Christmas Lava Puddings

Pre-heat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced).

1.  Place butter and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer, beat until pale and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time until well incorporated.

2. Fold in the sifted flour, almond meal, baking powder and spice alternately with the sour cream, mixing until well combined. Add lemon juice and rind, mixing well.

3. Spoon batter into a greased and lined 20cm square cake pan. Sprinkle the pine nuts and currants over the top and bake for 40- 45 minutes, or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.

4. For the syrup: Place sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon in a saucepan. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer until reduced, thick and syrupy. Remove cinnamon stick.

5. Drizzle the syrup evenly over the cake, allowing it to be absorbed. Allow to cool in the pan for 1 hour. Serve cake pieces with a dollop of thick cream or yoghurt.

1. Line a 20cm x 20cm slice tin. Combine condensed milk and butter in a saucepan until heated through and butter has melted. Remove from heat and add chopped chocolate. Stirring until smooth.
2. Add cherries to chocolate mixture and mix well. Pour into prepared pan and tap on the bench gently so the surface is smooth. Sprinkle with hazelnuts and refrigerate for 1 hour until firm.
3. For serving, remove from pan and trim the edges. Cut into squares and package up to give as gifts.

Preheat oven to 180oC.

Brush a 2 litre pudding basin with vegetable oil, then line with plastic wrap, trying to keep wrap smooth without wrinkles. Place in the freezer to chill. In a bowl combine Sultanas, Raisins, cranberries, apricots, Macadamias and orange liqueur. Leave to soak for 30 minutes. Place softened ice cream in a large bowl stir in soaked fruit. Fold in whipped cream and pour mixture into prepared pudding basin. Place in the freezer and freeze for 4 hours or overnight.

To prepare orange cake, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in Almond Meal, orange juice and rind. Pour into a greased and paper lined 20cm cake tin and bake for 1 hour. Allow too cool in the tin, before turning out onto a board.

To finish pudding, ease ice-cream pudding from basin and place on top of cake. Trim the cake edges if required and serve cut into thick slices.

1. Line the base and sides of 2, 10 x 20cm loaf pans, or 4, 6 x 12cm mini loaf pans.
2. For topping choice Rum ‘n Raisin, combine raisins, rum and cinnamon in a bowl and set aside until required.
3. Place chocolate in a glass bowl and heat in the microwave in 30 second increments until half chocolate is melted. Stir chocolate constantly until all the chocolate is melted.
4. Pour chocolate evenly between pans and whilst still in melted form, working quickly, decorate with preferred toppings. Allow to set at room temperature and store in an airtight container when set. Wrap and give away as gifts.