Asparagus with Proscuttio, Parmesan & Pine Nuts

Pumpkin Feta Scones

Family Fruit Mince Tart

1. Blend or process butter, and sifted flour and icing sugar until crumbly. Add egg yolk, extract and the water; process until ingredients come together.

   Enclose in plastic wrap; refrigerate 30 minutes.

   Roll pastry between sheets of baking paper until large enough to line 18cm x 30cm rectangular loose-based flan tin.

   Lift pastry into tin, press into sides, trim excess; prick base all over with a fork. Cover; refrigerate 20 minutes.

   Meanwhile, preheat oven to 200°C.

   Place tin on oven tray; line pastry with baking paper then fill with bakers weights. Bake 15 minutes. Cool.

   Add fruit mince in an even layer over tart base.

   Roll pastry scraps on floured surface, cut out desired shapes. Brush each pastry shape with beaten egg and place pastry egg-side down on fruit mince.

   Bake tart about 20 minutes or until browned lightly. Dust with a little sifted icing sugar before serving.

    

Christmas Fruit Pudding

1. Combine fruit, brandy, rinds and apple. Cover and set aside overnight or for at least 2 hours.

2. Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, beat in golden syrup. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition

3. Combine breadcrumbs, flour, spices and almonds. Add creamed butter mixture and soaked fruit, mixing well to combine.

4. Grease a 2 litre capacity pudding basin, line the base with a double layer of baking paper.

5. Spoon mixture into the basin and smooth top. Double line the top with baking paper rounds.

6. Take a 60cm long piece of baking paper and 60cm piece of foil, layer and fold in half, make a 3cm pleat in the middle (this allows for any expansion of the pudding). Place sheets over pudding and secure tightly with string. Place a wire rack onto the base of a large saucepan, fill one third with water and bring to boil. Carefully place pudding onto wire rack making sure the water level comes about halfway up pudding basin. Cover and simmer for 6 hours, replenish water when needed.

7. Remove from water, stand for 10 minutes before turning out. Serve cut into slices with cream and maple syrup.

Eggnog Bundt Cakes

1. For eggnog, combine milk, cream, spices and vanilla in a small saucepan. Heat gently. Meanwhile whisk together the yolk and sugar. Gradually add warmed milk mixture to egg until all combined. Return to saucepan and continue cooking over a low heat until hot and slightly thickened. Remove, stir in rum and set aside to cool. Reserve 1 tablespoon for icing.
2. Pre-heat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Lightly grease 6 x 1 cup capacity bundt tins and place onto a flat baking tray.
3. Combine currants and rum. Set aside. Place butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until creamy and pale. Add eggs one at a time until well combined. Add dry ingredients and eggnog alternately until well combined and mixture is smooth. Spoon between prepared pans and bake for 25 minutes until golden and cooked through. Turn out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
4. Mix together the icing sugar, reserved eggnog, water and some additional nutmeg if you prefer. Drizzle over cooled bundt cakes and finish with fresh cherries.

Sultana & Cornflake Cookies

Preheat oven to 180°C. Beat butter and sugar in small bowl with electric mixer until smooth, add egg, beat until combined. Stir in sultanas and sifted flour.  Fold flour, 1 cup cornflakes, sultanas through mixture. Roll rounded teaspoons of mixture in lightly crushed cornflakes, place about 3cm apart on greased oven trays; flatten slightly. Bake in oven about 20 minutes or until browned. Cool on trays.

Carrot & Walnut Cake Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius 

Whisk together your plain flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon 

In a separate bowl, mix your wet ingredients, milk, white vinegar, vegetable oil, eggs and brown sugar 

Once your wet ingredients are well combined, stir in your carrots, shredded coconut, pineapple, walnuts and raisins. 

Pour your wet ingredients into your dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not over mix. 

Fill your muffin tins with your patty pans and then with a spoon or a lever ice cream scoop, fill them to the top. 

Bake in the oven for approximately 20 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.  

Let cool completely before decorating with meringue. 

Once your muffins are cool you can start on your meringue. Mix your egg whites and caster sugar together in a bowl over a pot of water on the stove. Once the heat from the pot has dissolved the sugar in your egg whites, put your bowl on your electric mixer and whisk until stiff peaks. 

Using a piping bag or a large ziplock bag with the corner cut off, pipe the top of your muffins in any shape you like. If you have a blow torch, give them some colour, or leave them natural and decorate with your favourite easter eggs.