EGGNOG RECIPE

Try this deliciously creamy free Eggnog Recipe to warm you up for the holidays. Eggnog is a sweetened dairy based beverage, traditionally made with milk and or cream, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, beaten eggs, brandy, rum or whisky and is popular throughout the United States and Canada, and is associated with winter celebrations such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the New Year. 

Ingredients


4 cups milk
5 whole cloves
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 egg yolks
1 ½ cups sugar
2 ½ cups light rum or brandy or whisky
4 cups fresh cream
2 tsp vanilla extract
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg


Method

• In a saucepan combine the milk, cloves, ½ teaspoon vanilla essence and cinnamon and heat over a low heat for 5 minutes, slowly bring the milk mixture to a boil.
• In a large bowl, combine the egg yolks and sugar and whisk together until fluffy. 
• Whisk the hot milk mixture slowly into the eggs and pour the mixture into a saucepan. 
• Cook over a medium heat, stirring continuously for 3 minutes, or until thick. 
• Do not allow the mixture to boil. 
• Strain to remove the cloves, and allow to cool for about an hour.
• Stir in your choice of alcohol, cream, 2 teaspoons vanilla essence, and nutmeg. 
• Refrigerate overnight before serving.

Serves 12

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BLUEBERRY TART

There is nothing better than home-made Blueberry Tart! Try this free Blueberry Tart Recipe, delicious on its own and even better served with cream, ice-cream or vanilla custard.

Ingredients


Pastry
225g cake flour
125g butter
80g icing sugar
2 tsp grated lemon peel or lime peel
3 extra large egg yolks
2 Tblsp ice water


Filling
1 Tblsp grated lemon peel or lime peel
1 tsp vanilla essence
100g butter
125g castor sugar
1 extra large egg
1 extra large egg yolk
100g ground almonds
50g cake flour
100g blueberries


Method

Pastry

• Blitz the flour, butter, icing sugar and lemon peel together to form crumbs.
• Add the egg yolks, one at a time, pulsing between each addition.
• Add 1 Tablespoon of water at a time and pulse until mixture comes together (add extra water if needed).
• Remove dough and shape into a ball. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 180ºC.
• Roll out pastry to about a 3mm thickness and line a 22cm-springform tin with the pastry.
• Bake the pastry base for 10 minutes, remove from oven and allow to cool and allow to cool.

Filling

• In a mixing bowl beat the peel, vanilla essence, butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. 
• Add the egg, then the yolk, beating well after each addition.
• Fold through almonds and flour and spread mixture into pastry case and finally scatter the blueberries over the top.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes until golden.
• Allow to cool slightly (or completely) before serving hot or cold.

Serving Suggestions:


Serve hot or cold with ice cream, cream or vanilla custard.


Serves 4 - 6

ABSOLUT BLUE SOUVENIR COCKTAIL

This free Absolut Blue Souvenir Cocktail Recipe is made with Absolut Vodka, Cinnamon Schnapps Liqueur, blue curacao and champagne, and served in a champagne flute.

Ingredients


1 shot Vodka (Absolut Vodka)
1 shot Cinnamon Schnapps Liqueur
1 shot Blue Curacao
champagne to top up
maraschino cherry


Method

• Add the vodka, cinnamon liqueur and blue curacao to a chilled champagne flute.
• Top up with champagne and garnish with a maraschino cherry.

Makes 1 Cocktail

QUEEN OF HEARTS STRAWBERRY TARTS

This free Queen of Hearts Strawberry Tart Recipe is a great treat to serve at children’s birthday parties or tea parties! Mmm a delicious shortcrust pastry base filled with strawberry jam! Very easy to make!

Ingredients


Shortcrust Pastry 
250g cake flour
5 Tblsp icing sugar
125g butter
1 extra large egg yolk
4 Tblsp ice water


Filling
125ml strawberry jam
1 Tblsp castor sugar, to sprinkle


Method

• In a mixing bowl using an electric beater, mix the flour, icing sugar and butter together until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
• Add the egg yolk and pulse to combine. 
• Add enough cold water to form a soft dough.
• Cover the dough with cling wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 180˚C.
• Roll out the pastry to 5mm thickness.
• Cut out rounds to line 12 small tart tins or a muffin pan.
• Cut out 12 small heart shapes from the leftover pastry
• Spoon 2 tablespoon’s of jam into each pastry shell, top with hearts and sprinkle over with castor sugar and bake for about 15 minutes or until golden.
• Allow to cool before serving.

