CHRISTMAS BAKING

THE AUSTRALIAN

g n i k a b s a m t s i r h C

delicious cookies, cakes and edible gifts jam tarts p105 almond and cranberry toffee wreaths p93 giant macadamia, white chocolate and cranberry cookies p110 cinnamon eggnog macaroons p86 pudding cookies p90 crispy leaves p102 gingerbread gift boxes p55 gingerbread folk p97

contents fruit cakes 4 celebration cakes 22 edible gifts 46 shortbreads 68 cookies 84 cooking techniques 112 glossary 114 index 117 The oven temperatures in this book are for conventional ovens;

fruit cakes

Filled with fruits, nuts and spices these fruit cakes contain all the best things about Christmas – without gluten or dairy. They are so delicious and delightfully rich that you won’t feel like you’re missing out.

gluten and dairy-free spicy fruit cakes ¹⁄³ cup (45g) slivered almonds ½ cup (105g) finely chopped mixed glacé cherries 2 tablespoons finely chopped glacé ginger ¼ cup (75g) finely chopped glacé pear 100g (3 ounces) dairy-free spread 1 cup (135g) gluten-free self-raising flour 1 teaspoon ground ginger ½ teaspoon ground cloves ½ cup (110g) firmly packed light brown sugar ¼ cup (60ml) rice milk 1 egg 1 egg white

6

fruit cakes

1 Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F. Grease 12-hole (¹⁄³-cup/80ml) standard muffin pan; line bases of pan holes with rounds of baking paper.

2 Combine nuts and glacé fruit in small bowl; sprinkle mixture evenly into pan holes.

3 Beat spread in small bowl with electric mixer for 1 second, just to soften slightly (see tips). Sift flour, spices and 2 tablespoons of the sugar together. Beat flour mixture and milk into spread only until combined.

4 Beat egg and egg white in small bowl with electric mixer about 5 minutes or until thick and creamy. Add remaining sugar, beat until dissolved.

Gradually beat egg mixture into flour mixture.

5 Divide mixture between pan holes. Bake cakes about 15 minutes. Stand cakes in pan 5 minutes before turning, bottom-side up, onto wire rack to cool. Remove lining papers.

prep + cook time 35 minutes makes 12 tips The easiest way to line the base of the pan holes is to cut the bottom out of cupcake paper cases; use the correct sized case for the muffin pan.

Don’t overbeat the dairy-free spread or it will break down; you just need to break it up before adding the flour mixture. storage Cakes will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

celebration cakes

white chocolate and coconut cake 2 eggs 125g (4 ounces) unsalted butter 180g (5½ ounces) white eating chocolate 1 cup (250ml) coconut cream 1¼ cups (275g) caster (superfine) sugar 2 teaspoons coconut extract 1¼ cups (185g) plain (all-purpose) flour ½ cup (75g) self-raising flour ¹⁄³ cup (15g) flaked coconut white chocolate glaze 100g (3 ounces) white eating chocolate ¼ cup (60ml) pouring cream

10

celebration cakes

1 Have eggs at room temperature.

2 Preheat oven to 140°C/280°F. Grease deep 25cm (10-inch) fluted ring pan well; sprinkle with flour, shake out excess.

3 Chop butter. Break chocolate into medium saucepan; add butter, coconut cream and sugar.

Stir over low heat until smooth.

Transfer mixture to large bowl; cool 15 minutes.

4 Whisk in eggs, extract and sifted flours until smooth. Pour mixture into pan. Bake cake about 1 hour 20 minutes. Stand cake in pan 5 minutes, before turning onto wire rack to cool.

5 Meanwhile, make white chocolate glaze.

6 Drizzle cold cake with glaze; sprinkle with flaked coconut.

white chocolate gLAZE Break chocolate into small saucepan, add cream; stir over low heat until smooth. Cool 10 minutes. prep + cook time 2 hours (+ cooling) serves 10 storage Cake will keep in an airtight container, in the fridge, for up to one week. Freeze uniced cake for up to 3 months.

edible gifts

Christmas is the party season and these savoury biscuits are perfect for entertaining. Give them as a gift to the hostess so she can offer them with cheese, fruit or on their own accompanied with a glass of sparkling wine or festive punch.

cheese and seed biscuits 150g (5 ounces) cold butter 1¼ cups (185g) plain (all-purpose) flour pinch cayenne pepper 1 cup (120g) coarsely grated mature cheddar cheese ½ cup (40g) coarsely grated parmesan cheese 2 tablespoons sesame seeds 2 tablespoons poppy seeds

14

edible gifts

1 Coarsely grate butter into processor bowl, add flour and cayenne pepper; process until crumbly. Add cheeses; process until dough comes together.

