Fudge

This fudge is worth every minute you spend stirring the mixture.

Ingredients

950 ml caster sugar
250 g butter
250 ml milk
1 tin condensed milk (397 g)
10 ml karamel essence

Method

Place caster sugar, butter and milk in a big saucepan, heat mixture slowly while stirring, for sugar to dissolve.
Add condensed milk.
Boil for 40 to 60 minutes, stir continually.
To test if the fudge is ready, drop a small quantity into cold water, let it cool slightly. If it forms a soft ball that can be rolled between your fingers, the mixture is ready.
Remove from heat, stir caramel essence into the mixture.
Beat with a wooden spoon until mixture is thick and smooth.
Grease a baking tray 23 X 25 cm.
Pour fudge into tray.
Allow to cool, cut into squares before it cools down completely.

Croissants

INGREDIENTS

1 packet instant dry yeast
1 c cake flour
325 ml lukewarm water
1 egg
3 additional cups of cake flour
225 ml butter

Glaze
1 egg yolk
15 ml milk

METHOD

Mix yeast with 1 c flour in a small bowl.
Place milk, sugar salt and egg in a big mixing bowl, add yeast and flour mixture.
Add enough of the remaining flour to make a soft dough.
Knead lightly until smooth.
Cut butter into six slices.
Roll out the dough to about 15 mm thick.
Place three slices of butter in the middle of the dough and fold the edges over to cover the butter.
Place the remaining three slices on top and fold dough to cover the butter completely.
Turn dough 90 degrees and roll out to approximately 15 mm thickness again.
Repeat the folding and rolling another four times.
The butter must still be striping through the dough.
Cover dough and place in fridge for one to six hours before rolling and forming croissants.
Divide the dough into two even pieces.
Roll out in a circle approximately 250 mm in diameter. Cut into 8 to 10 wedges.
Roll each croissant loosely from the base to the tip. Ensure that the tips are at the bottom. Form each into a semicircle.
Place onto an ungreased baking sheet. Whisk egg yolk and milk together and brush each croissant with it.
Leave to prove at room temerature for 30 minutes.
Bake at 180 degrees C for 20 minutes.
Serve hot or allow to cool on a cooling rack.
Makes 16 to 20 croissants.

Chocolate Eclairs

This is for Werner.

Pastry

2/3 cup cake flour
45 g butter
Pinch of salt
150 ml water
1-2 eggs ( I always use 2)

Sift flour and salt together.
Bring the water and butter to the boil.
Add the flour to the water and butter and beat wit a wooden spoon until there are no lumps left, cook for 1 or 2 minutes and remove from heat. The mixture should have formed a smooth ball. Let it cool slightly.
Add the lightly beaten eggs and beat thoroughly.
Place teaspoonsful of the mixture on a greased baking tray. Leave enough space in between.
This will make bitesize eclairs or profiteroles.
Bake @ 180 degrees C for 25 - 30 mintes.
Remove from oven and prick a hole in each to allow steam to escape.
Leave on a cooling rack to cool.

Filling

125 ml cream
1/2 t vanilla essence
1 t sugar

Whisk together until stiff.
Fill the eclairs with the cream.

Topping

Melt 100g slab of chocolate and spread over the eclairs.
Place in fridge until chocolate has hardened.