Easy Cinnamon Rolls Without Yeast

Here is my promised recipe for Quick and Easy Cinnamon Rolls without yeast. Now I know you think that you cannot possibly make Cinnamon Rolls without yeast, but I guarantee you they are just as good as the ones with yeast, if not better and way easier! They are delicious and will definitely be a hit among your family and friends.

EASY CINNAMON ROLLS WITHOUT YEAST

Dough

2 cups (500ml) Self Raising Flour
1/2 tsp Salt
2 tbsp Sugar
1/2 cup (125ml) Melted Butter (unsalted)
2/3 cup (175ml) Milk
1 tbsp Vanilla Essence

Filling

3 tbsp Melted Butter
1/4 cup White Sugar
1/4 cup Brown Sugar
3tbsp Cinnamon

Glaze

1/2 cup (125ml) Icing Sugar
1 tbsp Water

Mix all the ingredients for the dough together and work till it is a nice soft dough ball (not sticky) - use extra flour if needed to get it to the right consistency. Roll dough out on flat surface till it is about 2cm thick and a rectangular shape.
Mix all the ingredients for the filling together and smear it on the rolled out dough. Make sure to cover every part and the corners too.
Roll the dough into a log - take care not to let the filling spill.
Cut the log into 2 cm pieces. Place on a prepared baking sheet (remember the baking paper), place it about 2 cm appart.
Bake for 10-15 minutes in a 200 degree celcius oven till golden brown.

Once they have cooled down you can drizzle them with the glaze.

Make 12 Cinnamon Rolls

You might want to double up...it is that good!

Quick and Easy Cinnamon Rolls

There is nothing better than delicious, warm, fresh Cinnamon Rolls just out of the oven, and the best part is that you dont have to slave in the kitchen for hours to enjoy these divine Cinnamon Rolls.

They are so quick to make, I have a fresh batch of Cinnamon Rolls ready to enjoy with some coffee on the beach for a weekend breakfast in less than 15 minutes.

Ok, I admit I do cheat a little by buying the bread dough from the local bakery, but I have made my own dough before (with yeast) and it taste just the same. When I do make the Cinnamon Rolls without the yeast again, I will blog it, as it is a bit different, but also very very delicious.



QUICK AND EASY CINNAMON ROLLS

1 kg Bread Dough

Filling

3 tbsp soft Butter
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
3 tbsp grounded Cinnamon
1 tbsp Honey

Glaze

1/2 cup Icing Sugar
1 tbsp Milk

Roll out the bread dough with rolling pin into a rectangular shape of 2cm thick.
Mix all the ingredients for filling together.
Smear the filling on the bread dough.
Roll the bread dough with filling into a log.
Cut the log into pieces 2 cm thick.
Place the buns 2 cm away from each other on a prepared baking sheet and bake for 10 -15 minutes in a 200 degree celcius oven. Put some baking paper on the baking sheet as it will be sticky and messy.
When the rolls are nice and brown you can remove them from the oven and let them cool for 2 minutes before you drizzle them with the glaze.

Makes about 12 Cinnamon Rolls

Tip: You can bake the whole log in the oven and then cut it into slices once it has cooled down and then drizzle with the glaze - as I have done (see picture) the baking time will increase by about 10 minutes if you do bake the whole log.

It is so quick and easy, you will want to have Cinnamon Rolls for breakfast every morning!

Easy Mojito Recipe

There is nothing as refreshing as a Mojito when the days are hot and steamy.There must be something about the combination of the fresh lime, fresh mint, a hint of sweetness and that tiny tingly bubbles that is totally irresistable to me!

Now don't get discouraged, it is really really easy to make a Mojito.

Here is my Easy Mojito Recipe for everyone who asked and for all you Mojito fans out there!

Mojito

EASY MOJITO RECIPE

1 tot (25ml) or 1oz White Rum
12 Mint leaves
1 large Lime or 2 small limes - cut into wedges
1 tot (25ml) or 1 oz fresh Lime juice
1 tbsp Sugar syrup *
Soda water (Club soda)

In a highball glass muddle Mint leaves, Lime wedges and Sugar syrup together. This will bring out all the flavours.
Add the Rum and fresh Lime juice and muddle all together.
Top off with Soda water.
Garnish with a sprig of mint and some lime slices.


Nothing can be easier. Enjoy!




