Gingerbread Decorations

Family Fruit Mince Tart

1. Blend or process butter, and sifted flour and icing sugar until crumbly. Add egg yolk, extract and the water; process until ingredients come together.

   Enclose in plastic wrap; refrigerate 30 minutes.

   Roll pastry between sheets of baking paper until large enough to line 18cm x 30cm rectangular loose-based flan tin.

   Lift pastry into tin, press into sides, trim excess; prick base all over with a fork. Cover; refrigerate 20 minutes.

   Meanwhile, preheat oven to 200°C.

   Place tin on oven tray; line pastry with baking paper then fill with bakers weights. Bake 15 minutes. Cool.

   Add fruit mince in an even layer over tart base.

   Roll pastry scraps on floured surface, cut out desired shapes. 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 sugar before serving.

    

Carrot & Walnut Cake Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius 

Whisk together your plain flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon 

In a separate bowl, mix your wet ingredients, milk, white vinegar, vegetable oil, eggs and brown sugar 

Once your wet ingredients are well combined, stir in your carrots, shredded coconut, pineapple, walnuts and raisins. 

Pour your wet ingredients into your dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not over mix. 

Fill your muffin tins with your patty pans and then with a spoon or a lever ice cream scoop, fill them to the top. 

Bake in the oven for approximately 20 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.  

Let cool completely before decorating with meringue. 

Once your muffins are cool you can start on your meringue. Mix your egg whites and caster sugar together in a bowl over a pot of water on the stove. Once the heat from the pot has dissolved the sugar in your egg whites, put your bowl on your electric mixer and whisk until stiff peaks. 

Using a piping bag or a large ziplock bag with the corner cut off, pipe the top of your muffins in any shape you like. If you have a blow torch, give them some colour, or leave them natural and decorate with your favourite easter eggs.  

Sunbeam Christmas Cake

Soak fruit overnight in brandy, if you warm the brandy it infuses faster and you can soak for a few hours instead of overnight.

Place soaked fruit, water, butter, maple syrup and sugar in a saucepan. Slowly bring to the boil then remove from heat and add bicarbonate of soda mixed with one tablespoon boiling water. Cool for 15 minutes.

Add lightly beaten eggs, mixing thoroughly. Fold in sifted flours, spices and vanilla essence.

We used a 21cm bundt tin. Bake at 160°C for 75 to 90 minutes. Cool in tin.

Decorate with Caramel glaze and Sunbeam flake almonds.

Fruit & Nut Log Salami

In a dry pan on medium heat gently toast the slithered almonds till slightly brown, then set aside to cool.

Place the finely chopped dates and apricots pistachios, ginger & biscuits in a bowl.

Add the almonds, currants, cranberries Blend until well mixed, add melted chocolate & condensed milk and stir till combined.

Turn out onto cling film. Roll and shape into a log. Chill for at least 4 hours.

To decorate tie with bakers string roll in powdered sugar and wrap in baking paper.

Spiced Lamb in Lettuce Cups

1. Heat oil in a large frying pan. Add onion and garlic, cooking for several minutes until tender. Add spices, cooking a further minute. Increase heat and add lamb mince, cooking until well browned.
2. Add dates, pomegranate molasses, herbs and pinenuts. Mix well and season to taste.
3. Spoon mixture between prepared lettuce cups. Drizzle with yoghurt and lemon juice, finishing with additional mint leaves.

Chocolate Fudge Cookies

1. Pre-heat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Place chocolate in a microwave proof container and cook in 30 second increments until melted and smooth, whilst stirring regularly. Allow to cool.
2. Place butter, sugar and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until pale and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, until well incorporated. Fold in melted chocolate.
3. Fold in flour and almond meal. Refrigerate cookie dough, covered for at least 1 hour.
4. Roll chilled dough into 48 small balls and press down lightly onto lined oven trays. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool on tray before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.
5. For ganache, place chocolate and cream in a microwave proof bowl and cook in 15 second increments until melted and smooth, whilst stirring regularly. Allow to cool slightly before using ganache to join cookies together, to make 24.