Is there anything more comforting than a warm bowl of malva pudding on a chilly day? Try one of these four recipes and cosy up with this traditional South African dessert. 

Chocolate and caramel malva pudding 

Serves 6–8 // Total Time 40–45 Min  

Ingredients 

For the malva 

2 cups (400 g) dark brown sugar  
5 large eggs  
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla essence  
1¾ (263 g) cups cake flour  
½ cup cocoa powder  
2 tsp (10 ml) baking powder  
1 tsp (5 ml) salt  
2 cups (500 ml) cream 
80 g dark chocolate, melted 
2 tsp (1 ml) bicarbonate of soda  
1 Tbsp (15 ml) white spirit vinegar     

For the sauce  

¼ cup (60 ml) butter
1 cup (250 ml) brown sugar
1 can (410 g) evaporated milk
Fresh blueberries and mint leaves, for serving 

For serving   

Blueberries
Fresh mint   

Method  

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. 
2. Cream sugar, eggs and vanilla essence until sugar dissolves. 
3. Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt together. 
4. Fold half the dry ingredients through the egg mixture, then add half the cream. Repeat the process. 
5. Fold in melted chocolate. 
6. Combine bicarb and vinegar and add to mixture. 
7. Pour batter into a greased 20×25 cm oven dish and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven and poke holes into pudding using a skewer or sharp knife. 
8. Heat sauce ingredients in a pot until sugar dissolves, then boil for 1 minute. 
9. Pour sauce over hot pudding. 
10. Garnish with berries and mint to serve.

Recipes and photography: Fresh Living Magazine 

Maize malva pudding

Serves 4 // Hands-on 20 minutes // Hands-off 45 minutes 

Ingredients 

200 g caster sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 Tbsp (15 ml) smooth apricot jam
250 g maize meal
1 Tbsp (15 ml) bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp (5 ml) salt
2 Tbsp (30 ml) butter
½ cup (125 ml) milk
1 Tbsp (15 ml) vinegar
1 Tbsp (15 ml) vanilla essence

Method 

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Beat the caster sugar and eggs until fluffy. Whisk in the jam.
3. Sift the maize meal, bicarb and salt into a separate bowl.
4. Melt the butter in a small pot over medium heat. Add milk, vinegar and vanilla essence.
5. Add both the butter mixture and the egg mixture to the dry ingredients and mix well. Pour into a 2 L ovenproof dish.
6. Bake for 45 minutes, until the top is nicely browned. Serve with custard.

Chocolate & Orange Malva Pudding with Custard 

Serves 8–10 //  Total time 1 hour 45 minutes 

Ingredients

For the custard  

2 cups (500 ml) cream 
2 tsp (10 ml) vanilla essence
3 Tbsp (45 ml) castor sugar
4 egg yolks  

For the pudding 

1 cup sugar
3 eggs 
3 Tbsp (45 ml) apricot jam, heated 
1½ cups (375 ml) flour 
1½ tsp (8 ml) Bicarbonate of soda 
1 tsp (5 ml) salt 
25 g butter 
1½ tsp (7.5 ml) vinegar 
⅔ cup (150 ml) milk 
150 g dark chocolate, roughly chopped 
Zest of 2 oranges  

For the sauce 

1 cup (250 ml) cream 
150 g butter 
¾ cup (150 g) sugar 
¾ cup (180 ml) hot water   

Method 

For the custard 

1. Place the cream and vanilla in a pot over medium heat.
2. Add the sugar and egg yolks to a bowl and whisk for 3 minutes, until pale and thick.
3. Just before the cream starts simmering, remove from the heat. 
4. While whisking the egg-yolk mixture, add around half a cup of the hot cream and stir vigorously to mix through. Continue to add the cream bit by bit, to not overheat and curdle the eggs.
5. Move the custard back into the pot and place over a low heat.
6. Stir continuously for 10–15 minutes until the custard has thickened and coats the back of a spoon.
7. Strain the custard into a jug through a fine mesh sieve to remove any bits. Place a layer of cling film on the surface of the custard and refrigerate until needed. Adding the cling film to the surface of the custard prevents a skin from forming. 

For the malva 

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Add the sugar and eggs to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat well until thick, about 2 minutes. Mix through the jam.
3. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, bicarb and salt.
4. Add the butter, vinegar and milk to a bowl and microwave until the butter is just melted.
5. Add the sifted dry ingredients and the milk mixture alternately to the egg mixture. Beat well until smooth and combined. Stir through the chocolate and orange zest until evenly dispersed. Cover and bake for 45–55 minutes.

