Date & Raisin Liquor Truffles

Preparation 15 Minutes

Cook SET TIME: 1 1/2 HRS Minutes

Serves 20 balls

Method

Place the dates, raisins and liqueur in a small food processor and process to combine.

Place the mixture in a bowl with the melted chocolate and mix to combine.

Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until just set.

Using a tablespoon, roll the mixture into balls.

Roll the truffles in the almonds to coat and place on a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until set.

Makes 20. Store in refrigerator and bring to room temperature when you serve.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups (345g) Angas Park pitted dates, chopped

1/2 cup (75g) Sunbeam raisins

1 tablespoon hazelnut liqueur

200g dark chocolate, melted

1 cup (80g) Sunbeam flaked almonds, chopped

Recipe Collection

Chocolate Puddings with Sherry Raisins

  1. Pre-heat oven to 160°C (140°C fan-forced). Lightly grease 6 x ¾ cup capacity muffin pans. Place butter, sugar, raisins and sherry in a saucepan and heat, stirring occasionally until butter has melted. Allow to cool.

  2. Mix eggs through raisin mixture and then fold in the flour, almond meal, cocoa and spice. Pour between prepared pans and bake for 30 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes in pan before removing.

  3. Use a small spatula to help remove puddings from pans and serve with custard and cream.


    Puddings can be made in advance and re-heated briefly in a microwave to warm through.

Mini Fruit Tarts

Preheat oven to 200°C.

Add fruit mince in an even layer into tart case.

Cut out star shapes from shortcrust sheet.

Brush each pastry shape with beaten egg and place pastry egg-side down on fruit mince.

Bake tart about 20 minutes or until browned lightly. Dust with a little sifted icing sugar before serving.

 

Handmade Chocolate Bars

  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.

Sticky Date Christmas Pudding with Salted Caramel Sauce

TO MAKE THE PUDDING

1. Combine dates, mixed fruit, 280ml water, sugars, salt and butter in large saucepan. Bring to the boil then reduce heat and allow to simmer for 8 mins.

2. Add bicarbonate of soda, stir well and allow to cool completely (preferably overnight).

3. Once completely cool, add eggs, flours, spices and rum. Mix well.

4. Generously grease inside the pudding bowl. Pour the mixture into tin then cover with a layer of baking paper and a layer of foil and secure tightly with kitchen string.

5. Place a small cooling rack or an upturned oven-safe dish into the base of a large saucepan. Place pudding bowl on top so that it is not directly touching the bottom of the pan. Fill saucepan with boiling water to come half way up the sides of the pudding bowl. Bring water to the boil then reduce heat to low, cover and allow to simmer for 3 hours.  Remove pudding from water, allow to cool completely before removing pudding from tin.

TO MAKE SAUCE

1. Combine cream, butter and sugar in a saucepan. Stir over a low heat until all ingredients combined.
2. Stir in salt.

Vegetable Tagine

  1. Add oil to a large pot and cook onion, garlic and ginger for 3-4 minutes until tender. Stir in spices and cinnamon stick, cooking a further minute until fragrant.
  2. Add the sweet potato, capsicum, cauliflower, stock and tomatoes. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer partially covered for 20 minutes. Add zucchini, chickpeas and prunes and cook a further 5 minutes uncovered. Season well.
  3. Serve tagine with almonds and parsley, accompanied with rice.

Chocolate Hazelnut Pudding

  1. Place raisins, sultanas and rum in a bowl and set to one side.
  2. Cream butter and brown sugar, until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.
  3. Sift flour, mixed spice and cinnamon. Add breadcrumbs, hazelnuts, chocolate, buttermilk, rum soaked fruit and butter mixture and mix well to combine.
  4. Spray 1.7L pudding bowl with oil and line base with baking paper. Spoon mixture into bowl and top with baking paper round and lid. Place a wire rack onto the base of a large saucepan, fill with water and bring to the boil. Carefully place pudding onto rack making sure the water comes about halfway up the basin. Cover and simmer for 3 hours, topping up water when needed.
  5. Remove from saucepan; stand for 10 minutes, before turning out.

Tip: This pudding can also be cooked in the microwave. Ensure your pudding bowl is microwave safe, cook in microwave on defrost setting for 30 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.

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