Ingredients
Pudding:

• 100g Butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon ground Ginger
• 100g brown Sugar
• 2 eggs
• 100g Flour
• 1½ teaspoons Baking Powder

Sauce:

• 100g Brown Sugar
• 1 cup boiling Water

Method

1. Mix melted butter, 100g sugar, and ginger together.
2. Mix in eggs one at a time.
3. Lightly mix in flour and baking powder until just combined. do not over-mix.
4. to make the sauce, dissolve the other half of the brown sugar (100g) with the boiling water.
5. Gently pour the sauce into the ramekins.
6. Cover loosely with foil and bake for 25 minutes in a pre-heated moderate (180°C) oven.
7. Remove foil and continue baking for another 5 minutes.
8. Serve hot with cream or ice cream.

Notes

1. You can use self-raising flour and omit the baking powder
2. Substitute 1 tablespoon (or more) grated fresh ginger for the ground ginger.
3. You can add chunks of crystallised ginger for an added bonus.

Ingredients

• 3oz Butter
• 1 cup Sugar
• 1 Egg
• 1½ cups grated Apple
• 1 cup Flour
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• ½ teaspoon Cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon Nutmeg
• Pinch of Salt

Method

1. Cream butter and sugar
2. Add egg, apples, flour, etc.
3. Bake 40 minutes in a moderate oven (180°C).

The recipe notes that this could use bananas instead of apples, providing another way to use up ripe bananas.

Ingredients

• 8 Chicken thighs
• 70g Butter, melted
• 1 Tablespoon Mustard
• ¼ cup fresh Breadcrumbs
• ½ cup grated Parmesan Cheese
• 2 Tablespoons chopped Parsley
• ¼ teaspoon Salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground Pepper

Method

1. Mix mustard and melted butter together.
2. Combine breadcrumbs, cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl of plate.
3. Dip chicken into butter, then cover in the crumb mixture.
4. Bake for 45 minutes, or until chicken is thoroughly cooked.

I used seeded mustard but Hot English mustard or other smooth mustard will also work. I prepared extra butter/mustard and coated chopped potatoes which I baked them alongside the chicken. The seeded mustard added to the appearance and flavour.

Ingredients

• ¼ cup Butter
• 4 Eggs
• ¾ cup Sugar
• 1 pinch Salt
• 2 cups Milk
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
• ½ cup Flour

Method

1. Cut butter into flour in a food processor.
2. Add all other ingredients and blend for 30-40 seconds.
3. Pour into buttered 9 inch pie pan. Sprinkle with nutmeg.
4. Bake for 45 minutes in a 180° preheated oven.

Allow to cool thoroughly before serving.

Ingredients

• 500g Chicken, minced (ground)
• 400g Turkey, minced (ground)
• 1 Carrot, grated
• 1 Apple, grated
• 1 Egg
• 1 small Onion, diced
• ¼ cup Tomato Sauce (ketchup)
• ½ teaspoon Salt
• ½ teaspoon crushed Garlic
• ½ cup Breadcrumbs

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C
2. Use your hands and mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl.
3. Press into a lightly greased loaf tin.
4. Cover with tinfoil and bake for 1 hour.
5. Remove foil and bake for another 15-30 minutes. (I use a meat thermometer to ensure it's thoroughly cooked.)
6. Stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Tip: use half a large onion, and dice and freeze the other half for use later.

Ingredients

• 125g butter
• 1 cup diced apple
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1¼ cups flour
• 2 teaspoons mixed spice
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ cup sultanas

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160°C and grease a 20cm cake tin.
2. Melt butter in a large bowl in the microwave.
3. Add diced apple and microwave for another minute. (skip this step if using canned or cooked apples.)
4. Mix in sugar then egg and sultanas.
5. Sift dry ingredients into the apple mix and stir just enough to blend ingredients evenly.
6. Spread the mixture into prepared tin and bake for 45 minutes or so.
7. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing from the tin.
8. Dust with icing sugar and serve.

Ingredients

• ½ tablespoon olive oil
• 15g butter
• 1 onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• About 1-1¼ kg pumpkin, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped
• 1 litre (4 cups) stock (chicken or vegetable)

Method

1. Heat oil and butter in saucepan then cook onions for about 5 minutes, or until golden. (I like to make soups in my Dutch Oven, but any heavy saucepan will do.)
2. Add cumin and cook for 1 minute or until aromatic.
3. Add pumpkin pieces and stir to coat.
4. Add stock and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until pumpkin is cooked and soft.
5. Purée everything. (I use a stick blender for this, and have less dishes to clean up.)

Add a dollop of cream, sour cream, or yoghurt, and serve with your favourite warmed bread.

I overcooked this the first time I made it (see photo). The original recipe said to bake it for 40-45 minutes in a ring tin, so I was surprised to find it overdone when I checked it at 35 minutes.

Ingredients

• 1 whole orange, skin and all
• 180g melted butter
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1½ cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder

You can use self-raising flour instead of the flour and baking powder.

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Grease and flour a baking tin.
3. Process the whole orange until well puréed.
4. Add eggs, sugar, and butter, mixing well. This can be done in the processor.
5. Sift flour and baking powder, and fold into orange mixture.
6. Bake 30-45 minutes, or until a cake-tester shows it is cooked.
7. Cool, and either ice with Orange Icing, or dust with icing sugar when serving.

Ingredients

• 75g butter, softened
• Zest of 1 orange
• 3½ cups icing sugar, sifted
• 2 tablespoons orange juice (or more if you want a softer icing)

Method

1. Cream the butter.
2. Add zest and beat well.
3. Add icing sugar, orange juice, and beat well, adding more orange juice if required.
4. Spread onto cooled cake and enjoy.

