Recipes - Part 9

Christmas Rocky Road

3/4 cup pistachio nuts
3/4 cup red glace cherries, halved
2 1/2 cups (250g) white marshmallows, quartered
2 x 180g PLAISTOWE Extra creamy premium white chocolate, melted

1. Combine all ingredients, mix well.
2. Immediately spread mixture into lined 18cm x 28cm lamingon pan. Refrigerate until set.
3. Cut into fingers to serve.

Makes approximately 28

Recipes - Part 8

Santa's Fruit and Nut Fudge

125g butter
395g sweetened condensed milk
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups dark melts
1 cup cubed sponge finger biscuits
1/4 cup roughly chopped roasted almonds
1/4 cup roughly chopped roasted cashews
1/2 cup halved red glace cherries

Place butter, sweetened codensed milk and brown sugar in a pan. Stir over low heat until butter has melted. Bring to boil, simmer stirring for 3 minutes.
Add dark melts, stir until combined and chocolate has melted. Stir in sponge finger biscuits, nuts and cherries, mix well.
Spoon mixture evenly into foil lined 12cm x 23cm loaf pan, cool, refrigerate until firm.
Turn out, cut into squares or slices to serve.

Christmas Crackles

2/3 cup mixed fruit
2 cups rice bubbles
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup coconut
125g copha
1/2 cup choc bits

Place rice bubbles, sugar, coconut and mixed fruit in a bowl and stir to combine.
Place copha in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until melted. Stir through dry mixture.
Add choc bits, stir, then spoon into a patty pan tray lined with 16 paper cases. Refrigerate to set.
Makes 16

Little Fruit Fudge Puddings

1 cup (150g) raisins, chopped
1/4 cup (40g) currants
1/2 cup (60g) dry roasted almonds
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup dark rum or orange juice
300g madeira cake, crumbled
2 teaspoon finely grated orange rind
200g dark cooking chocolate, melted

To decorate:
2 Tablespoon (20g) pistachio nuts, chopped
125g white melts, melted
2 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil
125g white melts, extra, for bases

Combine raisins, currants, brown sugar and um in saucepan. Simmer, stirring for 3 minutes. Cool.
Finely chop almonds in a food processor. Place in a large bowl, along with cake crumbs, rind and cooled fruit mixture. Add melted chocolate and stir to combine.
Roll mixture into 3cm diameter balls and place on a lined tray. Refrigerate until firm.
Combine melted white melts and oil. Spoon into a small plastic zip lock bag. Snip a tiny piece from one corner. Pipe a little dot onto an extra white melt, then secure a pudding on top. Repeat with remaining puddings.
Drizzle remaining chocolate mixture over the top of each pudding, then decorate with pistachio nuts (this is best done in batches of about 10 at a time, as chocolate sets quickly on puddings). If chocolate in the bag stiffens, microwave for a few seconds. Store puddings in refrigerator.

Effortless Fruit and Nut Clusters

300g sultanas
100g slivered almonds
60g californian walnuts, chopped
400g dark chocolate

Spread almonds on a plate and microwave on high for 2 minutes, stir and microwave a further 2 minutes (or toast till golden in a hot oven). Set aside to cool.
Measure sultanas and walnuts into a bowl, and mix in almonds when cool.
Break up chocolate and melt in a microwave oven (allow 2 - 3 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds), or melt in a small saucepan over a pan of simmering water.
Cover a tray with baking paper.
Stir chocolate quickly through the nuts and fruit, then spoon heaped teaspoons onto the paper, shaping into little mounds. Chill in freezer or set at room temperature to retain chocolate shines.
Makes 3.
Tip: These will keep for several weeks in an airtight container in the fridge.

