SWEET CHEESEBOARD FOR AFTER DINNER
CHEESE Stilton or Simonzola, Camembert, Boerenkaas or Gouda, Gruyère or pecorino, mature cheddar, crottin ACCOMPANIMENTS Berries, gooseberries, pomegranates, figs, fruit pickle, dates, raisins, preserved ginger pieces, whole preserves, honeycomb, a selection of nuts (caramelised if preferred), rye bread, biscotti, mosbolletjies, date loaf, carrot or fruit cake
6 BLUE CHEESE FONDUE
Rye bread is ideal for dipping with this fondue. Mosbolletjies could work too. Enjoy it with berries, gooseberries, dates and pomegranate seeds. Using a heavy-bottom saucepan, add 500 ml (2 c) grated mature cheddar, 250 ml (1 c) grated mature Gouda, 125 ml (½ c) mild blue cheese, 45 ml (3 T) cake flour, 125 ml (½ c) cream, 250 ml (1 c) white wine and 180 ml (¾ c) dessert wine and heat to just below boiling point. Whisk with a wire whisk until the mixture is smooth. Pour into a fondue or warm earthenware dish. Serve with cubes of rye bread or mosbolletjies.
7 CARAMELISED NUTS
Sprinkle about 60 ml (¼ c) brown sugar and a pinch of cumin or cinnamon over a selection of nuts such as Brazil, walnuts, pecan nuts or almonds and heat while stirring until the sugar has melted. Sprinkle a pinch of sumac over if preferred. Serve with soft cheese, fruit and blue cheese.
8 GINGER BISCOTTI
This is delicious with fruit pickle, oven-roasted grapes or raisins and hard or soft creamy cheese. Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Grease a baking sheet with nonstick spray. Whisk 3 eggs and 160 ml (²⁄₃ c) castor sugar until light and creamy. Mix in 5 ml (1 t) vanilla essence. Sift 500 ml (2 c) cake flour, a pinch of salt and 5 ml (1 t) baking powder into the egg mixture and mix well. Add 150 g ginger preserve pieces and 70 g chopped pecan nuts and mix.
Make a ball and put on a surface lightly coated with flour. Work with damp hands because the dough can get sticky. Divide the dough into two equal parts and shape them into two ovalshaped breads. Put on greased baking sheets.
Bake for 25 minutes until slightly brown, firm and cooked then leave to cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes. Cut in diagonal wedges of about 5 mm with a serrated knife.
Reduce the oven temperature to 160 °C. Arrange the biscotti wedges in a single layer on a wire rack on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes on each side until dry.
Cool and store in an airtight container.
9 FRUIT PICKLE
Bring 180 ml (¾ c) water, 60 ml (¼ c) apple cider vinegar, 45 ml (3 T) sugar and 15 ml (1 T) finely grated fresh ginger to the boil. Pour the mixture over six whole figs or plums and cool. Leave to stand for a day before serving.
10 ROAST GRAPES
Drizzle olive oil lightly over small bunches of grapes and sprinkle a handful of chopped rosemary over. Roast for about 20 minutes at 190 °C until slightly dried out. Cool before serving.
Do the same with vine tomatoes and serve with a savoury cheeseboard.