The bowl food trend seems to be going strong and it’s not hard to see why. They are easy to prepare, you can personalise them with all your favourite ingredients and, whether sweet or… More
Easter lamb and vegetable platter
This incredible lamb recipe comes from one of my favourite cookbooks, “Jamie’s 30 minute meals” by Jamie Oliver. It was a Christmas present from my lovely sister many years ago and I have used it often when I need week night supper inspiration. All of the recipes I have tried so far have worked really well but this easy lamb and vegetable platter really impressed me. It’s a simple recipe when you look it but it tastes incredible, and best of all you can have this gorgeous platter of food (it’s a feast, let’s be honest) in no time at all!
Chocolate hot cross bun loaf
School holidays are just a hop, skip and a jump away and many of you may be thinking about how to keep the kiddos busy over the Easter break. This time last year my kids, who LOVE their hot cross buns, and I decided to make our own buns from scratch using a recipe by Jamie Oliver, and we were all pleasantly surprised by the results. I’m not sure why we were so surprised but it was probably the combination of a potentially tricky yeast dough recipe and two small children that could have gone rather wrong, but didn’t! They were so delicious! It was also a fun baking project for the three of us…many hands make kneading a breeze after all.
Ginger and orange biscuit truffles
I’ve got a real treat for you today, and this recipe for biscuit truffles actually makes me feel rather nostalgic for two reasons. Firstly, as promised, it is the first in a short series of Easter recipes that I have planned for the next few weeks. Easter always conjures up childhood memories of school holiday visits to family living further up the coast, torrential rain that lasted for days (how I miss that rain now!) and of course the much anticipated Easter morning egg hunt in our garden after church. Fast forward a decade or three and I am now the one searching around the garden for spots to hide the eggs, ha ha! I can’t decide which is more fun actually – searching for chocolate treats or watching the faces of my children as they spot bunny footprints on the pathway outside or discover their Easter treasures in their hiding spots!
Chocolate layer cake with dark chocolate ganache
Helloo there. Welcome to March (say whaat?!) and my first blog post for the month. It’s a rather celebratory post and this recipe is inspired by one of my personal foodie icons, Yotam Ottolenghi. This easy chocolate cake recipe is adapted very slightly from one that appears in his book “Sweet” (co-written with Helen Goh) and the reason for this cake post is that this week Cupcakes and Couscous celebrates its fifth anniversary!
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Coconut Thai curry with chickpeas (vegan)
A few posts back I mentioned a fantastic new recipe book I had bought for myself. “Deliciously Ella” by Ella Woodward is a must have for your collection if you are following a vegan diet or simply looking for more plant-based inspiration when it comes to your meals. The book is filled with tons of tasty ideas and her recipes are simple and easy to follow Although I have only had a chance to try a handful of her recipes this simple vegan Thai curry with chickpeas is definitely my favourite so far!
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Coconut and pistachio chocolate bark
Happy Valentine’s Day foodies! Whether you love this holiday or are not such a fan today’s chocolatey recipe is the perfect thing to make to spoil your partner… or yourself. This easy triple chocolate bark with pistachios and toasted coconut is quick to make which also makes it an ideal last minute homemade gift for your special someone.
Chocolate cheese tart with dark chocolate ganache
Valentine’s Day is coming up and this lovely little dessert is perfect for the occasion. It’s inspired by an old chocolate tart recipe I made back in college whilst doing my food training, and I have adapted it by adding a decadent dark chocolate ganache layer and using my favourite sweet pastry recipe for the base. (And if making pastry from scratch for someone isn’t a sign of love then I don’t know what is!)
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Spinach and feta empanadas with red pepper sauce
Capetonians will be pleased to read that this post has nothing to do with the water crisis… argh, I said it! We are all a little bit obsessed right now you see, (one’s Facebook feed is enough to induce a severe case of hysteria!), and in uncertain times like these we could all do with a little comfort food. Like a golden pastry pocket that fits snugly in your hand, filled with a delicious cheesy spinach stuffing and dipped in a warming roasted red pepper sauce. I’ll take one! Or three…
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