Christmas Shortbread

2 Tablespoons cashews, chopped
3 Tablespoons currants
2 Tablespoons glace cherries, finely chopped
250g butter (room temperature)
2 cups plain flour
2 Tablespoons rice flour
1/3 cup icing sugar

Preheat the oven to 150C.
Cut butter into small cubes.
Into the large bowl of a food processor add the flour, rice flour and icing sugar.
Add the butter pieces and chop until mixed to crumbs.
Add the nuts and fruit, mix in. Do not overwork.
Tip out and knead very gently into a soft, slightly dry dough.
Roll out on a lightly floured board and cut into desired shapes.
Line baking trays with baking paper and arrange the shortbreads, leaving some room between pieces.
Bake for 30 - 40 minutes at 150C until dry on the surface and slightly firm.
Leave to cool. Store in an airtight container.

Recipes - Part 7

Sesame Seed Nibbles

125g butter
1/2 cup white or raw sugar
2 Tablespoons honey
125g sesame seeds
1/2 cup peanuts
1/2 cup coconut
3 cups rice bubbles

Combine butter, sugar and honey in a saucepan, stir over low heat until sugar dissolves, then bring to the boil, boil gently for 5 minutes.
Remove from heat, add all remaining ingrdients and mix well. Spread evenly over greased scone slide, bake in moderate oven for 3 minutes. Break into pieces when cold or cut into small slices.

Caramel Peanut Popcorn

1/2 cup popping corn
2 Tablespoons oil
125g butter
2 Tablespoons honey
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup peanuts

Heat oil in large saucepan or frypan. Add corn, place lid on pan, shake pan continually until popping ceases. Place popcorn into large bowl.
Combine honey, sugar and butter inseparate pan, stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. bring to the boil, boil uncovered for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add peanuts to syrup, then pour over popped corn. Mix until corn is well coated. Pour quickly onto a greased oven tray. Cool.

Cherry Nut Squares

250g dark chocolate
90g copha
250g glace cherries
1 cup cocnut
250g unsalted cashew nuts

Place chopped chocolate and copha into top of a double saucepan. stir over simmering water until melted. Pour quarter of chocolate mixture into greased and greased paper-lined 18cm slab tin. Sprinkle cherries, coconut and cashew nuts evenly over chocolate. Pour remaining chocolate over top. Refrigerate until set. Cut into squares.

Honeycomb

1 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon white vinegar
1 cup golden syrup
1 Tablespoon bicarbonate of soda

Place sugar, golden syrup and vinegar in a large saucepan and stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Continue cooking, without stirring, until a little of the mixture dropped into cold water separates into hard brittle threads that snap easily. Remove from heat and stir in the bicarbonate of soda. The mixture will immediately bubble up. Pour into a shallow, greased tin about 23cm square and place tin on a wire rack to cool. When quite cold, break into pieces. Store in layers in a tin with a tight fitting lid, putting sheets of foil between each of the layers.

Soft Fudge

125g plain milk chocolate
1/4 cup evaporated milk
50g butter
3 cups icing sugar

Lightly grease a 20cm square tin. Break up the chocolate. Put in top of a double boiler. Add butter and melt over gently simmering water. Take it off the heat, stir in evaporated milk. Sift in icing sugar, mix it all well. Press it all evenly into the tin, put in the fridge until set, cut into small squares.

Peppermint Creams

1 egg white
3 Tablespoons thick cream
3 cups icing sugar
Few drops of peppermint essence
Green food colouring (if desired)

Separate the egg white into a bowl, add cream and beat together slightly with a fork or egg beater.
Stir in half the icing sugar, beating well with a spoon until smooth, add peppermint essence, then rest of icing sugar (you will probably need to finish the mixing with your hands). Sprinkle a board with icing sugar, turn out the mixture and roll it flat.
Cut circles with a medicine cup or liquer glass, or cut with a knife into nice shapes.
Lay them carefully onto some greasproof paper on a plate to harden for 4 hours.
Note: Before rolling out, all or half the mixture can be tinted pale green for cool looking mints.
For chocolate coated creams: With a skewer, dip hardened mints into 125g dark chocolate which has been melted in a double saucepan.

