food elective
Something Sweet Simple and Sweet Recipes
Table of contents “Cooking is like love, it should be entered into with abandon or not at all.� - Harriet Van Horne
Pavlova French Apple Tart Poached Pears Nougat Banana Muffins
page 8 page 16 page 22 page 28 page 32
Pavlova By Internet 6 Extra-Large eggs, room temperature, 1 ¾ cup caster sugar, 2 teaspoons maizena or cornflour, 1 teaspoon vinegar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon boiling water Step 1
Preheat oven to 120°c
Step 2
Place egg whites in the bowl of a mixer (ensuring the bowl and whisk are perfectly clean). Whisk until soft peaks form when the beater is lifted from the mixture.
Step 3
Continue to mix, gradually adding sugar at a tablespoon or so at a time and waiting between each addition. Add the Maizena or cornflour to the last tablespoon of sugar, mix thoroughly and add to the mixture. Continue to whisk for another minute.
Step 4
Lastly add the vinegar, vanilla and boiling water while the whisk is still going and allow to mix for another minute. Making sure all the sugar has dissolved properly or else your Pavlova will reflect little beads of syrup, making it unattractive. Try rubbing a little mixture between your thumb and fore finger – it should feel smooth with no grains left.
Step 5
Place baking paper on a flat biscuit tray and draw a plate circle in pencil. Turn the paper over so that the pencil markings face down. You should be able to see the circle through to the other side. If you are worried about the Pavlova sticking, you can sprinkle a little maizena on the paper.
Step 6
Spoon the meringue into the circle, smoothing the sides and making a indent in the centre to hold the cream and fruit.
Step 7
Place the tray in the oven and cook for 1 ½ hours. Turn the oven off without opening the door and allow the meringue to cool for at least 2 hours more or overnight.
Step 8
Invert Pavlova onto a serving plate, peel off baking paper and top with whipped cream and berries.
French Apple Tart Ina Garten – Barefoot Contessa 6 servings: 4 Granny Smith apples, ½ cup sugar, 4 tbsp cold unsalted butter, diced small, ½ cup apricot jam, 2 tbsp rum or water,Puff Pastry (shop bought) Step 1
Preheat the oven to 200 ° C
Step 2
Lay your defrosted pasty on your work surface and divide it into 6 equal squares. No need to roll out your pastry, it can be used as is.
Step 3
With a fork pierce holes in at various intervals to prevent the pastry from rising too much. Take a baking tray and line it with greaseproof paper. Spray it with Cook ‘n Spray and lay your cut pastry on it and into the fridge for at least a hour.
Step 4
Peel the apples and cut them in half through the stem Remove the stems and cores with a sharp knife and a melon baler. Slice the apples crosswise in roughly about ½ cm thickness. Remove the pastry from the fridge and lay your sliced apples, overlapping in a neat pattern on each slice.
Step 5
Sprinkle with the full ½ cup of sugar and dot with the butter.
Step 6
Bake for 45 minutes or until the pastry is browned and the edges of the apples start to brown. Rotate the pan once during cooking. Don’t worry! The apple juices will burn in the pan but the tart will be fine!
Step 7
When the tart’s are done, heat the apricot jelly together with the Rum and brush the apples and the pastry completely with the jelly mixture. Loosen the tart with a metal spatula so it doesn’t stick to the paper. Allow to cool and serve warm or at room temperature.
Mini Orange Cheesecakes By The Essential Dessert Cook Book 250g plain sweet biscuits, 125g unsalted butter, melted Filling:4 oranges,250g cream cheese, softened, 1 teaspoon grated orange rind, ž cup condensed milk, 2 tablespoons lemon juice,1 tablespoon orange juice½ cup cream, whipped, to decorateSlivers of orange rind, to decorate Step 1
Lightly grease eight 8cm fluted flan tins. To make the crust, finely crush the biscuits in a food processor. Add the melted butter and process for another 15 seconds. Divide the mixture evenly among the tins and press firmly into the base and side of the tins. Place on a tray and refrigerate while preparing the filling
Step 2
To make the filling, place the oranges on a board and cut a 2cm slice off each end of orange to where the flesh starts. Cut the skin away in a circular motion, cutting only deep enough to remove all the white membrane. Separate the segments by cutting between the membrance and the flesh. Do this over a bowl to catch any juice. Reserve two or three segments for each cheesecake, to decorate. Cut the remainder in small pieces.
Step 3
Using electric beaters, beat the cream cheese and rind in a small bowl until light and creamy. Gradually add the condensed milk, lemon and orange juice. Beat on medium speed for 5 minutes, or until smooth and increased in volume. Fold in the chopped orange.