For the sauce 

1. Just before the pudding is ready, place the ingredients for the sauce in a pot over medium heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved and butter has melted.
2. Remove the pudding from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Use a skewer or knife to pierce holes all over the surface, through to the bottom of the dish.
3. Slowly pour the warm sauce over the pudding, stopping to let it absorb the liquid before adding more.
4. Serve the malva pudding with the vanilla custard.

Chocolate malva pudding with apricot ganache 

Serves 6 // Cooking time 30 minutes 

Ingredients  

For the pudding 

2 cups (500 ml) milk
2 tsp (10 ml) bicarbonate of soda
2 tsp (10 ml) baking powder
2 cups (300 g) flour
1 cup (200 g) white sugar
½ (3 ml) tsp salt
2 eggs
2 Tbsp (30 ml) vinegar
4 Tbsp (60 ml) apricot jam  

For the sauce 

1 tin (410 g) evaporated milk
¼ (50 g) cup sugar
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla essence 

For apricot ganache 

100 g dried apricots, chopped
200 g dark chocolate, melted
200 ml cream, heated 

Method 

For the pudding 

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C.
2. In a bowl, mix together the milk and bicarb. In a separate bowl, mix together the remaining ingredients, and then add the milk mixture and stir until smooth.
3. Pour the batter into a baking tray or individual baking ramekins, filling them 3⁄4 of the way, and bake for 30 minutes until golden.

For the sauce 

1. Heat the ingredients in a saucepan until the sugar has dissolved.
2. Pour over pudding as soon as it is removed from the oven so that it can soak in.

For the ganache 

1.  Add all the ingredients into one bowl and mix through until incorporated. Serve with the malva pudding.

Also read: Creamy condensed milk rice pudding

The post 4 warm and wonderful malva pudding recipes   appeared first on MyKitchen.

Did you know orange fruits and veggies are good for your immune system and vision? We breakdown the health benefits. Adding an array of colours to your diet has numerous health benefits (not to mention it makes your plate pretty, too).  

ORANGE 
Fruit and veg such as carrots, citrus and stone fruit set their bright orange colour from pigments called carotenoids. The tend to be hush in vitamin c and potassium and help to maintain a healthy immune system and protect vision.  

Mango, Orange And Chilli Prawn Cocktail 

Serves 4 Total Time 15 Min 

INGREDIENTS

2 oranges, segmented 
1 mango, peeled and diced 
½ onion, chopped
1 red chilli, seeded and chopped 
handful fresh coriander, chopped 
3 tbsp mayonnaise 
2 tsp horseradish  
2 tsp tomato sauce  
1 tbsp butter  
8 prawns, deveined 
1 lime or lemon, juiced  

METHOD

1. In a large bowl, add the orange, mango, onion, chilli and coriander. Toss through to combine.
2. Divide the salad mixture between four serving glasses.
3. Combine the mayonnaise, horseradish and tomato sauce. Season to taste and set aside.
4. Heat the butter in a large pan and fry the prawns for 6-8 minutes or until cooked through. Drizzle with lime or lemon juice.
5. Place two prawns in each serving glass and drizzle with the sauce. Serve immediately.

Words by Chad January
Photography: Fresh Living Magazine

The post Mango, Orange And Chilli Prawn Cocktail  appeared first on MyKitchen.

If you’re struggling to decide on what to make for dinner then this quick and delicious pasta puttanesca recipe has your name on it. You’re also likely to have many of these ingredients in your pantry.

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS
2 tbsps olive oil
3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
Zest of ½ orange
2 × 170 g tins tuna in oil
1 cup black olives, pitted and chopped
⅓ cup capers, drained and chopped
½ tsp red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
400 g linguine, cooked
2 tbsps chopped chives, to garnish

METHOD
1. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over low heat. Add the garlic and fry until it starts to brown.
2. Stir in the cherry tomatoes, orange zest, tuna (along with the oil), olives and capers. Allow to simmer for about 20 minutes, then remove from the heat. Add the vinegar and season.
3. Toss the linguine with the sauce to coat. Serve garnished with the chopped chives.

Feel like you’re eating a restaurant-quality meal in the comfort of your own home, with this delicious spicy shrimp pasta recipe. You must try it!

