’Tis the season to be jolly! ’Tis is also the season to enjoy some of the favourite desserts we only have during the festive season. Make one of these four recipes part of your festive menu.  

Summer trifle   

Serves 10 -12 //  Total time 30 minutes 

Ingredients  

2 80g packets peach jelly
2 350g madeira cake layers, cut into squares 
2 100g punnets raspberries + extra for serving
1L custard 
5 yellow-flesh nectarines, quartered + extra slices for serving 
375ml cream 
110g caster sugar 
3ml vanilla essence   

Method  

1. Prepare jelly according to packet instructions and set in a 3L trifle bowl. 
2. Top with half the madeira cake squares and half the raspberries. 
3. Pour custard over cake and layer with remaining cake and raspberries, then nectarines. 
4. Whisk together cream, caster sugar and vanilla to firm peaks and spoon on to fruit. 
5. Serve topped with extra raspberries and nectarines.

Words and Photographs: Fresh Living Magazine 

Gingerbread Swiss roll with cinnamon cream 

Serves  6 // Cooking time 45 min plus 3 hours cooling time 

Ingredients 

5 large eggs, separated
¼ cup honey
¼ cup dark brown sugar
2 Tbsp finely grated ginger
¾ cup cake flour
¼ cup cocoa
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground ginger
¾ tsp allspice
2 tsp gelatine powder
1 Tbsp cold water
250g plain cream cheese
½ tsp cinnamon
250ml sour cream
½ cup icing sugar  

Method 

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a 20 × 35 cm baking sheet with baking paper.
2. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks for 2 minutes, until pale.
3. Add the honey, brown sugar and grated ginger and beat until combined.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, ground ginger and allspice.
5. Beat the dry ingredients into the egg-yolk mixture until well combined.
6. In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form and fold into the mixture.
7. Spread the batter on to the prepared baking sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes, until lightly browned and firm to the touch. Meanwhile, in a bowl, sprinkle gelatine over cold water and allow to stand for 5 minutes, until soft. Microwave on high until the gelatin melts, about 5–10 seconds.
8. In a clean bowl, beat the cream cheese, cinnamon and melted gelatin until smooth.
9. In another bowl, whip the sour cream with the icing sugar until combined. Fold the cream-cheese mixture into this mixture.
10. When the cake is done, remove it from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Run a sharp knife around the edge of the sheet and invert the cake on to a board. Carefully peel off the baking paper. Cover loosely with a damp kitchen towel. When cooled, spread the filling over the cake. Roll up, wrap in cling wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours.
11. Unwrap the roll and transfer to a plate. Dust with icing sugar.

Recipe & styling: Diane Heierli
Photography: Christoph Heierli 

Trifle cheesecake 

Serves 6 // Cooking time 1 hour 35 minutes

Ingredients 

For the crust 

400g ginger biscuits, crushed
⅓ cup melted butter, cooled  

For the jelly 

80g sachet red jelly 

For the filling 

4 eggs
1 cup sugar
500g cream cheese
3 Tbsp lemon juice
½ tsp lemon zest
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 tbsp flour 

To assemble 

½ cup cream, whipped
3 tbsp pomegranate seeds
⅓ cup raspberries
¼ cup cherries
Mini meringues, to decorate  

Method 

For the crust 

1. Preheat oven to 150°C.
2. Whizz the biscuits and butter together in a food processor. Press into the bottom and up the sides of a springform tin.
3. Blind bake for 10 minutes, then set aside to cool.

For the jelly 

1. Line a cake tin the same size as the one you used for your base.
2. Prepare the jelly according to the packet instructions. Pour into your prepared tin.
3. Refrigerate until set.

For the filling 

1. Beat the eggs and sugar together for 5 minutes, until the mixture is thick.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, cream, lemon juice and zest and the vanilla. Fold in the egg mixture.
3. Sift in the flour and fold in to combine.
4. Pour into the crust and wrap the outside edges of the tin in foil. Place in an oven dish filled with water to create a bain-marie.
5. Bake for 1 hour. Turn off the oven, open the door slightly and allow the cheesecake to cool inside for 1 hour. Then remove it from the oven to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until chilled.

To assemble 

1. Remove the jelly from the tin and place it on top of the cheesecake layer. Refrigerate it overnight.
2. Place the meringues under the grill, or blowtorch them until they are golden on the edges.
3. Decorate the top of the trifle cheesecake with the whipped cream, meringues, pomegranates, raspberries and cherries.

Recipe & styling: Chiara Turilli
Photography: Gareth van Nelson // HMimages.co.za 

Caramel chocolate Christmas cake 

Serves 10 // Cooking time 4 hours 15 min, plus cooling time

Ingredients 

800g mixed dried fruit
410g jar fruit mincemeat
2 oranges
125ml brandy
250g butter, melted and cooled
200g brown sugar
300g cake flour
150g self-raising flour
160g blanched almonds
2½ tsp mixed spice
4 eggs, lightly whisked
2 Tbsp apricot jam, warmed 

Method 

1. Preheat oven to 150°C. Grease a 22 cm cake tin with melted butter. Line the base and sides with baking paper.
2. Mix dried fruit, fruit mince, 1 tbsp orange zest and ½ cup orange juice in a pot. Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring often, until the fruit has softened.
3. Set aside for 30 minutes, then stir in the brandy. Add the butter and sugar.
4. Combine the flours, almonds and mixed spice. Stir into the fruit mixture. Mix in the eggs.
5. Spoon the cake batter into the prepared tin and smooth out the surface. Lightly drop the tin on to the counter to settle the batter.
6. Bake for 3 hours 15 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. If it begins to brown on top, cover loosely with foil and continue baking.
7. Brush the hot cake with the warm apricot jam.
8. Cover the cake with foil, wrap in a large tea towel and leave to cool overnight.

