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yolandinorth

I cook. I gather. I write. Where connection meets food. 🤍👩🏻‍🍳
📍JHB 🇿🇦
Come sit at my table.

FUNFETTI EASTER BUNNY CAKE POPS 💕🐰💕// Ingredient

FUNFETTI EASTER BUNNY CAKE POPS 💕🐰💕//

Ingredients:
For the cake:
1 Packet Golden Cloud vanilla flavoured cake mix
2 Large Eggs
250ml Full cream milk
150ml Sunflower oil

For the icing:
1 Packet Golden Cloud cake icing mix (included in the same box as the cake mix)
100g Salted butter, softened
30ml Full Cream Milk

For decorating the cake pops:
300g White chocolate, melted in 30second intervals in the microwave
50g Rainbow vermicelli (sprinkles)
Whole almonds (for bunny ears)
Paper straws (cut in half) or lollipop sticks

For Easter bunny faces:
Dark brown sprinkles and mini heart shaped sprinkled

Method:
1. Prepare the cake batter according to the packet instructions, then fold in the 50g vermicelli. Bake the cake at 180°C for 40-45 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
2. To make the cake pop mixture: crumble the cooled funfetti cake into fine crumbs in a large bowl.
Prepare the buttercream according to the packet instructions. Add buttercream icing, 1 tablespoon at a time, and mix until it holds together like soft dough. You are aiming for a moist – not sticky – mixture.
3. Shape the cake pops: roll into small balls (smaller than golf balls). Place on a tray and chill in the fridge for 30–45 minutes.
4. Dip the tip of each straw or lollipop stick into melted white chocolate. Insert halfway into each cake ball. Press two whole almonds into the top of each cake pop to create the bunny ears. Chill again for 10–15 minutes to set.
5. Dip each cake pop into melted white chocolate, ensuring full coverage. Gently tap off excess.
6. Apply the two eyes and nose for your Easter Bunny before the chocolate is dry again.
7. Stand cake pops upright (in a polystyrene block or glass with rice) and allow to set completely.

Happy Easter everyone!

xo Yolandi 👩🏻‍🍳🐇🐣💕

#GoldenCloud
#RemixThePremix
@goldencloudsa
#GoldenCloud

PISTACHIO CAKE // I’m having a moment with nut

PISTACHIO CAKE //

I’m having a moment with nutty, restrained cakes – the kind that feel both rustic & elegant. My pistachio cake has a subtle sweetness, which means it’s perfect for breakfast or teatime.

🧡 And if you are worried about the price of pistachio’s, then worry no more! November is the perfect time to stock up on your favourite nuts, seeds & dried fruit. Go to montagu.co.za – you can pick 3 products & only pay for two. Just use the code Mmm342 at checkout. Thank me later! 😉🧡

Pistachio Cake, serves 10-12

Ingredients:
250g Full cream plain yogurt
140g Butter, softened
200g Pistachio nuts (2 packets of raw 100g @montagusnacks Pistachio bags)
140g Castor Sugar
4 Eggs
50g Cake wheat flour

To Serve:
Icing sugar for dusting
Edible flowers
Additional 4 Tbsp of pistachio nuts crushed with a pestle and mortar

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Grease & line a 20 cm springform tin.
2. To remove the pistachio skins, place the nuts in a small pot, cover with cold water & bring to the boil. Boil for 3 minutes, then drain. Spread the nuts out on a clean tea towel, fold the towel over them & rub gently to loosen the skins. Discard the skins & pat the peeled pistachios dry. Place the green nuts in a food processor with the 50 g cake wheat flour & pulse until finely ground.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the butter & sugar together until light and fluffy.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition.
5. Fold in the yoghurt.
6. Spoon the batter into the prepared tin & smooth the top.
7. Bake for 20–30 minutes, or until lightly golden & a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before removing.
8. Dust with icing sugar & decorate with edible flowers before serving.

xo Yolandi 👩🏻‍🍳

GREEN HAKE CURRY // This is my new favourite way t

GREEN HAKE CURRY // This is my new favourite way to eat fish. 🐟 Thanx to Patrick Jamon for the inspiration.

