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You are here: Home / Recipes / Dessert / Peppermint Crisp fridge tart – a South African treat

Peppermint Crisp fridge tart – a South African treat

by Jeanne Horak on August 19, 2007 100 Comments in Dessert, South African, South African products

Peppermint Crisp fridge tart

A standard criticism of South Africans (and pretty much all antipodeans) in London is that we arrive from sunnier Southern climes, find jobs, find accommodation and then proceed to live in little self-imposed ghettoes, socialising only with other South Africans, eating only out of South African shops, drinking in South African-themed bars, wearing Springbok rugby jerseys everywhere, and generally spending time slagging off the English – our hosts!  And I do have to say that there is some truth in this. It is very hard to stick out your finger in Wimbledon/Earlsfield/Southfields and not poke a South African, because a lot of us really do congregate there.  And I have spent many a night talking to South Africans in London and thinking “good grief – you’re in LONDON!  Stop carrying on about the weather – you didn’t come here for the weather!!”

But let’s not forget that there is always an exception that proves the rule.  Since we arrived here, Nick and I have been Eastenders.  We have never lived west of Canary Wharf and am not aware of any South Africans in our street.  Sure, you do hear Afrikaans on the train occasionally, but we are more likely to bump into our Lithuanian, Irish, Indian, Finnish or West-Indian neighbours than other Saffers.  Although I get terribly homesick, I also experience moments of such intense joy at being in London that I want to run laughing through the streets yelling “Hey, everybody, look!  I actually live here in one of the most exciting cities in the world!!”  On the other hand, you are what you are: there’s no denying your roots.  And so, like clockwork, once a year Nick and I host a Big South African Braai.  Not to surround ourselves with only South Africans, but to give all our friends a little taste of what home means to us.

We usually have between 10 and 17 people in our tiny garden and we have a rich mix of nationalities and backgrounds.  This year we had 3 Brits, 5 Saffers (including me and Nick), 2 Aussies, 2 Kiwis. a German and a Mexican. So naturally we felt compelled to educate them on the finer points of South African cuisine 😉  In the past, we have treated them to chakalaka, seven-layer salad, sosaties, braai sarmies and snoek.  And this year we treated them to not one but TWO South African delicacies:  chicken sundowners (will be blogged in a later post, I promise) and Peppermint Crisp fridge tart.

I don’t know what it is about this desert that makes grown men go all misty-eyed and women look wistful, but it is one of those desserts that everyone seems to like.  It is absolutely not fancy, pretty, clever or remotely sophisticated.  But I can guarantee you that every South African reading this has tasted it because it is one of those things that every South African mom has at some stage made when catering for masses of people… say, at a braai.  Some people whom I invited but could not make it were upset not about missing the braai, but about missing the pudding!  In fact, it has become so ingrained in the South African culinary psyche that I was amused to see on my visit home in June that it has become a chocolate flavour!  Cadbury’s Dairy Milk has brought out a range of “Local ‘n lekker” chocolates in flavours like milk tart and… mint crisp fridge tart.  Jawellnofine.

 

Cadbury's Mint Crisp fridge tart chocolate

 

So what is this ambrosial pudding?  OK, don’t wince when I tell  you.  Many moons ago, a South African company called Orley Foods developed a range of non-dairy cream substitute products.  The flagship product was (and still is, apparently) Orley Whip which looks like single cream, whips up to three times its original volume and can be stored in the fridge for up to three months.  My recipe for this pudding was copied down from a package insert in a pack of Orley Whip a long time ago, probably much like every other South African I know.  The recipe combines Orley Whip with Caramel Treat (caramelised condensed milk) and Peppermint Crisp (a chocolate bar from Nestle that features a filling of tightly packed, long and very brittle tubes of BRIGHT green mint-flavoured cracknel – looks like Kryptonite and tastes madly minty), layered with Tennis biscuits (shortbread-ish coconut-flavoured cookies).  It struck me that it is in some ways a South African take on tiramisu, minus the culinary history and the fashionability ;-).  The final product is not overly sweet, thanks to the peppermint and the fairly neutral biscuit layers, but is rich enough to go a long way.  And I distinctly remember seeing plates licked clean – even by people who have never set foot in South Africa!

 

South African Tennis biscuits

 

*PEPPERMINT CRISP TART SUBSTITUTIONS – UPDATE 2020*

Because the original ingredients of a Peppermint Crisp tart are so specific, I am often asked by readers from outside South Africa about possible ingredient substitutions.  The answer in the UK used to be simple – buy your ingredients from a specialist South African shop, but this changed in 2017.  Where products containing animal ingredients (e.g. dairy) are imported into the EU, legislation requires that the country of origin have in place an EU-Approved Residue Control. Medicines such as antibiotics used to treat animals need to be controlled to make sure that residues (small amounts of these chemicals that can remain in the animal-based ingredients) do not end up in human food at harmful levels. Countries with an EU-Approved Residue Control Plan have demonstrated to the European Commission that they are able to control the use of veterinary medicines and monitor residues in animal products destined for the EU. Since 31 March 2017, South Africa no longer has such a plan in place and as a consequence a number of SA products may no longer be imported into the UK – soo goodbye easily accessible Tennis biscuits and Peppermint Crisp 🙁 But over the years a number of helpful readers have made substitution uggestions from all over the world, which I have summarised as follows:

  • For the Orley Whip, substitute  double/whipping cream (at least 30% fat, otherwise it will not whip up stiffly enough) or Elmlea Double (a half-dairy cream available in the UK)
  • For the Caramel Treat, use tinned Carnation Caramel (available on Amazon and in most UK supermarkets), or dulce du leche (needs to be thick and spreadable, not a sauce), or boil/bake/pressure cook a can of sweetened condensed milk for around 3 hours until it caramelises – Google for instructions)
  • For the Tennis biscuits, it depends where you are. In the UK, readers have suggested Nice biscuits and McVitie’s Coconut Rings; and elsewhere, Voortman Coconut Cookies (US), Wibisco Shirley Coconut Cookies (Caribbean but also available in the UK), or Verkade Nizza coconut cookies (Netherlands). The key factor is to find a fairly fine-textured, coconut flavoured biscuit/cookie. Some readers have made the dessert with HobNobs and digestive biscuits (Graham crackers) but for me, the coconut flavour is essential.
  • For the Peppermint Crisp, what you are after ideally is a combination of chocolate and crispy mint candy, in an approximately 50/50 ratio – which is surprisingly hard to come by outside of a Peppermint Crisp wrapper! If you are in the Australia, New Zealand or the UK, the good news is that Nestlé Australia also makes a near-identical Peppermint Crisp bar to the South African version and it is available via Amazon in the UK (at a price!). A less than perfect but still perfectly acceptable substitute is to grate a Cadbury Mint Crisp (or any brand of chocolate bar with crispy mint chips) or Peppermint Aero over the dessert.  But my favourite hack was a reader in the US who crushed hard mint candy canes in a blender and mixed them with an equal amount of grated chocolate and sprinkled the combination on top of the dessert. Genius!

