If you’re looking for a delicious nostalgic recipe that will make you feel right at home, then this self-saucing chocolate pudding is for you.

SERVES 6–8  •  TOTAL TIME  55 min

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE PUDDING
Flour 2 cups
Cocoa powder ½ cup
Baking powder 1 tbsp
Salt 1 tsp
Caster sugar ½ cup
Brown sugar ½ cup
Eggs 2
Milk 1 cup
Butter, melted 130 g
Vanilla essence 2 tsp
Instant coffee powder 1 tsp

FOR THE SAUCE
Brown sugar 1 cup
Cocoa powder 6 tbsp
Boiling water 2 cups
Double-thick cream

METHOD

FOR THE PUDDING
1. Preheat the oven to 160ºC. Grease a 30 × 20 cm baking dish.
2. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt into a large mixing bowl. Whisk in the sugar.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, butter, vanilla and coffee powder until well combined.
4. Add the wet mixture into the dry mixture and mix until combined. Spread the batter into the prepared baking dish.

FOR THE SAUCE
1. Whisk together the brown sugar and cocoa in a heatproof bowl or jug. Add the boiling water and mix until the sugar has mostly dissolved.
2. Gently pour the sauce onto the pudding over the back of the spoon.
3. Bake the pudding for 40–45 minutes or the top is firm and the pudding is bubbling around the edges. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before tucking in. Serve with scoops of ice cream, if desired.

Recipes & styling: Sjaan van der Ploeg:
Stylist assistants: Kirsty Buchanan & Jezza-Rae Larsen
Photography: Chanelle Naudt/hmimages.co.za

The best desserts are the ones that start with a freezer staple and end with creative and yummy add-ins. e.g this Neapolitan ice cream!

The post The Best Self-Saucing Chocolate Pudding appeared first on MyKitchen.

Winter fruit can create some surprisingly bright dishes! This raspberry swirl cheesecake with gold-dipped cherries is the perfect tea time treat for a special occasion.

SERVES 6 // COOKING TIME 3 hours 45 min

INGREDIENTS
For the biscuit base
2 packets Romany Creams
180 g butter, melted
For the filling
500 g full-cream smooth cream cheese
385 g tin condensed milk
¼ cup lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla essence
For the raspberry swirl
1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
¼ cup sugar
For the topping
½ cup cherries, pitted
1 tbsp edible gold dust
Pomegranate rubies
Lavender flowers

METHOD
For the biscuit base
1. Lightly grease a 23 cm tart tin.
2. Pulse the biscuits in a food processor until they resemble breadcrumbs.
3. Add the melted butter and pulse until the mixture is well combined and sticks together when pressed.
4. Spread evenly over the base and sides of the tart tin, pressing down firmly.
For the filling
1. Combine cream cheese, condensed milk, lemon juice and vanilla essence until the mixture has a thick, smooth consistency.
2. Pour the filling into the base. Place in the fridge for 20 minutes, until semi-set.
For the raspberry swirl
1. Purée the raspberries in a food processor.
2. Place the raspberries and sugar in a small pot. Heat until the sugar dissolves, stirring continuously.
3. Strain the raspberry sauce through a fine sieve and discard the pips. Allow it to cool.
4. Pour the cooled sauce into a piping bag. Drop dots of the sauce on to the surface of the cheesecake. With a toothpick, draw a line down the centre of each dot to form a heart shape.
5. Place the cheesecake back in the fridge for 3 hours or overnight, until fully set.
For the topping
1. Dip the cherries in the edible gold dust and arrange on top of the cheesecake. Scatter the pomegranate rubies and lavender flowers over the cake.

Recipe & styling: Caro Alberts
Photography: Myburgh du Plessis

The post Raspberry swirl cheesecake with gold-dipped cherries appeared first on MyKitchen.

It’s healthy, it’s refreshing and it’s delicious! This cucumber, lime and mint green tea is the ideal detoxifier to keep you feeling great this winter.

