Planning a picnic? Fill your basket with easy homemade nibbles from braaibroodjie scrolls to sweet Biscoff treats.
Braaibroodjie scrolls
Planning a picnic is all about keeping things simple, portable and delicious. Feel free to add your favourite store-bought treats to this incredible selection of homemade nibbles that are easy to prepare ahead of time and perfect for sharing.
Serves 8
Ingredients
2 Tbsp (30ml) butter
1 onion, coarsely chopped
Flour, for dusting
1kg store-bought bread dough
½ cup (125ml) chutney (optional)
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1½ cup (375ml) grated matured cheddar cheese
1 cup (250ml) grated Gruberg cheese
180g sundried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped
1 egg, beaten
Salt and milled pepper
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Spray a 20x30cm baking tray with non-stick spray.
- Heat a pan on a medium heat and melt the butter, sauté the onions for about 15 minutes and season. Set aside to cool.
- Dust the work surface with flour.
- Roll the bread dough out to about ½cm thick and in a rectangle shape of about 50x35cm.
- Spread the chutney on the bread dough and top with caramelised onions, garlic, cheeses and sundried tomatoes. Season.
- Gently press on the filling to secure before rolling.
- Roll the bread dough lengthwise into a tight roll.
- Cut into 5cm pieces, rotating the roll after each slice to maintain round shape. Pack tightly into the prepared baking tray. Brush tops with egg wash.
- Bake in the oven for about 40-45 minutes or until cooked and golden.
- Cool in tin before storing in an airtight container or eat warm.
Thai chicken sausage rolls
Makes about 16
Ingredients
700g chicken sausages
1 shallot or small red onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3cm knob fresh ginger, peeled
3 Tbsp lemongrass paste (optional)
20g coriander, finely chopped
1 small Thai chilli, seeds removed and finely chopped
Salt and milled pepper
400g puff pastry, defrosted
1 egg, whisked
2 Tbsp (30ml) black sesame seeds
Coriander, for serving
1/4 cup (60ml) sweet chilli sauce, for serving
Method
- Remove the casings from the sausage and add the chicken to a large mixing bowl.
- Add the shallot, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, chilli, coriander and season to taste. Mix well, cover and place in the fridge until cold.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Dust the work surface with flour and lay the pastry flat on the counter.
- Cut the pastry into 12×30 cm strips.
- Add 2-3 Tbsp of the filling down the middle of each puff pastry strip.
- Brush the end of the pastry with egg wash, fold over the pastry to close the sausage roll.
- Crimp the ends of the pastry with a fork.
- Cut the long roll into smaller individual sausage rolls, about 5cm big.
- Place on a baking tray brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- Bake the sausage rolls in the oven for about 25 minutes or until cooked and golden.
- Garnish with coriander and serve with sweet chilli sauce.
Cheesy garlic shortbread
Makes about 18
Ingredients
1½ cups (375ml) flour
50g Parmesan cheese, grated
50g Gruyere cheese, grated
1 clove garlic, finely grated
3-4 sprigs thyme, picked
½ cup butter, softened
1 egg yolk
Salt and milled pepper
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Line a shallow baking tray with baking paper and spray with non-stick spray.
- Combine the flour, cheeses, garlic and thyme in a large mixing bowl. Season with salt and milled pepper, to taste.
- Add the butter and use your fingertips to rub the butter in until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
- Add the egg yolk and mix through; do not overmix. The mixture should hold together when compressed together.
- Lightly dust the work surface with flour and roll the pastry to about 0.5cm thick. Use a 5cm cookie cutter and cut out rounds. Repeat until all the dough is used. Place the biscuits on the prepared baking tray.
- Bake for about 15-20 minutes.
- Serve the shortbread with your favourite cheese and dips for the perfect picnic snack.
Strawberry white chocolate rice crispy bars
Makes about 24
Ingredients
300g white chocolate, chopped
230g puffed rice cereal
1/5 cup (50g) butter
3 packets (450g) white marshmallows
2 tsp (10ml) vanilla essence
Pinch salt
1 packet (100g) shelled pistachios, chopped (or use nuts of choice)
2 tsp (10ml) ground cardamom
20g freeze dried strawberries, crushed
50g white chocolate, for decorating
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Line a baking tray with baking paper, scatter the chocolate on the baking tray and bake for about 10-15 minutes until melted and golden brown.
- While the chocolate is caramelising, line another 20cm x 20cm deep baking tray with baking paper and spray with non-stick spray, this is for the rice crispy treats to set in.
- In a large pot on a low-medium heat, melt the butter and once melted add the marshmallows. Stir until the marshmallows are melted. Remove from the heat.
- Add the caramelised white chocolate to the marshmallow mixture and mix to combine.
- Add the puffed rice, vanilla, pinch of salt, 50g pistachios and cardamom to the marshmallow mixture and mix to coat all the puffed rice.
- Flatten the mixture gently with your fingertips or back of a large metal spoon, in the prepared baking tray. Allow to set for about 1-2 hours.
- Cut the rice crispy treats into bars or squares of your choice.
- Drizzle with melted chocolate and garnish with freeze dried strawberries and remaining pistachios.
Cook’s note
This recipe is so easy to make, but you need to work quickly when the puffed rice is being combined with the marshmallow mixture, as it cools down and sets quickly!
Fudgy Biscoff hedgehog
Makes 18-20
Ingredients
80ml (75g) butter
200g white chocolate
1/4 cup (60ml) golden syrup
150g Lotus Biscoff Biscuits
100g Marie biscuits
½ cup (125ml) Biscoff spread
1 tsp (5ml) vanilla essence
For the topping:
¼ cup (60ml) Biscoff spread, melted
4-5 Lotus Biscoff Biscuits, crushed
Method
- Line a 20cm round or square tray with cling wrap and spray with non-stick spray.
- Combine the butter, chocolate and syrup in a small pot on a medium heat. Stir until melted, set aside to cool slightly.
- Crush the Biscoff and Marie biscuits, it should be coarsely crushed and not to a powder.
- Combine the chocolate mixture with the biscuits, Biscoff spread and vanilla and mix to combine.
- Press the mixture into the prepared tray and allow to set in the fridge for about 2 hours.
- Cut into squares, drizzle with Biscoff spread and sprinkle with crushes biscuits.
Recipes and styling: Lichelle May
Photography: Zhann Solomons
