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
  1. Preheat oven to moderate – line baking trays with paper
  2. Beat butter and brown sugar until fluffy, add egg
  3. Combine the flour, baking powder, bi-carb and ginger
  4. Combine with the butter mixture to form a dough, refrigerate for 15 mins to chill
  5. Now to create your shapes – stars, Christmas trees…………..
  6. Add different shapes will need different cooking times
  7. 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
  1. Preheat oven to moderate – line baking trays with paper
  2. Place flour, icing sugar, baking powder and food processor and pulse to combine
  3. Add chopped butter and process until the mixture resembles fine crumbs
  4. Add egg yolks and orange blossom water and process until mixture comes together
  5. Turn out onto a board and work into a ball
  6. Wrap in glad wrap or baking paper and refrigerate for 2 hours
  7. Roll dough out to 4 mm thick and cut out biscuits with cutters
  8. 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
  1. Line a 20 cm square tray with baking paper
  2. Boil sugar and milk together for 5 minutes – careful not to burn
  3. Add coconut and simmer for 1 minute
  4. Stand pan in bowl of cold water to cool, stirring coconut mixture until it thickens
  5. 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
  1. Line a 20 cm square tray with baking paper
  2. Combine condensed milk and icing sugar – it will be a stiff mix
  3. Add coconut and combine well
  4. 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
  1. Infuse the goya and cranberries with 90 ml of hot water – soak for 10 minutes then drain
  2. Process the berries with 1tabs red wine vinegar and 2 tabs olive oil
  3. Arrange lettuce on platter or bowl,add melon, oranges, mozzarella, mint and spring onions
  4. Process the bread, garlic and thyme into rough crumb
  5. Fry in pan until golden brown – cool – then sprinkle over salad
  6. 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
  1. Boil potatoes, add beans and eggs. Drain – set aside
  2. Mix garlic, basil, nuts, olive oil and cheese to make a rough pesto – then add lemon and yoghurt – put into serving bowl
  3. 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
  1. Grill whole eggplant on BBQ or gas top until soft – scoop out the inside flesh into a bowl
  2. Add oil, lemon juice, grated garlic, harissa and yoghurt.
  3. Roughly chop hazelnuts and sprinkle over
  4. Serve with sourdough toast soldiers for dipping