Magical Meringues Recipe

Made from whipped egg whites and powdered sugar, meringues are light, airy and very sweet. Follow this easy recipe to make perfect meringues - or use it as a basis for other desserts such as pavlovas or lemon meringue pudding, or simply as a treat on its own. So easy to make, and an inexpensive recipe to demonstrate. For an extra special touch, place meringues in an attractive glass jar for your next Sunday afternoon tea and catch the compliments!

Makes approximately 50 small meringues

•  3 large egg whites
• 210g castor sugar (250ml or 1 cup) 
• 5ml vanilla essence (1 teaspoon) or 1 vanilla bean pod, scraped
• 5ml white vinegar
• 30ml boiling water (2 tablepoons) 
• 10ml baking powder (2 teaspoons)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 100 degrees. 
2. Line baking trays with baking powder, do not grease (do not use greaseproof paper).
3. Using a clean, dry bowl of the electric food mixer, whisk egg whites until a soft peak is formed. 
4. Add sugar spoon by spoon, slowly whisking all the time. 
5. With the last teaspoon of sugar, mix in vanilla essence, or the vanilla bean paste and whisk well. 
6. Add boiling water and whisk again for 5 minutes. 
7. Lastly, add baking powder and whisk for a minute. 
8. Place mixture into a piping bag which has been fitted with a nozzle. 
9. Pipe onto prepared baking trays.
10. Bake for 60 minutes. Switch off the oven and leave in the oven, if possible, for a further 30 minutes. 

My tried and tested tip is to make the meringues smaller so that they will cook slightly quicker! Using a disposable piping bag makes for easy cleaning up after so you have less washing up to worry about and more time preparing for guests. 

Try this out and let me know what you think in the comments below!

Love,
Yo Homi

Mo Magic: Moments of Wonder

Following the success of his 2016 theatre tour, taking the experience of magic to audiences
across the country, and recently returning from Las Vegas and Hollywood, magician extraordinaire
Mo Magic is set to intrigue, astonish and entertain Durban audiences with his brand new
theatre show titled “Moments of Wonder”.
 

In this 90 minute interactive performance, Mo Magic takes the audience on a journey to the
impossible with his world-class magic, mystifying mentalism, incredible illusions and family
friendly comedy.
 

Themed around the concept of wonder, he points out that we as humans experience “wonder”
on a daily basis in different forms e.g. whilst watching movies, listening to music, spending
time with loved ones and whilst watching the sun rise or set. He takes a number of these scenarios
and creates magic with them, putting his own spin on them, and shares these moments
of wonder with the audience. The magician does not want to give too much away and would
rather the audience experience the magic for themselves in his latest theatre production.
Mo’s passion for entertaining with the art of magic has attracted the attention of magicians
worldwide. In February 2017, he was featured as the cover story for international magic magazine
“VANISH”, the world’s largest magic magazine read by over 100 000 magicians worldwide
. This is the first time a South African magician has been awarded the accolade. Other
international magicians to be included on the cover include, Criss Angel, Uri Geller and Paul
Daniels. When asked about his continued success, Mo says, “The art of magic has the ability to
bring joy, delight and wonder and I am very thankful to entertain with through my presentations
and illusions. There is nothing else I’d rather do. It’s one of the ways for me to contribute
to the world and I love it!”
 

An honours degree graduate in electronic engineering, Mo resigned from a lucrative career as a
project manager, in 2010, to pursue his passion for the art form. His prime hit TV series was
very well received nationally and is currently being rebroadcasted by the SABC, weekly. When
asked about his performance preference, the magician says “I love performing the art of magic
on TV and live, however I believe that the audience enjoys the live experience more as they
are present and are able to participate in the experience. TV audiences enjoy the show as an
observer whereas in the theatre, members of the audience have the opportunity to join me on
stage and participate in the magic.”
 

“Moments of Wonder” will run from the 9-12 March 2016 at the Elizabeth Sneddon theatre
(UKZN campus), then moves to the Hexagon theatre in Pietermaritzburg (UKZN) from the 30
March - 1 April. Mo’s previous theatre productions (“Amazing You!” in 2012 and “Mo Magic” in
2016) were sell out successes and tickets for this run of “Moments of Wonder” are limited.
Book your tickets early and be part of the magic. Tickets start from R100 and are available at
Computicket, Shoprite & Checkers
 

Performance Dates & Times: Thursday 9 Mar, Friday 10 Mar, Saturday 11 Feb: 8pm
Sunday 12 mar: 3pm (Matinee)
Running Time: 1h30min Tickets at Computicket: R100, R120 & R140
 

No under 6s
No admittance after start of performance
 

Press & Show Queries: bookings@momagic.co.za
Online link for bookings via Computicket: http://bit.ly/2kORjsB
For online publications, kindly include bookings link and social media links below.
 

