Candied Walnut & Beetroot Salad

Almond Sultana Florentines

Preheat oven to 160°C.

1. Combine butter and condensed milk in a small bowl.
2. Mix together almonds, coconut, cherries and sultanas until evenly distributed and pour over butter mixture and quickly mix with a wooden spoon until mixture comes together.
3. Place tablespoons of the mixture onto baking paper lined oven trays, flattening and shaping into 3cm rounds, allow at least 3cm between biscuits for spreading. Bake for 10 minutes. Allow to cool on trays and transfer to wire racks. (If baking in a slice pan, press mixture to approximately 1cm thick and bake for 15 minutes and allow to cool. Top with melted chocolate and leave to set. Slice to serve.)
4. When cool spread the base of each biscuit with a teaspoon of chocolate and leave to set. Can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 months.

Tip: Use damp fingers to shape and flatten biscuits.

Gingerbread Decorations

1. Place butter, sugar and golden syrup in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat until creamy. Add egg and mix until well combined.

2. Gently fold in the flour, almond meal and spices until a dough has formed. Shape into a flattened ball and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

3. Pre-heat oven to 180C (160C fan-forced). Roll the dough out onto a floured surface to 5mm thickness. Using star and round shaped cutters, cut shapes and transfer to lined oven trays. Using a small piping nozzle, cut a hole in the top of each shape prior to baking. Re-roll the dough offcuts until all has been used.

4. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until golden. Allow to cool on trays for 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.

5. Once cool, decorate the biscuits with icing and currants. Thread lengths of ribbon through the holes and tie. Decorate your Christmas tree or give as gifts.

Alternative option: Prior to baking, press flaked almonds or slivered almonds into the dough and bake. Once cooked and cool, dust with icing sugar.

Sticky date Christmas pudding

Combine dates, mixed fruit, 280ml water, sugars, salt and butter in large saucepan. Bring to the boil then reduce heat and allow to simmer for 8 mins.

Add bicarbonate of soda, stir well and allow to cool completely (preferably overnight).

Once completely cool, add eggs, flours, spices and rum. Mix well.

Generously grease inside the pudding bowl. Pour the mixture into tin then cover with a layer of baking paper and a layer of foil and secure tightly with kitchen string.

Place a small cooling rack or an upturned oven-safe dish into the base of a large saucepan. Place pudding bowl on top so that it is not directly touching the bottom of the pan. Fill saucepan with boiling water to come half way up the sides of the pudding bowl. Bring water to the boil then reduce heat to low, cover and allow to simmer for 3 hours. Remove pudding from water, allow to cool completely before removing pudding from tin.

TO MAKE SAUCE

Combine cream, butter and sugar in a saucepan. Stir over a low heat until all ingredients combined. Stir in salt.

Chocolate Puddings with Sherry Raisins

1. Pre-heat oven to 160°C (140°C fan-forced). Lightly grease 6 x ¾ cup capacity muffin pans. Place butter, sugar, raisins and sherry in a saucepan and heat, stirring occasionally until butter has melted. Allow to cool.

2. Mix eggs through raisin mixture and then fold in the flour, almond meal, cocoa and spice. Pour between prepared pans and bake for 30 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes in pan before removing.

3. Use a small spatula to help remove puddings from pans and serve with custard and cream.

   
   Puddings can be made in advance and re-heated briefly in a microwave to warm through.

Christmas Casata

Soften 2 litres vanilla ice cream by leaving out of the freezer for 15 minutes while you chop, glacé cherries & Allens Raspberries.

Toast the slithered almonds in a dry pan till slightly brown, set aside to cool.

In a large mixing bowl add softened ice cream, start by stirring in the frozen raspberries to give ice cream raspberry ripples and colour. Then add all the remaining ingredients and stir till combined.

Choose a mould or tin to set the ice cream in and freeze for a minimum 4 hours to set.

Serve frozen.

Christmas Cheesecake

Preaheat oven 160 degrees (140 degrees fan).

1. Brush base and sides of 25cm springform pan with butter.
2. Process biscuits, extra melted butter and almond meal in a food processor until fine crumb. Press into base and sides of pan.
3. Combine ricotta, cream cheese, sugar, cornflour, butter, eggs and vanilla bean paste in food processor. Blend for 2 mins then fold through sour cream and fruit.
4. Pour filling over base, cover with foil and bake for 1.5 hours. Remove cake from oven, allow to come to room temperature before refrigerating overnight.

To make Toffee

1. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Spread nuts evenly over tray.
2. Add sugar to a medium, heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until sugar completely dissolves then remove from heat immediately and pour over nuts.
3. Sprinkle with sea salt flakes then allow to set. Serve cheesecake topped with shards of broken nut toffee.