Green Hake Curry, Serves 4 as a main course

Ingredients:
4 x 170 g Hake (or Kingklip) fillets, skin removed
4 Tsp Olive oil
1 Large leek, white portion only, trimmed & cut into 5 cm segments & finely sliced (about 1 cup)
1 Thumb-sized fresh ginger, peeled & finely grated
1 Tsp Ground turmeric
1 Small carrot, peeled & thinly sliced
½ Cup Mange tout, thinly sliced
½ Cup frozen peas
1 x 400 ml Can coconut milk
½ Tsp Fish sauce
1 ½ Tbsp Green curry paste
Salt, to taste
2 Tsp Freshly ground black pepper
To Serve:
2 Sprigs fresh coriander, to garnish
1 Red chili, thinly sliced, to garnish
Sticky jasmine rice, for serving

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 100°C. Line a baking tray with foil.
2. Season the fish generously with salt & pepper.
3. Heat 2 Tsp olive oil in a large pan over a medium to high heat.
4. Add the fish & fry until golden on both sides – about 3 minutes per side.
5. Transfer the fish to the baking tray, cover with foil & place in the oven to keep warm while you prepare the rest of the dish.
6. Add the remaining oil to the same pan & heat over a medium to high setting.
7. Add the leek & sauté for 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently, until lightly golden (taking care not to burn the leak).
8. Add the ginger & turmeric & sauté for a minute, stirring frequently.
9. Add the carrot, mange tout & green peas. Cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender.
10. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl, cover with clingwrap & set aside.
11. Add the coconut milk, fish sauce & curry paste to the same pan & bring to a simmer over a medium heat.
12. Reduce the heat to medium low & simmer for about 5 minutes until the liquid is further reduced.
13. Stir in the cooked vegetables & heat for about 1 minute until warmed through.
14. Divide the fish between shallow serving bowls & spoon the sauce & vegetables over the fish.
15. Garnish with fresh coriander & sliced chilli. Serve hot with sticky jasmine rice.

xo Yolandi 👩🏻‍🍳

A NOSTALGIC BOUGEE BRUNCH // “Meals aren’t just a

A NOSTALGIC BOUGEE BRUNCH //
“Meals aren’t just about food. They’re about pausing long enough to taste life... & each other’s company.” ✨

I’m officially declaring it Brunch Season — the lazy, luxurious kind where we stop rushing, stretch out the morning & eat slowly with the people we love.

This week I finally unpacked a dinner set that has been in our family for decades. My mother never used it because she felt it was ‘too special’, & I kept it boxed up for years for the same reason. But life is too short to save the beautiful things for ‘one day’. So I brought it out, set the table & celebrated the heirlooms gifted to me by my mother & grandmother. 🧡

The menu was simple, nostalgic & a little boujee — double-cream yogurt pots topped with @montagusnacks Brain Food mix, cranberries, almonds, edible flowers, fresh strawberries & a drizzle of honey. Also bowls of dried mango, pistachio cake, croissants, glasses of bubbly & my Spiced Fruit Compote served with mascarpone.

The orange in the Montagu packaging tied in perfectly with the warm metallic tones of the tableware & the blooms on the table.

LINK IN BIO for my Pistachio Cake & Spiced Fruit Compote with Rooibos Tea recipes — both perfect for long brunches, festive tables, or the kind of Sunday that refuses to end. 🍊🍓

Here’s to using the beautiful things, eating the delicious things & making memories around the table — not just storing them for later. 🥂🥂🥂

Do you have any beautiful heirloom pieces that you’ve been kept stacked away? Why not use them this festive season?

xo Yolandi 👩🏻‍🍳

#brunchseason #brunchseasonisback #montagusnacks

STEWED FRUIT COMPOTE // This spicy fruit compote

STEWED FRUIT COMPOTE //
This spicy fruit compote conjures up something nostalgic, familiar & festive. Unlike a jam, a compote is made by cooking fruit, either whole or in pieces, in a light sugar syrup for a shorter time, which keeps the fruit tender & beautifully textured.

This is the kind of dish that feels equally at home on a brunch table or a dessert table. For breakfast or brunch, serve it with a generous spoonful of mascarpone. As a dessert, it’s perfection with homemade custard or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Pure, old-school bliss. 😘

STEWED FRUIT COMPOTE WITH ROOIBOS TEA, serves 6

Ingredients:
Cold water for soaking dried fruit
400g Mixed dried @montagusnacks fruit (I used apricots, peaches, pears, prunes and cranberries) 🍑
3 Rooibos tea teabags
4 Cups boiling water
1 Cinnamon stick
2-3 pieces of orange peel 🍊
1 Star anise
2 Cardamom pods
3 Whole cloves
1 Tsp Vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Optional: 2 Tbsp brown sugar
To serve: mascarpone cheese / home-made custard / vanilla ice cream

