Christmas Mud Cakes with Chocolate Ganache

Preparation 20 Minutes

Cook 25 Minutes

Serves 12

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Method

  1. Preheat oven to 150ºC (130ºC fan-forced). Line 12 x ⅓ cup capacity muffin pans with paper cases.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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

Christmas Cake Friands (GF)

  1. Pre-heat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Lightly grease 12 x ⅓ cup capacity muffin pans.
  2. Place fruit and brandy in a microwave proof dish and cook on medium heat for 30 seconds. Set aside to cool.
  3. Sift icing sugar into a large mixing bowl and stir in the almond meal and flour.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until frothy. Mix in the butter and add to the icing sugar mixture. Stirring until well combined.
  5. Pour mixture between prepared moulds and bake for 20-25 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans and cool completely on a cooling rack.
  6. For icing, combine icing sugar and water mixing until smooth. Allow to sit until desired consistency is achieved. Spoon over each cake and finish with lemon rind and raspberries.

Chocolate Fruit Truffles

  1. Add chocolate to a food processor and blitz until very finely chopped.
  2. 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.
  3. 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)
  4. 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

Easter Butter Board

 

  1. Whisk your room temp butter until light a fluffy, this takes approx 5 min
  2. Spread your whipped butter generously on a board or serving platter. Go rustic!
  3. Top with diced pan fried pieces of pancetta, Angas Park figs, fresh figs, Sunbeam chopped nuts and sultanas.
  4. Drizzle with honey and finish with sprigs of rosemary.
  5. Serve with crusty bread, crackers, or warm hot cross buns for an Easter twist 🐰

Chocolate Ripple Christmas Wreath

You will need to begin this recipe the night before

Whip the cream to soft peaks. 

Spread a few tablespoons of whipped cream onto the base of a 26-28cm round serving plate.  This will stop your wreath from sliding around.

Dollop 1 flat tbsp of whipped cream onto a biscuit and top with another biscuit.  Repeat until you have a stack of 5 biscuits, the top biscuit should not have any cream on top.

Repeat to make 8 stacks of biscuits.

On the prepared serving plate, arrange the biscuit stacks into a wreath shape.  Spread the entire biscuit wreath with just enough whipped cream to ensure the biscuits are covered on top and around the sides.  Refrigerate overnight, reserving remaining whipped cream.

When ready to serve, spread remaining whipped cream around the wreath.  Decorate with dried fruit and nuts.

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.

Pistachio & Fruit Cheesecake

  1. Cover Angas Park Apricots in 100ml maple syrup & 50ml water in bowl. Cover Angas Park Fruit Medley in 150ml of maple syrup and 50ml water in another bowl. Set both aside to soak.
  2. In a food processor blend almonds and almond meal until fine crumb. Mix almond crumb with melted butter, press into bottom of cake tin. Preheat oven to 180ºC & bake 15 min.
  3. Mix room temperature cream cheese until fluffy. Dissolve gelatine powder in boiling water. Add gelatine, condensed milk, melted white chocolate to cream cheese & combine until smooth.
  4. Fold well-drained fruit medley into cake mix then pour over cooled almond base in springform cake tin. Refrigerate until set (Approx. 6 hours).
  5. Remove cheesecake from tin and serve with drained apricots and chopped pistachios for garnish.
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