These custard slices are just as scrumptious without the crumble or white chocolate, so leave them out if you prefer! 

Rooibos and vanilla custard slices

Makes 6 (8x6cm rectangles) 

Ingredients

400g puff pastry, defrosted

For the rooibos custard 

3 cups (750ml) milk, warmed
2 Rooibos tea bags
¾ cup (170g) caster sugar
5 Tbsp (50g) cornflour
6 egg yolks, room temperature
⅓ cup (80g) unsalted butter, chilled and cubed

For the cinnamon crumble

½ cup (75g) flour
⅓ cup (67g) brown sugar
7 Tbsp (105g) butter, room temperature
1 heaped tsp (6ml) ground cinnamon

To assemble 

80g white chocolate, melted

Method 

1. Preheat oven to 200ºC. 
2. Roll puff pastry to 3mm thick. Cut pastry into two 20x20cm squares. Prick all over with a fork.  
3. Line a tray with baking paper. Place one pastry square on top, then cover with a second sheet of baking paper. (If you have another baking tray, do the same with the second pastry square, otherwise bake one at a time).  
4. Cover both evenly with dried rice or beans to weigh it down.  
5. Bake pastries for 20 minutes, then remove beans and paper and bake for another 10-15 minutes until golden-brown.  
6. For the rooibos custard, warm milk and tea bags in a pot over high heat until steaming hot. Remove from the heat, stir well to release tea and set aside for 15 minutes to infuse. 
7. Return to stove and heat until steaming hot and set aside again for 10 minutes to infuse some more. Remove and discard the tea bags. 
8. Whisk together sugar, cornflour and egg yolks in a bowl until smooth.  
9. Slowly add ¼ cup of the warm milk infusion to the egg mixture in a steady stream while continuously whisking. (This tempers the eggs, preventing them from overheating and scrambling.)  
10. Add remaining milk infusion in a steady steam while whisking. 
11. Pour mixture back into the pot over medium heat and add the butter.  
12. Cook mixture over medium-high heat, stirring continuously, for about 5-8 minutes or until thickened and smooth. Lower heat as needed to avoid vigorous bubbling.   
13. Set a glass bowl and fine mesh sieve on a work surface. Strain custard to remove any lumps.  
14. Line a cake tin bottom and sides with foil.  
15. Place one pastry sheet into the tin, pour over custard and smooth with a spatula to level.  
16. Gently press the second pastry square onto the custard.  
17. Cover entire tin with cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight to set.  
18. To make the crumble, preheat oven to 200°C.  
19. Using your fingertips, rub crumble ingredients into a rough crumb. 
20. Sprinkle onto a baking tray and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden. Cool. 
21. Remove custard slice from tray and gently slice 6 squares using a bread knife.  
22. Lather melted chocolate on top of squares and sprinkle with crumble topping.  
23. Serve immediately with a cup of Rooibos tea. 

Pastry not playing ball? 

What happens if your pastry squares shrink, becoming smaller than the tin size? Before adding the custard, pull the tin foil lining away from the sides of the tin and up in line with where the base pastry square stops. Insert a small container or object to neatly take up the empty space left on the sides of the tin. This way, the tinfoil will lean against the containers as you pour in the custard, keeping the custard compact and in line with the pastry. Top with the second pastry square and cover as above.   

Recipes: Sjaan van der Ploeg and Fresh Living Magazine
Photographs: Zhann Solomons and Fresh Living Magazine

Also read: Rooibos-pear frangipane tart

The post Rooibos and vanilla custard slices appeared first on MyKitchen.

Tea is defined as a drink made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis (tea) plant. The leaves and leaf buds are used to make several different teas such as black- (Ceylon), green- and oolong tea.  

To create the distinctly different teas, the leaves are processed in various ways to unlock different flavour profiles. Other drinks with the name tea, such as chamomile or rooibos, aren’t ‘true’ teas as they are made from different plants, but they produce the same result of a brewed drink.  

Green tea – Once harvested, the leaves are not left to oxidise (be exposed to air), this keeps them ‘fresher’ and retains their colour.  

Earl Grey – These tea leaves are oxidised and dried, then flavoured with bergamot oil extract. Bergamot oil is derived from the bergamot citrus grown in Italy. This results in the floral and citrus notes of the tea.  

Rooibos tea – Scientifically named Aspalathus linearis, the rooibos tea plant is a shrub with needle-shaped leaves only grown in the Cederberg region of the Western Cape. The leaves are also harvested and left to oxidise and dry out, turning them a deep red.   

Coffee – There’s a common belief that coffee can also be called a tea, but coffee is made from the seed of
a Coffea plant, as opposed to the leaves of a tree.  

Simple syrup – Simple syrup is a mixture made of equal parts water and sugar, boiled for 5 minutes to dissolve the sugar and then cooled. Often used for sweetening cocktails, soaking into cakes to lock in moisture and infusing
with other flavours, it truly is a versatile ingredient and great to have on hand. When sealed properly, simple syrup can last up to a month in the fridge.  