 

Slice of Peppermint Crisp fridge tart

 

This post is my submission to this month’s Sugar High Friday, hosted by my friend and holiday companion Johanna.  The theme is local delicacies and you still have till 27 August to get entries in. 

4.8 from 17 reviews
Peppermint Crisp fridge tart
 
Print
Prep time
4 hours 30 mins
Total time
4 hours 30 mins
 
Looking for that long-lost delicious Peppermint Crisp pudding recipe that you remember from your South African childhood? Well, you’ve found it!
Author: Jeanne Horak-Druiff
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: South African
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
  • 250ml Orley Whip or whipping cream, whipped to soft peaks
  • 2 packets of Tennis biscuits (although you will probably use less)
  • 375g tin of caramelised condensed milk or dulce du leche
  • 20ml caster sugar
  • 3 Peppermint Crisp chocolate bars, crushed
  • 3-4 drops of peppermint essence (more, if you like it minty)
Instructions
  1. Whip the Orley Whip and then add the caramelised condensed milk, castor sugar and peppermint essence. Beat until well mixed and then stir in ⅔ of the crushed Peppermint Crisp.
  2. Place a layer of whole tennis biscuits in a buttered 29x19x5cm dish. Spoon ⅓ of the caramel mix over the biscuits and spread evenly. Continue in layers, finishing with a layer of filling on top.
  3. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Decorate by sprinkling the remainder of crushed peppermint crisp on top. Cut into squares and serve.
Notes
SUBSTITUTIONS:
You can substitute double or whipping cream for Orley Whip, but the outcome may be even richer than this pudding already is. I used Elmlea, a half-dairy cream available in the UK.
For caramelised condensed milk, you can use tinned Carnation Caramel; dulce du leche; or you can make your own by boiling a tin of normal sweetened condensed milk for 3 hours (warning: may be hazardous!!).
The Tennis biscuits may prove problematic. Best suggestions I have seen are Nice biscuits, McVitie's coconut rings, Shirley Coconut Biscuits - or digestive biscuits or enev ginger nuts at a push.
Peppermint Crisp is also manufactured and available in Australia and New Zealand (and via Amazon at a price) but really has no exact substitute. You could try Peppermint Aero or Cadbury's Mint Crisp.
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  1. Josh says

    August 19, 2007 at 1:28 pm

    You’re right on the money, this is the best dessert/teatime treat/comfort food EVER…beyond delicious. I’m a Saffie living in Taiwan and believe me SA products are few and far between. I use regular cream, regular mint chocolate and digestive biscuits. And as far as boiling the condensed milk goes,, yes it’s hazardous and tedious(it takes hours of boiling, checking the water levels and praying for the best) but oh so worth it!Not the real deal but close enough to close your eyes and go mmmmmmmmm…..!

    Reply
  2. Kalyn says

    August 19, 2007 at 2:46 pm

    Very interesting sounding dish. I’ll have to send this to my brother to see if he had any of this when he lived in South Africa.

    Reply
  3. kat says

    August 20, 2007 at 1:09 pm

    you can’t say you didn’t warn us… 🙂 well done!
    the pics look great, and i am so intrigued by the “local is leeker” range from cadburys – will definitely look out for those next time i’m home.

    Reply
  4. ronell says

    August 20, 2007 at 6:47 pm

    Oh jeanne, this will alwasy be a favorite! When we go back home for a visit, we have to have a piece of this delicacy before we leave there! Seeign your beautiful photo makes me licking my lips!
    Ronell

    Reply
  5. Robert says

    August 21, 2007 at 9:27 pm

    Aaahhh…peppermint crisp tart – I have not had that in years. Mores the pity too. It is almost worth hosting a braai just for the excuse of making it.
    Did you also bite the ends of peppermint crisps and drink milk through it when you were a kid? Those mint crystal tubes make the perfect straw – it is messy but fun.
    Am also interested in this new range of choccies from Cadbury’s – will have to impose on my mother to send some samples up for me to try – am especially intrigued by the milktart flavour…

    Reply
  6. Aquila says

    August 24, 2007 at 4:57 am

    I made some just a few weeks ago, but mine was pretty much just a pack of tennis biscuits, 250ml cream (whipped), the caramel condensed milk and a peppermint crisp. This one looks even sweeter…
    Either way, it always goes down a treat.

    Reply
  7. Tricolor says

    August 26, 2007 at 1:16 pm

    Tiramisù: heaven in your mouth!
    Ingredients:
    – caffé –
    360 cc espresso coffee
    2 teaspoons sugar
    – zabaione –
    4 egg
    100 gr sugar
    120 cc marsala wine
    450 gr mascarpone cheese
    230 cc heavy whipping cream
    – cake –
    285 gr savoiardi
    2 tablespoons bitter cocoa powder
    Method:
    – caffé –
    Prepare a very extra strong espresso italian coffee.
    Dissolve 2 teaspoons sugar in it, when the coffee is still hot. Let the coffee cool at room temperature.
    – zabaione –
    Beat the egg yolks in a heat proof bowl or in the bowl of a double boiler, until they become fluffy. Beat in the sugar and the Marsala wine.
    Transfer the bowl over a pan of simmering water, and whisk until the cream thickens. The zabaione will thicken just before boiling point, when small bubbles appear.
    With a rubber spatula, mash the mascarpone cheese in a bowl until creamy.
    Add the zabaione into the mascarpone cheese, and beat to mix very well.
    Whip the cream. Fold the whipped cream into the zabaglione–cheese cream, until smooth.
    – assembling cake –
    Lightly soak the ladyfingers in the coffee, one at a time.
    Place them in one layer in a container of about 30×20 cm.
    Evenly distribute half of the zabaglione cream over the ladyfingers.
    Repeat the step with a second layer of ladyfingers, and top with the rest of the cream.
    Sprinkle with the cocoa powder and refrigerate for about 3 – 4 hours.
    …welcome in the Italian paradise.
    Ciao bella!

    Reply
  8. Super Sarah says

    August 30, 2007 at 10:22 am

    I just had to comment on this, I am a Saffer recently moved to Sydney from London and just the mention of Tennis biscuits has me salivating! I am going straight to the supermarket tomorrow to look for Arnott’s coconut biscuits and Nice biscuits and I will do a taste test and come back to you! I am also going to make a pilgrimage to a Saffer butcher I have heard of because I am just craving biltong so badly! thanks for a delicious reminder of home! I have been reading your blog for years whilst in London and still check in regularily from Sydney!