Turkish Delight

60g gelatine
1 cup cold water
1 1/2 cups boiling water
4 cups white sugar
1 Tablespoon rose water (from the chemist or continental delicatessen)
Red food colouring
1/2 cup icing sugar, sifted

Soak the gelatine in the cold water in a bowl for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, boil 1 1/2 cups water in a deep saucepan, then sift in the white sugar until it has dissolved.
Add the soaked gelatine and stir until it has melted.
Bring the mixture to boiling point and boil for 10 minutes.
Take saucepan off the stove, add rose water and colouring.
Pour mixture into a shallow wetted dish and leave overnight.
Cut turkish delight into long strips with a knife dipped in icing sugar, then snip into squares with scissors and roll in icing sugar.
Note: Don't put turkish delight in the fridge as it will turn sticky.

Christmas Damper from Australia

2 cups Self Raisin Flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1 Tablespoon butter
1 cup milk or water (enoughto make a medium or soft dough)
1 teaspoon of bicarbonate soda

Rub the butter into the flour. Knead. Mould into a Christmassy shape - a wreath, or a star. Bake in hot oven. Cook for 20 minutes until brown. Serve with butter and jam, honey or golden syrup

Mini Christmas Pavlovas

4 egg whites
1 cup castor sugar
Fresh fruit: cherries, pineapple, grapes, strawberries, kiwi fruit and banana (chopped)
600ml fresh cream, whipped with icing sugar and vanilla essence
Icing sugar for dusting
Lime and strawberry topping (optional)
Mint leaves for garnish)

Grease a large flat oven tray and sprinkle with cornflour, shaking off excess.
Beat egg whites in a clean bowl with electric mixer until stiff. Gradually add castor sugar and beat well between each addition, beating until stiff and shiny.
Place large dollops of mixture onto prepared tray, making 6 - 8 individual pavs.
Bake in a slow oven 100 to 120C, for approximately 30 - 40 minutes or until pavs are firm and dry to the touch.
Turn oven off and leave door ajar, allowing pavs to cool in the oven.
(Pavs can be cooked the day before, or several days ahead and stored in an airtight container).
Just before serving, place on individual serving plates and decorate with whipped cream and fresh fruit.
With the topping in plastic squeeze bottles, drizzle the green and red topping down the sides of the pavs so it runs onto the plate.
Serving Suggestion: Place a mint leaf on top and dust with icing sugar.

Recipes - Part 6

My Favourite Christmas Cake

5 cups (750g) dried mixed fruit
250g margrine, softened
1/2 cup caster sugar
2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 1/2 cups plain flour
3/4 cup port
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoon grated orange rind
4 eggs
1/2 cup S.R. flour
2 Tablespoon port, extra

In a large bowl, combine mixed fruit and port, cover and stand overnight.
Grease a deep 20cm cake pan, line base and sides with greaseproof paper, bringing paper about 5cm above the edge of the pan.
Combine margarine, sugar and rinds in a small bowl with electric mixer, add eggs one at a time, beat only until complet.
Add butter mixture to fruit mixture, mixing well.
Stir in sifted flours, mixing well.
Pour mixture into prepared pan, bake in a slow oven (150C) for about 2 1/2 hours, or until cooked.
Brush cake lightly with extra port, cover with foil, cool in pan.

White Chocolate and Cherry Truffles

Makes: 36

1 cup (200g) glace cherries, chopped
300g white cooking chocolate
120ml cream
1 cup desiccated coconut

In a heatproof bowl break up chocolate and melt in the microwave for about 3 minutes, checking and stirring every 40 seconds. Leave to cool slightly.
In another bowl whip cream to firm peaks and gently stir in chocolate, 2 - 3 Tablespoons of coconut and 3/4 of the chopped cherries.
Mix well, then cover and refrigerate until the mixture is firm enough to shape into small balls.
Coat some of the balls with left over glace cherries and remaining with desiccated coconut. Store in the fridge until ready to serve.