Ingredients

• 75g Butter (about 5 tablespoons)
• 1¾ cup Flour
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
• ¾ teaspoon Baking Soda
• ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
• ¾ cup Molasses (substitute Golden syrup for a lighter colour and flavour)
• 1 Egg
• 2 teaspoons grated peeled Ginger
• ¼ cup Sugar (for cake)
• ¼ cup Sugar (for caramel)
• ⅓ cup Sour Cream
• ¼ cup Milk
• 3-4 Apples (choose a variety suitable for cooking)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F)
2. Melt butter in an oven-proof pan. Set aside to cool while preparing next stage.
3. Mix molasses, egg, ginger, and ¼ cup sugar in a large bowl.
4. Add in sour cream, followed by the milk, mixing well.
5. Sift flour, salt, cinnamon, baking soda, and baking powder.
6. Gradually add dry ingredients to molasses mixture.
7. Add in 3 tablespoons of the melted butter from step 1, then set aside.
8. Prepare apples by cutting into 3 large pieces, leaving a triangular core behind. (These will seem larger than you expect, but the cake needs these large sizes.) Peeling the apples is optional, depending on how the skin of the variety responds to cooking.
9. Add remaining ¼ cup sugar to butter and cook over a medium-high heat until the sugar begins to caramelise. This should take 2-3 minutes.
10. Add apples, stirring to coat them with the caramel.
11. Cook rounded side down for about 3 minutes, or longer if you leave the skins on.
12. Turn apples over and cook flat side down for about 5 minutes, or until they begin to soften.
13. Space apples out evenly with the flat side down and pour the cake batter over them, spreading evenly.
14. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a skewer comes out cleanly.
15. Cool for 10-15 minutes then carefully invert onto serving plate. It should fall out gently.

Serve with lightly whipped cream either warm or at room temperature.

Ingredients

• 6 Chicken Thighs, boneless
• 12 Olives, chopped
• 3 Garlic cloves, chopped
• 8 Sundried Tomatoes, chopped
• 150g Feta, chopped
• Olive oil

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. Mix the cheese, garlic, parsley and tomatoes and olives together until well blended.
3. Spread the cheese mixture on the boned thighs and roll up, tucking in sides and securing with a toothpick.
4. Brush with olive oil and roast for 45-50 minutes, until chicken is cooked.

I served these with Crispy Pan-Fried Gnocchi and steamed broccoli.

Ingredients

• 1 packet gnocchi
• 3 cloves Garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
• ½ cup finely grated Parmesan Cheese
• ¼ teaspoon Chilli

Method

1. Heat olive oil over a low heat, and add the garlic and chilli. Take off the heat and leave to infuse.
2. Cook the gnocchi is a pot of salted boiling water until they start to float. Drain cooked gnocchi.
3. Strain infused oil (step 1 above) and heat.
4. Add drained gnocchi to hot oil and pan fry until golden brown, flipping once.
5. Add strained garlic and chilli to gnocchi.
6. remove from heat and stir through the cheese until cheese is melted.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Crunchy Peanut Butter (preferably without added salt and sugar)
• 1 cup Brown Sugar
• ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
• &frac14 teaspoon Salt
• 1 Egg, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Method

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
2. Shape mixture into 24 balls onto baking trays, allowing room for these to spread. Press flat with a fork.
3. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 180°C (350°F) in a pre-heated oven.
4. Let biscuits cool for 5 minutes on the baking tray before transferring them to a rack to completely cool.

These should be stored at room temperature in an airtight container.

Tips

1. I use baking paper to line the trays. The biscuits don't stick, and transfering them to the cooling racks is easier. The clean-up is easier too.
2. Spray your measurting cup with oil to make it easier to get the right amount of peanut butter.
3. Flour your fork to prevent it sticking when pressing these.

To add to the scruffiness factor, during cooking, you cut into the pastry, letting the filling bubble over it. Some people cut the pastry before covering the filling, similar to a cobbler.

Ingredients (Filling)

• 450g (1lb) ripe fruit (Plums are great for the colour. I used apple and peach for the one in the photo)
• ¼ cup packed brown sugar
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon (Different fruit will benefit from a different mix of spices.)
• zest from 1 lemon (optional)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice (Substitute ½ tablespoon of cider vinegar if necessary. It help prevent the fruit discolouring.)
• pinch of salt
• ⅛ cup flour

Ingredients (Pie Topping)

• Cream Cheese Pie Crust (or other sweet pastry for the pie topping)
• Melted butter (for brushing on top)
• Cinnamon sugar (3 teaspoons sugar mixed with ¼ teaspoon cinnamon)

Method

1. Chop the fruit into bite-sized chunks, making sure you don't lose any of the juice. Depending on the fruit you may need to peel it. (I peeled the peaches but left the skin on the apples in the photo.)
2. Mix in the sugar, spices, zest, and juice.
3. Stir in the flour and salt.
4. Taste, adding any additional spices you need.
5. Pour into baking dish. (Works great in a cast-iron skillet. The pyrex dish I used is a bit too deep to show this off at its best.
6. Roll out pie crust and settle it over the fruit. Tuck the edges into the pan around the fruit.
7. Bruch top with melted butter and sprinkle it with the cinnamon sugar. Poke a few holes in the pastry to let stream escape.
8. Start by baking it for 30 minutes, then use a sharp knife to dowdy the crust into several parge pieces. Bake for another 20-30 minutes, until the crust is golden and the fruit juices are bubbling through the crust.
9. Allow to cool for about 20 minutes before serving

Serve with cream, ice-cream, or your favourite fruit pudding condiment.

Ingredients

• 1¼ cups flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1½ teaspoons sugar (omit if making a savoury pie)
• 4oz (113g) cold butter
• 4oz (113g) cold cream cheese (I put it in the freezer for half an hour before using)
• 1 teaspoon cider vinegar (You won't taste this, it helps keep the crust tender.)
• 1-2 teaspoons cold (iced) water

Method

1. Combine the flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor
2. Cut the cream cheese and butter into large pieces and sprinkle into the flour mix.
3. Give the mixture 8-12 one-second pulses. The mixture should look like shaggy breadcrumbs.
4. Sprinkle the vinegar and some of the water over the dough. Process continuously until you see the dough starting to come together, about 3-5 seconds. It will still look crumbly with visible bits of butter and cream cheese. It should hold together when you pinch some in your hand. If it doesn't then add another teaspoon of water and process until it does come together.
5. Press dough into a flat 1 inch (2-3cm) disk or square roughly the shape (not size) of your pie dish.
6. Wrap dough in cling film and chill for at least 30 minutes.
7. Roll out your dough between sheets of cooking parchment until it is 3-6mm (⅛-¼ inches) thick.
8. Carefully place pastry over pie, pinching any broken bits together.
9. Chill pie for 30-60 minutes before baking. This step is not essential but helps make a better crust.
10. Bake in a moderately hot oven 40-60 minutes, depending on the filling.

