Almond Star Bread
Preparation 15 Minutes
Cook 25 Minutes
Serves 6
Method
Preheat the oven to 180℃.
To make the Spiced Almond Cream: place butter and sugar into a stand mixer bowl. Mix for 2 minutes, until smooth. Slowly add the whisked eggs, salt and vanilla and mix again to incorporate. Fold in the almond meal and cinnamon and fold through with a wooden spoon to incorporate.
Slice each piece of puff pastry into 4 x 25cm circles.
Place one dough circle onto a piece of baking paper and spread 1 tablespoon of the Spiced Almond Cream evenly over the top. Stack the next dough circle on top and repeat with more Spiced Almond Cream. Repeat again with the final two dough circles.
Place a round object, about 7-8cm wide into the centre of the circle and make an indent, which becomes the centre of the star.
Cut the dough into 16 evenly spaced strips, starting from the indent to the edge of the dough. Take two strips next to each other and roll them away from each other. Press the two ends together to join. Repeat with the remaining 14 strips until each are twisted and paired up.
Transfer the star on the baking paper to a large baking tray. Brush with egg water wash and sprinkle over the flaked almonds. Place into the oven and bake for 25 minutes until puffed up and golden brown.
Remove from the oven, allow to cool and then dust with icing sugar, to serve.
Ingredients
4 sheets butter puff pastry
1 large egg whisked with 1 tablespoon of water
½ cup Sunbeam Flaked Almonds
¼ cup icing sugar, to serve
Spiced Almond Cream
100g unsalted butter, cubed, at room temperature
100g caster sugar
2 medium eggs, at room temperature, whisked
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup Sunbeam Australian Almond Meal
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Recipe Collection
Christmas Cheesecake
Preheat oven to 180oC (160oC fan). Generously grease a 20cm round, loose-bottom (or springform) tin. Line the base with baking paper.
In the bowl of a food processor, add biscuits. Blitz to a fine crumb. Add 250g of the melted butter and blitz until just combined. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and use a spatula to gentle push half of the mixture up the sides of the tin. Spread remaining mixture evenly over the base (using a drinking glass can help to compact the mixture around the sides and base). Refrigerate.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine remaining butter with sugar and whisk until combined. With the motor running, add eggs one at a time until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add cream cheese, quark, sour cream and vanilla, whisk until smooth. Add cornflour and mix until incorporated.
Add peel and sultanas and gently fold through the cream mixture, then spoon into the prepared base and smooth the surface.
Bake cheesecake for 10mins then reduce oven temperature to 170°C (150°C fan) and bake for a further 50 mins. Turn off the oven, leaving the door slightly open, allow cheesecake to sit in the oven for a further hour until the edges of the cheesecake feel firm when gently pressed.
Allow the cheesecake to cool completely at room temperature then remove sides of tin and transfer cheesecake to refrigerator to cool overnight.
To make the meringue decoration, place the egg whites and caster sugar in a large bowl and whip into soft peaks. Spoon the meringue on top of the cheese cake and shape with a spatula. Use kitchen blow torch to lightly crisp the outside of the meringue. Serve and enjoy!
Reindeer Raisin Bites
- Add dark and milk chocolate, raisins, and almonds (excluding reserved almonds) to a food processor and blitz until very finely chopped.
- Transfer chocolate to a bowl, pour over the hot thickened cream, add butter and salt and stir to combine. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours until firm but still able to be scooped with a spoon.
- To make truffles, scoop 2 heaped tbsp of the mixture and use clean hands to roll into a ball. Repeat with the remaining mixture.
- Roll balls in the chocolate sprinkles to coat.
- Cut pretzels in half and insert 2 into each ball for antlers.
- Just below the antlers, insert slivered almond to form reindeer’s ears.
- Use white icing to stick an Ovalteenie to each ball to form a snout.
- Use white icing to create two eyeballs just above the mouth. And a dot to each eye with the black gel.
- Use the white icing to attach a red mini M&M to the top of each Ovalteenie to give your reindeers noses.
- Refrigerate for a further hour to set the icing. Serve cold.
Chocolate Fruit Truffles
- Add chocolate to a food processor and blitz until very finely chopped.
- Transfer chocolate to a bowl, pour over the hot thickened cream, add butter, currants and salt and stir to combine. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours until firm but still able to be scooped with a spoon.
- To make truffles, scoop 1 heaped tbsp of the mixture and use clean hands to roll into a rough ball. Repeat with remaining mixture (you should make about 24)
- Arrange crushed nuts, desiccated coconut and cacao powder in separate bowls. Roll each of the truffles into different coatings to decorate.*to make coloured coconut we combined desiccated coconut with a few drops of food colouring
Spiced Lamb Meatballs with Currants
- 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.
- Heat half of the oil in a large pan and sear the meatballs until well browned, set aside to drain on paper towel.
- 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.
Banana Date Loaf
- Pre-heat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Line a 10 x 20cm loaf pan with baking paper. Place bananas and dates in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Add eggs and oil. Pulse until well combined.
- Transfer banana mixture to a mixing bowl and fold in flour, coconut, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and cranberries. Pour into prepared loaf pan and sprinkle top with the seeds. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Allow to cool before slicing.
Bunny Garden Platter
Start by placing french dip and small bowl and both cheese on the platter in a zig zag.
Pull apart cos heats into individual leaves and cut carrots into halves.
Arrange the ingredients on the platter around the cheeses.
Garnich brie with fresh honeycomb onto it when serving.