Stuffed Baked Apples

Spiced Oat Slice

1. Pre-heat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Line an 18 x 28cm slice tray. Place honey and butter in a small saucepan and heat gently until butter is melted.
2. Place oats, dates, sultanas, apricots, seeds and cinnamon in a mixing bowl. Pour in the melted honey mixture and mix well. Press into prepared tray and bake for 20 minutes. Allow to cool. Cut into bars.

Notes:
Lightly wipe your knife blade with a little oil when cutting dates. It will ensure the dates don’t stick to the knife and making cutting easier.

Peanut Butter Bites

1. Combine currants, sultanas, oats, peanut butter and vanilla essence in a food processor.  Blend until a smooth, thick paste is formed.
2. Divide and roll into 25 balls and place on top of skewer.
3. Dip balls in melted chocolate. Before chocolate is set place two half marshmallows for ears, one pink candy for a nose and Sunbeam currants for eyes.

Almond Mandarin Cake

1. Put the whole mandarins in a saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 45 minutes or until tender when tested with a skewer, topping up water as necessary. Drain, cool to room temperature, cut in half and remove any pips.
2. Preheat oven to 160°C and line the base of a lightly greased 20cm springform cake pan with baking paper.
3. Blend the cooled mandarins, eggs and sugar in a food processor until well combined. Add the almond meal, baking powder and orange blossom water (if using) and pulse until combined.
4. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and sprinkle with almonds. Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes or until golden and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool for 15 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Sticky Date Christmas Pudding with Salted Caramel Sauce

TO MAKE THE PUDDING

1. Combine dates, mixed fruit, 280ml water, sugars, salt and butter in large saucepan. Bring to the boil then reduce heat and allow to simmer for 8 mins.

2. Add bicarbonate of soda, stir well and allow to cool completely (preferably overnight).

3. Once completely cool, add eggs, flours, spices and rum. Mix well.

4. Generously grease inside the pudding bowl. Pour the mixture into tin then cover with a layer of baking paper and a layer of foil and secure tightly with kitchen string.

5. Place a small cooling rack or an upturned oven-safe dish into the base of a large saucepan. Place pudding bowl on top so that it is not directly touching the bottom of the pan. Fill saucepan with boiling water to come half way up the sides of the pudding bowl. Bring water to the boil then reduce heat to low, cover and allow to simmer for 3 hours.  Remove pudding from water, allow to cool completely before removing pudding from tin.

TO MAKE SAUCE

1. Combine cream, butter and sugar in a saucepan. Stir over a low heat until all ingredients combined.
2. Stir in salt.

Easter Butter Board

1. Whisk your room temp butter until light a fluffy, this takes approx 5 min
2. Spread your whipped butter generously on a board or serving platter. Go rustic!
3. Top with diced pan fried pieces of pancetta, Angas Park figs, fresh figs, Sunbeam chopped nuts and sultanas.
4. Drizzle with honey and finish with sprigs of rosemary.
5. Serve with crusty bread, crackers, or warm hot cross buns for an Easter twist 🐰

Crispy Chocolate Puddings

1. Lightly oil 12 x ⅓ cup capacity muffin pans. Combine chocolate and butter in a microwave proof bowl and heat on medium setting for 1 minute, stir well. Return to microwave in 10 second bursts if required to continue melting.
2. In a large bowl, combine the rice bubbles, sultanas, walnuts and coconut. Mix well. Add melted chocolate and stir until all ingredients are well coated in chocolate. Spoon between prepared muffin pans, pressing mixture in firmly. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
3. Slide a small spatula down the side of each muffin cup to remove the chocolate pudding. Turn upside down and spoon on some melted chocolate to resemble custard. Decorate with sprinkles.