Custard-stuffed Hot Cross Doughnuts

Preparation 1HR 55M

Cook 45

Serves 16

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Method

Place the water, sultanas, currants, cinnamon, vanilla bean and honey in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Bring to a simmer to cook for 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Liqueur 43 (if using). Set aside for 30 minutes to steep and cool. Discard the vanilla bean and cinnamon quill. Drain through a sieve set over a jug, reserving the steeping liquid. Set aside.
To make the custard, place custard powder in a saucepan. Add 2 tablespoons of the milk and mix until smooth and well combined. Stir in the remaining milk, then add the cream. Cook over a medium heat, stirring constantly for 3-4 minutes or until the mixture boils and thickens. Add the chopped chocolate and mix until smooth. Set aside to cool. Spoon into a piping bag and place in the fridge until required.
Place the warmed milk in a jug. Add the yeast and 3 tablespoons of reserved steeping liquid to the warm milk. Set aside in a warm spot for 5-10 minutes until foaming. Place flour, mixed spice and butter into the bowl of a large food processor (your processor needs to be at least 12 cups). Process until butter is incorporated. With the motor running, pour the milk mixture and egg. Process for 1-2 minutes or until dough has formed a ball and is smooth and elastic. If the dough is a bit to sticky, add more flour, a tablespoon at a time, until it is the right consistency. Add drained sultanas and pulse to combine. Turn onto a floured surface and bring the dough together. Transfer to a lightly greased bowl. cover with a clean tea towel and set aside in a warm spot to rise for 1 hour or until mixture has doubled in size.
Line two trays with baking paper. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 2 minutes, knocking the air out. Cut the dough into 16 even portions. Roll each portion into a ball and place on the lined tray and flatten slightly, allowing a little room between each to expand. Cover with a tea towel and set aside for 30 minutes to prove.
Place 4 doughnuts in the wire basket of an air fryer and brush with melted butter. Air fry at 180°C for 8 minutes or until crisp and golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Repeat with the remaining doughnuts. (Alternatively, heat a saucepan of vegetable oil to 160°C and deep-fry doughnuts, turning halfway through, for 2-3 minutes or until golden and cooked through).
Cut a small slit into the base of each doughnut. Pipe custard into the slit on the base of each doughnut. Return to the rack, cut side down.Step 7
Brush the doughnuts with the remaining reserved steeping liquid and set aside for 5 minutes to set.
Place the melted white chocolate melts into a piping bag. Snip the corner and pipe a cross over each doughnut. Set aside for 5 minutes to set.

Ingredients

80ml (1/3 cup) water

90g (1 cup) Sunbeam Sultanas

45g (1/4 cup) Sunbeam Currants

1 cinnamon stick

1 vanilla bean, split lengthways

125ml (1/2 cup) honey

1 tbsp Liqueur 43 or your favourite liquor (optional)

7g sachet dried yeast

300ml milk, warmed

600g (4 cups) plain flour, plus extra for dusting

1/2 tsp mixed spice

100g unsalted butter, at room temperature, chopped

1 egg

Melted butter, to brush

White chocolate melts, melted, cooled

Custard

2 tbsp custard powder

200ml milk

125ml (1/2 cup) thickened cream

80g white chocolate coarsely chopped

Recipe Collection

Pumpkin Feta Scones

Pre-heat oven to 220°C (200°C fan-forced).

  1.  Place flour, allspice and butter in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until it resembles fresh breadcrumbs. Remove to a bowl and fold in feta and currants.
  2. Fork whisk together the pumpkin and milk. Add to flour mixture and combine until mixture just comes together. Tip onto a lightly floured surface and bring together, knead lightly and press out to a 2cm thickness.
  3. Using a floured 6cm scone cutter cut out scones, placing them onto a lightly floured oven tray. Brush lightly with milk and sprinkle with almonds. Bake for approx. 15 minutes until golden on the base. Allow to cool on a wire rack. Serve with a spread of butter.

Traditional Christmas Puddings

  1. Combine mixed fruit, raisins, brandy and cranberry sauce in a large bowl. Cover and set aside overnight or for at least 2 hours.
  2. Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, beat in maple syrup. Add eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition.  Stir butter mixture, sifted self-raising flour and spices, fresh breadcrumbs and almonds into soaked fruit, mixing well.
  3. Grease a 2 litre and 1 litre capacity pudding basin and a line both the bases with a double layer of baking paper.  Fill mixture into the large basin to approximately 3cm from top of basin. Spoon remainder into small basin and smooth tops. Double line each of the tops of the puddings with baking paper rounds.
  4. 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 large pudding and secure tightly with string. Repeat process for small pudding.
  5. Place wire racks onto the base of a large and a medium saucepan and fill both one third with water and bring to the boil. Carefully place puddings onto wire rack in each saucepan making sure the water level comes about halfway up each pudding basin. Cover and simmer  the large pudding 6 hours and the small pudding for 4 hours. Replenish with boiling water when needed.
  6. Serve with custard or cream with a dash of brandy added.