Ingredients

• 250g Cream Cheese
• 250g Sour Cream
• 1 Red Onion, finely chopped
• 2 Tomatoes, finely chopped
• ½ Avocado, diced
• ½ Red Capsicum, finely diced
• ½ Yellow Capsicum, finely diced
• ½ cup Sweet Chilli Sauce
• 1 bunch Fresh Coriander, roughly chopped

Method

1. Mix cream cheese and sour cream together. Spread on platter.
2. Layer the red onion, tomatoes, capsicums, and avocado over the cream cheese and sour cream mixture.
3. Grind fresh pepper over the top
4. Drizzle the sweet chilli sauce over the top.
5. Sprinkle with the coriander and serve.

This dip is firm enough that you could serve it on a cake platter for great effect.

Ingredients

• 125g butter, softened
• ¾ cup caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 large, ripe bananas, mashed
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 2 tablespoons boiling milk
• 1¼ cups self-raising flour, sifted

Method

1. Preheat oven to 150°C fan bake. (This is one time when I recommend doing this at the beginning, the rest of the methos is quick to do.
2. Grease a 22cm ring cake tin.
3. Beat butter and sugar until pale.
4. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
5. Stir in mashed bananas.
6. Dissolve baking soda in boiling milk and stir into beaten mixture.
7. Fold in the sifted flour.
8. Spoon mixture into the prepared cake tin, smoothing the surface.
9. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
10. Allow to cool slightly (about 5 minutes) then remove from the tin.
11. Ice (frost) when cold with Chocolate Icing

I baked the one shown in a silicon ring mold, in a benchtop oven. I covered the top (base) with foil about half was through, so that the top element didn't burn it. In a larger oven this should not be an issue.

Ingredients

• 50g (2oz) softened butter
• 1 cup icing sugar, sifted
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder, sifted
• 2 tbsp boiling water

Method

1. Beat together the butter and icing sugar
2. Beat in cocoa
3. Add the boiling water and beat until creamy.

Pour it onto your (cooled) cake, spreading as necessary.

Ingredients

• ½ cup strong Black Coffee, cooled
• 150g Butter, melted
• ¾ cup Sugar
• 3 eggs, separated
• 1½ cups Flour
• 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
• ¾ Caster Sugar

Method

1. Mix melted butter, first measure of sugar, and egg yolks together.
2. Fold in sifter flour and baking powder alternately with coffee.
3. Place mixture in a lined 20cm tin.
4. Beat egg whites until stiff
5. Gradually beat caster sugar into the egg whites until mixture is thick.
6. Spread topping over cake mixture
7. Bake at for 45-50 minutes in a pre-heated 180° oven or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.
8. Cool in tin.
9. Dust with cinnamon to serve.

Ingredients

• About ½-¾ cup stewed Rhubarb
• 125g Butter
• ¾ cup Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
• 2 Eggs
• 1½ cup self-raising Flour
• ¼ Milk

Method

1. Prepare loaf pan by buttering and lining with baking paper.
2. Cream butter and sugar. Add vanilla then eggs one by one, beating well after each addition.
3. Stir in flour and milk.
4. Spread half the batter into prepared loaf tin.
5. Spoon half the stewed rhubarb in the centre of the batter then swirl mixtures together.
6. Repeat for remaining batter and rhubarb.
7. Bake 50-55 minutes 180°C.
8. Cool then ice/frost with a vanilla butter cream or your favourite soft icing/frosting.
9. Smear 1-3 drops of red food colouring through the icing/frosting.

I intend to try the recipe using a runny marmalade instead of the rhubarb.

There are no eggs in this recipe, making it easy to make a smaller batch.

Ingredients

• 120g Butter (the original recipe said 4oz)
• ¾ cup Golden Syrup (I use an oil spray in my measuring cup to prevent any syrup being stuck in the cup)
• 3 tablespoons Boiling Water
• ½ cup Sugar
• 420g Flour (the original recipe said 2 heaped cups)
• ¾ teaspoon Baking Soda
• ½ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon Ground Ginger
• 2 teaspoons Mixed Spice

Method

1. Mix butter and golden syrup with the boiling water.
2. Add in sugar.
3. Add all other ingredients (sifted) and mix well to a rather stiff dough.
4. Roll into little balls and put onto a cold greased tray. Allow room for them to spread slightly. (I use baking paper instead of greasing the tray.) Flatten slightly.
5. Bake for 10-12 minutes in an oven preheated to 190°C.
6. Carefully transfer the fragile biscuits to a cooling rack.

I hope you enjoy them. They are not as hard as commercial gingernuts and can be enjoyed without needing to dunk them or risk breaking your teeth.

• ¾ cup shelled natural pistachios (125g)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• ¼ teaspoon salt (omit if pistachios are salted)
• ½ cup milk
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla
• 175g butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 eggs

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. This can be made in a flat pan (like a brownie) or in a ring tin. I tried using a silicon pan but it didn't brown well. Prepare metal pan by buttering pan and dusting with flour. Shake out excess flour.
3. Pulse pistachios in a food processor until finely ground. (Do not overprocess and let them become a paste).
4. Add flour, baking powder, cardamom, and salt and pulse once or twice to mix.
5. Combine milk and vanilla in a measuring cup.
6. Beat together butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
7. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
8. Alternately add pistachio flour and milk in batches, beginning and ending with flour, and mix at low speed until just combined.
9. Spread batter evenly in cake pan and bake in middle of oven until a tester comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
10. Cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes, then run a thin knife around sides of cake and invert onto rack. Remove paper and reinvert cake onto a platter.
11. Cut into squares, dust with icing sugar, and serve warm or at room temperature.

Ingredients

• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup sugar
• ¾ cup milk, approx

Method

1. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, beat the egg and sugar together until thick.
3. Add with milk to sifted ingredients.
4. Mix until smooth.
5. Cook tablespoonfuls on a hot greased girdle or pan. I grease the surface with butter. Ensure the temperature is not too hot or the edges will burn.
6. Turn pikelets over when bubbles start to burst on top surface.
7. Cook until golden.

Makes 8-10. Serve warm or cold.

Ingredients

• ¼ cup sugar
• ⅛ cup flour
• 1 egg, separated
• 10g butter (about 2 teaspoonfuls
• ⅓ cup whole milk
• ½ teaspoon lemon zest
• ⅛ cup fresh lemon juice (about half a lemon)
• pinch of salt
• Raw, or some other coarse sugar, to sprinkle on top

Method

1. Beat the egg yolk and butter until combined
2. Add the sugar and beat well.
   
3. Add milk, zest, and juice.
4. Add flour and mix smooth.
5. In another bowl, beat the egg white until stiff peaks form.
6. Fold egg white into lemon mixture.
7. Pour into individual ramekins.
8. Liberally sprinkle sugar on top.
9. Bake for 30-40 minutes in a waterbath* in a pre-heated 180° oven, or until sugar caramelises and tops are golden brown. Be careful not to let the sugar burn.

