Recipes With a Twist
Posts tagged Dessert
Strawberry Milk Cake Pudding (Eggless)
Jul 8th
Strawberry Milk Cake Pudding
It all started with trying to make a Tres Leches Cake. When I looked up the recipes, all of them called for eggs. Since I wanted to make an eggless dessert, I thought maybe this time I should just make a milk cake pudding. The pudding is not ‘Tres Leches’ as Tres Leches would mean ’3 types of milks’ but it certainly uses 2 types of milks: Condensed milk for the base cake and Evaporated Milk for soaking the cake slices in. Not quite ‘Tres Leches’ but came out very delicious. Bonus: it is an eggless dessert, so suitable for vegetarians and people with egg allergies.
You need:
1 Strawberry Cake (Eggless)
2 cans Evaporated Milk
1 banana
10-12 fresh Strawberries
1/2 cup whipped cream topping (or more as desired)
4-5 tbsp Nesquik Strawberry Milk Flavor/Strawberry flavor Carnation Instant breakfast
1 package instant Vanilla pudding (I used Jello)
Directions:
1. Prepare Cake as per directions. Let it cool (Or use a store bought cake, try to get one with little less sugar)
2. Prepare Vanilla pudding as per directions
3. Slice the cake and set first layer in a large white dish.
Strawberry Milk Cake Pudding-Cake Layer
4. Mix the strawberry flavor powder in Evaporated Milk. Adjust flavor quantity as per your taste. I prefer it not to be overly sweet.
Strawberry Milk Cake Pudding-Evaporated milk
5. Drench the first layer with Evaporated Milk (Number of layers depend on the dish size. I used 15 x 10 and prepared the pudding in 2 layers). For about two layers, the first layer should be soaked in half the milk.
6. Spread a layer of sliced banana and strawberries.
7. Spread the Vanilla pudding on the fruit layer.
Strawberry Milk Cake Pudding-Add fresh strawberries and banana
8. Repeat- Add another layer of cake, drench in Evaporated milk.
9. Top it with whipped cream topping and sliced fresh strawberries.
I did not want to use too much whipped cream topping. So I just added few small dollops. This way I could cut extra calories as well. Although I do think, it would have been great if I had spread one full layer of the whipped cream topping. May be next time!
Refrigerate for 3-4 hours before serving.
Strawberry Milk Cake Pudding
Steamed Date and Sago Pudding (Eggless)
Jun 3rd
By Heidemarie Swanepoel
Steamed Date and Sago (Tapioca) Pudding
This is the type of pudding I make on a day when I have time to spare, and when I have planned well ahead. The mixing and preparing takes only minutes, but the sitting time, and the steaming time are far apart. How I manage this, is this: Just after lunch, I put the sago in the milk, to swell out. At tea-time, I quickly mix all the ingredients in a bowl, and start the steaming process. That continues while I can make tea,, enjoy a few minutes of quiet, and then start making supper. By the time we have had our supper, we can finish it off with a slice of this delicious pudding.
Ingredients:
½ cup sago (tapioca)
1 cup dates – chopped and destined
1 cup raisins
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 cup milk
1 tsp mixed spice
1 tablespoon butter
1. Place the sago in the milk, and allow to stand for 1 – 1 ½ hours. Add a little more milk, if required (if the sago has lapped up all the milk, and is still partially cloudy / white). The sago is ready when it is completely see-through and jelly-like in consistency.
2. Put a large pot of water on the stove and bring to the boil.
3. Mix all the ingredients well.
4. Place in a well greased tin or pudding bowl (heat resistant)
5. Place in the pot of boiling water. The water should come to nearly the level of the pudding in the bowl.
Simmer the pudding for 2 hours. Top up the water from boiling water in your kettle as needed.
6.Remove the pudding from the tin, and serve hot with whipped cream or ice-cream.
Note: It does not matter if the sago stands for a bit too long. It does however matter if the sago does not sit long enough. So rather get the sago into the milk early, than be racing for time and taking it out too soon.
Eggless Custard
Apr 29th
By Heidemarie Swanepoel
Eggless Custard
This was a staple dish many years ago, as a meal, or as a soup, and sometimes sweetened as a pudding. We enjoy it as a custard served with fruit or another pudding, or as a meal on a cold winters night.
Ingredients:
4 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar (or to taste)
2-3 tablespoons corn flour
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
In a heavy bottomed pan, bring 3 cups of milk to the boil. Add the butter. In a small dish, mix the remaining cup of milk with the sugar and the corn flour thoroughly. Once the milk is boiling, add the corn flour mixture, and stir well. Simmer over medium heat for a few minutes to thicken. Add the vanilla essence in the last minute of cooking. Remove from heat and serve hot or cold.
Pears with caramel sauce
Mar 31st
By Heidemarie Swanepoel
Pears with Carmel Sauce
We are in the middle of our fruit harvesting season, and we have the most delicious pears this year. They make the most refreshing pudding for those hot lazy days when summer is almost over.
Ingredients:
4-5 large, fresh pears
½ cup sugar – adapt to the tartness or sweetness of the pears
Juice of 1 lemon
Caramel sauce
1 cup sugar
3 ½ oz butter
2 pints milk
½ cup cornflour
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
Directions:
Peel the pears, and remove the core. Cut into thick slices. Place the pears, the sugar, the lemon juice and a little water in a large saucepan, and gently simmer in a little water for 30 minutes or until the pears are firm but cooked through. The time needed will depend on the type of pears you are using. Cool slightly.
