This delicious Camembert and pear crinkle quiche is perfect any time of the day and can be the main event or on your cheese board.

Camembert & pear crinkle quiche 

Serves 6 

Ingredients

1 box (500g) phyllo pastry
½ cup butter, melted 
250g Camembert
2-3 Forelle pears, cored
2 large eggs
1 cup cream
5 sprigs thyme, leaves picked
Salt and pepper 
Honey, for serving  

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Line a 22cm square baking tray oven dish with king paper.  
2.  Brush two sheets phyllo pastry with melted butter. Place e on top of the other d fold the stack over create a rectangle. ush the top with melted butter.  
3. Secure the bottom the pastry sheet with your thumbs, then stretch out your other fingers and drag pastry down towards your thumbs. Repeat this movement to ruffle the pastry, creating a concertina shape.
4. Place pastry strip in a prepared tray. Repeat the process with remaining pastry and pack strips tightly into tray.
5. Slice Camembert and fruit into 3mm-thin pieces. Tuck the fruit and cheese slices in between the ruffles. 
6. Brush liberally with remaining butter and bake for 15 minutes to par-bake pastry. 
7. Whisk together the eggs, cream and thyme leaves then season. Remove pastry and pour over the par-cooked pastry. 
8. Continue baking for another 25-30 minutes until golden and set. 
9. Remove from dish and cool for 10 minutes. 
10. Slice and serve warm with a drizzle of honey. 

Recipes & styling: Liezl Vermeulen
Photography: Zhann Solomons

Also read: 3 golden rules of pastry 

The post Camembert & pear crinkle quiche  appeared first on MyKitchen.

Autumn just got a whole lot sweeter with these easy pear recipes! From a creamy cardamom and pear breakfast to a fresh salad, and even a delicious tart, the crunchy pear is the star of these yummy dishes.   

Creamy cardamom & pear overnight oats 

Serves 4  

Ingredients 

1 cup oats
2 cups pear juice
2 cardamom pods, crushed
½ tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp salt
2 cups plain yoghurt
3 pears, 2 chopped + 1 sliced
2 Tbsp peanut butter
1 tsp cinnamon 

Method 

1. Mix the oats, pear juice, cardamom pods, ground cardamom and salt together in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
2. Fold through the yoghurt and chopped pear.
3. Top with sliced pear, peanut butter and cinnamon.

Recipe: Jezza Rae Larsen
Styling: Elizabeth Mackenzie
Photography: Jotham van Tonder // HMimages.co.za 

Steak & pear salad with homemade mint dressing 

Serves 4  

Ingredients 

For the steak 

500g steak
2 Tbsp olive oil  

For the dressing  

2 Tbsp red-wine vinegar
2 Tbsp chopped mint
⅓ cup olive oil
Salt and milled pepper 

For the pear salad 

1 cup watercress
2 cups rocket
2 radishes, thinly sliced
1 pear, cored and thinly sliced
1 disc feta, crumbled
¼ cup pumpkin seeds, toasted 

Method 

For the steak 

1. Heat a griddle pan over high heat. Drizzle the steaks with olive oil and season generously.
2. Grill for 2–3 minutes a side, then remove from the heat and rest before slicing into thin strips.

For the dressing 

1. Whisk all ingredients in a bowl. Season.

For the pear salad 

1. Toss the watercress, rocket, radishes and pear slices together in a bowl.
2. Top the salad with feta, pumpkin seeds and slices of steak.
3. Drizzle the dressing over the salad or serve on the side.

Recipe & styling: Kate Turner
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za 

Rooibos & pear frangipane tart 

Serves 6  

Ingredients 

For the rosé-poached pears 

2 cups rosé wine
2 cups water
1 cup brown sugar
¼ cup rooibos tea leaves
5cm lemon rind
1 cinnamon stick
3 pears, peeled  

For the pastry  

125g butter, at room temperature
1 cup white sugar
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla essence
¼ tsp baking powder
1½ cups cake flour
3-4 Tbsp cold water 

For the frangipane crème 

100g butter, softened
1 cup icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 egg
1 cup almond flour
1 Tbsp cake flour 

To decorate 

Flaked almonds, toasted  

Method 

For the rosé-poached pears 

1. Place all ingredients, except the pears, in a pot and bring to a simmer.
2. Add the pears and simmer for 20 minutes, until soft but not falling apart.
3. Strain out the pears, slice and remove the cores. Set aside.

For the pastry 

1. Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Add egg yolk, vanilla and baking powder. Whisk until well combined.
3. Using your beater on a low speed, add the flour and water, 1 Tbsp at a time, until the dough comes together. Roll into a ball, wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate overnight.
4. Preheat oven to 170°C and grease a springform cake tin.
5. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to about 1cm thick. Press into the base of the tin and prick all over with a fork.

For the frangipane crème 

1. Cream together butter, sugar and vanilla until pale.
2. Add the egg and mix well.
3. Fold in the almond flour and cake flour.

To assemble 

1. Spread the frangipane crème over the pastry. Arrange the poached pears on top. Sprinkle with the flaked almonds.
2. Bake for 30 minutes, until golden brown and set.

Recipes & styling: Chiara Turilli
Photography: Samantha Pinto 

Also read: Biltong and pear tartlets

The post 3 Pear recipes perfect for autumn  appeared first on MyKitchen.

Use these candied pear slices as cake toppers, or dip in chocolate and wrap it up for a nice gift.  