*I place the filled ramekins into a large roasting pan and add boiling water to come half-way up the ramekins.

Ingredients

• 1 cup flour
• ½ cup cornmeal
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ salt
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• ¼ cup milk
• 1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted

Method

1. Sift flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt into a bowl.
2. Stir in sugar.
3. Mix in eggs and milk until you have a smooth batter. I just do all of this by hand.
   
4. Discard any dark bits on the avocado and mash with a fork.
5. Add avocado to the batter, mixing until just smooth.
6. Spoon batter into a greased muffin pan.
7. Bake 180°C for 15 minutes, until cooked through and the tops are golden.
8. Cool for a few minutes in the tray before turning out onto a wire rack.

Ingredients

• 1 fresh avocado, cubed
• ½ red onion, diced
• ½ tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 tomato, cubed
• ½ cup mozzarella cheese, grated
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 sourdough stick

Method

1. Combine avocado, onion, oil, lemon juice, tomato and cheese in a bowl.
2. Toast slices of the sourdough.
3. Rub garlic clove onto toast and pile with avocado mixture.
4. Grill until cheese melts.

Ingredients

• 3oz butter (85g)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 cup flour
• 1teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• ¾-1 cup dried fruit, any sort

Method

1. Cream butter and sugar together
2. Beat in egg and essence.
3. Mix in sifted flour and baking powder.
4. Mix in dried fruit.
5. Drop teaspoonful lots on a baking tray. Allow room for these to spread to about 5cm diameter.
6. Bake in a hot oven (about 210°) for 12-15 minutes.
7. Allow to cool slightly before removing from the baking tray. These will harden up as they cool.

As you can see, the original recipe had no quantity of fruit listed. The ones in the above photo were made with ¾ cup raisins as it's what I had on hand.

I've tried these using glacé cherries and candied peel as the fruit. They were less successful. They spread thinner and burned easily. I'll serve these at Christmas with a dusting of icing sugar and see how well they go.

Ingredients

• 1 fennel bulb, cut into 1cm wedges
• 1 large red onion, cut into 1cm wedges
• 6 cloves garlic, smashed I usually use the base of a glass to smash garlic, then remove the skin.
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• ½ bunch fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 salmon fillets, skinned
• 1 lemon, halved

Method

1. Heat oven to 200°C.
2. In a roasting pan, place the fennel, onion, garlic, tomatoes, thyme, ½ the salt, ½ the pepper, and the oil. Roast for 20 minutes.
3. Move the vegetables to the sides of the pan; place the salmon in the centre. Squeeze the lemon halves over the salmon. Sprinkle with the remaining salt and pepper.
4. Return the salmon to oven and roast until it is the same color throughout and flakes easily, about 10 to 12 minutes.

Halving this recipe easily fits in a benchtop oven, serving 2.

Ingredients

• 125g rocket lettuce, stems trimmed, roughly chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 50g walnuts, roughly chopped
• 50g parmesan cheese, grated
• 70-80ml extra virgin olive oil
• salt and freshly ground pepper to season

Method

1. Blend the rocket lettuce, walnuts, parmesan cheese, and seasoning in a food processor until smooth.
2. Gradually pour in the olive oil into the running food processor until well mixed.
3. Store in the fridge.

Base

Ingredients

• 120g butter
• 1 egg
• 120g sugar
• 225g flour
• ½ teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ - ¾ cup raspberry jam

Method

1. Cream the butter and sugar.
2. Mix in the vanilla essence and egg.
3. Add sifted dry ingredients. Mix until it forms a stiff dough.
4. Divide in half. Roll out both halves to the size of slice tin to about ½cm thick.
5. Line a small slice tin with baking paper.
6. Place bottom half in the tin. It's fragile but you can just blend it together.
7. Spread raspberry jam generously over the bottom layer.
8. Place rolled out pastry (second half) on top. (It often breaks so cut top layer into 4 pieces to make it easy to move. Just blend edges together; it won't matter as it's covered by icing.)
9. Bake for 25-30 minutes in a pre-heated moderate oven (180°C).
10. Ice (frost) with raspberry icing (frosting) when cold.

Tip: Strain the raspberry jab to remove the seeds, or use some other flavoured jam.

Icing/Frosting

The icing is a hard icing, quite different from a butter icing.

Ingredients

• 2 cups icing sugar
• ¼ teaspoon butter, softened
• 30ml (2 tablespoons) hot water (approximately)
• A few drops raspberry essence or red food colouring

Method

1. Sift icing sugar into bowl.
2. Add butter, and enough water to melt butter and mix to a smooth consistency.
3. Spread over the cold base.
4. Make wavy lines with a fork when the icing is nearly set.

What's your favourite memory about raspberry slice? Let me know what you think when you try this recipe.

This recipe is based on an old recipe of my mother's. You may know this as Lemon Squash (UK), Lemonade (US), or Lemon Cordial (NZ).

Ingredients

• 1 kg Sugar
• 2 cups Water
• 15g Citric Acid
• 15g Tartaric Acid
• Zest of 3 lemons - this can be finely chopped, long strands, of even just thinly peeled avoiding the white pith.
• ½ cup Lemon Juice (about 4-6 lemons)

Tip: do not use an aluminium pot for this.

Method

1. Soak the zest in the lemon juice. This will help to soften it.
2. Dissolve the sugar, citric acid, and tartaric acid in the water over heat; making a syrup. Allow to cool.
3. Add juice and zest to syrup.
4. store in clean bottles, diving the zest evenly.

This makes about a litre of concentrate.

To serve
Dilute with chilled still or carbonated water to taste.
This also can be served with hot water; useful if you have a cold.

How do you like your lemon drink?

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 2½ cups cornmeal
• 1 cup flour
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup milk (I use low-fat milk)
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons melted butter

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. Add oil to a 25cm seasoned iron frying-pan; place in oven.
3. Mix together the cornmeal, flour, salt, baking powder and soda.
4. In another bowl, whisk buttermilk and milk with eggs and melted butter.
5. Gradually fold milk mixture into dry ingredients, folding and mixing just until all dry ingredients are moist.
6. Carefully remove the hot frying-pan from the oven. Swirl slightly so the hot oil coats the sides of the pan.
7. Pour batter into pan and return to oven. Redeuce temperature to 175°C.
8. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until cornbread is lightly browned and pulls away from the sides of the pan.

