This sheet cake won the hearts of everyone who tasted it! It has the best of both: a tangy berry base and a sweet ganache topping. 

Buttermilk berry cake with whipped ganache

Makes 20 squares 

Ingredients

2½ cups (375g) self-raising flour
1½ cups (330g) caster sugar
½ Tbsp (7.5ml) bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp (5ml) fine salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup (250ml) milk
1 cup (250ml) buttermilk
½ cup (125g) butter, melted
2 tsp (10ml) vanilla essence
½ cup (125ml) strawberry or raspberry jam
200g strawberries, tops removed and sliced 

For the white chocolate ganache: 

6 slabs (80g each) white chocolate
⅖ cup (100ml) cream
10g butter
Pink food colouring (optional)
Edible flowers, for decorating
Freeze-dried strawberries, for decorating (optional) 

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a 35x25cm sheet tray with baking paper. 
2. Combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Whisk together all the wet ingredients and pour into the dry ingredients while mixing, creating a smooth batter. 
3. Pour batter into prepared tray.Dot jam over and swirl lightly using a spoon, to spread out. Scatter with strawberry slices. 
4. Bake for 28-33 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove and cool completely in the tray. 
5. Meanwhile, melt chocolate and cream over a double boiler until smooth — don’t overheat. (Alternatively, you can use the microwave, working in 30-60 second increments to avoid overheating and seizing.) 
6. Remove mixture from the heat and add butter, stirring to melt.
7. Add a drop of pink colouring, if using. Leave to cool at room temperature until semi-firm, or chill for 30 minutes to speed up the process. 
8. Whisk ganache with an electric whisk to create a fluffy spread.
9. Spread ganache onto sheet cake. Slice into squares.
10. Just before serving, decorate with edible flowers and sprinkle over crushed freeze-dried strawberries. 

Good idea: To save on cost, you can swap the ganache topping for a fluffy butter icing instead. 

Recipes & styling: Liezl Vermeulen
Photography by: Zhann Solomons

Also read: Tools that take our MK team’s baking to the next level 

The post Buttermilk berry cake with whipped ganache appeared first on MyKitchen.

Whether it’s creating a tender crumb in baked goods, tenderising meat or adding a tang to salads – good-for-you buttermilk is extremely versatile! 

Curried chicken in buttermilk marinade

Make a starter platter with this lightly spiced chicken off the braai. Add avocado salad or char-grilled red onion on the side. 

Serves 6-8 (As a starter) 

 For the marinade 

1 batch basic buttermilk marinade 

1 Tbsp mild curry powder 

2 tsp ground turmeric 

1 tsp ground coriander 

1 tsp ground cumin 

3cm knob grated fresh ginger 

1 packet (16) chicken wings, cut into buffalo wings 1 packet (6) chicken drumsticks 

Salt and milled pepper 

Herby yoghurt or chutney. for dipping 

1 red onion, charred (optional) 

Sliced fresh jalapeños, for serving (optional) 

 Method

1. Combine the marinade ingredients.
2. Season chicken, add to marinade and toss to coat evenly.
3. Marinate for 1-2 hours at room temperature, tossing often (or in fridge overnight; remove 1 hour before braaiing to bring to room temperature). 

4. Remove chicken from marinade, brushing off any excess. (Doing this prevents drippings that can extinguish your braai coals.)
5. Braai chicken over medium-hot coals, grilling wings for 15-18 minutes and drumsticks for 23-25 minutes or until crispy on the outside and cooked through.
6. Serve on a platter with dipping sauce, red onion and chillies, if using.

Braai snoek & buttermilk samp 

This samp is ultra creamy, which is offset by the slight tang from the dairy  

Serves 4-6 

Ingredients

2 cups samp, soaked overnight and drained 

5 cups vegetable stock 

3 bay leaves 

2 cups buttermilk 

1 clove garlic, crushed 

A cup olive oil 

4 sprigs thyme, stems removed 

Salt and milled pepper 

Squeeze lemon juice (optional)  

For the marinade 

100g butter, melted 

½ cup apricot jam 

¼ cup chutney 

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce 

2 cloves garlic, crushed 

1 chilli, chopped (optional) 

Method

1. Place samp, stock and bay leaves in a large pot and cook over medium heat for 75 minutes, or until soft and tender. Top up with water if needed and stir often.
2. Stir in buttermilk, garlic, oil and thyme, and season.
3. Add lemon juice, if you like.
4. Combine marinade ingredients and prepare medium-hot coals.
5. Line a braai grid with foil on one side and brush with a little butter.
6. Place snoek on the grid, season well and braai for 15-20 minutes, basting often with marinade.
7. Serve snoek on top of samp.