The post Pasta puttanesca appeared first on MyKitchen.

Unleash your wild side and impress your guests this evening with our fancy duck leg with orange, fennel and watercress recipe.

SERVES 4 // COOK TIME 60 mins

INGREDIENTS
4 duck legs
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and black pepper
5 oranges, 1 zested and juiced, 4 halved
¼ cup sugar
2 star anise
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 bulb fennel, sliced
90 g watercress

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 160°C.
2. Place the duck in a bowl. Add 1 tbsp oil and season. Toss to coat. Place the duck skin-side down in a pan. Cook over high heat for 5 minutes until browned. Place in a roasting tin, skin-side up.
3. Place the orange zest and juice, sugar, star anise, fennel seeds and ½ tsp salt in the pan the duck was cooked in. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes to form a glaze.
4. Pour the glaze over the duck and add the orange halves. Bake for 20 minutes.
5. Remove the duck from the oven and transfer to plates to rest. Add the fennel bulb to the roasting tin, and bake for 8 minutes.
6. Dress the watercress with the rest of the oil, and season.
7. Serve the duck legs with the baked fennel and orange, and the watercress.

Quick tip: To check if your bird is ready, make a small incision near the bone. If it’s done, the juices should run clear. And this works with chicken as well!

There is no better dish to serve up to guests than a traditional French coq au vin. Cooking with wine guarantees you’ll have plenty of fun in the kitchen with this one!

The post Duck leg with orange, fennel and watercress appeared first on MyKitchen.

Lemon meringue pie might be a classic. But there’s surely no way it competes with our delicious orange meringue pie. Don’t believe us? Try it for yourself.

SERVES 6 // COOK TIME 50 min

INGREDIENTS
1 roll shortcrust pastry
1 tin condensed milk
3 ½ oranges
4 eggs, separated
¾ cup caster sugar

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 200º C. Grease and line a tart tin. Press the pastry into the tin.
2. Bake blind for 10 mins, and then set aside.
3. Lower oven to 180º C.
4. Mix together the condensed milk, the zest and juice of 2 oranges and 4 egg yolks.
5. Pour into the crust and bake for 20 minutes.
6. Bring ½ cup caster sugar and ¼ cup water to the boil. Cook until the syrup is a rich amber colour.
7. Whip 3 egg whites until foamy. Beating continuously, drizzle in the syrup until stiff and glossy.
8. Spread the meringue over the top of the pie and pop under the grill until browned. Refrigerate.
9. In a pot, bring the juice of 1 orange and ¼ cup caster sugar to a simmer. Cook until the sugar is dissolved.
10. Thinly slice ½ an orange and add to the mixture in the pot. Simmer for 20 mins. Use the orange slices to decorate your pie.

Recipes & styling: Chiara Turilli
Photography: Samantha Pinto

Dreaming of a creamy, ultra-smooth classic cheesecake recipe, paired with a red-velvet crust? Then look no further than this simply decadent red-velvet cheesecake recipe.

The post Orange meringue pie appeared first on MyKitchen.

Are you an on-the-run snacker? These chocolate-orange rye bars are packed with healthy ingredients to keep you going for the rest of the day.

MAKES 12 // COOKING TIME 50 min

INGREDIENTS
For the rye bars
1½ cups rye flour
1½ cups rolled oats, toasted
½ cup coconut oil, melted
¼ cup honey
¼ cup unsalted pecans, roughly chopped
For the chocolate-orange filling
100 g dates, pitted
50 g dark chocolate, melted
⅓  cup unsalted almonds
¼ cup cocoa
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp coconut oil
Zest of 2 oranges
1 egg yolk

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 180°C and line a large loaf tin.
2. Combine all the ingredients for the rye bars to form a crumbly dough. Separate this into 2 equal portions and set aside.
3. Place all the ingredients for the chocolate filling in a food processor and blend on high for 3–5 minutes, until a smooth paste forms.
4. Transfer 1 portion rye dough to the loaf tin and press into an even layer. Spread with chocolate filling and cover with remaining dough. Bake for 20–30 minutes, until golden brown and crisp on the top.
5. Allow to cool completely, then cut into 12 bars.

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

While these rye bars make a yummy sweet treat, our blueberry, cinnamon, vanilla and yoghurt granola bars are great for the morning rush!

The post Chocolate-orange rye bars for on-the-go snacks appeared first on MyKitchen.