Spiced Oat Slice

Roasted Cauliflower Soup

1. Cut cauliflower roughly into pieces, toss with half the oil and cumin. Season well. Spread onto a lined oven tray and roast at 180°C for 25 minutes or until tender.
2. Heat remaining oil in a large pot. Add onion and garlic, cooking until onion is tender. Add roasted cauliflower pieces, potatoes and the stock. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
3. When potatoes are tender, puree soup with a food processor or handheld blender, until smooth and creamy. Return to heat until required.
4. For walnut crumb, heat oil in a frying pan and toast breadcrumbs and walnuts until golden and crisp. Allow to cool slightly, then stir in parsley and currants. Season well. Serve hot soup with a scattering of crumbs.

Eggnog Bundt Cakes

1. For eggnog, combine milk, cream, spices and vanilla in a small saucepan. Heat gently. Meanwhile whisk together the yolk and sugar. Gradually add warmed milk mixture to egg until all combined. Return to saucepan and continue cooking over a low heat until hot and slightly thickened. Remove, stir in rum and set aside to cool. Reserve 1 tablespoon for icing.
2. Pre-heat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Lightly grease 6 x 1 cup capacity bundt tins and place onto a flat baking tray.
3. Combine currants and rum. Set aside. Place butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until creamy and pale. Add eggs one at a time until well combined. Add dry ingredients and eggnog alternately until well combined and mixture is smooth. Spoon between prepared pans and bake for 25 minutes until golden and cooked through. Turn out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
4. Mix together the icing sugar, reserved eggnog, water and some additional nutmeg if you prefer. Drizzle over cooled bundt cakes and finish with fresh cherries.

Sultana & Orange Friands

In a small saucepan heat the sultanas in orange juice, when the juice starts to bubble turn heat off and set aside to infuse.

Preheat oven to 180°C & Lightly grease a friand tin

Place egg whites in a medium bowl; whisk lightly with fork until combined. Add butter, milk, extract, ground almonds, orange rind, sifted icing sugar and flour; stir until combined.

Drain any excess liquid from sultanas and add to the mix & combine.

Pour mixture into pan; Bake friands 20 minutes; or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Stand friands 10 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool.

For the icing | In a bowl using an electric mixer, combine cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth, light and fluffy. Use a piping bag to swirl icing across cooled friands, sprinkle with diced pistachios.

Dust the friands with sifted extra icing sugar & optional rose petals before serving.

Christmas Fruit Cake

Pre-heat oven to 150°C (130°C fan-forced). Use an oil spray to grease a deep bunting cake tin. 

Combine mixed fruit, raisins, dates and currants in a large saucepan. Add water and port, mix through.

Place over a low heat for 5 minutes until liquid is absorbed and fruit softened.

Set aside to cool.

Using electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until creamy. Add eggs one at a time until all incorporated. 

Fold in flours and spices. Remove from mixing stand and fold in the fruit mixture with a large spoon.

Mixing until well combined. Spoon batter into prepared bunting cake tin and tap on counter to remove air bubbles and ensure bater has filled the tin evenly. 

Bake for 2 hours or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. 

Allow to cool in the cake tin placed on wet tea towel before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely. 

**To serve drizzle with your favourite glaze by mixing 1 cup of icing sugar & 2 tbsp lemon juice

Hot Cross Muffins

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease and line a 12 hole muffin pan. Sift flour, mixed spice and cinnamon into a large Combine the egg, milk and butter in a jug. Pour into a well in the centre of the flour mixture. Stir until just combined.
2. Divide the mixture among the prepared pans and smooth the surfaces. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely
3. Place the icing sugar in a small bowl. Gradually stir in water to make a thick icing. Pipe a cross onto each muffin and set aside until the icing is set.

Mini Indulgent Puddings

Preheat oven to 150°C

2. Combine fruit, jellied cranberry sauce, brandy and spices in a large bowl, cover and leave to stand overnight.
3. Brush ten 1-cup pudding basins (ramekins) with melted butter and line base with baking paper.
4. Mix eggs, butter, brown sugar and flours until well combined, then stir through fruit mixture. Spoon mixture into prepared basins.
5. Cut a large circle of foil and baking paper and place over each pudding, foil side up. Secure tightly with kitchen string.
6. Place pudding in a large saucepan and add enough boiling water to fill halfway up the sides. Cover and bring to the boil, reduce heat and cook for 11⁄4 hours, replenishing water when needed.
7. Remove from water and store well wrapped until Christmas.