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.

Recipes - Part 5

Fruity Fudge Easter Eggs

125g butter
1/2 cup sultanas
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups finely crushed milk arrowroot biscuits
1/2 cup full cream milk powder
1/2 cup crushed mixed nuts
90g dark melts
30g copha white vegetable shortening
60g white melts

Place butter, sultanas and sugar into saucepan. stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture comes to the boil.
Remove from heat, add egg and vanilla. Add biscuit crumbs, full cream milk powder and nuts, mix well, cool.
Mould tablespoonfuls of mixture into egg shapes, refrigerate until firm.
Melt dark melts and copha, coat eggs and allow to set.
Decorate with melted white melts, allow to set.
Makes 20

Coconut Easter Eggs

Makes 30 eggs

500g icing sugar, sifted
3 cups coconut
400g can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Yellow food colouring
200g chocolate melts
30g copha

Combine first four ingredients until evenly mixed. Colour one quarter of the mix with food colouring, to desired yolk colour. Form into small 1.5cm diameter balls. Shape remaining coconut ice around balls to form an egg shape, refrigerate. Melt chocolate melts and copha, mix well. Dip coconut ice eggs in chocolate, drain on wire rack, refrigerate until set.

Coffee Balls

185g butter
2 cups icing sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup full cream milk powder
2 teaspoon instant coffee, dissolved in 1 teaspoon hot water
3/4 cup rolled oats
1 cup coconut
150g cooking chocolate, melted
30g copha white vegetable shortening, melted

Beat butter, icing sugar, vanilla and full cream milk powder until light and creamy.
Add instant coffee, rolled oats and coconut, mix well.
Roll teaspoonfuls of mixture into balls, refrigerate until firm.
Combine cooking chocolate and copha, use to coat coffee balls. If desired decorate with flaked almonds and glace cherries.
Makes approximately 30.

Fruit Balls

3/4 cup dried apricots
1/2 cup chopped dates
1/2 cup water
1 cup sultanas
1/2 cup coconut1 3/4 cup full cream milk powder
Extra coconut

Combine apricots, dates and water in pan, bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer 2 minutes.
Add sultanas, coconut, and full cream powdered milk, combine well.
Roll heaped teaspoonfuls of mixture into balls, roll in extra coconut, refrigerate until firm.
Makes approximately 30.

Recipes - Part 4

Marshmallow Bubbles

4 cups rice bubbles
3 Tablespoon cocoa
250g copha
250g icing sugar
1 packet marshmallows

Sift cocoa and icing sugar, add rice bubbles. Melt copha and pour over dry ingredients, mix well. Add marshmallows and allow to sit in flat dish in the fridge. Cut into squares.

Coconut Ice

Makes: 36 squares

2 egg whites
500g icing sugar, sifted
250g desiccated coconut
125g copha
1 teaspoon vanilla
Red food colouring

In the bowl of an electric mixer, lightly beat the egg whites and mix until they are foamy. Add the sifted icing sugar and coconut and mix until combined.
Melt the copha over low heat in a small saucepan, allow to cool, then pour in the vanilla into the coconut mixtue and mix together thoroughly.
Turn half the mixture into a lamington tin about 17 x 23cm, which as been lined with baking paper. Press down well with the back of a large spoon. Colour the remaining mixture with a few drops of red food colouring and mix thoroughly until you get a pale pink colour. Press onto the white mixture and place in fridge until set and chilled, before cutting into squares. The squares should be stored in the fridge.

Hint
Try making pretty green and white coconut ice by using green food colouring in place of the pink for the second half of the mixture.

Rum Balls - Recipe 2

280g cake crumbs
3 Tablespoons apricot jam
3 Tablespoons cocoa
1 Tablespoons rum
2 Tablespoons water
2 Tablespoons apricot jam, extra
Chocolate sprinkles

Mix together cake crumbs, cocoa, 3 Tablespoons of wrmed sieved apricot jam, and rum until a stiff paste is formed. Make into approximately 24 balls. Warm 2 Tablespoons of sieved jam with wter; dip the balls in this jam mixture, then coat with chocolate sprinkles. Place in paper patty cases.
Makes approx. 24

Festive Fruit Ring

Oven Temp: 200C

Pastry
1 cup S.R. flour
10g butter
20g softened butter, extra
100ml milk

Decoration
2 glace cherries
2 Tablespoons icing sugar

Filling
1 Tablespoon sultanas
1/4 teaspoon mixed spice
1 Tablespoon currents
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teapoons mixed peel
1/2 teaspoons caster sugar

Set oven at 200C. Place shelf in top 1/3.
Sift flour and salt into a bowl.
Rub butter into flour.
Make a well in centre. Add milk and mix to a soft dough.
Turn onto lightly floured board, knead 10-12 times to form a ball.
Roll into oblong 15 x 20cm. Spread with softened extra butter.
Mix filling ingredients together and sprinkle over buttered dough.
Roll up like swiss roll start with short side.
Lift onto greased oven tray and form into a half moon.
With a sharp knife make a series of cuts 3/4 of the way through the roll and 2cm apart.
Glave evenly with milk.
Mix icing sugar with a few drops of hot wate and drizzle over ring.
Decorate with chopped cherries.

