Sultana & Cornflake Cookies

Lamb Rogan Josh

1. Heat half of the oil in a large frying pan, add onion, garlic and ginger, cook for 3-4 minutes until tender. Add rogan josh paste and cook a further minute until fragrant. Add to the pot of a slow cooker.
2. Using the remaining oil, sear lamb in batches until well browned. Add to the slow cooker with the tomatoes and water. Cook on low heat for 8 hours. Stir in garam masala and season well.
3. Serve lamb with almonds, coriander and papadums.*For a faster cooking time, cook on High heat for 4 hours.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 170°C.

1. Line 24 cupcake pans with paper cases.
2. Sift flour, cocoa powder and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl. Stir through the sugar and currants.
3. Whisk the buttermilk, butter, eggs, vinegar and vanilla in a large jug until combined.
4. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture. Add the buttermilk mixture. Stir until just combined. Stir in the food colouring.
5. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

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.

Spiced Meatloaf

Combine all ingredients except capsicum throughly. Place half of the sliced capsicum decoratively over the base of a loaf pan approximately 23cm x 9cm.

Gently spoon half the meat mixture on the capsicum.

Place remaining capsicum slices on top then spoon on remaining meat mixture, pressing meatloaf down firmly.

Bake in a moderate oven for 40 minutes or until cooked when tested.

Delicious served with a brown onion gravy.

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.

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.