Recipes

Peach scrolls with amaretto glaze

Peach scrolls with amaretto glaze

I love the idea of having these on Christmas morning, but can’t imagine ever having the bandwidth to do that as well as all the Santa stuff and the general Christmas chaos. It’s more the sort of breakfast I dream of making on those slow, hazy mornings between Christmas and New Year, when I forget what day it is, the house is quiet and there’s time to potter in the kitchen. Thank you to American baker extraordinaire Erin McDowell for inspiring this recipe.
Couverts8
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Ingredients

  • 1 cup 320 g chilled Peach and honey butter or your favourite fruit jam
  • 1 egg
  • 2 Tbsp thick double cream

BASIC SWEET DOUGH

  • 4 cups 600 g plain (all-purpose) flour, plus extra for dusting
  • ¼ cup 55 g caster (superfine) sugar
  • 3 tsp 20 g dry yeast
  • ½ tsp ground cardamom
  • A pinch of salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup 250 ml lukewarm milk
  • 175 g 6 oz butter, softened, plus extra for greasing

AMARETTO GLAZE

  • 1½ cups 185 g icing (confectioners’) sugar
  • ¼ cup 60 ml thick (double) cream
  • 2 Tbsp amaretto liqueur or brandy, lemon juice or water

Instructions

  • For the dough, briefly mix the flour, sugar, yeast, cardamom and salt in an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook.
  • Whisk the eggs into the milk, add it to the flour mixture and knead for 5 minutes.
  • Add the butter, a tablespoon or so at a time, beating well after each addition.
  • (You can also do the kneading by hand – combine the dry ingredients on your work surface, make a well in the centre and then add the milk and egg mixture and butter and knead for about 8 minutes.)
  • Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
  • Gently turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat it into a disc.
  • (This is a sticky dough, so you might need to wet your hands. ) Place the dough on a tray, cover and refrigerate overnight.
  • On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a large rectangle.
  • Generously spread the peach and honey butter or jam over the dough.
  • Starting with one of the long sides, gently roll the dough into a large sausage shape.
  • If it feels a bit sticky and warm, pop it into the fridge for 10 minutes before proceeding.
  • Grease a deep roasting tin with butter.
  • Cut the dough into nine rounds and tuck them into the tin, then cover and leave to rest for 30 minutes (just enough time to set a table outside and get the coffee ready).
  • Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
  • Whisk the egg and cream together and brush it over the scrolls.
  • Bake for 25 minutes or until the scrolls are puffed and golden.
  • For the glaze, whisk the icing sugar, cream and amaretto in a bowl.
  • Let the scrolls cool for about 10 minutes before spooning the glaze over the top.
  • Serve the scrolls warm with coffee.
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Course; Cake / Fruit

A Christmas cake for people who don’t love Christmas cake

A Christmas cake for people who don’t love Christmas cake

I’ve never been a big fan of traditional Christmas cake or pudding. I find it too dense, with too much fruit – it’s just too much! But this one is a beauty and it’s the best thing to make for people who don’t love the traditional version but still want to get in on the festive, fruity baking act. I’d suggest making two cakes – one to tightly wrap up for Christmas Day or give as a gift to a friend or lovely teacher, and one to keep in a cake tin for morning tea with some cherries on the side.
Couverts10
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Ingredients

  • 150 g 5½ oz unsalted butter, softened
  • ¾ cup 150 g brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup 75 g caster (superfine) sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
  • 3 eggs
  • 11/3 cups 200 g roughly chopped dark chocolate
  • 11/3 cups 200 g roughly chopped white chocolate
  • 1¼ cups 200 g natural almonds, ground into a fine meal (or store-bought almond meal)
  • 100 g 3½ oz marzipan, cut into small cubes
  • 100 g 3½ oz honey
  • 1 cup 150 g plain (all-purpose) flour

BOOZY FRUIT MINCE

Instructions

  • Start by making the fruit mince.
  • Combine all the ingredients in a large sterilised jar.
  • Shake well and leave in a cool, dark place, turning the jar upside down every day or two, for 2 days or up to 2 months.
  • Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F).
  • Grease and line a 20 cm (8 inch) round cake tin with baking paper, extending over the side of the tin.
  • Beat the butter, sugars and vanilla in an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until pale and fluffy, occasionally scraping down the side of the bowl.
  • Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the side of the bowl.
  • Once all the eggs are well incorporated, beat for a couple of minutes.
  • Measure out 200 g (7 oz) of the fruit mince, reserving the liquid.
  • Fold the fruit mince, dark and white chocolate, almond meal, marzipan, honey and flour into the batter.
  • Spoon the batter into the cake tin and smooth the top.
  • Bake the cake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until it is springy but not soggy to touch and is beginning to pull away from the side of the tin.
  • Remove the cake from the oven and immediately pour the reserved fruit mince liquid over the top.
  • Leave the cake to cool in the tin.
  • Store the well-wrapped cake in an airtight container for a month or so.

