Autumn’s here, and that means apples, spice and everything nice. Whether you’re craving a gooey cheesecake crumble with a fruity twist or a golden tart topped with gingerbread crunch – these two desserts are the ultimate way to sweeten autumn’s chillier evenings. 

1. Apple raspberry and cheesecake crumble 

Makes about 9 squares  

Ingredients 

For the crust:  

100g salted pretzels, finely crushed + extra for serving  
⅓ cup (80g) butter, softened 
½ tsp (2.5ml) cinnamon 
2 Tbsp (30ml) sugar  

For the cheesecake layer:  

250g full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature 
⅓ cup (80ml) sugar 
3 Tbsp (45ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice 
2 large eggs, at room temperature 
1 tsp (5ml) vanilla extract  

For the compote: 

1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced 
120g raspberries, fresh or frozen 
2 Tbsp (30ml) sugar 
¼ cup (60ml) water 
Pinch nutmeg 
½ tsp (2.5ml) cinnamon  

For the crumble: 

⅓ cup (80ml) flour 
⅓ cup (80ml) rolled oats 
1 cup (250ml) dark brown sugar 
½ cup (125ml) butter, softened  

Method 

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C. Line a 20x20cm tin with baking paper and spray with non-stick spray. 
2. To make the crust, combine pretzels, butter, cinnamon and sugar. Press the mixture into the tin. Set aside.  
3. Place cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice, eggs and vanilla extract in a bowl. Whisk using an electrical whisk until mixture is smooth.  
4. Pour the cream cheese mixture onto the base. 
5. Bake for 30 minutes. Once done, set aside to cool completely. 
6. For the apple and raspberry compote, combine ingredients in a small pot. Cook on medium heat until sticky, about 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.  
7. Increase the oven temperature to 180°C. 
8. Combine the crumble ingredients, mixing until the it resembles coarse breadcrumbs.  
9. Sprinkle the mixture on a baking tray. Bake for about 10-12 minutes or until crispy and golden brown. Cool. 
10. To assemble, spread the compote over the cooled cheesecake and top with the crumble. 
11. Cut into nine squares and garnish with pretzels. 

Recipe & Styling: Lichelle May
Photography: Zhann Solomons 

2. Salted apple & gingerbread tart 

Serves 3-4  

Ingredients  

For the gingerbread crumble  

¼ cup (37.5g) cake flour
¼ cup (50g) Muscovado sugar
½ tsp (2.5ml) ground ginger
½ tsp (2.5ml) ground cinnamon
2 Tbsp (30g) cold butter, grated   

For the tart  

⅔ cup (113g) Muscovado sugar
¼ cup (60g) butter
¼ cup (60ml) honey
Pinch ground nutmeg
½ tsp (2.5ml) ground ginger
½ tsp (2.5ml) ground cinnamon
2 Granny Smith or Pink Lady apples
Pinch sea salt flakes
1 sheet (250g) ready-rolled puff pastry, defrosted
1 egg, beaten
Vanilla ice cream, to serve  

Method  

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. For the gingerbread crumble, combine flour, sugar and spices in a bowl.  
3. Rub butter into the flour mixture using your fingertips until it resembles coarse crumbs.
4. Place the gingerbread crumble on a lined baking tray sprayed with non-stick spray. 
5. Bake for about 15-20 minutes, tossing halfway, until golden. Remove and set aside to cool and crisp up.
6. For the tart, place the sugar, butter, honey and spices in a pan over low heat, allowing the sugar to melt. Cook for about 12-15 minutes. 
7. Meanwhile, peel and core the apples then slice thinly.
8. Once the caramel is a deep golden colour, add the apples into the caramel and cook for about 2-3 minutes. Add salt and stir to evenly coat all the apples with caramel. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
9. Place the pastry on a lined baking tray then pack the apple and caramel mixture onto the puff pastry, leaving about a 2cm border of pastry open around the edges. Reserve extra caramel sauce for serving. 
10. Fold the border over the edge of the apple filling in increments. Brush pastry with egg wash. 
11. Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until the pastry is cooked and golden. 
12. Serve sprinkled with gingerbread crumble, ice cream and extra caramel from the pan. 

Recipe & styling: Lichelle May
Photography: Zhann Solomons 

Also read: Mini carrot cake loaves

The post 2 Delicious apple desserts for autumn appeared first on MyKitchen.

Old-fashioned thumbprint cookies get a glow-up, with added cream cheese for a richer texture.

Chewy Hertzoggie cookies 

Makes ±25 

Ingredients

⅔ tub (153g) cream cheese, at room temperature
½ cup (125g) salted butter, at room temperature
1 large egg
1 cup (200g) light brown sugar
1 tsp (5ml) vanilla essence
2 cups (300g) cake flour
1 tsp (5ml) bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp (2.5ml) fine salt
½ cup (85g) desiccated coconut
1½ cups (115g) coconut flakes, chopped
1/3 cup (100g) smooth apricot jam, whisked to loosen 

Method

1. Whisk cream cheese with an electrical whisk until softened and smooth.
2. Add butter and egg then whisk until creamed together and pale yellow in colour, about 5-8 minutes.
3. Add sugar and vanilla then whisk just until combined.
4. Sift together flour, bicarb and salt over the creamed mixture. Mix to combine, forming a dough.
5. Roll 30g pieces (slightly smaller than a golf ball) into balls using your palms.
6. Combine desiccated and chopped coconut flakes. Roll balls in coconut and place on a lined baking tray.
7. Using your thumb or the back end of a wooden spoon, make an indent in each ball. Spoon or pipe a blob of jam into the cavity. Chill until firm.
8. Preheat oven to 180°C.
9. Bake cookies until light brown, about 11-13 minutes.
10. Cool on the tray until firm. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place for 1-2 weeks.