    Reply
  9. Rachel says

    September 2, 2007 at 1:46 am

    Goddess that looks gorgeous! I can’t wait to try making it!

    Reply
  10. Nikita says

    September 4, 2007 at 6:01 pm

    Dankie! op my blog gesit met ‘n link na jou site…dit lyk heerlik!

    Reply
  11. Judith says

    September 7, 2007 at 3:16 am

    Wow, this looks amazing! I wish I had the ingredients to replicate it, but for now I’ll just gush over the pictures. Makes me think of a friend of ours who stayed with my mother and I for several years of my childhood… he was born in South Africa and though his parents were American, he spoke Afrikaans and sometimes would recite poetry to me. It was strange, how like Dutch I could understand the spirit of what he was saying (I speak German), but couldn’t give you a word for word translation to save my life!

    Reply
  12. Blularkie says

    September 20, 2007 at 2:48 am

    Hi! Im from Malaysia and learnt the recipe from my host when I was in SA for 3 months… Sad to say, we don’t got no orley or caramel treat or chocolate mint here. Its rare to even find peppermint ice cream. But I tried making it the other day, with regular whipping cream and without boiling the condensed milk, Dairy milk chocolate and a few clorets mints blendered. It turned out ok, minus the caramelly flavour and doesnt set that nicely.
    How do you ‘boil’ the condensed milk? Does it take very long and won’t it be sticky?

    Reply
    • Sue says

      February 25, 2014 at 7:17 am

      You take a can of condensed milk and boil it for 3 hours.

      However and this is very important you have to keep the can covered with water at all times or it will explode so it is dangerous but worth it.

      Reply
  13. Jaco says

    December 9, 2007 at 4:06 pm

    When i make mine, it doesn’t always set too well and is often quite runny. Am i doing something wrong? Can i add something different like gelatine?

    Reply
    • Asanda says

      March 28, 2013 at 10:26 am

      Hey Jaco, I also had the same problem but the trick is in the cream whipping,make sure that it is solid enough to stay put when shaking ur bowl but also soft enough to form peaks.And leave in the fridge over night, come lunch time it shoud be “set to go”
      goodluck!

      Reply
      • Wills says

        November 13, 2021 at 12:58 pm

        The trick to know of cream is stiff enough… turn the bowl upside-down with the whipped cream still in the bowl. If the cream doesn’t move, it’s the right consistency.

        Reply
  14. Faranaaz says

    April 4, 2008 at 5:39 pm

    Right on the money sister! You are so right about this being such a South African thing and being so integrally linked to braais. 🙂 It’s certainly one of my favourite desserts ever and between this and your recipe for bread and butter pudding, you’ve certainly won over another fan. (Despite the fact that I’ve only just found your blog today!)

    Reply
  15. Joey says

    April 18, 2008 at 9:32 pm

    In the UK, you can use Cadbury Mint Crisp for the peppermint crisp, but as it isnt that pepperminty, use an Aero Mint or two. As for the biscuits Hobnobs are quite good, or coconut biccies.

    Reply
  16. Bordeaux says

    May 12, 2008 at 3:29 am

    On X’s demand my visiting sister brought a stack of mint crisp bars from SA on her recent visit. These, I were informed beforehand, would be used by me in making a mint crisp tart. Something I have never done before. So today he got online and searched for recipes (for me, of course) and guess who’s popped up first! So I’m going to try it this week and will let you know how it went. A relationship is in the balance here! 🙂

    Reply
  17. Audrey says

    May 15, 2008 at 8:44 pm

    To boil condensed milk – first remove label and scratch off all the glue, otherwise it will be all over your pot. It is best to use a trivet. Lie can on its side,cover with water bring to the boil and simmer for 3 hours. Cool completely before opening. I have never heard of a can exploding!! I usually boil 3 cans at once.

    Reply
  18. Karen Erasmus says

    August 6, 2008 at 5:08 pm

    Hey – I’m in SA and love the pepermint crisp fridge tart – love it!
    Sometimes I have been unable to find peppermint crisp bars here in SA and have substituted with mint crisp bars by Beacon or Cadburys (milk chocolate bar with crispy peppermint bits in) – i’m sure these are available worldwide. Open to correction here.
    And as for the tennis biscuit problem – I actually prefer to use romany creams – but that solves nothing because you cant get those outside this country either. but they taste so good in this tart – especially the caramel flavour ones which are sometimes but not always available. Maybe there is a romany cream equivalent available in the rest of the world – its a chocolate coconut sandwich cookie with a hard chocolate cream filling. yummy!
    As an aside – i feel sorry for people who dont get all these great SA products like those mentioned here as well as marie biscuits, milo, bovril (yum!), etc

    Reply
    • Whitney Erasmus says

      March 14, 2019 at 1:02 pm

      Yessss!!! I agree. Living in USA for 5 years now, and missing all these treats from home!

      Reply
  19. Tova says

    August 23, 2008 at 6:45 pm

    In the US you won’t be able to find Peppermint Crisp since the FDA won’t allow it to be imported because it contains a dye that isn’t approved in the US.

    Reply
    • Dave says

      October 13, 2016 at 4:29 am

      Ya, you can get it at Cost Plus World Market…

      Reply
  20. Emma Fargher says

    November 4, 2008 at 1:59 pm

    Hello I am a Sout Africain living in Canada. I am very sad that i can never find any peppermint Crisps in stores anywhere else but south Africa. Does anyone know where I could find some or order them. I love the name of your site cook sisters are very dear to me and it is such a treat to hear ( read) people taking the way my family does.( we have changed the way we talk because no one else understands us> Cheers.

    Reply
    • Kathleen says

      March 8, 2017 at 2:56 pm

      Amazon.com

      Reply
    • Lynne says

      September 14, 2017 at 8:17 pm

      You can order peppermint crisps online from ‘African Hut’ ..Amazon.com. .also has a lot of SA products..Try it..

      Reply
  21. michelle rolleston says

    December 30, 2008 at 6:11 pm

    great to come across your site. i love cooking and spoiling my kids with S.A. treats we are Kaapenaars and love local foods.
    will try the pudding pepppermint this weekend.

    Reply
  22. Guy says

    December 31, 2008 at 11:29 pm

    Emma Fargher, where in Canada do you live? You can easily get SA products here.
    Try http://www.memoriesofafrica.net

    Reply
  23. Emma Fargher says

    January 15, 2009 at 9:54 pm

    I live near Toronto, I’ve found Peppermint Crisps once, i look for them every where… old fashion sweet stores, Kensignton, Import stores ect but with no suscess.