Mo Magic
Web: www.momagic.co.za
Facebook: Mo Magic www.facebook.com/momagicfanpage1
Twitter: Mo Magic www.twitter.com/momagic
Instagram: momagicsa www.instagram.com/momagicsa

BombSquad heads to the Zando Cape Town 10s!

Local rugby team, BombSquad will be heading to Cape Town to participate in the upcoming and hugely popular Zando Cape Town 10s. The event is one of the premier lifestyle and social sport events in South Africa, having recently won the 2016 Discovery Sport Industry Award for "Best Lifestyle Experience".

It is the brainchild of rugby legends Bob Skinstad and Robbie Fleck and long-standing mate Ron Rutland. Founded in 2008, starting off as a rugby only tournament the event has since evolved into a multi-sport event, with the addition of Netball in 2013 and Beach Volleyball in 2016 and now Dodgeball for 2017.

The rugby component of 10s is billed as the biggest ten-a-side rugby tournament in the world, designed for fun but still underpinned by national and international rugby federation rules. The event has, over the years, featured some of the world’s greatest International rugby legends including Jonah Lomu, Carlos Spencer and Christian Cullen, as well as other global sporting stars such as Graeme Smith and Justin Kemp.

2017 will mark the 9th consecutive year of the event. The 2016 Cape Town 10s event had 100 rugby teams, 40 netball teams and 40 volleyball teams, from all over South Africa and abroad, taking part.

The Cape Town 10s is not just about the sporting action, it is also one big jol featuring some of the country’s biggest and most popular music acts as well as hosting Africa’s largest beer tent. Thousands of fans and squads gather from across the globe to play their favourite sports and to experience the vibe of 10s that is underpinned by fun, friendships, sports and a couple of cold ones.

Marcel Pillay, affectionately dubbed "Skelton" after William Skelton - Austalian rugby player, says

"It's overwhelming, but it has been an interesting journey to get ready for this event in terms of on and off field training. Everything has fallen into place and now we're looking forward to the event this week. We're hoping to win our competition while having fun at the same time, meeting old friends and hopefully making some new ones along the way. Cape Town as the host - we couldn't have asked for a better venue! Just be ready because the Bombsquad lads are going to be in town so if you see us running, try and keep up." 

 

Follow their journey online and keep up with some of their sponsors.

Twitter: @BombSquad10s
Facebook: BombSquad Tens

Love,
Yo Homi

KINGS & QUEENS OF COMEDY IS BIGGER AND FUNNIER THAN EVER

This February, Durban will erupt in laughter as the biggest comedians from all over South Africa hit the stage for the 2017 kick-off of the world tour of Kings & Queens of Comedy on 11 February at the Durban ICC.

Guaranteed to be a show of hysterical proportions, comedy lovers can look forward to a bigger and funnier stellar line-up. 

Taking to the stage with their comical armour and witty swords are Marc Lottering, Tumi Morake, Loyiso Gola, Celeste Ntuli, Leeanda Reddy, Krijay Govender, Schalk Bezuidenhout, Joey Rasdien, Tol Ass Mo, Khanyisa Bunu and Rory Petzer.  Leading the evening’s proceedings is Durban’s favourite comedian, Darren Maule with a special guest appearance by Morgan Beatbox.

Kings & Queens of Comedy began in 2012 in Johannesburg and has since grown to be one of the leading comedy brands in South Africa, promoting and showcasing local talent from around the country.

Don’t miss out on the laughter – get your tickets today to the funniest show in town.  Tickets range from R185 and are now available through Computicket online and leading outlets.

Date: Saturday, 11 February 2017

Time: 20h00 (doors open at 19h00)

Venue: Durban ICC, 45 Bram Fischer Road, Durban

Another great production brought to you by Blu Blood.

Low-Carb Lemon Cheescake Recipe

We were invited for a braai this weekend and I really was torn about attending or not. I've been on a clean eating, low carb eating plan for the last two weeks and honestly, it has been a breeze. I enjoy cooking and preparing healthy meals, and once you mentally prepare yourself - half the battle is won. I decided that I would "wow" my family with a low carb no bake lemon cheesecake and boy, this went down well! Can you say Masterchef in the making!

I was assisted in the kitchen by my sisters which makes this recipe even more special to me. Getting to spend time with these girls, whether chatting over a mani & pedi or getting busy in the kitchen means building friendships and getting creative. Gather the girls and get your aprons on, this recipe is so easy to pull off, you'll wonder where the time went!

TIPS:

• This recipe calls for low-carb rusks to make the base, which I didn't have on hand. I substituted this with Hope Crunchies (blog post on this delicious product coming soon!). I recommend using digestives or even Tennis biscuits (a household favourite, am I right). 
• You can make this cheesecake in the morning and allow 2 - 3 hours in the fridge, no bake and no fuss. 

