Author Archive

  1. Mars Bar Chocolate Crackles

    by Shell

    Ingredients:

    • 200g Mars Bars, chopped
    • 2 tbsp of pouring (thin) cream
    • 2 tsp cocoa powder, sifted
    • 3 cups Rice Bubbles
    • Canola spray
    • 100g white chocolate
    • 24 red Smarties or M&M’s

    Method:

    1. Spray a little canola spray into 2 x 12 cup mini-muffin trays.
    2. Melt the Mars Bars, cream and cocoa in a glass bowl over simmering water. The bowl should not touch water. Stir the mixture until smooth.
    3. Put the Rice Bubbles in a separate large bowl, pour in the chocolate mixture and stir until well mixed.
    4. Spoon the mixture into the muffins tray and press down gently.
    5. Refrigerate for 2 hours and turn out onto a tray to decorate.
    6. Melt the white chocolate in the microwave checking and stirring it at 30 second intervals. Pour it into a piping bag while warm and snip the tip off.
    7. Turn the crackles upside down and pipe the chocolate on.
    8. Finish with a red Smartie on top of each one.

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  2. Chocolate Crackle Christmas Tree

    by Shell

    INGREDIENTS

    • ½ cup (75g) dark chocolate Melts, melted
    • coloured cachous
    • ½ cup (75g) white chocolate Melts, melted
    • thin taper candles
    • sweets
    • icing sugar mixture

    Chocolate Crackle Mixture:

    • 1½ cups (240g) icing sugar mixture
    • ¼ cup (25g) cocoa powder
    • 4 cups (140g) Rice Bubbles
    • 3/4 cup (65g) coconut
    • 100g packet Mallow Bakes
    • 250g Copha, melted
    • 1 1/3 cups (200g) dark chocolate Melts, melted

    METHOD

    1. Mark 12 crosses on sheets of baking paper; you need 2 of each size: 18cm, 16cm, 14cm, 13cm, 9cm, and 7cm. Place paper onto trays.
    2. Press 2 teaspoons of the chocolate crackle mixture into a greased 5cm star cutter; refrigerate until set. Remove the cutter carefully, repeat process to make 2 stars.
    3. Drop teaspoonfuls of remaining chocolate crackle mixture along marked crosses, press mixture together lightly; refrigerate until set.
    4. Spread one side of each star shape with a little dark chocolate; press on some of the cachous, allow to set.
    5. To assemble trees, place a small amount of dark chocolate in centre of prepared boards, press the 18cm crosses onto chocolate. Repeat process with remaining crosses and chocolate, from largest to smallest, to form 2 trees. It is important each layer is set before topping with another cross. If crosses are uneven, support underneath until chocolate has set. Secure stars to tops of trees with a little more chocolate; refrigerate until set.
    6. Drizzle white chocolate over the branches. Cut the candles into 2cm pieces; secure candles to branches with more white chocolate. Be sure candles do not touch the higher branches when alight. Attach sweets and remaining cachous to branches with a little more white chocolate.
    7. Just before serving, dust trees with sifted icing sugar.
    8. You will need 2 x 30cm round boards to support the trees. Heavy cardboard covered with gift paper, a large plate or a foil-covered upturned tray could be used. Any remaining chocolate crackle mixture can be spooned into paper patty cases. Recipe can be prepared a week ahead. Assemble trees up to 3 days before serving; keep trees refrigerated.

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  3. White Chocolate Salami

    by Shell

    INGREDIENTS

    • 200g white chocolate, broken
    • 150ml condensed milk
    • 20g butter
    • 4 egg yolks
    • 250g packet sweet biscuits, crushed
    • ¾ cup dried cranberries
    • ½ cup roughly chopped pistachios

    METHOD (Makes 6)

    1. In a large heatproof bowl, combine chocolate, condensed milk and butter. Place over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth. Whisk in egg yolks and remove from heat.
    2. Stir biscuits, fruit and nuts through chocolate mixture to form a dough.
    3. Shape into 6 x 4cm-diameter logs. Place each log onto a piece of baking paper. Roll up firmly, twisting paper at both ends to seal. Chill for 2 hours until set. Serve sliced. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

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  4. Mozzarella and Tomato Salad

    by Shell

    INGREDIENTS

    • 2 fresh buffalo mozzarella (260g), torn into bite-sized pieces
    • 500g cherry tomatoes, halved
    • 2 tablespoons torn fresh basil leaves
    • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

    METHOD

    1. Arrange cheese and tomatoes on serving platter and top with basil.
    2. Drizzle with oil; sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper.

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  5. Cream Brulee Cheese Cake

    by Shell

    Ingredients (serves 10)

    • 200g packet shredded wheat biscuits
    • 80g reduced-fat spread, melted
    • 250g light cream cheese, softened
    • 1/4 cup caster sugar
    • 1 teaspoon finely grated orange rind
    • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 2 eggs
    • 1/2 cup skim sweetened condensed milk
    • 1 tablespoon demerara sugar
    • strawberries, to serve

    Method

    1. Preheat oven 170°C/150°C fan-forced. Grease a 3cm-deep, 22cm (base) round fluted loose-base flan tin.
    2. Process biscuits until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add spread. Process until just combined. Press mixture evenly over base and side of prepared tin. Refrigerate for 20 minutes. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Cool.
    3. Process cream cheese, sugar, orange rind, vanilla, eggs and milk until smooth and combined. Pour cream cheese mixture over base. Bake for 20 minutes or until just set. Cool to room temperature. Cover. Refrigerate for 3 hours or until chilled.
    4. Position grill tray close to grill as possible. Heat grill on medium-high. Sprinkle sugar over cheesecake. Place under grill. Grill for 4 to 5 minutes or until sugar melts and caramelises (see tip). Set aside for 5 minutes or until toffee sets. Serve with strawberries.