    Reply
    • Lynda Elliot says

      December 12, 2021 at 4:16 pm

      Emma, I live in Oakville and we have a store called Florence Meats. Its on Speers Road in Oakville. You will find absolutely ALLES there! Biltong to die for, SA toiletries and grocery items…. Ouma rusks, Koeksusters, Melktert, to name a few Check them out! My SA go-to on a weekly basis.

      Reply
  24. Karen Murphy says

    April 1, 2009 at 10:20 pm

    Try doctoring this recipe, I use nice bisscuits, peppermint aero, and lightly whipped double cream, it works realy well.
    Karen

    Reply
  25. Rishka says

    January 20, 2010 at 4:06 am

    Being of Cape Malay origin, this one of my favourite dishes, and since moving to Australia, ‘no one’ I know now had the recipe.. Then this morning I decided to google ‘peppermint and caramel tart’! And found the best sweet dish recipe ever.
    Thank you for your wonderful blog, you have another fan 🙂

    Reply
  26. Marlene Thick says

    February 26, 2010 at 6:44 am

    Hi,
    I went to google for fridge tart and up you popped. I am from Cape Town but lived in Rhodesia for a long time, I now live in Sacramento, CA. I am having some South African friends for dinner on Saturday and thought I would like to make a fridge tart, I think I am going to have a problem getting all those ingredients. At least they will enjoy the steak and mushroom pie.
    I enjoyed all the comments
    Marlene

    Reply
  27. Terri says

    June 18, 2010 at 12:52 pm

    I’m going to be making this for my Australian and English friends next week for the South African braai I am hosting. I am one of those rare South Africans in London who has immersed herself almost completely in British culture after 12 years of living here that I even call ‘braais’ ‘barbeques’ now, oh the shame! I don’t have any South African friends here so it’s easy to avoid South African culture but sometimes I just need a bit of ‘home’ (I think it’s the World Cup, I’m feeling really homesick). Local really is lekker!

    Reply
  28. Jo says

    August 25, 2010 at 2:41 am

    you can sometimes get peppermint crisp here in New Zealand, unfortunately they can cost upwards of NZD 4 each, so I tend to stock up on them when in Australia. Its a pity about the dye, these things have to be the only chocolate bar I ever buy.

    Reply
  29. Leigh says

    March 29, 2011 at 9:42 am

    I just came across this now. Was looking for a good peppermint recipe for Christmas dessert last year. I’m a Saffa, living in Ireland.
    I didn’t want to make my way up to Cork just to get the ingredients, so I substituted with these ingredients:
    Peppermint crisp – Aero Mint
    Orley Whip – Double cream (beaten)
    Tennis biscuits – NICE coconut biscuits
    Caramel treat – Most Polish shops stock caramel in a tin (the size of a baked beans tin). It tastes the same and is just as sweet.

    Reply
  30. SimplyDelishSA says

    April 13, 2011 at 8:32 am

    Nothing like a good Peppermint Crisp Fridge Tart for dessert after a braai! This looks incredible Jeanne!

    Reply
  31. Greasyming says

    September 10, 2011 at 12:50 pm

    just wanted to put my 5 cents in ….you can make your own caramel by putting the tin of condensed milk in a pot of water and boiling it on the stove for about two hours…no the can does not burst(i know this because this used to be a weekly treat after school on a friday, my friend and i would “make caramel”) dont forget to keep topping up the water in the pot…leave to cool open the tin and hey presto CARAMEL!

    Reply
    • Maje Flower says

      February 9, 2013 at 7:20 pm

      You can also cook the caramel in the pressure cooker. I usually do 5 cans at a time, my pressure cooker does not take more. Cook for about 40 to 60 minutes. Let cool in the pot a bit. The cooked cans keep well on the shelf for at least 3 months or more.

      Reply
  32. Hailey Staffen Shimidzu says

    September 18, 2011 at 2:30 pm

    thanks for the recipe and the substitutions, I didn’t really like the Orley whip. I’m in the UK and making this for the first time but my mom always made it and we loved it! thanks again.

    Reply
  33. Shire Kerrod says

    November 11, 2011 at 6:33 pm

    Adding ginger nuts biscuits with the tennis biscuits is also divine, if you are a ginger lover like me. Not that this recipe needs anything to make it nicer!! Just another option:)

    Reply
  34. Kevin D says

    November 14, 2011 at 11:44 pm

    I’m getting my gf (she is an aussie) to make that for me for my b-day on sat!come and join regular Die Burger bloggers on similiar topics at:
    http://blogs.dieburger.com/KevinD26/tafelberg-een-van-die-nuwe-seven-wonders-of-the-world

    Reply
  35. Liesl Bossert says

    December 11, 2011 at 11:16 am

    Anyone happen to know how to make rusks????

    Reply
    • Lynne says

      September 14, 2017 at 8:21 pm

      Liesl..I’ve just stumbled upon this blog..Did you ever get a recipe for rusks? You can also order it online from Amazon..It’s pricy though!

      Reply
  36. Janette says

    January 21, 2012 at 3:42 pm

    Tesco in Reading (Berkshire) is now selling a whole lot of South African stuff including Tennis Biscuits and Peppermint crisp chocolate, and flings (yum, one of my favourite chips/crips!) and other yummy things like ouma biskuit, lunchbar, iwisa pap etc. I have just this morning bought the ingredients to make a peppermint crisp tart.

    Reply
  37. Graham Shackleton says

    February 5, 2012 at 3:00 am

    Just thourght about some of the homecomforts and sweets and found your sight, will be making this tart asap after assembling to requireg parts. Now been here in the UK 12 years and nobody in church stretton but us from ZA, but still manage to braai during the summer!!lots of stange looks at what is on the braai because thereare no burger patties and sausages.

    Reply
  38. Michele says

    March 1, 2012 at 12:52 am

    I am in New zealand and just wondered what cream I can use here as I cant find anything like Orley Whip. Every cream I try is too runny and the tart doesn’t set properly….

    Reply
    • Maje Flower says

      February 9, 2013 at 7:23 pm

      You must beat the cream stiffly, usually the (whipping) cream has 30% fat content.

      Reply
  39. Cupcake Crazy Gem says

    April 9, 2012 at 1:59 pm

    I cannot believe Tesco in Reading are now selling all those South African treats!! That used to be my local when I lived in Reading…how I wish I still lived nearby! I made a slightly adapted version of your peppermint crisp fridge tart this week but made it in a round cheesecake tin with tennis biscuit sides, it was really tasty!