Notes & Wine Advice

This cake uses my basic fruit mince recipe, which makes about 3 cups of fruit mince. It’s useful for all kinds of Christmassy things, so I like to make up a big jar at the beginning of December. I use it in cakes and mince tarts (see here), and spoon it over ice cream or into custard tarts. Once it’s been opened, store it in the fridge and use it within a month or so.
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Course; Cake

Mince tart hand pies

Mince tart hand pies

Mince tarts are the ultimate harbinger of Christmas. They arrive in the shops too early, but I buy them anyway. I love the sweet crumbly pastry and boozy fruit inside. I love them when they’re so hot that they burn the top of your mouth. And I love making and giving them as presents. However, I don’t enjoy all the fiddling around when it comes to assembling the tarts … so, enter the mince tart hand pie! Simply spoon your brandy-soaked dried fruit onto a round of sweet pastry, pop another pastry round on top and seal the edges with the tines of a fork. They’re so easy and just as delicious as the traditional version.
Couverts12
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Ingredients

  • 2 cups 680 g Boozy fruit mince
  • 1 egg
  • 2 Tbsp single pure cream
  • ¼ cup 55 g caster (superfine) sugar
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon

SWEET SOUR CREAM PASTRY

  • 2 cups 300 g plain (all-purpose) flour, plus extra for dusting
  • ¼ cup 55 g caster (superfine) sugar
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • 2/3 cup 160 g sour cream
  • 1 cup 250 g chilled unsalted butter, cut into cubes

Instructions

  • For the pastry, put the flour, sugar and salt in a pile on your work surface, swirl them together and make a well in the centre.
  • Put the sour cream and butter in the well and use the heels of your hands to bring everything together, smooshing and pushing until you have a rough dough (or combine everything in a food processor and blitz until the same thing happens).
  • Gently bring the dough together into a disc, divide it in half and shape each portion into a disc.
  • Wrap each disc and pop it into the fridge for 30 minutes.
  • Roll out one of the pastry discs on a lightly floured surface until 3 mm (1/8 inch) thick.
  • Using a biscuit cutter or a glass, cut the pastry into 5 cm (2 inch) rounds.
  • Place a heaped tablespoon of the fruit mince in the middle of a pastry round and then press another pastry round on top.
  • Use the tines of a fork to gently press down around the edge of the pastry to seal the pie.
  • Place on a baking tray lined with baking paper and repeat with the remaining pastry and fruit mince.
  • Place the pies in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 days.
  • (You can also freeze the pies at this point and cook them straight from frozen.
  • )
  • Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
  • Whisk the egg and cream in one bowl and whisk the sugar and cinnamon in another bowl.
  • Brush the egg wash over the pies and sprinkle the cinnamon sugar over the top.
  • Bake for 20 minutes or until the pies are golden.
  • Serve the warm pies with a dollop of cream or ice cream.
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Course; Pie

The giant chocolate chip biscuit

The giant chocolate chip biscuit

Meet the giant chocolate chip biscuit! Break it into shards to share, wrap it up for a friend who needs some love or serve it on a board with fresh fruit and ice cream. Or sandwich two giant biscuits with softened ice cream, then freeze it for the biggest ice-cream sandwich of all time. However you choose to serve this ridiculous, huge biscuit, it will bring delight! Plus, it’s an easy melt-and-mix number so you can just throw it together in one bowl and pop it into a frying pan and then into the oven. When it’s time for dessert, just slice it into wedges and hand it around.
Couverts6
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Ingredients

  • ½ cup 100 g brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup 75 g caster (superfine) sugar
  • ¼ cup 60 g butter, melted
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
  • 1 cup 150 g plain (all-purpose) flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 200 g 7 oz milk or dark chocolate, roughly chopped (or a mix of the two)
  • Sea salt flakes for sprinkling

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
  • Lightly grease an ovenproof frying pan or a large pizza or biscuit tray.
  • Combine the sugars, butter, egg and vanilla in a bowl and whisk until you have a smooth and glossy batter.
  • Fold in the flour, baking powder and chocolate and gently stir until just combined.
  • Spoon the mixture into the frying pan or onto the tray.
  • Place a piece of baking paper on top and press the mixture into a disc about 20 cm (8 inches) in diameter and 4 cm (1½ inches) thick, allowing room for spreading.
  • Sprinkle the biscuit with sea salt flakes and pop it into the oven for 20 minutes or until golden on top.
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Course; Chocolate / Coockies / Biscuit

