3 quick-and-easy sweet desserts

by Kwanele Mathebula
sweet desserts

Our Food Editor Ntwenhle Gcabashe shows you how to satisfy your sweet tooth with these decadent desserts.

 1. White Chocolate Brownies

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 35 minutes

Serves: 6–7

  • 1½ cups cake flour
  • 1 cup white chocolate, melted
  • 1 cup butter, melted
  • 2 cups white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon (5ml) vanilla essence
  • 4 eggs, beaten
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • Pinch salt
  • ½ cup walnuts, chopped
  • Melted chocolate, for drizzling
  • Icing sugar, for dusting
  1. Preheat oven to 350˚C.
  2. In a bowl, mix white chocolate, butter, sugar and vanilla essence. Add eggs.
  3. Sift in flour, baking powder and salt to form a smooth batter.
  4. Add walnuts and mix well.
  5. Pour into a lightly greased baking tray, and bake for 35 minutes.
  6. Cut into bite-sized squares and dust with icing sugar.
  7. Drizzle with melted chocolate and serve.

2. CreamyTart

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 40 minutes

Serves: 6–7

  • 1 roll shortcrust pastry
  • 2 cups (500ml) cream, whipped
  • 1 cup cream cheese
  • 4 tablespoons castor sugar
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • Icing sugar, for dusting
  • 2 cups fresh blueberries, for serving
  • Fresh mint leaves, for serving
  1. Preheat oven to 180˚C.
  2. Roll out pastry onto a floured surface. Place into a lightly greased tart tray. Bake for 12–15 minutes or until golden.
  3. In a bowl, mix cream, cream cheese, sugar, egg, lemon juice and zest.
  4. Spoon onto baked pastry. Return into oven and bake for 20–25 minutes.
  5. Dust with icing sugar, and serve with blueberries and mint leaves.

SEE ALSO: Layers of red velvet cake

3. Red Velvet Cupcakes

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Makes: 7–8

  • 1½ cups cake flour
  • ½ cup red colouring
  • 1 cup (250ml) oil
  • 3 eggs, beaten
  • 1 tablespoon (5ml) vanilla essence
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
  • Pinch salt
  • Icing, for serving

Icing

  • 2 cups cream cheese
  • 1 cup icing sugar, sifted
  • ½ cup fresh strawberries, for serving
  1. Preheat oven to 180˚C.
  2. In a bowl, mix red colouring, oil, eggs and vanilla essence.
  3. Add flour, sugar, baking powder, soda and salt. Mix to form a smooth batter.
  4. Spoon into a lightly greased muffin pan and bake for 25–30 minutes or until cooked through. Set aside to cool.
  5. Mix icing ingredients until smooth. Slice each cupcake into three. Spread icing onto first slice and place second piece on top. Apply icing on second piece and close with third slice. Top with a dollop of icing and strawberry slice.