Rooibos-infused simple syrup – Bring 2 cups of water to a boil, remove from the heat and add 2-4 Rooibos teabags of choice (you can use any other tea). Steep for 10 minutes, then discard teabags. Add 2 cups of sugar to the pot and bring back to a boil for 5 minutes to dissolve and thicken slightly.

Recipes: Sjaan van der Ploeg and Fresh Living Magazine
Photographs: Zhann Solomons and Fresh Living Magazine

Also read: Quick and easy Ceylon tea-roasted chilli nuts

The post The lowdown on tea appeared first on MyKitchen.

There are few things as upsetting as reaching for an ingredient, only to find out it expired three weeks ago. From oatmeal to condiments like soya sauce, here are five foods with a long shelf life, along with some helpful storage tips.  

Oatmeal  

How long it lasts: Two to three years 

Oatmeal, the number one nutritious (and delicious) breakfast for many, is jam-packed with essential vitamins, minerals and fibre, making it the perfect food to stock up on in your pantry. “Regular and quick-cooking oats can last in the pantry unopened or resealed for two to three years,” says Laura Burak, a registered dietitian and founder of Laura Burak Nutrition.  

Storage tip: If you want to store your oats for a long while, keep it in a cool, dry place in the original cardboard packaging. Additionally, you can transfer it to an airtight container. 

Spoil your family with these scrumptious rooibos, oat and honey cakes. 

Soya sauce 

How long it lasts: Indefinitely (unopened); six months (opened); two years (refrigerated)  

Good news, sushi lovers! You can buy your soya sauce without fretting about the expiration date. Soya sauce is used extensively in Asian cooking and is a fantastic ingredient to stock in your pantry. Plus, it lasts for long whether it’s been opened or not.   

Storing tip: Once opened, store it in the refrigerator. Putting it in your pantry? Keep your bottle away from appliances that generate heat (like a dishwasher or stove). 

@armitathefoodie Soy sauce hack #soysauce #tiktokhacks #cookingtipsandtricks #foodie #lifelesson #sushi #vancouver#learnontiktok ♬ Savage Love (Laxed – Siren Beat) – Jawsh 685 & Jason Derulo

Sugar 

How long it lasts: Two years 

Most of us go through sugar so fast that we never spare a thought about its expiration date. Those white (or yellow or brown) granules that make our world go round can (technically) be stored forever without spoiling. However, for best quality, it’s recommended that you use sugar within two years of opening.  

Storage tip: Keep your sugar in an airtight, moisture-proof container on a cool, dark shelf in your kitchen. 

Tea 

How long it lasts: Six to twelve months 

From Ceylon and Earl Grey to our beloved rooibos, tea is a popular warm (or cold) beverage enjoyed by most. Depending on the quality, looseleaf tea’s shelf life can extend a year longer than tea bags. Additionally, the type of tea (like aged white tea) can determine the lifespan and even improve with age, while others (herbal teas with added oils) have a shorter shelf life.  

Storage tip: Keep looseleaf tea and tea bags away from moisture and stow them in a sealed container for best results.  

 

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This yummy strawberry and basil iced tea will cool you off during summer’s heat 

Dried fruit 

How long it lasts: Twelve months 

What do you do when you don’t have fresh fruit on hand? Reach for dried fruit (in moderation), of course! Whether you snack on it, throw it in a potjie or use it for baking, dried fruit is a versatile ingredient to stock in any pantry. 

Storing tip: Keep it in tightly sealed containers. Additionally, you can pop it in the freezer to extend its shelf life even more. 

Photography:

The post 5 foods with a long shelf life appeared first on MyKitchen.

It’s no secret that tea not only provides comfort, but holds healing properties as well. We’re diving into tea benefits and what it can do for your body and mind

Tea has been around for centuries and since the beginning, people have been taking advantage of its many benefits. Not only does tea calm, soothe, replenish and warm the body, but it also heals the mind.  Tea contains compounds called polyphenols, which are micro-nutrients that are naturally found in plants. Polyphenols are known to help maintain a stable blood pressure, working to keep your arteries healthy and clean, promoting circulation and reducing inflammation. This also leads to a lower risk of diabetes and cancer growth, and overall a longer and healthier life. Not looking at that cup of tea in the same way anymore, are you? Let’s take a look at a few different teas and understand the benefits each one can have.

Green tea
Green tea leaves are treated immediately after they are picked, preventing them from oxidising, which results in the leaves containing a high concentration of polyphenols. This means that green tea is the least processed tea, since it contains more antioxidant properties compared to oxidised teas such as black tea. Green tea also contains less caffeine than an oxidised tea. 

Matcha
Matcha is a kind of green tea that originated around the 8th century in China and is widely used in both Chinese and Japanese culture. It has recently been introduced into western culture and is often enjoyed as a latte, but is traditionally brewed with water. Matcha has a unique savoury, earthy taste, and many health benefits. It is also often used in cooking and baking to add extra depth to dishes.

