Chocolate & Macadamia Brownies
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Grease and line the base of a 20cm square cake tin.
Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and set aside to cool slightly.
Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy.
Add the vanilla and the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
Sift the flour and cocoa and carefully fold into the egg mixture.
Add the melted chocolate and nuts and combine, pour the mixture into the cake tin and bake for 20–25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
Allow to cool before cutting into squares to serve.
Red Velvet Cupcakes With Sour Cream Frosting
Preheat oven to 170°C and line 2 muffin trays with paper cupcake cases – one in each hole.
Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add the food colouring, cocoa powder, vanilla and salt and mix well.
Add the flour and buttermilk, a little at a time until it is all incorporated.
Mix the bicarbonate of soda and vinegar together and stir into the batter.
Divide the mixture between the paper cases and bake for 20–25 minutes, or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.
Allow to cool, before frosting.
SOUR CREAM FROSTING
Whisk the butter, sour cream and lemon juice together using an electric whisk and gradually beat in the icing sugar until mixture thickens.
Chill for 30 minutes before using.
Spread over the cupcakes.
Garnish the top with a few red cake crumbs or for an extra special touch, garnish each with a red rose petal.
Hummingbird Cake
CAKE
Preheat oven to 170°C and grease a 23cm square cake tin.
Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Sift the flour, salt, cinnamon, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and mixed spice together and add to the butter mixture and combine.
Add the vanilla, pineapple, bananas, lemon zest and pecan nuts and fold all of the ingredients together.
Pour batter into the cake tin and bake for 45–50 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.
Rest for 5 minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Once completely cooled, ice the top of the cake with the cream cheese icing and cut into squares to serve.
CREAM CHEESE ICING
Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth.
Gradually add icing sugar and keep beating until light and fluffy.
Stir in lemon zest and vanilla essence.
Custard & Praline Layered Cake
CAKE
Preheat oven to 190°C and grease a 20cm spring form pan.
In a bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the vanilla and eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together and add half of the flour mix to the butter mixture and combine.
Add half of the milk and beat on low speed with a hand blender or whisk.
Repeat with the balance of the milk and flour until it is all incorporated.
Pour the batter in the prepared cake tin.
Bake for 50–60 minutes till springy to the touch, and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.
FILLING
Heat the milk and the vanilla in a heavy saucepan.
In a bowl, beat the sugar, egg yolks and cornflour until smooth.
Slowly add the hot milk to the sugar mixture whisking until combined.
Put the mixture back in the saucepan and cook over a low heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring continuously to prevent lumps.
Remove from heat and add the butter, a little at a time, whisking until it melts.
Chill for 30 minutes and then fold in the whipped cream.
Chill until required.
PRALINE
Line a baking tray with baking paper.
Combine sugar and water in a saucepan over low heat.
Cook until sugar has dissolved.
Increase heat to high.
Bring to the boil, without
Pumpkin Pie
PASTRY
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Put the fl our, salt and sugar in a bowl and rub the butter between your fingers into the dry ingredients until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs.
Add the egg yolk and water and bring mixture carefully together to form a dough.
Cover with cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes, before rolling out and lining a 26cm loose-bottomed tart tin. Bake blind for 10–12 minutes.
Remove the baking aids, i.e. baking paper and baking beans and bake for a further 5 minutes.
FILLING
Reduce oven temperature to 150°C.
Whisk the pumpkin, eggs, sugar, syrup and spices together in a bowl and stir in the cream and milk.
Once thoroughly combined, pour into the pastry case and bake for 30–40 minutes until just set.
Cool and generously sprinkle with icing sugar.
Self-saucing chocolate pudding
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Grease an ovenproof baking dish.
Sift flour and cocoa into a large bowl and add the sugar.
Whisk butter, milk, egg and vanilla essence together and slowly add to the fl our mixture, until well mixed and smooth.
Pour into the baking dish and smooth down with the back of a spoon.
SAUCE
Sift cocoa powder over pudding and scatter the brown sugar over the top.
Pour boiling water over the back of a large metal spoon over the entire pudding covering the cocoa and sugar.
Bake for 35–40 minutes or until sponge is cooked.
Roasted Garlic Alfredo Pasta
Preheat oven to 170°C.
Put the garlic into a roasting dish and bake for 30–45 minutes, or until the garlic cloves feel tender when squeezed.
Turn off the heat and allow the garlic to cool in the oven.
Heat the cream, milk, onion and bay leaf in a pan over medium heat, or until almost simmering (don’t boil).
Set aside for 10 minutes for flavours to infuse, then strain through a fine sieve into a jug.
Heat the butter in a saucepan over medium heat until melted and foaming.
Add flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute and gradually add the cream mixture and keep stirring to prevent lumps forming.
Reduce the heat and stir in the pasta, peas, ham, lemon zest and juice and half of the cheese.
Squeeze the garlic cloves out of their papery cases, mash with a fork and add to the creamy sauce.
Season with salt and pepper and warm through.
Scatter the remaining cheese on top before serving.
Dukkah-dusted lamb chops with creamed aubergine
Preheat the grill.
Whisk the oil, mint, vinegar and garlic in a non-metallic bowl.
Add the lamb, toss to combine and marinade for 30 minutes.
Fry chops for 3–4 minutes per side, transfer to an ovenproof casserole and season with salt and pepper.
Brush the warm honey over the chops and sprinkle the dukkah over the top.
Cook for 2–3 minutes, until golden and sizzling.
Serve with the creamed aubergine.
CREAMED AUBERGINE
Peel and dice the aubergine.
Heat the oil and butter in a pan over a low heat and fry the aubergine and garlic for 4–5 minutes, until golden and tender.
Transfer to a mixing bowl and stir in the paprika, mint and oregano and season with salt and pepper.
Blend using a hand blender until the mixture is mashed, but still slightly chunky.
Stir in the sour cream and lemon juice.