Serves 4

LITCHI & PASSION FRUIT SORBET

Try this free tangy Litchi & Passion Fruit Sorbet for a refreshing treat for the summer. Sorbet is the healthier alternative to ice cream. Feel free to substitute the fruit in this recipe for any other tropical fruit, mango and passion fruit also taste great together.      

Ingredients


1 cup sugar
125ml litchi juice
1 cup litchis, puréed
375ml passion fruit pulp, fresh
2 extra large egg whites


Method

• Heat the sugar and litchi juice in a saucepan, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Set aside to cool.
• Stir in the fruit and freeze for about an hour.
• Whisk the egg whites until stiff peak stage and fold into the fruit mixture.
• Refreeze and beat the mixture with an electric beater every 45-60 minutes, then refreeze, until mixture freezes into fine, fluffy crystals.

Serves 6

POTATO CHEESE & SPRING ONION CAKES

This free Potato Cheese & Spring Onion Cakes Recipe is so quick and easy to make! These are great to serve as finger foods when entertaining guests! Feel free to add some bacon to give the potato cakes an extra special flavour.
        

Ingredients


1 bunch spring onions, sliced
6 medium sized potatoes, cooked and peeled
125ml mature cheddar cheese, grated
2 tbsp dijon mustard
125ml flour, for dusting
a little oil, for frying
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tomato sauce, for serving


Method

• Roughly mash the spring onions, potatoes, cheese and mustard together and season.
• Shape mixture into fat sausage shapes and dust patties in flour.
• In a frying pan heat 1 – 2cm of oil and fry the cakes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through.
• Drain the cakes on kitchen paper towel.
• Serve with tomato sauce.

Variation


Fry 100g of diced bacon until crispy and add to the mixture.


Serves 6

CHOCOLATE CREAM MINT SWISS ROLL

This free Chocolate Cream Mint Swiss Roll is so quick and easy to make, great to serve with tea or coffee!


Ingredients


Swiss Roll:
4 extra large eggs, separated
125ml castor sugar
60ml self-raising flour
60ml cocoa powder
castor sugar for rolling


Filling:
Fresh cream
Sugar to taste
1 peppermint crisp


Method


Swiss Roll

• Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
• Beat the egg yolks and castor sugar until light and pale.
• Sift the flour and cocoa powder and add to egg mixture, beating well.
• Beat the egg whites until soft-peak stage and fold into the mixture with a metal spoon.
• Spread the mixture into a lined and greased 23 cm x 32 cm Swiss roll tin. 
• Bake in a preheated oven for about 10–12 minutes. 
• Remove from oven, leave to cool slightly and turn out onto a clean, dry tea towel sprinkled well with castor sugar. 
• Trim the edges to ensure rolling without breaking. 
• Remove the paper carefully and roll it up with the sugared cloth, leave it for about 5 minutes, then unroll and leave it to cool further.

Filling

• Beat the cream and sugar until thick.
• Spread over the Swiss roll, sprinkle the peppermint crisp over the cream and roll up.

BEEF TERIYAKI

This free Beef Teriyaki Recipe is a delicious & healthy dish for the whole family, packed with lean beef & Vegetables. Teriyaki is a Japanese dish made with noodles, meat and vegetables, which are cooked in a Teriyaki sauce. Feel free to add vegetables of your choice.

Ingredients


250g rice noodles or white rice
500g free range beef, sliced into strips
1 Tblsp sesame oil
1 onion, finely sliced
1 ½ cups broccoli florets
1 red pepper finely sliced
1 cup button mushrooms, quartered
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 Tblsp soya sauce
2 Tblsp teriyaki sauce
2 Tblsp fish sauce
1 pinch of salt and milled pepper


Method

• Place the noodles in a bowl, cover with boiling water and soak the noodles for 5 minutes and then drain.
• Sear the beef in the sesame oil, add the vegetables and garlic and fry until just tender about 5 to 8 minutes (add the mushrooms last they cook quickly).
• Add the soy, teriyaki, fish sauces and noodles or rice and fry for a few more minutes until heated through and combined.
• Serve immediately.

Serves 4

NEW YORK CHEESECAKE

This free New York Cheesecake Recipe is so rich, creamy & absolutely delicious! This New York Cheesecake recipe is made with cream cheese and a little hint of lemon.

Ingredients


Pastry:
310ml cake flour
60ml castor sugar
3ml grated lemon rind
125g butter
1 extra-large egg yolk


Filling:
750g cream cheese
375ml castor sugar
10ml lemon rind
3ml vanilla essence
45ml cake flour
4 extra-large eggs
2 extra-large egg yolks
60ml fresh cream


Method


Pastry: 

• Sift the flour, add the sugar and rind. 
• Rub the butter in with your fingertips until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. 
• Add the egg yolk and knead lightly to mix well until it forms a ball.
• Cover the pastry and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. 
• Press half the pastry into the base of a greased 23cm loose-bottom cake tin. Bake in a preheated oven at 190 °C for about 10 minutes, remove from oven and set aside to cool slightly.
• Roll out or press remaining pastry and place on the sides. 
• Chill in fridge for about 10 minutes.

