THE HYPERSPHERE MINI a personal masseuse in your hand 104 ALFRESCO + ON THE GRILL summertime recipes

The Hypersphere Mini

A personal masseuse in the palm of your hand.

BY THEA BECKMAN

Iused to think the privilege of having a personal masseuse, who travels with you wherever you go, was a dream reserved only for the stupendously wealthy, like the Mark Zuckerbergs and Elon Musks of the world. But with the advent of the

Hypersphere Mini by Hyperice, a massage ball that fi ts snugly in your hand, that prospect is taken from wistful fantasy to reality. And because our jobs are so incredibly hard, we were tasked with checking out this pint-sized (yet powerful) massage ball.

How it works is simple. First, sit hunched over for an extended period of time. That’ll be easy because #work.

Alternatively, actually use that gym contract you’ve been paying for the last three years (and be sure to overdo it on the treadmill). Failing these, accidentally fall asleep on the couch in a weird position. Oops! Are you in pain? Does it feel like there’s a fork stuck in your neck?

Is your body sti er than the summer southeasterly winds in Cape Town? Cue the Hypersphere Mini by Hyperice!

Now, don’t let the compact size of this little massage ball fool you. With a diameter of just 8.89 cm, the Hypersphere Mini has been specifi cally engineered to take up minimal space but still pack a wallop of power. So, your next step is to whip it out of your handbag, satchel or carry-on suitcase, select a low, medium or high speed, and press its textured surface against the o ending muscle or area. Proceed to sigh in abject pleasure, but not too loudly; you don’t want to elicit strange glances from your neighbours.

The Hypersphere Mini’s size also makes it rather talented at targeting hard-to-reach places; it’s the perfect companion for long stretches in the o ce, in transit, on the couch or during international travel. On that subject, this massage ball weighs only 340 grams and is TSA approved for carry-on.

So, there you have it: a compact, easily portable, powerful personal masseuse you can take with you anywhere in the world, even if your annual income doesn’t a ord you the luxury of buying islands in the South Pacifi c or going on joyrides in Space.

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festive festive LET’S GET If there’s one thing synonymous with the festive season, it’s the glorious aromas that make their way from the kitchen through the home and beyond. This season, Le Creuset shares three recipes with us that epitomise indulgence and deliciousness. Whether for an intimate family gathering or a larger, more social get-together, these recipes are sure to impress.

Christmas snowflake bread Image and recipe by @thehonestgrazer

INGREDIENTS

1 tbsp coconut/castor sugar 7g fast-action dried yeast 180ml lukewarm oat milk 60g salted vegan butter, melted 320g plain flour

FILLING

65g salted vegan butter, softened but not melted 5 tbsp coconut/castor sugar 4 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp nutmeg 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tsp cocoa (optional)

DUSTING/TOPPING OPTIONS

Icing sugar Coconut cream glaze

METHOD

1. In a bowl, combine your sugar, lukewarm oat milk and instant yeast. Whisk and then set aside for 10 minutes. Stir in your melted vegan butter, then add the flour. Mix everything until well combined, and then transfer the dough onto a greased surface. 2. Use some melted vegan butter, lightly coat your hands, and then knead the dough for at least 10 minutes. You can use some flour if the dough gets sticky. 3. Transfer the dough into a greased bowl and grease the top of your dough with a little more vegan butter. Cover and set aside until doubled in size, about 1 hour. 4. In a bowl, combine your butter, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla extract and cocoa to make a spreadable paste. 5. Knead your risen dough back into shape and then divide it into four smaller pieces. Roll out the first piece of dough onto some baking paper. 6. Place a medium-sized plate or bowl over the rolled-out dough and trim o the excess dough to make it a perfect circle. Roughly spread a heaped tablespoon worth of filling onto the dough but leave some clean space around the edges. 7. Roll out another piece of dough in a circle shape and transfer the dough by placing a rolling pin in the middle of the dough, folding it over the pin, and then lifting it to place over the first layer. Spread the filling and repeat. 8. For the fourth dough round, don’t spread any filling as this is the top of the bread. 9. Place a small cup or bowl in the middle and gently press to make an indent in the centre. Cut the dough eight times, starting from quarters, into 8ths, and then 16ths. 10. Then pick up two sections, twist them away from each other, press the ends together, and make a point shape. Repeat until you have no sections left. Your snowflake bread should have eight sections. 11. Brush the bread with melted vegan butter and lightly dust with castor sugar. Cover with a kitchen towel and allow to rise again for another hour. 12. Preheat the oven to 180°C. 13. Transfer the bread to a Le Creuset Signature Shallow Casserole (still on the baking paper). Bake (without the lid) for 30 minutes until golden. 14. Dust with a bit of icing sugar or drizzle with a thin coconut glaze. Serve warm.

