\nYou might think UX design and baking have absolutely nothing in common, but Danielle will tell you they\u2019re practically soulmates. \u201cUX and baking seem so different on the surface, but they both centre around how people experience something. Design made me precise, baking made me present.\u201d It\u2019s this unique perspective that makes her content so relatable. She gets that not everyone has fancy equipment or perfect lighting for Insta shots\u2014sometimes you\u2019re just trying to make something delicious with whatever\u2019s in the pantry. Speaking of which, her latest obsession? Black garlic. \u201cIt has this sweet-savoury-umami flavour that can elevate almost anything \u2026 stews, soups, even marinades.\u201d Who knew?<\/p>\n
The Blissful Bites evolution<\/strong> The last-minute Taste Masters dash<\/strong> The sourdough love story<\/strong> Building her dream life<\/strong> The magic recipe<\/strong> Now excuse us while we go whisper sweet nothings to some sourdough starter.<\/p>\n Spiced honey-pecan self-saucing pudding<\/strong> Danielle\u2019s sourdough secrets:<\/strong> Watch The Taste Master SA<\/a>, Tuesdays at 7.30pm on SABC2, with repeats Wednesdays at 1pm and Sundays at 4pm.<\/p>\n Details: Follow @blissfulbitesza on Facebook<\/a> and @blissfulbites_za on Insta<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n Text: RIALIEN FURSTENBERG. Images: SUPPLIED.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Danielle Speek is a user experience (UX) designer who trades pixels for proofing dough when she\u2019s not busy creating digital magic. Her sourdough starter? Let\u2019s just say it\u2019s basically her kitchen BFF. A kitchen transformed into complete chaos. Friends covered in icing. Sprinkles absolutely everywhere. And one very patient mom watching it all unfold with […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121,"featured_media":22049,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[40,20],"tags":[9034,9032,2532,4293,9033,9029],"class_list":{"0":"post-22046","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-people","8":"category-personalities","9":"tag-blissful-bites","10":"tag-danielle-speek","11":"tag-get-it-pretoria","12":"tag-sourdough","13":"tag-spiced-honey-pecan-self-saucing-pudding","14":"tag-the-taste-master-sa"},"yoast_head":"\n
\nDanielle\u2019s entrepreneurial journey started like many great stories \u2013 with a lot of heart and even more ambition. In 2023, she launched Blissful Bites, a gourmet cookie box business. \u201cI poured so much love into every batch, every handwritten note,\u201d she recalls. But instead of scaling up like everyone expected, she completely pivoted.
\n\u201cI felt boxed in (pun intended). I\u2019m naturally curious, always wanting to learn and explore new creative avenues, and I found myself wanting to do more than just cookies.\u201d So what did she do? She stopped selling cookies and turned Blissful Bites into her creative playground \u2013 a space for baking, filming, teaching, and connecting with fellow food lovers. Bold move? Absolutely. Regrets? Zero.<\/p>\n
\nIf you\u2019ve ever procrastinated on something important, you\u2019ll relate to how Danielle entered The Taste Master SA<\/a>. \u201cI actually saw entries were open two days before it closed! In a mad dash, I submitted mine at the last minute.\u201d
\nWhen she got the call? \u201cI was completely flabbergasted and honestly lost for words. I just stood there, heart racing, knowing my life was about to change. I could feel it in my bones. This was the start of a wild and wonderful adventure.\u201d
\nAnd wild it was. Cooking on national television with cameras circling you isn\u2019t exactly a casual Tuesday bake-off. But Danielle\u2019s approach? Zen. \u201cI go quiet. I breathe. I focus on the textures, the flavours, and the task right in front of me.\u201d She even led breathing exercises with her fellow contestants before challenges. Because if you\u2019re going to stress-bake on TV, you might as well do it together, right?<\/p>\n
\nAsk Danielle about sourdough, and prepare for her to get a little dreamy-eyed. \u201cSourdough is like a living, breathing thing. It\u2019s unpredictable and humbling, but also incredibly rewarding.\u201d
\nHer secret to great bread? \u201cA great loaf is one that\u2019s been nurtured. It has tension, a deep golden crust (I like my loaves dark), definitely some whole wheat or wholegrain flour for flavour.\u201d But she doesn\u2019t follow recipes religiously. \u201cWith bread, it\u2019s about feeling the dough. Every batch of flour behaves differently, so I adjust based on texture and instinct.\u201d
