Took me quite a while to figure out what this “gangnam style” thing was all about, since everyone on FB was talking about it before I saw the video. If you haven’t seen it yet, you have to watch it. It’s hilariously stupid and funny.

Instead of icing or melted chocolate, try caramel condense milk as a topping for chocolate cake! In South Africa we can buy caramel condensed milk in a can, but while living in England, I couldn’t find it anywhere!

Here’s how you can make your own caramel condensed milk, using sweetened condense milk:

Method #1

• Pour the condensed milk into a pan.
• Put it on medium-low heat, stirring continuously. (for 10-15 mins)
• Take off the heat when you can turn a cooled tablespoon of it upside down without it falling off.

Method #2

• Immerse closed can on its side in a pot of water and bring to the boil.
• Leave on a simmer or light boil for 2 – 2.5 hours, topping up with water as needed
• Remove from heat and let it cool down completely before opening can.
• Don’t open the can while its still hot. The condensed milk should be thick and a nice caramel color.

Be careful and don’t let the water dry out, else the can will burst!

Spread the caramel over the chocolate (or vanilla) sponge cake once the cake is cooled off completely.  Decorate with grated chocolate.

Ingredients for the muffins

350ml unsalted butter, warmed to room temperature
440ml sugar
4 large eggs
6 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbs. plus 2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1-3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1-2/3 cups milk
1/4 cup buttermilk

Ingredients for dipping

200ml unsalted butter; more as needed
2 cups sugar
2 Tbs. ground cinnamon

Method

Put a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F.
In a stand mixer or a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar.
Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until just mixed in.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg.
Combine the milk and buttermilk. With a wooden spoon, mix a quarter of the dry ingredients into the butter mixture.
Then mix in a third of the milk mixture. Continue mixing in the remaining dry and wet ingredients alternately, ending with the dry.
Mix until well combined and smooth, but don’t overmix.
Grease and flour a standard-size muffin tin.
Scoop enough batter into each tin so that the top of the batter is even with the rim of the cup, about 1/2 cup. (A #16 ice-cream scoop gives you the perfect amount.)
Bake the muffins until firm to the touch, 30 to 35 minutes.

To finish
Melt the butter for the dipping mixture. Combine the sugar and cinnamon. When the muffins are just cool enough to handle, remove them from the tin, dip them into or brush them all over with the melted butter, and then roll them in the cinnamon sugar.

INGREDIENTS

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips (I used 1.5 large slabs Bourneville dark chocolate, chopped in the blender)

PREPARATION

Line large baking sheet with double thickness of foil. Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl to blend. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, then vanilla. Beat in flour mixture. Stir in semisweet and white chips. Drop dough by heaping tablespoonfuls onto prepared sheet in two 10- to 11-inch-long strips, spacing 3 inches apart. Using metal spatula or wet fingertips, shape strips into 11- by 2 1/2-inch logs. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake logs until tops are cracked and dry and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes; cool 10 minutes.
Reduce oven temperature to 300°F. Using foil as aid, lift logs onto work surface. Line baking sheets with clean foil. Using serrated knife, gently cut warm logs crosswise into 3/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange half of slices, cut side down, on each prepared baking sheet. Bake biscotti until just dry to touch, about 8 minutes. Turn biscotti over. Bake until top is dry to touch, about 8 minutes. Cool on sheets.

(Dip in melted chocolate of your choice & then drizzle with remaining chocolate – I used 1.5 large slabs Bourneville dark chocolate, melted)

Since I’ve been using the Gautrain & Gautrain buses, I’ve realized why people end up doing these strange things. Not that I have build up the courage to do anything like it yet, but I can see that you get bored if you don’t have company! So if you are bored out of your mind during your travels to work and back, consider spicing up the trip a bit with any of the below suggestions.  Let me know how it turns out for you?

