Desserts
Below are the best selections of desserts for after the braai
Select your Sugar Rush
Charkii Ouma's original Milktart
Pastry
PASTRY mixture – makes 2 tarts in a Pyrex pie plate 24cm bottom diameter. 28.6cm top diameter x 5.2cm deep. You can freeze the extra pastry for next time.
2 Cups Flour
1 Egg
½ Cup Sugar
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
125 gr Butter unsalted
Pinch of Salt
2 Teaspoons Cinnamon
1. Cream the butter and sugar well, then add the egg.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients, making a stiff dough. Press the pastry into a pie dish. The pastry should be 3 - 4 mm in thickness. Take a fork and press random holes in the pastry. Do not place any weights on the pastry.
3. Bake at 180c until brown, 10 -15 minutes. Less baking time will make a softer pastry.
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Filling
Enough to make one Pyrex dish
4 ½ Cups full cream milk.
4 Tablespoons corn flour.
1 Cup Sugar.
3 Eggs
Pinch of salt
2 ½ Tablespoons flour.
2 Teaspoons vanilla essence, or vanilla bean seeds. (The vanilla bean seeds still taste the best)
Big spoon of butter
Add the Vanilla essence or seeds to the milk and bring the milk to a boil. Once the milk has started boiling taste the milk to see if you want a stronger vanilla flavor.
In a separate bowl, prepare in the following sequence.
1. Add the 3 eggs.
2. Beat the eggs well and add the Sugar, flour, corn flour, and salt. Use an electric mixer for this.
3. Mix well, must be thick in texture.
4. Add the mixture to the boiling milk and stir well with a whisk.
5. Add the butter and continue to stir the mixture until it thickens.
6. Pour the mixture into the pastry dish.
7. Sprinkle with cinnamon whilst it is hot.
8. Place in the fridge immediately. Do not cover the milk tart until it is completely chilled.
If you want an Amarula, Rhino or Baileys cream liqueur flavor milk tart use 3 cups of full cream milk and 1½ cups of liqueur.
Amaretti Biscuits
Ingredients
1 tablespoon plain flour
1 tablespoon corn flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2/3 Cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 cup ground almonds
2 egg whites
¼ cup icing sugar
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Line two baking trays with baking paper. Sift the plain flour, corn flour, cinnamon and half the caster sugar into a large bowl; add the lemon rind and ground almonds.
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Place the egg whites in a small, dry bowl. With electric beaters, beat the egg whites until soft peeks form. Add the remaining caster sugar gradually, beating constantly until the mixture is thick and glossy, stiff peaks form and all the sugar has dissolved. Using a metal spoon , fold the egg white into the dry ingredients. Stir until the ingredients are just combined and the mixture forms a soft dough.
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With oiled or wetted hands, roll 2 level teaspoons of mixture at a time into a ball. Arrange on the prepared tray, allowing room for spreading. Set aside, uncovered, for 1 hour before baking.
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Heat the oven to moderate 180deg. Sift the icing sugar liberally over the biscuits. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until crisp and lightly browned. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
In Advance: The biscuits can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Note: You can use orange rind instead of lemon rind.
Peppermint tart
Ingredients
1 litre heavy cream, cold
2 x 360g cans dolce de leche or Nestle caramel treat
4 x 49g Nestle Peppermint Crisp chocolates,
or any mint flavoured chocolate
2 x 200g Tennis biscuits, or any coconut biscuits
1. Start by whipping the cold heavy cream in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Add in the dolce de leche/caramel – you could first mix the dolce de leche/caramel in a small bowl to soften it before adding it to the whipped cream if you’d like a smoother consistency. I personally don’t mind just adding it straight in and then giving it a final whisk until it’s mostly incorporated. Just don’t whisk it too much, you’d rather have a few small lumps of the caramel treat than overwhipped cream.
2. Chop the mint chocolate into pieces and add half to the whipped cream. Remember to keep the remaining chocolate for later when you sprinkle it on top before you put it into the fridge.
3. Add some of the caramel-choc cream to the base of your serving dish and spread it evenly. Add a layer of the coconut biscuits. Add half of the remaining caramel-choc cream and spread evenly. Then place another layer of biscuits and cover with the last of the caramel-choc cream. Sprinkle over the remaining chopped peppermint chocolate and let that chill in fridge overnight or until the biscuits have softened.
Black Forrest Cake
Ingredients:
¾ cup (65g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
1 and 3/4 cups (350g) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons espresso powder (optional)
½ cup (120ml) canola or vegetable oil
2 large eggs, at room temperature
¾ cup (180g) full fat sour cream, at room temperature
½ cup (120ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
½ cup (120ml) hot water or coffee
2 (15 ounce) cans dark sweet cherries in heavy syrup
2 Tablespoons cherry liquor (sold as kirsch or kirschwasser)
Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease three 9-inch cake pans, line with parchment paper, then grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the cakes seamlessly release from the pans.
