Fruit & Nut Hot Cross Truffles
Preparation 20 Minutes
Cook Minutes
Serves 25
Method
- Combine mixed fruit, dates, seed mix, hazelnuts, coconut, coconut oil and vanilla essence in a food processor and blend until a smooth, thick paste is formed.
- Divide into 25 equal portions and roll each into a ball before flattening slightly.
- Pipe melted white chocolate crosses onto truffles and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving cold.
Ingredients
250g Sunbeam Mixed Fruit
250g Angas Park Medjool Dates (remove pitts)
165g bag Sunbeam Seed Mix
120g bag Sunbeam Skinless Hazelnuts
½ cup desiccated coconut
4 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1 tsp vanilla essence
50g white chocolate melts
Recipe Collection
Sunbeam White Christmas
Line a 30cm x 20cm (base) baking pan with baking paper.
Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (don’t let bowl touch water).
Fold in the remaining ingredients.
Pour mixture into the prepared pan, pressing down with a large metal spoon.
Refrigerate for 4 hours or until set.
To Serve:
Turn slice onto a chopping board. Using a knife that has been dipped in hot water, cut into squares.
Nut Crusted Cheese Log
Let the cheeses soften on your bench while you dice nuts and herbs. Whip the cheeses with liquor to combine until smooth.
Mix chilli with herbs and nuts, then sprinkle onto a 30cm piece of plastic wrap, leaving a 2cm border.
Spoon cheese along one end of herbs. Lift wrap and roll cheese away from you into a log, pressing gently to coat well in herbs, shape the mixture into a log, then wrap and refrigerate for about an hour, until the mixture is firm. (NOTE: Can be made up to 2 days ahead of time)
Serve with your favourite crackers.
Christmas Mud Cakes with Chocolate Ganache
- Preheat oven to 150ºC (130ºC fan-forced). Line 12 x ⅓ cup capacity muffin pans with paper cases.
- Place mixed fruit into a food processor with boiling water and blend to a fine paste. Transfer to a large saucepan with butter, chocolate, milk and brown sugar. Place over a medium heat and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes until the butter and chocolate has melted.
- Transfer mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer (or you can transfer to a clean bowl and use a hand mixer) and whisk in the eggs. Add flour mixture, cocoa, mixed spice and a generous pinch of salt. Mix until the batter is thick and smooth.
- Pour batter into the prepared cases and smooth the surface. Bake for 25 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool.
- Heat cream until hot and pour over chocolate. Mix until smooth and desired consistency achieved. Spread over mud cakes.
Easter Blondies
Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius and butter or line with parchment paper a 20cm x 20cm baking tin.
Melt the butter and white chocolate in a bowl over a pot of water and take off to cool once combined and fully melted.
In another bowl, mix the muscovado sugar, caster sugar and eggs together until thick and glossy. Approximately 2 minutes.
Once the butter and white chocolate mixture is cooled, mix in 1/3 to the sugar and eggs, and then fold in the rest.
Add in your flour, baking powder, vanilla, almonds and macadamias and mix until just combined.
Pour batter into your lines baking tin and for 35-45 minutes. The centre should still have a little wobble and a tooth pick should come out a little fudgy.
Straight from the oven, press your speckled eggs into the top of your blondie and let cool on a wire rack.
Chocolate & Prune Pudding
- Grease the base and sides of a 1.5L pudding basin. Combine prunes, raisins, sultanas and brandy in a microwave proof bowl and cook for 2 minutes. Stir well and set aside.
- Place butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat until smooth and pale. Add eggs one at a time until well incorporated. Fold in the flour, breadcrumbs, cocoa, chocolate and mixed spice, followed by the fruit mixture. Mix until well combined.
- Pour batter into prepared pudding basin and cover (if no lid, use a couple of layers of baking paper and secure with string or a large elastic band. Then cover with a layer of foil, securing with a large elastic band. Place into a large pot with a small saucepan in the base. Pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the basin. Cover with a lid and simmer for 3 hours. Top up water as required.
- Remove from pot and either serve immediately, or leave in the basin and refrigerate until required.
- For butterscotch sauce, combine all ingredients in a small saucepan, and gently bring to the boil. Simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from heat and set aside.
- For mascarpone cream, fold mixed spice into mascarpone and set aside until required.
- For serving, place upturned pudding onto a serving plate and dollop with mascarpone and drizzle with butterscotch sauce. Decorate with seasonal fruits and toasted nuts.
Mini Fruit Mince Tarts
To make the fruit mince filling, add all ingredients to a large bowl, mix well, cover and allow to soak for at least 1 hour.
To make the pastry, add the flour, ginger, cinnamon, butter and sugar into a food processor and blitz until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Whisk the egg and chilled water together in a small bowl, then slowly add to the food processor while it’s running until the mixture comes together into a dough. Remove from the food processor and shape into a disc. Wrap in cling wrap and place into the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
Preheat oven to 160℃.
Remove from the pastry from the fridge and roll out to a thin 0.3mm dough. Cut into 7cm circles using a cookie cutter or other round object, then place into lightly greased mini muffin tins (30ml capacity). Scoop the fruit mince between the pastry cases. Cut stars from the remaining pastry and place on top of each fruit pie. Brush with milk.
Place into the oven and bake for 25 minutes until golden brown. Remove and place onto wire racks to cool.
