Rum & Raisin Profiterole Wreath

Preparation 40 Minutes

Cook 40 Minutes

Serves 24

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Method

To make the custard, combine raisins and rum in a small bowl and allow to soak for 10 mins.  Drain and roughly chop the raisins.

Combine milk, cream and vanilla in a medium sized, heavy based saucepan over medium heat.  Not letting the milk come to a boil, stir until warmed. 

In a separate bowl combine egg yolks and sugar, whisk until mixed then add flour and whisk to incorporate. 

Gradually add the egg mixture to the milk, whisking over a medium heat, until it is all added and incorporated.  The custard will thicken, continue to whisk until smooth.  Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly before stirring through the soaked raisins.

To make the choux pastry, preheat oven to 190ºC (170ºC fan).  Line 2 large baking trays with baking paper. 

In a medium saucepan, combine butter and sugar with 250ml water.  Stir over a medium-high heat until the water begins to boil and the butter has melted.  Remove pan from the heat, add the flour and use a wooden spoon to vigorously mix to combine.  The mixture will begin to resemble a dough – return pan to medium heat and cook for a further 1-3 mins, stirring, until you notice the dough pulling away from the sides of the pan.  Spoon the dough into a bowl of a stand mixer and allow to cool slightly (10 mins).

Fit the stand mixer with a whisk attachment.  Add vanilla bean paste and 1 egg and whisk until just combined.  Repeat with remaining eggs until your dough is glossy.

Transfer the mixture to a large piping bag fitted with large, round, open tip.  Spray the surface of the baking paper with a fine mist of water.

Pipe 12 rounds, evenly spaced, onto each prepared tray.  Bake for 30-40 mins, ensuring the oven door stays closed for the first 25 mins, until the pastries are puffed and golden.  In the final 5 mins, prick the base of the pastries with a toothpick and return to the oven to dry out.

Turn off the oven and open the door, allow pastries to cool completely in the oven.

Once the pastries are cool dip in melted chocolate (white and dark) and rest on a baking rack until chocolate sets.

Pipe each profiterole with the rum and raisin custard.  Arrange in a wreath shape on a large, round serving platter.  Decorate with cherries, raspberries and mint leaves.  Generously drizzle with chocolate sauce to serve.

Ingredients

125g butter, cubed, softened to room temperature

3 tsp white sugar

145g plain flour, sifted

½ tsp vanilla bean paste

4 extra large eggs

220g white chocolate melts

100g dark chocolate melts

Good quality store-bought chocolate sauce, to serve

Cherries, raspberries and mint leaves, to serve

RUM AND RAISIN CUSTARD

80g Sunbeam Raisins

2 tbsp rum

250ml milk

175ml thickened cream

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

3 egg yolks

75g caster sugar

50g plain flour, sifted

Recipe Collection

Reindeer Raisin Bites

  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.

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.

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.

Hot Cross Bun Choc Truffles

Combine hot cross buns, sultanas, mixed peel and mixed spice in a food processor and blend until a fine crumb. 

Combine dark and milk chocolate and cream in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for about 2 mins (stopping every 30 seconds and stirring) until the chocolate is completely melted. 

Add melted chocolate mixture to the food processor and blend until combined.  Transfer the mixture to a bowl, cover and refrigerate for 4-6 hours until firm enough to spoon. 

Spoon mixture into 2 tablespoon sized portions then roll into balls.  Roll in cocoa powder, dusting off excess powder.  Line a baking tray with baking paper, place balls onto the tray and refrigerate for 30 mins to harden.

Place white chocolate into a small, microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 1 min, stopping every 20 seconds to stir, or until completely melted.  Allow to cool slightly before transferring to a piping bag fitted with a small, round nozzle. 

Pipe a cross (to resemble a hot cross bun) onto the tops of each ball then return to fridge for a further 30 mins to set.

Aussie Ice-cream Pudding

Preheat oven to 180ºC.

  1. Brush a 2 litre pudding basin with vegetable oil, then line with plastic wrap, trying to keep wrap smooth without wrinkles. Place in the freezer to chill.
  2. In a bowl combine sultanas, raisins, cranberries, apricots, macadamias and orange liqueur. Leave to soak for 30 minutes.
  3. Place softened ice cream in a large bowl stir in soaked fruit. Fold in whipped cream and pour mixture into prepared pudding basin. Place in the freezer and freeze for 4 hours or overnight.
  4. To prepare orange cake, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in almond meal, orange juice and rind. Pour into a greased and paper lined 20cm cake tin and bake for 1 hour. Allow too cool in the tin, before turning out onto a board.
  5. To finish pudding, ease ice-cream pudding from basin and place on top of cake. Trim the cake edges if required and serve cut into thick slices.

Sultana & Date Scones

Preheat oven to 220°C (210°C fan-forced).
Line scone tray with non-stick baking paper. Sift flour and salt into a large bowl. Add butter and rub in lightly with fingertips.
Add sugar, sultanas & dates and stir to combine. Make a well in the centre of the mixture. Add beaten egg and almost all of the milk. Mix quickly with a flat bladed knife to a soft dough, adding more milk if necessary. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly until smooth. Press or roll out to form a round about 2cm thick.
Cut dough into rounds using a floured plain 5cm cutter. Place scones together, without touching, on prepared tray and brush with extra milk. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
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