Marinade magic 

Buttermilk’s lactic acids do a brilliant job of tenderising meat as well as adding flavour, working well with both red and white meat. Remember – the longer the meat marinates, the more the outer layer breaks down. 

Basic buttermilk marinade 

Makes 2 cups 

Combine 1 bottle (500ml) buttermilk, 2-3 sliced Thai red chillies, zest and juice of 1 lemon, ½ tsp freshly grated ginger, 3 crushed garlic cloves, a handful of chopped coriander, 1 tsp salt and milled black pepper. Use on chicken (marinating pieces for 1-2 hours, or 4 hours when using a whole chicken), or submerge lamb or beef in the marinade and set aside for 1-2 hours maximum. 

Mixed berry & almond cream scones 

These glorious gems are perfect to turn a morning tea into a special event. 

Serves 6-8 (As a starter) 

Ingredients

1/3 cup (67g) sugar 

2 tsp (10ml) baking powder 

½ tsp (3ml) bicarbonate of soda 

½ tsp (3ml) salt 

3 cups (750ml) flour + extra for dusting 

½ cup (125g) chilled butter, cubed 

1 packet (100g) almond flakes, roughly chopped 

1 egg, whisked + extra for glazing 

4/5 cup (200ml) buttermilk 

Brown sugar, for sprinkling 

Whipped cream, for serving 

2 cups (500ml) mixed berries, for serving 

 Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Whisk sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt and flour in a large bowl to combine. Add butter and toss.
3. Using your fingertips or a food processor, work butter into flour until you have a fine crumb.
4. Stir through half the chopped almonds.
5. Make a well in the centre, add whisked egg and buttermilk and mix with a fork, incorporating dry ingredients a little at a time, until a dough forms.
6. Knead dough gently in bowl until it just comes together.
7. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and pat into a 2½-3cm thick circle.
8. Cut into 8 circles, and transfer to a baking-paper lined tray.
9. Brush scone tops with egg wash, then sprinkle with sugar and remaining almonds.
10. Bake for 20-24 minutes or until golden and light in weight, indicating it is cooked all the way through.
11. Serve with whipped cream and fresh berries.

Banana & buttermilk ‘soft serve’ 

Super simple and super delicious. Serve sprinkled with coconut or nuts for crunch. 

Serves 4 

Ingredients 

4-5 large bananas, sliced and frozen 1 tsp vanilla essence ½-1 cup buttermilk, ice-cold 

Method

1. Place frozen bananas, vanilla and ½ cup buttermilk in a jug blender. Blitz until smooth, adding more buttermilk as needed. (The amount of liquid will depend on the size of your bananas.)
2. Chill for about 30 minutes to firm up, then scoop and serve.

Compiled by: Liezl Vermuelen 

Recipes & photographs: Fresh Living Magazine 

Also read: Spiced buttermilk marinated wings with chimichurri

The post 4 delicious ways with buttermilk appeared first on MyKitchen.

This quick and easy spiced buttermilk marinated wings with chimichurri recipe will take centre stage at your festive feast.  

Spiced buttermilk marinated wings with chimichurri 

Serves 8-10 

Marinate your chicken the night before for ultra juicy, tender wings.

Ingredients

16-20 chicken wings
Salt and milled pepper
1 cup buttermilk
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp chilli flakes
1 Tbsp smoked paprika
2 tsp ground cumin
1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped
1 lime, zested and juiced 1 cup cornflour   

For the chimichurri  

½ onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic, finely diced
½ punnet (10g) fresh parsley or coriander, chopped
¼ cup olive or canola oil
1 lemon, zested and juiced 
Pinch chilli flakes (optional)  

For serving  

Lemon or lime wedges

Method

1. Cut chicken wings into smaller portions, buffalo- wing style. Season well.
2. Add buttermilk, mustard, chilli flakes, paprika, cumin, chilli and lime zest and juice.
3. Toss to coat evenly and allow chicken to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
4. Remove wings from the marinade (do not shake off too much excess marinade) and gently coat with cornflour.
5. Cook in the oven or air fryer at 180°C for about 15-18 minutes, turning half way until golden, crispy and cooked through.
6. For the chimichurri, combine onion, garlic and fresh herbs. Add remaining ingredients and season.
7. Serve wings on a platter, drizzled with chimichurri and lemon or lime wedges on the side.  

Recipes & styling: Chad January 

Photographs: Zhann Solomons 

The post Spiced buttermilk marinated wings with chimichurri appeared first on MyKitchen.

We have all been there! It’s 10 pm, and you’re busy baking for your little one’s class party when you realise you’ve run out of, well, cake flour. Don’t fret! Here are the most crucial baking substitutes to save the day when you find yourself in a pinch. 

