Christmas Mud Cakes with Chocolate Ganache
Preparation 20 Minutes
Cook 25 Minutes
Serves 12
Method
- Preheat oven to 150ºC (130ºC fan-forced). Line 12 x ⅓ cup capacity muffin pans with paper cases.
- Place mixed fruit into a food processor with boiling water and blend to a fine paste. Transfer to a large saucepan with butter, chocolate, milk and brown sugar. Place over a medium heat and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes until the butter and chocolate has melted.
- Transfer mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer (or you can transfer to a clean bowl and use a hand mixer) and whisk in the eggs. Add flour mixture, cocoa, mixed spice and a generous pinch of salt. Mix until the batter is thick and smooth.
- Pour batter into the prepared cases and smooth the surface. Bake for 25 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool.
- Heat cream until hot and pour over chocolate. Mix until smooth and desired consistency achieved. Spread over mud cakes.
Ingredients
3/4 cup pure cream
300g SUNBEAM Mixed Fruit
1 tbsp boiling water
250g unsalted butter, chopped
200g dark chocolate, roughly chopped
330mL milk
⅓ cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1¾ cups plain flour, whisked with ½ tsp baking powder
¼ cup cocoa powder
2 tsp mixed spice
Sea salt
Ganache
¼ cup thickened cream
110g dark chocolate, chopped
Recipe Collection
Golden Fruit Cake
Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan-forced. In a large bowl add Sunbeam Almond Meal, sugar the butter and egg and combine until a breadcrumb texture. Spoon into a greased 23cm (base measurement) fluted loose base tart tin. Press mixture to line the base and sides of the tin. Making sure you have made even base and sides, the palm of your hand for the base. Freeze for 15 minutes. Place the tart shell on a baking tray and bake for 25 – 30 minutes or until golden. Set aside to cool.
Sunbeam Fathers Day Nut Mix
Preheat oven to 160°C
Line a large rimmed tray with baking paper so the maple syrup doesn’t get stuck to the pan.
Pour the Sunbeam natural almonds, raw cashews and pepitas onto the tray and set it aside.
In a small bowl, combine the maple syrup, melted butter, salt, rosemary, and cayenne. Stir till blended.
Pour the mixture over the nuts on the prepared baking sheet. Stir well, until all of the nuts are lightly coated. Then spread the mixture in a single layer across the tray.
Bake in oven, stirring after the first 10 minutes and then every 5 minutes thereafter, until almost no maple syrup remains on the parchment paper and the nuts are golden, approx 20 minutes.
Remove tray from the oven and stir the nuts one more time, spreading them into an even layer & let them cool. Once cool store in a airtight jar and gift to dad on Fathers Day!
Christmas Fruit Cake
Pre-heat oven to 150°C (130°C fan-forced). Use an oil spray to grease a deep bunting cake tin.
Combine mixed fruit, raisins, dates and currants in a large saucepan. Add water and port, mix through.
Place over a low heat for 5 minutes until liquid is absorbed and fruit softened.
Set aside to cool.
Using electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until creamy. Add eggs one at a time until all incorporated.
Fold in flours and spices. Remove from mixing stand and fold in the fruit mixture with a large spoon.
Mixing until well combined. Spoon batter into prepared bunting cake tin and tap on counter to remove air bubbles and ensure bater has filled the tin evenly.
Bake for 2 hours or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.
Allow to cool in the cake tin placed on wet tea towel before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.
**To serve drizzle with your favourite glaze by mixing 1 cup of icing sugar & 2 tbsp lemon juice
Baked Sultana Stuffed Apples
Core apples and peel from the top to about half way down.
Mix Sunbeam Sultanas, sugar, cinnamon and butter together, stuff the centre of each apple with the mixture.
Put in a greased baking dish, and if there is any stuffing left over fill the spaces between the apples with it.
Pour in enough water to cover bottom of baking dish, and bake slowly till apples are tender and syrup like caramel.
Mini Choc Raisin & Hazelnut Puddings
- Preheat oven to 170ºC. Place raisins, sultanas and rum in a bowl and set to one side.
- Cream butter and brown sugar, until light and fluffy.
- Beat in eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.
- Sift flours, mixed spice and cinnamon.
- Add breadcrumbs, finely chopped hazelnuts, chocolate, buttermilk, rum soaked fruit and butter mixture and mix well to combine.
- Prepare 8 pudding basins (200ml capacity): spray pudding basins with oil and line the bottom with baking paper.
- Divide evenly between prepared pudding basins.
Steaming Instructions
Place basins into a baking dish, and pour in enough boiling water to ½ fill the baking dish, cover with foil. Steam bake for 1 hour. Remove foil and bake for a further 20 minutes.
Microwave Instructions
Cook in microwave on defrost setting (300W) for 15 minutes, check if a skewer inserted into pudding comes out clean. If not cooked, microwave at 5 minute intervals, until skewer comes out clean. Stand for 10 minutes before turning out. Repeat with remaining mixture. (Note: Do not use foil in microwave).
Crunchy Apple Slaw
- Place pinenuts and sesame seeds in a small frying pan and cook for 5 minutes until golden and toasted. Set aside.
- Combine the cabbage, apples, spring onions, raisins and mint in a large mixing bowl and toss well.
- 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.