Make the chocolate cake:
Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder (if using) together in a large bowl. Set aside. Using a KitchenAid stand mixer fitted with a flat beater, beat the oil, eggs, sour cream, buttermilk, and vanilla together until combined. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, add the hot water or coffee, and beat it all until the batter is completely combined.
Divide batter evenly between 3 pans. Bake for 21-25 minutes. Baking times vary, so keep an eye on yours. The cakes are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the cakes from the oven and set on a wire rack. Allow to cool for 30 minutes in the pans, then remove cakes from pans and set on a cooling rack. Be careful and use two hands when handling the cakes.
After the cakes have cooled, use a large serrated knife or cake leveler to slice a thin layer off the tops of the cakes to create a flat surface. Discard (or crumble over ice cream!).
Prepare the syrup:
Slice the cherries in half, leaving a few whole cherries for garnish. Set aside.
Drain the cherries, reserving ¾ cup (180ml) of the heavy syrup. Set cherries aside. Simmer syrup and cherry liquor in a small saucepan over low heat until reduced down to 1/4 cup (60ml). Brush reduced syrup all over the cakes, reserving any leftover syrup.
Chocolate Ganache:
1 cup (240ml) heavy cream or heavy whipping cream
two semi-sweet chocolate bars (226g), finely chopped
optional: 1 Tablespoon light corn syrup
Make the ganache:
Place chopped chocolate and corn syrup, if using, in a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until it begins to gently simmer. (Do not let it come to a rapid boil– that’s too hot!) Pour over chocolate and let it sit for 2-3 minutes to gently soften the chocolate. Slowly stir until completely combined and chocolate has melted. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes as you prepare the whipped cream.
Whipped Cream:
2 cups (480ml) cold heavy cream or heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup (30g) confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Make the whipped cream:
Using a KitchenAid stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes.
Assemble the cake:
Place 1 cake layer on your cake stand, cake turntable, or serving plate. Spread 1 heaping cup of whipped cream evenly on top. Dot with half of the halved cherries and drizzle with a spoonful of reduced syrup.
Top with 2nd cake layer and evenly cover the top with 1 heaping cup whipped cream, the remaining halved cherries, and another drizzle of reduced syrup.
Top with the 3rd cake layer. Spread the remaining whipped cream on top and all around the sides in a thin layer using an icing spatula. Use a bench scraper to smooth out the whipped cream on the sides of the cake.
Pour chocolate ganache on top of the cake. Spread to the edges of cake allowing it to gently drip down the sides. Top with whole cherries. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
Cover and store leftover cake at room temperature for 1-2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Crème Brûlée Cheesecake
Ingredients
Crust:
200g Nilla Wafers or Graham Crackers
4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted (60g)
Crème patisserie:
1 ½ cups heavy cream (360g)
4 large eggs
⅓ cup sugar (75g)
1 vanilla bean pod (or 1-2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste)
Cheesecake filling:
32 oz full-fat cream cheese (4 8oz blocks, 910g)
1 cup granulated sugar (220g)
½ tsp salt
Crème patisserie from above
1.5 tbsp cornstarch, sifted
Lemon juice to taste (optional)
Top:
2-4 tablespoon granulated sugar
First, make a simple Crème Patisserie base by whisking eggs, sugar and vanilla, and stirring in hot cream
While that cools, make the crust. Crumb the Nilla wafers with butter, and press down tightly in the cheesecake pan. Bake for a few minutes
Now, it's time to make the cheesecake filling. Whip the cream cheese with sugar and salt until creamy
Then slowly stir in the cooled down Crème Patisserie base, along with the cornstarch and lemon juice
Pour the cheesecake batter into the pan with the baked crust, and bake in a water bath
TIPS TO MAKE THE BEST CHEESECAKE
I strongly recommend reading my blog post on the BEST Cheesecake Recipe, as I've shared detailed tips on how to perfect cheesecake in that. Here is a summary:
Use high quality, full-fat ingredients - especially heavy cream and cream cheese
Bring all ingredients to room temperature. This will allow mixing everything without lumps
Scrape the cheesecake bowl while mixing to ensure there aren't any cream cheese lumps in it. You can also strain the batter!
Pack the crust tightly - this will ensure it remains crispy
Wrap 2-3 large sheets of foil tightly outside the springform pan to ensure water does not leak in from the water bath (I use this pan)
Keep the cheesecake slightly underdone! I find that most cheesecakes are overbaked, making their texture more eggy than creamy. The secret to an ultra creamy cheesecake is to take it out of the oven when it's still quite jiggly (but set around the edges)
Cool down thoroughly. Don't rush the cooling process, as the cheesecake will not set fully otherwise
Blowtorch the sugar in thin layers. This is quicker than trying to do it all at once, and will also give you a uniform color
WHAT IS CREME BRULEE?
