Rocky Road
Preparation 15 Minutes
Cook 2 hours Minutes
Serves 6
Method
Grease and line the base and sides of a 20cm square baking tin.
Mix together raisins, cherries, marshmallows and pistachios. Pour 1 cup of the mixture into the base of the prepared tin.
Combine chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl, microwave for 30 seconds, stir then microwave in 10 second bursts until melted. Allow to cool for about 5 mins before adding the remaining fruit and nut mixture. Toss to coat then pour into the prepared tin, gently flattening the surface. Refrigerate until firm (about 2 hours).
Remove from tin and slice into 4 long rows. Wrap in cellophane for Christmas gifting.
Ingredients
80g Sunbeam Raisins
100g Sunbeam Glacé Cherries
200g mini pink and white marshmallows
200g shelled pistachios, toasted
400g high quality milk chocolate
30g butter, plus extra to grease tin
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.
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.
Almond Star Bread
Preheat the oven to 180℃.
To make the Spiced Almond Cream: place butter and sugar into a stand mixer bowl. Mix for 2 minutes, until smooth. Slowly add the whisked eggs, salt and vanilla and mix again to incorporate. Fold in the almond meal and cinnamon and fold through with a wooden spoon to incorporate.
Slice each piece of puff pastry into 4 x 25cm circles.
Place one dough circle onto a piece of baking paper and spread 1 tablespoon of the Spiced Almond Cream evenly over the top. Stack the next dough circle on top and repeat with more Spiced Almond Cream. Repeat again with the final two dough circles.
Place a round object, about 7-8cm wide into the centre of the circle and make an indent, which becomes the centre of the star.
Cut the dough into 16 evenly spaced strips, starting from the indent to the edge of the dough. Take two strips next to each other and roll them away from each other. Press the two ends together to join. Repeat with the remaining 14 strips until each are twisted and paired up.
Transfer the star on the baking paper to a large baking tray. Brush with egg water wash and sprinkle over the flaked almonds. Place into the oven and bake for 25 minutes until puffed up and golden brown.
Remove from the oven, allow to cool and then dust with icing sugar, to serve.
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.
Roasted Beetroot Salad
- Pre-heat oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced). Wrap each beetroot in foil, place on a tray and bake for approx. 45min-1hour until tender. When cool enough to handle, remove skin from each. Slice into ½ cm thick rounds.
- Meanwhile, place hazelnuts onto an oven tray and bake for 4 minutes, add pepitas and thyme and cook a further 4-5 minutes until golden and toasted. Allow to cool.
- Whisk together the oil, vinegar and sugar, season well.
- Arrange salad greens, sliced beetroot and cheese onto serving platter. Sprinkle with toasted hazelnuts and pepita mixture and drizzle with dressing. Season well.
Christmas Lava Puddings
Preheat oven to 150ºC (140ºC fan). Lightly grease 8 holes of two Texas (jumbo) muffin tins.
- Combine all ingredients (except white chocolate) in a bowl. Mix well.
- Spoon half the mixture into the tins. Push two pieces of white chocolate into the centre of the mixture then divide the remaining mixture between each tin.
- Bake for 20-22 mins until cooked on the outside but soft and gooey on the inside.
- Serve immediately with vanilla ice cream and fresh raspberries, if using.If not serving immediately, refrigerate and microwave for 60 seconds immediately before serving.