Carrot & Sultana Tray Bake

Banana Date Pancakes

1. Combine flour, baking powder and sugar in a large mixing bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs and mashed banana. Add to flour mixture with dates and mix until smooth.
3. Pre-heat a frying pan over medium heat, lightly spray with olive oil or brush with butter. Spoon ¼ cup measures of batter into pan and cook for several minutes until bubbles appear and base is golden. Turn over a cook a further 1-2 minutes.
4. Serve pancakes with sliced bananas, blueberries and a drizzle of honey.

Christmas duck with fruity nut stuffing

• Fry bacon for a few minutes until softened. Remove from pan.
• Add onion, celery and garlic to the pan and cook untill soft but not brown.
• In a large bowl, combine the breadcrumbs with the dried fruit, bacon, onion mixture, nuts, herbs, brandy & pepper.
• Use to stuff duck or any poultry.

Sultana Cinnamon Mini Muffins

Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Line two 12-hole (1-tablespoon/20ml) mini muffin pans with paper cases. Combine flour, brown sugar, oats and sultanas in medium bowl. Whisk milk, melted butter and egg in small bowl, stir into dry ingredients (do not overmix, mixture should be lumpy).

Divide mixture into paper cases. Bake about 15 minutes, turn, top-side up, onto wire rack. Combine caster sugar with cinnamon, sprinkle over hot muffins.

Mini White Choc Puddings

1. Sift flours, mix in breadcrumbs, cranberries, currants, pistachios, chocolate and rind.
2. Cream butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy, pour in condensed milk and vanilla beating continuously. Beat in eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.
3. Make a well in the centre of the breadcrumb mixture and pour in butter mixture, mixing well to combine.
4. Prepare 8 mini pudding basins (200ml capacity): Cut 8 baking paper circles fitting the top, 8 circles fitting the bottom of the pudding basins and 8 circles 6cm larger than the basins. Grease well and insert a paper circle into the bottom of each basin.
5. Spoon mixture into prepared ¾ cup basins, smooth and top with a paper round. Take the 6cm round and fold a 1cm pleat in the centre. Tightly secure with kitchen string approximately 1 – 2cm below the pudding top.
6. Place a wire rack onto the base of a large saucepan and arrange puddings on top. Add enough boiling water to fill halfway up pudding basins. Cover and steam for 1 hour, replenish water when needed. Remove from water, stand for 10 minutes before carefully turning out. Serve with caramel brandy sauce.

Caramel brandy sauce

1. Place sweetened condensed milk, brown sugar, golden syrup and butter in a medium saucepan, cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes or until mixture begins to change to a caramelise. Remove from heat and leave to cool for 10 minutes. Pour in brandy and cream, mix well.

Tip: These puddings can also be steamed in the microwave. Ensure your moulds are microwave safe, cook in microwave on defrost setting for 20 minutes, check if a skewer inserted into pudding comes out clean. If not cooked, microwave at 5 minute intervals, until skewer comes out clean. Stand for 10 minutes before turning out.

Mini Fruit Pies

Preheat oven to 180oC

1. Place all filling ingredients in a saucepan. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Allow to cool.
2. Place almond meal, flour, sugar into a food processor and process until combined. Add butter and egg mixture and process until a ball forms. Wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Roll out pastry between two sheets of baking paper until 3mm thick. Use a round 6cm-diameter pastry cutter to cut 24 circles from the pastry. Line the base of 24-hole non-stick mini muffin pan (or use two 12-hole pans). Fill cases with fruit mince.
4. Re-roll pastry and use a 4cm-diameter fluted pastry cutter to cut 24 circles for the lids. Brush the underside of lid lightly with water before gently pressing onto pie. Cut a small cross in the middle of each lid.
5. Bake at 180oC for 15 minutes or until golden. Allow to cool and dust with icing sugar before serving. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Spiced Currant Biscuits

1. Sift the flour and spices into a bowl. In a separate bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric beaters until thick and pale, then add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold ii the flour mixture slowly, then stir in currants and lemon zest. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 2 hours.
2. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Roll out dough 4-5mm thick then cut with a round biscuit cutter and place on the trays. Repeat with remaining dough, re-rolling the trimmings.
3. Sprinkle biscuits with extra sugar. Bake for 10 minutes until firm to touch but still pale. Cool on trays for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.