MELICIA’S HYPER REALISTIC BANGERS AND MASH

Crème patisserie butter

250ml Clover full cream milk
3 egg yolks
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cornflour
2 tbl Clover butter, salted
5ml vanilla extract

1. Place milk in a saucepan and bring to a simmer.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks, sugar and corflour to a smooth mixture.
3. When milk comes to the simmer, temper the egg yolk mixture with the hot milk mixture. Mix till combines.
4. Return mixture to the pot and whisk continuously till the custard is very thick.
5. Remove from heat.
6. Place butter in a bowl, pass the crème patisserie mixture through a strainer into the bowl of butter. Mix until the butter is well combined.
7. Cover with cling film directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until required.
   
   

Cinnamon Cake (Pork Bangers)

1 egg, separated
66g sugar
42ml oil
42ml water
46g flour
10ml cornflour
5ml Royal Baking Powder
1ml salt
10ml ground cinnamon

SYRUP:

10g Clover butter
16ml apricot jam

1. Whisk egg yolks, sugar, oil and water together till pale.
2. Sift dry ingredients into the above mixture and mix till combined.
3. Whisk egg whites until stiff and gently fold into the mixture until combined.
4. Pour into a greased small loaf tin and bake at 180 degrees Celsius for approximately 20 minutes.
5. For the syrup, melt the butter and apricot jam in a small saucepan/ microwave.
6. Remove cake from the oven and prick the surface using a skewer.
7. Pour syrup over the hot cake.

CINNAMON ICING

150g Clover butter, softened
300g icing sugar, sifted
Pinch of salt
5-8ml cinnamon powder

1. Beat butter till light and fluffy, gradually add icing sugar and beat till smooth and creamy.
2. Add salt and cinnamon and mix till combined.
3. Keep at room temperature until required.

FUNNEL CAKE (ONION RINGS)

Vegetable oil for frying
156g flour
3ml Royal Baking Powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 egg
2.5ml vanilla extract
180ml Clover milk

1. Pour oil into a saucepan and heat to 190 degrees Celsius.
2. Whisk flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. 
3. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, vanilla and milk.
4. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and whisk until there are no lumps.
5. Place batter in a squeeze bottle, cut a small hole at the top (a piping bag can also work)
6. For the onion ring shape: cut out small squares of parchment paper and squeeze/ pipe ring shapes and place in hot oil funnel cake down. When funnel cake has begun cooking and is holding shape, you can carefully remove the paper with a pair of small tongs.
7. Cook till golden brown and crispy.
8. Drain on kitchen paper towel.

NAARTJIE CARAMEL (GRAVY)

½ cup fresh Naartjie juice
1 ½ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons Clover butter
½ cup Clover cream
½ vanilla pod
¼ teaspoon coarse salt

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add the juice and sugar and cook till the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to simmer.
2. The mixture will start turning brown, swirl the saucepan. 
3. When the mixture is a deep brown, remove from the heat and add the butter, salt and cream. Cook to ensure a smooth caramel sauce. Add the vanilla seeds
4. Mixture will thicken upon standing
   

To assemble:

1. Create the “bangers” by spreading a thick layer of cinnamon icing on a doubled piece of cling film, cut a rectangle of cinnamon cake and place it on top of the icing. Using the cling film, roll the icing over the cake. 
2. Roll into a sausage shape and pinch and turn the ends of the cling film until tight. Roll to even out the shape and slightly curve to create a realistic banger.
3. Refrigerate the “bangers”
4. Remove the bangers from the fridge once set and add brush the bangers with a mixture dark brown, light brown and yellow food colouring to create the charred bangers.
5. Remove the plate with the milk tart mixture from when set, using a palate knife swirl the mixture to make it look like mash, add some crème patisserie to swirl though to have some streaks of yellow crème patisserie to make it look like butter has been mixed through.
6. Top the “mash” with the bangers and drizzle with Naartjie caramel and top with coloured white chocolate piped micro herbs.
7. Serve with extra Naartjie caramel sauce in a small jug and with the funnel cake “onion rings” on the side.