Easter Blondies
Preparation 15 Minutes
Cook 40 Minutes
Serves 12
Method
Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius and butter or line with parchment paper a 20cm x 20cm baking tin.
Melt the butter and white chocolate in a bowl over a pot of water and take off to cool once combined and fully melted.
In another bowl, mix the muscovado sugar, caster sugar and eggs together until thick and glossy. Approximately 2 minutes.
Once the butter and white chocolate mixture is cooled, mix in 1/3 to the sugar and eggs, and then fold in the rest.
Add in your flour, baking powder, vanilla, almonds and macadamias and mix until just combined.
Pour batter into your lines baking tin and for 35-45 minutes. The centre should still have a little wobble and a tooth pick should come out a little fudgy.
Straight from the oven, press your speckled eggs into the top of your blondie and let cool on a wire rack.
Ingredients
225gm Unsalted Butter diced
100gm white chocolate chips
250gm Muscovado Sugar
325gm plain flour
100gm Sunbeam Macadamias
100gm Sunbeam Blanched Almonds
150gm Caster sugar
1tsp baking powder
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla paste
140gm Cadbury mini speckled eggs
Recipe Collection
Rum & Raisin Trifle
Place the raisins, sultanas, currants, mixed peel, almonds and dates in a bowl and pour over 3/4 cup rum.Β Cover and allow to macerate for at least 8 hours or overnight. Keep additional raisins seperate and add 1/4 cup rum these will be used for garnishing the trifle.
Pre heat the oven to 140 degrees C. Β
Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until light and creamy.Β Gradually add the eggs and beat well. Β
Place the butter mixture, soaked fruit mixture, flour bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon and allspice in a large bowl and stir to combine. Β
Line a 20cm square cake tin with two layers of non-stick baking paper.
Spoon in the mixture and bake for 2 hours or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Β
Cool in the tin.Β Once the cake has cooled remove from tin and freeze to semi-firm
Cut the fruit cake into 3cm pieces and decoratively line the base of trifle bowl & pour over the extra rum
Layer custard over fruit cake and repeat cake & custard layers if desired.
Whip caster sugar & thickened cream until stiff and add to trifle
Garnish with rum soaked raisins, and crushed ginger snaps
To make spun sugar, combine sugar with the water in small heavy-based saucepan. Stir over heat, without boiling, until sugar dissolves; bring to the boil.
Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, without stirring, until mixture is golden brown. Remove from heat; stand until bubbles subside. To make spun sugar, drizzle toffee between 2 wooden spoons over baking paper-lined oven tray.
Shape & stand at room temperature until set.
Carrot, Walnut & Raisin Cake
Preheat oven to 180β.
Grate young fresh carrots to give one full cup & strain the juice from 440g can of crushed pineapple.
In a bowl mix 1 cup of plain flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 3/4 tsp bicarb soda, 1/2 tsp each of salt & cinnamon & 3/4 cup caster sugar. Add 2 eggs and 5 Tbsp oil (just under 1/3 cup).
Sir in the grated carrot, crushed pineapple & 1/4 cup Sunbeam walnuts, chopped. Bake in a moderate oven 175 oC for 40 – 45 minutes and cool before covering with topping. (Note: We slightly froze the cake to make firm to slice into layers to add frosting in between)
To make cream cheese topping, place in a bowl butter, cream cheese, vanilla, icing sugar and beat very well. If too thick add a small amount of milk to give a smooth consistency.
Asparagus with Proscuttio, Parmesan & Pine Nuts
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C.
Place the asparagus in a single layer on a baking tray. Do not overcrowd. Drizzle with olive oil and lightly season with salt and pepper. Toss around to evenly coat.
Top the asparagus with prosciutto, Parmesan cheese, and pine nuts.
Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the prosciutto is crisp and asparagus tender.
Jewelled Rice
To prep: place the Sunmuscat sultanas and cranberries into a bowl and cover with water. Let sit and rehydrate for 10-15 minutes. Then drain.Β Β
Place the saffron threads into a bowl with 2 tablespoons of hot water and allow to sit and steep.Β Β
Melt 1 Β½ tablespoons of the ghee into a large skillet over medium heat. Add in the onion and cook, stirring for 10 minutes, until the onion is well caramelised. Remove half of the onion and set aside β this will be used for garnishing. Add half of the soaked sunmuscats and cranberries, the rice, cinnamon, cardamom and cumin. Continue cooking and stirring, until the rice is well coated in the oil and spices, about 1 minute. Add in 3 cups of boiling water and the salt. Stir everything together, then bring to the boil. Cover and turn heat down to low and cook, without disturbing for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow it to sit, untouched, for 15 minutes.Β Β Β
Meanwhile, heat another medium frying pan over medium heat. Add in the remaining 1 Β½ tablespoons of ghee, the almonds and cashews. Cook, stirring, for 4-5 minutes until the nuts are golden brown. Be careful not to burn! Set aside for serving.Β Β
Uncover the rice, drizzle over the saffron water and toss the rice just a little so half of the rice turns golden. Transfer to a large serving plate, then garnish with the ghee-toasted nuts, the remaining sunmuscats and currants and caramelised onion. Sprinkle over the coriander and dill, to finish.Β Β
Macadamia Nut Cookies
Preheat oven to 180β and line a few large baking trays with baking paperΒ
Add the butter and sugars to the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix for 3-4 minutes until well combined and whipped. Whisk the eggs and vanilla extract together, then slowly add to the butter mixture until combined.Β Β Β
Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix on low until you form a dough. Stir in the white chocolate and macadamias. Then gently fold in the raspberries, careful not to overmix so the raspberries melt and mix through the whole dough.Β Β
Scoop out the dough into balls and place onto the prepared baking sheets, keeping cookies 5cm apart to allow for spreading. Place into the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, until edges are browned.Β Β
Β Remove from the oven and allow to cool and set slightly before transferring to a wire rack.Β Β
Festive Fruit Cake
Preheat the oven to 150Β°C. Line the base and sides of a 20cm springform cake pan.
Mix nuts, dried fruits, glace cherries, peel in a bowl. Sift in flour, baking powder then stir in sugar. Lightly whisk eggs with vanilla, then stir into the cake mixture until well combined. Pour into pan. Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Cool cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a rack over a plate and remove baking paper. Pierce all over with a skewer. Drizzle with brandy, then wrap tightly in foil and leave in a cool, dry place for 2-3 days to mature.
For the topping: Soak fruit in Maple syrup, add boiling water to cover and let soften. Closer to serving, warm jam in a pan over low heat or in the microwave until runny. Arrange the maple-soaked fruits over the top of the cake in a decorative pattern, then brush with warm jam to set in place.
