Design a site like this with WordPress.com
Get started

French Macarons

Welcome back to my blog, and welcome to 2021! I can with full confidence say that I have never been so glad to see a year end than when 2020 ended last week! It was without a doubt the most difficult year I have so far experienced, and it all started with the Covid-19 pandemic. Yes, we are still experiencing the pandemic, however, I believe the worst is over and that we now know what to expect. So to kick off a brand new and hopefully positive year, I decided to get blogging again! The first recipe I’d like to share is for the French classic, “Macarons”. Geez, did it take a few failed attempts for me to finally make some okay looking macarons! This is without a doubt one of the trickiest desserts to make and perfect, as there are so many ways it can go wrong.

After I failed the first time attempting macarons, I decided to first read and watch a lot of videos showing different techniques and ways to make macarons. Regardless of what recipe you use, all the ingredients remain the same, but there are two different methods that can be used. The type of meringue used when making macarons distinguishes the difference between the two techniques. The method I found to be the easiest is when a French meringue (cold meringue) is used. This includes whisking the egg whites until foamy and then gradually adding in the sugar, whisking until the egg whites form stiff peaks. The reason why this is also called a cold meringue is because no heat is used to make the meringue. The second, and slightly trickier method, uses an Italian meringue. An Italian meringue is made by cooking sugar on the stove to create a sugar syrup. When the sugar reaches 118˚C, the sugar syrup is carefully added to the foamy egg whites and beaten until thick and glossy. This method is slightly trickier, as it is important for the sugar to be the right temperature, but many people don’t own a sugar thermometer to do so. However, macarons made using Italian meringue rarely flop or fail, as this type of meringue is more stable than a French meringue.

So for today’s recipe, I used the French meringue method to create a beautifully, delicate, sweet, crispy and chewy macaron filled with tangy lemon curd.

French Macarons (30 servings)

Ingredients

  • 90g almond flour
  • 205g icing / confectioner’s sugar
  • 2 egg whites, room temperature
  • 50g caster sugar
  • gel food colouring, optional

Method

  1. In the bowl of a food processor, add the almond flour and icing sugar. Briefly pulse the mixture 16 times to make sure the almond flour is nice and fine, which ensures a smooth and non-grainy macaron.
  2. Sift the mixture over a large bowl, and discard the grainy leftover residue of the almond flour mixture (it may look like a lot, however don’t add it back as the surface of the macaron will then be grainy and unpleasant).
  3. In a separate bowl, add the egg whites and beat with an electric hand mixer or stand mixer until foamy. Gradually and slowly add the caster sugar to the egg whites, and continue to beat until they form glossy, stiff peaks. Add gel food colouring if using and briefly beat until incorporated.
  4. Add half on the egg white mixture to the almond flour and icing sugar, and using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, gently fold them together. Add the rest of the egg whites and continue to fold the mixture until it ribbons off the spatula. DO NOT OVER MIX! A test to see if the mixture is ready to be used is when you can form a figure 8 with the mixture dripping off the spatula, and it slowly disappears into the rest of the mixture. This process is called “Macaronage” and can make or break how the macarons turn out.
  5. Place the mixture in a piping bag fitted with a round nozzle, and pipe 1.5cm circles on a baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper. Place the macarons a centimetre away from each other. After the macarons have been piped, tap the baking sheet on the bench to get rid of any trapped air bubbles. Additionally, you can take a toothpick and pop visible bubbles on the surface of the macarons.
  6. Let the macarons rest for 30min – 60min, until the surface of each macaron is completely dry. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP. When the macarons are almost dry, preheat the oven to 150˚C.

  • Bake the macarons in the middle of the oven for 15min. The first time I baked macarons I turned on my oven’s confection fan. However, the macarons ended up not rising. So just for safety do not turn on your oven’s confection fan to ensure perfectly risen macarons.
  • When done, each macaron should have a nice smooth top and classic “feet” which is an iconic feature of a macaron. After the macarons are completely cooled, fill with a filling of your choice.

