We used a ‘Fleur de Lis’ Bundt pan, but any 12-cup, 25cm Bundt tin will do the trick.

Macha & white choc marble cake 

Serves 8-10 

Ingredients

2 cups (400g) sugar, divided
1 cup (250g) butter, softened
4 large eggs
1 cup (250ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
2 tsp (10ml) vanilla extract
3 cups (450g) cake flour
2 tsp (10ml) baking powder
¾  tsp (3.5ml) salt
2 (24g each) matcha latte sachets, stirred with ¼ cup hot water
Green food colouring
150g white chocolate, melted + extra for decorating
White chocolate-covered malted balls, for decorating 

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C, positioning your oven rack to the lower level.
2. Whisk together sugar and butter for 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl every minute.
3. Add eggs one at a time, beating between each addition before adding the next.
4. Pour in the buttermilk and vanilla, whisking through.
5. Sieve together flour, baking powder and salt, then whisk through batter for 30 seconds or until completely incorporated. Divide batter in half. 
6. Stir matcha through the one half, followed by a small drop or two of green food colouring. Stir melted chocolate through the other half. 
7. Thoroughly grease a 12-cup, 25cm Bundt tin with baking spray. Add a small handful of flour and move the tin to spread it all around, knocking it up the sides and middle.  Invert the Bundt tin to remove the excess flour. 
8. Add alternating spoonfuls of the green and white chocolate batter to the tin until filled, then use a knife to roughly swirl through the batter to create a marble effect.
9. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. (Cover the top with foil if browning too quickly.)
10. Cool cake in the tin for 30 minutes, then unmould to cool completely. 
11. Decorate with extra melted chocolate and top with malted balls. Slice and serve.

What is a Bundt tin?

Bundt tins as we know them today are an interpretation of the German ‘Gugelhupf” pan – a 16th century German cake that stood much taller and used yeast as a leavening agent. In 1950s America, a group of German-Jewish immigrants approached Nordic Ware, a Scandinavian cookware company, and proposed a tin that resembled the original Gugelhupf cake (theirs had to be left behind when fleeing Europe during the second world war). Once created, the history, memories and traditions steeped in this cake could once again be enjoyed, and the newly trademarked Bundt tin sky-rocketed into popularity. These days, the tins are available at various price points and materials, either as an accessible everyday buy or as a special investment.

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

Also read: How to make a stunning layered honey cake 

The post Matcha & white choc marble cake  appeared first on MyKitchen.

The soufflé is light and airy with an intense cocoa richness that melts on the tongue. The warm white chocolate pouring ganache creates a decadent contrast between bitterness and creamy sweetness in every bite. 

Dark chocolate soufflé with white chocolate sauce

Serves 8

Ingredients

¼ cup (60ml) corn flour
2 cups (500ml) full cream milk
½ cup (125ml) sugar
Pinch of salt
200g dark chocolate, chopped
100g milk chocolate, chopped
4 eggs, separated  

For the pouring ganache  

120g white chocolate
¼ cup (60ml) cream
1 vanilla pod, split in half and seeds scraped out 
¼ cup (60ml) melted butter 
¼ cup (60ml) cocoa powder  

Method

1. For the chocolate creme patisserie, place the corn flour in a small bowl and add 1/3 cup (80m1) of the milk and mix into a slurry. 
2. Heat the remaining milk, half the sugar and salt on a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Add chocolate and heat until melted. Set aside. 
3. In a mixing bowl, combine the remaining sugar and egg yolks. Whisk until light and fluffy. 
4. Pour about ½ cup of the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and whisk vigorously. Pour the egg mixture back into the pot with the remaining chocolate milk mixture and mix well.
5. Heat mixture over medium heat and add the corn flour slurry, while whisking.
6. Cook until bubbling, about 10-12 minutes. 
7. Pour the mixture onto a deep plate, cover with clingfilm on the surface and refrigerate until cold.
8. For the white chocolate pouring ganache, finely chop the chocolate and heat the cream until steaming. Pour the cream over the chocolate, add vanilla seeds and stir until the chocolate is melted. Cover and set aside until needed.
9. Preheat oven to 180°C. 
10. To prepare the ramekins, brush upwards with melted butter (this encourages the souffle to rise upwards). Dust with cocoa powder and shake off excess.
11. Whip the chocolate creme patisserie and set aside. 
12. Whip the egg whites to soft peaks and gently fold through the creme patisserie using a large metal spoon. Be careful not to over work it and knock out the air. 
13. Fill the ramekins 2/3 full and bake for 10-12 minutes. 
14. Serve immediately with white chocolate pouring ganache. (Heat the pouring ganache in bursts of 10 seconds in the microwave to reheat, if needed.)

By: Lichelle May
Photography by: Zhann Solomons
Text courtesy of MyKitchen magazine

Also read: Cooking and Baking Jargon to Add to Your Vocab

The post Dark chocolate soufflé with white chocolate sauce  appeared first on MyKitchen.

