Durban - Condensed milk started out in my life as a key ingredient in midnight feasts at boarding school.
I remember spooning it out directly from a can until I felt sick and then getting the mother of all sugar rushes.
When I was a little older I loved it in coffee on a cold winter’s day.
As an adult and a foodie and now taking my coffee without sugar, I began to loathe its pervasive flavour, especially when it became the star ingredient in my favourite baked treat, lemon meringue pie.
But like it or hate it, condensed milk has become an intrinsic part of many a baker’s repertoire.
It’s those bakers who are going to fall on the book, Condensed Milk, Everyone’s Guilty Secret, published by Human & Rousseau. It is compiled by Cleta Joannou, who is of Greek descent and an avid lover of condensed milk. She spent four years developing and testing the 100 or so recipes, all of which star condensed milk.
From baked cheese cakes, muffins and fridge tarts to decadent truffles, cakes and brownies there is plenty to satisfy those who are addicted to that glorious sugar rush.
There are even a few savoury options. Hard to imagine, but there are a few recipes for savoury pies which use condensed milk in the pastry such as Cypriot cheese pies.
And if you like ice-cream, a whole chapter has been devoted to different flavours.
But be warned, there are no low fat options here. There’s no stinting on butter, cream and chocolate. And Joannou wouldn’t have it any other way. After all, sugar, which is getting such a bad press these days, has today become everyone’s guilty secret.
CHOCOLATE AND ALMOND TORTE
150g dark chocolate chopped
1 tin (385g) condensed milk
150g butter, cubed
4 eggs separated
250ml (1 cup) ground almonds
60g flaked almonds, toasted and finely chopped
60g dark chocolate grated
Ganache
150 g dark chocolate
90ml double cream
Method
1 Preheat oven to 180ºC and line the base and sides of a 23cm cake tin.
2 Place the chopped chocolate, condensed milk and butter in a small saucepan over low heat and stir until melted and smooth.
3 Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature.
4 Beat the egg yolks and add to the chocolate mixture.
5 Fold in the ground and flaked almonds and grated chocolate.
6 Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form and fold into the chocolate mixture in two batches.
7 Pour mixture into the lined cake tin.
8 Bake for about 45 minutes. Cool in pan for 15 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Ganache
1 Melt the chocolate with the cream over a low heat, stirring until chocolate melts.
2 Cool to a thick pouring consistency and spread the ganache over the cake
3 Allow to set.
4 Decorate with chocolate leaves if desired.
Sunday Tribune