    Reply
  40. Belinda says

    May 22, 2012 at 5:21 am

    Michele in NZ I make it all the time and use the thickened cream by Anchor (in those tubs) unfortunately I found out from Anchor that it is Artificially thickened…but since finding out that the green dye is a non FDA approved substance anyway..well a few more chemicals can’t do much more damamge!!

    Reply
  41. Abbey says

    June 16, 2012 at 2:00 pm

    Jeanne, this is such a delicious recipe!!! In regards to the caramel/dulce de leche… I hate the idea of boiling condensed milk in the tin, so I bake it in the oven. This is the easy method I use:
    2 x 395g cans sweetened condensed milk
    1.  Preheat oven to 220C. 
    2.  Place the condensed milk in an ovenproof baking dish and cover tightly with aluminium foil. 
    3.  Place the baking dish in a larger deep-sided baking tray and fill with boiling water until it reaches 2/3 of the way up the sides of the dish.
    4.  Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes or until caramel in colour (refill water every 20 minutes). 
    5.  Spoon the caramel into a bowl and whisk until smooth. 
    For one tin, it only needs to be in the oven for an hour. If you make a bulk amount: Spoon into sterilised glass jars and keep in the fridge for up to 1 month.

    Reply
  42. Michellemcgaw says

    July 2, 2012 at 7:17 pm

    Just wanted to let the Aussies out there know that I found peppermint crisp at Coles today, haven’t had time to check Woolies yet but I’m pretty sure they’ll stock it too as it’s produced by Nestle in Australia now. I’ve subbed the caramelized condensed milk for the caramel filling (same size tin).

    Reply
    • Maje Flower says

      February 9, 2013 at 7:39 pm

      Marabou, a swedish chocolate, has a divine mint flavour, like Cadbury’s Mint Crisp.
      ecause we have no tennis biscuits, we use what the germans call “butterkeks” a bit like marie biscuits, and add some dessicated coconut and a pinch of mixed spice.
      The pudding sets well when it has a few hours chilling time, better overnight. Or you can simply add some gelatine dissolved in only a little water. Use enough gelatine to set 250 g/ml. Should do the trick.

      Reply
  43. Pippa says

    December 5, 2012 at 7:04 pm

    Hey there, the best cookies to use for this tart and banoffee pie is NICE biscuits. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
  44. Sarah says

    March 15, 2013 at 1:23 pm

    For those in the UK, you can get caramel treat here. Also Nestle, in the same size tin, but it is called Carnation Caramel. It is exactly the same as Caramel Treat and can be found in all supermarkets. 🙂 This makes Saffa me very happy!

    Reply
  45. Yolandi says

    July 15, 2013 at 12:12 am

    My goodness… How I wish you were our friends… And in Auckland, New Zealand, instead of that London 😀
    Great post.

    Thank you!

    Reply
  46. Sanet says

    August 24, 2013 at 3:51 pm

    Jeanne, I lost the recipe my mom gave me when I was younger and could never quite get it right without that. The one you posted with the Orley Whip is exactly as she made it. I live in South Africa (having been overseas plenty of times) and reading your comments made me miss my country while still living here 🙂 Miss all you Saffies, come home/visit soon.

    Reply
  47. Ting says

    November 3, 2013 at 4:34 pm

    how i enjoyed your little tail, i am living in switzerland since 5 years and must say i have looked up a few south africans as i enjoy their company. i have been wanting to make this peppermint tart for a long time but never found just the right one as i remember my mother made it, well this looks like it, i will be trying it this weekend, thank you for your post.

    Reply
  48. Angela says

    January 1, 2014 at 6:23 am

    I am sure a frozen peppermint aero bar would work but I am planning on adding extra essence and just using dark choc chips. Won’t have the lovely green coloring but should still have the flavour. Maybe I should color some white choc green and add essence, cool and grate.

    Reply
  49. NIKKI MARCHIO says

    April 23, 2014 at 1:45 am

    NESTLE PEPPERMINT CRISP IS NOW AVAILABLE AT COLES AUSTRALIA!

    Reply
    • Kate says

      April 28, 2014 at 10:22 pm

      Peppermint crisps have always been sold in Australia! I’m 32 and have been eating them since I was a kid. I’m just about to make this recipe for a South African friend – we both now live in the US and are very peppermint crisp deprived. I was in Tanzania recently and brought a stash of them back, mainly so I could try out this recipe!

      Reply
  50. Carol says

    May 8, 2014 at 7:41 am

    I agree with what you said about South Africans gathering together and I used to feel guilty about it but then I started thinking back to SA and it’s true of most of the communities that have moved to SA – the Portuguese, the Italians, the Chinese etc etc. I guess it’s pretty much a comfort thing and makes one feel more at home in a foreign land.
    I think constantly moaning about the UK is not going to make you feel any better and quite rude in front of Brits.

    Reply
  51. Okkie says

    July 8, 2014 at 3:46 am

    One of those eats to sell a soul for! I use cream in the place of Orley whip. and ad 2 tablespoons of lime or lemon juice as well as 3 drops op peppermint oil just before building the tart.
    Any square tea biscuit should do the trick but in emergency cases crumbed Marie biscuits mixed with 2 tablespoons of melted to make an only lining crust in dish also works.

    Reply
  52. Desy says

    August 13, 2014 at 6:05 pm

    Wow, Dit lyk regtig lekker :-))

    xoxo
    http://www.cookwithdesy.com

    Reply
  53. Lindie Kolver says

    December 6, 2014 at 4:59 am

    You’re right…this has all the trappings of a very , very habit-forming aphrodisiac . It is yummy !
    And luckily we get the exact Peppermint Crisp on the South African shelves now in Australia in our Supermarkets…..just ‘bladdie bewdiful’as they say here. Thanx for posting..

    Reply
  54. trixie says

    April 10, 2015 at 4:58 am

    Beautiful loved it!

    Reply
  55. Cooking Craze says

    December 21, 2015 at 5:29 am

    Great Recipe…..

    Reply
  56. Moira Robinson says

    January 1, 2016 at 5:17 pm

    Love the mint crisp pud

    Reply
  57. lisa ann says

    April 18, 2016 at 9:49 pm

    We love this delight but we use carnation evaporated milk, carnation tinned caramel, and cadburys mint crisp (now available at Adsa in the Irish section) i find the evaporated milk whips up quicker if the can has been in the fridge. Tennis biscuits are a must I haven’t found anything that comes near. At a push i use malted milk biscuits and coconut rings its close but not prefect.

    I really enjoyed your blog the history is fascinating. Thanks x

    Reply
  58. Amanda says

    July 9, 2016 at 5:17 pm

    I didn’t know about it originally being Orley whip. I’ve always done it with cream. Thanks for the tip re Elmlea – I will try that as it was very rich the last time I did it with ordinary cream.