* You can make your own Easy Sugar Syrup. Put 2 cups of sugar in a jug, then pour 1/2 cup of boiling water over it. Stirr until all the sugar granules has disolved and you are left with a syrup. It can keep in the fridge for a long time and you can use it in all sorts of cocktails. I put mine a squeezy bottle, and it works great!

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How to make your own Amarula Cream

I love a beautiful sunset and probably have a million photos of sunsets that I have taken all over, but the most beautiful sunsets are no doubt the ones in the African bush.

There is nothing better than  to watch a gorgeous sunset while sitting at a watering hole somewhere in the African bush watching the animals and sipping an ice cold Amarula Cream.

 

African Sunset

Kalahari Sunset

Life doesn’t get much sweeter than this!

Except when you can make your own Amarula…

Homemade Amarula Cream

 AMARULA CREAM

1 tbsp coffee

8 shots whiskey

1 can condensed milk

200ml full cream

1 tsp honey

Use good quality coffee. If you are using instant coffee, heat up some of the full cream and add the coffee to it. If you are using grounded coffee, make about 100ml of very very strong coffee. Let it cool. Add the whiskey, condensed milk, full cream and honey and mix well. Pour into a bottle and leave in the fridge for 7 days. Shake it daily.

Makes 1x750ml bottle

You might want to double up as it will go fast!!!



Now if you have never heard of or tasted Amarula Cream, you are definitely missing out. Amarula Cream is a South African liqueur that is made from the exotic Marula fruit. It is a delicious creamy drink that can be enjoyed anywhere!  

The Marula fruit is famed for making elephants a bit “tipsy” as they like to eat the Marula fruit that has fallen off the trees and fermented in the sun.

I don't use the Marula fruit in my Amarula - it's a bit more difficult and I might just have to fight an elephant for enough fruit to make a bottle, but my homemade Amarula is pretty close!

Go ahead and try it - indulge your tastebuds!



Mango Achar

My friend Hanna has a really cool maid who taught her how to make this amazing Mauritian Achar. This inspired me to try and make some of my own, as the recipe is Mango based and because I still have tons of Mangoes to be creative with.

I did modify the ingredients slightly to suite my taste. The Mautitians love their chilli and put double the amount of chilli in theirs, but I am not quite as brave (yet). If you like yours spicier add more chilli or leave the pips in.

MANGO ACHAR

3 large green mangoes (they must be green and not ripe)
3 green chillies - deseased
6 dried red chillies
2 tbsp sugar
125ml olive oil
50ml lemon juice
2 garlic cloves - grated
1 tbsp mustard seeds
2 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tbsp corriander
1 tsp black pepper
salt to taste

Peel the mangoes and then grate them. Mix the spices, sugar, oil and lemon juice together in a blender till fine. Pour the spice mixture over the grated mangoes and mix well. Put into clean container. You can eat it straight away, but it gets much better when you leave it for a few days.

Makes 1 jar (about 400ml).
Keeps well in the fridge.

This achar is very very good and not oily like the ones you buy in the shop. It has a great fresh taste and goes well with everything. My guine pigs love this one!

Coffee Liqueur

I recently made some Coffee Liqueur and it was such a hit with my friends that I decided to post the recipe here. It is really easy to make and you can drink it immediately if you like, but if you can wait I suggest letting it sit for at least 10 days - it makes a big difference to the taste!

 COFFEE LIQUEUR
2 cups of good strong Coffee
1 and 1/2 cups Sugar
2 cups Water
2 tbsp Vanilla
1 cinnamon stick (optional)
750ml Vodka or Rum

Use some good, strong coffee, preferably not instant, and brew two STRONG cups.
Put the sugar, water, vanilla and cinnamon stick in a casserole (pot) and bring to a simmer. Add the 2 cups of coffee and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Add the vodka or rum.

I usually pour mine into a large jar (1.5L) which I shake everyday - to stir up the coffee residue and get the flavours mixing a bit. After about 10 days I take out the cinnamon stick and pour the coffee liqueur into bottels.

Makes about 2 x 750ml bottels

It is great to drink on its own (ice cold) or over crushed ice or in a cocktail.

I will be making another batch soon, as I am on my last bottle, this time I might try something different. If it is any good, and my guinea pigs likes it, I will post it here.

Enjoy!

Exotic Mango Sorbet

The other day I was outside in my garden, relaxing and just enjoying the sunshine. Ok, seriously, if you have to know, I was weeding! Terrible job! Like that was not bad enough, this Mango falls off the tree and hit me on the head! So I figured if life throws me Mangoes, I will make Mango Sorbet!