The pears, prepared like this can easily be canned or frozen for later use, if you have a surplus that you want to prepare.
Caramel sauce:
Melt the butter in a large saucepan, over medium heat. Add the sugar, and melt the sugar in the butter, stirring continually over low heat. Be careful not to burn the sugar. Once the sugar has become a lovely light to medium caramel colour, remove from heat. Pour the milk (keep back 1 cup) in slowly, stirring well. (It helps to warm the milk to luke-warm before adding to the caramelised sugar, to prevent lumping of the sugar. Although, do not fret if the sugar forms crystallised lumps during this mixing. It will melt again in the next step. Just be extra careful over lower heat if this has happened.)
Place back on medium high heat, and bring to just before boiling. Stir continually to prevent burning. Mix the corn flour with the remaining cup of milk, and add to the caramelised milk. Simmer for a few minutes, until thickened. Add the vanilla essence, stir well, and remove from heat.
Allow the pears and the caramel sauce to cool completely before serving.
Baked Bananas with Cinnamon Sugar
Mar 27th
By Heidemarie Swanepoel
Baked Bananas with Cinnamon Sugar
My youngest loves making food, and asked if he may add a recipe too! This was his offering – really easy for little hands, and not at all messy.
Ingredients:
1 Banana for each person
Sugar or Cinnamon Sugar
2 Tablespoons lemon or orange juice
2 tablespoons butter.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Peel the bananas, and slice them in half, lengthwise.
Place the bananas in a heatproof, greased dish.
Sprinkle liberally with sugar or cinnamon sugar.
Sprinkle with the lemon or orange juice.
Dot with butter.
Bake for 15 – 20 minutes.
Serve hot with ice-cream.
Variation 1: Instead of baking the bananas, you could fry them in a little oil in a small pan. This is a little less healthy, but much quicker.
Variation 2: We have baked apples in exactly the same way. Do not peel the apple. Remove the core carefully, being careful to not cut through the bottom – It helps to use a small paring knife and a teaspoon. Place the butter and the cinnamon sugar inside the hollow apple.
Variation 3: Instead of baking in the oven, microwave on high for 2 – 3 minutes for the bananas, or 4-5 minutes for the apples.
(Cinnamon Sugar: Mix 1 cup sugar with 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Use on many fruit dishes, on pancakes, and of course on the baked bananas. I always mix up a batch, and keep it handy. You never know when it might give just the zing to a sweet dish you need.)
Cherry Pineapple Crumble
Mar 8th
Cherry Pineapple Crumble
As I was just enjoying the last piece of leftovers, I was wondering how easy it was to put together this delicious fruity dessert. I made it recently for my son’s birthday party and I can’t wait to make it again. Along with the cake, I wanted to make a simple eggless and light dessert and I hardly had any time on hand. I absolutely liked the idea of making a crumble with pineapple and cherries, both my favorites. The original recipe did not call for pineapple slices but I just added them to double the pineapple flavor. I must add, all it took was 10 minutes of prep time and I was done.
You need:
1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple in juice
1 can pineapple slices
1 (21 ounce) can cherry pie filling
1 (18 ounce) package yellow cake mix – I used Betty Crocker’s
3/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup pecans, chopped (I used half, you can add up to 1 cup)
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cherry Pineapple Crumble-spoon Pineapple
2. Spoon pineapple evenly over bottom of 9 X 13 pan. Sprinkle cinnamon powder and mix well
3. Cover the pineapple with cherry pie filling
Cherry Pineapple Crumble-Cherry and Pineapple Slices
4. Spread a layer of pineapple slices on top
5. Pour the dry cake mix evenly over fruit mixture so that it reaches all sides of the pan.
6. Drizzle entire surface with butter
Cherry Pineapple Crumble-Spread cake mix and drizzle butter,sprinkle pecans
7. Sprinkle pecans evenly over top
8. Bake until cake is deep brown and a toothpick comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes
9. Let cool and serve with ice cream or whipped cream
Cherry Pineapple Crumble-baked, just out of the oven
I actually refrigerated before serving but I think it tastes even better slightly warmed. Refrigeration hardens the crust and it will taste like upside down pie. If you microwave for few seconds, the crust is more moist and soft and tastes wonderful with cool whipped cream or ice cream. Cold or hot, you will certainly enjoy this tropical treat.
Chocolate Dipped Strawberries
Feb 25th
Strawberries dipped in Chocolate
There is a something romantic about strawberries dipped in chocolate. It could be that color red and chocolate are both symbols of romance or it could be just that sweet strawberries are so perfect with indulgent chocolate that they seem to be in love themselves!. Not only do they make a low calorie dessert (about 70 calories a piece!) but they also makes a great snack. While strawberries are in season, this is one thing no one should miss.
You need:
20-25 strawberries
4 baking chocolate blocks (semi sweet)
sprinkles and/or chopped nuts/or any other topping
Melt the chocolate squares as per directions. Dip strawberries one at a time, nicely coat half of the berry. Sprinkle your favorite topping and let it set on wax paper for 15 minutes. Refrigerate for about an hour. Enjoy!