Quick and Easy Christmas Pudding
Preparation 20 Minutes
Cook 30 Minutes
Serves 8-10
Method
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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.
Ingredients
375g Sunbeam Mixed Fruit
100g Sunbeam Australian Raisins
100g Angas Park Dates
1/2 cup brandy
150g butter, softened
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 free-range eggs
1/2 cup plain flour
2 tsp mixed spice
1 1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
custard, to serve
Recipe Collection
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.
Place the saffron threads into a bowl with 2 tablespoons of hot water and allow to sit and steep.
Melt 1 ½ 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 – 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.
Meanwhile, heat another medium frying pan over medium heat. Add in the remaining 1 ½ 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.
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.
Chocolate, Christmas, Gifting, Recipes, Sweet Treats
In slow 160 degree oven roast almonds on small tray for approx 10 min. Leave to cool then dice.
Roughly chop dates & apricots fairly fine. Place in small saucepan add water and heat on a low temperature till starting to soften.
Take off heat and stir in bi-carb till it starts to foam. Then set aside to cool.
Place biscuits in food processor and blitz to form fine bread crumbs. Add all the ingredients (except chocolate) and mix together, saving 10g of diced almonds to garnish.
Place in refrigerator for 1/2hr to cool and firm.
Melt Chocolate in a narrow deep jug for 1 minute in microwave, then 10-20sec intervals until fully melted.
Roll small balls of mixture and dip into melted chocolate. Use a fork to remove out of chocolate and tap excess off.
Place on tray covered in baking paper, garnish with almonds and refrigerate until set.
Sultana & Cinnamon Mini cupcakes
Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced).
Line two 12-hole (1-tablespoon/20ml) mini muffin pans with paper cases. Combine flour, brown sugar, oats and Sunbeam sultanas in medium bowl.
Whisk milk, vegetable oil and egg in small bowl, stir into dry ingredients (do not overmix, mixture should be lumpy).
Divide mixture into paper cases. Bake about 15 minutes, turn, top-side up, onto wire rack. Combine caster sugar with cinnamon, sprinkle over hot muffins.
For the Icing: beat butter till white and fluffy add sugar then milk slowly till the perfect texture, fill into piping bag and decorate with grated chocolate & mini easter eggs.
Fruit & Maple Chocolate Cupcakes
To make the cupcakes line a standard muffin tray with 12 cupcake cases. Add Cadbury Baking Chocolate, cocoa powder, instant coffee and Coles Finest Maple Syrup to a heatproof bowl, pour over 100ml boiling water and whisk until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Cool for 5 mins before whisking in sour cream, olive oil, eggs and Coles Make and Bake Vanilla Paste.
In a separate bowl, mix together Sunbeam Sultanas, flour, dark sugar, McKenzie’s Baking Powder and sea salt. Add to the chocolate mixture and mix until combined. Divide evenly between cupcake cases and bake for 20 mins until the cupcakes spring back when gently pressed in the centre. Cool completely.
To make the buttercream, use an electric beater to whisk butter until smooth and creamy. With the mixer running, add Coles Sweetened Condensed Milk in a slow and thin stream until completely incorporated, then add Coles Make and Bake Vanilla Paste and whisk for 2 mins on a high speed until fluffy and smooth.
Decorate cupcakes with the buttercream.
Banana Date Pancakes
- Combine flour, baking powder and sugar in a large mixing bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs and mashed banana. Add to flour mixture with dates and mix until smooth.
- Pre-heat a frying pan over medium heat, lightly spray with olive oil or brush with butter. Spoon ¼ cup measures of batter into pan and cook for several minutes until bubbles appear and base is golden. Turn over a cook a further 1-2 minutes.
- Serve pancakes with sliced bananas, blueberries and a drizzle of honey.
Rum and Raisin Fudge
Lightly grease and line base and sides of a 20cm square baking tin.
Combine raisins and rum in a small bowl and allow to soak for 10 mins.
In a medium saucepan combine sweetened condensed milk, butter, sugar and golden syrup and constantly stir over a low heat until the sugar has completely dissolved.
Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low, stir constantly for about 8-10 mins until the temperature reaches between 113-115ºC.*
Remove pan from heat, add chocolate melts and soaked raisins and stir to combine. Transfer to prepared tin using a spatula to smooth the surface then allow to cool at room temperature for 5-6 hours until firm.
Cut into 5cm long slices then cut each slice into 8 rectangles.
If you don’t own a candy thermometer, you can also check if the fudge is ready by taking a small amount and dropping it into a glass of cold water. When the mixture sets into a soft ball that doesn’t stick to your fingers when gently pinched, the fudge is ready. This is referred to as “soft ball” stage.