SERVES 4 // COOKING TIME 15 min

INGREDIENTS
2 cups water
2 green tea bags
Zest and juice of 1 lime
1 cucumber, ribboned
¼ cup mint, bruised
3 tbsp mint leaves

METHOD
1. Add the water, green tea bags, lime zest and juice, half the cucumber ribbons and the bruised mint to a jug. Stir well and allow to infuse for 25 minutes.
2. Strain the tea and place in the fridge.
3. Serve chilled with mint leaves and the remaining cucumber ribbons.

Recipe & styling: Joni Dames
Photography: Peet Mocke // HMimages.co.za

The post Healthy cucumber, lime and mint green tea appeared first on MyKitchen.

Hot beverages are the epitome of winter! Enjoy all the wonderful flavours of this spiced rooibos tea with ginger, star anise and orange for a sweet and comforting drink.

SERVES 4 // COOKING TIME 20 min

INGREDIENTS
4 rooibos tea bags
2 cups boiling water
Zest and juice of 1 orange
2 star anise pods
2 cm ginger, bruised

METHOD
1. Add ingredients to a pot over medium heat. Bring to the boil.
2. Immediately turn off the heat and allow to infuse for 5 minutes.
3. Strain the tea, divide between cups and serve.

Tip: If you have the flu, add the juice of 1 lemon and 3 tbsp honey to this tea.

Recipe & styling: Joni Dames
Photography: Peet Mocke // HMimages.co.za

The post Spiced rooibos tea with ginger, star anise and orange appeared first on MyKitchen.

Get a little creative with your favourite breakfast treat and try these naturally dyed scones for extra colour and flavour! Spinach, beetroot and pumpkin make these treats a savoury delight in the morning.

Makes 15 // COOKING TIME 28 min

INGREDIENTS
For the scones
1¾ cups flour
1 tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
2 tbsp butter
½ cup vegetable purée
¼ cup milk
1 egg
For the vegetable colouring
One of the following:
100 g spinach, blanched and puréed with 1 tsp lemon juice
2 beetroots, steamed and puréed
125 g pumpkin, steamed and puréed

METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C and line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Mix.
3. Rub in the butter until the mixture forms crumbs.
4. Make a well in the centre and add the vegetable purée of your choice, milk and egg. Fold in until well combined.
5. Turn the dough out on to a floured surface. Roll out to 2 cm thick and cut out rounds.
6. Place the rounds on the baking tray and brush with milk.
7. Bake for 10–12 minutes. Allow to cool on a wire rack.

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

The post Make these gorgeous naturally dyed scones appeared first on MyKitchen.

Did someone say high tea treats? The sweet and savoury combo of these Cheddar crumpets with baked blueberry jam is simply perfect with a hot pot of tea.

MAKES 8 // COOKING TIME 1 hour 20 min

INGREDIENTS
For the blueberry jam
2 cups blueberries
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup water
Zest and juice of 2 lemons
For the crumpets
1 cup milk
50 g cream cheese
1 cup cold water
2 cups white bread flour
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp yeast
1 tsp salt
100 g white mature Cheddar, grated
50 g yellow mature Cheddar, grated
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
Butter, to fry

METHOD
For the blueberry jam
1. Mix all the ingredients and leave to rest for 10 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 170°C.
3. Spread mixture on to a baking tray and bake for 30 minutes, giving it a stir every 10 minutes.
For the crumpets
1. Heat milk and cream cheese in a pot, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, add water and set aside to cool.
2. Mix flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Make a well in the centre. Gradually add milk mixture, stirring until smooth.
3. Cover the bowl with a damp tea towel and leave to proof for 40 minutes, until bubbles form.
4. Fold in Cheddar and bicarb. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
5. Melt butter in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Ladle in about ⅓ cup batter.
6. Cook for about 8 minutes, until large bubbles form and the centre looks set. Flip over and cook for another 2 minutes.
7. Serve the crumpets with butter and blueberry jam.

Recipe & styling: Chiara Turilli
Photography: Andreas Eiselen/HMimages.co.za

The post The fluffiest Cheddar crumpets ever, with baked blueberry jam appeared first on MyKitchen.