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Hot Cross Bun Croquembouche

Hot Cross Bun Croquembouche

by | Mar 8, 2018 | 1 comment

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Hot Cross Bun Croquembouche – just saying it makes you feel fancy! While this dessert may have a shmancy, complicated-sounding name, the recipe is far from it! A traditional croquembouche is all about making those puffy little choux buns then filling them up with custard and piling them into a glorious tower to produce oooohs and aaaahs. And while this will still get you the oooohs and aaaahs it is WAY less effort because of a clever little shortcut that no one will ever judge you for…

The secret is using ready-made buns! I’ve used Albany’s new D’Light Choc Chip Hot Cross Buns (because not everyone is mad about fruit and spices but everyone does love chocolate!). You could also go for Albany’s traditional variety which is loaded with spices and dried fruit – either will work in this recipe. Just like it’s French cousin the choux puff, I’ve stuffed the buns (which are soooo soft and fluffy) full of a chocolatey custard then dipped them in caramel and piled them high with spun sugar and Easter Eggs. People will think you’ve been slaving for hours to bake this (so just nod and smile and go along with it, okay?!) The crunch of the caramel with the soft buns and creamy custard is textural heaven but looks-wise it’s one heck of a showstopper dessert! If you’re looking for more hot cross bun inspo, try these Hot Cross Bun Macarons or how about these insane Rocky Road Easter Egg Brownies!  I’d love to know what baking you have planned for Easter – let me know in the comments below…

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Hot Cross Bun Croquembouche

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Yield: 6-8 people

Ingredients

  • CHOCOLATE PASTRY CREAM
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 80g castor sugar
  • 40g corn flour
  • 500ml milk
  • 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
  • finely grated zest of 1 orange
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground mixed spice
  • pinch of cloves
  • 100g The Kate Tin Dark Baking Chocolate, finely chopped plus extra, melted for decorating
  • 15-30ml boiling hot water
  • 3 x pack of 6 Albany D’Light Choc Chip Hot Cross Buns
  • CARAMEL
  • 200g white sugar
  • 200ml water
  • Easter eggs, to decorate

Instructions

  1. Whisk the egg yolks, sugar and corn flour together with 80ml (1/3 cup) of the milk. In a small saucepan, bring the rest of the milk and vanilla to the boil and take off the heat. In a steady stream pour the warm milk mixture into the egg mixture, whisking until combined. Return the mixture to a low heat and stir for 2-3 minutes or until thick. Stir in the orange zest, spices and chopped chocolate. Pour the custard onto a plate, cover with cling wrap and refrigerate until completely cool. Whisk the cooled custard until smooth, adding just enough hot water so the custard is smooth and creamy. Place in a piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle.
  2. Using a small paring knife, make a hole in the side of each Albany D’Light Hot Cross Bun. Insert the piping nozzle into the hole, then fill with custard until the bun feels full. Repeat with the remaining buns.
  3. Prepare the caramel by placing the sugar and water in a saucepan over low heat. Stir until the sugar has dissolved, then bring to the boil and simmer until golden brown. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
  4. Working with 1 bun at a time, dip the side into the caramel and glue it to a serving dish or cake stand. Continue dipping and glueing to form a tower of hot cross buns, finishing with 1 bun at the top. Decorate with spun sugar and Easter eggs, if desired.
  5. TIP Serve immediately as the caramel doesn’t last long.
https://thekatetin.com/hot-cross-bun-croquembouche/

Triple Chocolate Tart with Sea Salt

Triple Chocolate Tart with Sea Salt

by | Jun 30, 2017 | 0 comments

My grandmother always told me to eat my beans, she never said I could have them in cocoa form! And just to be safe, I’ll have 3 kinds of ‘vegetables’, you know, for a balanced diet 😉 While you’d maybe think it’s strange to combine salt and chocolate – they are a match made in heaven. The sweet white chocolate, creamy milk chocolate and bitter dark chocolate combined with the sea salt is just sublime. And the best part? You get to go all Jackson Pollock on it afterwards!