Filling: 

• Whisk the cream cheese, sugar, lemon rind, essence and cake flour until smooth. 
• Add the eggs and yolks, one at a time and stir in lightly with the cream.
• Pour into the pastry base and bake in a preheated oven at 200 °C for about 15 minutes. 
• Reduce heat to 140 °C and bake further for about 60 minutes.
• Switch off oven and leave in for another 15 minutes.
• Leave to cool off and garnish with fresh fruit of choice.

Makes 1 large cake

BROCCOLI SALAD

This free fresh Broccoli Salad is delicious! Broccoli is packed with many vitamins and full of fibre, which is great for weight loss! Quick & easy to make, great to serve as a side dish at a braai or BBQ.

Ingredients


The dressing:
1 cup mayonnaise
2 Tblsp sugar
3 Tblsp vinegar


Salad:
3 cups broccoli
¼ cup sunflower seeds
250g bacon, diced
1 small onion, chopped


Method


Fry the diced bacon until crispy and set aside.
Fry the sunflower seeds in the same pan, not too much or they will taste burnt.
Cut broccoli into bite-sized pieces.
Combine all salad ingredients into a salad bowl.
Mix all the dressing ingredients and pour over the salad, mix gently and refrigerate before serving.


Serves 2

BEETROOT & CARROT CAKE

This free Beetroot & Carrot Cake Recipe is so quick and easy to make! The grated beetroot and carrot make this cake lovely and moist!

Ingredients


250 ml sugar
250 ml cooking oil
3 extra-large eggs, separated
10ml caramel essence
500ml cake flour 
1ml salt
10ml baking powder
250ml grated raw beetroot
250ml grated raw carrots


Method

• Preheat the oven to 180 °C and grease a 24cm loose-bottomed ring tin.
• Beat the sugar, oil and egg yolks and add the caramel essence.
• Sift the dry ingredients and beat into sugar mixture.
• Add the grated beetroot, carrots and milk and mix lightly.
• Beat the egg whites until soft and fold into sugar mixture. 
• Spoon mixture into prepared tin and bake in a preheated oven for about 40 minutes. 
• Remove from the oven, leave to cool in tin for a few
• Minutes before turning out.
• Serve dusted with icing sugar.

Makes 1 cake

BROCCOLI & CHEDDAR SOUP

This free amazing cheesy Broccoli & Cheddar Soup Recipe is a great way to get the kids to eat vegetables! Broccoli is packed with dozens of nutrients, vitamins & fibre!

Ingredients


2 leeks, chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled & chopped
a little oil for frying
4 cups broccoli florets
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup low fat milk
375ml cheddar cheese, grated

Method

• Fry the leeks and garlic in oil until soft.
• Add the broccoli, stock and milk
• Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for about 5 minutes or until broccoli is tender.  
• Add the grated cheese and mix well.
• Using a stick blender blitz until smooth.
• Garnish with a few broccoli florets and serve with fresh breads.

Variation:


Substitute the broccoli for cauliflower for a yummy cauliflower & cheddar soup.


Serves 4

SOUR CREAM LEMON CAKE

This free Sour Cream Lemon Recipe is lovely to serve with tea! This light sponge cake has the most divine lemon flavour!

Ingredients


Cake:
200g soft butter or margarine
160ml sugar
4 extra large eggs
15ml finely grated lemon rind
5ml lemon essence
500ml cake flour
10ml baking powder
250ml sour cream
80ml milk


Glaze:
80ml fresh lemon juice
60ml sugar
30ml water


Method


Cake:

• Preheat the oven to 160°C.
• Cream the butter and sugar.
• Add the eggs one at a time with the lemon rind and lemon essence and beat until light and fluffy.
• Sift the flour and baking powder and add, alternately with the sour cream and milk, to the egg mixture. 
• Mix gently until smooth and pour into a well-greased 23cm round loose-bottomed tin.
• Bake in a preheated oven at for about 45 – 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Glaze:

• Boil the lemon juice, sugar and water until the sugar has dissolved.
• Remove the cake from oven and pour glaze over cake while it is still hot. Leave cake for a few more minutes in the tin before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 1 cake

TOFFEE APPLE RECIPE

This free Toffee Apple Recipe is such a fun recipe to make with your kids… Very quick and easy to make!