    Notes

    • Cover edge of biscuit base around rim of pan with foil to prevent burning.

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  6. Caramelised Apple Tart

    by Shell

    Ingredients (serves 4)

    • 1 sheet ready-rolled reduced-fat puff pastry, partially thawed
    • 1 tablespoon extra-light canola spread
    • 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
    • 3 medium granny smith apples, peeled, cored, thinly sliced
    • Double cream, to serve

    Method

    1. Cut a 24cm round from pastry sheet.
    2. Heat spread and sugar in a 24cm non-stick frying pan over low heat for 2 minutes or until sugar has dissolved. Add apples. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until apples are soft and caramelised. Transfer to a bowl. Cover to keep warm.
    3. Wipe pan with paper towel. Return to low heat. Place pastry in pan. Cook, covered, for 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Place a plate over pan and turn pastry over. Slide pastry, uncooked side down, into pan. Arrange apple mixture over pastry. Cook, covered, for 2 minutes or until pastry is crisp and lightly browned. Slide onto a plate. Serve with cream.

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  7. Shannons Pineapple Cake

    by Shell

    Ingredients

    • 1 1/4 SR flour
    • 1/2 cup Plain flour
    • 1 cup brown sugar
    • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
    • 2/3 cup desicated coconut
    • 1/2 cup macadamias
    • 440g tin of crushed pinnapple
    • 1/2 cup mashed banana
    • 3/4 cup vegtable oil
    • 1/4 cup passionfriut pulp.

    Method

    1. Mix together flours, sugar, ginger, coconut and macadamias.
    2. Add crushed pineapple, mashed banana, oil and passionfuirt pulp.
    3. Mix untill compined well and bake for 1hr on 180°C
    4. Finish off with Cream cheese frosting

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  8. Trin’s Spinach Dip

    by Shell

    Perfect for chicken and salad.

    Ingredients:

    • 1 packet of frozen spinach
    • 1 small light sour cream
    • 1/2 cup mayo
    • 2 or 3 cloves of garlic
    • 1 packet of spring vegitable soup mix
    • 1 small tin of whole water chestnuts (drained)

    Method:

    1. Place all ingredients except chestnuts into a food processor until well combined.
    2. Add chestnut last to give dip a slight crunch.

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  9. Summer Chicken Sauce

    by Shell

    Perfect for chicken and salad.

    Ingredients:

    • 3 tlbsp Oil
    • 2 Onions chopped finely
    • 1 tbsp curry powder
    • 1/4 cup tomato sauce
    • 2 tbsp apricot jam
    • 1/2 cup mayo
    • 1/2 cup whipped cream

    Method:

    1. Combine and cook the oil, onion and curry powder until onion is soft
    2. Combine all ingredients with onion mixture

    Category Sauce, Summer | Tags: ,, | Comments Off on Summer Chicken Sauce

  10. Buttermilk Rusks

    by Shell

    Buttermilk rusks are always a winner, especially when dunked in coffee. This buttermilk rusk recipe will let you enjoy your morning coffee even more!

    (If you don’t know what “rusks” are, they are a South African version of biscotti, just much yummier!)

    Ingredients

    4 lbs Flour (All-purpose flour or Cake flour or even a mix of the two)
    25 ml (1 tbsp & 2 tsp) Baking Soda
    50 ml (3 tbsp & 1 tsp) Cream of Tartar
    10 ml (2 tsp) Salt
    500 grams (1 lb) Butter or Margarine (cold)
    250 ml (1 cup) Sugar
    3 Eggs
    500 to 750 ml (2 – 3 cups) Buttermilk
    1 Tbsp Aniseed (optional)

    Making The Buttermilk Rusks

    1. Sift the baking soda, cream of tartar and 1 cup of flour together (repeat 3 times).
    2. Sift all the dry ingredients together. If you are using aniseed, add it too and mix well.
    3. Grate the butter into the mixture and rub (to mix) through with fingers.
    4. Beat the eggs, add the buttermilk, mix and then add to flour mixture. Mix together so that mixture is little runny, but still can be kneed. Kneed lightly until all ingredients are mixed well.
    5. Make little balls (slightly bigger than a golfball) with mixture and place them (touching) into a greased breadpan.
    6. Bake for 25 – 30 minutes in the oven at a temperature of 400 °F.
    7. When your rusks have cooled slightly, break (or cut) them into pieces and dry overnight in a cool oven by placing the rusks directly on the oven grills. (Set the oven on “Warm” only and keep the oven door slightly open by wedging a teaspoon into the door at the top.)

    Additional Hints For Your Rusks

    • More or less sugar can be used, or can even be totally left out – if needed.
    • If more rough rusks are desired, replace half of the flour with wheat flour.
    • The butter or margarine can also be melted and then mixed with the egg and buttermilk mixture (it creates a finer texture).
    • The flour, baking soda and creme or tartar can also be replaced by Self Raising Flour.

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