Christmas Nibbles

Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Makes: about 48

250g cooking chocolate
125g crystallised ginger
1/2 cup shelled peanuts or hazelnuts
100g marshmallows
Small foil patty cases

Melt chocolate in the top of a double saucepan over gently simmering water. Drop ginger and nuts into chocolate. Stir to coat these completely.
Place each piece of chocolate - coated giner on a foil-lined tray. Place spoonfuls of the nut mixture onto foil-lined trays. Set both in the fridge.
Marshmallows may be coated in the same manner.
Alternatively, place ginger and nuts (or chopped cherries and dried fruit) into the base of small foil patty cases, pour over enough chocolate to fill each case. Set in the fridge. Keeps for up to 2 months.

Steamed Fruit Pudding

1/2 cup full cream milk powder
1 cup warm water
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups mixed fruit
40g butter
1 cup self-raising flour
1 teaspoon mixed spiced
1 teaspoon bicarbonate soda

Combine first 5 ingredients in pan, bring to boil stirring, cool 30 minutes.
Add combined sifted flour, spice and bicarbonate soda, mix well.
Spoon into greased 6 cup pudding basin, cover securely.
Steam pudding 1 1/2 hours until cooked, serve wit custard.
Serves 4-6.

Christmas Cake

500g mixed dried fruit
200g glace cherries, chopped
125g pitted prunes, chopped
125g butter
1 cup full cream milk powder
1 cup water
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon mixed spice
1/4 cup sherry
1 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup self-raising flour
1 cup plain flour

Place first 8 ingredients in pan, bring to boil stirring, reduce heat, simmer 5 minutes.
Remove from heat, stir in sherry and bicarbonate soda, cool.
Stir in remaining ingredients. Spread cake mixture evenly into greased and lined 20cm deep square cake pan.
Bake in 160C oven for 2 - 2 1/2 hours until cooked.
Serves 15-20.

Recipes - Part 3

Drinks

Citrus Spritzer
Combine in a jug or bowl, 1 cup orange juice with 1/2 cup lime juice and 850ml can pineapple juice. Chill until serving time. Top with 1.25 litre bottle chilled lemonade and ice to serve.

Melon Punch
Peel and roughly chop a small rockmelon and place in a blender with 425ml can apricot nectar and 1 1/4 cups green ginger wine. Blend mixture until smooth, in two batches if needed. Transfer to a bowl or jug and chill until serving time. Add 1.25 litre bottle of chilled dry ginger ale to serve.

Berry Punch
Place 250g strawberries, 200g raspberries and 150g blueberries in a food processor and blend until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, stir through 850ml can of peach nectar and 1/2 cup Grand Marnier. Refrigerate until serving time. Add 1.25 litre bottle of chilled lemonade when ready to serve.

Mango Champagne
Combine in a jug or a bowl, 2 x 850ml cans mango nectar with 440g can drained and diced mango and 1 Tablespoon Grand Marnier. Add 750ml bottle chilled champagne and serve immediately.

Chocolate Eggnog
Combine in a food processor, 6 eggs, 1 cup brandy, 3 cups thickened cream, 3/4 cup milk, 1/4 cup chocolate topping, 2 teaspoons vanilla essence and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Serve eggnog garnished with lashings of delicious chocolate curls.

Hint: Make a non-alcoholic version of this drink forthe designated driver - use claytons in place of brandy.

Recipes - Part 2

White Christmas

2 cups rice bubbles
1 cup coconut
1 cup powdered milk
1 cup mixed fruit
1 x 100g packet mixed glace cherries, chopped
3/4 cup icing sugar, sifted
250g copha, melted and cooled

Combine rice bubbles, coconut, powdered milk, fruit, cherries and icing sugar in a large bowl. Mix well.
Pour over copha. Mix until well combined. Press into a foil-lined 18 x 28cm lamington tin.
Freeze until set. Cut into finger to serve. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Spuds

1 tin condensed milk
375g coconut
375g icing sugar

Mix all ingredients, roll in balls in small amount of cocoa. Set in fridge.

Walnut Fudge

60g milk melts
60g choc melts
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup coconut
1/3 cup condensed milk

Melt chocolates together in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Add walnuts, condensed milk and coconut. Line a 15cm square tin with foil and grease. Spread mixture into prepared tin. Refrigerate until firm. Cut into squares and store in fridge.

Charlesworth Walnut Fudge

300g marshamllows
1 Tablespoon water
185g chocolate pieces
90g butter
Vanilla to taste
185g walnut coarsely chopped

Grease and line a small square 18cm tin with baking paper. Place marshmallows, butter and water into a saucepan and gently heat until melted, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the chocolate, vanilla and walnuts, continue heating until chocolate is melted. Spread mixture into greased and papered pan, cover and alow to set in the fridge.
When set, cut into squares ready for use. Put in a freezer bag and store in the fridge.