Chamomile
Chamomile tea is made from dried chamomile flowers and is loved for the calming, relaxing and soothing effect it can have on the body and mind. This tea can help to aid in sleep difficulties, can reduce muscle spasms and even menstrual cramps. It also helps with anxiety as it contains no caffeine, making it the perfect drink to have before bed. What’s more, chamomile can be given to kids to help calm them down and send them dosing off into a night of peaceful sleep. 

Ginger tea
Ginger tea is brewed using the peeled and chopped ginger root. People usually consume ginger tea to help reduce nausea and ease pain as it also contains anti-inflammatory properties. Ginger also aids in digestion and is commonly consumed with a dash of cayenne pepper, squeeze of lemon and drop of honey to help soothe the symptoms of a cold and sore throat.

Rooibos
Grown only in South Africa, rooibos is a very versatile herbal, caffeine-free tea that yields itself to being mixed with many other flavours. This tea pairs well with a classic combination of milk and sugar, or in other tea varieties with vanilla and berries, or shines perfectly well on its own. Rooibos tea also contains polyphenols, which help with inflammation, pain and allergies, and even skin health. 

Jasmine tea
Interestingly, jasmine tea is made using green tea leaves and the blossoms of the jasmine bush, which then infuse their flavour into the tea. This means that jasmine tea has similar health benefits to normal green tea, just with a more floral taste. It’s a favourite for many to enjoy during teatime as it works well with sweet desserts. 

Buchu tea
Like rooibos, buchu is another incredible plant from South Africa. It has many wonderful qualities and properties that help with issues such as inflammation and stomach irritation, and is used as an antiseptic for urinary tract infections. The tea can be soothing and warm, and also contains no caffeine. Buchu is an incredible tea that traces back to the 16th century, used by the Khoisan people and later by settlers to help
aid in a number of different illnesses and ailments.

While there are various kinds of teas out there, the above-mentioned variants tend to be some of the the most popular. Whether you’re looking to unwind and warm up, soothe some cramps or calm your mind, tea will always be a kettle of boiling water away from making your day that much better. 

Words by Sjaan Van Der Ploeg

Looking to add extra nutrients and vital vitamins into your everyday life? Look no further than freshly squeezed (or blended) vegetable juice.

The post Tea Benefits For Your Body And Mind appeared first on MyKitchen.

Having people over for tea, and don’t want to serve just regular biscuits? Then why not make these delicious hertzoggies filled with coconut and smooth jam?

SERVES 12 // COOK TIME 45 min // HANDS-OFF 60 mins

INGREDIENTS
For the shortbread crust
125g butter, softened
60g caster sugar
125g flour, sifted
For the filling
180 ml smooth apricot jam
2 egg whites
Pinch of salt
100g sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
250 ml desiccated coconut, toasted

METHOD
For the shortbread crust
1. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Rub in the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
2. Knead until dough just comes together. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 180°C and grease a mini tartlet pan.
4. On a floured surface, roll out the dough to 2 mm thick and cut into 12 rounds. Line the pan with the discs. Place in the fridge for 15 minutes.
5. Bake for 12–15 minutes, until golden brown.
For the filling
1. Fill each shell with 1 tbsp jam, then set aside.
2. Whisk egg whites and salt until frothy. Gradually add the sugar, whisking until the mixture becomes stiff and glossy. Fold in vanilla and coconut. Spoon into a piping bag and pipe on to each tartlet.
3. Bake for 5–8 minutes, until light golden.

To make these delicious lamingtons, you don’t need an oven or fancy ingredients. In fact, you may already have most of these staples in your pantry.

The post Hertzoggies appeared first on MyKitchen.

It’s time you ditched the store-bought ginger biscuits and dunked our triple ginger biscuits in a delicious cup of tea instead.

SERVES  16 // COOK TIME 15 min

INGREDIENTS
2 ½ cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 ½ tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ground cloves
¼ tsp salt
¾ cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
¼ cup molasses
⅓ cup candied ginger, finely chopped
1 ½ tsp grated ginger
⅓ cup sugar

METHOD
1. Sift together all the dry ingredients.
2. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Add the egg and molasses and beat until fully combined.
4. Fold in the candied and grated ginger.
5. Add the dry ingredients and use your hands to bring the dough together. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
6. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line a baking sheet.
7. Measure out tablespoonfuls of biscuit dough, roll into balls, flatten and roll in the sugar, until lightly coated.
8. Arrange the biscuits on the prepared tray and bake for 15 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely before serving

Quick tip: For an extra surprise, add some chocolate chips to your biscuit dough along with the candied and grated ginger.

Recipes & styling Joni Dames
Photography: Sean Dollery

Filled with coconut and smooth jam, these hertzoggies are the perfect tea-time bakes.

The post Triple ginger biscuits appeared first on MyKitchen.