Serve cut into wedges or squares.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Sugar
• 3 Eggs
• 1 tablespoon Lemon Zest
• ½ cup Lemon Juice
• 50g Butter, softened, chopped into small pieces

Method

1. Beat the eggs and sugar together.
2. Beat in juice and zest.
3. Beat in the butter. It will lumpy. don't try to make it smooth.
4. Microwave on high for up to 8 minutes, until sufficiently thick, whisking every 2 minutes.
5. Pour into hot clean jars and seal immediately.

Note: I doubled the recipe to get the 3 jars showing in the photo.

After making this I saw a recipe suggesting creaming the butter and sugar first, then adding the zest, eggs, and juice, to make the curd very smooth. I'll try it on my next batch.

• 3-4 medium courgettes (aka zucchini), coarsely grated
• 4 eggs
• ¼ cup flour
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup of grated cheese
• 1/4 cup oil
• 2 tomatoes, sliced (optional)
• salt and pepper

Method

1. Beat eggs lightly.
2. Lightly mix in the courgettes, onion, cheese, flour, baking powder, oil, and seasoning (i.e. everything else except the tomatoes).
3. Lightly grease a shallow baking dish.
4. Pour half the mixture into the disk. Add a layer of tomatoes, cover with rest of mixture and decorate top with tomato.
5. Bake 180 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown and firm to touch.

Serve warm. Nice with relish.

Ingredients

• 35lb Apples, peeled, cored and sliced
• 3¼lb Suet (chopped fine)
• 8lb Bread crumbs or cake crumbs
• 4lb Sugar
• 18 Lemons, juiced and zested
• 2oz Cinnamon
• Butter for greasing the pans

Method

1. Mix together the chopped suet, crumbs, lemon zest, sugar, cinnamon.
2. Butter the pie dishes and fill with alternating layers of apple slices and the crumb mixture, with a sprinkle of lemon juice on each layer. Finish with a crumb mixture.
3. Cover the top with apple peelings.
4. Bake for 1 hour in a moderate oven then remove the peelings and cook until nicely browned.

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.

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.

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.

• 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

Makes about 2 litres.

Ingredients

• 12 large tomatoes
• 4 large onions
• Salt (I used about a tablespoon)
• 1lb brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Cornflour (I used 2 tablespoons, would probably work with 1)
• Vinegar (I used about 300ml) + 2 tablespoons extra

Method

1. Peel^* tomatoes (optional). Cut tomatoes and onions. Place is plastic or glass (i.e. non-reactive) basin. Sprinkle with salt and leave overnight
2. Next day, strain off the brine.
3. Put tomatoes and onions in pan. Cover with vinegar. Add brown sugar and cayenne pepper.
4. Boil for ¾ hour.
5. Thicken with cornflour mixed with 2 tablespoons vinegar.
6. Bottle and enjoy.

*I peeled the tomatoes by pouring boiling water over them and letting them sit for a minute or so. The skin starts to remove itself.

• 4oz butter
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon cocoa
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ¼ cup boiling water
• ¾ coconut
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup flour
• Pinch of salt

Method

1. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Beat in cocoa and vanilla.
3. Add hot water and mix until thoroughly combined.
4. Add coconut, flour, salt, and baking powder. Beat until combined.
5. Place in teaspoon lots on baking tray . (They look better if they look rough.)
6. Bake in a moderate oven (about 175°C) for about 15-18 minutes, or until cooked.

Another recipe from my mother's recipe book. I think the way boiling water is added to the creamed mixture is unusual, but these work so I haven't tried to change them.

Ingredients

• 1½ cups flour
• ½ cup cornflour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup icing sugar
• 225g butter, unsalted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Optional

• ⅔ cup nuts (pecans, walnuts, or hazelnuts), toasted

Method

1. Chop toasted nuts (if using) in food processor with about 2 tablespoons of the flour. Process until finely ground but not a paste. Set aside.
2. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in vanilla.
4. Add flour and salt. Beat until combined.
5. Stir in nuts.
6. Cover and chill for about an hour, or until firm. (I made my dough a couple of days before I was ready to bake).
7. Form the dough into 1" (2.5cm) balls and place about 4cm apart on baking sheet.
8. Bake at 175°C for about 12-15 minutes, or until the edges start to brown.
9. Cool for about 5 minutes on a wire rack.
10. Roll in extra icing sugar. (Or sprinkle on top.)

These were very popular at my tree-trimming party this year.

Tip: If you form the dough into a square slab you can cut the dough into even-sized cubes and roll them into balls easily.

Ingredients

• Short-crust Pastry (I used ready rolled)
• 70g Butter
• 215g brown sugar
• 2 eggs, large
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ¼ light cream (about 10% butterfat)
• ½ raisins, optional (can use pecans or walnuts, toasted and chopped)

Method

1. Line mini-muffin pan with pastry.
2. Cream butter and sugar
3. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
4. Add vanilla.
5. Stir in the cream.
6. Place 1-2 raisins in the base of each tart. Fill the tarts with the filling.
7. Bake 175°C for about 15-20 minutes or until the pastry is nicely browned.

Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Ingredients

• 4 oz Butter
• 4 oz Sugar
• ½lb Flour
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• 1 tablespoon Golden Syrup
• 1 tablespoon Milk
• ½ teaspoon Baking Soda

Method

1. Melt butter, sugar, golden syrup, milk, and baking soda in a saucepan.
2. Stir in flour and vanilla.
3. Roll into small balls and press with a fork.
4. Place on a baking tray with plenty of room for these to spread.
5. Bake 10 minutes in a pre-heated moderate oven (350°F/175°C)

Ingredients

• 4 large grapefruit (about 750g)
• 2 medium lemons
• 2 litres water
• 6 cups sugar (1.2kg)

Method

1. Peel grapefruit and lemons thinly. Cut the peel into very fine strips.
2. Remove pith from fruit and cut flesh into small pieces, reserving seeds.
3. Tie seeds and some pith in a piece of muslin.
4. Add fruit, peel, seeds, and water to large pot and leave overnight.
5. Bring to the boil then simmer until peel is tender and liquid reduced by half.
6. Remove muslin bag.
7. Add sugar, stir until dissolved, then boil rapidly until setting point is reached.
8. Leave 10 minutes, skim gently and pour into warm sterilised jars. Seal.

I have a zester that produces long fine strips. Criss-crossing it over the fruit produces long and small strips.

