Gingerbread Decorations

Preparation 20 Minutes

Cook 12-14 MINS Minutes

Serves 32

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Method

  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.

Ingredients

125g butter, diced and softened

½ cup brown sugar

¼ cup golden syrup

1 egg

2 ¼ cups plain flour

½ cup SUNBEAM Almond Meal

1 tsp bi-carbonate of soda

3 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp cinnamon

Purchased pre-prepared white icing

SUNBEAM Currants, for decorating

Ribbons, for decoration

Recipe Collection

Muesli Bar Slice

Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line a 28cm x 18cm x 3cm tin

  1. In a large bowl mix together the oats, oat bran, bran, sunflower kernels, flour, apricots and sultanas.
  2. Melt the butter, honey and brown sugar in the microwave for 1 minute and add to the dry ingredients. Stir in the egg and milk until well combined.
  3. Press into greased and lined tin and bake for 15 minutes. Cut into slices when cooled.

Fruit & Maple Chocolate Cupcakes

To make the cupcakes line a standard muffin tray with 12 cupcake cases. Add Cadbury Baking Chocolate, cocoa powder, instant coffee and Coles Finest Maple Syrup to a heatproof bowl, pour over 100ml boiling water and whisk until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Cool for 5 mins before whisking in sour cream, olive oil, eggs and Coles Make and Bake Vanilla Paste.

In a separate bowl, mix together Sunbeam Sultanas, flour, dark sugar, McKenzie’s Baking Powder and sea salt. Add to the chocolate mixture and mix until combined. Divide evenly between cupcake cases and bake for 20 mins until the cupcakes spring back when gently pressed in the centre. Cool completely.

To make the buttercream, use an electric beater to whisk butter until smooth and creamy.  With the mixer running, add Coles Sweetened Condensed Milk in a slow and thin stream until completely incorporated, then add Coles Make and Bake Vanilla Paste and whisk for 2 mins on a high speed until fluffy and smooth.

Decorate cupcakes with the buttercream.

Chocolate Bark Variations

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, seeds & fruit evenly over the chocolate. 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.

Boiled Fruit Cake

  1. Soak fruit overnight in sherry or brandy
  2. Place soaked fruit, water, butter, golden 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.
  3. Add lightly beaten eggs mixing thoroughly. Fold in sifted flours, spices and vanilla essence.
  4. Place in a 20cm round or square cake tin. Decorate with almonds. Bake at 160°C for 75 to 90 minutes. Cool in tin.

Thermo cooker method:

  1. Soak fruit overnight in sherry or brandy.
  2. Place soaked fruit, water, butter, golden syrup and sugar into TM bowl and heat 7 min/100°C/Reverse/speed 1.
  3. Add bicarb soda mixed with one tablespoon boiling water and gently stir through with the spatula – the mix will froth up but should not spill over.
  4. Cool for 15 minutes in TM bowl.
  5. Carefully add all remaining ingredients apart from the blanched almonds in the order listed and mix 10 sec/Reverse/speed 4.
  6. Scrape down sides of the bowl and mix 5 sec/Reverse/speed 4.
  7. Place in a lined 20cm round or square cake tin. Decorate with almonds. Bake at 160ºC for 1¼ to 1½ hours. Cool in tin.

Christmas Cake

I. Start by preheating your oven to 16O°C on the fan-bake setting

2. Then in a large saucepan, add 500g Sunbeam Mixed Fruit, 1 teaspoon of mixed spice, 100g of Sunbeam walnuts, 150g of sugar, 150mL of brandy, 150mL of orange juice and 125g of unsalted butter (note: you can sub the brandy for more orange juice if you like!)

3. Next bring the saucepan to a simmer over a low heat for approx. 20 minutes, then pop the fruit mixture into the fridge to cool down.

4. Now in a large mixing bowl, add 2 eggs, 2 cups/270g of flour, 1 teaspoon of bicarb and 1 teaspoon of baking powder

5. Next pour the chilled fruit mixture into the bowl and give it a good mix using a wooden spoon.

6. Now line a 19cm x 6.5cm round baking tin with baking paper as demonstrated in the IGTV, then pour the mixture into the tin (be careful not to collapse the sides of the baking paper.

7. Give the tin a few taps and a good shake around to ensure the mixture is nice and even, before popping it into the oven at l60C (be sure to keep an eye on the top of the cake to ensure it doesn’t burn!)

8. After approx. l hour 10 minutes insert a skewer into the cake: if it comes out clean, the cake is done and you can remove it from the oven.

9. Set the cake aside to cool for a few hours, then remove it from the tin. Peel off the baking paper and serve!

Recipe Credit: @recipearce

Christmas duck with fruity nut stuffing

  • Fry bacon for a few minutes until softened. Remove from pan.
  • Add onion, celery and garlic to the pan and cook untill soft but not brown.
  • In a large bowl, combine the breadcrumbs with the dried fruit, bacon, onion mixture, nuts, herbs, brandy & pepper.
  • Use to stuff duck or any poultry.
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