WHITE CHOCOLATE AND BERRY SPONGE
125g butter
250ml sugar
3 eggs
500ml flour
15ml baking powder
pinch of salt
5ml vanilla
100ml milk
50ml water
125ml cream, whipped
250g strawberries, sliced
125g raspberries
White chocolate topping
150g white chocolate discs
125ml cream
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt.
Combine the vanilla, milk and water.
Add sifted dry ingredients and milk mixture alternately to the creamed mixture.
Divide the mixture between two greased and base-lined heart-shaped pans.
Bake at 180°C for 30-40 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.
Place one half of the cake on a serving platter, spread with the whipped cream.
Cover with a layer of sliced strawberries.Top with remaining cake and spread with the chocolate topping. Arrange raspberries in a heart shape on top.
CHOCOLATE TOPPING: Put the chocolate and cream in a bowl. Place bowl over gently simmering water until the chocolate is melted. Stir until smooth. Remove and cool in fridge, stirring frequently.
Keep stirring until the mixture cools and thickens.
FRUIT CRUMBLE
Makes 2
1 large nectarine, pitted and diced
125g fresh raspberries
2 granadillas, pulp removed
Crumble
250ml flour
125ml castor sugar
100g butter
cream for serving
Combine fruit and divide between two large ovenproof ramekins.
Put crumble ingredients in a food processor and process until it looks like breadcrumbs.
Sprinkle over fruit in ramekins. Bake at 180°C for 20-30 minutes until golden brown. Serve with whipped cream.
DUO OF CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
Serves 2-4
Dark mousse
100g dark chocolate
15g unsalted butter
1 extra-large egg, separated
20ml castor sugar
125ml cream, whipped
White mousse
100g white chocolate
15g unsalted butter
1 extra-large egg, separated
20ml castor sugar
125ml cream, whipped
Prepare both mousse mixtures in the following way: break chocolate into pieces and put in a glass bowl over hot water. When melted, stir in butter a little at a time until smooth.
Stir egg yolk into chocolate. Beat egg white until stiff, and then beat in castor sugar. Fold egg white into chocolate mixture. Lastly, fold in whipped cream.
Spoon mixture into a heart dish and refrigerate until set. Decorate with chocolate hearts.
Note: Any leftovers can be stored in the fridge for a few days.
SHORTBREAD HEARTS
Makes 12
200g butter
125ml castor sugar
5ml vanilla essence
180ml cornflour
375ml flour
250ml raspberry jam
icing sugar for dusting
Cream butter and sugar well. Beat in vanilla. Add cornflour and flour and mix to form a dough. Roll out on a floured surface and cut out 24 large hearts.
Then, using a smaller heart shape, cut hearts from inside 12 of the large hearts. Place on a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper. Bake at 160°C for 10-15 minutes until pale golden brown.
Remove from oven and cool.
Put jam in a glass bowl and microwave for 2 minutes on high. Press jam through a sieve to remove the pips. Sift icing sugar over the cut-out heart shapes.
Spread a layer of jam over the solid heart and top with the cut-out heart.
* For household queries, recipes and tips, call The Angela Day Helpline at 011 836 7181 from 8.30am to 12.30pm weekdays, or e-mail Janice at [email protected]
* See www.angeladay.co.za
* Follow us on Twitter @verveangeladay. - Saturday Star