The ‘big’ summer chicken salad

The ‘big’ summer chicken salad

This glorious, big meal of a salad seems to appeal to all ages. It’s great for a picnic or a fresh and easy summer meal at home. You could also serve it with warm wraps or pita pockets, or add some big toasted sourdough croutons for extra crunch. Leave out the chilli if you’ve got kids along for dinner.
Couverts6
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Ingredients

  • 800 g 1 lb 12 oz skinless chicken thigh fillets, cut into chunks
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • Grated zest and juice of 3 limes
  • 2 mangoes cut into cubes
  • 2 avocados cut into cubes
  • 3 Lebanese short cucumbers, cut into chunks
  • 500 g 1 lb 2 oz mixed cherry and grape tomatoes, halved
  • 1 red capsicum pepper, cut into chunks
  • ½ red onion very finely diced
  • 1 handful mint leaves roughly chopped
  • 2 cos lettuces leaves separated
  • ¼ cup 60 ml olive oil
  • A good pinch of sea salt
  • 1 Tbsp sumac

CARAMELISED MACADAMIAS

  • 1 cup 155 g macadamia nuts
  • 2 Tbsp 40 g butter
  • ¼ cup 55 g caster (superfine) sugar
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • A good pinch of chilli flakes

Instructions

  • Toss the chicken with the spices and lime zest in a bowl.
  • Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes (or all day if that’s easier).
  • For the caramelised macadamias, line a baking tray with baking paper.
  • Toast the macadamia nuts in a dry frying pan over medium–high heat for about 5 minutes or until the nuts are just turning golden.
  • Add the butter, sugar, sea salt and chilli flakes and cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes or until the sugar has completely melted and coats the nuts like a caramel.
  • Watch carefully as the nuts can burn very easily.
  • Quickly tip the caramelised macadamias onto the lined baking tray and spread them out in a single layer.
  • Set aside to cool and harden, then place in a jar.
  • Combine the mango and avocado in a small container or bowl and drizzle with a third of the lime juice.
  • Combine the cucumber, tomato, capsicum, red onion and mint leaves in a larger container or bowl.
  • Put the lettuce leaves in a container or bowl.
  • Cover and refrigerate.
  • Pour half of the remaining lime juice and half of the olive oil into a jar and shake to make a dressing.
  • Heat the remaining olive oil in a large, deep frying pan over high heat.
  • Add the marinated chicken and salt and cook, stirring and tossing the chicken, for about 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
  • Remove the pan from the heat.
  • Sprinkle the remaining lime juice and the sumac over the chicken and let it sit in the pan for a couple of minutes before transferring it to a container or bowl.
  • (I like to cook the chicken right before we walk out the door so it’s still warm when we get to eating it.
  • But it’s also really good cold, so if you think that’s safer, cook it in advance and chill it before heading out, then pack it in a cool box or insulated bag with ice bricks.)
  • Gather up the containers of chicken, lettuce, cucumber mixture, mango and avocado mixture, dressing and caramelised macadamias and head outdoors, or arrange all the food on the table at home
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Course; Chicken / Salad

Vito’s blood oranges dipped in dark chocolate

Vito’s blood oranges dipped in dark chocolate

Vito Mancini is a blood-orange grower from Griffith in New South Wales. This is his delicious recipe and it’s so easy. Serve a plate of these for dessert, perhaps with some little almond biscuits or biscotti. A strong coffee or amaro wouldn’t go astray, either!
Couverts16 wedges
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Ingredients

  • 1 blood orange
  • 100 g 3½ oz good-quality dark chocolate

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F).
  • Line a baking tray with baking paper.
  • Place the orange in a saucepan of water and bring to the boil.
  • Cook for 20 minutes, then remove the orange and set it aside to cool a little.
  • Slice off the top and bottom of the orange, then cut it in half lengthways.
  • Cut the two orange halves into thin wedges and place them on the baking tray.
  • Pop the tray into the oven for 5 minutes to dry out the orange segments a little.
  • Meanwhile, melt the chocolate in a heatproof glass bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and stir until smooth.
  • Dip the orange segments into the melted chocolate, then return them to the tray and place them in the fridge to set.
  • Once set, transfer the orange segments to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to a few weeks.
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Course; Chocolate / Fruit

Blood orange and lemon jubes

Blood orange and lemon jubes

I’m a total sucker for any kind of sweet, especially the red ones. I know, of course, that they’re not great for us. But these home-made jubes are actually tastier than anything that comes in a bag and they’re not at all bad for you – winning! The blood orange juice adds a gorgeous colour and tang, but you could use regular orange juice and they’d be just as good.
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Ingredients

Instructions

  • Combine the blood orange juice, lemon juice and honey or maple syrup in a small saucepan.
  • Heat until the mixture reaches boiling point, then remove from the heat.
  • Whisk in the gelatine and keep mixing until it has completely dissolved.
  • Strain the mixture into small silicone ice-cube moulds or into a small shallow container, about 10 x 20 cm (4 x 8 inches).
  • Place in the fridge to set for an hour or so before popping the jubes out of the moulds or cutting into small cubes.
  • Store the jubes in the fridge for a few days.

