Chocolate Hazelnut Fudge

Hot Cross Muffins

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease and line a 12 hole muffin pan. Sift flour, mixed spice and cinnamon into a large Combine the egg, milk and butter in a jug. Pour into a well in the centre of the flour mixture. Stir until just combined.
2. Divide the mixture among the prepared pans and smooth the surfaces. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely
3. Place the icing sugar in a small bowl. Gradually stir in water to make a thick icing. Pipe a cross onto each muffin and set aside until the icing is set.

Mini Easter Panettone

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, yolk and vanilla.

In a separate large bowl, combine the flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Pour in the warm milk, then add the egg mixture. Stir well to combine until a dough forms. Cover with cling film, sprayed with oil, and set aside to rest in a warm place for approx. 1 hour or until doubled in size.

Place 12 cardboard patty cases on a baking tray. Alternatively, place regular cases into a muffin tin. Set aside.

Stir in the butter, sultanas and mixed fruit. Mix until combined.

Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces and put into prepared cases.

Cover again and let rise for a further ½ hour.

Brush the tops with milk and bake for 25 mins or until cooked through and golden.

Cool on tray.

Meanwhile, make the icing.

In a small bowl, place the icing sugar and 1 tablespoon of water. Mix until a paste forms. Add small amounts of water until desired consistency. Add a few drops of food colouring to make a pale pink icing.

Drizzle over cooled cakes and sprinkle with dried rose petal leaves or your choice of sprinkles.

Carrot & Walnut Cake Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius 

Whisk together your plain flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon 

In a separate bowl, mix your wet ingredients, milk, white vinegar, vegetable oil, eggs and brown sugar 

Once your wet ingredients are well combined, stir in your carrots, shredded coconut, pineapple, walnuts and raisins. 

Pour your wet ingredients into your dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not over mix. 

Fill your muffin tins with your patty pans and then with a spoon or a lever ice cream scoop, fill them to the top. 

Bake in the oven for approximately 20 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.  

Let cool completely before decorating with meringue. 

Once your muffins are cool you can start on your meringue. Mix your egg whites and caster sugar together in a bowl over a pot of water on the stove. Once the heat from the pot has dissolved the sugar in your egg whites, put your bowl on your electric mixer and whisk until stiff peaks. 

Using a piping bag or a large ziplock bag with the corner cut off, pipe the top of your muffins in any shape you like. If you have a blow torch, give them some colour, or leave them natural and decorate with your favourite easter eggs.  

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.

Traditional Christmas Puddings

1. Combine mixed fruit, raisins, brandy and cranberry sauce in a large bowl. Cover and set aside overnight or for at least 2 hours.
2. Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, beat in maple syrup. Add eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition.  Stir butter mixture, sifted self-raising flour and spices, fresh breadcrumbs and almonds into soaked fruit, mixing well.
3. Grease a 2 litre and 1 litre capacity pudding basin and a line both the bases with a double layer of baking paper.  Fill mixture into the large basin to approximately 3cm from top of basin. Spoon remainder into small basin and smooth tops. Double line each of the tops of the puddings with baking paper rounds.
4. 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 expansion of the pudding). Place sheets over large pudding and secure tightly with string. Repeat process for small pudding.
5. Place wire racks onto the base of a large and a medium saucepan and fill both one third with water and bring to the boil. Carefully place puddings onto wire rack in each saucepan making sure the water level comes about halfway up each pudding basin. Cover and simmer  the large pudding 6 hours and the small pudding for 4 hours. Replenish with boiling water when needed.
6. Serve with custard or cream with a dash of brandy added.

Christmas Fruit Pudding

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 expansion of 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.