Twisted Christmas Bread Wreath

Gingerbread Decorations

1. Place butter, sugar and golden syrup in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat until creamy. Add egg and mix until well combined.

2. Gently fold in the flour, almond meal and spices until a dough has formed. Shape into a flattened ball and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

3. Pre-heat oven to 180C (160C fan-forced). Roll the dough out onto a floured surface to 5mm thickness. Using star and round shaped cutters, cut shapes and transfer to lined oven trays. Using a small piping nozzle, cut a hole in the top of each shape prior to baking. Re-roll the dough offcuts until all has been used.

4. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until golden. Allow to cool on trays for 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.

5. Once cool, decorate the biscuits with icing and currants. Thread lengths of ribbon through the holes and tie. Decorate your Christmas tree or give as gifts.

Alternative option: Prior to baking, press flaked almonds or slivered almonds into the dough and bake. Once cooked and cool, dust with icing sugar.

Chocolate Puddings with Sherry Raisins

1. Pre-heat oven to 160°C (140°C fan-forced). Lightly grease 6 x ¾ cup capacity muffin pans. Place butter, sugar, raisins and sherry in a saucepan and heat, stirring occasionally until butter has melted. Allow to cool.

2. Mix eggs through raisin mixture and then fold in the flour, almond meal, cocoa and spice. Pour between prepared pans and bake for 30 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes in pan before removing.

3. Use a small spatula to help remove puddings from pans and serve with custard and cream.

   
   Puddings can be made in advance and re-heated briefly in a microwave to warm through.

Rum & Raisin Profiterole Wreath

To make the custard, combine raisins and rum in a small bowl and allow to soak for 10 mins.  Drain and roughly chop the raisins.

Combine milk, cream and vanilla in a medium sized, heavy based saucepan over medium heat.  Not letting the milk come to a boil, stir until warmed. 

In a separate bowl combine egg yolks and sugar, whisk until mixed then add flour and whisk to incorporate. 

Gradually add the egg mixture to the milk, whisking over a medium heat, until it is all added and incorporated.  The custard will thicken, continue to whisk until smooth.  Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly before stirring through the soaked raisins.

To make the choux pastry, preheat oven to 190ºC (170ºC fan).  Line 2 large baking trays with baking paper. 

In a medium saucepan, combine butter and sugar with 250ml water.  Stir over a medium-high heat until the water begins to boil and the butter has melted.  Remove pan from the heat, add the flour and use a wooden spoon to vigorously mix to combine.  The mixture will begin to resemble a dough – return pan to medium heat and cook for a further 1-3 mins, stirring, until you notice the dough pulling away from the sides of the pan.  Spoon the dough into a bowl of a stand mixer and allow to cool slightly (10 mins).

Fit the stand mixer with a whisk attachment.  Add vanilla bean paste and 1 egg and whisk until just combined.  Repeat with remaining eggs until your dough is glossy.

Transfer the mixture to a large piping bag fitted with large, round, open tip.  Spray the surface of the baking paper with a fine mist of water.

Pipe 12 rounds, evenly spaced, onto each prepared tray.  Bake for 30-40 mins, ensuring the oven door stays closed for the first 25 mins, until the pastries are puffed and golden.  In the final 5 mins, prick the base of the pastries with a toothpick and return to the oven to dry out.

Turn off the oven and open the door, allow pastries to cool completely in the oven.

Once the pastries are cool dip in melted chocolate (white and dark) and rest on a baking rack until chocolate sets.

Pipe each profiterole with the rum and raisin custard.  Arrange in a wreath shape on a large, round serving platter.  Decorate with cherries, raspberries and mint leaves.  Generously drizzle with chocolate sauce to serve.

Pistachio & Fruit Cheesecake

Easter Blondies

Chocolate Hazelnut Pudding

1. Place raisins, sultanas and rum in a bowl and set to one side.
2. Cream butter and brown sugar, until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.
3. Sift flour, mixed spice and cinnamon. Add breadcrumbs, hazelnuts, chocolate, buttermilk, rum soaked fruit and butter mixture and mix well to combine.
4. Spray 1.7L pudding bowl with oil and line base with baking paper. Spoon mixture into bowl and top with baking paper round and lid. Place a wire rack onto the base of a large saucepan, fill with water and bring to the boil. Carefully place pudding onto rack making sure the water comes about halfway up the basin. Cover and simmer for 3 hours, topping up water when needed.
5. Remove from saucepan; stand for 10 minutes, before turning out.

Tip: This pudding can also be cooked in the microwave. Ensure your pudding bowl is microwave safe, cook in microwave on defrost setting for 30 minutes, check if a skewer inserted into pudding comes out clean. If not cooked, microwave at 5 minute intervals, until skewer comes out clean. Stand for 10 minutes before turning out.