Ingredients

• Sweet shortcrust pastry
• Apples, peeled and sliced (I used canned)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon lemon zest
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons, plus 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 egg, lightly beaten

Method

1. Prepare baking tray with either baking parchment or lightly coat with vegetable cooking spray.
2. Add lemon juice, cinnamon, and 2T sugar to apples and mix to coat apples.
3. Place pastry on prepared baking tray
4. mound apples in centre of pastry.
5. Sprinkle zest over apples.
6. Fold up the edges of the pastry, making pleats as necessary, around apples.
7. Brush pastry with egg.
8. Sprinkle entire tart with remaining sugar
9. Bake 190°C until the crust is golden brown, about 20 minutes.

• 60g Butter
• 2 tablespoon Sugar
• 1 Egg
• 1 Ripe Banana, mashed
• 1 cup Flour
• 1 teaspoon Ground Ginger
• 2 tablespoons Golden Syrup
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1/3 cup Milk

Method

1. Cream butter and sugar together
2. Add egg and mashed banana
3. Sift in flour and ginger
4. Dissolve syrup and baking soda in milk and add to mixture
5. Mix lightly
6. Spoon batter into prepared muffin pans
7. Bake 200°C for 15 minutes

I baked these in a mini-muffin pan, a mistake as they are delicious bite size morsels encouraging you to have just one more.

Ingredients

• 225g self raising flour (or standard flour plus 1 tsp baking powder)
• 55g butter, chopped into small (2-3cm) chunks)
• 150ml milk
• pinch of salt

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to 220°C.
2. Sift dry ingredients into a bowl.
3. Using fingers, rub butter into flour until it resembles breadcrumbs.
4. Make a well in the mixture and pour in the milk.
5. Using a knife mix it all together until it resembles a gooey lump.
6. Turn it out onto a floured surface and knead it into a squarish shape, about 2.3cm thick.
7. Optionally glaze with milk.
8. Place of ungreased baking tray (I use baking paper) and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until tops are browned.
9. Cool for 2-3 minutes on a wire rack covered with a tea-towel. this lets the centres go from doughy to crumbly.

Serve with jam and cream.

• 4 cups self-raising flour (I use standard flour plus baking powder)
• 1 can lemonade (330ml)
• 1 bottle cream (300ml)
• Pinch of salt (always when using flour)

Note: There is no need to add extra sugar to scones.

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to 220°C.
2. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl to form a soft dough.
3. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead into a squarish shape, about 2cm thick.
4. Cut into size and place together on an ungreased baking tray. (I used baking paper.)
5. Bake for 10 - 15 minutes, until top is browned.

Enjoy with cream or jam.

• 4 large onions, sliced
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 2/3 cup soft brown sugar, firmly packed
• ½ cup malt vinegar

Method

1. Heat oil in a large pan, add onions and gently cook for 20-30 minutes, until onions are very soft and lightly browned.
2. Add sugar, stirring until it is melted.
3. Stir occasionally until mixture is thick and caramelised.
4. Add vinegar, simmer uncovered for 5-10 minutes to reduce.

Serve with crackers, or in place of tomato paste on a pizza.

Ingredients

• 50g butter
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 1½ teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons golden syrup
• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ cup milk
• butter

Method

1. Preheat gem irons in oven at 200°C.
2. Cream butter, sugar, and ginger in a bowl until light and fluffy.
3. Add egg, beating well.
4. Beat in golden syrup.
5. Sift flour into creamed mixture. Stir to combine.
6. Dissolve soda in milk. Quickly stir into creamed mixture.
7. Place small pieces of butter into hot gem irons. Spoon in mixture.
8. Bake at 200°C for 10 minutes or until well risen and golden brown.

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons custard powder
• 1 cup sugar
• ¾ cup blueberries (I used frozen)
• 2 eggs
• ¾ cup milk
• ¾ cup oil

Method

1. Sift flour, baking powder, and custard powder. Add sugar and blueberries.
2. In a seperate bowl mix eggs, milk, and oil.
3. Combine wet ingredients with dry ingredients.
4. Spoon into prepared muffin pans and bake at 190°C for 15-20 minutes.

• 450g icing sugar
• 150g butter, softened
• 3 tbsp golden syrup
• 3-4 tbsp brandy

Method

1. Gradually beat the icing sugar into the butter, adding the golden syrup and enough brandy as you go until the icing is smooth and spreadable.
2. Spread over the top and sides of the cake, swirling it with a palette knife.

I used this on my Christmas cake

Ingredients

• 500g white chocolate. I used melting buttons
• 1½ cups raw almonds (with skin)
• 1 cup dried cranberries

Method

1. Melt chocolate
2. Add almonds and cranberries. Stir until well coated. Spread ½cm in lined baking tin.
3. Chill until set.
4. Break into irregular-shaped bite-sized pieces and serve.

I drizzled dark chocolate on top when I made this.

Ingredients

• 225g Butter, softened
• 275g Sugar
• ½ t Baking Soda
• ¼ cup Water
• 500g Flour
• Boiled Sweets, finely crushed, e.g. lifesavers or clear lollipops

Method

1. Cream the butter and sugar
2. Dissolve baking soda in water. Add to creamed mixture.
3. Add flour to mixture.
4. Roll dough out thinly. Cut with large cutter and cut centres out with small cutter. Avoid having too thin a border as these break easily.
5. Place cut-outs on baking paper on a tray. Bake 180°C for about four minutes.
6. Remove from oven and add a generous amount of crushed sweets to centres. Bake for an additional 2-3 minutes until sugar melts and bubbles; and the biscuit is lightly browned.
7. Remove and let centre harden before removing from tray.
8. Store immediately in air-tight container or centres will become soft and sticky.

Serve with a dusting of icing sugar (snow).

• 2¼ cups Flour
• ½ cup Sugar
• ½ cup Butter, softened
• ½ cup Golden Syrup
• 1 egg
• 1 t Ginger, ground
• 1 t Mixed Spice
• ½ t Cloves, ground
• ½ t Nutmeg, grated or ground
• ½ t Baking Soda
• ½ t Salt

Method

1. Cream butter and sugar. Add golden syrup, mixing well. Add egg and baking soda, mixing well.
2. Sift dry ingredients and mix well into creamed mixture.
3. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.
4. On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1/8 inch thick. Cut into shapes, place on baking paper on a tray
5. Bake at 180°C for 8 minutes, or until very lightly browned.
6. Cool on a rack.