Cherry Slice

250g white melts
400g can condensed milk
200g choc melts
1 cup glace cherries, chopped
2 cups coconut
30g copha

Melt white chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Remove from heat and stir in cherries, condensed milk and coconut. Mix well. Line a lamington tin with foil and grease. Spread mixture into prepared tin. Melt choc melt and copha together in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Spread evenly over top of mixture. Refrigerate until firm. Cut into slices.

Chocolate Cherry Bites

100g glace cherries, halved
395g condensed milk
50g pecan nuts, coarsely chopped
75g slivered almonds
375g chocolate melts

Line an 18 x 28cm slab tin with foil or baking paper.
Place condensed milk and chocolate in microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high power for 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Quickly stir in cherries, almonds and pecans.
Spread evenly into prepared tin. Chill for several hours or overnight. When firm, cut into 24 rectangles. Serve after dinner as a treat.

Rum Balls - Recipe 1

8 weetbix
1/2 cup sultanas
1/2 cup coconut
2 Tablespoon rum
2 Tablespoon cocoa
1 tin condensed milk

Crush weetbix and add other dry ingredients. Mix rum and condensed milk into dry mixture and combine well. Cover and chill for approx. 1 1/2 hours. Roll into balls and roll in extra coconut. Refrigerate.
Makes 30 to 40 rum balls.

Apricot Balls

227g chopped dried apricots
227g crushed plain biscuits
114g chopped marshmallows
1 cup condensed milk
57g chopped nuts
1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Mix all ingredients together, roll into balls. Mixture can also be formed into long rolls. Coat rolls or ball with coconut and refrigerate until firm. If the mixture is in rolls, slice to serve.

Chocolate Ginger Sticks

1/2 cup finely chopped dates
90g dark chocolate
60g crystallized ginger

Put ginger and dates through fine mincer or chop very finely. Shape into sticks approximately 5cm in length and 5mm wide. Place chocolate in top of double boiler, melt over hot water.
Place date and ginger sticks on wire rack, spoon chocolate over. Refrigerate until set.
Makes approx. 18

Kids Rocky Road

2 cups mini marshmallows
500g chocolate melts
1/2 cup peanuts (optional)
Sprinkles or hundreds and thousands

Melt the chocolate in the microwave on medium for 2 minutes, stir well.
Line a deep tray with baking paper. Spread marshmallows (and peanuts) over tray, then pour the melted chocolate over the top.
Sprinkle Hundreds and Thousands or sprinkles over the top and pop in the fridge to set for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

When it is ready take out of the fridge and break into pieces.

Gourmet Rocky Road

500g chocolate, melted
200g marshmallows, chopped
1/4 cup dessicated coconut
2 x 55g bars turkish delight, chopped
1/2 cup peanuts, chopped

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.
Pour mixture into a lined slice tin and refrigerate until set.
Use a warm knife to cut the slice into small squares.

Note
The turkish delight bars can e substituted for glace cherriesor red jubes.

Recipes - Part 1

Rocky Road

Makes: about 16 pieces

500g milk chocolate
250g packet pink and white marshmallows
2 x 100g packets red glace cherries, ½
200g packet crushed peanuts

Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl over simmering water (or melt in a heatproof bowl in the microwave oven). Stir in marshmallows, cherries and nuts.
Pour mixture into a foil-lined 19cm x 29cm lamington tin. Refrigerate until firm. Cut into pieces to serve.

Mars Bars Slice

3 mars bars
3 Tablespoons margarine
3 cups rice bubbles

Melt margarine and mars bars in a large jug on full power, approximately 3 - 4 minutes or until mixture is smooth and liquid. Stir in quickly the rice bubbles. Press into a slice dish firmly and with the back of a spoon, smooth this to an even consistency.

This hould be done fairly quickly because it starts to cool almost immediately. For an extra, perhaps a little sprinkle of coconut looks decorative.

This cools very quickly - may be place in the fridge and cut into slices.

Note: Preparation time is 15 minutes. Allow time for setting.

Christmas Spice Cakes

100g butter
100g castor sugar
2 medium size eggs
100g self raising flour
50g sultanas
½ teaspoon mixed spice
25g icing sugar

Cream the butter and sugar well. Gradually beat in the eggs.

Fold in the sieved flour and mixed spice. Add the sultanas.

Half fill the baking cases. Bake at 190°C for 20 minutes. Cool.

Place a sprig of holly on each bun. Dust the tops with sieved icing sugar.

Rum Snowballs

10 weetbix biscuits
2 Tablespoon coconut (plus some extra for rolling)
1 Tablespoon cocoa
1 cup mixed fruit
1 tin condensed milk
2 Tablespoon rum

Crush the weetbix, then mix all ingredients together.

Take small pieces and roll into balls and then roll in coconut.

Place in fridge to set.

Makes 4 dozen.