Crème Brûlée is a popular French dessert, and translates to "burnt cream". At the core, it is a velvety smooth custard made from egg yolks, cream, and sugar, subtly infused with vanilla. What makes it different is its signature crispy caramelized sugar topping, achieved by torching or broiling a thin layer of sugar until it forms a delicate crust.
Jam Tarts
Ingredients
1 1/4 cups /250 grams butter softened, salted or unsalted
1/2 cup /100 grams sugar
2 large eggs
3 cups / 360 grams regular flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
250 grams apricot jam *or jam of choice
1/4 cup unsweetened desiccated coconut *optional
1.Preheat oven to 180°C and line a 9x9 inch baking tin with baking paper. Once the ingredients are added you should end up with about a 4cm height.
2.In a large bowl, cream softened butter and sugar together until smooth. Note: if you like to add eggs, then this will be the time to thoroughly mix them in.
3.Add flour, baking powder and salt to the butter mixture and mix until well combined. I use my hands towards the end.
4.Place half of the crumble aside. Place the remaining crumble in the prepared baking tin and firmly spread it across the base of the baking tin, creating an even layer.
5.Evenly spread the apricot jam on top of the crumble. If you want a coconut flavoured tart add some unsweetened desiccated coconut on top of the apricot jam.
6. Using your fingertips, crumble the remaining dough on top of the jam.
7.Bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown.
8.Allow to cool before removing the tart from the baking tin.
Chocolate & Cherry Cake
Ingredients
1 ½ cups of all-purpose flour
½ cup of cocoa powder
1 teaspoon of baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup of granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup of vanilla extract
½ cup buttermilk
½ cup of hot water
1 cup of fresh, chopped cherries
1 cup dark chocolate ganache
Fresh cherries to decorate
Instructions:
1️ Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease an 8-inch mold.
2️ Magic mixture: In a bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3️ Fluffy Cream: Beat the butter with sugar until it’s light and fluffy. Add the eggs one by one, followed by vanilla.
4️ Bring life to the dough: Alternate by adding the flour and buttermilk mixture to the moist ingredients. Finish with hot water for a smooth and delicious dough.
5️ Cherry Tap: Gently insert chopped cherries and pour the mixture into the mold.
6️ Bake & Enjoy: Bake for 30-35 minutes until a chopstick comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes then transfer to a grid.
7️ Dreamy ending: Cover the cooled cake with dark chocolate ganache and garnish with fresh cherries. It's the perfect finishing touch!
Total Time: 50 min | Servings: 8 delicious servings | Kcal: 350
Lime Mousse Cheesecake
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
For the Cheesecake Filling:
(450g) cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (about 4 limes)
Zest of 2 limes
(0.25 oz) unflavoured gelatine (optional, for firmer texture)
For the Lime Mousse:
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
Lime zest for garnish
1. Prepare the Crust:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, and melted butter.
Press the mixture firmly into the bottom of a springform pan to create an even layer for the crust.
Bake for 8-10 minutes, then remove from the oven and let cool completely.
2. Prepare the Cheesecake Filling:
In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth and creamy.
Gradually add the granulated sugar and vanilla extract, mixing well.
In a separate bowl, whip 1 cup of heavy cream until stiff peaks form.
Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture.
Stir in the freshly squeezed lime juice and lime zest.
If using gelatin for a firmer texture, dissolve it in 2 tablespoons of water and heat gently until fully dissolved. Let it cool slightly before folding into the cheesecake filling.
3. Assemble the Cheesecake:
Pour the cheesecake filling over the cooled graham cracker crust.
Smooth the top with a spatula and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or until the cheesecake is set.
4. Prepare the Lime Mousse:
In a medium bowl, whip 1 cup of heavy cream with powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.
Gently fold in 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lime juice.
Spoon or pipe the lime mousse over the chilled and set cheesecake.
5. Garnish and Serve:
Garnish the cheesecake with additional lime zest for a pop of colour and extra flavour.
Serve chilled and enjoy the refreshing blend of lime and creamy mousse!
Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Chilling Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 8-10
Black Forest Roll Cake
Black Forrest Roll Cake
Ingredients
For the chocolate sponge cake:
4 large eggs, room temperature
3⁄4 cup of granulated sugar
1 scoop of vanilla extract
1⁄4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
1⁄4 teaspoon baking powder
1⁄4 teaspoon of salt
Prepare the sponge cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Beat eggs and sugar until soft, then gently fold in vanilla extract, cocoa powder, flour, baking powder and salt. Spread out on a lined tray and bake for 10-12 minutes.
