Sunbeam Spiced Christmas Cake

Preparation 15 MINS + Overnight soaking

Cook 2 1/2 HOURS

Serves 20

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Method

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.

Ingredients

1kg Sunbeam Mixed Fruit

150g Sunbeam Glacé Cherries

70g Sunbeam Walnuts

70g Sunbeam Blanched Almonds, roughly chopped

1 apple, grated (peeled and core removed)

3 tbsp golden syrup

250ml Cointreau or brandy

275g brown sugar

250g butter, softened to room temperature, plus extra to grease tin

4 eggs

450g plain flour

2 tsp mixed spice

1 tbsp finely grated orange zest

60ml orange juice

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

Recipe Collection

Beef & Apricot Tagine

1. Heat half of the oil in a large frying pan, add onion and garlic and cook for 3-4 minutes until tender. Add spices and cook a further minute until fragrant. Add to the pot of a slow cooker.

2. Using the remaining oil, sear beef in batches until well browned. Add to the slow cooker with the stock, tomatoes, cinnamon and orange peel. Cook on low heat for 8 hours.

3. Add the apricots and chickpeas in the last 30 minutes of cooking time. Season well. Serve beef with almonds and coriander and accompany with rice and yoghurt.

*For a faster cooking time, cook on High heat for 4 hours.

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.

Almond & Sultana Snowballs

Blitz ingredients in a small blender or kitchen wiz until sticky and evenly combined.

Roll into small balls (about 1 tablespoon (30g) each).

Coat in extra almonds & desiccated coconut.

Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to set.

Keeps for up to 1 week refrigerated.

Gifting tip:

Pack them into a kraft paper box or clear cellophane bag tied with twine and a “Handmade with Love” tag for the perfect holiday treat

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 170°C.

  1. Line 24 cupcake pans with paper cases.
  2. Sift flour, cocoa powder and bicarbonate of soda into a bowl. Stir through the sugar and currants.
  3. Whisk the buttermilk, butter, eggs, vinegar and vanilla in a large jug until combined.
  4. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture. Add the buttermilk mixture. Stir until just combined. Stir in the food colouring.
  5. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Spiced Chicken Pilaf

  1. Toss chicken with spices and a small drizzle of the oil. Heat half the remaining oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes each side until golden and just cooked through. Allow to cool slightly, then break into pieces. Set aside.
  2. Add remaining oil to pan and cook onion and garlic for several minutes until tender. Stir in rice with stock and bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 15 minutes, partially covered.
  3.  Add chicken pieces, zucchini and currants to pan, cooking a further 3-4 minutes. Serve sprinkled with almonds and coriander. Accompany with yoghurt and lemon wedges.

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.
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