And there you go! After 4 tries I finally put up a batch of decent looking and yummy macarons. I still have lots of room for improvement and practise left until I can say I mastered the art of macarons, but practise does make perfect, and as I am still stuck in lockdown, I have a feeling I will be making many many more macarons!

Happy baking!

Advertisement

Chocolate Stuffed Funfetti Cookies

My time in lockdown has really ignited my passion for baking, and at this rate I’m baking something at least once everyday. Baking is a great stress reliever and a good way to stay positive during these tough times. Unfortunately, I’m unable to share my treats with the rest of my family and friends, which could be a problem as I’m sitting with 24 cookies by myself! However, I decided to freeze some of my baked goods and give it to them when all this madness eventually ends. Today’s recipe is for delicious Chocolate Stuffed Funfetti Cookies.

I’ve been dying to do a funfetti inspired recipe for a while now as it’s super colourful and easy to make. This cookie is just a basic vanilla sugar cookie recipe from the cookbook I got from my grandma, with the addition of funfetti sprinkles. However, as you bite into the buttery soft cookie, you get a chocolatey surprise. When forming the cookies, I moulded the cookie dough around a block of milk chocolate, so when you bite into the cookie, you get the soft smooth taste of chocolate! Don’t worry if the chocolate doesn’t come out melted in the centre, as it still adds another texture and flavour.

Chocolate Stuffed Funfetti Cookies

Ingredients (makes 24 medium sized cookies)

  • 1/2 cup butter or margarine
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tbsp milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 & 1/4 cups flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 to 2/3 cup funfetti sprinkles
  • 2 bars milk chocolate (I use Cadbury)

Method

  1. Preheat the oven at 180˚C. Cream the butter in a mixing bowl until soft and creamy. Add the sugar gradually to the butter and beat until the mixture is well combined. Stir in the egg, milk and vanilla.
  2. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt over the mixture and mix until a soft dough forms. Stir in the funfetti sprinkles.
  3. Using a tablespoon of dough for each cookie, mold the dough around a block of milk chocolate. It is easier to first form the base of the cookie, insert the chocolate, and then cover it with more cookie dough. After the chocolate is added, roll the dough gently in the palm of your hand to form a nicely shaped ball.
  4. Place the cookies on a baking tray lined with baking paper. I bake 12 cookies on one baking tray with about 5 centimeters between each cookie dough ball, as the cookies will spread while they’re baking. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until the edges start to turn golden brown. The cookies will still be soft when removed from the oven. Let them cool on the baking tray for about 10 minutes, as this will help the cookies firm up. Afterwards, place the cookies on a cooling rack until completely cooled.

My parents and I both agree that these are the tastiest cookies I’ve made so far. It’s chewy and crumbly, with a rich butter taste, and the little funfetti sprinkles also add a nice crunchy texture. If you can’t choose between chocolate or vanilla, this cookie is perfect for you as it offers that traditional vanilla flavour as well as a super rich chocolate taste. There’s a lot you can do with a basic vanilla cookie recipe. As long as your ratios are correct, you can basically add any other ingredient you wish. The list is endless!

I hope this week and time in quarantine is treating everyone well. This will hopefully be over soon, but remember to stay positive and healthy, and to keep on baking!

Lots of love,

Courtney xx

Quarantine Cupcakes

There’s no doubt everyone’s life has been turn upside down due to the coronavirus pandemic. I’ve been at home for 2 weeks already as my university closed as a precaution, and now our country is in a nationwide lockdown for 3 weeks. So, it’s safe to say I’ve been quite bored these last few weeks. However, this is the perfect opportunity for me to get lots of baking done and focus on my blog, as I’ve been too busy to post anything before the pandemic was declared. My first recipe I decided to post is my “Quarantine Cupcakes”. This is a basic vanilla cupcake laced with tart dried cranberries, topped with a smooth vanilla buttercream and decorated with Cornflakes caramel brittle and more cranberries.

