knife round the sides and giving a gentle shake. Drizzle a little of the hot sauce over each, allowing it to run down the sides. Serves 8.
Creamy Rummy Fruit Salad with Crunchy Pecans
I think seriously rich desserts are a fabulous treat in a restaurant because eating out is (usually) an occasional treat, but I don’t like making a habit of serving them at home. I once saw a guest hide her incredibly rich but utterly superb (I didn’t make it) chocolate terrine behind the dining-room curtain at the back of her chair, because she was full after two spoonfuls, but did not want to offend her hostess. It’s true. And that’s one of the reasons why I like serving a fruit salad – tart it up, give it a fancy name, and everyone can finish it. Tropical fruits are the best.
4 mangoes (about 1.1 kg), peeled and cubed
4 bananas, sliced and tossed in lemon juice
400 g peeled and cubed papino (prepared weight)
12–16 fresh or canned litchis, pitted and slivered
150 ml (3⁄5 cup) thick, low-fat Bulgarian yoghurt
150 ml (3⁄5 cup) crème fraîche
30 ml (2 Tbsp) pale, runny honey (fynbos is a good choice)
30 ml (2 Tbsp) dark rum
TOPPING
30 ml (2 Tbsp) soft brown sugar
15 ml (1 Tbsp) butter
30 ml (2 Tbsp) water
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br /> about 125 ml (1⁄2 cup) pecan nut halves or quarters
Mix all the fruit gently in a beautiful glass bowl – wide, rather than deep. Mix the remaining ingredients; don’t whisk, just stir until smoothly combined, then pour over the fruit, cover and refrigerate for 3–4 hours.
For the topping, melt the sugar and butter in the water in a small pan over low heat. Add the pecans and toss until crunchy. Drain on a paper towel, set aside, and sprinkle over the fruit salad just before serving. Serves 8–10.
Orange Liqueur Chocolate Truffles
Instead of a dessert, pass these round after the cheese and biscuits as a sweet finale.
75 ml (5 Tbsp) cream
2 ml (1⁄2 tsp) very finely grated orange rind
100 g dark chocolate, broken into small pieces
5 ml (1 tsp) butter
15 ml (1 Tbsp) orange liqueur (Van der Hum is fine)
cocoa powder for coating
Scald the cream with the orange rind – it should be very hot, but not boiling. Remove from the heat, add the chocolate and stir until melted – if this takes too long, you can return it briefly to the stove plate (turned off) and give a quick stir. Remove and mix in the butter and orange liqueur, then scrape into a small bowl. Leave to cool completely – about 30 minutes, but it does depend on the weather – and then, using an electric whisk, whisk on high speed until the mixture becomes paler and shiny. Refrigerate until firm enough to handle – at least 2 hours. Use a teaspoon to scoop into balls, and roll around on a plate liberally dusted with cocoa powder. If the mixture is a little sticky, coat your palms with cocoa as well. Keep refrigerated, but don’t serve icy cold. Makes 12.
Baked Apple Puff
… or Ouma’s Winter Fruit Cobbler. A hearty, homespun pudding, large and sweet and easy to make. Serve warm, rather than hot, with whipped cream or home-made custard.
1 × 765 g can unsweetened pie apple slices*
2 large bananas OR 2 large fresh pears OR 1 of each
125 ml (1⁄2 cup) golden syrup
100 ml (2⁄5 cup) hot water
60 ml (4 Tbsp) seedless raisins
250 ml (1 cup) self-raising flour
7 ml (11⁄2 tsp) ground cinnamon
2 ml (1⁄2 tsp) freshly grated nutmeg
90 ml (6 Tbsp) light brown sugar**
90 ml (6 Tbsp) desiccated coconut
250 ml (1 cup) oil
2 XL free-range eggs
a pinch of salt
Chop the apples into smaller pieces. Dice the bananas, and peel, core and dice the pears. Mix the apples and chosen fruit, and spoon into a lightly buttered 23 cm pie dish, at least 6 cm deep (or the syrup will bubble over). Melt the golden syrup in the water and pour over the fruit. Sprinkle in the raisins. Whisk the remaining ingredients together to make a thick batter, then simply drop in spoonfuls over the fruit – the batter will spread during baking. Bake at 180 °C for 35–40 minutes until the topping is lightly browned and firm. Remove from the oven very carefully as the syrup will be bubbling. Allow to cool down a little before serving. Serves 8.
* Use choice-grade pie apples, firmly packed, with no juice to speak of.
** 90 ml, which equals 6 Tbsp, is easily measured if you use an 83 ml metric cup and add on 7 ml (half a metric tablespoon).
