Reindeer Raisin Bites

Preparation 30 MINS (Plus refrigeration)

Cook

Serves 24

Method

  1. Add dark and milk chocolate, raisins, and almonds (excluding reserved almonds) to a food processor and blitz until very finely chopped.
  2. Transfer chocolate to a bowl, pour over the hot thickened cream, add butter and salt and stir to combine. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours until firm but still able to be scooped with a spoon.
  3. To make truffles, scoop 2 heaped tbsp of the mixture and use clean hands to roll into a ball.  Repeat with the remaining mixture.
  4. Roll balls in the chocolate sprinkles to coat.
  5. Cut pretzels in half and insert 2 into each ball for antlers.
  6. Just below the antlers, insert slivered almond to form reindeer’s ears.
  7. Use white icing to stick an Ovalteenie to each ball to form a snout.
  8. Use white icing to create two eyeballs just above the mouth. And a dot to each eye with the black gel.
  9. Use the white icing to attach a red mini M&M to the top of each Ovalteenie to give your reindeers noses.
  10. Refrigerate for a further hour to set the icing. Serve cold.

Ingredients

200g dark chocolate

200g milk chocolate

120ml thickened cream, heated

70g butter – softened

200g SUNBEAM Australian Raisins

100g SUNBEAM Slivered Almonds, 48 pieces reserved to decorate

24 mini pretzels, to decorate

Chocolate sprinkles, to decorate

24 Ovalteenies, to decorate

24 red colour mini M&M’s

Designer Icing White 140g

Food Colour Gel Black 15g

Recipe Collection

Fruit Mix Ice-cream Bombs

Remove Ice-cream from the freezer & stand in the fridge for 20 min to soften; do not melt completely.

Line 6 x 180ml dariole moulds or similar with plastic wrap. Put the fruit mince, sherry and almonds in a large mixing bowl, add the softened ice-cream & gently stir to combine.

Spoon the ice-cream mix into each pre-pared mould.

Return moulds to the freezer & freeze for 5 hours or till firm.

Put the sugar & egg whites in small bowl, beat until soft peaks form. Approx 10 min

Turn out the ice-cream moulds, invert onto tray,

Spoon or pipe meringue onto each ice-cream mould.

Blow torch to brown meringue or bake at 220C for 5 min

Apple, Pear & Sunmuscat Filo Tart

Preheat oven to 200ºC (fan forced 180ºC).  Line a baking tray with baking paper.

Combine all nuts, sunmuscats, breadcrumbs and cinnamon, toss to combine then drizzle over the maple syrup and mix well.  Reserve 1/3 cup of this mixture.

Lay 1 sheet of filo onto prepared tray.  Brush evenly with melted butter, sprinkle over ¼ of the nut mixture.  Brush a second sheet with butter and arrange on top, repeat with another ¼ of the nut mixture.  Repeat twice more, so you have 4 layers of brushed filo and nut mixture, then brush remaining filo sheet with butter and place on top. 

Arrange apple and pear slices on top, brush with remaining butter then sprinkle over reserved nut mixture and coconut sugar.

Bake for 25-30 mins until pastry is golden.  Cut into slices and serve with rocket.

Carrot & Sultana Cake

Preheat oven to 180C. Grease and line two 20cm cake tins.

In a large bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, bicarb, spices and salt. Stir to combine.

In a stand mixer, beat the eggs, sugars, oil and vanilla until smooth. Add half of the flour mix and mix on low speed until combined. Add remaining flour mix and mix on low speed again until all of the flour is incorporated. Add the pineapple and sultanas. Stir with a wooden spoon to combine.

Divide evenly between the prepared tins and bake for 40 mins or until cooked. Rotate the cakes after 20 mins. (You can test with a skewer, and the cake is ready when the skewer comes out clean.)

Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 mins, then transfer to cooling racks and leave until cooled.

Meanwhile, prepare the icing.

In a stand mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until very pale and creamy, about 4 mins. Add half of the sifted icing sugar and beat on low speed for about 1 min. Increase speed to medium to combine. Add remaining icing sugar and reduce speed to low for a further minute, then increase to medium speed for another few minutes until all of the icing sugar is combined. Add the vanilla and 1 tablespoon of the milk. Beat for 1 minute or until combined. Add extra tablespoon of milk of you would like a thinner frosting.

Divide the frosting between the centre of the cakes, reserving the remainder for the top and the sides.

Decorate with topping of choice.

Sunbeam Spiced Christmas Cake

In a large bowl, combine mixed fruit, cherries, nuts, apple, golden syrup and liquor.  Mix well, cover and allow to stand overnight (or up to 24 hours for amazing flavour).

Preheat oven to 150ºC (130ºC fan forced).  Very generously grease the bundt tin, ensuring butter is in all creases. 

Add sugar and butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a beater attachment.  Beat until fluffy and pale.  With the motor running, add eggs one at a time, beating until incorporated before adding the next. 

Add flour and spices, beat on low until just combined.  Add orange zest and soaked fruit mixture and beat until just combined. 

In a small bowl mix together orange juice and bicarbonate of soda, add to the cake batter and beat until just incorporated.

Spoon batter into the prepared bundt tin, using a spatula to press mixture into any crevices and flatten the surface.

Bake for 2 ¼ to 2 ½ hours or until the cake springs back when gently pressed in the centre.  Allow cake to cool in the tin for an hour then invert onto a baking rack to remove and allow to cool completely.

Chocolate Bark

Line a 25cm x 35cm with baking paper. Place chocolate into a medium heat proof bowl; stir over a medium saucepan of simmering water until smooth (don’t let water touch base of bowl). Stir in puffed rice and coconut.

Working quickly, spread chocolate mixture onto tray as thinly as possible; sprinkle with dried fruits, nuts, remaining coconut & rice puffs.

Refrigerate until set. Break bark into pieces to serve.

Lunchbox Muffins

Preheat oven to 180°C and line cupcake or muffin tray with paper cases.

  1. Combine the fruits, butter, sugar, spices, bicarbonate of soda and water in a saucepan. Bring to the boil, stirring, then remove from heat and allow to cool.
  2. Add the eggs and beat well. Add flours to the mixture and beat well.
  3. Pour into paper cases and bake for 30 minutes, or until skewer inserted in centre comes out clean. Allow to cool on rack.

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