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

Christmas Bomb Alaska

Make a small approx 13cm base from Sunbeam fruit cake and set aside. (Match the base diameter to your mould base size)

Remove Ice-cream from the freezer & stand in the fridge for 20 min to soften; do not melt completely.

Line a tall dariole mould or similar with plastic wrap

Put the fruit mince in a large mixing bowl, add the softened ice-cream & gently stir to combine.

Return mould to the freezer & freeze for 5 hours or till firm.

Beat egg whites and sugar until stiff peaks form.

Remove ice cream from mould, add ice cream to cake base and coat with meringue mix. Use a blow torch to toast. Serve Immediately.

Traditional Christmas Pudding

  1. Combine the fruit, brandy, rind and apple in a microwave safe bowl and mix well. Cover then microwave on 100% power for 2-3 minutes or until plumped. Allow to cool.
  2. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually add the egg, beating well between each addition. Fold in the sifted flour and spices, fruit mixture, breadcrumbs and almonds, mix well.
  3. Spoon the mixture into a greased and base paper lined 2 litre capacity pudding basin. Cover with a tight-fitting lid. Place on an upturned saucer in the base of a large saucepan or boiler. Pour boiling water into the saucepan so that is comes halfway up the sides of the basin. Cover the saucepan with a tight-fitting lid and steam for 4 hours, topping up water every 20-30 minutes or as required.
  4. Remove from the basin onto a serving plate, flambé with a little brandy if desired then slice and serve with custard or ice-cream.

NB: If you do not have a lid for your basin: Cover with a greased double layer of foil and baking paper, create a deep pleat in the centre for expansion. Place over the basin and secure tightly with string. Trim the cover if necessary.

If you do not intend on using the pudding immediately, keep the cover intact and store in the fridge until required. Re- steam for 1 1/2 hours when required.

Jewelled Rice

To prep: place the Sunmuscat sultanas and cranberries into a bowl and cover with water. Let sit and rehydrate for 10-15 minutes. Then drain.  

Place the saffron threads into a bowl with 2 tablespoons of hot water and allow to sit and steep.  

Melt 1 ½ tablespoons of the ghee into a large skillet over medium heat. Add in the onion and cook, stirring for 10 minutes, until the onion is well caramelised. Remove half of the onion and set aside – this will be used for garnishing. Add half of the soaked sunmuscats and cranberries, the rice, cinnamon, cardamom and cumin. Continue cooking and stirring, until the rice is well coated in the oil and spices, about 1 minute. Add in 3 cups of boiling water and the salt. Stir everything together, then bring to the boil. Cover and turn heat down to low and cook, without disturbing for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow it to sit, untouched, for 15 minutes.   

Meanwhile, heat another medium frying pan over medium heat. Add in the remaining 1 ½ tablespoons of ghee, the almonds and cashews. Cook, stirring, for 4-5 minutes until the nuts are golden brown. Be careful not to burn! Set aside for serving.  

Uncover the rice, drizzle over the saffron water and toss the rice just a little so half of the rice turns golden. Transfer to a large serving plate, then garnish with the ghee-toasted nuts, the remaining sunmuscats and currants and caramelised onion. Sprinkle over the coriander and dill, to finish.  

Apple & Sultana Crumble Cake

1. Pre-heat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Lightly grease a 22cm spring form pan and line the base with baking paper.

2. Place butter and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until pale and creamy. Add eggs one at a time until well incorporated.

3. Add sour cream, followed by the flour, almond meal and spice. Mix until batter is smooth. Add sultanas, mixing in well. Spoon into prepared pan, smoothing the top. Sprinkle with diced apples.

4. For the crumble, combine oats, sugar and butter in a bowl and using fingertips, rub to combine so mixture resembles chunky breadcrumbs. Mix in the almonds. Sprinkle over apples and bake for 1 hour or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Serve warm with custard or cream.

Decadent Fruit Mince

Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl till combined.

Place into sterilised jars and store in a cool dark dry place to macerate for as long as you can before using.

This fruit mix made ahead can be used for so many great Sunbeam Recipes!

Lunchbox Muffins

Preheat oven to 180°C and line cupcake or muffin tray with paper cases.

  1. Combine the fruits, butter, sugar, spices, bicarbonate of soda and water in a saucepan. Bring to the boil, stirring, then remove from heat and allow to cool.
  2. Add the eggs and beat well. Add flours to the mixture and beat well.
  3. Pour into paper cases and bake for 30 minutes, or until skewer inserted in centre comes out clean. Allow to cool on rack.

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