Apple Pie

I love Applie Pie. I had a friend once who made the most delicious and simple apple crumble pie you have ever tasted! However, I never wrote it down and being 20 odd years ago, I simply cannot remember. In the meantime, I have been working on a recipe and this one is delicious! A little heavy, perhaps, but perfect for a snuggly warm treat. 

Preparation time: 30min
Cooking time: +- 1hour
Serves: 6-9
Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients

For the pastry:
4cups flour
2t baking powder
1tbs salt
1/2cup castor sugar
500g very cold margarine, grated
+- 1/2 cup ice water

For the filling:
2tbs margarine
1cup brown sugar
1/4cup raisins
8-10 granny smith apples
5 whole cloves
pinch of nutmeg
2t cinnamon
1/2cup warm water

Extra castor sugar

Method

Soak the raisins in the warm water for about 10minutes. Peel, core and slice the apples. Melt the butter and add the raisins, the apples, sugar, cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon. 

Simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes, until the apple is soft. Remove from heat, keep covered. Let it cool completely.

Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and castor sugar together. Crumb in the grated margarine. 

Divide the mixture into 2. 

Cut the ice water into one of the halves with a knife, until it starts to come together. Press together until it forms a stiff ball. you might need more water. Add the water little by little. Cover with Gladwrap. Let it rest in the fridge for no less than 30min. 

Once rested, roll out the dough and line a baking dish. Roll out the remaining dough and cut into strips, about 2cm in width.

Once the apples are completely cooled, mix the other half of the crumbed mixture into the apple mixture. 

Scoop into the baking dish and level out. Plait the dough strips over the top. 

Bake in the oven at 160degrees C for 20minutes. Take out and lightly sprinkle with some castor sugar. Put back in the oven and bake until lightly browned.

Remove from oven and serve warm.

Enjoy as is, or with some ice cream or whipped cream.

Yours in oil and veggies.... and pie!!

Risch

Risch's Lemon Cheesecake

Cheesecake is one of the easier desserts to make, and since you can make it low carb, I decided to try it. However, all the no-bake recipes asks for sweetened condensed milk. To the great distress of my kids, I don't have any. I really don't like it. Making it sounds like a schlep. I wasn't in the mood for baking a cheesecake... So... I made my own no-bake, creamy, smooth lemon cheesecake!! Not as sweet as the traditional ones, though. But very very delectable!!

Preparation time: 30min
Setting Time: 2 hours, minimum
Difficulty level: slightly skilled
Serves: 6

Ingredients

1 packet lemon jelly
1 packet marie biscuits
250ml cream
1/4cup castor sugar
125g cream cheese
1/4cup lemon juice
10g gelatine
125ml warm water
4tbs butter

Method

Crush the marie biscuits finely. Melt the butter and mix with the biscuits to form a moist mixture. Line the bottom and sides of a baking dish. 

Whip the cream to a thicker consistency. Add the sugar and whisk until sugar is dissolved and the cream has a shine to it. Add the cream cheese and whisk until completely combined. 

Dissolve the gelatine completely in the warm water. Add the lemon juice to the cream mixture, mix quickly and well. Add the gelatine. Mix quickly and very thoroughly. Pour into the baking dish. Put in the fridge to set. Make the lemon jelly according to the packet instructions. Let it set in the fridge. When it is thickened, but still liquid, carefully pour onto the cheesecake mixture to form a layer on top. Let set in the fridge.

My drawback with this was the jelly... my son made the jelly and he did not read the instructions thoroughly. So the jelly didn't want to set so well. I poured it over the cheesecake mixture, but because it was still way too liquid, it simply seeped into the crust. 

This didn't take anything away from the taste, though. This cheesecake is so smooth and creamy, with such a light hint of the lemon, and a subtle sweetness... you'll never believe it is homemade!!

Serve with Candied Lemon and leftover jelly.
And enjoy!!

Yours in oil and veggies... and dessert!

Risch

Simple Chocolate Mousse with Meringue crumbs

And this is the dessert you simply have to try! Smooth, chocolatey, creamy, rich and decadent... with meringue crunch and chocolate vermicilli... And this is very easy, and quick to make. A little skill is required, and it may help if you have someone to assist you for a short while... It does need some setting time too, about 4 hours, but it certainly is worth the wait and effort!!

The rule I have discovered is this: 30g chocolate + 1 egg + 50ml cream per person. You can then adjust the cream to suit your needs. This recipe is for 5 people. Everybody had a generous helping, and still a little left over.

Mousse

Ingredients

2x 80g slabs milk chocolate 
5 egg yolks
250ml cream, beaten stiff
50g margarine

Method

Melt the chocolate and margarine over a double boiler. I used my small pot in the big pot. The water in the big pot must not touch the small pot. 

Stir continuously until melted. Remove from heat. Beat the egg yolks well. Slowly pour the egg yolks into the melted chocolate, while briskly stirring the chocolate. DO NOT STOP STIRRING THE CHOCOLATE!! If you do, the egg yolk will set, and you will have chocolate with egg.... Continue until all the egg yolk is incorporated fully. 

Now add the whipped cream. Fold it into the chocolate mixture until well mixed.

 Pour into dish, and put in the fridge to set.

Meringue   (I consider this my flop attempt... but the result was exactly what I wanted!)

Ingredients

5 egg whites

1/4t cream of tartar

pinch of salt

1/2cup castor sugar

Method

Whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form. 

Add the cream of tartar, salt and whip good. Add the castor sugar. Whip continuously. You will have a shiny smooth white gooey mixture. Pour this into a baking tray.

Bake in the oven on 140degrees C. Lower the temperature after about 10minutes to 120degrees C. Once it starts browning, switch off the oven. Remove after 10 minutes and let it set. It should be crunchy.

Now for the assembly....

Once the mousse has set, you are ready to assemble your dessert!!

Scoop mousse into a small glass, break some of the meringue on top. Add some chocolate sprinkles. Layer the mousse and meringue if you wish, or eat as is....

This is a very rich, very creamy, very decadent dessert. Enjoy on a lazy sunday afternoon, with rich smooth coffee... or with cream liqueur to end off a feast with friends!! 

Yours in Oil and Veggies.... and chocolate!!

Risch