Orange Upside-down Cake
Preheat the oven to 160°C.
For topping, heat the sugar, water and vanilla in a heavy-based saucepan over moderate heat until the sugar is dissolved.
Add the orange slices and simmer for 10 – 15 minutes or until orange is soft.
Remove from heat and set aside.
Beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla extract until light and fluffy.
Sift the flour over the egg mixture and lightly fold into eggs.
Add the butter and ground almonds and lightly fold through.
Arrange the oranges on the base of a lined and greased 20 cm cake tin.
Carefully pour the batter over the orange layer and spread evenly.
Bake for 40 – 45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted.
Turn out onto wax paper and pour the remaining syrup over the hot cake.
Allow to cool to room temperature before serving.
Whip cream, castor sugar and caramel essence until soft peaks form.
Serve with cake.
Nutty Shortbread Biscuits
Preheat oven to 190°C.
Lightly grease baking trays with butter.
Cream butter and sugar until smooth and creamy.
Add egg very slowly and beat.
Sift cloves, cinnamon and flour together.
Add the butter mixture and the nuts.
Mix until a soft dough is formed.
Roll chestnut-sized balls and place on baking tray with enough space between balls.
Bake for 12 – 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Roll in icing sugar and place on wax paper to cool.
Roll in icing sugar once more until biscuits are white.
Milk and Butter Rusks
A truly South African favourite for every dipping occasion.
As seen on Expresso Morning Show or Afternoon Express, SABC3.
Marianne’s Round Koeksisters
For syrup:
Heat the sugar and water together in a heavy-based saucepan.
Stir until sugar has dissolved.
Add the cream of tartar, tartaric acid, salt and lemon juice.
Bring to the boil.
Remove from heat as mixture just starts to boil.
Stir in the vanilla and allow to cool to room temperature.
Set aside until needed.
For dough:
Sift the flour and baking powder together.
Rub butter into flour until mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
Beat the eggs and water together.
Gradually add to flour and knead to a firm, smooth dough.
Roll dough out to a thickness of 2,5 mm.
Cut into circles and fry in preheated oil until cooked and golden.
Remove koeksisters from oil with a slotted spoon and immediately dip into syrup, holding them down with a potato masher for at least 5 minutes.
Place on a cooling rack and allow to cool.
Serve koeksisters as a teatime treat or even as a dessert.
Clover Care Smoothie
A taste of the tropics to start your day.
As seen on Expresso Morning Show or Afternoon Express, SABC3.
Milky Nutty Smoothie
Smoothie ready in three… two… one!
Recipe by Amy Hopkins.
As seen on Expresso Morning Show or Afternoon Express, SABC3.
Fluffy Lemon and Mandarin Cheesecake
Line base of a 21 cm spring form pan with Swiss roll.
Halve the remaining slices and line sides by alternating Swiss roll and mandarin slices against sides of pan.
Sprinkle gelatine over cold water and set aside.
Heat milk, egg yolk and sugar in a double boiler and stir until thickened.
Melt gelatine over boiling water and add to custard mixture.
Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Mix lemon juice and rind, essence and cottage cheese and slowly add to custard mixture.
Beat cream until soft peaks form and lightly fold into the custard mixture.
Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into cream cheese mixture.
Pour onto Swiss roll base.
Refrigerate until set.
For the sauce, mix the cornflour and sugar, add enough juice to form a paste, then add remainder of juice.
Heat juice mixture slowly in a heavy-based saucepan, stirring gently.
Add the orange rind and segments and allow to simmer until thickened and glossy.
Remove from heat and pour into a serving bowl.
Allow to cool.
Decorate the cake with remaining mandarin halves and serve with the orange sauce.
Lasagne Verde
A classic crowd-pleaser. As seen on Expresso Morning Show or Afternoon Express, SABC3.