\nThat same intuitive approach flows into all her cooking. \u201cMy gut usually leads the way,\u201d she says\u2014and when you see the results, it\u2019s hard to argue.<\/p>\n
\nSo what\u2019s next for our sourdough-whispering, UX-designing, last-minute-entry-submitting hero? \u201cI want to build a slow, meaningful life. Teaching workshops, creating beautiful content, launching an online sourdough course, maybe even writing a book one day.\u201d
\nNotice what she doesn\u2019t want? \u201cI don\u2019t want a big commercial bakery \u2026 I want to keep it personal and real.\u201d In a world obsessed with growth, Danielle\u2019s choosing depth over scale – and we\u2019re absolutely here for it. Her ideal day? Refreshingly simple. \u201cCoffee first. Always. Then feeding my starter, giving it a little stir and whisper of encouragement. I\u2019d spend the morning baking something slow and beautiful while filming bits for content \u2026 flour-dusted tripods are a thing in my kitchen.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nDanielle\u2019s success isn\u2019t just about perfect bread or viral videos – it\u2019s about authenticity in an often-filtered world. She shows up even when it\u2019s messy, shares the flops alongside the wins, and treats every interaction like a conversation with a friend. \u201cWhen people message saying they tried one of my bakes or felt inspired to bake again, that\u2019s everything,\u201d she says – and you can tell she means it. So whether you\u2019re a seasoned baker or someone who burns toast regularly, Danielle\u2019s message is simple: \u201cTrust your instincts, embrace the mess, and remember that the most important ingredient in any recipe is the love you put into it.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/getitmagazine.co.za\/pretoria\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/26\/2025\/06\/spiced-pudding-cake-03-225x400.jpg\")
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\n\u201cThis pudding is pure magic. You pour hot syrup over the cake batter, and in the oven, they switch places. The cake rises, the syrup sinks, and you\u2019re left with a golden sauce beneath a spiced, fluffy sponge.\u201d<\/em>
\nYou\u2019ll need:<\/strong>
\nFor the pudding – \u00be cup chopped pecans; 80g salted butter, softened; \u00bd cup light brown sugar; \u00bd cup sourdough discard (or plain full-cream yoghurt); 1 large egg; 1 tsp vanilla essence; 1\u00bc cups cake flour; 1 tsp baking powder; 1\u00bd tsp ground cinnamon; 1\u00bd tsp ground ginger; \u00bc tsp salt; \u00be cup full-cream milk
\nFor the sauce – 1 cup brown sugar; 1\u00bc cups just-boiled water; \u00bc cup honey; \u00bc cup golden syrup;
\nTo serve – Vanilla ice cream and extra sauce from the pan
\nTo make:<\/strong>
\nPreheat the oven to 180\u00b0C. Lightly butter a 22cm square (or similar-sized) baking dish. Scatter the chopped pecans across the bottom.
\nMake the batter: In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, and salt. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Mix in the sourdough discard (or yoghurt), egg, and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients in two parts, alternating with the milk. Stir until just combined.
\nAssemble the pudding: Gently spoon the batter over the pecans and level the top.
\nMake the sauce: In a saucepan, combine all the sauce ingredients. Stir and bring to a gentle boil, then simmer for 2 minutes, or until the sugar is fully dissolved.
\nAdd the sauce: Slowly pour the hot sauce over the batter. Do not stir. Place the dish on a baking tray (to catch any drips) and bake for 40\u201345 minutes, until the top is golden and the cake is set.
\nServe: Scoop deep to get both sponge and sauce. Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and serve immediately.<\/p>\n
\n\u2022 Embrace the unpredictable.<\/strong> Use stoneground flour for deeper flavour, but remember – each bag is a little different. Treat every bake like a new experiment. And don\u2019t skip the autolyse (that\u2019s when flour and water hang out before anything else joins the mix). It gives your gluten a solid head start.
\n\u2022 Trust your senses over the clock.<\/strong> Your dough will literally tell you what it needs if you pay attention. Touch it, smell it, listen to it. Seriously.
\n\u2022 Taste your starter.<\/strong> Feed it at least once a day, and don\u2019t let it get too acidic. Think of it like a pet\u2014with a delicious bonus. A happy, balanced starter is your secret weapon. Keep it healthy, and it\u2019ll teach you more than any recipe book ever could.<\/p>\n