Candy Canes

Simmer 1 cup sugar with 1/4 cup light corn syrup, 1/4 cup water and 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar until the mix reaches about 280 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove from the heat and add a few drops of peppermint flavouring. Divide the syrup in half. Add red food colouring to one half; pour out separately onto the greased surfaces. Cool for 1 to 2 minutes. Pull each half separately; roll into 1/2" thick ropes. Twist coloured batch around the white batch pulling until the colours adhere. Cut with scissors into 6" long lengths; bend to crook one end.

Popcorn Balls

Melt 1 cup maragrine. Add 1 1/3 cups sugar and 1/2 cup corn syrup. Bring to a full boil and boil for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and add 1 teaspoon vanilla. Stir and pour over 4 qts popped corn and mix well. Roll popped corn into balls.

Cherry Truffles

Makes about 30

1/3 cup glace cherries, halved
2 teaspoon alcohol free cherry brandy or 1 teaspoon brandy essence
150g dark melts
60g butter
2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 1/3 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup cocoa

Combine cherries and half the brandy essence in a small bowl. Allow to sit for 1 hour.
Melt chocolate and butter in top of double saucepan.
Stir in condensed milk, remaining brandy essence and coconut. Cover, refrigerate 30 minutes or until mixture is firm.
Roll Tablespoonfs of mixture around cherry halves. Roll truffles lightly in cocoa and refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight until firm.

Fruit and Nut Truffle Logs

Makes: about 48

250g milk coffee biscuits
100g packet diced almonds
3/4 cup glace cherries, chopped
3/4 cup mixed dried fruit
400g can condensed milk
50g butter, melted
50g copha, melted
200g milk melts, melted
1 cup pecan nuts, chopped

Process biscuits into crumbs.
Combine biscuits, almonds, cherries, dried fruit, condensed milk, butter and copha in medium bowl, mix well.
Divide mixture in half. Roll each half into a log 25cm long. Wrap firmly in nonstick baking paper, refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm.
Coat each log into melted chocolate, roll in pecans, place on a baking tray lined with nonstick baking paper; refrigerate for 30 minutes or until hard.
Cut each log into 1cm slices to serve.

Marshmallows

8 Tablespoons gelatine
1 cup cold water
4 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups boiling water
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 dessertspoon lemon juice

Soften gelatine in cold water. Add sugar to boiling water. Stir to dissolve sugar, bring back to the boil. Add soaked gelatine, boil steadily for 20 minutes. Allow to cool to lukewarm. Flavour with vanilla and lemon juice. Beat until very thick and white. Pour into tins which have been rinsed out with cold water. Allow to set. Cut into squares, roll in icing sugar or toasted coconut.

To toast coconut:
Spread coconut on baking trays, bake in moderate oven (350F) for 10 to 15 minutes, shaking the trays occasionally. Alternatively, the coconut can be put into a large, heavy frypan and toasted over moderate heat. Shake pan continually so coconut does not burn.

Butterscotch

2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 dessertspons liquid glucos
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Place in a saucepan the sugars, glucose, butter and wate in which the cream of tartar has been dissolved. Stir over low heat until sugar has thoroughly dissolved.
Increase heat, bring to the boil, using a sweets thermometer, boil to 290F. Remove from heat immediately, allow bubbles to settle, then pour into a greased tin about 8 inches square or on to an oiled slab. Mark into squares with an oiled knife before it becomes cold.

Sherbet

1 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon tartaric acid

Sift all ingredients together into a bowl. Repeat this sifting three times. Store sherbet in an airtight container.

Sugar Coated Peanuts

500g raw peanuts (with red skins on)
2 cups sugar
2 cups water

Combine all ingredients in large, heavy frying pan. Stir over low heat until sugar has dissolved. Bring to boil. Boil steadily, uncovered for 10 minutes. Remove from heat. stir constantly with a fork until sugar crystallizes around peanuts. Turn out and cool on a tray.