Spiced Oat Slice

Mini Fruit Mince Tarts

To make the fruit mince filling, add all ingredients to a large bowl, mix well, cover and allow to soak for at least 1 hour.  

To make the pastry, add the flour, ginger, cinnamon, butter and sugar into a food processor and blitz until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Whisk the egg and chilled water together in a small bowl, then slowly add to the food processor while it’s running until the mixture comes together into a dough. Remove from the food processor and shape into a disc. Wrap in cling wrap and place into the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours, or overnight.  

Preheat oven to 160℃. 

Remove from the pastry from the fridge and roll out to a thin 0.3mm dough. Cut into 7cm circles using a cookie cutter or other round object, then place into lightly greased mini muffin tins (30ml capacity). Scoop the fruit mince between the pastry cases. Cut stars from the remaining pastry and place on top of each fruit pie. Brush with milk. 

Place into the oven and bake for 25 minutes until golden brown. Remove and place onto wire racks to cool.  

Almond Sultana Florentines

Preheat oven to 160°C.

1. Combine butter and condensed milk in a small bowl.
2. Mix together almonds, coconut, cherries and sultanas until evenly distributed and pour over butter mixture and quickly mix with a wooden spoon until mixture comes together.
3. Place tablespoons of the mixture onto baking paper lined oven trays, flattening and shaping into 3cm rounds, allow at least 3cm between biscuits for spreading. Bake for 10 minutes. Allow to cool on trays and transfer to wire racks. (If baking in a slice pan, press mixture to approximately 1cm thick and bake for 15 minutes and allow to cool. Top with melted chocolate and leave to set. Slice to serve.)
4. When cool spread the base of each biscuit with a teaspoon of chocolate and leave to set. Can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 months.

Tip: Use damp fingers to shape and flatten biscuits.

Christmas Casata

Soften 2 litres vanilla ice cream by leaving out of the freezer for 15 minutes while you chop, glacé cherries & Allens Raspberries.

Toast the slithered almonds in a dry pan till slightly brown, set aside to cool.

In a large mixing bowl add softened ice cream, start by stirring in the frozen raspberries to give ice cream raspberry ripples and colour. Then add all the remaining ingredients and stir till combined.

Choose a mould or tin to set the ice cream in and freeze for a minimum 4 hours to set.

Serve frozen.

Plum Clafoutis

Panforte

1. Pre-heat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Line the base and sides of a 20cm round cake pan.
2. Place sugar, honey and chocolate in a large saucepan and gently heat until chocolate is melted. Stir in the raisins, figs, cherries, cranberries and nuts. Mix well.
3. Add flour, cocoa and spices to mixture and working quickly mix it together until all combined. You may need to wear a thick rubber glove. Press mixture into prepared pan and bake for 13-15 minutes. Set aside to cool before removing from pan to cool completely.

Christmas Cake Gift Jar

As a gift idea

1. Place flour in bottom of jar and add spices and bicarbonate of soda
2. Pour in fruit and push down lightly
3. Next place brown sugar and finish with slivered almonds.
4. Attach a gift card with the following instructions:

YOU WILL NEED
250g butter, melted
3 eggs, lightly beaten
¼ cup brandy

METHOD

1. Preheat oven 150°C. Double line a 20cm round tin with baking paper
2. Combine gift jar contents, butter, eggs and brandy and stir until combined
3. Spoon into prepared tin and bake for 1 hour or until skewer inserted comes out clean.