Ingredients

• 1lb Raisins
• 1lb Sultanas
• 1lb Currants
• 1lb Mixed Fruit
• ¼lb Peel
• Cherries
• 5 cups Ginger ale
• 1lb Brown Sugar
• 1lb Butter
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla essence
• 1 teaspoon Lemon essence
• 1 teaspoon Almond essence
• 2 teaspoon Mixed spice
• 10 Eggs
• 1¼lb Flour

Method

1. Soak fruit in ginger ale overnight (or longer).
2. Cream butter and sugar.
3. Add essences and mixed spice.
4. Alternate adding flour and eggs, beating well.
5. Drain fruit and add to mix.
6. Pour into greased, lined tin (I use one about 9" square).
7. Bake for 5½ hours; 250°F (120°C) for the first hour then 225°F (100°C) for the rest of the time. Test with a skewer to ensure it is properly cooked.

Ingredients

• 2 brown onions, diced
• 1 large red capsicum, diced
• ½t chopped red chilli
• ½ bunch fresh coriander, chopped
• 3t chopped garlic
• 50g ginger, chopped
• 2T vegetable oil
• 4kg peeled and chopped kumara
• 2-4l water (I used 2 litres in the cooking, and an additional half litre to help blend the soup.)
• 2T salt
• 1T ground white pepper
• 4T sugar
• 500ml coconut cream

Method

1. Sauté the onions, capsicum, chilli, coriander, garlic and ginger in oil.
2. Add kumara and cover with water (approx 2-4 litres), add salt, pepper and sugar.
3. Boil for one hour.
4. Blend and strain.
5. Reheat with coconut cream, check seasoning.

I used orange kumara, making the soup look like pumpkin.

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts, skin and excess fat removed
• 60ml (¼ cup) tequila
• 60ml (¼ cup) lime juice
• 2 small chillies, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 15g or ¼ cup finely chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Lime wedges

Method

1. Mix tequila, lime juice, chilli, garlic, coriander, and olive oil in a non-metalic bowl.
2. Add chicken, ensuring it it coated in the marinade.
3. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours, preferably overnight.
4. Preheat chargril to medium-high.
5. Remove chicken breasts from marinade and season with salt and pepper.
6. Grill chicken for 7-8 minutes on each side or until cooked through.
7. Slice chicken into 1cm slices on the diagonal.
8. Serve with lime wedges.

This pudding can be mixed in the bowl it is to be cooked in.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Flour
• 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1 tablespoon Cocoa
• ½ cup Sugar
• 2 oz Butter
• ½ cup cold Milk
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla essence
• 2 teaspoons Cocoa
• ½ cup Brown Sugar (can substitute white sugar)
• 2 cups Boiling Water

Method

1. Mix flour, baking powder, first measure of cocoa (1 tablespoon), and sugar.
2. Melt butter. Add milk and vanilla. Add to dry ingredients.
3. Mix second measure of cocoa and brown sugar. Sprinkle on top.
4. Carefully pour boiling water over.
5. Bake in a moderate oven for 35 minutes, or until cooked.

Good with ice cream. I like this served with cold milk.

• 250g Dark Chocolate
• 150g Butter
• 2 teaspoons Instant Coffee
• 1 Tablespoon Hot Water
• 140g Ground Almonds
• 5 Eggs, separated
• ¾cup Caster Sugar

Method
Melt together chocolate, butter, coffee, water, ½ cup sugar. Add almonds. Cool. Beat in yolks.
Whip egg whites and add ¼ cup sugar. Fold into chocolate. Bake 180°C for 35-40 minutes or until cooked.

• 5 Eggs
• 250g Sugar
• 250g Ground Almonds or Ground Hazelnuts
• 250g Grated Chocolate, dark

Method
Beat eggs and sugar until very very creamy (very pale yellow).
Hand mix in nuts and chocolate.
Place in greased springform tin and bake 180°C for 45 minutes or until cooked (skewer will come out slightly damp as this is a moist cake with a crusty top).

• 2¼ cups flour
• 1½ cups granulated sugar
• 1½ teaspoons baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sour cream
• 4 large eggs
• 125g ounces sweet baking chocolate, melted
• ½ cup milk
• ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract

Grease and flour two 20cm baking pans.
Combine cake ingredients and beat at low speed until blended. Increase mixer to high and beat 2 minutes longer. Spoon batter into prepared pans. Bake in a preheated 180°C oven for about 35 minutes.
Remove to racks to cool completely.

Topping

• ¾ cup evaporated milk
• ½ cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• ½ cup butter
• 1⅓ cups coconut
• 1 cup chopped pecans

In a saucepan over medium heat, bring evaporated milk, brown sugar, and butter to a full boil; remove from heat. Stir in coconut and pecans. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

Assembly

Cover one cake layer with half the topping. Top with remaining cake layer and cover with remaining topping.

Topping

• 100g butter, melted
• 1 cup soft brown sugar, firmly packed
• 4-5 medium bananas, peeled and halved lengthways

Cake

• 200g butter, softened
• 1½ cups caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 cups plain flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• ¾ cup milk

Method
Heat oven to 180°C. Grease a 24cm springform cake tin. Mix melted butter with brown sugar and spread into base of cake tin. Cover with banana halves and set aside.

Make cake mixture by beating butter and sugar in a bowl until thick and pale. Beat in eggs, vanilla and cinnamon. Sift flour and baking powder together and stir into creamed mixture, alternating with milk.

Spread cake mixture over bananas. Bake for 55 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven, loosen cake and invert on to a serving plate while still hot or the caramelised sugar will stick to the tin making it impossible to remove.

Ingredients

• 1 cup boiling water
• ¼ cup ground coffee
• 200g butter
• 1¼ cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ cup fine ground coffee
• 8 sugar cubes
• cinnamon

Method
Pour boiling water over first measure of ground coffee and steep for 5 minutes. Strain liquid from coffee grounds and pour over butter until butter melts. Mix in eggs, sugar, vanilla and beat until combined. Add flour, baking powder and second measure of coffee and mix until combined.

Pour into 20cm square cake tin and bake for 50-55 minutes at 180°C. Sprinkle crushed sugar cubes over hot cake, cool 10 minutes before removing from tin. Dust with cinnamon and serve with coffee cream.

Coffee Cream
Mix together 300ml whipped cream, 1 tablespoon icing sugar, and 2 tablespoons very strong espresso coffee.

