COCONUT AND LEMON CUPCAKES – Les Petite Chefs – Mira (12) and Nicola (13)

INGREDIENTS

• 125g butter, softened
• 125g castor sugar
• Finely grated zest and juice of 2 lemons
• 2 eggs
• 150g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 50g desiccated coconut

For the icing

• Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 175g icing sugar
• 2 tbsp desiccated coconut

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C
2. Line a muffin tin with cupcake papers
3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk butter, sugar and lemon zest together until light and fluffy
4. Whisk in the eggs and lemon juice
5. Fold in the flour, baking powder and coconut
6. Spoon the mix into the cupcake papers
7. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes till risen and golden and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean
8. Place 2/3 of the lemon zest and juice into a bowl and sift over icing sugar
9. Stir till smooth
10. Drizzle over the tops of the cooled cupcakes.
11. Sprinkle with the remaining zest and the coconut
12. Serve

Enjoy! Yum.Me!

 

LAMINGTONS – Team Nicole ‘n Melena – Nicole (13) and Melena (12)

INGREDIENTS

• 125g butter, softened
• 1 cup castor sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 3 eggs
• 450ml cake flour, sifted
• 10ml baking powder
• 125ml milk

For the syrup

• 875ml icing sugar
• 62 ml cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp. butter, softened
• 125ml boiling water
• 500ml desiccated coconut

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 180°C
2. Grease a 3cm-deep, 20cm x 30cm pan. Line with baking paper, leaving a 2cm overhang on all sides.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy.
4. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition
5. Sift in flour and stir to combine
6. Add in milk and mix.
7. Spoon into prepared pan and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
8. Remove from oven and leave to cool in pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto wire rack.
9. Once cool enough to handle, cut into neat squares.
10. Make the icing by sifting icing sugar and cocoa into a bowl
11. Add butter and boiling water. Stir until smooth.
12. Place coconut in a dish.
13. Carefully dip each sponge square into the syrup coating each side
14. Dip into the coconut, again coating each side
15. Plate and serve.

Enjoy! Yum.Me!

PRAWN RISOTTO – Team Bayathandeka – Tehya (9) and Kaela (8)

INGREDIENTS

• 400g raw, deveined prawns, still with heads and shells
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 6 sachets Fish Stock liquid Concentrate
• 50g butter
• 1 onion
• 300g arborio rice
• 125ml brandy
• 1 small glass white wine
• 200g frozen peas
• 1 large lemon
• A few sprigs of flat leaf parsley and/or mint

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 200⁰C
2. Remove the shells and heads from the prawns and place heads and shells in a roasting pan (leave two or three behind for garnish, depending on how many portions)  Roast for 10 minutes.
3. While roasting, make up the stock and place in a saucepan.
4. Chop the onion finely
5. Zest the lemon and squeeze out the juice
6. Remove the prawn shells from the oven and add to the stock – keep over a low heat
7. In a saucepan, sautee the onions in a little butter and olive oil until soft
8. Add the rice and stir until coated in the butter
9. Add the wine and stir until the liquid is gone
10. Add the stock, one ladle at a time, stirring each time until the liquid is gone (Place the strainer over the saucepan to make sure the shells stay behind)
11. Cut the prawns into bite-size pieces
12. Fry the prawns for a few minutes in some butter and olive oil – include the three whole prawns
13. As the prawns start to change colour, throw in the brandy, light, and flambé (WARNING!!! BE VERY CAREFUL DOING THIS AND PLEASE ENSURE YOU HAVE AN ADULT HELPING YOU!)
14. When the risotto is almost done, stir in the peas and cook for a couple of minutes
15. Stir in the prawns and cook until pink
16. Finally, stir in the lemon juice
17. Serve with a prawn and some lemon zest on top

Enjoy! Yum.Me!

GINGER SALMON WITH POTATOES – Team Mange Tout – Philade (10) and Savana (12)

INGREDIENTS

• 10 Baby potatoes (5 per person)
• Handful fresh parsley
• 2 Fresh salmon steaks with skin – 1 per person
• A thumb sized piece of fresh ginger, finely grated
• 2 cloves garlic – crushed
• I onion finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp. Soya Sauce
• 2 tsp Sesame oil
• 1 Green chilli – finely chopped
• Zest and juice of 2 lemons
• 175g Sugar snap peas/mangetout
• Olive oil
• Knob of butter
• Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

1. Add a glug of olive oil, garlic, onion, soya sauce, sesame oil, ginger, chilli, lemon juice and zest to a bowl. Mix well.
2. Brush salmon fillets with the marinade mixture. Set aside to marinade.
3. Rinse potatoes and boil in salted water till soft. When done, dress with a bit of butter and roughly torn parsley
4. Steam or boil mange tout till cooked but still crunchy.
5. Heat a large frying pan till hot. Add a knob of butter.
6. Place salmon into pan skin side down. Fry till skin is crispy
7. Turn and fry on the other side, taking care not to overcook the salmon
8. When done, serve with mange tout and baby potatoes

Enjoy! Yum.Me!

