MORE - Carrot and Pecan Nut Cupcakes with White Chocolate and Cream Cheese Icing

 Andrea, in the More reservations office, is actually a chef by trade. She often brings her homemade treats to the office for us to sample. These are delightful cupcakes are very popular and you'll be lucky if there is one left by the end of the day!

INGREDIENTS:
375 ml cake flour
15 ml baking powder
2.5 ml salt

5ml cinnamon

250 ml finely grated carrots
60 ml chopped pecan nuts
250 ml milk
90 ml sunflower oil
250 ml sugar
3 eggs
5 ml vanilla essence
Icing
1 x 230 g tub Lancewood smooth cream cheese
140 g icing sugar
80 g white chocolate, melted

METHOD: Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt together. Add carrots and nuts and mix to coat with flour. Heat milk and oil together. Cool slightly. Beat sugar, eggs and essence together until creamy and light. Add flour mixture and milk and oil mixture. Mix and spoon into cupcake cases placed in a muffin tin. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 15 - 20 minutes. Cool.

ICING
Beat together cream cheese and icing sugar until creamy. Add the chocolate and mix well.

Andrea proudly presents her cupcake



PJ and Ashley couldn't resist the cupcakes!



MORE - Traditional Milk Tart & Lion Sands Melktertjies

Milktarts are probably the most traditional South African dessert. Claudine prepared a milktart for the office team to enjoy.

For the pastry:

2 Tbs butter - please not margarine!

2 Tbs sugar

1 egg

¾ cup self raising flour

Pinch salt

For the filling:

2 cup milk

1 stick whole cinnamon

2 eggs, separated

½ cup sugar

¼ cup cake flour

¼ cup corn flour

Pinch salt

2 Tbs butter

1 tsp vanilla essence

Ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius.
Blitz all the ingredients together in a food processor or with an electric beater until it all clumps together to form a dough.
Press into a lightly greased 24 cm tart dish. Chill in the fridge while preparing the filling.
Heat the milk with the cinnamon stick in a medium pot(do not boil).
Beat the yolks and sugar until creamy and light then add the flours and salt - the mixture will be quite thick.
Add some warm milk to the egg mixture and then return all of it to the pot. Remove the cinnamon stick from the milk.
Bring to the boil and whisk constantly until thickened.
Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter and vanilla.

Claudine tucks into a slice of Milktart

Melktertjies

Nicci, the Lion Sands River Lodge Manager, recommends these after-dinner shooters for the more adventurous!

375ml vodka

395g tin of condensed milk

375ml tin of evaporated milk

ground cinnamon- to serve

Whisk the condensed milk and evaporated milk together and poured directly into half a bottle of vodka.
Shake the bottle to blend the mixture together. You can reduce the amount of vodka if you prefer less of a kick.
Keep the bottle in the fridge or freezer until needed – the bottle will not crack.
Shake well before pouring into shooter or shot glasses.
Sprinkle each shooter with ground cinnamon and serve chilled.

Ask Nicci to serve you a melktertjie shooter when you're at River Lodge

Tinga - Pumpkin Fritters with Cinnamon Syrup

Pumpkin fritters are comfort food. When Tinga cook the fritters the aromas conjure up memories of cold winter days and warm Sunday lunches. Some people enjoy them as snack or served as part of the main course, others prefer them with a large scoop of ice cream as dessert

Ingredients:

500ml Pumpkin, Cooked

215ml Cake Flour

10ml Baking Powder

2ml Salt

1 Egg, Whisked

Sunflower oil for frying

Syrup

15ml Butter

300ml Sugar

200ml Milk

15ml Cornflour

175ml Cold Water

1 Cinnamon Stick

Method:

1. Mash the pumpkin and mix with the other ingredients (but not the oil).

2. Heat the oil in a pan and fry tablespoons of batter in warm oil until browned on both sides.

3. Drain on kitchen paper.

Make the syrup:

4. Bring the butter, sugar and milk to the boil.

5. Mix cornflour and water, stir into milk and bring to the boil.

6. Pour warm sauce over warm fritters.

MORE - Honey, Cinnamon & Soy Chicken Kebabs

Crystal-Lee shared her recipe for her family's favourite chicken kebabs. It has a Asian flavour but cooking the sosaties on the braai adds a unique South African flavour

Honey, Cinnamon and Soy Chicken Kebabs

Marinade:

1/2 cup soy sauce

1 clove garlic, chopped

2 tbsps honey

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp fresh ginger, chopped

Mix all the ingredients until well combined. Cover and refrigerate until required.

Marinade the chicken kebabs for 1 hour. Braai over hot coals, basting with the marinade, turning regularly. The sosaties are cooked after 15-20minutes when golden brown

Crystal-Lee enjoying her chicken sosatie

Tinga - Brandy Snaps with Cinnamon Chantilly

After a delicious meal, there is nothing more indulgent than a creamy dessert. Tinga balances cinnamon cream with crunchy brandy snaps, a dessert that looks impressive and is surprisingly easy to make!

