Spiced Currant Biscuits

Preparation 10 Minutes

Cook 20 Minutes

Serves 15

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Method

  1. Sift the flour and spices into a bowl. In a separate bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric beaters until thick and pale, then add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold ii the flour mixture slowly, then stir in currants and lemon zest. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 2 hours.
  2. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Roll out dough 4-5mm thick then cut with a round biscuit cutter and place on the trays. Repeat with remaining dough, re-rolling the trimmings.
  3. Sprinkle biscuits with extra sugar. Bake for 10 minutes until firm to touch but still pale. Cool on trays for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Ingredients

3 cups plain flour

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

225g salted butter, at room temperature

1 cup caster sugar, plus 2 tbsp extra to sprinkle

2 eggs

3/4 cup Sunbeam currants

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

Recipe Collection

Hot Cross Bun Loaf

Place flour, yeast, sugar, allspice, cinnamon and salt in mixing bowl and briefly mix until combined. 

Add in melted butter, warm milk, egg, sultanas and currants. 

Mix with dough hook on medium speed for 5-7 minutes until a dough ball is formed and is coming away from the sides of the bowl. 

Leave the dough covered with clingfilm in a warm place for approximately 1 hour or until doubles in size. 

Knock the air out of the dough and then shape it into a loaf. 

Place dough into a greased dough tin approximately 24cm x 13cm x 6.5 cm in size. 

Cover dough with cling film again and let rise for approximately 40 minutes or until it has risen to about 70% of its original size. 

Pre heat oven to 180 degrees. 

Cross Method 

Mix flour and water together until a thickish paste forms. Using a ziplock bag with the corner cut off or a piping bag, pipe crosses down the center of the loaf, and then across the other way three or four times. 

Bake in the oven for 35 minutes, or until it sounds hollow when you tap it. 

Let cool on a baking rack for 15-20 minutes.  

Drizzle Method 

Mix icing sugar and lemon juice together and drizzle over loaf whilst still slightly warm. 

Custard-stuffed Hot Cross Doughnuts

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.

Macadamia and Cacao Balls

  1. Blend or process dates until smooth
  2. Combine macadamia meal, cacao and dates in a bowl.
  3. Use wet hands to roll tablespoons of mixture in balls. Roll in coconut.

Almond & Cranberry Bark

In 160 degree oven. Toast the almonds on a rimmed baking sheet until fragrant and turning lightly golden on the edges, about 6 minutes.

Transfer the nuts to a cutting board and roughly chop them.

Place the chocolate in a large heat-proof bowl over a pot of gently simmering water. Cook until the chocolate is almost entirely melted, stirring frequently.

Cover a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a silicone or rubber spatula to spread chocolate evenly over the centre area of the baking sheet—aim for about ¼″ thickness

Sprinkle the nuts evenly over the chocolate, followed by the cranberries. Lightly use your palms to press the toppings into the chocolate.

Place the pan on a flat surface in the refrigerator to set.

Once the chocolate is completely hardened, use your hands to break it into about 25 pieces. Serve immediately, or cover and store at room temperature for up to 1 week

Hot Cross Buns

In a small saucepan, heat the milk until just boiling. Pour ¼ cup of the hot milk into a small bowl. Set aside remaining milk.

Add 1 tsp of the caster sugar to the ¼ cup of milk. Sprinkle the yeast of the top and stir. Sit at room temperature until bubbly and doubled in size, approx. 10 min.

Meanwhile, add the butter to remaining reserved hot milk and stir to combine. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

In a large bowl, place flour, bicarb, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Make a well in the centre. Pour in the milk and butter mix. Stir. Then add the yeast mix. Stir to combine. Add the egg. Continue to stir until a sticky dough forms.

Tip onto a lightly floured clean surface, and knead until it becomes a smooth dough, about 5 mins.

Place the dough into a large oiled bowl. Cover with cling film, sprayed with oil and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until it has doubled in size. Add the sultanas, mix again, and recover. Rest again in a warm place for another hour.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200C. Grease and line a baking tray with baking paper.

Divide the dough into 12 pieces and roll into balls on a lightly floured surface.

Arrange onto prepared tray, leaving a 2cm space between each ball. Spray with oil, cover and rest for 30-60 mins, or until dough has risen again.

For the paste:

In a small bowl, combine flour and icing sugar. Gradually add water, 1 tbspn at a time, until a paste forms.

Using a piping bag with a small nozzle (or a small snap lock bag with the corner snipped) fill with the paste and pipe along the centre of each row of rolls. Turn the tray and repeat this across the centre of the rolls to form a cross.

Bake on the middle rack in the oven for 20 mins or until golden.

Gently heat the jam to melt to a syrupy consistency. Brush the tops of the warm buns to glaze.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Spiced Lamb Meatballs with Currants

  1. Pre-heat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Roughly chop one half of the onion and add to the bowl of a food processor. Add the lamb, torn apart bread, spices and coriander. Pulse until well combined. Remove to a mixing bowl and add pinenuts and seasonings. Mix well and form into large balls using approx. 1½ tablespoons mixture for each.
  2. Heat half of the oil in a large pan and sear the meatballs until well browned, set aside to drain on paper towel.
  3. Finely dice the remaining onion half and add to the pan with the remaining oil and garlic. Cook for 3-4 minutes over a low heat until tender. Add the passata, stock and currants, mixing well. Return meatballs to pot and cover with a lid. Place into oven and bake for 20 minutes. Remove lid and cook a further 5 minutes.Alternatively this can be cooked on the stove top, partially covered until meatballs are cooked through. Remove lid to reduce liquid if desired.
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