Ricotta & Apricot Loaf with Thyme

Preparation 15 Minutes

Cook 50 Minutes

Serves 8-10

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Method

  1. Pre-heat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Line the base and sides of a 10 x 20cm loaf pan.
  2. Combine butter, eggs and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Whisk well. Add flour and mix until just combined.
  3. Fold in the ricotta, apricots and thyme. Spoon into prepared pan and sprinkle the top with almonds and thyme. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool slightly before removing from the pan.

Ingredients

125g butter, melted

2 extra large eggs

¾ cup raw sugar

1½ cups self-raising flour

250g fresh ricotta, roughly crumbled

½ cup ANGUS PARK Dried Apricot Halves, finely chopped

2 sprigs thyme, leaves removed

1 tbsp SUNBEAM Slivered Almonds

Extra thyme leaves, for sprinkling

Recipe Collection

Toasted Almond & Blueberry Salad

  1. Toast almonds in a pan on medium heat then set aside.
  2. Wash berries and slice strawberries into halves.
  3. Crumble blue cheese and combine salad ingredients together.
  4. Combine dressing ingredients and blend until smooth, pour over salad when serving.

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.

Lamb Mince, Sultana & Pistachio Sweet Potato Boats

Preheat oven to 200°C. Prick sweet potatoes with a fork, arrange on a rimmed oven tray, and cover pan tightly with foil. Bake 1 hour. Remove foil, brush potatoes with 2 tsp oil, and bake a further 15 – 20 minutes – or until potatoes are very soft when pierced with a sharp knife.

While the sweet potatoes roast, place a heavy-based skillet over medium heat. Add remaining 1 1/2 Tbsp oil, diced onion, and 1/2 tsp salt. Cook 5 – 7 minutes, until onions have started to soften.

Add garlic, cumin, paprika, and harissa or tomato paste, to the onion. Stir for 1 minute, then add lamb mince and break up with a spatula.

Cook a further 3 – 5 minutes, until lamb mince is golden and cooked through. Remove from heat and stir through sultanas.

Remove sweet potatoes from the oven and cool slightly. Slice in half lengthwise, and scoop out flesh, leaving a 1 cm border of potato in the skins. Return potato halves to the tray, and add sweet potato flesh to the lamb mince. Roughly mash larger pieces of potato and stir to combine with mince. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer lamb mixture to the hollowed sweet potato halves, and bake a further 10 – 15 mins, until crisp on top and warmed through.

Top stuffed sweet potatoes with a dollop of yoghurt, toasted pistachios and fresh herbs. Serve with a simple rocket salad or steamed green veg.

Tips

• Sweet potatoes can be microwaved until tender, then brushed with oil, transferred to a baking tray and roasted in a 200°C oven for a further 5 – 7 minutes to crisp skin. Continue from Step 5 above.

Walnut Sultana Zucchini Carrot Cake

Preheat oven to 180ºC (160ºC fan).  Grease and line base and sides of two x 22.5cm (9”) round baking tins. 

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with beater attachment, combine zucchini, carrot, flour, sugar, 50g of walnuts, sultanas and spices.  Mix on low until just combined.

Whisk together oil and eggs then add to the zucchini mixture and beat on low until just combined.  Divide the mixture evenly between the prepared tins, smoothing the surfaces.  Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cakes comes out clean.  Allow the cakes to cool in tins for an hour, then invert onto a baking rack to cool completely.

To make the icing, combine butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment.  Whisk until smooth.  Add sifted icing sugar and whisk until smooth and fluffy.

To decorate, spread half the icing on top of one cake.  Arrange the second cake on top and spread with remaining icing.  Sprinkle with chopped walnuts to decorate.

30 Minute Christmas Pudding

  1. Place fruit and brand in microwavable bowl and heat for 1 minute or until warmed through. Set aside to cool, stirring occasionally.
  2. 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. Grease and flour a 1.5L microwavable bowl. Spoon mixture into bowl and smooth top. Cover with a pleated, double layer or baking paper secured with kitchen string.
  3. 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.

Optional meringue peak: In a heatproof bowl combine 90g egg whites with 150g caster sugar, place over a small saucepan of boiling water and whisk until the sugar dissolves. Use a stand mixer or handheld beater to whisk until very stiff peaks form (about 8-10 mins).  Dollop the meringue on top of the pudding and use a kitchen blowtorch to toast.

Granola Bar

Preheat oven to 160°C.

  1. Grease and line an 18cm x 28cm slice pan with baking paper.
  2. Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl.
  3. Mix melted butter and honey together and stir into dry ingredients
  4. Press mixture firmly into tin using the back of a spoon. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden. Allow to cool in the tin before slicing into bars.
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