Top chef’s new chapter
CHEF Jackie Cameron needs little introduction. She headed the Hartford House kitchen for 12 years, winning national and international awards and accolades.
Now at the helm of her own cooking school in Hilton, also in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, she has published her second book, Baking with Jackie Cameron.
While her first book focused on the home dinner table, here Cameron aims to out “indulgence of deliciousness”. It’s an inviting book, divided into seven sections.
It takes in biscuits and breads. The famed amadumbe bread from Hartford features, along with beer bread, and a gluten-free variety.
Cakes might take in a black forest meringue or a coffee and peacan variety with Kahlua syrup. While puddings range from chocolate and goji berry fondant, to Granny Kay’s no-flour Christmas pudding. Again here, Cameron shows us how to do it properly.
Pies and tarts include a twice-baked Gorgonzola soufflé while a section on small cakes includes lemon and poppyseed lamingtons, coffee millionaire’s shortbread, custard slices and Chelsea buns. Here Granny Dot’s scones feature, a recipe Cameron remembers from when she was a young girl.
Local recipes and ingredients take pride of place, too.
Yes, there’s the chocolate and cinnamon malva pudding, but there’s an Amarula creme brûlée and the “Engelse meisie” se melk tert.
All the recipes have been tried and tested and are easily accessible to a non-professional baker and can be done in a home kitchen.
In that way, Cameron’s book is a tribute to the millions of mothers (and fathers) out there who cook for the enjoyment of it.
In fact, so confident was Cameron that her recipes were foolproof that she parcelled the baking for her launch out to friends and family, many with little baking experience. The result was a delectable feast.
In addition, the book lays out all methods in very simple and easy-to- follow steps. Measurements for ingredients are consistent throughout.
At the back, there are useful tips, hints and problemsolving ideas, which include everything from how to bake blind, to how to roast nuts, to preventing curdling, and using corn starch.
Photography by Myburgh du Plessis is beautiful and so inviting it encourages you to get into the kitchen, switch on the oven and haul out the mixer.
● Baking with Jackie Cameron, published by Penguin Random House. Available at Exclusive Books, at the recommended retail price of R297.
Naartjie and cardamom cake 360g white sugar 4 whole eggs 45ml naartjie zest (about 8 naartjies) 8 cardamom pods, seeds removed, roasted and crushed 125g unsalted butter, melted 275g cake flour 5ml fine salt 10ml baking powder 250ml full-cream milk Syrup 300ml fresh naartjie juice 250g white sugar 30g unsalted butter 12 cardamom pods, seeds removed, roasted and crushed 1 Whisk the sugar, eggs and naartjie zest until fluffy. 2 Add the roasted crushed cardamom and melted butter. 3 Sift the dry ingredients and add to the mixture alternately with the milk. 4 Spoon into a lined and greased 24cm cake pan. 5 Bake in a preheated oven at 180ºC for about 40 minutes, or until cooked.
Syrup 1 Make the syrup. Place all the ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring continuously. 2 Remove the cake from the oven, but leave it in the pan. Prick holes in the surface with a skewer. Pour the hot syrup over the cake making sure it soaks in well. Leave to cool in the pan before carefully removing the cake. 3 Dust with icing sugar or top with butter icing, or fresh fruit, whipped cream, or grated chocolate, as you prefer.