Method:
1. Cover your chosen dried fruit in water and soak for about 15 minutes. Drain and rinse.
2. While the dried fruit is soaking, prepare the rooibos tea by placing your 3 rooibos tea bags in a medium pot with 4 cups of boiling water. Place on high heat and allow to boil for 2-3 minutes, then remove the tea bags.
3. Add the dried fruit, cinnamon stick, orange peel, star anise, cloves, cardamom pods, vanilla extract and salt to the tea. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
4. Taste the liquid and only add sugar if the fruit is very tart. The combination of the Rooibos tea and the dried fruit might be sweet enough already.
5. Simmer uncovered for 30-40 minutes, or until the fruit is plump, soft, and the liquid has thickened slightly. Stir occasionally. Remove the orange peel and spices before serving.
6. Serve slightly warm or cold spooned into bowls with a dollop of mascarpone, vanilla ice cream or custard. 🤤🫶🏻

xo Yolandi 👩🏻‍🍳

LET'S COOK // If you're desperate to get back in t

LET'S COOK // If you're desperate to get back in the kitchen or looking for inspiration on what to cook, then check out my upcoming cooking classes in Johannesburg. 🇿🇦

*FRESH SUMMER DISHES*
Wed, 8 Oct · 10:00 – 13:30
Thurs, 9 Oct · 18:00 – 21:30
🍓🫐🌶️🍉🥕🫒

*FESTIVE FEAST COOKING CLASS*
🎄🤶🏼🎄
Thurs, 27 Nov · 10:00 – 13:30
Fri, 28 Nov · 18:00 – 21:30
Sat, 29 Nov · 10:00 – 13:30
Thurs, 4 Dec · 10:00 – 13:30
Fri, 5 Dec · 18:00 – 21:30
Sat, 6 Dec · 10:00 – 13:30

DM for more info or to book!

xo Yolandi 👩🏻‍🍳

#johannesburgcookingclass
#getbackinthekitchen
#homecookingisthebest
#homecooking

PASTA CLASSES LOADING // If you need a bit of a di

PASTA CLASSES LOADING // If you need a bit of a distraction from the cold & some inspiration to make something delicious, then this is it. I'll be hosting some Pasta Classes in Johannesburg this month. 💃🏼

I’ll give you all the tips, tricks & recipes you need to make your very own pasta at home. Plus I'll throw in a couple of other delicious pasta-type dishes for you to impress yourself & your guests with.

Dates:
17, 18 & 19 July 2025
10:00 - 13:30
Location: Parktown North, Johannesburg

Comment PASTA & I'll send you more details.

xo Yolandi 👩🏻‍🍳😘

Photo credits to Lorette, Keagan, Bronwyn & Caroli 🙌🏻

Poll:
So, how do you feel about pasta? Making your own maybe?

RAT-tuh - TOO -ee // Veggie packed Ratatouille - t

RAT-tuh - TOO -ee // Veggie packed Ratatouille - too good not to try. Three of your 7 colours sorted!

Here's how you make it:

Best Round-About Ratatouille, Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

Roast Veggies for Sauce
600-700g Tomatoes (any type)
1 Medium Red Onion
1-2 Garlic Cloves
1 Tbsp fresh oregano leaves
5 Basil leaves
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
1 Tbsp Splash of Balsamic Vinegar
1 Brown Sugar

For the Vegetable Layer
500g Fresh Tomato
500g Aubergine
500g Courgette

Method

1.     Pre-Heat the oven to 180°C.
2.     Make the sauce. (This can be done a day or two ahead)
3.     Roughly chop all of your aubergine, baby marrows & tomato toss with olive oil, salt & black pepper.
4.     Place it all in a greased overproof dish or lined baking dish. Put the vegetables into the oven for 12-15minutes.
5.     Add the vegetables to a food processor together with the brown sugar, balsamic vinegar & herbs.
6.     Pulse until the sauce is thick but smooth. Taste & season if required. (Add a splash of water if necessary. – I usually don’t add water).
7.     Slice your tomato, aubergine & courgette baby marrow in thin slices, ensuring that all the slices are equally think.
8.     Sprinkle the aubergines with a good amount of salt. Wait for about 5 minutes (or until droplets start to form on the aubergine). Rinse with clean, cold water & pat dry.
9.     Use a Round, ovenproof dish (25cm diameter) & spray with cooking spray.
10. Carefully pack the vegetables (aubergine, tomato, courgette) around the dish.
11. Drizzle with olive oil & add a good sprinkle of salt & pepper.
12. Place in the oven for 30 min or until the ratatouille is cooked.
13. Enjoy on its own or as a side dish.

xo Yolandi 👩🏻‍🍳 🍅🍆

#ratatouille #ratatouille🐭

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