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE TART WITH SEA SALT

Makes 1 large tart

 

Chocolate pastry

¼ cup The Kate Tin Cocoa Powder, plus extra for dusting

200g cake flour

125g butter, chilled and cubed

½ cup icing sugar

3 egg yolks

2 tbsp ice cold water

 

Filling

300ml cream

105g butter

100g each The Kate Tin Dark Baking Chocolate, Milk Baking Chocolate and White Baking Chocolate (300g in total), chopped, plus extra to decorate 

Pinch of sea salt

 

Place the cocoa, flour, butter and icing sugar in a food processor and process until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Gradually add the egg yolks and just enough water to form a dough. Flatten into a disc, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour. Roll the pastry out to 5mm thick and line a 25cm loose-bottomed tart tin, allow the pastry to roughly hang over the sides (we’ll trim it later) and prick the base with a fork. Refrigerate again for 30 minutes then bake blind* at 180C for 15 minutes, remove the paper and weights and bake for another 10-15 minutes until crisp. Trim the pastry edges with a sharp knife and allow to cool. Place the dark, milk and white chocolate each into a medium bowl. Place the cream and butter in a saucepan and heat until just below boiling point. Pour 135g of cream/butter mixture into each type of chocolate and allow to stand for a few minutes to melt. Stir until smooth. Pour the dark chocolate into the pastry case and place in the fridge to set. Once firm, pour over the milk chocolate and set again before pouring over the white chocolate. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to set completely. Decorate with extra chocolate, if desired and sprinkle with sea salt.

 

 

 

TIP *Baking blind refers to the process of placing baking paper inside the lined tart tin the filling the tart with baking beads, beans or rice to weigh it down and prevent the pastry from puffing up.

Roasted White Chocolate Truffles with Coconut

Roasted White Chocolate Truffles with Coconut

by | Mar 15, 2017 | 0 comments

Introducing my latest obsession. Caramelised white chocolate. It deserves it's own sentence it's just that good. I stumbled upon this creation one night by pure accident (I like to call it good chocolate karma) while reading through my twitter feed. I accidentally clicked on a tweet and before I knew it I was transported via a blog into the realm of golden caramel-coloured goodness. It was love at first sight and I knew I simply had to recreate this so-called caramelised white chocolate and make it my own. The main reason it's so charming (I mean other than the fact that it's chocolate), is that it consists of just two ingredients: white chocolate and a drizzle of oil. My secret ingredient though, which makes it even more delicious, is a sprinkle of sea salt flakes. Other than eating it straight out of a jar with a spoon, I have also day-dreamed about drizzling it over ice cream, spreading it between cookies or cakes, making cake pops from it, blobbing it on top of vanilla cupcakes and stirring it into hot milk on a chilly evening. How I lived my life up until this point, without caramelised white chocolate in my life, is a mystery, but now that I've found it, I want to share the delicious secret with everyone, and I hope once you have tried it, you will do the same!

Roasted White Chocolate Truffles with Coconut

Makes 12

 

200g The Kate Tin White Baking Chocolate, chopped

2 tbsp vegetable oil

55g cream, heated

pinch of sea salt flakes

toasted coconut, for rolling

 

Arrange the broken-up white chocolate on a baking sheet and drizzle with the oil. Place in an oven preheated to 150C for 40-50 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes until it reaches a rich caramel colour. If the chocolate is lumpy, simply blend it in a food processor or pass it through a sieve. If it’s too thick, add a little more oil until it reaches melted chocolate consistency. Heat the cream to just below boiling point then pour over the caramelized chocolate and stir until smooth. Pour into a shallow container, sprinkle with the salt and allow to set for 1-2 hours. Roll teaspoonfuls of the mixture into truffles then roll in the toasted coconut. Chill in the refrigerator to set.

 

 

TIP Skip the rolling and pour the mixture into jars for a delicious better-than-Nutella spread!

Black Forest Marshmallow Sweetie Pies

Black Forest Marshmallow Sweetie Pies

by | Apr 19, 2016 | 0 comments

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Hand's up who eats their sweetie pies by digging out the marshmallow filling with their finger before they consume the chocolate shell? Or maybe you're like me that just tucks straight in and tries to get the entire thing into my mouth as quickly as possible to limit marshmallow wastage? Well whichever way you enjoy them, I think we can all agree that they're one of those South African treats we all have a serious soft spot for! But something else I have a serious soft spot for lately is the Haute Cabriere Unwooded Pinot Noir and after spending an entire afternoon working out what flavours would go with it (and by working, I of course mean drinking) I stumbled upon the perfect pairing of pinot noir and cherries. And oh my goodness is this combination so gooooooood! While I'm all for suggesting that the cherries count as fruit and a plate of these treats could count as a meal 😉 society says otherwise so why not try Sarah Graham's delicious Dukkah Chicken Flatbreads - and then polish off the sweetie pies!

