Recipes by Busi and Kirsten
Busi and Kirsten's Masterclass Potjie Carrot Cake
300g grated carrot
240g castor sugar
260g cake flour
20g baking powder
5g salt
4 eggs
240g oil
5g ground cinnamon
5g ground allspice
- In your stand mixer bowl, add the sugar and eggs, and use the whisk attachment to whisk them together until it forms a sabayon.
- Once it has reached the sabayon stage, add the oil in a slow stream to incorporate it into the eggs and sugar mix.
- In a bowl sift the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and allspice.
- Fold in the flour mix into the egg mix, then proceed to fold in the grated carrot as well.
- In a clean potjie pot, spray and cook/ grease the pot well, making sure you have all the edges.
- Then, pour in the cake batter and close the pot.
- In your braai kettle or weber, ensure your temperature is at 160⁰C before adding your potjie to the braai.
- With continuously maintaining temperature, this sponge will bake for about 20-30min, always keep an eye on the temperature.
- Once the sponge is baking, remove it from the potjie pot and cool on a cooling rack.
Cream Cheese Icing
170g butter softened
55g cream cheese
3.5 cups icing sugar
2.5ml salt
15ml whipping cream
7.5ml vanilla extract
Roasting net
- In the stand mixer bowl add the cream cheese and softened butter and mix them with the paddle attachment.
- Once mixed in and well incorporated add the icing sugar one cup at a time.
- Then proceed to add the cream, vanilla essence and salt. Mix it in and then it is ready to pipe.
Topping
1 pineapple for grilling
8 kumquats
60ml sugar
250ml water
Apple or cherry wood chips
- Soak your wooden chips in water for at least 30min.
- Clean and slice pineapples to 0,5cm thickness
- On a clean braai grid lay out the pineapples and grill them until charred on both sides and set aside.
- In a braai smoke box, add your wet wood chips and a few coals to get it smoking.
- Place the smoke box in your braai or a metal container with the kumquats on a grill above the smoke box and cover it. Let it smoke for a good 20min
- Once smoked you can char than on an open flame and set it aside.
- In a stainless steel pan, on a stovetop with medium heat, add the sugar and water into the pan and cook it to make sugar syrup.
- Glaze the charred kumquats in the sugar syrup.
- Then top off the ice cake with your smoked kumquats and char-grilled pineapple slices.
Equipment Needed
Scale
Whisk
2 large Large mixing bowls
2 small mixing bowls
Greaseproof paper
Silicone spatula
Grater
Sieve
Potjie pot
Busi and Kirsten's Masterclass Venison Braai Pie
Rough Puff Pastry
2 cups (241g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into pats
1/2 cup sour cream
Venison Pie Filling
2 tbsp beef dripping or olive oil
600-700g venison shoulder/leg, cut into large cubes, seasoned generously
Knob of butter
2 large red onions, thinly sliced
2 large onions, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
4 bay leaves
4 fresh thyme sprigs
1 star anise
Grated zest ¼ small orange
2 tbsp plain flour
250ml full-bodied red wine
Equipment Needed
Potjie pot
Cutting board
Knives
Wooden spoon
Rolling pin
Kasi for baking
Baking racks
Round cookie cutters
Muffin pan or pie pan
Spray and cook
Need a place to refrigerate the pie dough
Pastry brush
3 mixing bowls
Method
- Prepare your potjie pot and place it over high heat, some hot coals will do. Add half the oil and, when hot, add the cubed venison in a single layer (you might need to do this in batches, depending on your potjie pot size. A number 12 is a good size potjie pot.) and brown until caramelised on all sides. Avoid shaking the pan and let the meat sizzle for several minutes before turning. Once it’s browned, lift it out and set it aside.
- Reduce the heat by spreading the coal or limiting the oxygen supply to the fire. and then add the remaining oil and the butter, followed by the onions, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, star anise and orange zest. Season, then cook, stirring regularly, for 10-12 minutes or until the onions begin to soften. Then continue to develop the caramelised flavour for another 10 min.
- When the onions are extraordinarily soft and beginning to caramelise, return the venison and any resting juices to the potjie pot. Scatter over the flour and stir well. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then pour in the wine, stir well and bring to a simmer. Add enough stock to just cover the meat. Set the lid on slightly ajar, and let it cook for 3 hours (Remember to check your coals and temperature, place some coals on top of the potjie pot lid. Remember we are making a pie filling, so closing the potjie pot completely will retain the moisture and your potjie will not thicken). After that time, check the consistency of the potjie, if there is a lot of gravy, continue to cook it further for another 30 min. Lift out a piece of meat and check it’s tender and the sauce is rich. When the meat is tender, stir the pie filling gently, then taste, adjust the seasoning and leave it cool.
- Add coals or wood to your fire if it’s starting to die out. Prepare a braai grid of your choice by cleaning it and greasing adequately with a grease spray.
- Retrieve your rested rough pastry and cut the pastry into two pieces, about equal parts. Roll out each piece to just about over ½ a cm thick. (This ensures that the grid does not cut into the pastry). Lay one rolled-out pastry onto the grid and spoon some filling onto the pastry, not too much, leaving cm from the edges to be able to enclose the pie. Then place the other rolled-out pastry on top of the filling, gently press the edges together and close the grid gently.
- Feel your heat on the braai, if it’s too hot, then spread the coals, and place the grid at least 15cm away from the heat.
- Now it’s time to babysit your pastry, turn to check if the pastry is burning instead of cooking. Turn regularly and ensure that the pastry is cooked through and not just coloured right. Braai pies usually take 20-25 min to completely bake, depending on your temperature control.
- Once your pastry is golden brown (No judgement if you have some black charred bits, ssss that extra braai flavour) remove it from the braai and slowly open the braai grid. Place a wooden chopping board or serving plate on top of the pie and then flip the pie onto the board.
- Best served hot.
Tips
- Braai baking is not an absolute science, it’s more about following your inner baker.
- Do not underestimate the power of coals, coal and briquettes have high thermal value so let them slowly bring your baked goods to life, wildfires aren’t what you need.
- Always have a feeding fire, burning coals and wood takes a bit of time, so when it’s time to adjust your heat, you have coals ready to add to your cooking fire or a fire to disregard other coals you don’t need.
- With your potjie, you can sip wine and relax as it simmers along but you got to watch your pastries like a hawk.
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