• As soon as you get on the bus, ask if anyone has ever seen the movie “Speed. “
• If the bus only has a few people on board, insist on sitting right next to someone.
• Try to pay the driver with foreign currency.
• Have in depth conversations with your invisible friends.
• Butt in on other peoples cell phone calls.
• Read a book upside-down.
• Sit backwards in the seats. Complain to the driver about how uncomfortable you were.
• Proudly announce as you get on the bus “I am now lice free.”
• Bring a bunch of stuff with you (say in a backpack) and spread this stuff all over the bus.
• Make snide remarks about every hairstyle you see.
• Walk up to the driver and ask where the bathroom is.
• Play your bagpipes.
• Sit down next to someone and ask “Will you be my friend?” If they say yes, give them a big hug, if they say no, find another person.
• Pour your beverage out the window on people in convertibles.
• Sing your favorite songs really loud and really off key.
• Write a list like this one.
• Eat a bunch of chili before getting on, and then just let it rip.
• Blame your flatulence on the person sitting behind you.
• Bring something big and weird with you. If anyone asks about it, just say, “none of your beeswax!”
• Dress as your favorite historical figure.
• Pretend that the stranger you are sitting next to is someone you have not seen in years
• Every time you see a Volkswagen bug, yell “Punch buggy” and hit the person next to you.
• Claim that you have a special handicap which requires you to sit in the middle of the aisle.
• Don’t make eye contact with anyone (not even the driver).
• Make eye contact with everyone (Especially the driver).
• When no one is looking, spill a bottle of water all over the front of your pants. Then say, “Oh No! Not again!!!”
• Put a fish under your seat on a hot day.
• Pick your nose, and then brag about your bugar’s size, shape and/or color.
• Act like you are going to jump out of the window.
• Start a food fight.
• Throw all the bus schedules and brochures out the window.
• Throw pens and pencils at random passengers.
• Try to bribe the driver into letting you drive.
• Pass notes from passenger to passenger.
• During red lights, throw paper airplanes into the windows of nearby cars.
• Take off your smelly shoes and socks.
• Leave your dirty underwear on the bus as you leave.
• Do stand up comedy on the bus.
• Do really bad impersonations of famous people.
• Do really degrading impersonations of other passengers.
• When you get on the bus, walk really slow. Insist on sitting in the back row.
• Pretend like you have to throw up, then dump a bunch of creamed corn on the floor.
• Try to sell the clothes you are wearing to other passengers.
• Pick a word at random and shout it every few minutes.
• Act really suspicious and paranoid every time a police car passes the bus.
• If a fair inspector asks to see your ticket, claim that he or she is violating your constitutional rights.
• Take out a really big knife, leave it on the seat next to you, and put on a suspicious smile.
• Eat hot soup while on a bumpy road.
• Make sure you hold this soup over another passenger’s head.
• Claim you have a cell phone in your hand and have important conversations.

Well timed photos – the funny, the weird, and the cute

Thailand has been a popular destination with tourists of every age and background for some time and it’s easy to see why if you take a look at what the country has to offer.

Whether you have a limited budget and want to travel to somewhere exotic and beautiful, simply want to spend your time sipping cocktails on a serene white sandy beach whilst watching the world go by, or want to stay in a luxury hotel overlooking a beautiful bay, you’ll find that Thailand has something for everyone.

Aside from its stunning temples, tropical beaches and beautiful green scenery, Thailand has something else that will get you hooked and keep you coming back for more, and that is the delicious cuisine on offer there.

A tongue tingling fusion of Chinese, Cambodian and Malaysian influences, with fresh ingredients, fiery spices and divine flavours, Thai cuisine is, in my opinion, some of the most flavourful and heavenly food the world has to offer.

If I’ve convinced you to make Thailand your next holiday destination, why not take a look at my favourite dishes below:

Tom Yam Gai

Perhaps my all time favourite Thai dish, Tom Yam Gai is a delectable and spicy hot and sour chicken soup that will blow your mind (and your sinuses) and leave you thirsty for more. What strikes me most with Thai food is its ability to let you experience each flavour and ingredient without it all merging into one and this soup is no exception; you’ll get the taste of the lemon grass and beautiful chicken stock followed by the kick of the chilli (ask for it extra hot if you’re feeling brave).

Pad Thai

Thailand’s national dish, Pad Thai is a delectable dish of stir-fried noodles that comes in two varieties depending on where you experience it. There’s the variation dish (influenced by Western culture) and the classic dish which is the tastiest in my opinion.

The classic dish consists of stir-fried noodles with bean sprouts, shrimp, tofu and eggs in a full-flavoured sauce made from fish, tamarind juice and chilli’s. It’s usually served with a garnish of crushed peanuts and fresh coriander which perfectly compliments the flavours in the dish.

Gai Pad Med Mamuang

A simple but yummy dish with few ingredients but divine and perfect when you want something to satiate your appetite. The chicken and cashew nuts (usually locally sourced from Phuket which is a big exporter of the nuts) are perfectly complimented by the sweet soy sauce, garlic and honey; you’ll soon be hooked on this beautiful dish.

Panaeng Curry

I love coconut milk as an ingredient and it features in many Thai dishes, one of which is Panaeng Curry, a heavenly and creamy dish with plenty of chilli like you’ll find in many Thai dishes.

Usually containing a choice of chicken, pork or beef and served simply with boiled rice, it has just enough of both the coconut milk and chilli to give it a kick whilst remaining a little mellower on the palate.

Tom Kha Gai

When it comes to Thai soups, I really can’t get enough of them and never tire of their unique and zesty flavours. If you try the Tom Yam Gai mentioned above, but feel like you want something less hot or with a creamier consistency, then try the scrumptious Tom Kha Gai.