Dry ingredients

Cake flour

Who knew you don’t need cake flour for cake? Bread flour combined with cornstarch works just as well. Remove two tablespoons of bread flour per 1 cup and replace it with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch.  

Baking powder 

Baking powder is crucial in the baking process as it is a leavening agent. It helps baked goods rise by adding gas bubbles. If you run out of baking powder, mix ½ teaspoon of cream of tartar with ¼ teaspoon of baking soda for every teaspoon of baking powder you may need. Don’t have cream of tartar? Replace it with another acid – a teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice will work perfectly. 

Also read: 4 baking tips you may not have known about

Brown sugar 

If you’re a frequent baker, you are bound to run low on sugar at some point. A simple replacement for brown sugar is a mixture of granulated sugar with a dark syrup like maple syrup or agave nectar. To get 1 cup of brown sugar, mix 1 cup of granulated sugar with 2 tablespoons of syrup and blend in a food processor. 

Wet ingredients 

Buttermilk 

If you don’t have buttermilk in the fridge, use this buttermilk cheat and make your own in a matter of minutes. For every cup of buttermilk, use 1 cup of milk with a tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon. You can even thin plain yoghurt with water until it’s pourable. 

@lorafied Save money! DIY: Buttermilk #tiktokkitchen #fy #foryoupage #fyp #howto #buttermilk #diyfood #milkhack #savemoneyhack #savemoneytips #moneysavinghack #makeyourown #scratchbaking #madefromscratch #easyrecipe #homehack #cookinghack #stopbuying #recipetips #homemaking #homemakingforthemodernmom ♬ Happy – Pharrell Williams

Eggs 

No eggs? No problem! Mayonnaise is your best bet if you’ve run out. It’s made with eggs and will help your bakes rise and give moisture and structure. Three tablespoons will replace one egg in your batter. Alternatively, (if you don’t mind the taste of banana) mash ¼ of a cup to replace 1 egg. 

Also read: Cooking and baking jargon to add to your vocab

Photography: Shutterstock

The post Common baking substitutes to save the day appeared first on MyKitchen.

Buttermilk is totally underrated and deserves its moment in the limelight, which  is why editor Chad January has shared four ways it can easily be added into our  weekly rotation to tenderise meat and add zing. 

Pork and crispy ravioli salad with zingy buttermilk dressing 

Serves 4 • Total Time 30 Min  

Ingredients

FOR THE PORK  

1 pork fillet (about 500g to 800g) 
Salt and milled black pepper  
2 tsp ground coriander  
1 tsp ground cumin  
1 tsp smoked paprika  

FOR THE RAVIOLI  

250g store-bought filled ravioli  
Vegetable oil, for frying  

FOR THE DRESSING  

1 cup buttermilk  
1 lemon, zested  
1 lime, zested  
2 tsp pink or mixed peppercorns, crushed 
2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil  
Pinch chilli flakes  

FOR SERVING  

1 packet cos or gem lettuce hearts, halved or shredded 
Glug olive oil  
2 stalks celery, shaved 
125g cherry tomatoes, halved  
Fresh basil, for serving  

Method

1. Generously season pork fillet. 
2. Combine coriander, cumin and paprika and evenly coat pork with the spice mixture. 
3. Heat oil in a large pan and fry fillet for about 5-6 minutes per side or until cooked through and all sides are golden. Set aside to rest for about 5-6 minutes before slicing. 
4. Deep-fry ravioli in hot oil for 3-4 minutes or until golden. Drain on kitchen paper and season. 
5. Combine dressing ingredients in a bowl and season well. 
6. Arrange lettuce, celery, tomatoes and basil on a serving platter. 
7. Top with sliced pork, crispy ravioli and drizzle with buttermilk dressing. 

Chef’s Tip 
No ravioli? No problem! Swap for crunchy ciabatta croutons or crispy baby potatoes.  

Buttermilk-marinated steak with herbed creamy mash 

Serves 4 • Total Time 30 Min Plus 30 Minute Resting Time 

Ingredients

FOR THE STEAK  

4 rib eye steaks or porterhouse steaks  
Salt and milled black pepper  
Canola oil, for frying 
3 Tbsp butter  
1 lemon, juiced  

FOR THE MARINADE  

2 cups buttermilk  
4 cloves garlic, grated  
2 tsp chilli flakes  
1 tsp smoked paprika  
2 Tbsp chopped fresh chives   

FOR THE MASH  

6 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed  
¼ cup buttermilk  
2 Tbsp butter  
1 Tbsp wholegrain mustard  
3 Tbsp chopped chives or parsley, plus extra for serving  

