Spinach & Ricotta Tart
Preparation 15 Minutes
Cook 35 Minutes
Serves 4-6
Method
- Pre-heat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Line an oven tray with baking paper.
- Steam or microwave spinach leaves until just wilted. Squeeze any excess liquid when cool enough to handle and then finely chop.
- Heat oil in a large frying pan over low heat, add spring onions and garlic, cooking for several minutes until just tender. Add spinach and cook a further minute. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Meanwhile, lightly whisk the egg white with a splash of water, set aside.
- Combine spinach mixture in a large mixing bowl with the ricotta, egg yolk, parmesan, pinenuts, mint and lemon rind. Mix until well combined and season well.
- Lay one pastry sheet onto oven tray and spoon spinach mixture over the top, leaving a 2cm border around each edge. Lightly brush the edges with some of the egg white mixture.
- Using the tip of a knife, lightly score the other sheet of pastry without cutting all the way through. Place on top of spinach mixture and seal the edges with a fork. Brush top sheet with some more of the egg white mixture and sprinkle with the seeds. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden.
Ingredients
200g washed and trimmed spinach leaves
1 tbsp olive oil
3 spring onions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
300g smooth ricotta
1 egg, separated
¼ cup grated parmesan
¼ cup SUNBEAM Pinenuts, toasted
¼ cup mint leaves, chopped
finely grated rind ½ a lemon
2 sheets puff pastry, partially defrosted
1 tbsp SUNBEAM Sunflower Seeds
1 tsp SUNBEAM Sesame Seeds
Recipe Collection
Apricot Balls
- Place apricots, sultanas and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil, then simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- 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.
Gingerbread Almond Wreath
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Pre-heat oven to 170°C (150°C fan-forced). Lightly grease and line a 22cm ring tin.
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Beat the butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition.
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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.
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Serve on a platter surrounded by fresh rosemary sprigs and fill the cavity with raspberries.
Mini Bombe Alaskas
Line 6 x 180ml dariole moulds (or 6 x 180ml capacity small dishes) with plastic wrap.*
Place icecream into a large bowl and allow to stand at room temperature for 10 mins, or until soft (do not allow to completely melt). Add fruit, nuts and sherry and use a spatula to mix well.
Spoon the mixture evenly between the prepared moulds and freeze overnight or until firm.
Slice the madeira cake horizontally into three big slices, about 2cm thick. Use a cookie cutter (just bigger than the bases of the icecream moulds) to cut 6 rounds from the cake slices.
To make the meringue, combine egg whites and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whisk until stiff peaks form.
One at a time, carefully remove an icecream from the mould and place on top of a cake round. Working quickly, smooth meringue around the cake and icecream to completely cover then blowtorch until golden. Serve and repeat with remaining prepared icecreams.
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.
Beef Crostini Sunmuscat Relish
This appetiser is nice way to begin a Christmas meal.
For the relish. Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a pan over medium-low heat. Add shallots, and cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Add Sunmuscats, port, vinegar, chilly, and thyme sprig. Raise heat to medium-high, and simmer until thickened, about 8 minutes. Let cool slightly. stir in chopped thyme, celery, salt, and pepper.
To serve, combine mayonnaise and mustard, and spread about 2 teaspoons on each slice of baguette. Top with a slice of beef, season with salt, and top with 1 teaspoon sunmuscat-port relish. Garnish with micro herbs.

Carrot, Walnut & Raisin Cake
Preheat oven to 180℃.
Grate young fresh carrots to give one full cup & strain the juice from 440g can of crushed pineapple.
In a bowl mix 1 cup of plain flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 3/4 tsp bicarb soda, 1/2 tsp each of salt & cinnamon & 3/4 cup caster sugar. Add 2 eggs and 5 Tbsp oil (just under 1/3 cup).
Sir in the grated carrot, crushed pineapple & 1/4 cup Sunbeam walnuts, chopped. Bake in a moderate oven 175 oC for 40 – 45 minutes and cool before covering with topping. (Note: We slightly froze the cake to make firm to slice into layers to add frosting in between)
To make cream cheese topping, place in a bowl butter, cream cheese, vanilla, icing sugar and beat very well. If too thick add a small amount of milk to give a smooth consistency.