Recipe & styling: Liezl Vermeulen
Photography: Zhann Solomons

Also read: Choc chip cookies with ganache centre

The post Chewy Hertzoggie cookies  appeared first on MyKitchen.

Serve up breakfast with a bit of Mediterranean flair, with our Portuguese baked eggs. We’ve packed in chorizo, chillies, plenty of cheese … basically everything you need to start your day off right.

SERVES 6 // COOKING TIME 45 min

INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp olive oil
150g chorizo, sliced
2 red peppers, seeded and diced
1 chilli, seeded and chopped
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1 tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp dried thyme
2 × 400g tin chopped tomatoes
250g ricotta
6 eggs
80g Parmesan, grated
Salt and pepper
Basil, to garnish
Bread, to serve

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Heat the oil in an ovenproof pan. Fry the chorizo for 5 minutes. Add the peppers, chilli and onion and cook for 10 minutes, until onion is soft. Add the garlic, paprika and thyme and cook for 1 minute.
3. Add the tomatoes and cook, covered, for 15–20 minutes.
4. Remove from the heat and make 6 hollows for the eggs. Spoon the ricotta in-between the hollows, then crack in the eggs. Sprinkle with Parmesan.
5. Bake for 10 minutes, until the eggs are just set.
6. Season with salt and pepper, and garnish with basil. Serve with bread.

Yes, breakfast can get this good in under half an hour. Follow our easy recipe to enjoy restaurant-style poached egg, smoked mackerel and hollandaise bagels in the comfort of your own home.

The post Portuguese baked eggs appeared first on MyKitchen.

Good news everyone! There’s still plenty of time for you to taste one (or all!) of the 24 new flavours at Cape Town’s own Unframed Ice Cream.

By Roxy Greeff

Unframed Ice Cream is acclaimed and recognised locally and internationally for their artisanal approach to creating the perfectly textured scoop, and are particularly famous for their vegan offerings. 20 or the 24 new flavours include vegan offerings, many of these flavours including dairy versions as well.

Take your pick from one of our personal favourites below:
1. Passion fruit
2. Hazelnut
3. Almond
4. Pistachio
5. Mango passion fruit cayenne pepper sorbet
6. Pineapple red pepper lime sorbet
7. Chocolate passion fruit
8. Mango kalamansi sorbet
9. Lychee
10. Avocado, green apple and lime sorbet
11. Kefir amarena
12. Honey
13. Raspberry beetroot sorbet
14. Apricot bergamot sorbet
15. Strawberry celery sorbet
16. Zesty lemon
17. Chocolate tahini
18. Caramel miso
19. Coffee
20. Caramel
21. Black currant

If you love classic flavours, Unframed still has you covered with favourites such as strawberry sorbet and chocolate and vanilla ice cream, all available in dairy and vegan versions. They also offer a range of signature exotic artisan flavours like vegan beetroot, chocolate and ginger ice cream and caramelised banana dairy ice cream.

Visit their store or treat yourself to a pint-sized delivery of your favourite flavour from Uber Eats!

THE DETAILS

When: 10 AM – 10 PM, daily
Where: 45C Kloof St, Gardens, Cape Town, 8001 / V&A Food Market, Dock Rd, V & A Waterfront, Cape Town, 8001
Website: unframed.co.za

The post Have you tasted one of Unframed Ice Cream’s new 24 flavours yet? appeared first on MyKitchen.

Where’s there’s ash there’s fire. We take an inside look at Cape Town’s newest culinary offering, the smouldering ASH restaurant.

By Erin Starr Katzeff

The people of Cape Town love food. This city is practically foodie heaven. The walk along the bustling streets of the CBD, past the sights and scents of restaurants, bars and eateries, is enough to make even the most discerning food lover’s mouth water. Amidst the latest additions to the city’s food scene, there is one particularly alluring newcomer that stands out. The provocatively titled ASH restaurant, is something different.

ASH is the brainchild of Chef Ash Heeger in partnership with Frankie Fenner Meat Merchants and Publik Wine Bar. Heeger has played chef in some of the most sought after kitchens, The Test Kitchen, La Columbe and Dinner by Heston (yes, we mean Blumenthal) in London, all make a cool  appearance on his resumé. The concise menu is single-minded in its approach; this food is all about big, bold flavours. Most of the meat and seafood menu items are cooked over an open flame, giving the dishes – and the restuarant’s name – an added gravitas.

The ambience is moody and dark with a welcome hint of hedonism. The open kitchen, in full view of the diners, provides the evening’s entertainment, with Chef Ash and an ensemble cast dicing, charring, smoking and searing an array of ingredients beneath the kitchen lights. There is a sweeping emphasis on top-to-tail eating, most notably in the pig head scrumpet; a plate of bite sized porky morsels served with schezaun-spiced apple and quince sauce. With the meat being provided by the ethically-conscious and pedantically quality-driven Frankie Fenner Meat Merchants, the meat selection could sway the heart of your most self-righteous vegetarian friend. The slow-cooked lamb, served with rosemary oil, smoked onions, pickled lemon and spring broad beans, beckons from the menu. The Italian lemon meringue or the milk stout ice cream sandwich  is reason enough for a cheat day.

Book a table and let us know what you think.

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