Walnut Cheese Log

Preparation 15 Minutes

Cook CHILL: 1 HR Minutes

Serves

Print Recipe Share

Method

Cheese to room temp.

In a bowl, mix cheese & alcohol in a processor with salt and pepper until smooth.

Mix chilli with herbs and nuts, then sprinkle on a 30cm piece of plastic wrap, leaving a 2cm border.

Spoon cheese along one end of herbs. Lift wrap and roll cheese away from you into a log, pressing gently to coat well in herbs, shape the mixture into a log, then wrap and refrigerate for about an hour, until the mixture is firm.

Serve with crackers

Ingredients

250 g Philadelphia cream cheese

150g Castello Double Cream Brie

2 tablespoons port, brandy or sherry

1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes

1/2 cup finely chopped mixed soft herbs (such as parsley, chives and basil)

1/3 cup finely chopped SUNBEAM walnuts, toasted

1/3 cup SUNBEAM pine nuts, toasted & diced

Recipe Collection

Easter 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.

Asparagus with Proscuttio, Parmesan & Pine Nuts

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C.

Place the asparagus in a single layer on a baking tray. Do not overcrowd. Drizzle with olive oil and lightly season with salt and pepper. Toss around to evenly coat.

Top the asparagus with prosciutto, Parmesan cheese, and pine nuts.

Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the prosciutto is crisp and asparagus tender.

Traditional Christmas Puddings

  1. Combine fruit, cranberry sauce, brandy and spices in a large bowl, cover and leave to stand overnight.
  2. Brush 10 x 1 cup pudding basins (ramekins) or one 10 cup basin, with melted butter and line the base with baking paper.
  3. Mix eggs, butter, brown sugar and flour until well combined, then stir through fruit mixture.  Spoon mixture into prepared basins
  4. Cut a large circle of foil and baking paper, and place over each pudding, foil side up. Secure tightly with kitchen string.
  5. Place puddings in a large saucepan and add enough boiling water to fill halfway up the sides.  Cover and bring to the boil, reduce the heat and cook for  1 ¼ hours for the small puddings or 5 hours for the large pudding, replenishing water when needed.
  6. Remove from water and store well wrapped until Christmas.

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.

Rum and Raisin Fudge

Lightly grease and line base and sides of a 20cm square baking tin.

Combine raisins and rum in a small bowl and allow to soak for 10 mins.

In a medium saucepan combine sweetened condensed milk, butter, sugar and golden syrup and constantly stir over a low heat until the sugar has completely dissolved.

Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, stir constantly for about 8-10 mins until the temperature reaches between 113-115ºC.*

Remove pan from heat, add chocolate melts and soaked raisins and stir to combine.  Transfer to prepared tin using a spatula to smooth the surface then allow to cool at room temperature for 5-6 hours until firm.

Cut into 5cm long slices then cut each slice into 8 rectangles.

If you don’t own a candy thermometer, you can also check if the fudge is ready by taking a small amount and dropping it into a glass of cold water.  When the mixture sets into a soft ball that doesn’t stick to your fingers when gently pinched, the fudge is ready.  This is referred to as “soft ball” stage.

Sticky date Christmas pudding

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

Join Our Recipe Club