Sjaan van der Ploeg’s pocket-friendly takes on classic vanilla cake: dust off your apron in celebration of World Baking Day on 17 May 2023.

Four delightful, pocket friendly selections of the best takes on vanilla cake. 

Basic vanilla cake with raspberry icing and white chocolate ganache 

Serves 12 • Total Time 1 Hr 20 Min, Plus Cooling 

Ingredients 

FOR THE VANILLA CAKE  

300g cake flour  
2 tsp baking powder  
½ tsp salt  
220g butter, softened 
280g sugar 
1 cup plain yoghurt  
½ cup milk  
3 eggs  
1 egg yolk  
2 tsp vanilla essence  

FOR THE RASPBERRY ICING  

500g icing sugar, sifted  
250g butter, softened  
1 cup raspberry jam, beaten   

FOR THE WHITE CHOCOLATE GANACHE  

150g white chocolate  
50g cream  
Edible flowers (optional)  

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line base of three 20cm round cake tins. 
2. For the cake, sieve flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl. 
3. In a separate bowl, beat butter and sugar together for 4 minutes until pale, scraping down sides of bowl every minute. 
4. Mix yoghurt and milk in a jug. 
5. Add eggs to butter mixture, one at a time, until completely mixed through. Add vanilla essence. 
6. Beat through flour and milk mixture alternately until batter is smooth and fluffy. 
7. Divide batter equally between tins and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and cooked through. Cool cakes completely. 
8. For the icing, beat together icing sugar and butter until pale and thick, about 5 minutes. Fold through raspberry jam. 
9. Place one cake layer on a serving plate, top with a dollop of icing and spread over the surface. Stack another cake on top of the first, ice and repeat with last layer. 
10. Melt white chocolate and cream in a double boiler and stir until smooth. 
11. Pour white chocolate ganache over cake so that it drips down the sides. Decorate with edible flowers, if using, slice and serve. 

Cake truffles with chocolate and caramel shell 

Makes 40 Truffles • Total Time 1 Hr 30 Min 

Ingredients 

FOR THE CAKE TRUFFLES  

1 batch vanilla cake batter  
½ cup plain yoghurt   

FOR THE SHELL  

80g dark chocolate, melted  
80g white chocolate, melted  
½ cup caramel, whisked until smooth  

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line base of one large cake tin. 
2. For the cake truffles, prepare vanilla cake batter according to adjacent recipe. 
3. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until lightly golden but cooked through. Cool completely. 
4. Break cake up into crumbs. Add yoghurt and work through to create a smooth dough. 
5. Measure out tablespoons of cake mixture and roll in-between palms to create smooth balls. Freeze for 20 minutes.

Chef’s Tip 
Freeze any extra cake balls in an airtight container. Thaw completely before decorating.  

Lemon meringue vanilla cupcakes 

Makes 20 • Total Time 1 Hr, Plus Cooling 

Ingredients

FOR THE LEMON CURD  

2/3 cup lemon juice
100g butter  
½ cup sugar  
3 eggs   

FOR THE CUPCAKES  

1 batch vanilla cake batter   

FOR THE MERINGUE  

2 large egg whites, at room temperature  
½ cup sugar 
¼ cup water  
¼ tsp cream of tartar  

Method

1. For the lemon curd, add lemon juice, butter and sugar to a pot over medium-low heat and stir until melted. 
2. Whisk in eggs and stir until mixture thickens, about 10 minutes. Make sure to keep heat low so eggs don’t start to cook. 
3. Strain mixture through a sieve into a bowl. Cover bowl with clingfilm, making sure to press it against surface of curd to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until completely cool and firm, about 3-4 hours. 
4. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake liners. 
5. For the cupcakes, prepare cake batter according to the Basic vanilla cake with raspberry icing and white chocolate ganache recipe.
6. Pour batter into each cupcake liner, filling until 2/3 full. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden. 
7. Cool cupcakes in muffin tins for 5 minutes, then remove and leave to cool on a wire rack. 8. Use a sharp knife to cut a small hole in the centre of each cupcake. Fill with cooled lemon curd and close with reserved cupcake. 
8. For the meringue, place egg whites in clean, dry bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment. Or place in a mixing bowl and prepare a hand-held electric beater. 
9. Place sugar and water in a pan over medium heat. Stir sugar without boiling until completely dissolved. 
10. Bring sugar mixture to the boil without stirring, and boil until it measures 110°C on a thermometer. 
11. Start whipping egg whites. When frothy, add cream of tartar and continue whipping until stiff peaks form. 
12. When sugar mixture reaches 118°C, remove from heat and pour onto whipped egg whites in a slow, steady stream. Continue to whip egg whites until mixture forms a thick, glossy meringue, about 5-8 minutes. 
13. Dollop onto each cupcake. Use a blowtorch to toast meringue, or grill for a few seconds in an oven. 

