Gingerbread Almond Wreath
Preparation 25 Minutes
Cook 40 Minutes
Serves 12
Method
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Pre-heat oven to 170°C (150°C fan-forced). Lightly grease and line a 22cm ring tin.
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Beat the butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition.
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Stir in the almond meal, coconut, bi-carb and spices. Mix well, then stir in the currants and sultanas. Pour into prepared pan and scatter the top with flaked almonds. Bake for 55-60 minutes until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.
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Serve on a platter surrounded by fresh rosemary sprigs and fill the cavity with raspberries.
Ingredients
250g butter, diced and softened
1¼ cups brown sugar
4 extra large eggs
2 cups SUNBEAM Almond Meal
1 cup desiccated coconut
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tbsp ground ginger
2 tsp mixed spice
1 cup SUNBEAM Currants
½ cup SUNBEAM Sultanas
¼ cup SUNBEAM Flaked Almonds
Rosemary sprigs and raspberries, for serving
Recipe Collection
Fruit & Nut Hot Cross Truffles
- Combine mixed fruit, dates, seed mix, hazelnuts, coconut, coconut oil and vanilla essence in a food processor and blend until a smooth, thick paste is formed.
- Divide into 25 equal portions and roll each into a ball before flattening slightly.
- Pipe melted white chocolate crosses onto truffles and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving cold.
Quick and Easy Christmas Pudding
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Place fruit and brandy in microwaveable bowl and heat for 1 minute or until warmed through. Set aside to cool, stirring occasionally.
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Beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and creamy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Sift flour and mixed spice over butter mixture, then stir in breadcrumbs and fruit mixture. Mix well.
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Grease and flour a 1.5L microwaveable bowl. Spoon mixture into bowl and smooth top. Cover with a pleated, double-layer of baking paper secured with kitchen string.
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Cook in microwave on defrost setting (300W) for 30 minutes, rotating the bowl after 20 minutes. Test with a skewer inserted into pudding. If it doesn’t come out clean, microwave at 5 minute intervals until done. Leave pudding to stand for 10 minutes before turning onto a plate. Serve with custard.
Cherry Dark Choc Biscotti
Preheat oven to 180ºC (160ºC fan). Line a large oven tray with baking paper.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, combine sugar and eggs. Whisk until pale and fluffy. Add both flours, nuts, sultanas and cherries and stir to combine.
Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour. Turn the dough out onto the surface, divide into two even portions then roll each into a 30cm long log. Transfer to prepared tray, flatten the tops slightly then bake for 30 mins. Remove tray from oven and allow logs to cool for 20 mins. Reduce oven temperature to 140ºC.
Use a serrated knife to diagonally cut slices, about 5mm thick. Arrange slices back onto the lined oven tray and bake for a further 15 mins, turning the biscuits half way, until they are crisp and dry. Transfer biscuits to a wire baking rack to cool completely.
Place chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and melt according to packet instructions. Pour melted chocolate into a small cup and dip the ends of the biscotti into the melted chocolate, tapping off any excess. Sprinkle extra almonds over the chocolate to decorate.
Place dipped biscotti onto baking paper and stand at room temperature until the chocolate sets.
Sultana & Date Scones
Christmas Mud Cakes with Chocolate Ganache
- 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.