A crisp chocolate shell encases a vanilla marshmallow creme filling into which I tucked a sneaky syrup-soaked cherry and all of this sits snugly on top of a wafer biscuit. Of course, the sneaky syrupy cherry inside means that there's something exciting for all you savages who dig out your marshmallow filling first. These are super easy to make, especially if you have those silicone muffin trays and heck if you don't, then just pipe the marshmallow on top of the wafers and dip them in chocolate - that will be okay too! Either way it's a win-win situation. And speaking of winning, don't forget that each week Haute Cabriere are giving 2 lucky people each a case of mixed wines during March and April 2016. So this is how you make the most of this situation: 1. Buy the wine and make the sweetie pies. 2. Drink the wine and eat all the sweetie pies. 3. Use the barcode on the (now empty) bottle and click here to enter. See, told you it was a win-win!

Black Forest Sweetie Pies

(Makes 8)

 

200g The Kate Tin Dark Baking Chocolate, melted

 

Marshmallow creme filling

2 large egg whites

1/2 cup caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

 

8 cherries, in syrup, drained

16 vanilla wafer biscuits (or 8 if they're large), cut it rounds the same size as your mould

 

Melt the chocolate and coconut oil in a medium glass or metal bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water until melted and smooth. Using a pastry brush, brush a round silicone mould (or muffin cups) with chocolate a few times to form a chocolate shell, making sure to allow the chocolate to set in the fridge between each coating. About 3 layers should do it.  To make the marshmallow creme filling, in a large glass or metal bowl combine the egg white, sugar and vanilla and gently whisk over gently simmering water until the mixture is hot to the touch. Remove from the heat  and beat with an electric mixer or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment until fluffy and white then continue beating until cool. Pipe or spoon the marshmallow into the chocolate shells then insert a cherry into the middle of each. Top with the wafer rounds then cover with more chocolate to seal the sweetie pies well. Allow to set completely before unmoulding. Store in an airtight container for 2-3 days.

Disclaimer: This post has been created in collaboration with Haute Cabrière - I only work with brands I think are awesome and that I actually use myself.
Hot Cross Cinnamon Buns for Easter

Hot Cross Cinnamon Buns for Easter

by | Mar 24, 2016 | 0 comments

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Once upon a time there was a handsome hot cross bun and he fell in love with a sensational cinnamon roll and they had lots of little hot cross cinnamon bun babies and lived happily ever after! Well, okay they didn't live happily ever after 'cos I ate all the babies... erm, yeah that's kinda creepy. Anyway, it's no secret I love hot cross buns but I also love the sugary spiced filling of a cinnamon roll and so I did that thing that I do where I combine two desserts and make the world a better place. You're welcome. This is my favourite yeasty dough recipe - not only is it light and fluffy but it's also a throw-everything-in-a-bowl kinda recipe. Basically, the best kind! I've used the Natura Light Muscovado Sugar in the dough, the filling AND the crunchy almond topping (yes, there's a a caramel crunch topping!) as it adds such a beautiful deep, rich flavour to the buns and really let's be honest, at Easter the more sugar the better (especially if it's unrefined and better-for-you) . If you don't want to make little hot cross cinnamon bun babies, and would rather make good ol' hot cross buns, just leave out the topping and knead the filling into the dough instead. I left out the candied peel - because bleh - but you're welcome to add it. About 1 tbsp should do the trick. Also, some chocolate chips wouldn't hurt #justsaying. Now, go forth and eat your weight in chocolate and spiced carbs this weekend, people,  because during Easter, calories don't count!

