Chocolate Raisin Pudding

Nut Crusted Cheese Log

Let the cheeses soften on your bench while you dice nuts and herbs. Whip the cheeses with liquor to combine until smooth.

Mix chilli with herbs and nuts, then sprinkle onto a 30cm piece of plastic wrap, leaving a 2cm border.

Spoon cheese along one end of herbs. Lift wrap and roll cheese away from you into a log, pressing gently to coat well in herbs, shape the mixture into a log, then wrap and refrigerate for about an hour, until the mixture is firm. (NOTE: Can be made up to 2 days ahead of time)

Serve with your favourite crackers.

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.

Cherry Dark Choc Biscotti

Preheat oven to 180ºC (160ºC fan).  Line a large oven tray with baking paper.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, combine sugar and eggs.  Whisk until pale and fluffy.  Add both flours, nuts, sultanas and cherries and stir to combine. 

Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour.  Turn the dough out onto the surface, divide into two even portions then roll each into a 30cm long log.  Transfer to prepared tray, flatten the tops slightly then bake for 30 mins.  Remove tray from oven and allow logs to cool for 20 mins.  Reduce oven temperature to 140ºC.

Use a serrated knife to diagonally cut slices, about 5mm thick.  Arrange slices back onto the lined oven tray and bake for a further 15 mins, turning the biscuits half way, until they are crisp and dry.  Transfer biscuits to a wire baking rack to cool completely.

Place chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and melt according to packet instructions.  Pour melted chocolate into a small cup and dip the ends of the biscotti into the melted chocolate, tapping off any excess.  Sprinkle extra almonds over the chocolate to decorate.

Place dipped biscotti onto baking paper and stand at room temperature until the chocolate sets.

Christmas Nougat

Preheat oven to 180°C.

Lightly brush a 15cm square cake pan with oil. Line the base with 1 sheet of rice paper.2Spread pistachios over baking tray. Bake for 4-5 minutes, until toasted.

Set aside to cool.3In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, honey, glucose and water, and stir over low heat for 5-7 minutes, until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high and boil, without stirring, for 20 minutes, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with a pastry brush dipped in water.

Remove from heat.4Meanwhile, in a clean bowl, using an electric mixer, beat egg-white and rosewater together until stiff peaks form. With the motor running, pour hot sugar syrup into the egg-white mixture in a thin, steady stream.

Using a metal spoon, stir in pistachios and cranberries. Pour into prepared pan. Press firmly into the base.

Top with the remaining rice paper sheet. Set aside in a cool, dry place for 4 hours to set.

Turn nougat onto a chopping board and cut into 3cm squares to serve.

Baked Brie with Fruit & Nuts

Soak dried fruit in maple syrup & hot water to coat for 15–20 mins until plump and sticky. The longer the soak the plumper the fruit gets.

Score the top of the brie (light cross-hatch), place on a baking dish or lined tray. Bake at 180°C for 10 mins, until soft and gooey.

Top with the soaked fruit mixture and a little extra maple syrup.

Serve warm with crusty bread & crackers

Pavlova Trifle with soaked Natural Sultanas

1. To make the Rum Custard: Soak Sunbeam Sultanas in the rum for 1-2 hours. Place milk, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon and ginger into a saucepan over low-medium heat. Bring to a gentle simmer but below boiling for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly, removing the cinnamon and ginger pieces.
2. In a large bowl whisk together egg yolks and corn starch. Then, while whisking slowly mix in a ladle of the warm milk to temper the eggs. Continue doing this until you have mixed all the warm milk in. Clean out the saucepan and add the custard mixture back in. Heat over low heat for 20 minutes, whisking constantly, until the custard coats the back of the spoon. Remove from heat and stir through the rum-soaked Sultanas.
3. Pour into a heat safe bowl and let cool on the counter. Then, refrigerate until cold.
4. To make the Candied Pistachios: Add the sugar and honey to a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Add pistachios, salt and lemon zest. Stir to combine. Turn the heat up to medium-high and cook for 2 minutes, or until the syrup coats the pistachios and is very thick. Place pistachios onto a baking tray lined with baking paper and allow to cool and set. Let cool completely before chopping and using.
5. Pour into a clean bowl the thickened cream. Add in the vanilla essence and whisk until soft peaks forms.
6. To assemble Trifle: in a large glass serving dish, layer custard, chunks of pavlova, spiced rum custard, whipped cream, honey candied chopped pistachios, strawberries and raspberries. Repeat this until your trifle bowl is full.
7. Garnish with fresh raspberries, strawberries, cream and honey candied chopped pistachios.

Serve and enjoy.