Ingredients

12 small red or pink lady apples
12 wooden skewers
4 cups white sugar
375ml water
250ml golden syrup
15ml red food colouring
buttered wax paper


Method

• Wash and dry the apples. 
• Insert a wooden skewer into the stalk-end of each apple. 
• Place the sugar and water in a saucepan and heat slowly, stirring continuously to dissolve all the sugar crystals before the mixture begins to boil. (Remove all the sugar crystals on the sides of the saucepan with a wet brush). 
• Add the golden syrup and boil until just before the hard crack stage stir occasionally, otherwise the syrup will crystallise. 
• Add the red colouring and mix well. 
• Remove the saucepan from the stove and place into a larger saucepan with enough boiling water to reach halfway up.
• Return to the stove and reduce the heat so that the water in the outer pan only just boils. 
• Dip the apples in the syrup, coating them well, allow most of the syrup to drip back into the saucepan. 
• Dry the skewered apples slightly by gently turning them back and forth. 
• Place on buttered waxed paper, and allow to dry completely. 

Variation:

• Use green apples and green food colouring instead of red for green toffee apples.

Makes 12 toffee apples

CUSTARD CAKE

This delicious free Custard Cake Recipe is great for when your time is limited and you need to whip up something quickly!

Ingredients


Cake:
180ml milk
90g butter or margarine
3 extra large eggs
250ml sugar 
375ml cake flour
15ml baking powder
1ml salt


Custard Filling & Topping:
250ml milk
20ml custard powder
60g butter or margarine
125ml castor sugar
sliced almonds to garnish


Method


Cake:

• Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
• Heat the milk and butter. Leave aside to cool slightly.
• Beat the eggs and sugar until creamy. 
• Sift dry the ingredients and add to egg mixture. 
• Add the heated milk and butter to the flour mixture. 
• Turn out into two greased 20cm cake tins and bake for about 25 minutes.

Custard: 

• Heat the milk and thicken with the custard powder.
• Boil for a few minutes and set aside to cool slightly. 
• Beat the butter and sugar well and gradually add the custard and beat lightly until smooth.
• Fill and top the cake layers with custard and garnish with sliced almonds.
• Allow custard to set and refrigerate.

Make 1 cake

FISH FINGER BITES

This amazing free Fish Finger Bites Recipe is a great way to introduce seafood to kids & they are a great source of protein, they also make an awesome party snack!

Ingredients


3 slices bread, (stale bread is best)
6 Tblsp flour
1 Tblsp ground coriander, (optional)
2 medium eggs
400g firm white fish fillets skinned (e.g. hake) 
2 Tblsp butter
2 Tblsp vegetable oil
6 Tblsp PnP tomato sauce, to serve


Method

• Remove the crusts from the slices of bread, place in a food processor and blitz to make fine breadcrumbs. Tip the crumbs on to a plate.
• Place the flour and ground coriander on a separate plate and season with salt
• Whisk the eggs lightly in a mixing bowl.
• Cut the fish into thick finger-sized pieces, coat in flour, dip into the egg and finally coat with breadcrumbs.
• In a large frying pan heat the butter and oil over a medium.
• As soon as the butter starts to foam, add the fish bites and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until crispy and golden.
• Serve with tomato sauce to dip.

Serves 6

CHERRY BLOSSOM TINI COCKTAIL

This free Cherry Blossom Tini Cocktail Recipe is made with Gekkeikan Sake, Cointreu, Cranberry Juice, Lime Juice & Orange Bitters… Start your weekend off with a bang with this lovely tasting Cocktail! The ladies will love this cocktail :)

Ingredients


2 1/4 shots Gekkeikan Sake
3/4 shot Cointreau
3/4 shot cranberry juice
1/4 shot fresh lime juice
2 dashes orange bitters


Method

• Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake well.
• Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and serve.

Makes 1 Cocktail

MUSSEL & POTATO CHOWDER

This free Mussel & Potato Chowder Recipe is so quick & easy to make… The Mussels add the most incredible flavour to this chowder! A lovely starter to serve when entertaining.
   

Ingredients


1 olive oil, for frying
1 onion, finely chopped
2 leeks, finely sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
5 medium potatoes, peeled & cubed
125ml dry white wine
4 cups chicken stock
125ml cream or full cream milk
1 pinch salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 half lemon, juiced & peel grated
300g frozen mussels, defrosted
1 tsp cornflour, (Maizena), mixed with a little cold water
2 Tbsp parsley, freshly chopped


Method

• Heat a little oil in a saucepan, sauté the onion and leeks until soft. 
• Add garlic and fry for about a minute.
• Add the potatoes, white wine, chicken stock and cream or milk.
• Season and simmer for about 20-25 minutes, or until potatoes begin to break up and soup thickens slightly.
• Add lemon juice, grated lemon peel, mussels, cornflour and parsley and simmer for a further 3-4 minutes.
• Serve with fresh bread.