    You can now get Peppermint crisps at Sainsbury’s – just a bit more expensive still than the SA shops.

    Reply
  59. Moira Sanderson says

    March 3, 2017 at 10:33 pm

    My daughter and her American husband adore peppermint tart (he is also crazy about milk tart, as are most Americans who have tasted mine – but I call it custard pie or they are reluctant to try it) and so I decided to make it for her birthday tomorrow. Seeing she’s usually the one who makes it using her stash of peppermint crisps or peppermint dairy milk chocolate brought back from South Africa, I needed to remind myself how to make it and stumbled across your site. I live in the USA and I used heavy cream, dulce de leche, (found at Super Walmarts), Voortman coconut cookies (I was so thrilled to find them recently, they taste ALMOST like tennis biscuits.) What to use for peppermint crisp? Well I threw some red and white “peppermint starlight mints” (hard candy) into my food processor and mixed it with grated Cadburys dairy milk chocolate – and it’s perfect. In fact it may just be the perfect Christmas dessert with the red – or maybe red and green together would be even better!

    Reply
  60. Michele says

    March 22, 2017 at 11:45 am

    Ok so doubled up your recipe for a family do, we finished it!

    Reply
  61. Jenny Kavanagh says

    February 7, 2018 at 1:09 pm

    Mmmmm I am just about to make this for my SA husband as he raves about it all of the time. Need to pop out for peppermint essence first though. However for all of you living in the UK, B&M sell coconut rings whichever are similar tasting to tennis biscuits. Can’t wait to try this!!! Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply
  62. Leeanda says

    November 4, 2018 at 9:44 pm

    This is one of my favourite deserts. I left South Africa in 1986 and when we used to eat this we used Cadbury’s peppermint crisp. I don’t think I’ve ever seen the nestles one? I am thinking of making this for a potluck supper in December. I’m going to use peppermint matchsticks what do you think? Also do you think I might need more than one box? I am going to try nice biscuits or coconut rings as well? I know I’ll never replicate it as I used to have but it’s worth a try. xx

    Reply
  63. Rozelle says

    December 12, 2018 at 6:10 am

    I live in San Francisco Bay Area and no tennis biscuits or peppermint crisp available any place near here. I substitute with Maria’s (same as Marie cookies) and Aero Mint. Taste pretty much the same.

    Reply
  64. Mandi p says

    March 30, 2019 at 4:28 pm

    Yummy…love this South African dessert!

    In the US… I use Marie. It has an orange wrapping… like the South African Marie biscuit.

    Reply
  65. David Harrison says

    August 3, 2019 at 9:34 pm

    Still the best dessert i’ve ever had – I’m a pommie who lived in Durbs in the ’90s and really grabbed the Braii culture with both hands. My Sa friends and colleagues (or more accurately their wives/girlfriends) used to spoil me rotten whenever I was socialising at their places. Peppermint Crisp tart was and is still my favourite. Been back in the UK many years so I make it for friends and colleagues myself these days and it always goes down well. Thanks for the recipe, I use whipped double cream as a substiture for Orley and ‘NICE’ biscuits instead of tennis biscuits. Always bring back proper Peppermint Crisps when I go back ‘home’ to Durban for a visit.

    Reply
  66. Lisa says

    September 17, 2019 at 2:38 pm

    You are so definitely on the money… I’m from Cape Town but been over here for 20 years now and Peppermint Fridge Tarr is a firm favourite with all my friends . Mine tastes just about 90% like home… I use digestive biscuits instead of Tennis biscuits, Elmlea cream and a combination of mint Aeros, flake and mint matchtsticks only time consuming part of bashing up the matchsticks but tastes magic…

    Reply
  67. Louise says

    September 20, 2019 at 8:03 am

    In your peppermint crisp fridge tart recipe it says the prep time is 4h30min? T

    Reply
    • Jeanne Horak says

      September 20, 2019 at 9:43 am

      Hi Louise – yes it does, because you need to refrigerate it for 4 hours after assembly, and there is no separate field in the template for “refrigeration time” – only prep time and cook time. Hope that makes sense!

      Reply
  68. Lauren says

    September 27, 2019 at 6:40 am

    Hi, I’m from Australia, and I have seen that Woolworths (one of our main supermarket chains) sells peppermint crisp bars in the international section, how cool! Will definitely have to try this

    Reply
  69. Gwyneth says

    November 10, 2019 at 12:39 pm

    I have brought a large peppermint crisp with me from South Africa to Australia to make peppermint crisp tart ( I have never made this before) for Christmas. BUT tonight I decided that, maybe I should check that it was still ok, by eating some and some more. It is a 150g bar, oh yes giant one! I realised that the time was right to google the recipe before eating anymore, it’s just fine! and now I will ask my daughter in law to hide the rest( disguised) as she also loves this, until Christmas. So very happy I found your recipe and lovely storytelling. Always thought this tart to be one of the most disgustingly sweet, delicious, decadent tarts out there.
    Thank you

    Reply
  70. Gwyneth says

    November 25, 2019 at 1:56 am

    You can substitute Ellis Brown Or Cremona SA for Orley whipp or Nestle Carnation Creamer AUS. 2 cups make into smooth paste in 1/2 cup boiling water. Refrigerate whipp until fluffy and carry on.

    Reply
  71. Jacquelline pracey says

    June 18, 2020 at 12:51 am

    Hello l’m just wondering how to make a really nice butterscotch pudding like this is something that l really like or a nice all ready made pudding that just have to heat up also being good for me actually that would be better for me to do because I can’t stand up right no my back is stuffed and in a very lot of pain so the easier the better so please if you can help me out l really appreciate your kindness to help me with this thank you so very much be safe and ☺Bye bye for now regards Jacquelline.

    Reply
  72. Martha Visagie says

    June 19, 2020 at 7:29 pm

    Hi there Thank you for the peppermint crisp fridge tart recipy. I have been looking for it a long time.
    Best regards Mrs Martha Visagie South Africa

    Reply
  73. Sue says

    August 27, 2020 at 6:39 pm

    I made this and it was lovely. I got two peppermint crisp bars from a South Africa’s shop but one that wouldn’t be enough, so as a substitute I bought a box of Quality Street Matchmakers from Poundland. They are dark chocolate with crispy peppermint bits. It worked well and the family enjoyed it.