 

Brandy Snap Ingredients:

100g Butter

100g Castor Sugar

60ml Golden Syrup

5ml Brandy

100g Cake Flour

5ml Ground Ginger

Cinnamon Chantilly Ingredients:

2 Cups Cream, cold

180ml Castor Sugar

5ml ground Cinnamon

2.5ml Vanilla Extract

Method:

Preheat the oven to 160^oC

Line two baking sheets with baking paper and set aside.

1. Place the butter, castor sugar, syrup and brandy in a small, heavy- based saucepan a

    And melt over low heat. Do not allow to boil.

2. Stir in the flour and ginger until smooth.

3. Remove from the heat

4. Drop teaspoonfuls of the mixture on to prepared sheets, allowing sufficient space in  

    between for spreading.

5. Bake for 8-9 minutes or until golden brown in colour.

6. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.

7. Using a spatula, lift each brandy snap from the sheet.

8. Wrap around the handle of a wooden spoon.

9. Once firm, remove from the spoon and place on a cooling rack to harden.

To assemble:

10. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the cream, sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla until stiff peaks form.  Do not overbeat.

11. Fill each brandy snap with the Cinnamon cream

Cape Cadogan - Orange & Spices Rooibos (Nigiro Tea)

Hilda pours a cup of Orange & Spices Rooibos Tea

Orange & Spices Rooibos (Nigiro Tea)

Cape Cadogan & More Quarters’ breakfasts are served with various teas, including the famous Orange & Spices Rooibos. This rooibos is flavoured with cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, vanilla and orange. Brewing chai at home is made simple with this already flavourful tea.

If you can't wait for your next trip to Cape Capdogan and More Quarters, here is Claudine's (from MORE) recipe for Chai Tea:

Chait Tea

Makes enough for 4 cups (so invite a friend!)

Cape Cadogan - Cinnamon French Toast

There is nothing like a cooked breakfast to start your day and nothing says "holiday" quite like a plate of French Toast. Join Cape Cadogan for a twist on this classic dish.

Monica serves lovely French Toast

Cinnamon French Toast

Ingredients:

·         1 egg

·         2 egg whites

• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• dash nutmeg
• 8 slices French bread, sliced on diagonal

Preparation:

1.       In a shallow bowl, whisk egg and egg white until foamy. Whisk in milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

2.       Heat butter in heavy skillet over medium-low heat. Dip 4 slices of bread in the egg mixture, turning to coat thoroughly. Let excess drip back into bowl.

3.       Place coated bread slices in hot skillet. Cook, turning, until both sides are nicely browned, about 2 minutes each side.

4.       Transfer to a warm plate and keep warm in oven. Repeat with remaining bread and egg mixture. Serve with cinnamon sugar & maple syrup.

More Quarters - Banana Apple Strudel Muffins

These delicious delights are popular with guests staying at More Quarters! Plenty of spices including cinnamon, all spice and ground coriander fill the home with comforting aromas.

Christinah with a batch of freshly baked muffins

Banana Apple Strudel Muffins

 2 cups flour

 1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

 1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 1/2 cups mashed bananas

2 1/2 cups apples, chopped

3 tablespoons canola oil

1 cup water

1/3 cup brown sugar, packed

Topping (optional)

1 tablespoon flour

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1 tablespoon vegan margarine

 

Preparation:

1.       Preheat oven at 180°C.

2.       Mix flour, baking powder and soda, salt and spices.

3.       In a separate bowl mix sugar, banana and oil.

4.       Add apples to flour mixture and ensure they are well coated.

5.       Stir in the sugar mix and then the water, mix well.

6.       Spoon into well greased muffin pan.

7.       *If adding the topping: mix sugar, flour and spices then cut in the margarine until crumbly – spoon a small amount on top of each muffin.

8.       Bake for 25 minutes.

 

 

MORE - Apple Pie

Ingredients

2 tablespoons milk
1 large tablespoon butter
2 eggs
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
A pinch of salt
A can of pie apples (340g)
Cinnamon
For the sauce:
1 can Ideal Milk
½ cup sugar
Method
1.  Preheat the oven to 190°C.
2.  Melt the butter and milk together in the microwave.
3.  Beat the eggs and sugar until creamy.
4.  Add in the milk mixture.
5.  Add the flour, baking powder, salt and a dash of cinnamon.
6.  Grease the pie dish with butter (or a spraying of Spray 'n Cook), and pour the batter into the dish.
7.  Place the apples on the batter.
8.  Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes.
9.  When the pie is about 10 minutes from ready, bring the sugar and Ideal Milk to the boil.
10. Pour over the pie as soon as it comes out the oven.
Tip: The batter should be shallow - it rises between the apples and looks great.