Boiled Fruit Cake

1. Combine fruit, brandy, rinds and apple. Cover and set aside overnight or for at least 2 hours.
2. Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, beat in golden syrup. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition.
3. Combine breadcrumbs, flour, spices and almonds. Add creamed butter mixture and soaked fruit, mixing well to combine.
4. Grease a 2 litre capacity pudding basin, line the base with a double layer of baking paper.
5. Spoon mixture into the basin and smooth top. Double line the top with baking paper rounds.
6. Take a 60cm long piece of baking paper and 60cm piece of foil, layer and fold in half, make a 3cm pleat in the middle (this allows for any expansionof the pudding). Place sheets over pudding and secure tightly with string. Place a wire rack onto the base of a large saucepan, fill one third with water and bring to boil. Carefully place pudding onto wire rack making sure the water level comes about halfway up pudding basin. Cover and simmer for 6 hours, replenish water when needed.
7. Remove from water, stand for 10 minutes before turning out. Serve cut into slices with cream and maple syrup.

1. Place fruit and brand in microwavable bowl and heat for 1 minute or until warmed through. Set aside to cool, stirring occasionally.
2. Beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and creamy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Sift flour and mixed spice over butter mixture, then stir in breadcrumbs and fruit mixture. Mix well. Grease and flour a 1.5L microwavable bowl. Spoon mixture into bowl and smooth top. Cover with a pleated, double layer or baking paper secured with kitchen string.
3. Cook in microwave on defrost setting (300W) for 30 minutes, rotating the bowl after 20 minutes. Test with a skewer inserted into pudding. If it doesn’t come out clean, microwave at 5 minute intervals until done. Leave pudding to stand for 10 minutes before turning onto a plate.

Optional meringue peak: In a heatproof bowl combine 90g egg whites with 150g caster sugar, place over a small saucepan of boiling water and whisk until the sugar dissolves. Use a stand mixer or handheld beater to whisk until very stiff peaks form (about 8-10 mins).  Dollop the meringue on top of the pudding and use a kitchen blowtorch to toast.

1. Add chocolate to a food processor and blitz until very finely chopped.
2. Transfer chocolate to a bowl, pour over the hot thickened cream, add butter, currants 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 1 heaped tbsp of the mixture and use clean hands to roll into a rough ball. Repeat with remaining mixture (you should make about 24)
4. Arrange crushed nuts, desiccated coconut and cacao powder in separate bowls. Roll each of the truffles into different coatings to decorate.*to make coloured coconut we combined desiccated coconut with a few drops of food colouring

Melt chopped white vegetable shortening.

Combine rice bubbles, coconut, sifted icing sugar, powdered milk and chopped fruit, mix well.

Add melted shortening and mix thoroughly.

Press mixture into lightly greased and paper lined 28cm x 18cm x 7cm lamington tin.

Refrigerate until firm, cut into bars for serving.