Ingredients

• Trifle sponge
• Butterscotch sauce
• Madeira or Sherry
• Bananas
• Custard
• Cream, whipped

Method
Split trifle sponge in half lengthways and spread each half with butterscotch sauce. Re-form them into sandwiches, cut into pieces and place in bowl.

Carefully pour the Madeira or Sherry all over, distributing it as evenly as possible. Set aside to allow the sponge to soak it all up – about 20 minutes. All the sponge should be moistened by this.

Slice the bananas into chunks and scatter all around the sponge.

Pour more butterscotch sauce as evenly as possible all over.

Pour the custard over, cover with whipped cream and chill till needed.

• 1 can (about 7 ounces/200g) tuna in olive oil, with most but not all of the oil drained off
• 1 oz shredded parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp mayonnaise (the real stuff)
• Pinch of salt
• Juice from half a lemon
• 1 tablespoon sour cream
• Half a green onion, green and white parts, chopped

Method
In a food processor, whiz the whole thing together until smooth.
Serve with crostinis.

If you need a little extra liquid -- and you might -- add a teaspoon of olive oil and a teaspoon of lemon juice or balsamic vinegar at a time.

Options
You could jazz it up a bit with fresh chillies, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, or just about anything that goes well with tuna. Tuna likes strong flavours, much like chicken.

NotesI'm not sure where I got this recipe.

• 2 pounds Spanish olives, such as manzanilla or gordal, with pits
• 1 orange, unpeeled, sliced into 1/8-inch circles
• 1 cup whole almonds with skins
• 1/4 cup sherry vinegar
• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 bay leaves
• 10 fresh thyme sprigs
• 1 red chili pepper, halved lengthwise

Method
Preheat oven to 300°F. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Transfer the mixture to a baking dish, cover with foil, and bake for 2 hours. Drain the oil out (keep it to use as a bread dip) and serve the olives warm or at room temperature with assorted cheeses.

Store in the refrigerator. The olives are great for snacks and parties.

Notes
I overcooked these when I tried this recipe. It could be one of the following reasons:

• I used Kalamata olives.
• Instead of sherry vinegar I mixed equal amounts of dry sherry and white vinegar.
• My oven may have been too hot.
• Instead of a chilli pepper I used a processed amount of chilli.

Whatever the reason, I'll try the recipe again, in a smaller quantity and check the process. I'll do it when I'm not partying.

• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 5/8 cup flour
• 1/3 cup cocoa
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup dark/milk chocolate chips (I chop up melting buttons)
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup walnuts or pecans

Directions

1. In a clean, wide mouth 1 litre jar, layer the ingredients in the order given. Start with the salt, and end with the nuts. (Finest to coarsest.)
2. Attach a decorative tag to the out side of the jar with directions.

Sand Art Brownies

1. Preheat oven to 175°C. Grease one 22cm square baking pan.
2. Pour the contents of the jar into a large bowl, and mix well.
3. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2/3 cup vegetable oil, and 3 eggs. Mix until just combined.
4. Pour into the prepared pan, and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Ingredients
Biscuits, Crushed
125g Butter, melted
250g Cream Cheese
1/4 can Condensed Milk
1/2 Cup Cream
1/3 Cup Lemon Juice
2 Tablespoons Water
2 Teaspoons Gelatine
440g Can Crushed Pineapple

Method
Melt Butter, add to crushed biscuits, press into tray and chill.
Beat Cream Cheese until soft and smooth.
Add Condensed Milk to Cream Cheese and beat.
Dissolve Gelatine in Water and Lemon Juice and add.
Whip Cream and add.
Fold in Pineapple.
Chill for 30 minutes before serving.

Ingredients
1oz Butter
1oz Cocoa
½ Teaspoon Vanilla Essence
2 Tablespoons water
1oz Sugar
1 Tablespoon Golden Syrup (May substitute 1oz sugar)

Method
Mix all ingredients and heat gently until the cocoa has fully dissolved. Do not boil as this will spoil the shiny appearence.

Notes
I've served this in a chocolate fondue dish using a tea light to keep it warm.

Flowerpot bread is a quirky way to present bread.

The pots need to be prepared before using them to make bread. I got the basic idea from here but my attempt still left me with the bread sticking to the pot. Next time, immediately before using, I will try either greasing or flouring the pots.

Treating the Flowerpots
Use very clean clay flowerpots and generously rub the insides all over with vegetable oil. Place the pots in a 450°F (230°C) oven and let them bake for 1 hour.

After this treatment, the pots need simply be washed in warm water after you've baked in them. If you notice any sticking, repeat the treatment.

Use a basic bread dough and fill pots half to two-thirds full. Cover and let rise until pot is full. Glaze and bake in a hot oven for about 15-25 minutes, depending on type of dough and size of pot.

Ingredients:

• Vodka
• Cranberry Juice
• Rose's Lime Juice
• Soda water

Method:

1. Combine 2 shots vodka with splash of cranberry juice and splash of lime juice in shaker.
2. Shake well with ice.
3. Strain into glass over ice and top with soda water.
4. Garnish.

Ingredients

• 18 Large Pasta Shells
• 20g dried Porcini Mushrooms
• ½ cup Port
• 100g Ricotta Cheese
• 50g grated Romano Cheese
• 2 cups grated Mozzarella Cheese, divided
• 1 Jar Pasta Sauce, pre-made (I used garlic and red wine)
• Chopped Tomatoes
• ½ Onion, chopped
• Garlic, chopped
• 150g Spinach, chopped (I used free flow frozen spinach)
• Parsley, chopped
• 1 Egg
• Oil, for sautéing

Method
Soak Mushrooms in Port.

Cook shells halfway. Drain, and toss with a little olive oil to prevent sticking.

Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil until soft. Add spinach, and sauté just until wilted. Set aside.

Finely chop mushrooms, reserving port.

Mix Pasta sauce, tomatoes, and Port (from mushrooms).

In large bowl combine Ricotta, Egg, Romano, Parsley and 1 cup Mozzarella; combine well. Stir in mushrooms and spinach and combine well. Season with salt and pepper.

Assemble
Preheat oven to 180°C. Coat the bottom of a baking pan with tomato sauce. Fill each shell to the top, and place in the pan. The easiest way to stuff the shells is to use a pastry bag with no tip attached. Place the filled shells in rows, touching. (If using a deep dish the shells can be double stacked.) When all shells are in the pan, cover with more sauce, and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella, and a little more parsley.
Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove cover and bake for an additional 30 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.