Shanaz Anna De Lanerolle has been known to supply smugglers…with lovecake. The rich, traditional cake is something of a specialty at Anna’s Kitchen and Shanaz says it’s been to every continent, with the possible exception of Australia where customs won’t make allowances for even the most dedicated lovecake connoisseurs.
 |
| Shanaz Anna De Lanerolle |
The lovecake, her date cake and her chocolate cake have all won Shanaz many fans, but she also has a range of other culinary delights under her apron - she offers not just desserts but savoury items as well.
Shanaz has been cooking from a very young age – she was often put in charge of a family meal even as a young girl. She got into baking a decade or so ago and hasn’t taken a single formal cooking class in all these years, save for a few carelessly attended home science classes.
Instead she says she’s “self-taught” and prides herself on her ability to take a recipe and tweak it till it carries her stamp on it. “There will be something I will do, I always add my twist,” she says.
Shanaz has found that like so many other local culinary entrepreneurs her best advertising came from word of mouth alone. Beginning with family and friends who would critique and buy her dishes, she’s now begun claiming more customers outside that intimate circle.
Once employed by the airlines Emirates, she found her life transformed by the birth of her daughter. She chose to be a stay at home mom and with the support of her husband, the singer Ishan (one half of the De Lanerolle Brothers) she launched her own business. You can find her on Facebook under ‘Anna’s Kitchen - Sri Lanka.’
“It’s challenging having the business,” says Anna, explaining that with her husband travelling so much, she is often juggling several commitments. Despite being a full time mom to a three-year-old, Shanaz chooses to do almost all the work herself - from buying to prep and the cooking as well.
“I double up as a mother, father and cook,” she says, adding that despite her taxing schedule she rarely turns away business. She’s enjoying herself too much – “I would say I thrive on it. It’s always nice when your hobby becomes your vocation because then your heart is in it.”
This week she offers us two recipes in honour of Valentines Day. They’re both very simple but supremely adaptable. Go to town, advises Shanaz – decorate it as you will, add fruits if you’d like, or experiment with other toppings.
You can contact Shanaz on 0777668480.
Valentine’s cherry mousse cake
Ingredients
- 200g glace cherries, quartered
- 750 ml whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ½ teaspoon almond essence
- 400g dark chocolate, melted 50g unsalted butter
- 4 tspns gelatine powder
- 4 tablespoons hot water
- To decorate you can use one or more of the following – crushed meringues, grated chocolate, maraschino cherries, store bought red roses etc.
Method
1. Line the base and sides of any heart shaped baking tray you may have (large enough to hold approximately a litre of liquid). If you don’t have a heart shaped tray, then use a round spring form one. With baking paper, cut a heart shape large enough to fit into the base of your round pan. Once the dessert is frozen, turn out, place the heart shape of baking paper on it and carefully cut out your heart shape. However the heart shaped pan is the easier way to go!
2. Melt the chocolate in a bowl, over a saucepan of simmering water. Add the butter. Stir to combine and leave aside.
3. Melt the gelatine in 4 tablespoons of hot water. Whip the cream in a large clean bowl till it holds its shape. Strain in the gelatine and beat for 30 seconds. Transfer 2/3 of the whipped cream to another bowl. Add the melted chocolate and the chopped cherries to the 2/3 of cream and combine well.
4. To the other 1/3 of whipped cream , add the sugar and almond essence and beat for a minute.
5. Now all you need to do is assemble the dessert!. To do this, pour half the chocolate mixture into the lined pan and leave flat in the freezer for about 20 minutes or until it has set.
6. Next pour in all of the 1/3 cream (white) mixture. Place in the freezer till this layer too sets. Pour in the second half of the chocolate mixture over the set white layer and freeze again.
7. When you are ready to serve, simply turn the dessert over onto your serving platter and gently peel away the cling film. Now sprinkle either grated chocolate or crushed meringue kisses over the top. Place two store bought roses or some maraschino cherries in the middle. Guaranteed to help woo your Valentine and melt-in-the- mouth delicious too !
Valentine meringue hearts
This recipe is so incredibly easy to make and is suitable even for younger kids to make (under supervision of course!) for their friends and family, for Valentine’s Day. The fact that it is so chocolatey, crunchy and delicious make it an even more tempting treat! After all who could go wrong with a combination of chocolate and meringue?!!
Ingredients
- 3egg whites
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tspn vanilla
- ¼ tspn cream of tartar
- A pinch of salt
- 200g dark chocolate melted
- Strawberries for decoration
- red food
- colouring(optional)
Method
1. Line a flat baking tray with baking paper. On the paper, trace heart shapes about an inch apart. Remember the meringue will spread a little while baking so trace heart shapes a little smaller than what you require. Pre heat the oven to 275 degrees C.
2. In a large bowl, beat the egg whites, vanilla, cream of tartar and salt until frothy. Add the sugar, a little at a time, and continue beating until stiff peaks form and the sugar is dissolved. At this stage , if you prefer some of the hearts to be red , then add a few drops of red colouring to all or part of the meringue, until desired red is achieved.
3. Pipe the meringue with a syringe or icing bag, into the heat shapes about ¼ inch thick. This could also be done using a spoon to shape and form into correct shape.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for about an hour, or until meringue is crisp when you tap it. Turn off oven and leave in the oven to cool. Do not open oven door while they are cooling.
5. The meringues are now at your disposal! You may dip each heart in the melted chocolate and decorate with pureed strawberries or adorn the top with a strawberry. You could also sandwich two hearts together with melted chocolate which would be especially romantic for Valentine”s Day! Which ever option of decoration you choose, served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, this is a delectable dessert.
|
E-mail