Christmas Cheesecake

Preheat oven to 180oC (160oC fan). Generously grease a 20cm round, loose-bottom (or springform) tin. Line the base with baking paper.
In the bowl of a food processor, add biscuits. Blitz to a fine crumb. Add 250g of the melted butter and blitz until just combined. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and use a spatula to gentle push half of the mixture up the sides of the tin. Spread remaining mixture evenly over the base (using a drinking glass can help to compact the mixture around the sides and base). Refrigerate.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine remaining butter with sugar and whisk until combined. With the motor running, add eggs one at a time until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add cream cheese, quark, sour cream and vanilla, whisk until smooth. Add cornflour and mix until incorporated.

Add peel and sultanas and gently fold through the cream mixture, then spoon into the prepared base and smooth the surface.
Bake cheesecake for 10mins then reduce oven temperature to 170°C (150°C fan) and bake for a further 50 mins. Turn off the oven, leaving the door slightly open, allow cheesecake to sit in the oven for a further hour until the edges of the cheesecake feel firm when gently pressed.

Allow the cheesecake to cool completely at room temperature then remove sides of tin and transfer cheesecake to refrigerator to cool overnight.
To make the meringue decoration, place the egg whites and caster sugar in a large bowl and whip into soft peaks. Spoon the meringue on top of the cheese cake and shape with a spatula. Use kitchen blow torch to lightly crisp the outside of the meringue. Serve and enjoy!

Spiced Chicken Pilaf

  1. Toss chicken with spices and a small drizzle of the oil. Heat half the remaining oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes each side until golden and just cooked through. Allow to cool slightly, then break into pieces. Set aside.
  2. Add remaining oil to pan and cook onion and garlic for several minutes until tender. Stir in rice with stock and bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 15 minutes, partially covered.
  3.  Add chicken pieces, zucchini and currants to pan, cooking a further 3-4 minutes. Serve sprinkled with almonds and coriander. Accompany with yoghurt and lemon wedges.

Spice Roasted Cauliflower & Sunmuscat Sultana Dressing

Preheat oven to 220°C. In a large bowl, combine 2 Tbsp olive oil, salt, pepper, sweet paprika, and smoked paprika. Stir well, add cauliflower, and toss to evenly coat.

Transfer cauliflower onto a baking paper lined oven tray. Bake 25 – 30 minutes, stirring halfway through, until golden.

While the cauliflower is roasting, drizzle remaining 2 Tbsp oil into a skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced shallot and cook for 5 – 7 minutes, stirring regularly, until shallots have started to turn golden.

Remove pan from heat, add capers, vinegar, honey, water, and Sunmuscat sultanas. Stir well, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Toss parsley through cooked cauliflower and transfer to a serving plate. Spoon dressing over top, sprinkle with walnuts or pine nuts to serve.

Roasted Cauliflower Steak with Cashew Cream

Preheat oven to 425°F. Set aside a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Prepare cauliflower by trimming away any green leaves. With the cauliflower sitting on it’s stem, use a knife to slice it in half. Cut one thick slice from either side – so that you have two “steaks”, each about 1 ½” (4 cm) thick. Set cauliflower steaks aside.

Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 teaspoons olive oil, and once hot, add cauliflower steaks. Let them sear, undisturbed, for 3-3 ½ minutes on each side (cooking for approximately 6-7 minutes total). Remove once they’ve developed a golden crust on either side. While the cauliflower cooking you can assemble the harissa glaze. In a small bowl combine 2 teaspoons water, maple syrup, paprika, cumin, coriander and smoked paprika. Mix well. Once the cauliflower is seared, transfer steaks to lined baking sheet. Brush harissa glaze on both sides, coating all the nooks and crannies. Transfer to oven for 5-7 minutes or until tender.

While the cauliflower steaks are in the oven, prepare the warm chickpea salad.  Add the spinach and chickpeas to a large bowl.

Squeeze lemon and drizzle avocado oil over the greens and beans. Add Himalayan sea salt and black pepper. Toss well to combine.

Assemble your dish with chickpea salad, seared cauliflower steak and drizzle with cashew cream.
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