This cupcake is deliciously light and fluffy, with the dried cranberries offsetting the sweetness of the frosting. The addition of the caramel Cornflakes adds another texture as well as a toasted caramel taste. This basic vanilla cupcake recipe I got from a cookbook called “Cupcakes Essential Recipes” by Ann Nicol. This is definitely a cupcake worth eating in your pajamas while watching your favourite series in the comfort of your couch

Quarantine Cupcakes: Cranberry and Cornflakes

Ingredients (makes 24 normal sized cupcakes)

For the cupcakes:

  • 225g / 8 oz butter, softened at room temperature
  • 225g / 8 oz caster sugar
  • 4 medium eggs, beaten
  • 225g / 8 oz self-raising flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tbsp milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup to 2/3 cup dried cranberries

For the frosting:

  • 150g / 5 oz unsalted butter, softened
  • 225g / 8 oz icing sugar, sifted
  • 2 tbsp warm cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • food colouring if desired

For the Cornflakes caramel:

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • few tablespoons water
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp cream
  • 1/2 cup cornflakes cereal
  • 1 tsp salt

Method

Cupcakes

  1. Preheat the oven to 180˚C/350˚F, and line cupcake trays with paper cases.
  2. Cream the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Whisk in the beaten eggs gradually, adding a teaspoon of flour with each addition to prevent the mixture from curdling.
  3. Sift the remaining flour and baking powder over the mixture, then gradually whisk in the milk and vanilla extract. Stir in the dried cranberries.
  4. Spoon the mixture into the cupcake holders, and bake for 15 minutes until firm and golden brown, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Cool on a wire cooling rack.

Cornflakes Caramel

  1. Heat the sugar and water in a pan over medium heat. Swirl the mixture occasionally until the sugar dissolves and starts to darken in colour. DO NOT STIR or the sugar will crystalise.
  2. Once the sugar is a light to medium brown colour, add the butter and cream. Be careful as the mixture will start to bubble. Take the caramel off the heat. Mix in the salt and cornflakes until all the cornflakes are covered in the caramel.
  3. Pour the mixture onto a tray lined with baking paper, and place in the freezer to harden. When it’s time to decorate the cupcakes, break up the cornflakes caramel into bite sized chunks.

Frosting

  1. Beat the butter until light and fluffy, then beat in the icing sugar and warm cream in two additions. Add vanilla extract and food colouring if desired.
  2. Smear a tablespoon of icing on each of the cooled cupcakes, and smooth out with a spoon or palette knife. It doesn’t have to be perfect 🙂
  3. Decorate with pieces of the cornflakes caramel and dried cranberries.

This is one of my favourite recipes I’ve posted so far. It’s super easy and fun to decorate, and you don’t need to be a piping master to be able to use this icing. It’s rustic and homemade with lots of love, exactly what we need during this time of uncertainty. Hopefully this recipe will put a smile on your face like it put on mine, and will make quarantine just a little bit easier.

Here’s to next time. Remember to stay positive, stay safe, stay home and keep washing your hands, especially before baking!

Sending lots of love!

Courtney xx

Nutty Marshmallow Chocolate Brownies

Wow I haven’t posted a recipe in ages! This past month of being back at university has been busy and tiring. I’ve missed baking so much, but just couldn’t make the time to whip up a quick batch of something yummy. However, today’s recipe I baked a while ago. I got the inspiration for this brownie recipe from one of my favourite cooks and food authors, Nigella Lawson. My boyfriend got me her cookbook, “At My Table” for Valentine’s Day, and as I paged through all her delicious recipes, my mind filled with ideas.

The recipe I immediately gravitated towards, was Nigella’s “Emergency Brownies” recipe. The great thing about this recipe, is that it is perfect for 2 people to share. I doubled the volumes in the recipe for a bigger batch, but even that’s super easy. My idea was to use this standard brownie recipe, and transform it into a Rocky Road inspired brownie. Think marshmallows, chocolate chips, crushed biscuits…the varieties are endless!

