Our mini éclairs are a great way for you to learn how to make easy choux pastry plus they are super tasty! What more could you want?

SERVES 12 // COOK TIME 60 mins

INGREDIENTS
150 ml full-cream milk
100g butter, cubed
200g flour
4 large eggs, beaten
100g chocolate, melted
1 cup cream, whipped

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. Heat the milk and butter in a medium-sized saucepan. As it comes to the boil, remove from the heat and immediately add the flour. Beat the mixture thoroughly to combine, then return to the heat and cook slightly. The mixture will come away from the sides of the pan when ready. Then whisk in the eggs until glossy and thick.
3. Pipe the mixture into 5 cm-long pieces on to a baking tray and place in the oven for 10–15 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown.
4. Remove the éclairs from the oven and poke a hole in each one to release the steam. Return to the oven for a few minutes to dry the centres. Remove and cool on a wire rack.
5. Once cool, drizzle the melted chocolate over the éclairs and leave to set.
6. Fill each éclair with whipped cream, and serve.

If you’re obsessed with home-grown, delicious and nutritious rooibos like us, you must try this rooibos-pear frangipane tart recipe!

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Sharing is caring! So the next time you’re asked to bring a dish, we highly recommend these mini salted caramel and apple tarte Tatins for the perfect summer treat.

MAKES 12 // COOKING TIME 1 hour

INGREDIENTS
1 cup sugar
90 g butter, cubed
½ cup cream
1 tsp sea salt
6 apples, thinly sliced
4 sprigs thyme, chopped
500 g puff pastry
Icing sugar, to dust

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 200ºC and grease a 12-hole muffin tin.
2. Place sugar in a pot over medium heat. Cook, stirring gently with a spatula, for 3–4 minutes, until it has melted and turned an amber colour.
3. Whisk in the butter. Once it is completely melted, slowly pour in the cream, whisking to combine. Add the salt and set aside to cool.
4. Evenly distribute apple slices and thyme between each muffin hole. Bake for 10 minutes, until the apples just begin to soften.
5. Roll out the pastry. Cut out 12 circles to fit the holes of the muffin tin.
6. Remove muffin tin from oven and drizzle 2 tsp salted caramel over each apple portion. Cover each one with a circle of pastry. Using a sharp knife, poke a hole in the pastry, to allow steam to be released during baking.
7. Bake the tarte Tatins for a further 15–20 minutes, until pastry is golden brown and completely cooked through.
8. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely, before carefully inverting to remove from the tin. Dust with icing sugar and serve.

Recipe & styling: Luisa Hayes
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za

Heading to brunch? These miniature fruit phyllo pastries with guava and blueberries will be a hit!

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Get your hands on these mini goat cheese balls for the ultimate quick and easy party platter snacks! Make them with lemon and poppyseed, tomato and chilli and/or pesto and chives for your guests to enjoy a variety.

SERVES 12–15 // COOKING TIME 15 min + 1 hour cooling

INGREDIENTS
For the cheese balls
250 g cream cheese, at room temperature
200 g goat’s cheese, at room temperature
For the lemon and poppyseed
1 tbsp lemon zest
½ cup poppyseeds
For the tomato and chilli
¼ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
¼ cup chilli flakes
For the pesto and chives
1 tbsp pesto
½ cup chopped chives

METHOD
1. Mix the cream cheese and goat’s cheese.
2. Add lemon zest OR sun-dried tomatoes OR pesto. Freeze for 30 minutes.
3. Scoop out 2 tbsp cheese at a time and roll into balls.
4. Roll the balls in the poppyseeds OR chilli flakes Or chives, ensuring they are evenly coated. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
5. Serve with crackers.

Recipe & styling: Amerae Vercueil
Photography: Kendall-Leigh Nash//HMimages.co.za

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Nothing says ‘soul food’ like some delicious savoury South African gems. These mini steamed breads stuffed with bean chakalaka are sure to satisfy every comfort food craving you have!

MAKES 6 // COOKING TIME 1 hour 5 min

INGREDIENTS
For the chakalaka filling
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, peeled and diced
2 tsp curry powder
2 tsp crushed garlic
1–2 chillies, chopped
4 cups thinly sliced cabbage
2 tomatoes, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 large carrot, grated
400 g tin baked beans
Salt and pepper
For the steamed breads
560 g flour
2 tsp yeast
2 tsp salt
4 tsp sugar
500 ml lukewarm water

METHOD
For the chakalaka filling
1. Heat the oil in a large pot and fry the onion for 5 minutes. Then add the curry powder, garlic and chilli to taste. Fry for 1 minute.
2. Add the cabbage, tomatoes, pepper and carrot. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the baked beans and cook for 3 minutes. Season.
For the steamed breads
1. Grease 6 heatproof moulds (tin camping mugs work well).
2. Sift the dry ingredients into a bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the water. Knead until the dough is combined and no longer sticks to your hands.
3. Divide dough into 6 pieces and roll into balls. Using your thumb, make an indentation in the centre of each ball. Fill with 1 tsp chakalaka. Pinch the sides closed, leaving no filling visible.
4. Place the balls in mugs, cover and leave to rise for 15 minutes.
5. Place the mugs in a pot and fill with water ¼ way up their sides. Cook over medium heat with the lid on for 10 minutes. Cook for a further 10 minutes with the lid slightly ajar.
6. Allow the steamed breads to cool slightly before removing from the mugs.

Top Tip

Avoid getting any water inside the mugs – this will cause the bread to come out soggy instead of light and fluffy.

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

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There’s nothing better than the smell of baked decadent goods wafting in from the kitchen! Spoil the fam this weekend with these delicious, sweet and gluten-free mini banoffee pies.

MAKES 12 // COOKING TIME 1 hour

INGREDIENTS
100 g almond flour
¼ cup buckwheat flour
2 tbsp chia seeds, soaked
1 tsp caster sugar or xylitol
Pinch salt
1 cup coconut oil
1 cup caramel treat
2 small bananas, sliced
½ cup cream, whipped
3 squares 80% dark chocolate, grated

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 160°C. Grease a muffin tin.
2. Blitz both flours, chia seeds, sugar or xylitol, and salt together in a food processor. Add coconut oil and blitz until a soft dough forms.
3. Roll out the pastry to 2 cm thickness, then cut out 12 rounds (a little larger than the holes of your muffin tin). Press the pastry rounds into the muffin holes and pop in the fridge for 15 minutes.
4. Bake for 20–30 minutes until golden and crisp. Set aside to cool and harden.
5. Spoon the caramel into the pastry shells and top with banana and cream. Sprinkle over chocolate to serve.

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

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Theses mini pasta cups are a fun meal option, especially for the kids! Plus, they’re an amazing way to use up leftovers if you made too much pasta.

MAKES 6 // COOKING TIME 40 min

INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
½ cup milk
4 cups cooked macaroni
1 cup grated cheddar, extra to top
1 cup shredded meat
2 eggs
2 spring onions, chopped

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Melt butter in a pot, add flour and mix well. Whisk in milk until smooth.
3. Add white sauce to macaroni, along with rest of ingredients.
4. Spoon into a greased 6-cup muffin tray. Top with extra cheese.
5. Bake for 15–20 min, until golden and firm to the touch.

Recipe & Styling: Brita du Plessis
Photography: Kendall-Leigh Nash

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