GINGERBREAD (pg 147 – Two Old Ducks Sweet Celebrations)
- 3 1/4 cups plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp bi-carb of soda
- 3 tsp ground ginger
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 125 gr butter
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1 egg
- Preheat oven to moderate – line baking trays with paper
- Beat butter and brown sugar until fluffy, add egg
- Combine the flour, baking powder, bi-carb and ginger
- Combine with the butter mixture to form a dough, refrigerate for 15 mins to chill
- Now to create your shapes – stars, Christmas trees…………..
- Add different shapes will need different cooking times
- A small shape eg., 5 cm, bake for 5 -7 minutes
CHRISTMAS CUTTER COOKIES (pg 150 – Two Old Ducks Sweet Celebrations)
- 3 1/2 cups plain flour
- 2 cups icing sugar – sifted
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 2 lemons, zested
- 250 gr butter, chopped
- 3 egg yolks (freeze the egg white for pavlova or use to make icing)
- 2 drops orange blossom water
- Preheat oven to moderate – line baking trays with paper
- Place flour, icing sugar, baking powder and food processor and pulse to combine
- Add chopped butter and process until the mixture resembles fine crumbs
- Add egg yolks and orange blossom water and process until mixture comes together
- Turn out onto a board and work into a ball
- Wrap in glad wrap or baking paper and refrigerate for 2 hours
- Roll dough out to 4 mm thick and cut out biscuits with cutters
- Bake in oven for 15 minutes until golden, decorate
COCONUT ICE -1
- 2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 cup desiccated coconut
- food colouring if you want to colour or layer
- Line a 20 cm square tray with baking paper
- Boil sugar and milk together for 5 minutes – careful not to burn
- Add coconut and simmer for 1 minute
- Stand pan in bowl of cold water to cool, stirring coconut mixture until it thickens
- Pour in tin, allow to set and slice into squares
COCONUT ICE – 2
- 395 gr tin condensed milk
- 3 1/2 cups icing sugar, sifted
- 4 cups desiccated coconut
- food colouring if you want to colour or layer
- Line a 20 cm square tray with baking paper
- Combine condensed milk and icing sugar – it will be a stiff mix
- Add coconut and combine well
- Divide mixture if you want to colour and layer in tin, allow to harden and slice into squares
MOZZARELLA, MELON AND ORANGE SALAD (pg 43 Coles recipe handout)
- 20 gr goya berries
- 20 gr dried cranberries
- red wine vinegar
- olive oil
- 1-2 little gem lettuce – washed and trimmed
- 1/2 honeydew melon – either make melon balls using melon baller or teaspoon
- 2 oranges – peeled and cut into thin slices
- 2 x 180 gr tubs mozzarella or bocconcini – drained and torn into pieces
- 3 spring onions – chopped
- 1 bunch mint – chopped
- 1 clove garlic
- 3 slices day old bread
- thyme sprigs
- Infuse the goya and cranberries with 90 ml of hot water – soak for 10 minutes then drain
- Process the berries with 1tabs red wine vinegar and 2 tabs olive oil
- Arrange lettuce on platter or bowl,add melon, oranges, mozzarella, mint and spring onions
- Process the bread, garlic and thyme into rough crumb
- Fry in pan until golden brown – cool – then sprinkle over salad
- Drizzle over the dressing
POTATO AND GREEN BEAN SALAD (pg 46)
- 750 gr baby potatoes – wash and boil for 25 mins until tender
- 220 gr green beans – add to potato for last 7 mins
- 3 eggs – boiled and peeled
- 1 bunch basil
- 1 clove garlic
- 40 gr almonds or pine nuts
- olive oil
- 40 gr cheddar or parmesan cheese
- 1 lemon
- 2 tabs Greek style yoghurt
- Boil potatoes, add beans and eggs. Drain – set aside
- Mix garlic, basil, nuts, olive oil and cheese to make a rough pesto – then add lemon and yoghurt – put into serving bowl
- Toss in potatoes and beans – mix together – top with slices of boiled egg – sprinkle of basil leaves
SMOKY EGGPLANT DIP (pg 47)
- 1 eggplant
- 1/2 lemon
- 1 tabs olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/2 bunch chives
- 1/2 bunch parsley
- 1/2 tsp harissa paste
- 2 tabs Greek style yoghurt
- 20 gr blanched hazelnuts – optional
- sourdough – sliced and toasted or grilled
- Grill whole eggplant on BBQ or gas top until soft – scoop out the inside flesh into a bowl
- Add oil, lemon juice, grated garlic, harissa and yoghurt.
- Roughly chop hazelnuts and sprinkle over
- Serve with sourdough toast soldiers for dipping