Notes & Wine Advice

It’s worth looking in health-food stores or online
for a grass-fed bovine gelatine rather than buying the powdered one from the supermarket. The good stuff has no flavour at all and it boasts all kinds of health benefits.
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Course; Fruit

Danish strawberry jam

Danish strawberry jam

Danish jam often seems to be a slightly softer, less ‘set’ preserve, a little more like a compote. Mum’s Danish side of the family prefer this runnier style of jam. It tastes very fresh and bright – like strawberries. And because it uses a lot less sugar and cooks for a shorter time than traditional jam, it should be stored in the fridge. This jam would be absolutely beautiful sandwiched between two sponge cakes or in a simple trifle – jam on the bottom, thick custard on top and a layer of whipped cream and chopped nuts to finish.
Couverts3 cups
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Ingredients

  • 2¼ cups 500 g white (granulated) sugar
  • 1 vanilla bean split lengthways
  • 1 lemon

Instructions

  • Combine the berries and sugar in a large saucepan.
  • Scrape the vanilla seeds into the pan and add the scraped pod.
  • Squeeze in the lemon juice and grate in about ½ teaspoon of lemon zest.
  • Bring the mixture to the boil over high heat, stirring often, then cook for about 10 minutes.
  • Transfer the hot jam into sterilised jars and seal tightly.
  • Once it’s cool, store the jam in the fridge.
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Course; Fruit / Sandwich toppings
Cuisine; Danish / European

Pot-roasted rhubarb

Pot-roasted rhubarb

This is a fantastic way to use up a lot of rhubarb. The stalks keep their shape, the flavours concentrate beautifully and the end result freezes well so you can make up a big stash to dip into throughout the year. The extra syrup that the rhubarb produces while cooking is beautiful splashed into sparkling wine or topped up with some chilled mineral water.
Couverts4
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Ingredients

  • 10 rhubarb stalks cut into 5 cm (2 inch) batons
  • ½ cup 110 g caster (superfine) sugar
  • Juice of 1 orange
  • 2 thick strips of orange zest
  • 1 vanilla bean split lengthways

Instructions

  • Combine all the ingredients in an ovenproof dish, cover with the lid or foil and set aside for 30 minutes.
  • Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F).
  • Bake the rhubarb, covered, for about 40 minutes or until tender.
  • Serve the rhubarb warm or cold, with everything from yoghurt to brownies, or even sandwiched between two sponge cakes.
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Course; Side Dish / Vegetables

Carrot, orange and walnut cake

Carrot, orange and walnut cake

This dense, delicious cake is dairy- and gluten-free, which makes it handy for any friends who can’t have or don’t like cakes that contain dairy or gluten. But most importantly, it’s super tasty and perfect for picnics and outings.
Couverts8
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Ingredients

  • ½ cup 125 ml rum
  • ¼ cup 45 g sultanas
  • ¼ cup 45 g dried apricots, roughly chopped
  • 2 cups 200 g almond meal
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground ginger
  • ½ cup 125 ml olive oil
  • ¾ cup 165 g caster (superfine) sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Grated zest of 1 orange
  • 2 cups 310 g grated carrot
  • ½ cup 60 g walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
  • Dried orange slices to garnish

CASHEW CREAM ICING

  • 1½ cups 235 g raw cashews, soaked overnight in cold water
  • ½ cup 130 g coconut yoghurt or coconut cream
  • ¼ cup 60 ml maple syrup
  • Juice of 1 orange
  • A pinch of sea salt

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
  • Grease and line a 24 cm (9½ inch) round cake tin with baking paper.
  • Pour the rum into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer.
  • Remove the pan from the heat and add the sultanas and apricots.
  • Set aside to soak while you prepare the batter.
  • Put the almond meal, baking powder, cinnamon and ginger in a bowl and whisk to combine.
  • Whisk the olive oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla and orange zest in a large bowl until smooth and well combined.
  • Fold in the almond meal mixture, grated carrot, walnuts and drained sultanas and apricots, mixing until combined.
  • Transfer the batter to the tin and smooth the top.
  • Bake the cake for 45 minutes or until the top is golden and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
  • Cool the cake in the tin for about 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  • For the icing, tip the drained cashews into a food processor.
  • Add the remaining ingredients and blitz until the mixture is combined and has a thick and creamy consistency.
  • Spread the icing over the cake and garnish with dried orange slices.

Notes & Wine Advice

For an extra large cake to feed a crowd, double the ingredients and increase the cooking time by about 15 minutes or until the top of the cake feels firm to the touch and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
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Course; Cake / Nuts