Serves 4

MOCHA SPICE CHOCOLATE CAKE

This divine free Mocha Spice Chocolate Cake Recipe is incredibly tasty… Chocolate Cake with a hint of cinnamon & coffee mmmmm

Ingredients


Cake:
2 extra large eggs
375ml sugar
10ml instant coffee powder
5ml caramel essence
500ml cake flour
3ml bicarbonate of soda
7ml baking powder
2ml salt
5ml ground cinnamon
15ml cocoa powder
160ml oil
125ml buttermilk
125ml water


Filling & Icing:
100g butter or margarine
500g icing sugar, sifted
20ml cocoa, sifted
10ml coffee powder
a little milk


Method


Cake

• Beat the eggs and sugar together well until light and fluffy. 
• Add the oil, buttermilk, water and caramel essence.
• Dissolve the coffee powder with a little warm water, add to egg mixture and beat to a smooth batter.
• Sift  the dry ingredients together and gently fold into egg mixture and beat lightly until mixed well.
• Pour the mixture into two greased 20cm cake tins.
• Bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for 25 – 30 minutes. 
• Turn out onto a cooling rack and cool completely before icing.

Filling & Icing 

• Beat the butter, add the icing sugar and cocoa. 
• Mix the coffee powder with a little warm water, add a little milk and mix to a spreadable mixture. (Be careful not to add to much milk as this will make your icing runny).
• Fill and ice the two layers.

Makes 1 Large Cake

BAR ONE CHOCOLATE CAKE

This delicious Bar One Chocolate Cake Recipe is one of the most decadent cakes I have ever tasted!

Ingredients


Cake:
45ml cocoa powder
80ml boiling water
150g butter or margarine
250ml sugar 
3 extra-large eggs
500ml cake flour
15ml baking powder
3ml bicarbonate of soda
2ml salt
250ml buttermilk or plain unflavoured yoghurt


Icing:
60g bar one chocolate bar
100g dark baking chocolate
60ml fresh cream
45ml butter or margarine


Method


Cake

• Mix the cocoa powder and boiling water until smooth and set aside to cool off slightly.
• Cream the butter and sugar together well. 
• Add the eggs, one at a time and beat well until light and creamy. 
• Add the cocoa powder mixture to the egg mixture.
• Sift the dry ingredients and add alternately with buttermilk to creamed mixture.
• Spoon into a greased and lined 24cm loose bottomed cake pan. 
• Bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 60 minutes. 
• Allow cake to stand for a few minutes before removing from tin.
• Cake must be cool before icing.

Icing

• Mix all the icing ingredients together in a small heavy-based saucepan. 
• Place over low heat and heat until melted completely. 
• Spoon over top of cake and leave to set.

Makes 1 large cake

HOME MADE PEPPER STEAK PIE

There is nothing better than Home-made Pie :) Try this free flavour filled hearty Home-made Pepper Steak Pie Recipe that the whole family will love!

Ingredients


Pie Filling:
1kg steak, cubed
2 Tblsp flour
1 pinch salt
1 large onion, sliced
olive oil, for frying
3 Tblsp brandy
375ml beer cups beer
250ml water
3 tsp beef stock powder
3 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 Tblsp chopped thyme


Pastry:
250g organic flour
125g butter
1 extra large egg yolk
1 egg, beaten, for egg wash


Method

• Preheat the oven to 180°C
• Season the flour well and toss the steak in the flour until well coated.
• Heat the oil in a frying pan and brown the steak and onion
• Deglaze the pan with brandy. 
• Add the beer, water, stock powder, pepper and thyme.
• Cover and bake for about 45 minutes. 
• Remove from the oven and cool slightly. 
• Increase the oven temperature to 220°C.

Pastry

• Place all pastry ingredients (except the egg) into a blender and pulse until a dough is formed.
• Remove from blender and knead lightly, shape into a ball, cover and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
• Roll onto a floured surface to about ½ a cm in thickness.
• Spoon filling into a 20cm pie dish, top with pastry and cut a small cross in centre of pastry to allow steam to escape.
• Brush with egg and bake for about 30 minutes and serve with mashed potatoes, vegetables and gravy.

Variation: To save time use ready-made short-crust pastry instead of making from scatch.


Serves 4