Recipe & styling: Amerae Vercueil
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za 

The post 4 festive dessert recipes appeared first on MyKitchen.

The MyKitchen team have teamed up with Nutriseed to give you the chance to win one of five hampers to the value of R250 each! Each hamper contains a brownie mix and all the seeds you need to make this their festive chocolate cake.

SERVES 8 // COOKING TIME 30 min

INGREDIENTS
½ cup coconut oil
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 box #NuMe Not so Naughty Brownie mix
6 sachets NuSeed Canadian Blueberry and Cranberries

METHOD
1. Beat the coconut oil, eggs and vanilla essence together.
2. Add the #NuMe Not so Naughty Brownie mix and combine well.
3. Mix in the NuSeed Canadian Blueberry and Cranberries.
4. Place mixture into a round or square baking dish lined with baking paper.
5. Place in the oven and bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes.
6. Remove and cool before cutting into slices.
7. Remove from baking dish once cooled and serve either as is or with whipped cream or custard.
8. Decorate with dried fruit and nuts and allow some brandy or orange liqueur to seep into the baked cake before serving.

The post WIN with Nutriseed and their Not-So-Naughty Festive Chocolate Cake appeared first on MyKitchen.

It’s an age-old tradition that’s either adored or despised! Christmas fruitcake is known for its dense, heavy consistency and rich aromatic flavour that is always enjoyed during the festive period. Whether you love it or hate it, we decided to explore the history of Christmas cake with you this week, as well as a delicious bonus recipe!

By Taryn Wilson

Believe it or not, it started as a porridge. The idea first began in England. People would fast before Christmas so that when the big day finally came, they could enjoy a massive feast freely. However, on Christmas Eve it was standard practice to eat a plum porridge, intended to line the stomach in preparation for the festivities of Christmas Day.

Slowly but surely, people began to add spices and other sweet fruit to the original porridge recipe, until eventually the oatmeal itself was replaced with eggs, flour and butter. It became a thicker consistency, resembling a boiled cake.

Wealthier families began experimenting with luxurious and exotic ingredients and spices from the Middle East, making the once plain-and-hearty Christmas Eve porridge even more decadent, until it finally evolved into what we know it as today.

This traditional dish is made in a variety of ways all over the world, with each nationality putting own spin on the base recipe. But one thing is always certain: It’s always filled with tart dried fruit and exotic flavours from the East.

If you didn’t make your Christmas cake 2 months ago, it’s too late to start lovingly feeding it with spiced brandy now. But not to worry, try our very own quick and easy last minute granadilla fruit cake or our caramel chocolate Christmas cake and enjoy it on Christmas Eve in preparation for your big Christmas Day lunch as of old.

The post Love it or hate it, the history of Christmas cake is a must-read! appeared first on MyKitchen.

What would this time of year be without some dense fruit cake doing the rounds? Give yours a fresh spin with juicy granadilla.

MAKES 1 // COOKING TIME 1 hour 30 min, plus soaking time

INGREDIENTS
For the fruit cake
400 g mixed glacé cherries
50 g raisins
50 g mixed peel
100 ml granadilla pulp (6–8 granadillas)
Zest of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 orange
300 g flour
100 g ground almonds
100 g walnuts or macadamias
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
220 g butter, softened
200 g sugar 
5 eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp almond essence
3 tbsp milk
Brandy, to feed, optional
For the granadilla icing
250 g mascarpone
3 tbsp icing sugar
Pulp of 2 granadillas, plus to decorate
250 g white fondant
Edible glitter

METHOD
For the fruit cake
1. Soak cherries, raisins and the mixed peel in granadilla pulp for at least 8 hours (or overnight). Add the zest after soaking.
2. Preheat oven to 170°C. Grease and line a cake tin.
3. In a bowl, mix flour, ground almonds, walnuts or macadamias, baking powder and salt.
4. In another bowl, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating between each addition. Add both essences.
5. Strain the soaked fruit, reserving the granadilla pulp. Add the fruit to the flour mixture, stirring to coat.
6. Add ½ the flour mixture to the butter mixture; add the granadilla pulp and milk; add the remaining flour mixture.
7. Spoon into the cake tin. Bake for 1 hour 15–20 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
8. If you like your fruit cake with brandy, you can spoon some over the sponge a few days before Christmas. Allow it to absorb fully before icing. If you are not using brandy, you can ice your cake immediately.
For the granadilla icing
1. Beat mascarpone, icing sugar and pulp.
2. Roll out fondant and cover the sides of the cake. Spread the mascarpone on top. Decorate the cake with glitter.

The post Last minute granadilla fruit cake appeared first on MyKitchen.

Enjoy our Christmas cake strudel for breakfast on Christmas morning, with coffee and tea around the tree on Christmas eve, or even as a dessert after your big Christmas lunch.

SERVES 4 // COOKING TIME 2 hours

INGREDIENTS
¾ cup sugar
100 g butter
¾ cup water
375 g fruit-cake mix
40 g glacé cherries
¾ tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup flour
¾ tsp baking powder
¾ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
4 sheets phyllo
¼ cup melted butter, for brushing
Icing sugar, to dust

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 160°C.
2. Place the sugar, butter and water in a large pot and bring to the boil. Simmer for five minutes, then add the fruit-cake mix and glacé cherries, and cook for a further 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the bicarb. Allow to cool.
3. Add the beaten eggs to the cooled mixture. Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg, and fold them in.
4. Brush a sheet of phyllo pastry with butter and place on top of another sheet. Repeat with remaining sheets. Place the filling in the centre and roll up into a tight cylinder, folding the ends in to seal the sides.
5. Brush the outside with butter. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Dust with icing sugar to serve.

The post Christmas cake strudel appeared first on MyKitchen.