Method

1. Generously season steaks. 
2. Combine marinade ingredients and add steaks, taking care to coat evenly. Marinate for 30 minutes. 
3. Boil potatoes for about 6-8 minutes or until cooked through. Drain. 
4. Mash potatoes with the back of a wooden spoon until smooth. 
5. Stir through buttermilk, butter, mustard and herbs. Season well. 
6. Remove steaks from marinade and pat dry. 
7. Heat oil in a large saucepan or griddle pan and fry steaks for about 3-4 minutes per side. 8. Add butter during last 2 minutes of cooking time. Add lemon juice and baste steaks with pan drippings. Rest for at least 4-5 minutes before slicing. 
8. Dollop mash onto plates and top with sliced steak. 
9. Drizzle with pan drippings and garnish with fresh herbs. 

Chef’s Tip
This marinade works wonders on chicken and pork too. The buttermilk’s slight acidity helps to tenderise meet and bring out its flavour. 

Buttermilk vetkoek with cream cheese, biltong and preserved figs 

Serves 4-6 • Total Time 20 Min 

Ingredients

FOR THE VETKOEK  

2 cups cake flour  
4 tsp baking powder  
1 tsp salt  
2 Tbsp melted butter  
1 egg  
1 cup buttermilk  
2 Tbsp chopped coriander  
Vegetable oil, for frying  

TO SERVE  

100g cream cheese  
2 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme, plus extra for serving 
Salt and milled black pepper  
50g sliced biltong  
100g preserved figs, quartered and syrup reserved  

Method

1. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. 
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together butter, egg, buttermilk and coriander. 
3. Combine wet and dry ingredients to create a smooth, thick batter. 
4. Using a large serving spoon, drop spoonful’s of batter into hot oil and fry for about 5-6 minutes or until vetkoek is golden and cooked through. Drain on kitchen paper. 
5. Combine cream cheese and thyme. Season well. 
6. Serve buttermilk vetkoek with dollops of herbed cream cheese and top with biltong and figs. Drizzle with preserved fig syrup and garnish with fresh herbs to finish. 

Mustard And Buttermilk Poached Chicken With Wilted Greens And Charred Red Onions 

Serves 4 • Total Time 45 Min 

FOR THE CHICKEN  

¼ cup butter  
3-4 cloves garlic, sliced  
2 tsp grated fresh ginger  
1 lemongrass stalk, sliced  
1 red chilli, halved  
2 cups buttermilk 
½ cup chicken stock  
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard  
Handful fresh coriander  
4 chicken breast fillets  

TO SERVE  

Glug olive oil  
3 red onions, quartered  
200g pak choy, halved  
200g baby spinach  
100g mange tout  

Method

1. Heat a large casserole dish on the stove and melt butter. 
2. Stir in garlic, ginger, lemongrass and chilli and fry for about 2-3 minutes. 
3. Reduce heat and add buttermilk, stock, mustard and coriander. Gently simmer for 2-3 minutes. 
4. Completely submerge chicken in liquid. Cover with a lid and poach over a gentle heat for about 15-20 minutes or until cooked through. 
5. Fry red onions in a separate pan for 5-6 minutes or until golden and charred. 
6. Add pak choy, spinach and mange tout to pan and cook for about 2-3 minutes. 
7. Remove from heat, season well and add a pinch of chilli flakes. 
8. Serve chicken with wilted greens and charred red onions. 

Chef’s Tip
Shred any left-over chicken into remaining buttermilk sauce and toss through some cooked pasta for a quick lunch or dinner idea.  

The post 4 Ways with Amazi (Buttermilk) appeared first on MyKitchen.

Feeling a little cash poor? These four affordable ingredient swaps will help you save money, and are just as tasty!

1. Make buttermilk with lemon juice
We rarely use the whole carton in one go anyway! By mixing 1 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice with every 1 cup milk, you can make the exact amount of buttermilk you need, on the cheap.

2. Replace mincemeat with lentils
Bobotie, meatballs or good ol’ spaghetti Bolognese – all of these meaty favourites can be made with more affordable plant-based protein. Lentils mimic the texture of mince and will take on whatever flavours you cook them with.

3. Quinoa over barley
Barley is a cheaper option that provides you with more fibre, nearly as much iron, and plenty of manganese, selenium and other phytonutrients. The only downside is that it contains gluten.

4. Use Chia seeds instead of flaxseeds
Ground-up (that way your body can absorb the nutrients), flaxseeds provide plenty of protein and omega-3 fatty acids. And they can be used to replace eggs in vegan cooking and baking, in the same way as chia seeds.

The post Affordable Ingredient Swaps To Save You Money appeared first on MyKitchen.