Chocolate Fruit Truffles

Preparation 10 Minutes

Cook Chill: 3h Minutes

Serves 23

Method

  1. Add chocolate to a food processor and blitz until very finely chopped.
  2. Transfer chocolate to a bowl, pour over the hot thickened cream, add butter, currants and salt and stir to combine. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours until firm but still able to be scooped with a spoon.
  3. To make truffles, scoop 1 heaped tbsp of the mixture and use clean hands to roll into a rough ball. Repeat with remaining mixture (you should make about 24)
  4. Arrange crushed nuts, desiccated coconut and cacao powder in separate bowls. Roll each of the truffles into different coatings to decorate.*to make coloured coconut we combined desiccated coconut with a few drops of food colouring

Ingredients

200g Sunbeam Currants

400g dark chocolate

120mL thickened cream

70g butter, softened

pinch of sea salt

crushed nuts (to decorate)

desiccated coconut* (to decorate)

cacao powder (to decorate)

Recipe Collection

Orange & Olive Oil Almond Cakes (Gluten Free)

  1. Pre-heat oven to 180Β°C (160Β°C fan-forced). Line 12 x β…“ cup capacity muffin moulds with paper cases.
  2. Combine flour, almond meal, sugar and baking powder in a large mixing bowl.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, milk, eggs and orange rind until well combined. Add to flour mixture and mix until smooth. Pour between paper cases and sprinkle with flaked almonds. Bake for 20 minutes.Tip:
    For those avoiding dairy, simply substitute the cows milk with your milk of choice.

Mini Fruit Tarts

Preheat oven to 200Β°C.

Add fruit mince in an even layer into tart case.

Cut out star shapes from shortcrust sheet.

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 sugarΒ before serving.

 

Last Minute Christmas Cake

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.Β Β Add the sugar and stir over the heat for 3-4 mins until combined.

Add dried fruit, bicarbonate of soda, rum, cognac and 125ml water and stir well to combine.Β Β Increase heat to high and continue to stir until the sugar dissolves.Β Β Reduce heat to medium then cook for a further 4 mins without stirring.Β Β Remove from heat, cover and allow mixture to cool overnight.

Preheat oven to 150ΒΊC (130ΒΊC fan).Β Β Grease and line a 23cm square baking tin.Β 

Add eggs to the cooled mixture and stir.Β Β Add flour and spices and stir well to combine.Β Β Allow the mixture to sit for 10 mins before spooning into the prepared tin and smoothing the surface.

Decorate the top of the cake with blanched almonds then bake for 2 to 2 Β½ hours or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.Β Β Check your cake every hour to ensure it is not browning too quickly on top.Β Β If it is, cover with foil for the remainder of the cooking time.

Allow the cake to cool completely in the tin before inverting to remove.Β Β To serve, brush with a little apricot jam that has been warmed in the microwave.

This cake can be stored for up to 3 months in the fridge – cover the cooled cake in 2 layers of plastic wrap and foil.

Caramel Walnut Brioche Pudding

Butter both sides of sliced Brioche and layer in greased pan (mine is 8” x 11”).

2.Β Β Β Β Β Sprinkle dried Mixed fruit and Walnuts evenly over bread.

3.Β Β Β Β Β Mix eggs, sugar and vanilla paste until sugar is dissolved,then mix together with Cream and Milk.

4.Β Β Β Β Β Pour egg mix over Brioche and let soak whilst you make your caramel.

5.Β Β Β Β Β In heavy based pan add butter, golden syrup and condensed milk, stir until all melted on low heat. This can then be spooned over Brioche into all gaps, finish by sprinkling more Walnuts and Cinnamon.

6.Β Β Β Β Β Place in oven 165’c fan forced for 35-45 minutes, or until centre is set.

7.Β Β Β Β Β Enjoy

# You may like to soak Mixed Fruit in a little Brandy!

Almond Mandarin Cake

  1. Put the whole mandarins in a saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 45 minutes or until tender when tested with a skewer, topping up water as necessary. Drain, cool to room temperature, cut in half and remove any pips.
  2. Preheat oven to 160Β°C and line the base of a lightly greased 20cm springform cake pan with baking paper.
  3. Blend the cooled mandarins, eggs and sugar in a food processor until well combined. Add the almond meal, baking powder and orange blossom water (if using) and pulse until combined.
  4. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and sprinkle with almonds. Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes or until golden and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool for 15 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Walnut Sultana Zucchini Carrot Cake

Preheat oven to 180ΒΊC (160ΒΊC fan).Β Β Grease and line base and sides of two x 22.5cm (9”) round baking tins.Β 

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with beater attachment, combine zucchini, carrot, flour, sugar, 50g of walnuts, sultanas and spices.Β Β Mix on low until just combined.

Whisk together oil and eggs then add to the zucchini mixture and beat on low until just combined.Β Β Divide the mixture evenly between the prepared tins, smoothing the surfaces.Β Β Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cakes comes out clean.Β Β Allow the cakes to cool in tins for an hour, then invert onto a baking rack to cool completely.

To make the icing, combine butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment.Β Β Whisk until smooth.Β Β Add sifted icing sugar and whisk until smooth and fluffy.

To decorate, spread half the icing on top of one cake.Β Β Arrange the second cake on top and spread with remaining icing.Β Β Sprinkle with chopped walnuts to decorate.

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