Marbled sheet cake with chocolate-coffee icing 

Serves 16 • Total Time 1 Hr 

Ingredients

FOR THE VANILLA CAKE BATTER  

1 batch vanilla cake batter. Use the same recipe as the Basic vanilla cake with raspberry icing and white chocolate ganache. 

FOR THE CHOCOLATE CAKE BATTER  

6 Tbsp cocoa powder  
2/3 cup milk  

FOR THE CHOCOLATE-COFFEE ICING  

100g butter, softened  
1/3 cup cocoa powder 
2 cups icing sugar, sifted  
¼ cup strong coffee  

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line base of a 22x30cm rectangular cake tin. 
2. Prepare vanilla cake batter according to the Basic vanilla cake with raspberry icing and white chocolate ganache recipe.
3. Divide cake batter in half. To make the chocolate batter, add cocoa and milk to one portion and mix until combined. 
4. Spoon dollops of each batter into prepared cake tin. Using a butter knife, swirl it through the batter. 
5. Bake for 30 minutes, until a skewer inserted into cake comes out clean. 
6. For the icing, beat together butter, cocoa and icing sugar until smooth. Add coffee and stir to combine. 
7. Slather icing over cake and serve.

Photography: Zhann Solomons  

The post Pocket-Friendly Takes On Classic Vanilla Cake appeared first on MyKitchen.

As the autumn season approaches, we give you 3 ways to turn your ordinary hot chocolate into something magnificent. Sjaan van der Ploeg takes her decadent hot chocolate recipe to the next level with three indulgent variations.  

THE BASE RECIPE 

Decadent hot chocolate 

Serves 4 • Total Time 15 Min 

Ingredients

4 cups milk  
300g dark chocolate, finely chopped 
2 tbsp cocoa powder  

Method

1. Bring milk to a simmer. 
2. Add chocolate and cocoa powder and stir well until melted and combined. 
3. Divide between four mugs and serve. 

Espresso Hot Chocolate 

Make a batch of decadent hot chocolate, substituting 1 cup of milk for 1 cup of strong coffee. Divide between four mugs, and finish with dollops of whipped cream and a dusting of cocoa powder.  

Chai White Hot Chocolate 

Substitute dark chocolate and cocoa powder for 300g white chocolate. Steep 4 chai tea bags and 2 cinnamon sticks in the hot milk for 5 minutes. Remove and discard, before adding white chocolate and stirring to combine. 

Easter Sinister Hot Chocolate 

Swap out the dark chocolate for milk chocolate. Divide between four mugs. Toast 12 marshmallows over a gas flame and add 3 to each mug. Finish each with a couple of chocolate Easter eggs, biscuits for dipping and an extra drizzle of melted chocolate.  

Chef’s Tip
For a budget break, swap the chocolate for 1 cup of hot chocolate powder. 

The post Not Your Ordinary Hot Chocolate Recipes appeared first on MyKitchen.

With only a handful of ingredients and very little prep time, these incredible Top Deck brownies are a sure weekend winner!

SERVES 16 // COOK TIME 40 min

INGREDIENTS
180 g butter
100 g dark chocolate (70% cocoa)
250 g caster sugar
3 eggs
150 g flour
3 tbsp cocoa powder
2 × 150 g slabs Top Deck, cut into chunks

METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line a 20 cm square baking tin.
2. Place butter and chocolate in a pot over low heat. Stir for a few minutes until melted. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
3. Cream together the caster sugar and eggs until light and fluffy. Sieve in the flour and cocoa powder. Gently fold this into the cooled butter mixture. Stir in the Top Deck chunks.
4. Pour the mixture into the tin and bake for 15–20 minutes, until cooked through but still slightly wobbly.
5. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before cutting into squares.

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 Top Deck brownies appeared first on MyKitchen.

Keep these yummy and healthy peanut butter clusters on hand and you will never have to worry about your sugar cravings again!

MAKES 2 cups // COOKING TIME 20 min

INGREDIENTS
100 g white chocolate, chopped
2 tbsp peanut butter
1 tbsp coconut oil
¼ cup xylitol or honey
½ cup butter or coconut oil
1 cup cake or wholewheat flour
1 cup puffed rice
½ cup dried cranberries
½ cup salted peanuts

METHOD
1. Line a baking tray.
2. Heat the chocolate, peanut butter and coconut oil in the microwave in 30-second bursts until melted and smooth.
3. Spread out on the baking tray and cool until hardened. Break up into pieces.
4. Preheat oven to 180ºC.
5. Mix the xylitol or honey, Add the flour, mixing until fine crumbs form. Add puffed rice.
6. Spread out the mixture on the baking tray. Bake for 15 minutes, until golden.
7. To assemble, toss together the puffed-rice clusters, chocolate pieces, cranberries and peanuts. Store in an airtight container.

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

These chocolatey nut-butter protein bites are another sweet and nutritious treat for you to try.

The post Peanut butter clusters with white chocolate and cranberries appeared first on MyKitchen.