Step 4
Pour the mixture evenly into the prepared tins and smooth the surface. Refrigerate overnight. Decorate with whipped cream, slivers of orange rind and the reserved orange segments.
Poached Pears
By The Essential Desser Cook Book 6 very firm pears, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 cups dark grape juice,2 cups blackcurrant juice, 2 tablespoons sweet sherry, 4 cloves,½ teaspoon ground cinnamon,1 tablespoon honey Step 1
Core and peel the pears, leaving the stalks on. Place the pears, as you peel, in a bowl filled with cold water and the lemon juice, to prevent the pears browning.
Step 2
Put the grape and blackcurrant juices, sherry and cloves in a saucepan large enough to hold the pears. Add the pears. Bring the liquid to the boil, then reduce to a simmer.
Step 3
Cover and cook for 35 – 40 minutes, or until the pears are tender. Remove from the heat and leave the pears to cool in the syrup. Gently transfer the pears and syrup to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.
Step 4
Strain the syrup into a pan, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 40 minutes, or until reduced by about two-thirds. To serve, place a pear on each serving dish. Cool the syrup slightly and pour over the pears.
Step 5
Mix together the yoghurt, ground cinnamon and honey and spoon over the pears.
Nougat By Food and Home magazine 450g sugar, 1 cup liquid glucose,1/3 cup honey,2 sheets rice paper, 2 extra-large egg whites, Pinch of cream of tarter, 250g macadamia nuts, toasted, 60g dried cranberries, Cornflour, to serve Step 1
Place the sugar, glucose and honey in a saucepan over a medium heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Do not allow the mixture to boil Keep brushing the sides of the pan with extra water to prevent any sugar crystals from clinging.
Step 2
When the sugar has completely dissolved, increase the heat and bring the syrup to a rapid boil until 140째 C is reached on a sugar thermometer.
Step 3
Line the base of an 18 x 28cm rectangular cake tin with rice paper.
Step 4
Place the egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of an electric mixer and whisk until soft peaks form. Add the sugar mixture in a steady stream until it is incorporated and continue beating for about 5 minutes until the mixture is slightly cooled and thickened. Add the macadamia nuts and cranberries, whisking them in by hand.
Step 5 Step 6
Pour the mixture onto the rice paper and press gently with a spoon to flatten. Cover with another piece of rice paper and allow to set for a few hours before cutting. Cut into desired shapes, using a very sharp knife. Dip each piece of nougat in cornflour to give it a very light coating before wrapping in parchment paper or cellophane wrapping.
Banana Muffins By Barefoot Contessa 3 very ripe bananas ,2 eggs, at room temperature,60g castor sugar,60g light brown sugar,½ cup vegetable or canola oil,½ cup sour cream,1 teaspoon vanilla essence ,Zest of 1 orange,2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda ,¼ teaspoon salt, Almond flakes Step 1
Preheat oven to 180°c
Step 2
Almond flakes ,roast them first, using a dry fry pan on high, roast the almonds, but watch they don’t burn, can happen very quickly.
Step 3
Whisk the egg and sugar until well combined.
Step 4
Add the oil, cream, vanilla essence and zest and mix well again.
Step 5
Sift the dry ingredients and add to the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined, don’t over mix.
Step 6
Lastly, mash the bananas and add this to the mixture.
Step 7
Spoon the batter into a muffin tin and sprinkle with flaked almonds.
Step 8
Bake for 20 -23 minutes. (25 min)
Biography: JennaFinkelstein Jenna Finkelstein is a freelance photographer based in the Eastern Cape. Her specialist fields include lifestyle and commercial photography, with a particular interest in food photography. She completed her studies in photography at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University and is in the process of forming her own business. More of her work can be viewed at www.jennafinkelsteinphotography.com. She is available for freelance work in South Africa. Something Sweet was a personal project completed during the course of her studies. It is a photo series focusing on the development of recipes from the raw ingredients to the final product. Jenna composed all the photography and styling of every dish. Her expertise include food photography and food styling. Jenna had the following to say about Something Sweet, “I chose food photography because the options for food are endless and it’s an incredibly visual subject. Food photography is a genre of photography that I am very passionate about in terms of having full control over every aspect of the image from styling to lighting and compositional elements. The time and effort taken to precisely style and arrange food within the image, is all part of the quality and ability to translate the perception of taste, aroma and appeal into a two dimensional form. Something Sweet was formed from a fascination with how simple ingredients can be transformed into elegant dishes, and how beautiful styling compliments food photography.”
For more information: Jenna Finkelstein Jenfin12@gmail.com www.jennafinkelsteinphotography.com ©Copyrighted to Jenna Finkelstein Photography 2014