Turn dough onto floured surface; knead until smooth.

2 Roll dough into two 15cm (6-inch) logs. Sprinkle sesame seeds in a shallow tray; sprinkle poppy seeds in another shallow tray. Roll each log in one type of seed. Wrap logs in plastic wrap; refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.

3 Meanwhile, preheat oven to 180°C/350°F. 4 Cut logs into 5mm (¼-inch) slices. Place slices, about 2.5cm (1-inch) apart, on baking-paperlined oven trays. Bake biscuits about 15 minutes. Cool on trays.

prep + cook time 40 minutes (+ refrigeration) makes 50 storage Biscuits will keep for up to 1 week in an airtight container, or freeze for up to 3 months. To refresh biscuits, place them in a single layer on oven trays, and bake at 180°C/350°F for 5 minutes; cool on trays.

shortbreads

caramel-filled orange shortbreads 395g (12½ ounces) canned sweetened condensed milk 250g (8 ounces) butter 2 teaspoons finely grated orange rind ¾ cup (120g) icing (confectioners’) sugar 1½ cups (225g) plain (all-purpose) flour ½ cup (75g) wheaten cornflour (cornstarch) 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 2 teaspoons icing (confectioners’) sugar, extra

18

shortbreads

1 Preheat oven to 220°C/425°F. 2 To make caramel, pour condensed milk into a ceramic pie dish or shallow ovenproof dish, cover tightly with foil. Place dish in medium baking dish; add enough boiling water to come halfway up the side of pie dish.

Bake about 1½ hours or until milk is caramel in colour. (Add extra boiling water to dish as needed to maintain water level.) Remove pie dish from baking dish; cool.

Whisk caramel until smooth; refrigerate until ready to use.

3 Have butter at room temperature.

4 Reduce oven temperature to 160°C/325°F. Line oven trays with baking paper.

5 Beat butter, rind and sifted icing sugar in small bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy.

Stir in sifted flour, cornflour and cinnamon, in two batches. Dust hands with flour, roll rounded teaspoons of mixture into balls; place about 2.5cm (1-inch) apart on trays. Dip a fork into a little extra flour; flatten biscuits gently with fork.

6 Bake shortbreads about 10 minutes. Stand shortbreads on trays 5 minutes, before turning onto wire racks to cool.

7 Sandwich shortbreads with caramel; dust with extra sifted icing sugar before serving. prep + cook time 2¼ hours (+ cooling) makes 30 storage Unfilled shortbreads will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Filled shortbreads will keep for 1 day in an airtight container. Caramel can be made 2 weeks ahead; keep refrigerated.

cookies

Macadamia nuts are native to Australia and grow in tropical areas along the east coast. They are ideal for baking – their delicious smooth flavour and soft crunch adds the perfect extra something to these delicious cookies.

giant macadamia, white chocolate and cranberry cookies 185g (6 ounces) unsalted butter ¾ cup (105g) unsalted macadamias 150g (4½ ounces) white eating chocolate 1 cup (220g) firmly packed light brown sugar ½ cup (110g) caster (superfine) sugar 1½ cups (225g) self-raising flour ½ cup (75g) plain (all-purpose) flour 1 egg 1 egg yolk ¾ cup (100g) dried cranberries

22

cookies

1 Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F. Line three oven trays with baking paper.

2 Melt butter; cool.

3 Coarsely chop nuts; dry-fry nuts, stirring, in large frying pan, until browned lightly; remove from heat.

4 Chop chocolate coarsely.

5 Sift sugars and flours into large bowl; add nuts. Lightly beat egg, egg yolk and butter with fork in small bowl until combined; stir into flour mixture until mixture forms a soft dough. Stir in chocolate and cranberries.

6 Roll rounded tablespoons of mixture into balls. Place balls, about 8cm (3¼-inches) apart, on trays; flatten to about 8cm (3¼-inches) wide. Bake about 12 minutes; cool on trays.

prep + cook time 45 minutes (+ cooling) makes 20 storage Cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

pear and hazelnut bread p51

lemon and currant whoopee pies p89

speculaas p101

A delicious book of cookies, cakes and edible gifts to make at Christmas time. It includes recipes for little tarts, shortbread, celebration cakes and fruit cakes.

It’s full of inspirational baking ideas that will give you great pleasure to make, and to share with family and friends. And the edible gifts are sure to delight everyone lucky enough to receive one. mini fruit mince cakes p14

chocolate chestnut cake p27

white chocolate and coconut cake p24

www.acpbooks.com.au

fruit mince pie pops p48

mojito syrup cake p32