Hot Cross Muffins

Lemon Friands

1. Pre-heat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Grease with some butter and dust with additional almond meal 12 x ⅓ cup capacity friand moulds.
2. Combine icing sugar, almond meal and flour in a large mixing bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until frothy. Stir in the butter and juice. Add to the icing sugar mixture and mix until well combined.
4. Pour between prepared moulds and bake for 20 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan and cool completely on a cooling rack. Serve dusted with additional icing sugar.

Sunbeam Spiced Christmas Cake

In a large bowl, combine mixed fruit, cherries, nuts, apple, golden syrup and liquor.  Mix well, cover and allow to stand overnight (or up to 24 hours for amazing flavour).

Preheat oven to 150ºC (130ºC fan forced).  Very generously grease the bundt tin, ensuring butter is in all creases. 

Add sugar and butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a beater attachment.  Beat until fluffy and pale.  With the motor running, add eggs one at a time, beating until incorporated before adding the next. 

Add flour and spices, beat on low until just combined.  Add orange zest and soaked fruit mixture and beat until just combined. 

In a small bowl mix together orange juice and bicarbonate of soda, add to the cake batter and beat until just incorporated.

Spoon batter into the prepared bundt tin, using a spatula to press mixture into any crevices and flatten the surface.

Bake for 2 ¼ to 2 ½ hours or until the cake springs back when gently pressed in the centre.  Allow cake to cool in the tin for an hour then invert onto a baking rack to remove and allow to cool completely.

Fruit Nut Fudge Brownie

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line base and sides of a 27cm x17cm slice pan with baking paper, extending paper over sides.
2. Combine fruit and rum or juice in saucepan and bring just to the boil. Set aside to cool, stirring occasionally. Set aside 1/4 cup of the fruit mixture for decorating the top.
3. Heat butter and chocolate in saucepan over low heat and stir until melted and combined. Set aside to cool 10 minutes.
4. Whisk sugar and eggs together in large bowl, then whisk in cooled chocolate mixture and remaining soaked fruit. Sift flour, cocoa and baking powder into the bowl and add half of the hazelnuts (saving some for the top). Stir until combined. Pour into prepared pan and scatter with reserved fruit and nuts.
5. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until tested with a skewer. Some crumbs will cling to the skewer. Allow to cool in the pan for 30 minutes before removing. Cut into 18 pieces and serve warm and gooey or cool and fudgy.

Almond & Cranberry Bark

In 160 degree oven. Toast the almonds on a rimmed baking sheet until fragrant and turning lightly golden on the edges, about 6 minutes.

Transfer the nuts to a cutting board and roughly chop them.

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 evenly over the chocolate, followed by the cranberries. 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

Muesli Bar Slice

Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line a 28cm x 18cm x 3cm tin

1. In a large bowl mix together the oats, oat bran, bran, sunflower kernels, flour, apricots and sultanas.
2. Melt the butter, honey and brown sugar in the microwave for 1 minute and add to the dry ingredients. Stir in the egg and milk until well combined.
3. Press into greased and lined tin and bake for 15 minutes. Cut into slices when cooled.

Christmas Bomb Alaska

Make a small approx 13cm base from Sunbeam fruit cake and set aside. (Match the base diameter to your mould base size)

Remove Ice-cream from the freezer & stand in the fridge for 20 min to soften; do not melt completely.

Line a tall dariole mould or similar with plastic wrap

Put the fruit mince in a large mixing bowl, add the softened ice-cream & gently stir to combine.

Return mould to the freezer & freeze for 5 hours or till firm.

Beat egg whites and sugar until stiff peaks form.

Remove ice cream from mould, add ice cream to cake base and coat with meringue mix. Use a blow torch to toast. Serve Immediately.