Nutty Marshmallow Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients (for 2 large or 4 medium sized brownies)

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 170C/150C Fan/Gas 3. 
  2. Warm the butter, sugar and maple syrup in a small, heavy-based saucepan, stirring occasionally until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat. 
  3. Mix together the flour, cocoa and salt in a bowl, then beat into the melted butter with a wooden spoon until smooth.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk the egg with the vanilla then stir into the pan, ensuring everything is well combined. Fold in the nuts, chocolate chips and marshmallows. Pour and scrape the batter into the foil tin. Bake for 15–20 minutes, until it is beginning to come away at the sides and the top has dried a little just around the edges. 
  5. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool, about 20–30 minutes.

This is honestly the best brownie recipe I have ever tried. After I put the brownies in the oven to bake, I literally licked ALL the batter off the bowl and spatula, and I never regretted it! I am a big fan of ooey, gooey and chewy brownies, and this is most definitely a recipe that delivers on those qualities.

Feel free to add all sorts of extras in this recipe. Salted pretzels, strawberry pieces, white chocolate chips, raisins etc. The list is endless! Happy baking!

Love, Courtney xx

Fudgy Vegan Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

Let’s go VEGAN! One of the goals I have for my blog is to have a great variety of recipes for people to choose from. Whether is sweet, savoury, which I’ll introduce to my blog at a later stage, or vegan, I want to share all types of confectionery using this platform. Today’s recipe will be fudgy vegan double chocolate chip cookies.

Vegan recipes are actually super easy to make, and taste like the real deal. The most important thing is to know what you can substitute normal baking ingredients for, then you can basically transform any recipe into a vegan alternative.


Vegan Substitutes for EGGS

One (1) egg equals:

  • 1 tbsp ground flax seed + 3 tbsp water – blend until mixture is thick, creamy & egg-like.
  • 1 tbsp chia seeds + 1/3 cup water – mix and let sit for 15 minutes.
  • 1 tbsp soy protein powder + 3 tbsp water 
  • 1/2 mashed banana
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
  • 3 tbsp peanut butter 

Multiply whichever alternative you choose above, with the amount of eggs required in original recipe.

Vegan Substitutes for BUTTER

One (1) cup butter (226 g) equals:

  • 1 cup applesauce
  • 3/4 cup avocado – great for chocolate cakes & cookies
  • 3/4 cup mashed pumpkin 
  • 1/2 cup banana
  • 1 cup coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup coconut milk

Vegan Substitutes for MILK

  • soy milk
  • rice milk
  • almond milk
  • cashew milk

SUGAR Substitutes

  • raw brown sugar
  • coconut sugar
  • 1 cup white sugar = 3/4 maple syrup (note* if used, the mixture will most likely be wetter than required. Reduce other overall liquids by about 3 tablespoons)
  • Muscovado sugar

Vegan Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

  • 145g avocado, mashed (about 1 and 1/2 normal sized avos)
  • 300g sugar of choice
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • chia seed or flax seed mixture* see above for preperation instructions
  • 300g self-rasing flour
  • 80g cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 300g vegan chocolate chips or cacao nibs

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 180˚C (360˚F).
  2. Beat the mashed avocado and sugar together in a large mixing bowl until well combined, then beat in the vanilla and soaked chia/flax seeds.
  3. In a seperate bowl sift the flour, cocoa and baking powder together. Add to the wet mixture in stages, a third at a time, and mix well. Fold in the chocolate chips.
  4. Spoon a tablespoon of mixture onto a greased and lined baking tray, letting the mixture drop off the spoon.
  5. Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes. When the cookies are removed from the oven they will still be soft. Leave it to cool completely on the baking tray.

