On the menu:
Mini cherry almond cakes
White chocolate fudge
Marshmallows
Berry curd
Almond cookies
MINI CHERRY ALMOND CAKES
Makes 6-8 mini cakes
180g butter
125ml castor sugar
125ml light brown sugar
3 eggs
5ml vanilla extract
180ml self-raising flour
180ml cake flour
250ml ground almonds
60ml sherry
a few drops of almond extract
150g glace cherries, rinsed and halved
whole almonds for decorating
Line the base of 6 mega muffin tins with baking paper and grease well.
Cream the butter and the two sugars until light and creamy.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Beat in the vanilla extract.
Add the flours, ground almonds and sherry and mix.
Add the almond extract.
Fold through the cherries.
Divide the batter into the pans.
Decorate the top with whole almonds.
Bake at 160C for 40-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cakes comes out clean.
Remove and cool in the tin for 10 minutes before removing.
WHITE CHOCOLATE FUDGE
Makes 15-20 pieces
100g macadamia nuts
385g tin of condensed milk
250ml castor sugar
60ml liquid glucose
90g butter
200g white chocolate, chopped
15ml grated lime rind
Place the nuts on a tray and toast in the oven until golden brown.
Remove and cool, then chop roughly.
In a pot, combine the condensed milk, castor sugar, liquid glucose and butter and stir over a medium heat until the sugar has dissolved.
Boil gently, stirring constantly, until the mixture forms a firm ball when a little is dropped into cold water.
Remove from the heat and add in the chocolate. Stir until melted and smooth.
Stir in the lime rind and chopped nuts.
Pour into a greased 18x20cm tin and set aside to cool.
Cut into squares and package in suitable containers.
MARSHMALLOWS
Makes 30-40 squares
125ml cold water
45ml gelatine
500ml sugar
180ml liquid glucose
60ml water
pinch of salt
15ml vanilla essence
pink colouring
rose essence
toasted coconut or sifted icing sugar for coating
Pour the cold water into the bowl of a large electric mixer, sprinkle over the gelatine and let stand for 10 minutes.
Combine the sugar, liquid glucose and 60ml water in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Boil rapidly for one minute.
Pour over the gelatine in the bowl.
Add salt and beat on high speed for 10 minutes until the mixture is firm and holds its shape.
Beat in vanilla or rose essence and add a drop of pink colouring for pink marshmallows.
Spread mixture into an oiled Swiss roll pan and leave to set for a few hours. Cut into squares and either toss in toasted coconut or sifted icing sugar.
Make a batch of white and coat them with toasted coconut and a batch of pink, flavoured with rose essence and tossed in icing sugar.
Pile into a large glass jar for a gift.
BERRY CURD
Makes about 500ml
300g frozen mixed berries
45ml lemon juice
125g butter
250ml sugar
15ml cornflour
3 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
grated rind of 1 large lemon
Combine the frozen berries and lemon juice in a pot and heat gently until the berries are soft and have released their juice.
Place the mixture into a blender or processor and puree until smooth. Press through a sieve and discard the pulp.
Measure 250ml of the juice to use for this recipe.
Place the butter in a glass bowl and microwave on high until it has melted.
Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.
Return to the microwave and cook on high for one minute. Then stir well with a wire whisk.
Return to the microwave and cook again for 1 minute. Remove and stir again.
Repeat the process for 4-6 minutes or until the mixture has thickened and coats the back of a wooden spoon.
Pour into sterilised jars.
The curd will keep in the fridge for up to three weeks.
It is delicious on scones or toast, as filling in tartlets and to sandwich sponge cakes together.
ALMOND COOKIES
Makes 25-30
100g butter
250ml almond butter
160ml maple syrup
10ml vanilla essence
2 eggs
750ml cake flour
7ml bicarbonate of soda
125ml brown sugar for coating
Cream the butter, almond butter and maple syrup until very light and fluffy.
Beat in the vanilla.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add the flour and bicarbonate of soda and mix to form a dough.
Roll spoonfuls of the dough into balls.
Toss the balls in brown sugar and place on a baking tray. Flatten with your fingers.
Bake at 180C for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.
Remove and cool on the tray.
* The Angela Day cookery column is published in The Star, the Cape Argus, the Daily News and the Pretoria News.