It is such an easy recipe and the sorbet is really tasty and refreshing - even the kids will love it! You can also easily convert it into a cocktail - Exotic Mango Sorbet with a twist (read on)..

Exotic Mango Sorbet



EXOTIC MANGO SORBET

12 Mangoes (this will make about 2L) - cut in cubes
1/2 cup Sugar Syrup
1 tin Coconut Cream
1 medium size Pineapple - peeled and sliced

Cut the mangoes in cubes and freeze them for about 3-4 hours. If you freeze them overnight, take them out for half an hour before use. 
Put frozen mangoes into a blender with the sugar syrup and blend. If you do use the store bought frozen mangoes, you might have to add some more sugar syrup as they are not as sweet.
Add the pineapple and coconut cream and blend till slushy.

Pour into a container and freeze. It can be served after about 2-3 hours in the freezer. Take out for 5 minutes before dishing.

Absolutely delicious!

EXOTIC MANGO SORBET with a TWIST

After blening all the ingredients in the blender, add a tot or two of Coconut Rum (Malibu or other)  to the sorbet and mix. Pour into Coctail glasses and enjoy!

Exotic Mango Sorbet with a Twist





Delicious Mango Jam

A while ago I borrowed a book from a friend called "A year in a bottle - Sally Wise" . It is a great book full of recipes and tips to create your own jams, jellies, pickles, relishes and chutneys, and it inspired me to try and make some mango jam. There wasn't a recipe for mango jam, but I thought what the heck, it can't be that difficult and different from say apricot jam? Not that I have ever made apricot jam in my life - or any kind of jam for that matter. A bit ambitious I say! This is what I came up with and if I must be honest, it is really good - and my guineapigs also approved!

How to cut a mango

EXOTIC MANGO JAM

10 ripe fresh mangoes
1 cup (250ml) white sugar
1/2 cup (125ml) fresh lemon juice
1 cup (250ml) water
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tbsp ground cinnamon

I use the sweet ripe, fibreless mangoes from one of our trees. Cut them in chunks (see above - this is the easiest way to cut a mango). You can use the frozen store bought ones, but then you might have to add a bit more sugar as they tend to be less sweet.
Put the mango, sugar, lemon juice and water into a casserole (pot) over medium heat.
Stir the mixture till all the sugar has melted.
Turn down the heat and let the mangoes simmer for about 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.
The mangoes will be nice and soft by now and will break down when you stir them.
Add two cinnamon sticks (break in half) to the mangoes and a table spoon of cinnamon.
Let simmer for a further 10 minutes. If you like your jam smooth, you can use a stick blender at this stage, but if you like it more coarse, you can leave it as is.

If you are going to eat the jam straight away, you can put it in a container and refrigerate it. If you want to save some for another day or to give away (you might not once you tasted your jam) you can put it in sterilised jars.

To sterilise the jar, I first wash it with soapy water, then I rinse and dry it before I put the cold jar in the oven. I turn the oven to 110 degrees celcius and once the oven has reached the temperature, I turn it off and let the jar cool slightly.

I let the jam cool slightly (still hot, but not boiling), take out the cinnamon sticks, and then pour the hot jam into the hot jar and seal. You can add a new whole cinnamon stick to the jar before sealing. The cinnamon really gives it a lovely taste.
It should last up to six months in a cool, dry place.

Makes about a litre of mango jam

Mine is going fast - I will have to make another batch soon!

Enjoy

Delicious Mango Jam

So what's the deal with all these Mangoes?

I have five huge mango trees in my garden, and boy do they make a mess! A huge MESS! So what can I do? Apart from sweeping and cleaning up after the creatures (bats, birds, kids) that made the mess in the first place. Ok and the tree is pretty messy by itself!

So what do I do? I GET CREATIVE!

There is about a million different recipes for food and drinks with mango - if you don't believe me just Google it!  So I decided to give some of them a try.

I will share the good ones with you - enjoy!















Did you know that mangoes originates from India and it is one of the most important and widely cultivated fruits of the tropical world. The yellow to orange fruit is juicy, distinctively spicy, and a rich source of vitamins A, C, and D and Potassium.
Mango fruit varies in shape, colour, and size from ovoid to long, from vividly red and yellow to dull green, and from plum size to melon size.