These cookies were absolutely delicious! The first thing I said when I tasted these were “you wouldn’t say they’re vegan!”. They were so chocolately and fudgy, and not dry or dense at all. The morning after I baked them, I warmed some up in the microwave and had them with a cup of coffee, and oh my was that good. These cookies are also very light and not too sweet, which means you can have even more in one sitting!

So there you go, my first vegan recipe I’ve ever attempted, and I think it turned out rather well. Hopefully I’ll be able to successfully create other plant-based bakes in the future. Happy baking!

Regards, Courtney xx

https://www.instagram.com/courtneys_cravings99/

Lemon Madeira Cake

So I’ve recently started my second year at university, which is very exciting as I had a two and a half month long holiday, and boredom started to set in by mid January. Obviously varsity is a lot of work and tests and projects, and combining that with keeping my blog up and running is going to be challenging. Some days I get home at 5PM, then I still need to work, eat, gym, blog and sleep. But I decided that I’m gonna try upload 1 recipe during the week, and one on the weekend.

Today’s recipe is super easy and delicious. I was going through my grandma’s recipe book looking for a simple recipe to share, and came across this Madeira cake. This Madeira cake has a lovely and fresh lemon flavour to help cut through the sweetness of the buttery lemon drizzle icing. The zesty flavour comes from fresh lemon juice and grated rind that is added to the batter.

The texture of the cake is light, fluffy and super moist. Some of the Madeira cakes I’ve had in the past have been super dense and dry, and need lots of icing to make it palatable. The addition of the lemon drizzle in this recipe gives the cake a nice contrast in texture, and adds sweetness.

Lemon Madeira Cake with Lemon Drizzle

Recipe: Cake

  • 113g softened butter
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla essence (1/2 tsp vanilla extract)
  • zest of one lemon
  • 3 eggs
  • 1.5 cups flour
  • 1.5 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1-2 Tbs fresh lemon juice

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180˚C (350˚F). Butter and line a cake tin with baking paper. Set aside.
  2. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and lemon zest, and mix well.
  3. Add the eggs to the mixture one at a time, beating well after each egg.
  4. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt, and add to wet mixture. Beat until everything is well combined. Add the lemon juice and mix briefly. Don’t worry if mixture is quite thick.
  5. Pour mixture into cake tin, and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean with no batter on it.
  6. Let the cake cool in the tin for a few minutes. Turn cake out onto cooling rack and set aside.

Candied lemon slices for decoration

Recipe: Lemon Drizzle

  • 2-3 cups sifted icing sugar
  • 1-2 Tbs fresh lemon juice
  • 1 Tbs salted butter (unsalted can be used, but add a pinch of salt)

Method

  1. Mix the icing sugar and lemon juice together in a heatproof small bowl. 
  2. Add the butter and microwave for 40-45 seconds until everything is melted
  3. Whisk until smooth. Pour over cooled Madeira cake, and decorate with candied lemon slices and mint leaves.

Such a great recipe to have for when you need to whip up a quick cake or sweet treat. It just goes to show that even when you’re busy with work or studies, if you truly have a passion for something, nothing will stand in your way. For me varsity will never stop me from baking!

Regards, Courtney xx

Peppermint Crisp “Springbokkie” Cupcakes

Recently I’ve been thinking about how I can incorporate classic South African and nostalgic ingredients into easy recipes to put my own twist on them. My first thought was that I needed to do something with Peppermint Crisp chocolate. Every South African knows the classic peppermint crisp tart as it’s a traditional dessert, so why not turn the classic into a cupcake! When I was child, my dad would buy us both a peppermint crisp bar. We’d then bite both of the edges off, and use it as a straw to drink a glass of milk. This made the milk all minty and yummy. I made these cupcakes for my dad’s birthday party yesterday, as I thought it would be a great way to celebrate this memory!

Proudly South African!