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes (lemon syrup)

INGREDIENTS: For the cheesecake

• 12 Hope Crunchies (crushed finely) 
• 50 grams butter
• 250ml (1 cup) fresh cream 
• 1 x large lemon (rind and juice required) 
• 2 tbls xylitol or sugar 
• 1 x tub creamed smooth plain cottage cheese (I used the Lancewood brand) 

INGREDIENTS:  For the lemon syrup 

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup xylitol or sugar 
• Juice of 1/2 lemon 
• A drop of yellow food colouring 
• Lemon rind for decoration 

METHOD:  

• Finely crush the Hope Crunchies in a food processor or place the crunchies in a ziplock bag and pound with a rolling pin. 
• Melt the butter over the stove or in the microwave (approximately 20 seconds) and add this liquid to the Hope Crunchies. Mix and add this mixture to a clear dish, flattening out the biscuit base and making sure there are no spaces. 
• In a separate bowl, whip the fresh cream until thickened, slowly adding the sugar and lemon juice. Lastly, add the cottage cheese and mix through. Once combined, toss in the rind of the lemon and gently mix. 
• Spoon the creamy mixture over your biscuit base and flatten with the back of your spoon. 
• Cover with cling wrap and place your cheesecake in the fridge for 2 - 3 hours. 
• To prepare the lemon syrup, bring the 1/2 cup water to a boil over the stove, slowly adding the sugar and mix continuously. Add the lemon juice and yellow food colouring once combined and thickened and continue to stir through. Let the syrup stand for a hour, and once cooled completely, spoon over the cheesecake. 
• Decorate with the lemon rind, a sprig of mint and a raspeberry for a pop of colour. 
• Serve chilled with a refreshing glass of ice tea!  

Let me know if you would try this recipe out and what you would add to make this an even more indulgent treat for your friends and family!

Love,
Yo Homi

So Whipped Cafe - Unicorn Poop Hot Chocolate

So Whipped Cafe, located in Gateway Theatre of Shopping is owned and run by Durban business woman, Candice Courtney. The Cafe is a magical coffee shop located on the Ground Floor, just outside the Wavehouse on the northern side of the super regional shopping centre and offers some of the most delicious cafe lite meals and decadent cakes, cupcakes, eclairs and coffee. The Cafe describes itself as a "happy, creative, carefree space" and that's exactly what you get.

Their latest offering, Unicorn Poop Hot Chocolate, released this year is everything! It's a feast for the eyes and combines the latest Unicorn trend. You've seen this trend all over Pinterest, from unicorn make up tutorials to unicorn hair (colourful hair in beautiful shades of pink, aqua and green), body tattoos and even unicorn macarons!

I can't wait to get my tastebuds into this fun creation and here's hoping it becomes the drink of the year!

Find So Whipped online here: 

Website: www.sowhipped.co.za
Email: events@sowhipped.co.za
Facebook: So Whipped
Instagram: @sowhipped
Twitter: @sowhippedcakes events@sowhipped.co.zaevents

Love,
Yo Homi

5 ways to get the most out of your weekend

The weekend is here. You've been anticipating the slow ticking of Monday through to Thursday and before you know it, it's the WEEKEND! Like most people, you probably have this soul encapsulating "sigh" escape your lips at approximately 5pm on Sunday and if that doesn't fill you with dread, I don't know what does.

Turn that frown upside down and let me give you 5 ideas to get the most out of your weekend!

1. Plan ahead: Weekends tend to be the dumping ground of what I like to call "Life Admin". This is stuff like going to Woolworths to pay your installment or getting the car washed. Life's too short, ain't nobody got time for that. The malls are generally quieter in the morning, so wake up early and get in there before the crowds gather. Resist the temptation to browse and head to the stores you need to, mapping our a route for yourself. Once this is behind you, you have all the time in the world for FUN stuff.
2. Do your research: There are loads of local weekly and monthly markets that take place in Durban and surrounds. I love getting excited about a favourite local retailer popping up at one of these markets - from handmade onesies to food indulgences - there's something local for everyone. 
3. Explore the city: Exploration needn't cost you, especially if you're on a budget. Visiting local tourist spots can be fun, and show you a different perspective of your city. Take a walking tour of the Durban CBD, checking out famous historical sites and tasting the local food - from grilled mielies on the side walk to a good old fashioned steak sandwich or bunny chow to share. 
4. Catch some waves: Durban prides itself on great weather all year round, even in winter. Take advantage and head to one of the many beaches on the coast. From Ballito, Umhlanga, Glenashley and North Beach you'll find fun and great food along the way. 
5. Make time for family: Life get's you busy and stressed so what better way to unwind than with family. Plan a no-fuss braai or bring and share and don't sweat the small stuff. Bust out the Monopoly or Uno and the winner gets to host the next braai at their place. 

Wishing you a chilled weekend, lovelies. 

Love, 

Yo Homi