Angelic pudding

I am preparing for Master Chef. Yes, my dream is to actually get in J I know that this season is already closed (I was too busy with other things) but hopefully next season I will make it.

One of the things that you need for Master Chef are quick but tasty dishes. The judges always throw a surprise challenge your way. You just HAVE to be prepared.

This one is a pudding that, unlike rice pudding, is made with Angle Hair pasta (Vermicelli) and cardamom. Cardamon in Arabic and Hebrew is called הל (Hel – pronounced like Hell just with a long E). It can also mean halo or aurora …. Thus the name

I personally use a light cardamom infusion as I am not the biggest fan of cardamom…

You can eat it both warm or chilled – which makes it great to take with you to work or a pot luck.

Prep Time: 10 Minutes Cook Time: 15 Minutes            Ready In: 40 Minutes

Servings: 4

  

1  l milk

5 tbs white sugar

5 cardamom seeds

1 (500gr ) package Angel Hair/vermicelli pasta, broken into small pieces

1 handful of raisins

Mix the milk together with the sugar and the cardamom seeds (slightly crack them if you want a stronger taste) in a saucepan. Bring to a near boil (careful that the milk will not over boil) then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes (make sure that the milk will not burn at the bottom). Stir the pasta and raisins and continue to simmer until pasta is tender and the cream sauce has thickened, about 5 more minutes. Remove from heat and let stand until warm, about 15 minutes. If the pudding is too thick you can stir in a little bit more milk

Please tell me what you think of it.

Cheesy Chocolate Cupcakes

Chocolate cream cheese cupcakes, rich and gooey. Takes no time to prepare and is a big hit everytime I make it. Oh, and you can turn it into a cake

Prep Time: 10 Min (maximum)         Yield 24 cupcakes or one large round cake

1 200gr package cream cheese, softened

1 egg

1/3 cup white sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup white sugar

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup water

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon cider vinegar (or any other mild vinegar)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 175C. Line muffin tins with paper cups or lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray (or prepare a 26-28 cm backing tin)
2. In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese, egg, 1/3 cup sugar and 1/8 teaspoon salt until light and fluffy. Stir in the chocolate chips and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, mix together the rest of the ingredients. Stir together until well blended. Fill muffin tins 1/3 full with the batter and top with a dollop of the cream cheese mixture. If you make a cake, slightly swirl in the cheese mixture
4. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes (or 35-40 minutes if you make a cake) 

Tip: You can use a wooden spoon for mixing

Homemade Ice Cream in a blitz

Years ago at a Tupper party the Tupper lady made ice cream using just a few ingredients and this hand mixer/blender. I adapted this for ease to use a food processor.
This recipe will make real nice fruit flavored ice cream in just a few seconds. And the best part: You don’t need an expensive ice cream maker.

2 cups frozen fruit (sliced if necessary)

1/2 cup of sugar (adjusted to taste)

1 cup heavy cream or yoghurt

Put the fruit in your blender or food processor. Add the sugar and a little of the cream and start processing/blending. Keep blending until the fruit is well pureed. Add more cream as needed to get the right consistency. Depending on the fruits you use you may have to put the mixture back in the freezer for a bit.

This recipe works best with berries, peaches, mango or bananas.

Fruit Cobbler

Have you ever been faced with a cake that you over baked? Or are you getting guests over and the only thing left are a tin off fruit or two and this cake that has seen better days but it is just a real shame to bin it.

Well, try this fruit cobbler. It is quick to make and so delicious that no one will be able tell that you have made it because you just had nothing else at home.

You will need:

• 1/2 cups sugar, adjust it to your taste
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/4 cup oil
• 5 slices dry cake, cut into stripes. crusts removed and cut into strips
• Fruits to cover the bottom of the pan
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon (but that is optional)

Mix the first 4 ingredients together and set aside. Place the fruits in a buttered 20x20cm pan and top with cake strips. Pour sugar mixture over the crumble and and sprinkle with cinnamon if desired.
Bake in a medium hot oven (180°C) for about 35-45 minutes or until golden brown.

Ice cream or whipped cream on top make it even better.

Note: The reason why I can't give you an amount for the fruit is that I just fill it into the pan and that's it. It really depends what you use. Canned fruits work great, frozen fruits should be defrosted slightly. soft fresh fruits are good as well, however, if you use anything that is harder, like apples, you should precooked until softened for best results.
Also, if you don't have any cake but only bread (white, light, fruit...) use that instead. Just increase the amount of sugar to 1 cup and remove the crust.