The slice is right 

This Sunday afternoon tea-time treat is finally in the spotlight, thanks to Editor Chad January. “As a child, I couldn’t wait to get home from church to devour a custard slice”! Here, he keeps that crunchy golden pastry and silky custard cream but adds a flourish of fresh berries and chopped nuts.  

Custard slice with raspberries and chopped nuts
Serves 8 • Total Time 45 Min (Plus 30 Min Chill Time) 

Ingredients
FOR THE CUSTARD CREAM
1L milk
¾ cup white or castor sugar
12 egg yolks
2/3 cup cornflour
2 tsp vanilla essence
6 tbsp butter, softened 

FOR THE PASTRY 
2 rolls puff pastry, defrosted
¼ cup butter, melted  

TO ASSEMBLE 
Fresh raspberries for serving 
Nuts such as almonds, pistachios or pecans, chopped for serving 
Icing sugar for dusting  

Method

FOR THE CUSTARD CREAM  

1. Gently heat the milk and half of the sugar in a saucepan until the sugar dissolves. 
2. In a bowl, whisk the yolks, remaining sugar and cornflour until smooth. 
3. In a separate bowl, combine a ¼ cup of the warm milk mixture with the egg yolk mixture. Stir until smooth. 
4. Slowly pour the mixture into the remaining milk. The mixture should be poured slowly in a thin stream. Whisk the contents of the bowl as you pour. 
5. Decant this mixture into a pot set over a medium heat. 
6. Allow it to cook gently and continuously stir with a wooden spoon for 4–6 minutes until thickened. 
7. Remove it from the heat. Stir in the vanilla essence and butter until dissolved. Set aside to cool. 

 FOR THE PASTRY

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. 
2. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface. 
3. Cut each sheet into 8 rectangles of about 12 x 8cm each. 
4. Place the pastry onto 2 lined baking trays. Brush the pastry with melted butter before baking for 12–15 minutes. Allow to cool completely. 

 TO ASSEMBLE  

1. Place the cooled custard cream into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle. 
2. Pipe the custard cream onto one puff pastry rectangle and sandwich with another rectangle. Add another layer of pastry if you’re feeling indulgent. 
3. Repeat this process with the rest of the custard cream and puff pastry. 
4. Chill the custard slices in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving. 
5. Serve the slices topped with the raspberries and chopped nuts. Finish it off with a dusting of icing sugar. 

Top tip: Leftover egg yolks can be frozen for 6 months. Be sure to thaw them to room temperature before using. 

If you don’t have a piping bag, fill a reasonably durable plastic food bag with the pastry cream. Tightly seal the bag and snip the corner of the bag to use as a nozzle. 

Photography: Fresh Living Magazine

The post A Decadent Custard Slice: The MyKitchen Way appeared first on MyKitchen.

Green tea’s good for more than just a warming cuppa. Prepare to be wowed by this delicious sweet green tea yoghurt bark, the perfect healthy snack!

SERVES 4–6 // COOKING TIME 10 min

INGREDIENTS
300 g double-cream yoghurt
3 tbsp sugar or xylitol
½ tsp vanilla essence
2–3 drops green food colouring
¼ cup cashews
¼ cup dried cranberries
1 green teabag, leaves only

METHOD
1. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. Combine the yoghurt, xylitol or sugar, vanilla essence and green food colouring.
3. Spread out the mixture on the tray. Sprinkle with cashews, cranberries and tea leaves.
4. Freeze for 1 hour, until firm. Break into chunks and serve.

Recipe: Amerae Vercueil
Styling: Chiara Turilli
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za

If you are keen to indulge in your traditional green tea, but want something with some added zest, try our cucumber, lime and mint green tea.

The post Snack on this healthy green tea yoghurt bark appeared first on MyKitchen.

We all scream for ice cream! The hot days aren’t over yet, so why not whip up a batch of this delicious summery lavender-berry nice cream?

Serves 6 // COOKING TIME 5 min, plus freezing time

INGREDIENTS
8 bananas, peeled, cut into chunks and frozen
1½ cups frozen blueberries, plus extra to serve
2 tbsp honey
2 tsp vanilla essence
1½ tsp dried, finely chopped lavender buds
6 ice cream cones (optional)

METHOD
1. Add the bananas, blueberries, honey and vanilla to a food processor and blend until smooth and fluffy, scraping down the sides every now and then.
2. Stir in the lavender buds.
3. Spoon into a freezer-proof container and place in the freezer for 10–15 minutes to harden.
4. To serve, spoon the nice cream into cones or divide between bowls. Top with extra berries and serve immediately.

