White Chocolate Chai Pecan Rusks

White Chocolate Chai Pecan Rusks

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These decadent rusks are laden with pockets of caramelised white chocolate, toasty pecan nuts and fragrant chai spice, the perfect winter treat.

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White Chocolate Chai Rusks

Question: if it’s winter and you haven’t baked a batch of rusks, is it really winter at all? I don’t think I can ever remember a winter that didn’t start with my mother making a ridiculous amount of rusks. It happened like clockwork and it was (and still is) the only time I ever eat rusks. My mom’s recipe is always my go-to and I love giving it different variations – like these Maltabella rusks I made 2 years ago and this White Chocolate Pecan Chai version is probably the most decadent one yet! 

While playing around with the recipe, I realised that Nutriday Double Cream yoghurt makes an even more delicious rusk than buttermilk – which is convenient because most of us have a tub in our fridge but don’t generally have buttermilk ‘lying’ around. The slight acidity and extra creaminess of the yoghurt is just perfect with the white chocolate! 

White Chocolate Chai Rusks

To make them super decadent, I packed some of my white baking chocolate (which you can buy here) on top so that when it bakes, it comes out super caramel-ly and each bite is filled with caramelised white chocolate. 

The best part is that you can double or even triple the recipe and store it in an airtight container for whenever the craving hits!

White Chocolate Chai Pecan Rusks
Yields 30
Print
0 calories
0 g
0 g
0 g
0 g
0 g
0 g
0 g
0 g
0 g
0 g
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size
0g
Yields
30
Amount Per Serving
Calories 0
Calories from Fat 0
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 0g
0%
Saturated Fat 0g
0%
Trans Fat 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0g
Monounsaturated Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg
0%
Sodium 0mg
0%
Total Carbohydrates 0g
0%
Dietary Fiber 0g
0%
Sugars 0g
Protein 0g
Vitamin A
0%
Vitamin C
0%
Calcium
0%
Iron
0%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Ingredients
  1. 500g self-raising flour
  2. ½ tsp baking powder
  3. ½ tsp fine salt
  4. 100g pecan nuts, toasted
  5. 240g soft brown sugar
  6. 2 large eggs
  7. 250ml NutriDay Double Cream Yoghurt
  8. 250g salted butter, melted
  9. 3 tbsp chai spice (see recipe below)
  10. 100g white baking chocolate drops, chopped plus 100g extra (optional) for topping
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced).
  2. Line a 23 x 33cm deep roasting tray. Mix the dry ingredients together.
  3. Combine the eggs, yoghurt, melted butter and vanilla and mix into the dry ingredients.
  4. Add a little milk, if necessary, to form a soft dough.
  5. Press into a greased roasting tray and arrange the extra white chocolate drops on top (if you like). Bake for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Slice into fingers when cool and place in a low oven at 100°C with the door ajar until crisp and dry.
  6. Store in an airtight container.
Homemade Chai Spice
  1. 1 tbsp (15ml) ground cardamom
  2. 2 tsp (10ml) ground allspice
  3. 2 tsp (10ml) ground nutmeg
  4. 4 tsp (20ml) ground cinnamon
  5. 2 tsp (10ml) ground cloves
  6. 2 tbsp (30ml) ground ginger
  7. Combine all the spices together and store in an airtight container.
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calories
0
fat
0g
protein
0g
carbs
0g
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The Kate Tin https://thekatetin.com/
Chocolate Chai Chickpea Fudge

Chocolate Chai Chickpea Fudge

Chickpea fudge is a buttery, sweet, biscuit-like slice made with chickpea flour, icing sugar, spices and ghee, also known as chana magaj.

Chocolate Chai Chickpea Fudge

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If you’ve never heard of chickpea fudge before, then don’t worry, join the club! I first came across the treat when my friends over at Natura Sugars challenged me to do my own spin on it. Now, the word ‘chickpea’ doesn’t do this fudge any favours, but forget what you thought about chickpeas (remember these revolutionary egg-free macarons made with chickpea water?), because this fudge is AMAZING! 

Made with just ghee, chickpea flour and icing sugar, it’s smooth and biscuity and utterly moreish. Now, because it’s made with so few ingredients, you need to make sure they are the absolute best ingredients you can find. Get your hands on fine chickpea flour – its available in the health aisle of most supermarkets or in spice shops. It’s often called ‘Chana’ – that’s the stuff you want! Next, use the best-quality icing sugar, because not all are created equal! I love the Natura Sugars Demerara Icing Sugar because it is made from unrefined sugar so it still has some of the goodness and flavour of cane sugar locked inside which gives it a light caramel flavour. Best of all it’s non-GMO. As for the ghee, I was lucky enough to be gifted some by Shaheen from Natura Sugars who gets hers on her trips to Mauritius to source her beautiful sugars. Good-quality ghee makes all the difference! 