A smooth and creamy soup with chicken and fresh coconut milk, the addition of Galangal (a herb related to Ginger but with a much different taste) gives this soup an altogether different taste than Tom Yam Gai but it is still absolutely delicious.

If you are lucky enough to sample each of the dishes above, I’m sure you’ll agree that Thai cuisine really is delicious!

Article supplied by MoneySupermarket.com, a UK price comparison website where you can save money on flights, holidays, hotels and find cheap holiday insurance.

To make these awesome little dessert treats, you will first have to have a quick look at this blog post – which shows how the chocolate cups are made: http://www.bakerella.com/pudding-cups/

And then you will have to get together all these goodies so that you can start making the dessert filling!

6 large egg yolks
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 cups half-and-half or whole milk
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (heaped) semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Whipped cream for topping
Chocolate sprinkles

Directions

1. Into a medium saucepan, sift together the cornstarch, sugar, salt, and cocoa powder. Slowly whisk in the half-and-half, until the mixture is combined and smooth. Whisk in the egg yolks, one at a time, until smooth.
2. Cook the pudding over medium heat, whisking continuously, until the pudding starts to thicken and large bubbles form and plop, like slowly bubbling hot lava, on the surface of the pudding. Reduce the heat to low, and continue cooking, stirring continuously for 1 minute. Check the consistency of the pudding by running your finger across the back of the stirring spoon; if it leaves a trail that does not immediately fill in, it is thick enough.
3. Remove from the heat and stir the vanilla, peanut butter, and chocolate chips into the hot pudding until thoroughly melted and combined.
4. Place eight 4-ounce custard cups or ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour the pudding into the cups, using a damp paper towel to clean up any drips. Cover the custard cups with plastic wrap. Alternatively, pour the pudding into a large bowl and cover the surface of the pudding with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate the pudding until very cold, at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
5. To serve, top the custard cups with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkling of chocolate sprinkles (also called chocolate vermicelli). If refrigerated in the larger bowl, you can scoop it into small dessert dishes or the Chocolate Balloon Cups and top with whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles.

Frosting is usually not my favourite topping for cakes – I prefer real chocolate!
But this recipe – which I discovered by desperation, is really awesome.  I had baked a load of cupcakes to take to the office for my birthday, and needed to get them frosted.  When started searching my pantry I had just a little bit of icing sugar (confectioners sugar) left.  I scratched around the grocery cupboard and found I had a couple of packets instant pudding, and decided to give it a try – mixing it with the icing sugar!

For this recipe, you will need:

Ingredients

1 egg white
1 packet Vanilla instant pudding – I used Moirs Instant pudding
1/3 of the milk as per Instant pudding packet instructions
2 cups icing sugar (confectioners sugar)
Gel food colouring – optional (2ml for pastel colours, increase if you want a darker shade)

Method

Mix instant pudding with milk & chill at least 30 minutes, or until set
Beat egg white until stiff
Using a metal spoon or spatula, fold egg white into instant pudding once pudding has set. If using food colouring, add together with the egg white.
Now sieve the icing sugar over the pudding-egg mixture, and then beat until there are no lumps of icing sugar remaining

This should suffice for 36 cupcakes – depending on how much is used per cupcake. Note that the egg white will cause the icing to harden on the outside if left standing for a few minutes, while still moist on the inside. Icing sugar looks almost like a layer of clay on top of the cupcakes. Works really well if you want to decorate with cupcake art.

A delicious and easy recipe for brandied cherry balls. A great alternative for an easy dessert – I’m sure all the chocolate brownie fans will love this. It makes a great alternative to chocolate brownies! Also stores for longer than chocolate brownies!

Ingredients

1/2 cup glazed cherries, finely chopped
1/2 cup cherry or regular brandy
85 g Philadelphia cream cheese
1 tablespoon butter, softened
3-3/4 cups icing
170 g dark cooking chocolate

Ingredients for drizzle

White chocolate
pink food coloring

Directions

• Place cherries in a small bowl. Cover with brandy; refrigerate overnight
• Mix cream cheese and 1 tablespoon butter until smooth
• Add icing sugar and mix until crumbly
• Drain cherries, keep 2 teaspoons of the brandy
• Add cherries and 2 teaspoons brandy to cream cheese mixture
• Roll into balls. Place balls on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet
• Cover loosely and refrigerate for 1 hour
• Microwave dark chocolate & 1 tablespoon butter until melted, stirring until smooth
• Dip balls in melted chocolate and place back on baking sheet

For the drizzle

• Melt small amount of white chocolate in microwave, add pink food coloring, and stir until smooth
• Drizzle the chocolate balls with the pink chocolate sauce
• Refrigerate until set

Makes about 3½ dozen balls