Christmas Fruit Cake

Christmas Cake Gift Jar

As a gift idea

1. Place flour in bottom of jar and add spices and bicarbonate of soda
2. Pour in fruit and push down lightly
3. Next place brown sugar and finish with slivered almonds.
4. Attach a gift card with the following instructions:

YOU WILL NEED
250g butter, melted
3 eggs, lightly beaten
¼ cup brandy

METHOD

1. Preheat oven 150°C. Double line a 20cm round tin with baking paper
2. Combine gift jar contents, butter, eggs and brandy and stir until combined
3. Spoon into prepared tin and bake for 1 hour or until skewer inserted comes out clean.

Chocolate Raisin Pudding

Pre-heat oven to 190°C (170°C fan-forced).

1. Roughly chop raisins and place in a small saucepan with port. Bring to a boil, remove from heat and set aside to cool.
2. Place chocolate and butter in a bowl over simmering water, stirring often until melted and smooth. Cool slightly.
3. Beat together the eggs, yolks and sugar until pale and increased in volume. Add chocolate mixture, mixing until well combined. Fold in flour with the raisins and mix well.
4. Spoon mixture between 6 x 250 ml capacity oven proof serving dishes. Place onto an oven tray and bake for 10-12 minutes until just cooked. Allow to sit for 3-4 minutes before serving with cream or ice-cream.

Fruit & Maple Chocolate Cupcakes

To make the cupcakes line a standard muffin tray with 12 cupcake cases. Add Cadbury Baking Chocolate, cocoa powder, instant coffee and Coles Finest Maple Syrup to a heatproof bowl, pour over 100ml boiling water and whisk until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Cool for 5 mins before whisking in sour cream, olive oil, eggs and Coles Make and Bake Vanilla Paste.

In a separate bowl, mix together Sunbeam Sultanas, flour, dark sugar, McKenzie’s Baking Powder and sea salt. Add to the chocolate mixture and mix until combined. Divide evenly between cupcake cases and bake for 20 mins until the cupcakes spring back when gently pressed in the centre. Cool completely.

To make the buttercream, use an electric beater to whisk butter until smooth and creamy.  With the mixer running, add Coles Sweetened Condensed Milk in a slow and thin stream until completely incorporated, then add Coles Make and Bake Vanilla Paste and whisk for 2 mins on a high speed until fluffy and smooth.

Decorate cupcakes with the buttercream.

Choc Sultana Hot Cross Bun

Preheat oven to 200°C

1. Sieve plain flour and mixed spice. Rub butter into the flour until well incorporated and add dry yeast, castor sugar, sultanas, currants and chocolate dots. Add the milk and eggs and mix well. Place on a floured surface and gently knead dough for ten minutes until smooth and velvety. Cover and leave to rise for one hour or until mixture has doubled in size.
2. Gently knead for 2 minutes then divide into 12. Gently knead into balls and shape into buns. Arrange in a greased baking tin and leave to rise again for 15 minutes.
3. Combine ingredients for flour paste crosses and place in a piping bag. Pipe crosses onto buns.
4. Bake for 10 minutes; reduce heat to 170°C and bake for a further 20 minutes.
5. Turn onto a wire rack, serve hot with butter, if desired

Granola Bar

Preheat oven to 160°C.

1. Grease and line an 18cm x 28cm slice pan with baking paper.
2. Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl.
3. Mix melted butter and honey together and stir into dry ingredients
4. Press mixture firmly into tin using the back of a spoon. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden. Allow to cool in the tin before slicing into bars.

Sticky Currant, Walnut & Ginger Puddings