    Reply
  74. shelley says

    December 21, 2020 at 9:08 am

    to make your own caramel treat just boil a tin, or three 🙂 of condensed milk in your pressure cooker (or instant pot) for about 25 mins, once done leave to cool and pressure release naturally – over night works well. i always do this as its way cheaper than buying caramel treat.

    i have never ever had a tin explode or anything hazardous. just remember to put the trivet into the pot so the tin is lifted up a bit from the bottom

    Reply
  75. Colleen Scholtz says

    December 27, 2020 at 11:41 pm

    I am an x South African living in Australia. When I make peppermint Crisp tart, I layer my dish with tennis biscuits and then spread the caramel over that, grate my chocolate, spread my thick cream over that, grate chocolate again, another layer of tennis biscuits, caramel and so on. Delicious!

    I never knew about mixing the cream with the caramel. Will try it!

    From Colleen

    Reply
  76. Jeanette says

    February 19, 2021 at 6:59 pm

    I just made this as a treat, for my Sth African neighbours, now residing in Essex, UK. I obviously couldn’t get any bars of mint crisp chocolate, our local Tesco supermarket usually sells a small Cadbury version around Christmas time. However I substituted with Elizabeth Shaw’s mint crisp! Perfecto … you may want to add this to your UK substitutes… and to be greedy, I crumble peppermint aero bar on the top!

    Reply
  77. Elize Buchanan says

    March 24, 2021 at 6:08 am

    This frozen version looks so good. We always enjoy the tart which is made by a favourite family member and it always turns out so delicious. I am going to share this recipe with her, maybe we can still enjoy this before winter. Ir looks lovely and so sophisticated. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  78. Violet Denholm says

    March 28, 2021 at 5:41 pm

    Thank you x

    Reply
  79. Christine says

    May 5, 2021 at 1:32 pm

    Absolutely looks amazing and will be trying this recipe this weekend. Unfortunately, we ate all the peppermint crips for the topping so will have to replenish them.

    Love your site.

    Reply
  80. Shirley says

    June 27, 2021 at 3:45 pm

    I wish I can eat this peppermint crisp fridge tart everyday. It is so very nice – I love it!

    Reply
  81. Jennifer Whisken says

    January 1, 2022 at 3:55 am

    My family and I have lived in New Zealand for 11 years and absolutely love it here. In this time I have never made a peppermint crisp tart. I regularly make bobotie and we have pronutro for brekkie. Suddenly, out of the blue, my youngest (a daughter) asked if I’d make a peppermint crisp tart. She is a total Kiwi having been only 3 years old when we arrived. “How do you know about it?” I asked. “I guess it’s in my genes” she replied. So I made your recipe on the 1st of January 2022. It will definitely be the first of many times

    Reply
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🌷🌷🌷 It’s tulip season in London! Every 🌷🌷🌷 It’s tulip season in London!

Everywhere you look, these long-legged floral supermodels are adding a splash of colour to parks and gardens and I just can’t get enough of them! It’s easy to see how they inspired a collective buying frenzy in 17th Century Holland, called “tulip fever”, but today there are less dramatic ways to enjoy them. Here are a couple of suggestions of where to see them at their best:

🌷 The ultimate tulipalooza is the annual opening of Keukenhof gardens outside Amsterdam where 7 million (!) bulbs burst into life each Spring. This year the gardens are open 24 March-15 May (click on the link in my bio for FAQs and my top tips for visitors)

🌷In London, Kew Gardens always has spectacular displays of tulips; but you can also see excellent and free tulips in most of the Royal Parks such as Regents Park. 

🌷The Hampton Court Palace tulip festival is on until 2 May and the Hever  Castle’s Tulip Celebrations until 24 April - both within easy reach of London.

🌷The Morges Fete de la Tulipe in Switzerland takes place every year against the spectacular backdrop of Lake Geneva - it is on until 8 May this year.

I spotted these spectacular red frilly parrot tulips beside St Paul’s Cathedral yesterday 🌹 Where is the best display of tulips that you have ever seen?
MASALCHI BY ATUL KOCHHAR - pan-Indian street food MASALCHI BY ATUL KOCHHAR - pan-Indian street food restaurant in Wembley

Remember to save this post so you can find it later! 🔖

[Invited] If you thought Brick Lane and chicken tikka masala or madras were all there is to know about the food of the Indian subcontinent, think again! In the shadow of the Wembley arch,  @chefatulkochhar has opened his first casual dining restaurant,  showcasing the rustic, spicy, diverse street foods of India. 

Highlights when I visited included:
1. Carrot halwa
2. Papdi chaat
3. Chicken 65
4. Tandoori broccoli
5. Smoky aubergine chokha
6. A snap of all our mains - you can read all about these and more in the full review on my blog - click the link in my bio or go to:
 https://www.cooksister.com/2022/04/masalchi-atul-kochhar-indian-wembley.html

What is your favourite dish from the Indian subcontinent? Let me know in the comments 🌶🌶🌶
🍒🌸 It’s cherry blossom season! 🍒🌸 T 🍒🌸 It’s cherry blossom season! 🍒🌸

There is no season in London that I love more than cherry blossom season! From March through to April, trees in various parks and gardens in London put on an amazing display of delicate pink and white blossoms - and everything in the city seems a little more magical. This particular tree near St Pauls must be among London’s most photographed, and it’s not hard to see why 💕

Did you know that...

🌸cherry blossoms are Japan’s national flower and are known as Sakura 

🌸In 1910, Japan sent the USA some cherry trees as a goodwill gesture… and the Dept of Agriculture inspectors nearly caused an international incident by burning them as they were carrying insects and diseases! But in 1915 Japan sent more cherry trees that survived the inspectors, and these marked the start of cherry trees in the USA.

🌸 Peak blossom season is usually only two to three weeks in March/April but is hard to predict as the weather and the subspecies of tree influence the timing.

🌸The cherry blossom capital of the  world is Macon, Georgia with 300,000 - 350,000 Yoshino cherry blossom trees.

🌸 There are over 200 different varieties of cherry blossom and some are purely ornamental (meaning they produce no cherries)

Where is your favourite place to see cherry blossoms in London or around the world? Let me know in the comments and happy blossom hunting! 🌸🍒🌸

#pinkpinkpink
Dyed Gwyl Dewi Hapus - that's Happy St David's Day Dyed Gwyl Dewi Hapus - that's Happy St David's Day to those of you who don't speak Welsh! 

1 March is the Welsh national day  and what better way to celebrate than surrounded by daffodils -  the Welsh national flower!

Did you know that:
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 The English name "Wales" comes from the Anglo-Saxon word meaning "foreigner" - but the country's Welsh name "Cymru" means "friends" in Welsh.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 The  Welsh language Cymraeg is the oldest language in Britain, at about 4,000 years old!

