White chocolate and strawberry popcorn

Popcorn is high up on our list of tasty snacks: it’s crunchy, salty (or sweet) and you can eat a whole bucketload! Try our white chocolate and strawberry popcorn. 

MAKES 4 cups // COOKING TIME 25 min 

INGREDIENTS

100g white chocolate chips (optional)
¼ cup strawberry jam
½ tsp salt
3 cups popcorn (±2 tbsp kernels)
½ cup dried strawberries (optional)

METHOD

1. Line a baking tray.
2. Place chocolate, jam and salt in a pot. Stir until melted.
3. Add the popcorn and stir to combine.
4. Pour onto the baking tray and allow to cool.
5. Mix in the dried strawberries. Store in an airtight container.

Recipe & styling: Amerae Vercueil
Photography: Andreas Eiselen 

A decadent chocolate-stuffed vetkoek

MAKES 12 // COOKING TIME 1 hour 30 min 
We love a savoury vetkoek. But a dessert one? Even better! 

INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp yeast
1 egg
¼ cup milk
¼ cup buttermilk or amasi
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
50 g butter, melted
100 g  your favourite chocolate bars, cut into chunks
Oil, to deep-fry
Icing sugar, to dust

METHOD

1. Whisk sugar, yeast and ¾ cup lukewarm water. Set aside for 5–10 minutes, until foamy.
2. Add egg, milk, and Amasi or buttermilk. Whisk to combine.
3. Place the flour and baking powder in a large bowl. Add yeast mixture and butter and mix in. Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 5 minutes, until smooth.
4. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with cling film, and set aside for 45–50 minutes in a warm place until doubled in size.
5. Knock back the dough and roll it out to 2cm thick. Cut out 12 discs. Place a chocolate chunk in the centre of each disc, fold over the sides and shape into a ball.
6. Place on a lined baking tray, cover with a cloth and let rise for 15 minutes, until doubled in size.
7. Fill a deep pot with oil, place over medium heat and fry the vetkoek in batches for 2 minutes, until golden and cooked through.
8. Drain on a paper towel and dust with icing sugar.

Styling: Luisa Hayes
Photography: Juliette Bisset // HMimages.co.za

Vegetarian chocolate chilli

SERVES 4 // COOKING TIME 40 min 

Try something different with this vegetarian chocolate chilli. You can even jazz it up with chickpeas, lentils, or tofu for a delicious veggie dish. 

INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp coconut oil
½ onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 small red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp paprika
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
400g tin mixed beans, drained and rinsed
400g tin chopped tomatoes
100g sweetcorn
150ml red wine (or water)
100ml vegetable stock
30g dark chocolate (80%), roughly chopped
Salt and pepper

METHOD

1. Heat oil in a large pot. Fry the onion, garlic, chilli, cumin and paprika for 3–5 minutes, until spices are fragrant, and onion is soft.
2. Add the celery and carrot and cook for another 3 minutes, until slightly browned.
3. Add the beans, tomatoes, sweetcorn, wine (or water) and vegetable stock. Bring chilli to the boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, partly covered, for 20–25 minutes.
4. Stir in the chocolate until it is melted and evenly combined. Season with salt and pepper.

Recipe, styling & photography: Anett Velsberg

Chocolate martini  

Serves 4 | Total time 45 min + 2 hr refrigeration   

Whether it’s shaken or stirred, this cocktail is the perfect kick-off to any occasion. 

Ingredients
150g dark chocolate, chopped
3 cups Baileys Irish Cream liqueur
1 cup chocolate liqueur

Method

1. Place 4 martini glasses in the freezer. This will ensure a perfectly cool drink.
2. Carefully melt the chocolate over a double boiler or in a microwave until smooth.
3. Remove the glasses from the freezer.
4. Using a spoon, spread a layer of chocolate in the shape of a half-moon on the inside of each glass.
5. Combine the liqueurs in a cocktail shaker or screw-top jar filled with about 1 cup of ice. Shake until thoroughly chilled.
6. Strain the martini into the prepared glasses.
7. Serve your martinis with a few gingerbread stars (perfect for dipping) dusted lightly with icing sugar.

Recipe & styling: Sjaan Van Der Ploeg
Photography: Zhann Solomons

Coffee-rubbed silverside with chocolate-chilli butter

SERVES 8 // HANDS-ON 15 min // HANDS-OFF 75 min
Impress your guests with a flavour combination that will get your heart racing and everyone around the table talking. 

INGREDIENTS

3 tbsp ground coffee
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp salt
2 tsp onion flakes
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
1.6kg silverside beef
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 large leeks, thinly sliced
1 garlic bulb, halved
100g butter, at room temperature
80g dark chocolate, grated
½ tsp chilli flakes

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Using a mortar and pestle or hand blender, grind the coffee, sugar, salt, onion flakes, paprika, pepper, coriander and cumin seeds to a fine powder. Rub the Dijon mustard over the surface of the meat and coat in the spice mix.
3. Drizzle the oil on a baking tray. Add the leeks and garlic and place the meat on top. Cover with foil.
4. Roast for an hour, until the centre of the meat reaches 53–58°C. Remove from the oven and rest for 15 minutes.
5. Combine the butter with the dark chocolate and chilli flakes. Roll up in cling film to create a tight cylinder and twist both ends. Chill in the fridge until set.
6. Carve the roast and serve it in its own gravy, topped with slices of the chocolate-chilli butter.

The post 5 Surprising Ways To Use Chocolate appeared first on MyKitchen.

This vetkoek balls with leek cream cheese recipe takes the South African classic to a whole other level! A perfect snack, starter or side!

SERVES 6 // COOK TIME 30 min

INGREDIENTS
For the vetkoek
1½ cups flour
10 g yeast
1 tbsp sugar
1½ tsp salt
¾ cup warm vegetable stock
Vegetable oil, to deep-fry
For the cream cheese
4 tbsp butter
4 leeks, finely chopped
1 tbsp vegetable oil
5 tbsp vegetable stock
1 cup cream cheese

METHOD
For the vetkoek
1. Mix all the dry ingredients. Make a well in the centre and gradually mix in the warm stock with a wooden spoon to form a wet dough.
2. Knead the dough for 5 minutes, until it is smooth and springy.
3. Cover with cling film and allow to rise in a warm area for 35 minutes, until puffed up.
4. Heat the oil in a heavy-based pot over medium heat.
5. Knock back the dough. Divide into 15 small pieces and roll into balls.
6. Fry for 3 minutes, until golden and puffed up. Carefully turn over and fry the other side for 2 minutes.
7. Remove the vetvoek with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel.
For the cream cheese
1. Melt the butter and fry the leeks for 10 minutes, until soft and sweet.
2. Place the fried leeks and stock in a blender and pulse until smooth. Allow to cool in the fridge.
3. Once cold, fold the leek purée into the cream cheese.
4. Serve the vetkoek with the leek cream cheese to dip them in.

Recipes & styling Chiara Turilli
Photography  Andreas Eiselen

FRY LIKE A PRO: Cook small batches of vetkoek at a time, to ensure there is space for them to bob around and fry evenly.

Looking for new ways to spice up your braai meat? Try these South African-style boerewors corn dogs for a yummy twist on a local favourite.

The post Vetkoek balls with leek cream cheese appeared first on MyKitchen.