Celebrity bakers show off savoury treats
It’s an irresistible one-day fest, says Myrna Robins
IN THEWelgemoed Forum you will find Neil Swart’s Arugula Bistro & Bread, where he produces not only his moreish breads, but ice cream, pasta, bacon and almost everything else on the menu from his open-plan kitchen.
Neil blames his passion for cooking on an everlasting childhood hunger which drove him to learn to cook as an adult. He offers fine family fare from breakfast through to dinner. The menu includes a Banting section. Visit www.arugulabistro.co.za for more information.
Of his sandwich roll recipe, he recommends using unbleached stone-ground white bread flour. He also starts preparations a day ahead of baking.
In a dough mixer, combine flour, yeast and salt. Add some of the water to form a stiff dough and mix on medium speed until all flour is incorporated. This ensures that no lumps form.
Now mix more water until the dough is smooth and comes away from the sides of the mixer bowl – you need to have a fairly firm dough.
Transfer dough to a large mixing bowl and cover with plastic wrap, allowing room for expansion and place in the fridge for 24 hours.
Next day, scrape the dough onto a wellfloured surface. Fold the dough in half and cover the surface with a light coating of flour.
Pre-heat your oven to its maximum setting. Let the dough prove until it has increased in size by one-third. Cut into about 6 equal portions and place on a floured baking tray.
Transfer to oven and steam for 4 minutes. If your oven does not have a steam option, spray the sides of your oven with cold water just before putting in the dough.
After 4 minutes, open the door for a moment to let out the steam, then bake for a further 8 minutes, still at maximum heat.
When the rolls look golden, reduce heat to 180°C, and bake a little longer until the rolls feel light in your hands.
SAVOURthis peek preview of the second Cellarbake@Nitida, an irresistible one-day fest of bakes and wine (and pairing the two) which takes place at the Durbanville wine farm on March 21, starting at 11am.
The original concept that debuted last year was a huge success, and this year some of the Cape’s celebrity bakers have been invited to showcase their signature sweet and savoury bakes to a hungry public.
Visitors can wander around stalls and exhibits of baking and wedding ideas.
Foodbarn’s la belle pissaladière
There will be a vast array of savoury delights, while children will be well catered for with activities such as face painting, jumping castle, and (accompanied) boat rides across the lake. Nitida’s award-winning wines will add summery pleasure to a relaxed day.
Tickets for the event are available through Webtickets at R100 a person, which includes sampling five bakes paired with wine, or R50 a head for the bakes without wine. Small children enter free.
Visit www.nitida.co.za for more information. Candice Bowler owns the Whipped Patisserie, a stylish café in the Westlake Lifestyle Centre. The venue is filled to the brim with sweet and savoury delights, including special birthday creations and extravagant tiered wedding cakes.
She qualified as a chef from the SA Chefs’ Academy a decade ago, started her patisserie a year later and moved into her own premises in 2010.
Her decadent cupcakes are now being challenged in the publicity stakes by her prize-winning cheesecake. See www.whipped-cakes.co.za for more information.
Preheat oven to 190°C (170°C for fan ovens). Line pastry with baking paper and fill with baking beans, bake blind for 15-18 minutes. Remove beans and paper, then bake pastry for a further 10-12 minutes until base feels sandy. Reduce temperature to 150°C (130°C).
Meanwhile, melt the chocolate with the butter in a heatproof bowl over simmering water. Whisk together the sugar and eggs until pale and thick. Stir in the melted chocolate and biscuits. Pour into the baked tart shell and bake for 25 minutes until just set. Leave to cool in the tin. Serve at room temperature decorated with chopped nuts. Serves 8 – 10.
In an electric food mixer, combine your oil, sugar, eggs and red gel and whisk at high speed for 5 minutes. Sift together your flour, cocoa powder and salt, and add 1/3 of the dry ingredients to your oil mixture, whisk for 2 minutes.
Add ½ of your buttermilk to the oil mixture, and whisk till combined. Add another 1/3 of your flour mix, and whisk again. Add the remaining buttermilk and whisk. Now add the rest of your flour mix and whisk till there are no lumps and everything is smooth and shiny. Remove your whisk and add the bicarb and vinegar and fold through with a spatula till everything is incorporated.
Divide batter between 24 cupcake cups and bake at 180°C for +/-15 minutes or check by inserting a skewer and if it comes out clean, the batter is cooked. Leave to cool completely before icing.
For the icing, combine the icing sugar with the cream cheese and butter, and whisk till smooth. If the icing is too runny, keep adding icing sugar till light and fluffy. Swirl onto the cupcakes and finish with glitter, if using, and top each with a washed, halved strawberry.