Chocolate Chai Chickpea Fudge

While chickpea fudge has been made super trendy by the Instagram health foodie brigade who have all made sugar-free, lactose-free, fun-free versions, I love the authentic chana magaj that most of you have probably been making for years already! I bumped up the traditional cardamom spice by adding fragrant chai spices, some chocolatey-ness (chocolate is never a bad thing) and sprinkled it with toasted almonds for crunch. But if you’d like to keep it more traditional, 1 tsp of ground cardamom is all it really needs to be just perfect. 

**I’m running a GIVEAWAY of Natura Sugars over on my Instagram page HERE so head over and enter to win one of two sugar hampers for you and a friend worth R400 each.

WATCH ME MAKE THIS RECIPE ON YOUTUBE!

 

CHOCOLATE CHAI CHICKPEA FUDGE
Serves 10
Chickpea fudge is a buttery, sweet, biscuit-like slice made with chickpea flour, icing sugar, spices and ghee, also known as chana magaj.
Print
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
20 min
Total Time
30 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
20 min
Total Time
30 min
5772 calories
523 g
781 g
383 g
101 g
196 g
1206 g
294 g
341 g
0 g
163 g
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size
1206g
Servings
10
Amount Per Serving
Calories 5772
Calories from Fat 3331
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 383g
589%
Saturated Fat 196g
982%
Trans Fat 0g
Polyunsaturated Fat 35g
Monounsaturated Fat 128g
Cholesterol 781mg
260%
Sodium 294mg
12%
Total Carbohydrates 523g
174%
Dietary Fiber 55g
219%
Sugars 341g
Protein 101g
Vitamin A
193%
Vitamin C
3%
Calcium
72%
Iron
128%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Ingredients
  1. 300g ghee
  2. 300g chickpea flour
  3. 80g ground almonds
  4. 300g Natura Sugars Demerara Icing Sugar
  5. 165g full cream milk powder
  6. Chai Spice Mix
  7. 1 tbsp ground cardamom
  8. 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  9. ½ tsp ground cloves
  10. ½ tsp ground nutmeg
  11. 20g cocoa powder
  12. 30g flaked almonds, toasted (optional)
Instructions
  1. Line a 32cm loaf tin with baking paper.
  2. Place the ghee and the chickpea flour into a large non-stick frying pan.
  3. Braise on medium heat, for about 10 minutes, stirring often, until the colour starts to turn a light golden brown caramel.
  4. Remove from heat and add the ground almonds, icing sugar and milk powder then return to the heat and cook for a further 10-15 minutes until a deep golden caramel colour.
  5. Stir in the spices then press half the mixture into the base of the cake tin.
  6. Mix in the cocoa powder and pour the mixture on top of the previous layer.
  7. Smooth out the top then sprinkle with the flaked almonds.
  8. Refrigerate until set then slice into thin pieces to serve.
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calories
5772
fat
383g
protein
101g
carbs
523g
more
The Kate Tin https://thekatetin.com/
Tea-Glazed Brioche Doughnut Bites

Tea-Glazed Brioche Doughnut Bites

First off, Tea and doughnuts are totally a thing. They are. There will be none of this coffee-and-doughnuts-are-classic-combination around here, please. Let’s just all admit that tea is as good as coffee. Don’t get me wrong, coffee is ama-zing, but tea? Well, it just might be better.  Especially when it comes to enjoying a cuppa with a doughnut! You see, I’ve never quite known the love that oozes from a hot cuppa tea. It doesn’t ask questions, it doesn’t get your pulse racing – tea just understands, and unlike coffee, each tea has its own… lets call it, personality. Each is designed for specific moments and feelings – but perhaps that’s through memories. Every one of these deliciously-delectably-butter-filled-deep-fried-brioche-doughnut bites has been inspired by my favourite teas and the moments that inspire me to brew them.

Rooibos, is perfect for a cold, chilly day when the rain is pouring down outside. Brewed with a bit of honey and lemon, the steam floating out of the cup… Where’s my blankie?! Cue these Rooibos and Sesame Honey-Glazed Doughnuts.

Then there’s the fragrant, floral Earl Grey tea which I, so lovingly refer to as “Granny Tea”. Why? Because it basically hugs you back after the first sip. And everybody knows that Grannies give the best hugs. If any doughnut could give you a hug it would be these Beetroot Drizzle and Earl Grey Sugar-Coated Doughnuts.

Lastly but not leastly (totally a word) – chai tea. Fragrant, spicy, warm, exotic. One waft of cinnamon ad cloves and you are lost in a spice shop in India. These doughnuts are sugar, spice and all kinds of nice – and they’re good without the chai drizzle too. Because the icing is so good you may find yourself without any left for the doughnuts. But hey, I’m not judging!

