Asparagus Pastries

Preparation 25 Minutes

Cook 30 Minutes

Serves 8

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C.

  1. Cut each pastry sheets into 4 squares. Mark 1cm in from the edge of pastry to resemble a photo frame. Place on paper lined baking trays.
  2. Panfry onions in oil for 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Pour in wine and brown sugar and cook for a further 5 minutes stirring continuously. Stir in pine nuts and cool.
  3. Place heaped spoonfuls of onion mixture into the centre of each pastry square. Arrange mushrooms and asparagus on top. Sprinkle with feta and brush edges with egg. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes. Serve.

Ingredients

70g Sunbeam Pine Nuts, roasted

2 sheets puff pastry

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, peeled and sliced

1/4 cup red wine

2 tsp brown sugar

6-8 button mushrooms, sliced

2 bunches asparagus, trimmed and blanched

100g feta cheese, crumbled

1 egg, lightly beaten

Recipe Collection

Easter Chocolate Bark

Grease and line a standard baking tray. Set aside.

Place each chocolate flavour in separate bowls. Microwave each bowl in 20 second bursts, stirring in between, until melted.

Divide the white chocolate into 3 separate bowls. Add a few drops of pink colouring to one and stir.

Add a few drops of purple colouring to the second bowl and stir.

Pour the milk chocolate into prepared tray, tilting the tray until the whole base is covered.

Spoon each of the coloured and plain white chocolate onto different spots on the chocolate. Sprinkle with Sunbeam mixed fruit.

Using a skewer, make swirls in the chocolate to create a marble effect. Decorate with chosen sprinkles and cool to set.

Cut or break up chocolate to serve. Great as a gift too!

Salted Caramel Easter Scrolls

  1. Whisk together milk, 1 tsp caster sugar and 2 tsp yeast and set aside for 10 mins until frothy. Whisk in 2 of the eggs.
  2. Combine remaining sugar and flour in a large bowl, using a whisk to beat. Add yeast/eggs mixture and use a wooden spoon to stir until the mixture just comes together, then turn out onto a lightly floured surface and slowly incorporate the butter while kneading the dough. Once all the butter has been incorporated, add the sultanas and currants and continue to knead for a further 3-4 mins or until the dough is smooth and elastic.
  3. Grease a large bowl with extra butter, then place dough inside, brush with a little extra melted butter then cover with a clean tea towel and place somewhere warm to prove for 1 hour (or until doubled in size).
  4. Meanwhile, to make salted caramel, add sugar to a medium, heavy-based saucepan. Stir constantly until sugar has completely dissolved then remove from heat, whisk in butter (be careful as it will spit) then pour in thickened cream in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly. Whisk in salt then set aside and allow to cool.
  5. Preheat oven to 180ºC (160ºC fan).
  6. Once dough has risen, lightly dust a work surface with flour and roll dough out to a 30x40cm rectangle shape with the long side facing you. Spread half the salted caramel over the top (leave a 2cm border around each edge), then roll the long side up into a tight scroll.
  7. Cut the scroll into 12 even, smaller rolls then arrange closely in a greased 18x22cm rectangular tin. Whisk remaining egg with a splash of water and brush over the rolls, then bake for 20-25 mins (you may need to cover with foil after 10 mins if your rolls are browning too quickly) until golden and the rolls sound hollow when tapped. Serve warm from the oven with extra salted caramel.

Decadent Christmas Cake

  1. Pre-heat oven to 150°C (130°C fan-forced). Lightly grease and line a deep 20cm cake pan with three layers of baking paper. Combine mixed fruit, raisins, and sultanas in a large saucepan. Add water and port, mix through. Place over a low heat for 5 minutes until liquid is absorbed and fruit softened. Set aside to cool.

  2. Using electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until creamy. Add eggs one at a time until all incorporated. Fold in flours and spices.

  3. Remove from mixing stand and fold in the fruit mixture with a large spoon. Mixing until well combined. Spoon batter into prepared cake tin and smooth the top. Decorate with almonds bake for 2 hours 30 minutes, or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely. Brush the top with jam whilst the cake is still warm.

Chocolate Raisin Brownies

Preheat oven to 180°C.

  1. Line a 20 x 30cm baking tray tin with baking paper. Place the chocolate, butter and sugar in a pan and gently melt over low heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Remove from heat.Step 1
  2. Stir the eggs, one by one, into the melted chocolate mixture. Add flour and cocoa, and stir through. Stir raisins through mixture. Spread out evenly in baking tray and bake for 30 mins. Allow to cool before slicing into squares.

HINT: FOR AN INDULGENT ADULT TREAT, SOAK RAISINS IN 1/2 CUP DARK RUM BEFORE ADDING.

Couscous Dried Fruit Salad

Rinse the couscous under cold, running water.  Add to a saucepan with 750ml water, bring to a boil then reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 15 mins or until soft.  Drain and rinse under running water and set aside to cool completely.

Whisk together olive oil and lemon juice, season and pour over the cooled couscous.  Toss to coat. 

Add remaining ingredients and mix well.  Spoon into a presentation bowl to serve.

This salad can be served cold or at room temperature.

Moghrabieh can be substituted for Israeli (pearl) couscous.  Simply follow the cooking instructions on the packet as they can vary.

Banana Date Loaf

  1. Pre-heat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Line a 10 x 20cm loaf pan with baking paper. Place bananas and dates in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Add eggs and oil. Pulse until well combined.
  2. Transfer banana mixture to a mixing bowl and fold in flour, coconut, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and cranberries. Pour into prepared loaf pan and sprinkle top with the seeds. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Allow to cool before slicing.

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