Recipe & styling: Kate Turner
Photography: K-Leigh Siebritz // HMimages.co.za

Keen to try some new and exciting flavours? Check out these carrot cake ice cream cones.

The post Savour summer with this lavender-berry nice cream appeared first on MyKitchen.

Delicately flavoured rose water is used a lot in Middle Eastern cuisine. Try this sweet rose-water milk pudding with candyfloss, a traditional Iranian treat!

SERVES 8 // COOKING TIME 20 min, plus 4 hours chill time

INGREDIENTS
2 cups milk or coconut milk
75 ml cornflour
½ tbsp rose water
½ cup cream
¼ cup sugar
½ cup apricot jam
Candyfloss, to serve

METHOD
1. Bring ½ cup milk, cornflour and rose water to the boil.
2. Place remaining milk, cream and sugar in another pot. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking, until boiling.
3. Slowly add cornflour mixture. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring, until thickened.
4. Pour into glasses and cool to room temperature. Chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours.
5. To serve, add 1 tbsp jam to each glass of pudding and top with some candyfloss.

Recipe: Amerae Vercueil
Styling: Chiara Turilli
Photography: Andreas Eiselen // HMimages.co.za

Traditional Turkish delight is another Middle Eastern delicacy perfect for indulging!

The post Rose-water milk pudding with candyfloss appeared first on MyKitchen.

We used edible flowers to make these rose petal, almond and poppy seed doughnuts come to life for the perfect picnic treats.

MAKES 16 doughnuts + doughnut holes // COOKING TIME 1 hour, plus 2–3 hours rising time

INGREDIENTS
For the poppy seed doughnuts
4 tbsp sugar
2 tsp active dry yeast
¾ cup lukewarm water
4 cups flour, sifted
3 eggs, beaten
2 tbsp poppy seeds
1 tsp salt
100 g butter, softened and cut into cubes
Oil for frying
For the icing
2¼ cups icing sugar, sifted
4 tbsp milk
2 drops pink food colouring
To serve
3 tbsp edible dried rose petals
⅓  cup flaked almonds

METHOD
For the poppy seed doughnuts
1. Place the sugar, yeast and water in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix lightly and allow to sit for 10 minutes until foamy and bubbling on top.
2. Add the flour, eggs and poppy seeds and knead well using the dough-hook attachment. After 5 minutes, add the salt.
3. Slowly add the butter and knead until the dough becomes smooth and glossy.
4. Cover the bowl with cling film and allow to rest for 1–2 hours, or until the dough has doubled in size.
5. Punch down the dough and roll out into a thick rectangle. Cut circles out, using a smaller cutter for the ‘hole’.
6. Place the doughnuts on a flour-dusted surface. Allow to prove for a further hour.
7. When the doughnuts have doubled in size, heat a large pot of oil over medium-high heat.
8. Working in batches, fry the doughnuts until golden brown and cooked, about 1–2 minutes a side. Remove from the oil and drain on paper towel.
For the icing
1. Mix all the ingredients together in a large, shallow container.
To serve
1. Allow the doughnuts to cool completely before dipping the top of each one into the icing and transferring on to a plate.
2. Top with rose petals and almond flakes and set aside until the icing hardens.

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

Lavender Camembert terrine will make a lovely addition to your picnic spread.

The post Rose petal, almond and poppy seed doughnuts appeared first on MyKitchen.

We love a dessert that’s made so fresh and naturally, it could be your breakfast! And our buckwheat and blueberry crumble is exactly that.

SERVES 6 // COOKING TIME 1 hour 5 min

INGREDIENTS
For the filling
1 kg blueberries
2 green apples, peeled and cored
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp cornflour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla essence
½ tsp cardamom
For the blueberry crumble
½ cup buckwheat flour
⅔  cup walnuts, chopped
¼ cup desiccated coconut
¼ cup oats
4 tbsp raisins
1 tsp cinnamon
Pinch salt
2 tsp brown sugar
2 tbsp honey
¼ cup butter
1 cup buckwheat flakes

METHOD
For the filling
1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Bring all the ingredients to a simmer over medium heat. Cook for 20 minutes, until thickened.
3. Pour into an oven dish and set aside.
For the blueberry crumble
1. Mix all of the dry ingredients together, except the flakes.
2. Whisk the honey and butter together and mix it into the dry ingredients. The mixture should be slightly moist.
3. Sprinkle the crumble in an even layer on top of the filling. Top with the buckwheat flakes.
4. Bake for 25 minutes, until the crumble begins to brown and you see the blueberries.
5. Serve with extra blueberries and fresh cream.

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

Did someone say brunch? These miniature fruit phyllo pastries are a must for your breakfast spread!

The post Buckwheat and blueberry crumble appeared first on MyKitchen.