This recipe I created using a basic vanilla cupcake recipe with added peppermint essence / extract, and pieces of crushed peppermint crisp chocolate. If you’re looking for a really fragrant and intense peppermint flavour, the peppermint extract is necessary, however you can omit the extract if you wish. The frosting is a salted caramel frosting, which comes from my granny’s recipe book that has been passed down to me. Once you bite into these cupcakes it’s like an explosion of peppermint crisp tart goodness.

‘Springbokkie’ Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Frosting

(Makes 25 cupcakes)

Ingredients: CUPCAKES

  • 1/2 cup butter or margarine
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla essence (1/2 tsp vanilla extract)
  • 1 tsp peppermint essence (1/2 tsp peppermint extract)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 3/4 cups cake flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 peppermint crisp chocolate bar, crushed into small pieces

Ingredients: SALTED CARAMEL FROSTING

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 1/2 cups icing sugar, sifted
  • peppermint crisp chocolate pieces as decoration

Method: CUPCAKES

  1. Preheat the oven to 170˚C (338˚F).
  2. Line 2 cupcake tins with 24 cupcake wrappers, and set aside.
  3. Cream the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla, and peppermint essence if using.
  4. Add the eggs one at a time to the mixture, beating well after each egg.
  5. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt over the wet mixture. Beat briefly to combine. Add the milk and beat until everything is well combined, and the mixture is silky. Stir 3/4 of the crushed peppermint crisp chocolate pieces into the batter.
  6. Fill each cupcake holder 1/2 way. Do not overfill as the mixture will rise above the cupcake holder, and may get too crispy.
  7. Bake for 12-14 minutes until golden brown, or until a tooth pick inserted comes out clean with no batter on it.
  8. Let the cupcakes cool in the tin for 5 minutes. Place cupcakes on a cooling rack, and let completely cool before icing them.

Method: FROSTING

  1. Combine the butter and sugar in a saucepan over low heat. Cook and stir until the brown sugar is dissolved.
  2. Increase the heat to medium. Do not stir as the sugar may crystallize. Cook for a few minutes until the mixture starts to bubble in the centre, or turns dark brown. Remove from the heat, stir in salt, and let the mixture cool for a bit. Add the milk and stir until well combined.
  3. Transfer to a heatproof bowl, and let the caramel come to room temperature. Gradually mix in the sifted icing sugar using a stand mixer or electric hand mixer. Mix until creamy, and thick enough to hold its shape.
  4. Place mixture into a piping bag, using any nozzle desired. Pipe onto cooled cupcakes, and sprinkle the remaining 1/4 of the crushed peppermint crisp chocolate on as decoration.

So there you go. My version of the South African favourite. If you really want to be fancy, you could create the classic ‘Springbokkie” shooter, and add a dash of ‘Amarula’ cream liquor to the salted caramel frosting. ‘Amarula’ is a proudly South African cream liquor, but any cream liquor can be used. The opportunities and combinations are endless, and I’m just getting started!

Regards, Courtney xx

Traditional “Afrikaans” treats: ‘Coconut Ice’

These images above are from the first cook book I got from my gran. The title translates to “My First Cook book”.

Being South African, I grew up baking and eating lots of traditional South African or “Afrikaans” treats. Afrikaans is just one of the 11 official languages in SA, and is of Dutch and German decent. This post will be about the first quick and easy sweet treat I enjoyed as a child.

“Klapperys” or “Coconut Ice”

Some people may know this one as it is super delicious and child friendly. Ingredients and method follow below.

What you’ll need (25 individual squares):

  • greaseproof paper
  • butter for greasing
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 150ml water
  • 1 Tb golden syrup
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 1/2 cups dry coconut
  • pink food colouring

Method:

