Easter Fruit Loaf

Preparation 30 Minutes

Cook 45 Minutes

Serves 8-10

Method

Preheat oven to 180Β°C

Dough:

  1. Sift self raising flour, bi-carb soda, mixed spice and castor sugar into a large bowl. Pour in buttermilk and mix with a butter knife to combine. Tip onto a floured surface and knead for 1 minute. Roll out to a 40cm x 30cm rectangle.
  2. Cream butter, sugar and vanilla essence until light and fluffy. Thinly spread creamed butter mix over dough and sprinkle evenly with almond meal. Combine all the fruit in a small bowl and spread on top of the almond meal.
  3. Roll into a loaf, place on a greased paper lined oven tray and set aside for 15 minutes to allow dough to rise.
  4. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. When cool, ice and sprinkle with toasted flaked almonds.

Icing:

  1. Combine sifted icing sugar with boiling water.

Ingredients

Fruit and Nut Filling:

90g butter, softened

1/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1 tsp vanilla essence

110g Sunbeam Ground Almonds

100g Sunbeam Sultanas

50g Sunbeam Currants

70g Sunbeam Glace Cherries, chopped

50g Sunbeam Apricots, diced

40g Angus Park Cranberries

Grated rind of 1 lemon

Buttermilk Dough:

2 Β½ cups self raising flour

1 tsp bi-carb soda

1 tsp mixed spice

ΒΌ cup castor sugar

350ml buttermilk

Topping

1 cup pure icing sugar

3 tbs boiling water

40g Sunbeam Flaked Almonds, toasted

Recipe Collection

Fruit Cake Scrolls

Add the butter and coconut sugar to a mixing bowl and whip together with a fork until combined. Add in the Sunbeam Mixed Fruit, cinnamon and nutmeg and mix again to combine well.Β Β 

Transfer warm milk to the bowl of an electric mixer and sprinkle yeast on top. Add in sugar, egg, egg yolk and melted butter. Mix until well combined.Β Β 

Place dough hook on stand mixer and knead dough on medium speed for 8 minutes. Dough should form into a nice ball.Β Β 

Transfer dough ball into an oiled bowl and cover with cling film. Allow dough to rise for approximately an hour, or until doubled in size.Β Β Β Β 

After dough has doubled in size, transfer dough to a well-floured surface and roll out into a 35x22cm rectangle. Spread the butter fruit mixture across the dough in a thin layer.Β  Tightly roll dough up, starting from the shorter side.Β  Cut into 2.5cm sections. You should get 9 large pieces. Place cinnamon scrolls in a greased 23x23cm baking pan or round 23cm cake pan. Cover with plastic wrap and a warm towel and let rise again for 30-45 minutes.Β 

Place into the oven and bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove and allow to cool before drizzling over melted chocolate, to serve.Β Β 

Cauliflower & Currants Salad

1. Preheat oven to 220ΒΊC (200ΒΊC fan forced). Line a baking tray with non stick baking paper.

2. Place cauliflower onto preparedΒ tray; drizzle over olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Roast for 20-25 minutes or until just tender and golden.

3. SpreadΒ hummusΒ onto a serving plate; top with cauliflower; drizzle with glaze. To finish, sprinkle with currants and parsley. Serve.Β 

Last Minute Christmas Cake

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.Β Β Add the sugar and stir over the heat for 3-4 mins until combined.

Add dried fruit, bicarbonate of soda, rum, cognac and 125ml water and stir well to combine.Β Β Increase heat to high and continue to stir until the sugar dissolves.Β Β Reduce heat to medium then cook for a further 4 mins without stirring.Β Β Remove from heat, cover and allow mixture to cool overnight.

Preheat oven to 150ΒΊC (130ΒΊC fan).Β Β Grease and line a 23cm square baking tin.Β 

Add eggs to the cooled mixture and stir.Β Β Add flour and spices and stir well to combine.Β Β Allow the mixture to sit for 10 mins before spooning into the prepared tin and smoothing the surface.

Decorate the top of the cake with blanched almonds then bake for 2 to 2 Β½ hours or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.Β Β Check your cake every hour to ensure it is not browning too quickly on top.Β Β If it is, cover with foil for the remainder of the cooking time.

Allow the cake to cool completely in the tin before inverting to remove.Β Β To serve, brush with a little apricot jam that has been warmed in the microwave.

This cake can be stored for up to 3 months in the fridge – cover the cooled cake in 2 layers of plastic wrap and foil.

Twisted Christmas Bread Wreath

Sultana & Orange Friands

In a small saucepan heat the sultanas in orange juice, when the juice starts to bubble turn heat off and set aside to infuse.

Preheat oven to 180Β°C & Lightly grease a friand tin

Place egg whites in a medium bowl; whisk lightly with fork until combined. Add butter, milk, extract, ground almonds, orange rind, sifted icing sugar and flour; stir until combined.

Drain any excess liquid from sultanas and add to the mix & combine.

Pour mixture into pan; Bake friands 20 minutes; or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Stand friands 10 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool.

For the icingΒ | In a bowl using an electric mixer, combine cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth, light and fluffy. Use a piping bag to swirl icing across cooled friands, sprinkle with diced pistachios.

Dust the friands with sifted extra icing sugar & optional rose petals before serving.

Macadamia and Cacao Balls

  1. Blend or process dates until smooth
  2. Combine macadamia meal, cacao and dates in a bowl.
  3. Use wet hands to roll tablespoons of mixture in balls. Roll in coconut.

Join Our Recipe Club