For the cherry filling:
2 cups of cherries chopped fresh or frozen
1⁄4 cup of granulated sugar
1 tablespoon of corn starch
1 spoonful of water
Make the Cherry Stuffing: Combine cherries, sugar, cornstarch and water in a sauce pan. Cook until it thickens. Let it cool down.
For the whipped cream filling:
11⁄2 cups of heavy cream, ice cream
1⁄4 cup of powdered sugar
1 scoop of vanilla extract
Beat the cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form.
Assemble the cake: Spread cherry and whipped cream filling over the cooled sponge, then roll well.
Garnish:
Garnish with cherries and chocolate shavings
Ferrero Rocher Fudge Brownies
Ferrero Rocher Fudge Brownies
Ingredients
Brownies
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1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter
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1¾ cups granulated sugar
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1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
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1 tsp vanilla extract
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1 tsp espresso powder (optional)
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4 large eggs, room temp
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1 cup + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
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½ tsp baking powder
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¾ tsp salt
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1 cup Ferrero Rocher chocolates, chopped
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1 cup chopped hazelnuts, lightly toasted
Fudge Topping
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½ cup heavy cream
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1¼ cups chocolate chips (semi-sweet or dark)
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Pinch of salt
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment.
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Brown the butter
Melt butter over medium heat, stirring until it foams and turns golden with nutty brown bits. Immediately pour into a heatproof bowl. -
Bloom the cocoa
Add cocoa powder, sugar, espresso powder, and vanilla to the hot butter. Stir until smooth and glossy. Let cool 5 minutes. -
Whisk in eggs
Add eggs one at a time, whisking vigorously after each until thick and shiny. -
Fold in dry ingredients
Gently mix in flour, baking powder, and salt until just combined. -
Add the good stuff
Fold in Ferrero Rocher pieces and toasted hazelnuts. -
Bake
Spread evenly in pan. Bake 25–30 minutes, until edges are set and the centre has moist crumbs (not wet batter). -
Cool completely (important for clean slices).
Fudge Topping
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Heat cream until steaming, not boiling.
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Pour over chocolate chips + salt.
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Let sit 1 minute, then stir until silky.
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Spread over cooled brownies.
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Chill 30–45 minutes until set.
Final Touch
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Sprinkle flaky sea salt on top
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Garnish with crushed Ferrero Rocher
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Serve slightly chilled for ultra-fudge texture
Zesty Lemon Meringue Cheesecake
Zesty Lemon Meringue Cheesecake
Ingredients
For the crust:
2 cups of crushed butter cookies
1/4 cup melted butter
Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C).
Crust: Mix crushed butter cookies with
the melted butter and press into the
bottom of a 9- inch mould.
For the filling:
3 packages (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 cup of sour cream
1 cup of white sugar
4 large eggs
1⁄4 cup of fresh lemon juice
Zest of 1 medium lemon
1 Vanilla Extract
Filling: In an electric blender, mix cream cheese, sour cream, and sugar until smooth. Add the eggs one by one, then add the juice and zest of lemon, and vanilla. Pour the mixture
over the bark.
Bake for 1 hour or until firm. Chill to room temperature then refrigerate for 3-4 hours.
For the meringue coverage:
4 large egg whites
1⁄4 cup white sugar
1⁄4 cup. cream of tartar (optional)
1 1⁄2 cups of lemon curd
Meringue topping: Turn the oven to 375°F (190°C). Beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Gradually add the sugar and cream of tartar. Spread the lemon curd over the cold cheesecake and top with meringue.
Bake for 10 minutes or until the meringue is golden brown. Refresh at least 1 hour before serving.
Total Time: 5 hours 30 minutes | Servings: 16
Chocolate Coconut Cheesecake
Chocolate Coconut Cheesecake
Ingredients
Crust
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2 cups crushed chocolate cookies
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½ cup melted butter
Filling
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3 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
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1 cup granulated sugar
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1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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3 large eggs
Topping
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1 cup shredded sweetened coconut, toasted
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1 cup melted dark chocolate
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Crushed cookies of your choice (for decoration)
Instructions
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Prepare the Crust
Mix crushed cookies and melted butter until well combined. Press firmly into the bottom of a springform pan to form the crust. -
Make the Filling
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Optional: Fold in extra crushed cookies if desired. -
Bake
Pour the cream cheese mixture over the crust. Bake at 325°F (160°C) for 55–60 minutes, or until the center is set. Let cool completely. -
Decorate
Sprinkle toasted coconut over the top, drizzle with melted dark chocolate, and finish with crushed cookies.
Notes & Tips
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To toast coconut: Spread it evenly on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 5–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden.
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Chill for at least 4 hours before serving for cleaner slices.
