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.