Biscuits & Cakes & Confectionery

Butter Cake

160g softened (room temperature) butter

¾ cup caster sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

225g plain flour

3 tsp baking powder

¾ cup milk

Optional additions: 2 tsp carraway seeds; 200g Winn’s Natural Glacé cherries - halved & dusted with flour to prevent sinking when baked; 2Tblsp sultanas soaked in... booze of choice ;-) or just orange juice!

‘x’ quantity of chocolate chips or 2 Tblsp cocoa powder

Choc Chip Biscuits

Di Hall

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup raw sugar

½ tsp vanilla extract or paste

125g butter

1 egg

1 and 3/4 cups Self Raising flour

125g Nestlé dark choc bits

Chocolate Ganache

250g dark chocolate

250g pure whipping cream

10g butter

Method

Preheat the oven to 160˚C Grease and line (with greaseproof paper or GladBake) a round 20cm cake tin OR grease cupcake pans (2 x 6) or line with patty pan cases. Sift flour and baking powder twice.

Cream butter, sugar and vanilla until very pale and thick.

Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until well incorporated. (Adding them too quickly will result in a ‘curdled’ mix)

Add sifted flour/baking powder and milk alternately on low-medium speed, until thick and well blended.

If using optional ingredient/s:

Using a wooden spoon gently fold through the carraway seeds/halved glacé cherries/ choc chips or soaked sultanas

Spoon into prepared baking tin and cook for between 40 and 50 minutes, until lightly browned and a skewer comes out clean. OR if making cupcakes, bake for between 20 and 30 minutes, checking after 20 minutes. Store in an airtight container.

Method

Combine butter, sugars, vanilla and egg and mix well. Add flour and choc bits. Mix to a very stiff dough. Roll into balls the size of a 10 cent piece. Bake at 190˚C until slightly golden but NOT brown - approx 12 minutes.

Method

Place chopped/broken up chocolate in a large bowl. Heat cream in a saucepan to just below simmering. Add the heated cream to chocolate and let stand for 3 minutes.

Stir well adding the butter at the end.

Optional extras:

• 2 Tbls chopped ginger

• 1 dessertspoon orange zest

• splash Cointreau or Grand Marnier • splash of Kahlua

Chocolate Truffles

Angela Hartnett

340g plain dark chocolate 70%

60g butter, softened

200ml double cream

50g caster sugar

2 Tblsp cocoa powder

2 Tblsp icing sugar

Luscious Chocolate Cake

Lynne Ferguson

2 cups plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

2 tsp bicarb soda

1 tsp salt

1 ¾ cups caster sugar

½ cup cocoa powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup strong espresso-type (wet) black coffee (not a cup of straight powdered/ granulated coffee!)

2 eggs

1 cup sour milk (OR half sour milk and half cointreau/rum/grog of choice)*

½ cup oil (I prefer macadamia)

Icing:

2 tsp butter

1 Tblsp hot water

1 cup Icing sugar mixture

2 Tblsp cocoa

Method

Break up the chocolate, chop finely and put into a mixing bowl with the butter. Place the cream and sugar in a saucepan and bring just to the boil.

Pour the cream over the chocolate/butter and beat until it is smooth and shiny. Freeze for a few hours until firm enough to shape.

Mix the cocoa and icing sugar together.

Dust a baking sheet lined with baking paper with half the cocoa/sugar mixture

Spoon the truffle mixture into the baking sheet.

Use a spatual to spead into a rectangle 4cm x 28cm x 3cm deep. Use a ruler to achieve straight sides. Dust with the remaining cocoa/sugar. Put into the freezer until firm.

Use a sharp knife dipped in hot water to cut into 1cm slices. Chill until ready to serve.

Tip: This can also be rolled into balls. Dust your hands with the cocoa/sugar and roll. You can also add 2 Tblsp liqueur, brandy, rum or whiskey to the mix. Truffles will keep in an airtight container for up to 1 week

Method

Grease and line with baking parchment a square or round springform pan.

Preheat oven to 180˚C. Sift dry ingredients together into a large mixing bowl. Combine wet ingredients into a measuring jug/bowl then gradually add to the dry ingredients. Beat for two minutes until smooth & foamy. Mixture is VERY liquid. Bake in a square or round springform pan, 20cm greased & lined tin at 180˚C for 1 ¼ hours. Leave in tin for 15 mins before turning out.

Ice and store in an airtight container, or if hot weather, in the fridge.

Method for Icing:

Sift cocoa & icing sugar.

Put butter into hot water until almost melted & mix into icing sugar mixture.

Variations: Make into 12 large cupcakes. Bake for 20-30 minutes. Cool thoroughly before icing.

Cream Patissiere

5 egg yolks

3/4 cup caster sugar

3 Tbls cornflour

1½ cups scalded milk

1 tsp vanilla paste/extract or 1 vanilla pod split lengthwise

1 Tbls butter

1 Tbls cream

Never Fail Patty Cakes

Barbara Flynn - Nana's friend, the nun, lives with Gwen the sewing nun

225g butter, softened

1¼ cups caster sugar

4 eggs

2½ cups self raising flour

3/4 cup milk

Lemon Icing

2 cups icing sugar mixture juice of 2 lemons little hot water, if required

Peppermint Creams

Lorraine Pasquale

300g pure icing sugar - sifted

125g sweetened condensed milk

¼ tsp peppermint extract additional icing sugar for kneading/rolling dark chocolate

Method

In a heat proof bowl beat yolks and sugar until pale and thick. Add cornflour and whisk in the warm/hot milk. Pour mixture into the saucepan used to heat the milk. Heat over low heat and stir constantly until thickened. Add butter and cream, and optional brandy. Sieve if necessary to remove lumps. Cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent skin forming and chill.

Method

Beat butter and sugar until light a fluffy. Add eggs one by one, beating well after each addition. Add flour and milk alternately, ending with the flour. Spoon into patty pans and bake at 190˚C for 10 to 15 minutes.

To Make Icing:

Mix sugar and juice to a stiff paste. Add drops of water until desired consistency is achieved. Spoon icing over warm cakes ( not hot, straight from the oven, allowed to cool a little)

Method

Mix sugar, milk and peppermint extract in a bowl for form a stiff dough.

Knead and roll dough on a sugared board to 5mm thick. Cut rounds, stars - whatever shape you like - and allow to dry on lined baking trays. Melt dark chocolate over water bath then dip half of each peppermint cream into the chocolate, return to lined baking tray and allow to set.