Asparagus with Proscuttio, Parmesan & Pine Nuts

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.

Gingerbread Almond Wreath

1. Pre-heat oven to 170°C (150°C fan-forced). Lightly grease and line a 22cm ring tin.

2. Beat the butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition.

3. 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.

4. Serve on a platter surrounded by fresh rosemary sprigs and fill the cavity with raspberries.

Crunchy Apple Slaw

1. Place pine nuts and sesame seeds in a small frying pan and cook for 5 minutes until golden and toasted. Set aside.
2. Combine the cabbage, apples, spring onions, raisins and mint in a large mixing bowl and toss well.
3. Whisk together the oil and vinegar. Season to taste. Pour over apple mixture and toss well. Spoon onto serving platter and sprinkle with toasted seeds and nuts and some additional mint leaves.

Hot Cross Buns

In a small saucepan, heat the milk until just boiling. Pour ¼ cup of the hot milk into a small bowl. Set aside remaining milk.

Add 1 tsp of the caster sugar to the ¼ cup of milk. Sprinkle the yeast of the top and stir. Sit at room temperature until bubbly and doubled in size, approx. 10 min.

Meanwhile, add the butter to remaining reserved hot milk and stir to combine. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

In a large bowl, place flour, bicarb, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Make a well in the centre. Pour in the milk and butter mix. Stir. Then add the yeast mix. Stir to combine. Add the egg. Continue to stir until a sticky dough forms.

Tip onto a lightly floured clean surface, and knead until it becomes a smooth dough, about 5 mins.

Place the dough into a large oiled bowl. Cover with cling film, sprayed with oil and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until it has doubled in size. Add the sultanas, mix again, and recover. Rest again in a warm place for another hour.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200C. Grease and line a baking tray with baking paper.

Divide the dough into 12 pieces and roll into balls on a lightly floured surface.

Arrange onto prepared tray, leaving a 2cm space between each ball. Spray with oil, cover and rest for 30-60 mins, or until dough has risen again.

For the paste:

In a small bowl, combine flour and icing sugar. Gradually add water, 1 tbspn at a time, until a paste forms.

Using a piping bag with a small nozzle (or a small snap lock bag with the corner snipped) fill with the paste and pipe along the centre of each row of rolls. Turn the tray and repeat this across the centre of the rolls to form a cross.

Bake on the middle rack in the oven for 20 mins or until golden.

Gently heat the jam to melt to a syrupy consistency. Brush the tops of the warm buns to glaze.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Festive Rumballs

1. Place biscuits, walnuts and sultanas in a food processor, pulsing until fine crumbs have formed. Add coconut, condensed milk and cinnamon. Continue pulsing until mixture has come together. Remove to a bowl and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
2. Roll teaspoons of chilled mixture into balls whilst enclosing half a cherry or walnut inside. Toss in extra coconut or finely chopped walnuts. Refrigerate until required.

Almond Joy Cookies

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line cookie trays with baking paper.

Beat butter, extract, sugars and egg in a small bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Transfer mixture to a large bowl; stir in sifted flour and soda, in two batches. Stir in Sunbeam Flaked Almonds, coconut & chocolate.

Roll tablespoons of mixture into balls; place 5cm apart on trays.

Bake cookies 15 minutes or until golden; cool on trays.

Feel the joy!