This was a stunning success at my tree-trimming party yesterday. It's from Recipes+ magazine.

Ingredients

• 1 large brie (about 20cm diameter)
• ½ cup unsalted mixed nuts (e.g. brazil, almond, cashew)
• 1 cup mixed dried tropical fruits cut into small pieces(e.g. mango, ginger, pineapple)
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup cold water

Method

1. Place brie on serving platter. Decorate top with nuts and dried fruit.
2. Put water and sugar into a heavy-based saucepan over a moderate heat.
3. Allow the syrup to come to a boil. Do not stir, just swirl the pan to distribute the heat.
4. Cook until toffee is a golden brown, rocking pan to distribute colour.
5. Immediately pour toffee over the decorated brie.
6. Allow the toffee to harden for a few minutes before serving.

Serve with crackers.

I intend to try a scaled down version with a smaller brie.

This recipe is useful for using leftover vegetables. All quantities are approximate.

Ingredients

• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon oil (for frying onion)
• Vegetables, chopped into 1-2cm pieces. (I used ½ green capsicum, ½ red capsicum, ½ yellow capsicum, ~8 mushrooms, prepared basil, ~½ broccoli)
• 3 eggs
• 500g Ricotta (approx)
• 8 sheets filo pastry
• Oil spray, or 25g melted butter, for filo

Method

1. Heat oil in pan. Lightly cook onions and garlic. Allow to cool.
2. Lightly cook other vegetables (either steamed, microwaved, or with onions).
3. Mix eggs and ricotta until smooth. Add vegetables and combine.
4. Prepare baking paper to line pie dish.
5. Lay a sheet of filo on baking paper. Spray with oil spray (or use melted butter). Repeat until you have 6 sheets laid out.
6. Place baking paper and filo into pie dish. Don't worry about crumpling the corners, this adds the the charm of filo.
7. Pour mixture into pie dish. Spread to the corners.
8. Spray/butter remaining 2 filo sheets. Cover pie, crumpling corners.
9. Bake 30-40 minutes 180°C
10. Rest for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy.

I used to work with Leanne on nightfill at Writeprice supermarket. Sunday's we all had a turn to bring supper. This was well received.

Ingredients

• 125g butter
• 2 dessertspoons golden syrup
• 1½ cups flour
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup milk
• 1-2 tablespoons cocoa
• ¼ teaspoon mixed spice
• vanilla
• 1 teaspoon baking soda dissolved in ½ cup milk (extra)

Method

1. Melt butter, syrup, sugar, and milk together.
2. Add sifted flour, cocoa, and spices. Stir well.
3. Add vanilla and baking soda in milk.
4. Bake for 30 minutes at 180°C.
5. Ice with chocolate icing when cold.

Chocolate Icing

Ingredients

• 50g butter, softened
• 1 cup icing sugar
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons boiling water

Method

1. Sift cocoa and icing sugar together.
2. Add butter and beat well.
3. Add boiling water and beat until creamy.
4. Spread over cake and allow to set.

Makes 12.

Ingredients

• 115g butter, softened
• 115g caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 170g self raising flour

Method

1. Cream butter and sugar.
2. Add eggs one at a time and mix well.
3. Add zest, juice, and vanilla. Mix well.
4. Sift flour and fold into mixture.
5. Spoon mixture into 12 cupcake cases.
6. Bake 180°C for 18-20 minutes, or until browned and cooked. Test with toothpick or cake tester.
7. Cool on a wire rack. When completely cold decorate with lemon icing.

Lemon Icing (Frosting)

Ingredients

• 150g butter, softened
• 250g icing (confectioners) sugar
• Zest of 1 lemon
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon hot water
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Method

1. Cream butter and sugar.
2. Add remaining ingredients. Beat until smooth and creamy.

Notes

These make a firm cupcake. Addition of a small amount of milk (about a tablespoon) to the mixture with the flour should produce slightly lighter cupcakes