  1. Grease a baking pan with butter, and line with greaseproof paper.
  2. On low heat, add the sugar, water and golden syrup to a saucepan. Stir with a wooden spoon over low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Increase the heat.
  3. Place lid on the saucepan as soon as the mixture comes to a boil, and cook for 10 minutes. Take off the heat and add the vanilla.
  4. Add half of the sugar mixture to a greased heatproof mixing bowl, as well as half of the dry coconut, and mix. Try to work fast, as the sugar cools down quickly.
  5. Pour the coconut mixture onto the greased baking pan, and spread evenly.
  6. Add a few drops of pink food colouring to the rest of the sugar mixture, and add the leftover coconut. Mix quickly.
  7. Pour the pink coconut mixture onto the other mixture in the greased baking pan, and spread evenly.
  8. As soon as the mixture firms up, which shouldn’t take long, cut into squares with a sharp knife. Let the coconut treats completely cool and harden before serving them.
Photo credits: Andrew Young

Give this recipe a go for the next kiddies birthday party you have, or as a quick sweet treat at any gathering.

Regards, Courtney xx

Baked Lemon Cheesecake

This baked lemon cheesecake was the first recipe I perfected. It was a daunting challenge at first , but it’s so easy and delicious that it has become my most baked dessert. I originally found this recipe on a local supermarket, Pick n Pay’s website, and since then I’ve never had the need to try any other recipe!


Lovely lemon cheesecake topped with fresh strawberries

The original recipes calls for cream crackers for the base of the cheesecake, however I use a different biscuit / cookie every time I make this cheesecake. Some of the cookies I use are:

  • oreas
  • coconut cookies
  • ginger biscuits
  • oat cookies
  • digestive biscuits
  • chocolate cookies *note – if cookies with chocolate chips are used, it may change the texture of the base, and make it soft and wet rather than crispy

The ingredients

For the base:

  • about 20 cookies of any variety, depending on how thick you like your base.
  • 60ml melted butter

For the cheesecake filling:

  • 2 cups plain cream cheese, room temperature
  • 2 tsp vanilla essence (1 tsp vanilla extract)
  • 185ml sugar (I use castor sugar as it dissolves easier than granulated sugar)
  • 1 lemon peel – grated
  • 2 extra large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 Tbs corn flour
  • 3 Tbs cake flour
  • 3ml salt
  • 1 cup cream
  • 125ml plain yogurt, or sour cream

The method

  1. Butter a 20cm spring-form tin and line base with a double layer of baking paper (cut slightly smaller than the tin to prevent edges from curling into the mixture.)
  2. Combine crust ingredients and press evenly into base of the tin with the back of a spoon. Place in refrigerator to firm up. Preheat oven to 140°C.
  3. Beat cream cheese in a large mixing bowl until smooth. Add vanilla, sugar and grated lemon peel and mix well. Separate 1 egg. Add white to the mixture and beat well. Add yolk. Beat well again. Repeat with second egg.
  4. Sift cornflour, cake flour and salt over the mixture and mix briefly to blend. In another bowl, beat the cream to same consistency as yoghurt. Using a spatula, fold yoghurt and cream into the cream cheese mixture.
  5. Fill a large roasting pan 1/3 of the way up with hot water. Place the springform tin with cookie base on a large piece of foil and mould foil around the tin to prevent water seeping into the base.
  6. Pour and scrape mixture over crust in foil-covered tin, and place in pan of warm water. Bake at 140ºC for exactly 40 minutes. Increase heat to 180ºC and bake for 12 minutes more. The cake should be puffy and golden on top, set around the edges but still slightly ‘wobbly’ in the middle.
  7. Turn oven off, open door a few centimeters and leave cake to cool in the warm oven for another 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for a further hour. When cake has cooled, run a thin knife blade between the cake and tin.
  8. Gently ease away the sides of the springform tin and turn cake onto a cooling rack covered with a cloth (to prevent marking.) Peel off greaseproof paper, place a serving plate over the base of the cake, and turn it over again onto the plate.
  9. Refrigerate for a few hours to firm. Dust with icing sugar, and serve with your favourite fruits.
Cheesecake topped with pineapple slice

I hope you’ll give this recipe a go. Follow my instagram account @courtneys_cravings99 to be notified of a new blog post.

Regards, Courtney xx