Chocolate Fudge Cups
If you’re a reluctant dessert maker, the answer is to buy some stunning, small espresso or after-dinner coffee cups. Desserts will stretch amazingly when all they have to do is fill a small cup. Another bonus is that desserts that come in coffee cups are usually rich and quick to make – like the following serious chocolate fixes.
butter
100 g dark chocolate, broken up*
5 ml (1 tsp) cocoa powder
250 ml (1 cup) fresh cream
2 ml (1⁄2 tsp) vanilla essence
15 ml (1 Tbsp) icing sugar
chocolate shavings for sprinkling – use white chocolate, plain brown or dark
Smear a very small saucepan with a little butter (this makes it easier to scrape out). Add the chocolate, cocoa and 50 ml (1⁄5 cup) of the cream. Melt over very low heat, stirring a few times just to get it going. Remove from the heat as soon as the mixture is smooth, and set aside until completely cool, but not firm. Whip the remaining cream with the vanilla and icing sugar until thick but not stiff, then slowly whisk in the cooled chocolate mixture in dollops – make about five additions altogether, and stop as soon as everything is smoothly combined and uniformly chocolate in colour. Spoon into five or six little cups**, sprinkle with chocolate and place in the coldest part of the fridge – it should be softly set in about 2 hours, or less. Serves 5–6, and is easily doubled.
* You may find a guest putting one of these behind the curtain (see Creamy Rummy Fruit Salad with Crunchy Pecans, page 170), but if you really want a denser, darker, even richer fix, use 125–150 g chocolate. The flavour will be very intense, with a firmer texture.
** For Chocolate Meringue, smooth the mixture into a baked meringue shell (see page 168) and refrigerate to set.
Estrelita
Estrelita marched down the main street of Corriebush in a few ostrich feathers and little else. The rest of the troupe were modestly dressed in bright satin blouses, floral waistcoats and bell-bottomed trousers. But Estrelita was their star, their finest performer, and with her toned, lithe body and flamboyant personality she was quite the best advertisement for the circus. With Estrelita at the head of the procession, wiggling her hips, twirling her feathers and flashing mischievous invitations to all those watching, they could be sure of a full house at every performance.
Not that there was any danger of empty seats in Corriebush. Ever since the advertisement in the Corriebush Daily announcing a visit by the Circus Olé, the whole town had been in a fever.
‘Have you seen what’s coming?’ Anna enthused over tea.
Of course they had.
‘The tent is already up, on the field next to the rugby grounds.’
‘There’ll be acrobats and tight-rope walkers and ladies in boxes, sawn clean in half!’
‘Herman likes the fire-eaters,’ said Lily.
‘Daniel likes the clowns.’
‘And I,’ said Sophia, ‘like the flying men in tights. You can see everything. Just like bunches of grapes.’
‘Sophia!’
The Circus Olé gave three performances, and the six friends went to every one, making sure that they arrived early in order to secure ringside seats. The circus folk loved them, because they reacted so gustily to all the scary moments. When the fire-eater pretended to throw his flaming torch into the audience they ducked their heads and screamed. When the strong man advanced towards Amelia, making as if to scoop her up, she shouted ‘Ag no man!’ and ran to the entrance. They laughed so much at the clowns that Nellie bounced right off her chair onto the grass, and had to be helped back up.
And when Estrelita feigned a slip on the high trapeze, letting the cross-bar dangle into space without her, Maria rushed forward, arms outstretched, to catch her in case she fell. In the end they were all peeping through their fingers, afraid of witnessing a disaster, but reluctant to miss a single spine-chilling moment.
At the end of the final performance they stood up and clapped for so long that the ringmaster had to signal them to stop.
‘I have an announcement,’ he said, turning in circles as he spoke so that everyone could hear him. ‘It is with great sadness that tonight we are bidding farewell to Estrelita.’ The audience groaned in dismay. ‘Ag no, not Estrelita!’ The ringmaster held up his hand.
‘It’s sad news for us, but good news for Corriebush!’
Puzzled, they glanced at each other. ‘Yes, you lucky people! Estrelita has decided to stay here for a while. She needs to work on a new routine, and to have a rest from travelling. She has chosen to spend her sabbatical here in Corriebush because she has been so impressed by the beauty of the town and the friendliness of its people.’ A happy murmur rippled through the tent. ‘We
’ll leave her caravan in the Park, and I know you will welcome her with open hearts.’ Estrelita stepped forward and bowed down so low that her feathers fell right over her head, a sight that prompted Servaas to whistle so loudly through his teeth that he almost lost them. Then she waved to the crowd, hugged the ringmaster, and waltzed into her dressing room.
The following morning the friends gathered on Lily’s stoep. There had been no pre-arrangement. They instinctively recognised the need for a meeting over tea, and arrived one by one: Amelia, Nellie, Anna, Sophia and Maria, all in a twitter, for there was much to be discussed. What lay ahead was not simply a tea party with scones, as was so often the case in their predictable lives. On this particular morning there was News.
Lily wasted no time. ‘A star has descended in our midst.’
‘Right out of the blue,’ went on Sophia.
‘We need to treat her with great respect.’
‘Kid gloves, as they say.’
‘Point is, she has chosen to stay with us, so we must be sure not to intrude on her privacy in any way.’
‘And yet we have to make her feel welcome, but because she’s not like other people we can’t really call on her with tea and scones.’
‘Has to watch her figure.’
‘And work on her new routine.’
‘She will also have to practise.’
‘I wonder what she will actually do?’
What Estrelita actually did was to take to the trees.
Lily watched in silent amazement from her front stoep, but by the third morning could not contain herself any longer, so she trotted over with a tray.
‘Yoo-hoo!’ she called. ‘I’m Lily and I’ve brought a little something for your breakfast because I haven’t seen you shop or anything. Don’t you get very hungry, flying around like that all day?’