THE PERFECT CENTREPIECE FOR YOUR CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS.

CHRISTMAS SNOWFLAKE BREAD

Serves 8

Image and recipe by Georgia Roux @abiteofvegan_

GINGERBREAD CUPCAKES

Serves 8–10

INGREDIENTS

450g self raising flour 1 1/4 tsp baking powder 1 1/4 tsp baking soda 4 1/2 tsp ground ginger 2 tsp mixed spice 160g castor sugar 1/2 tsp salt 2/3 cup canola oil (or another neutral oil) 200g golden syrup 200g molasses 1 1/2 cups boiling water Icing (optional) Pillsbury vanilla ready-made icing

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180°c and lightly grease a Le Creuset 12 cup Holiday Bakeware Tray. 2. In a bowl, whisk together the sifted plain flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, mixed spice, castor sugar and salt. 3. Add the oil, golden syrup, molasses and boiling water to the bowl and whisk until no lumps of flour remain. 4. Pour the batter into the tin and bake for about 12–15 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. 5. Allow to cool, then pipe with the icing and enjoy. Alternatively, enjoy fresh and warm out of the oven.

USE THE LE CREUSET HOLIDAY BAKEWARE TRAY TO MAKE THESE EXTRA-FESTIVE CUPCAKES IN THE SHAPE OF A GINGERBREAD MAN, CHRISTMAS TREE AND SNOWFLAKE.

FROZEN ICE CREAM SUMMER FRUIT CAKE

Serves 12

INGREDIENTS

375g raspberries 500g blueberries 600g strawberries 3–4 tbsp icing sugar 4 litres vanilla ice cream

METHOD

1. Lightly mash 150g raspberries with a fork and 2 tbsp. sifted icing sugar. In a small saucepan, add 360g blueberries and 2 tbsp. icing sugar with a tablespoon or two of water and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and mash with a fork or masher. Do the same with the 400g chopped strawberries. Place the warm berries in the fridge to cool, keeping them separate from each other. Reserve the remaining whole berries for garnish. 2. Slightly soften 1 litre of vanilla ice cream at a time, so that it is easily spreadable with a spatula. Line the base of a Le Creuset Bakeware 20cm Springform Cake Tin with a few layers of cling wrap before clipping the sides of the tin to the base to secure the cling wrap. Spoon the litre of ice cream into the base and top with raspberries. Place in the freezer to set, repeat with one more layer of ice cream and top with the chopped strawberries. Place back in the freezer to set overnight. 3. Repeat the same process with another cake tin and the remaining ice cream, but this time, arrange the blueberries in the middle layer and leave the top layer of ice cream bare. Set overnight in the freezer. 4. To unmould, wrap the tin in a hot cloth and run a hot palette knife around the edge of the cake and tin to help loosen the ice cream. Release the tin’s clip to unmould and place the strawberry and raspberry ice cream layer on a Le Creuset Footed Cake Stand. Top with the blueberry layer. 5. Once presented and to serve, separate the two layers before cutting into them for easier and safer slicing. Top with remaining berries to serve.

IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR A DESSERT WITH A DIFFERENCE THAT WILL COOL YOU DOWN BUT IS STILL FULL OF FESTIVE FLAVOURS, THIS ICE CREAM CAKE IS JUST THE THING.

Since 1925, Le Creuset has been renowned as the colourful French companion in kitchens across the globe. Its Enamelled Cast Iron cookware, known for its excellent heat retention, has been produced in the same French foundry for almost a century and embodies the buyit-for-life principle of quality items. When it comes to colour, there’s really something for everyone. The iconic Flame was the first colour Le Creuset introduced back in the 1920s, and since then, the range has grown to include more and more gorgeous shades. Le Creuset also offers colourful oven-to-table Stoneware, including its latest collection of colours representing the four elements: earth, air, fire and water. Earth represents the colour Cayenne. Air represents the colour Meringue. Fire represents the colour Nectar. And water represents the colour Coastal Blue.

Find recipe inspiration for any day of the week. Download the FREE Le Creuset Recipe app to your phone (iOS or Android) or view the recipes online: www.lecreuset.co.za/recipes