Glazed Brioche Doughnut Bites

Makes 30

200ml milk

25g fresh yeast (5g instant yeast)

2 large eggs

500g cake flour

50g butter, softened

50g castor sugar

25g honey

pinch of salt

Finely grated zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon, optional

2 egg yolks

25ml vodka

Vegetable oil, for deep-frying

Place the milk and yeast in the bowl of a mixer and stir to dissolve. Add the eggs, flour, butter, sugar, honey, salt and zest. Using a dough hook, knead the dough for 8-10 minutes or until a soft, smooth dough forms. Cover with clingfilm and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Mix in the egg yolks and  vodka then cover again and allow to rise in a warm place until puffy and doubled in size.

While the dough proves, start making the toppings:

Earl Grey Sugar and Beetroot Drizzle

1/2 cooked beetroot, cut into pieces

2 tbsp (30ml) water

1/2 cup Natura Sugars Demerara Icing Sugar, sifted

1/2 Earl Grey tea bag

3 tbsp (45ml) Natura Sugars Golden Caster sugar

Blend the beetroot and water together until a liquid forms and pour it through a sieve to separate the pulp from the liquid. Mix in 2 to 3 tbsp of the beetroot liquid into the icing sugar and mix until a smooth paste forms and set aside. In a separate bowl, mix half the earl grey teabag into the sugar and set aside.

Lemon, Sesame, Rooibos Honey glaze

2 tbsp (30 ml) hot water

1 rooibos teabag

2 tbsp (30ml) good-quality honey

1/2 lemon

1 tsp (5ml) sesame seeds

Tear the tea bag open and steep in the hot water and strain. Then mix 1 tbsp of the tea with honey, a squeeze of lemon and the sesame seeds.

Chai Tea Drizzle

1 chai tea bag

2 tbsp (30ml) hot water

1/2 cup Natura Sugars Demerara Icing Sugar, sifted

Cinnamon, for dusting

Brew the teabag in the hot water and mix into the icing sugar until it forms a smooth paste.

To finish the doughnuts, preheat the oil to 160°C either in the deep-fryer or in a pot with a thermometer. Knock the air out of the dough by kneading it gently in the bowl. Lightly oil or dust your hands in flour and pull out walnut size chunks of the dough and roll into balls, drop them into the preheated oil and fry them in small batches (5 balls at a time) until golden brown. Once they’re done, place them on paper towel to drain off the oil. Coat the doughnuts with your chosen toppings and enjoy while still warm.

TIP Best enjoyed on the day they’re made – as if I need to tell you that!

Text, recipe and food styling by Cassie Upton

Chai Cupcakes with Marshmallow Frosting

Chai Cupcakes with Marshmallow Frosting

Sugar and spice and all things nice – that’s what the best cupcakes are made of!  While baking a test batch of vanilla cupcakes this week for a dear friend and bride-to-be I couldn’t resist whipping in a sprinkling of spice. Since my two whirlwind work trips of the ‘Spice Islands’; Seychelles and Zanzibar (which both happened in the space of 4 weeks – I know, I’m such a jet setter!), I’ve found my spice drawer overflowing with the most beautiful cinnamon quills, nutmegs, cloves, cardamom, juicy vanilla pods and white peppercorns.

The markets in Zanzibar and Seychelles are packed with spice stalls and the heady aroma hangs in the thick humid air – it’s intoxicating! The vendors all haggle for your attention and you’re encouraged to get the best bargain whether it be in Seychelles rupees, Zanzibar shillings or dollars. Compared to Seychelles, the spice sellers of Zanzibar are far more persistent and I found myself purchasing spices I didn’t even need just so we could continue our tv shoot in peace!

Chai cupcakes with marshmallow frosting

The cinnamon quills were my favourite treasure – long, golden and perfectly curled they’re unlike anything we get here in South Africa. Cinnamon is actually one of the spices first used in antiquity (along with frankincense and myrrh) which of course only adds to it’s charm. I love how it laces everything it’s added to with a deep warmth. Vanna Bonta said it perfectly; ‘Cinnamon bites and kisses simultaneously’. And I don’t know about you, but I quite like the idea of being kissed by a cupcake!

Chai Cupcakes with Marshmallow Frosting

Makes 12

 

125g butter

150g castor sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 cup self-raising flour

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp chai spice*

 

Marshmallow frosting

2 egg whites

1/2 cup caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

 

Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla together until light and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs and beat well. Sift over the flour and spices and beat again. Spoon into a muffin tin lined with cupcake wrappers and bake at 180C for 12-15 minutes or until golden and a skewer comes out clean.

Make the frosting by whisking the egg whites in a heatproof bowl until soft peak stage. Add castor sugar and whisk over simmering water until the meringue is hot to the touch. Remove from the heat and beat on high with a hand mixer until cool. Whip in the vanilla. Place in a piping bag and pipe onto cupcakes immediately.

 

TIP To make the chai spice mix, combine 1 tsp each of ground cinnamon and cardamom then add 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 1/4 tsp each of ground cloves, ground nutmeg and ground white pepper. Store in a sealed jar. I like to grind the whole spices myself in a spice grinder or pestle and mortar as the flavour is far more punchy than the store-bought ground stuff.