Festive Rumballs

Reindeer Raisin Bites

1. Add dark and milk chocolate, raisins, and almonds (excluding reserved almonds) to a food processor and blitz until very finely chopped.
2. Transfer chocolate to a bowl, pour over the hot thickened cream, add butter and salt and stir to combine. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours until firm but still able to be scooped with a spoon.
3. To make truffles, scoop 2 heaped tbsp of the mixture and use clean hands to roll into a ball.  Repeat with the remaining mixture.
4. Roll balls in the chocolate sprinkles to coat.
5. Cut pretzels in half and insert 2 into each ball for antlers.
6. Just below the antlers, insert slivered almond to form reindeer’s ears.
7. Use white icing to stick an Ovalteenie to each ball to form a snout.
8. Use white icing to create two eyeballs just above the mouth. And a dot to each eye with the black gel.
9. Use the white icing to attach a red mini M&M to the top of each Ovalteenie to give your reindeers noses.
10. Refrigerate for a further hour to set the icing. Serve cold.

Fruit and Nut Easter Eggs

Combine mixed fruit, dates, 90g seed mix, 80g hazelnuts, 20g coconut, coconut oil, vanilla essence, coffee and salt in a food processor and blend until a smooth, thick paste is formed. 

Divide into 25 equal portions and roll each into a ball, then shape into an egg shape.

Place remaining seed mix into a food processor and process to a coarse crumb.  Transfer to a small bowl.  Repeat with remaining hazelnuts.  Pour remaining coconut into a small bowl. 

To decorate, roll 6 eggs in coconut, 6 in seed mix crumb, 6 in hazelnut crumb and leave 7 plain.  Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving cold.

Layered Caramel Cake with Christmas Fruit Cream

Step 1: In a medium bowl soak Sunbeam fruit with orange rind, maple syrup & boiling water for 2 hours.

Step 2: Caramel Ganache.  In a small saucepan on medium heat, melt the caramilk chocolate and 400ml of cream to form a ganache. Once melted and well combined, stir and set aside to cool. Once the caramilk ganache has cooled, whip with a hand blender till firm.

Step 3: Fruit Cream. Remove orange rind and drain fruit of any excess liquid. Set liquid aside as you will use this later. In a large bowl whip 400ml cream, corn flour and All Spice until firm. Add fruit mix to cream and stir through.

Step 4: Assemble. Cut your sponge cake into halves so you have 4 pieces to form 4 layers. On each layer of the cake spread 2-3 tablespoons of the caramilk ganache followed by 2-3 tablespoons of the fruit cream mix – spread evenly and layer your cake.

Garnish with any leftover ganache and cream and top with seasonal fresh fruits.

Cinnamon Scrolls

Transfer warm milk to the bowl of an electric mixer and sprinkle yeast on top. Add in sugar, egg, egg yolk and melted butter. Mix until well combined.  

Stir in flour, salt, currants and sultanas until a dough begins to form. 

Place dough hook on stand mixer and knead dough on medium speed for 8 minutes. Dough should form into a nice ball. 

Transfer dough ball into an oiled bowl and cover with cling film. Allow dough to rise for approximately an hour, or until doubled in size.  

After dough has doubled in size, transfer dough to a well-floured surface and roll out into a 35x22cm rectangle. Spread softened butter over dough. 

In a small bowl, mix brown sugar and cinnamon. Use your hands to sprinkle mixture over the buttered dough followed by the currants, then press into the butter. 

Tightly roll dough up, starting from the shorter side and place seam-side down making sure to seal the edges of the dough as best you can.  

Cut into 1 inch sections with a serrated knife. You should get 9 large pieces. 

Place cinnamon scrolls in a greased 23x23cm baking pan or round 23cm cake pan. Cover with plastic wrap and a warm towel and let rise again for 30-45 minutes. 

Preheat oven to 175 degrees Celsius. Remove clingwrap and bake for 20-25 minutes or until just slightly golden brown on the edges. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before frosting.

Makes 9 cinnamon scrolls. 

To make the frosting:  

In the bowl using electric mixer, combine cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth, light and fluffy.  

Sticky Currant, Walnut & Ginger Puddings

Macadamia Biscuits

Preheat oven to 170⁰C. Line baking tray with grease proof paper.

1. Cream butter and sugar. Add vanilla essence and egg, beating until well combined.
2. Stir in flour, macadamia nuts and choc chips.
3. Roll tablespoons of mixture into balls and place on tray 5cm apart. Bake for 12mins or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack.