Ricotta & Apricot Loaf with Thyme

Preparation 15 Minutes

Cook 50 Minutes

Serves 8-10

Method

  1. Pre-heat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Line the base and sides of a 10 x 20cm loaf pan.
  2. Combine butter, eggs and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Whisk well. Add flour and mix until just combined.
  3. Fold in the ricotta, apricots and thyme. Spoon into prepared pan and sprinkle the top with almonds and thyme. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool slightly before removing from the pan.

Ingredients

125g butter, melted

2 extra large eggs

¾ cup raw sugar

1½ cups self-raising flour

250g fresh ricotta, roughly crumbled

½ cup ANGUS PARK Dried Apricot Halves, finely chopped

2 sprigs thyme, leaves removed

1 tbsp SUNBEAM Slivered Almonds

Extra thyme leaves, for sprinkling

Recipe Collection

Hot Cross Bun Waffles

Cut Hot cross bun in half

Heat your waffle iron and place both halves on the waffle iron to toast

Scoop vanilla ice-cream and place between the toasted bun

Drizzle with chocolate sauce and serve.

Fruit and Nut Easter Eggs

Combine mixed fruit, dates, 90g seed mix, 80g hazelnuts, 20g coconut, coconut oil, vanilla essence, coffee and salt in a food processor and blend until a smooth, thick paste is formed. 

Divide into 25 equal portions and roll each into a ball, then shape into an egg shape.

Place remaining seed mix into a food processor and process to a coarse crumb.  Transfer to a small bowl.  Repeat with remaining hazelnuts.  Pour remaining coconut into a small bowl. 

To decorate, roll 6 eggs in coconut, 6 in seed mix crumb, 6 in hazelnut crumb and leave 7 plain.  Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving cold.

Boiled Fruit Cake

  1. Soak fruit overnight in sherry or brandy
  2. Place soaked fruit, water, butter, golden syrup and sugar in a saucepan. Slowly bring to the boil then remove from heat and add bicarbonate of soda mixed with one tablespoon boiling water. Cool for 15 minutes.
  3. Add lightly beaten eggs mixing thoroughly. Fold in sifted flours, spices and vanilla essence.
  4. Place in a 20cm round or square cake tin. Decorate with almonds. Bake at 160°C for 75 to 90 minutes. Cool in tin.

Thermo cooker method:

  1. Soak fruit overnight in sherry or brandy.
  2. Place soaked fruit, water, butter, golden syrup and sugar into TM bowl and heat 7 min/100°C/Reverse/speed 1.
  3. Add bicarb soda mixed with one tablespoon boiling water and gently stir through with the spatula – the mix will froth up but should not spill over.
  4. Cool for 15 minutes in TM bowl.
  5. Carefully add all remaining ingredients apart from the blanched almonds in the order listed and mix 10 sec/Reverse/speed 4.
  6. Scrape down sides of the bowl and mix 5 sec/Reverse/speed 4.
  7. Place in a lined 20cm round or square cake tin. Decorate with almonds. Bake at 160ºC for 1¼ to 1½ hours. Cool in tin.

Beef Crostini Sunmuscat Relish

This appetiser is nice way to begin a Christmas meal.

For the relish. Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a pan over medium-low heat. Add shallots, and cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Add Sunmuscats, port, vinegar, chilly, and thyme sprig. Raise heat to medium-high, and simmer until thickened, about 8 minutes. Let cool slightly. stir in chopped thyme, celery, salt, and pepper.

To serve, combine mayonnaise and mustard, and spread about 2 teaspoons on each slice of baguette. Top with a slice of beef, season with salt, and top with 1 teaspoon sunmuscat-port relish. Garnish with micro herbs.

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.

Christmas Cookies

Preheat oven to 170°C

Beat butter, essence and sugars in small bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy, beat in egg. Stir in flours, chocolate bits, nuts, dried fruits & milk.

Drop heaped tablespoons of mixture onto lightly greased oven trays, about 3cm apart.

Bake in moderate oven about 12 minutes or until firm and lightly browned. Stand on trays 5 minutes before lifting onto wire racks to cool.

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