Candied pear & edible flower decorations 

Makes 12-16 

Ingredients

2 cups (500ml) water
2 cups (400g) sugar
2 pears, thinly sliced
Handful edible flowers (we used pansies) 

Method

1. Add water and sugar to a pot over high heat, stirring to dissolve.
2. Add pears to the boiling sugar syrup, simmer for 12-15 minutes until glossy.
3. Remove from heat and leave the pear slices to sit in the syrup for 30 minutes until translucent.
4. Preheat oven to 120°C.
5. Arrange pear slices on a tray lined with baking paper.
6. Decorate the pear slices by gently pressing a few edible flowers on each slice.
7. Using a brush, paint over the flowers with extra sugar syrup to seal.
8. Bake the decorated pear slices for 1 hour, then flip over, reduce heat to the lowest setting and bake for another 30 minutes. Remove and allow to cool.
9. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place for up to 1 week.

Words by: Sjaan Van Der Ploeg
Photographs: Getty Images, Fresh Living Magazine 

The post Candied pear & edible flower decorations with just 4 ingredients  appeared first on MyKitchen.

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

SERVES 6 // COOK TIME 40 min + overnight  

INGREDIENTS
For the rosé-poached pears
2 cups rosé wine
2 cups water
1 cup brown sugar
¼ cup rooibos tea leaves
5 cm lemon rind
1 cinnamon stick
3 pears, peeled
For the pastry
125 g butter, at room temperature
1 cup white sugar
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla essence
¼ tsp baking powder
1½ cups cake flour
3–4 tbsp cold water
For the frangipane creme
100 g butter, softened
1 cup icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 egg
1 cup almond flour
1 tbsp cake flour
To decorate
Flaked almonds

METHOD
For the rosé-poached pears
1. Place all ingredients but pears in a pot and bring to a simmer.
2. Add the pears and simmer for 20 minutes, until soft but not falling apart.
3. strain out the pears, slice and remove the cores. set aside.
For the pastry
1. Cream together butter and sugar until pale.
2. Add egg yolk, vanilla and baking powder, and whisk until well combined.
3. Using your beater on a low speed, add the flour and water, 1 tbsp at a time, until the dough comes together. Roll into a ball, wrap in cling film and refrigerate overnight.
4. Preheat oven to 170°C and grease a springform cake tin.
5. on a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to about 1 cm thick. Press into the base of the tin and prick all over with a fork.
For the frangipane creme
1. Cream together butter, sugar and vanilla until pale.
2. Add the egg and mix well.
3. Fold in the almond flour and cake flour.
To assemble
1. spread the almond creme over the pastry. Arrange the poached pears on top. sprinkle with the flaked almonds.
2. Bake for 30 minutes, until golden brown and set.

Recipes & styling: Chiara Turilli
Photography: Samantha Pinto

DID YOU KNOW? Frangipane is a sweet filling made from or flavoured with almonds, named because frangipani flowers were originally used to give it its taste. (Don’t try this at home!) It can be used to fill all sorts of cakes and pastries.

Learn how to make the perfect batch of shortcrust pastry, and then use it to create this beautiful apple and raspberry tart.

The post Rooibos-pear frangipane tart appeared first on MyKitchen.

You can put together this this steak and pear salad in no time for a fresh and light summery dish. Don’t forget the home-made dressing!

SERVES 4 // COOKING TIME 20 min

INGREDIENTS
For the steak
500 g steak
2 tbsp olive oil
For the dressing
2 tbsp red-wine vinegar
2 tbsp chopped mint
⅓ cup olive oil
Salt and pepper
For the pear salad
1 cup watercress
2 cups rocket
2 radishes, thinly sliced
1 pear, cored and thinly sliced
1 wheel feta, crumbled
¼ cup pumpkin seeds, toasted

METHOD
For the steak
1. Heat a griddle pan over high heat. Drizzle the steaks with olive oil and season generously.
2. Grill for 2–3 minutes a side, then remove from the heat and rest before slicing into thin strips.
For the dressing
1. Whisk all ingredients in a bowl. Season to taste.
For the pear salad
1. Toss the watercress, rocket, radishes and pear slices together in a bowl.
2. Top the salad with feta, toasted pumpkin seeds and slices of steak.
3. Drizzle the dressing over the salad or

Recipe & styling: Kate Turner
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za

Steak also pairs deliciously with spanspek and paprika in this supercharged salad.

The post Steak and pear salad with home-made mint dressing appeared first on MyKitchen.

These creamy and nutritious cardamom and pear overnight oats are the ideal get up and go breakfast, and are extremely budget-friendly.

SERVES 4 // COOKING TIME 15 min, plus overnight

INGREDIENTS
1 cup oats
2 cups pear juice
2 cardamom pods, crushed
½ tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp salt
2 cups plain yoghurt
3 pears, 2 chopped, 1 sliced
2 tbsp peanut butter
1 tsp cinnamon

METHOD
1. Mix the oats, pear juice, cardamom pods, ground cardamom and salt together in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
2. Fold through the yoghurt and chopped pear.
3. Top with sliced pear, peanut butter and cinnamon.

Recipe: Jezza Rae Larsen
Styling: Elizabeth Mackenzie
Photography: Jotham van Tonder // HMimages.co.za

This recipe and our poached pears with spiced creamy oats proves this is a match made in heaven!

The post Creamy cardamom and pear overnight oats appeared first on MyKitchen.