Fruit Mince Brownies

Preparation 25 MINS + 2 hrs fruit infusing time

Cook 25

Serves 12 Squares

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Method

In a small saucepan heat mixed fruit and maple syrup until bubbling then remove from heat and set aside to infuse.

Approx 2 hrs

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a 22cm square cake or brownie pan and line the base with baking paper.

Place chocolate, sugar and butter in a saucepan over low heat, stirring until melted and well combined. Remove from heat, cool slightly, then stir in eggs until well combined. Add flour, baking powder, cocoa, fruit mince, vanilla paste and nuts, stirring to combine. Spread into the pan and bake for 25 minutes or until just set.

Cool in pan, then dust with cocoa. Cut into 12 squares and serve. Brownies will keep in an airtight container for 2-3 days.

Ingredients

200g good-quality dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), chopped

300g brown sugar

250g unsalted butter, chopped

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1 1/3 cups (200g) plain flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/3 cup (35g) cocoa, plus extra to dust

1/3 cup (85g) Sunbeam fruit mince

1/2 cup maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla paste

1 cup (100g) Sunbeam walnuts, toasted & chopped

Recipe Collection

Chocolate & Prune Pudding

  1. Grease the base and sides of a 1.5L pudding basin. Combine prunes, raisins, sultanas and brandy in a microwave proof bowl and cook for 2 minutes. Stir well and set aside.
  2. Place butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat until smooth and pale. Add eggs one at a time until well incorporated. Fold in the flour, breadcrumbs, cocoa, chocolate and mixed spice, followed by the fruit mixture. Mix until well combined.
  3. Pour batter into prepared pudding basin and cover (if no lid, use a couple of layers of baking paper and secure with string or a large elastic band. Then cover with a layer of foil, securing with a large elastic band. Place into a large pot with a small saucepan in the base. Pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the basin. Cover with a lid and simmer for 3 hours. Top up water as required.
  4. Remove from pot and either serve immediately, or leave in the basin and refrigerate until required.
  5. For butterscotch sauce, combine all ingredients in a small saucepan, and gently bring to the boil. Simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from heat and set aside.
  6. For mascarpone cream, fold mixed spice into mascarpone and set aside until required.
  7. For serving, place upturned pudding onto a serving plate and dollop with mascarpone and drizzle with butterscotch sauce. Decorate with seasonal fruits and toasted nuts.

Gingerbread Almond Wreath

  1. Pre-heat oven to 170°C (150°C fan-forced). Lightly grease and line a 22cm ring tin.

  2. Beat the butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition.

  3. Stir in the almond meal, coconut, bi-carb and spices. Mix well, then stir in the currants and sultanas. Pour into prepared pan and scatter the top with flaked almonds. Bake for 55-60 minutes until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.

  4. Serve on a platter surrounded by fresh rosemary sprigs and fill the cavity with raspberries.

Hot Cross Bun Choc Truffles

Combine hot cross buns, sultanas, mixed peel and mixed spice in a food processor and blend until a fine crumb. 

Combine dark and milk chocolate and cream in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for about 2 mins (stopping every 30 seconds and stirring) until the chocolate is completely melted. 

Add melted chocolate mixture to the food processor and blend until combined.  Transfer the mixture to a bowl, cover and refrigerate for 4-6 hours until firm enough to spoon. 

Spoon mixture into 2 tablespoon sized portions then roll into balls.  Roll in cocoa powder, dusting off excess powder.  Line a baking tray with baking paper, place balls onto the tray and refrigerate for 30 mins to harden.

Place white chocolate into a small, microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 1 min, stopping every 20 seconds to stir, or until completely melted.  Allow to cool slightly before transferring to a piping bag fitted with a small, round nozzle. 

Pipe a cross (to resemble a hot cross bun) onto the tops of each ball then return to fridge for a further 30 mins to set.

Apricot Balls

  1. Place apricots, sultanas and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil, then simmer for 2-3 minutes.
  2. Place cooled fruit in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Add oats and coconut. Remove to a bowl and roll teaspoonsful into balls and then roll in sesame seeds to coat. Refrigerate until required.

Notes:
Balls can also be rolled in coconut, chopped pepitas or chopped nuts.

Chocolate, Christmas, Gifting, Recipes, Sweet Treats

In slow 160 degree oven roast almonds on small tray for approx 10 min. Leave to cool then dice.

Roughly chop dates & apricots fairly fine. Place in small saucepan add water and heat on a low temperature till starting to soften.

Take off heat and stir in bi-carb till it starts to foam. Then set aside to cool.

Place biscuits in food processor and blitz to form fine bread crumbs. Add all the ingredients (except chocolate) and mix together, saving 10g of diced almonds to garnish.

Place in refrigerator for 1/2hr to cool and firm.

Melt Chocolate in a narrow deep jug for 1 minute in microwave, then 10-20sec intervals until fully melted.

Roll small balls of mixture and dip into melted chocolate. Use a fork to remove out of chocolate and tap excess off.

Place on tray covered in baking paper, garnish with almonds and refrigerate until set.

Rum & Raisin Trifle

Place the raisins, sultanas, currants, mixed peel, almonds and dates in a bowl and pour over 3/4 cup rum.  Cover and allow to macerate for at least 8 hours or overnight. Keep additional raisins seperate and add 1/4 cup rum these will be used for garnishing the trifle.

Pre heat the oven to 140 degrees C.  

Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until light and creamy.  Gradually add the eggs and beat well.  

Place the butter mixture, soaked fruit mixture, flour bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon and allspice in a large bowl and stir to combine.  

Line a 20cm square cake tin with two layers of non-stick baking paper.

Spoon in the mixture and bake for 2 hours or until cooked when tested with a skewer.  

Cool in the tin.  Once the cake has cooled remove from tin and freeze to semi-firm

Cut the fruit cake into 3cm pieces and decoratively line the base of trifle bowl & pour over the extra rum

Layer custard over fruit cake and repeat cake & custard layers if desired.

Whip caster sugar & thickened cream until stiff and add to trifle

Garnish with rum soaked raisins, and crushed ginger snaps

To make spun sugar, combine sugar with the water in small heavy-based saucepan. Stir over heat, without boiling, until sugar dissolves; bring to the boil.

Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, without stirring, until mixture is golden brown. Remove from heat; stand until bubbles subside. To make spun sugar, drizzle toffee between 2 wooden spoons over baking paper-lined oven tray.

Shape & stand at room temperature until set.
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