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 There are more castles per square mile in Wales than any other European country.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Mount Everest is named after George Everest, the Welsh surveyor who first mapped the peak on western maps.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 The beautiful Menai bridge (spanning the Menai Strait between the Isle of Anglesey and mainland Wales) was the first suspension bridge in the world.

Have you ever visited Wales? What did you like most about it?
*NEW RECIPE* Barbecued salmon with blood oranges, *NEW RECIPE* Barbecued salmon with blood oranges, capers and dill. Pretty in pink 💕

[AD] Blood oranges are a small obsession of mine - from blood orange posset to blood orange and halloumi salad to blood orange & Cointreau upside down cake, I am always looking for new ways to make the most of their short season. Barbecuing them with salmon, capers and dill is a perfect match in terms of flavour as well as colour (or you can oven bake the salmon if it's not barbecue weather where you are!)

When @grahambeckuk asked me to suggest some recipes to match their wonderful Graham Beck Brut Rosé NV sparkling wine from South Africa, this was a pairing made in heaven, and wonderfully colour co-ordinated with their silver-pink bubbly. Get the full recipe and find out more about Graham Beck's sparkling wines, made using the same methods as Champagne, on my blog - link in my bio above. 

What do you like to do with blood oranges? I'd love to hear in the comments!
💘"Love yourself first and everything falls into 💘"Love yourself first and everything falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world." - Lucille Ball

Whether you are celebrating with a partner, with friends, or by yourself today, I hope most of all that you love yourself, love your body, love your strengths, love your weaknesses, and love who you are (or are becoming). Because... you're worth it!

Are you doing anything celebratory today? Let me know in the comments 💘💘💘

(The beautiful street art is London Hearts by @akajimmyc)
📸: @girl_travelsworld
Would you believe me if I told you this is NOT a p Would you believe me if I told you this is NOT a picture of a Moorish palace, a castle or a cathedral? And that you can get to it from central London in under an hour?

This is Crossness Pumping Station @crossnesset , a Grade I listed heritage site and one of London's last remaining magnificent Victorian sewage (!) pumping stations in Abbey Wood near Rainham. 

Did you know that...

💩 You can visit the building on monthly open days - the next one is Sun 20 Feb. Book at www.crossness.org.uk

💩  It was only in 1856, after 3 major cholera outbreaks in 30 years and the Big Stink when the stench of London's sewage finally reached Parliament, that construction of an intercepting sewer system for the city was approved.  The system (parts of which are still in use today) was designed by Sir Joseph Bazalgette, Chief Engineer of London's Board of Metropolitan Works at the time.

💩  At Crossness, all London's sewage from south of the river was was raised by 9-12 metres to large reservoirs so that gravity would cause it to flow further east and into the Thames estuary. (Yes, until the 1880s, raw sewage was simply pumped into the Thames!)

💩 The incoming liquid was raised by the four enormous steam driven pumps, built to Joseph Bazalgette's design. The pumps were named Victoria, Prince Consort, Albert Edward, and Alexandra. They are thought to be the largest remaining rotative beam engines in the world, with 52-ton flywheels and 47-ton beams. 

💩 The pumping station was decommissioned and abandoned in the 1950s but declared a listed building in 1970.  Although all 4 beam engines remain in place, they were so damaged that today (thanks to the efforts of the Crossness Engines Trust) only Prince Consort has been restored to working condition and can be seen in action on open days.

💩 The exuberant and colourful wrought ironwork inside is the amazing work of architect Charles Henry Driver. My favourite detail is the fact that the pillars in the central atrium are topped with stylised figs and senna pods... two of nature's greatest natural laxatives 🤣
*NEW RECIPE* Roasted Brussels sprouts with feta ch *NEW RECIPE* Roasted Brussels sprouts with feta cheese, pomegranate and pine nuts

Ever noticed how you are affected by colours? 🌈

Maybe some colours make you agitated and some make you relaxed. Or maybe you find yourself inexplicably attracted to a particular colour (oh, hi teal and aqua!💙). On the basis that all colours have a wavelength, and that those outside the visible spectrum can affect us, it makes sense that the colours we see can affect our mood or even our physiology. Did you know for instance that exposure to red light can increase your blood pressure and heart rate? Are there any colours that you find yourself particularly attracted to or affected by?

The pretty colours of these roasted Brussels sprouts with feta cheese, pomegranate and pine nuts will be the first things that attract you to this dish - but it is the delicious combination of flavours and textures that will keep you coming back for more!

The recipe (and more about how colour affects us mentally and physically) is now live on my blog - click the live link in my profile and remember to like and bookmark this post to see more Cooksister in your Instagram feed ❤️
Perspective: a particular attitude towards or way Perspective: a particular attitude towards or way of regarding something.

Perspective is the one thing that the Covid-19 pandemic has given us plenty of. It has certainly made us re-evaluate what is truly important, and also what we did and didn't enjoy about our lives  before the pandemic and its associated lockdowns. It made me appreciate how much happiness my house, my job, my friends, my own company and my running bring to my life (and how fortunate I am to have all these things). But it also brought home how much I enjoy and miss travel, the theatre, and the luxury of reataurant visits at the drop of a hat. I don't think words can describe my joy at sipping the first coffee purchased from a coffee shop in summer 2020 as lockdown eased. It's the little things...

One of the things I have enjoyed and will not miss as the world creeps back to normality is the absence of crowds in what is usually a crowded city. On the occasions that I have been in central London since the start of the pandemic, streets have been blissfully empty and it has felt as if I were discovering my city anew. This glorious perspective (hah!) of St Paul's Cathedral normally requires a long wait while a queue of tourists and "influencers" ahead of you pose for photos - but on this glorious day last Spring it was almost deserted. I will miss that...

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The South African Food and Wine Blog Directory

The South African Food and Wine Blog Directory

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Jeanne Horak is a freelance food and travel writer; recipe developer and photographer. South African by birth and Londoner by choice, Jeanne has been writing about food and travel on Cooksister since 2004. She is a popular speaker on food photography and writing has also contributed articles, recipes and photos to a number of online and print publications. Jeanne has also worked with a number of destination marketers to promote their city or region. Please get in touch to work with her Read More…

Latest Recipes

Salmon with blood oranges dill and capers
Brussels sprouts with feta and pomegranate
Roast lamb with pomegranate glaze
Blood orange & pistachio galettes
Cauliflower topped steak with melted cheese
Plate of potted smoked salmon with slaw and a glass of champagne
bowls of pistachio pomegranate bircher muesli
Brussels sprouts with chorizo & hazelnuts

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© 2004 - 2022 · Jeanne Horak unless otherwise stated - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. You may not reproduce any text, excerpts or images without my prior permission. Site by RTW Labs

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