 

DOUBLE CHOC CHIP BROWNIES – The Baking Bosses Olivia (11) and Lexi (11)

Ingredients

• 1 cup (250g) butter
• 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 1/4 cups cocoa powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tbs. vanilla extract
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 2 cups dark chocolate chips

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 C.
2. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with shortening; set aside.
3. In a medium saucepan melt butter over low heat.
4. Once butter is completely melted add in sugar and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour sugar mixture into a large bowl.
5. Beat in cocoa, salt, baking powder, vanilla, eggs.
6. Mix until combined.
7. Stir in the flour and chocolate chips until well combined.
8. Spread brownie batter into prepared pan (batter will be very thick).
9. Bake for approximately 25 minutes.
10. Cool on a cooling rack and enjoy!

Yum.Me!

 

KITKAT CHOCOLATE CAKE – Team Sharz – Saalihah (10) and Zakira (10)

Ingredients

1. 4 extra large eggs
2. 1 cup castor sugar
3. 1 ½ cup cake flour
4. ¾ cup vegetable oil (sunflower)
5. 1 cup warm water
6. ½ cup cocoa powder
7. 1 tsp baking soda
8. 3 tsp baking powder
9. 1 tsp vanilla essence

For the topping

1. 500ml cream
2. Tin of caramel
3. 1 large box astro sweets
4. 4 large KitKat chocolates

 

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius and grease two round cake tins
2. Cream together eggs and castor sugar till pale and fluffy
3. Mix water and cocoa powder till all cocoa dissolved
4. Sieve together flour, baking soda and baking powder and add to egg mixture
5. Mix well.
6. Add oil, vanilla essence and cocoa mixture.
7. Mix and pour into prepared cake tins
8. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until done
9. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack
10. When completely cool, cover one piece of cake with caramel and sandwich together with other piece of cake.
11. Top cake with whipped cream and sides with whipped caramel
12. Firmly press Kit Kat fingers onto sides of cake till fully covered
13. Sprinkle Astros over top of cake and serve.

Enjoy! Yum.Me!

CHICKEN ALFREDO – The Corny Chicks Nadira (13) and Aziza (15)

• Tbs. of butter mixed with a bit of olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 500ml double cream
• pinch of salt
• ground pepper
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
• 3/4 cup mozarella cheese
• 500g fettuccine pasta
• 4 x chicken fillets cubed.

1. Heat butter and olive oil in a saucepan
2. Add onions and saute until transparent
3. Ad chicken and simmer until partly cooked.
4. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer until chicken is cooked.
5. Meanwhile in a separate pot prepare water with a little bit of salt, oil and a teaspoon of italian herbs. Bring to the boil. Add fettuccine pasta and cook until al dente.
6. Strain in a colander and add to chicken sauce mixture.
7. Mix and serve with grated parmason cheese and fresh basil.

Enjoy! Yum.Me!

 

CHEESY CHICKEN PASTA – Lil’ Kitchen Bosses – Phumelele (12) and Onikayo (13)

 

• 125g macaroni
• 30g butter
• 4 bacon rashers, cut into strips
• 4 chicken fillets, cut into cubes
• 2 Tbsps. plain flour
• ½ tsp. mustard
• 2 cups milk
• ½ cups cheddar cheese, grated
• ½ cup mozzarella cheese, grated
• ½ cup gouda cheese, grated
• Dried mixed herbs
• Salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius
2. Cook macaroni in a large saucepan of boiling, salted water, following packet directions, until tender. Drain and return to pan. Set aside.
3. While the macaroni is cooking, heat pan and add bacon. Cook till golden.
4. Add chicken pieces, dried mixed herbs and salt and pepper to taste. Cook chicken on all sides.
5. In another pan, melt butter. Add flour and cook till gently till mixture bubbles. Whisk in milk and cook, stirring constantly till sauce thick
6. Remove from heat and stir in cheese, reserving some for the topping.
7. Pour sauce over chicken and bacon, mixing well.
8. Add cooked macaroni and mix.
9. Transfer mixture to a baking dish. Top with remaining cheese and bake for 20 minutes till topping is golden.

 

Serve and enjoy! Yum.Me!