Hot Cross Cinnamon Buns

Makes 12

 

DOUGH

500g flour

2 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp mixed spice

75g Natura Sugars Light Muscovado sugar

75g butter, softened

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

10g instant dry yeast

10g salt

175ml lukewarm milk (or water)

50g candied mixed peel (optional)

 

TOPPING

60g butter

1 cup Natura Sugars Light Muscovado Sugar

100g flaked almonds

 

FILLING

50g butter, softened

1 cup Natura Sugars Light Muscovado Sugar

½ cup raisins

1 tsp mixed spice

1 tsp cinnamon

 

Make the dough by placing all the ingredients in a mixing bowl (I use a stand mixer to make it easier) and combine until a soft dough forms (add a little more milk or water if neccesary). Knead the dough for 8-10 minutes or until it’s smooth and springs back when poked with a finger. Cover the dough and leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in size (about 1 hour). In the meantime, prepare the baking tray by rubbing a 20x30cm baking dish with the butter then sprinkle in the sugar and scatter the almonds on top. Set aside. Knock down the dough and knead it lightly to press out the air then roll out into a 20x30cm rectangle. Spread the dough with the softened butter then sprinkle over the sugar, raisins and remaining spices. Roll the dough up tightly (from the longest side) to form a sausage then slice into 2cm thick wheels. Pack the buns into the prepared baking sheet on top of your glaze then cover loosely with cling wrap and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in size. Preheat the oven to 200C (conventional, 180 fan-forced) and bake for 20-30 minutes until golden. Turn out immediately then allow to cool slightly before serving warm.

TIP These buns are best eaten on the day they are made – or even better, straight out the oven!

Disclaimer: This post has been created in collaboration with Natura Sugars - I only work with brands I think are awesome and that I actually use myself.
Chocolate Raspberry Ganache Truffles

Chocolate Raspberry Ganache Truffles

by | Mar 23, 2016 | 1 comment

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I’m going to start off by telling you to not be intimidated by chocolate truffles – they look terribly fancy and complicated but hello, they’re made with just 2 ingredients - it does not get easier than two ingredients, people.
My favourite thing about truffles is actually the fact that they do look fancy – which only means you get more compliments when you make them! They make such awesome gifts (pop them into a jar for Easter treats), or piled onto a cake stand, they’d make an absolute show-stopper put in the middle of the Easter table after lunch, and they’re fun to make with the kids. Do you need any more reasons? Oh wait, there’s also being able to lick all the chocolate off your hands after rolling them - best reason of all!
Truffles are super versatile - you can turn them into whatever your heart desires; boozy ones, nutty ones, biscuit ones or even fruity ones – like this gorgeous raspberry version. Raspberries and chocolate? Total besties.
Speaking of things that go well together, the team at Haute Cabrière decided that the perfect pairing to their delicious wines would be the perfect blogger pairing (clever, right?!) So I’m teaming up with my savoury equivalent, Sarah Graham of A Foodie Lives Here and we’ll be creating some perfect dessert and main meal pairings over the next few weeks to pair with their iconic Unwooded Pinot Noir and Chardonnay Pinot Noir wines. Check out Sarah’s Spicy Lamb Kofta recipe here then whip up these raspberry truffles for an Easter lunch menu with a difference! Both recipes are perfect served with the slightly chilled Haute Cabrière Unwooded Pinot Noir – you won’t believe how well the chocolate and raspberry truffles go with this wine - serious yum factor!

Chocolate Raspberry Ganache Truffles

Makes 12

 

125g fresh cream

250g good-quality dark chocolate (70%), chopped

12 fresh raspberries

The Kate Tin Cocoa Powder, for rolling

 

Heat the cream in a small saucepan until just below boiling point. Immediately pour the cream over the chopped chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes before stirring until smooth and glossy. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate until set. Working with a teaspoonful of the set ganache, flatten the chocolate slightly then place a raspberry in the middle and fold the ganache around it cover completely. Roll into a ball then roll in cocoa powder to coat. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

 

TIP If your ganache splits (looks oily and a bit grainy) stop stirring immediately and add 1 tbsp boiling water and whisk until smooth (keep adding boiling water a little at a time until it comes back together).

COMPETITION TIME! Each week 2 lucky winners will each win a case of mixed wines each during March and April 2016. Click here to enter.

Disclaimer: This post has been created in collaboration with Haute Cabrière - I only work with brands I think are awesome and that I actually use myself.