Christmas & Festive
Honey & Orange Glazed Ham
Serves: 12 - 15 Preparation Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: Approximately 1 hour INGREDIENTS 1 leg of ham (7 - 9kg) 2 oranges, zested & juiced 200g brown sugar 100mL honey 2 tbsp Dijon mustard Cloves METHOD Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Gently run your fingers along the outer edge of the skin on the ham & carefully remove the skin, leaving the layer of fat intact. Cut around the hock, leaving the skin attached for the last 10-12cm. Wrap the removed skin & refrigerate to use for covering any leftover ham. Score the fat in a diamond pattern, approximately 2.5cm apart, taking care not to cut too deeply into the fat. Press a clove into the centre of each diamond. Place the ham in a large roasting tray lined with foil & baking paper. Combine the orange zest, orange juice, honey, brown sugar & Dijon mustard in a bowl & mix until well combined. Brush the ham generously with the glaze & pour 1 cup of water into the base of the roasting tray. Bake for approximately 1 hour, brushing with additional glaze every 10-15 minutes, until the ham is golden, glazed & caramelised. Carefully remove from the oven & decorate with fresh herbs & festive ribbon, if desired. Pour any remaining glaze into a small saucepan, bring to the boil & serve in a jug alongside the ham. Serve with roasted vegetables or lightly roasted baby tomatoes & caramelised shallots.
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Salami & Mozzarella Candy Cane
Serves: 6 - 8 Prep time: 15 minutes INGREDIENTS 250g sliced salami 250g fresh mozzarella, sliced Fresh strawberries Fresh blueberries Fresh rosemary sprigs METHOD On a large serving platter, alternate slices of salami & mozzarella, slightly overlapping each piece. Arrange into a candy cane shape, creating the curved top & straight base. Garnish each end of the candy cane with halved strawberries & blueberries. Tuck rosemary sprigs around the candy cane to add colour & a fresh, seasonal touch. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve. TIPS Add olives, grapes or cherry tomatoes for extra colour & flavour. Swap salami for prosciutto or sopressa for a different charcuterie option. Pair with crusty bread, crackers & a selection of cheese for a complete grazing platter.
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Ice Cream Pudding
Serves: 12 - 14 Prep time: 20 minutes INGREDIENTS 200g gingerbread biscuits, roughly chopped 100g candied orange, finely sliced 75g dried cranberries 75g pistachios, roughly chopped 50g dried cherries 300g tinned or frozen cherries, halved 1L vanilla ice cream, softened METHOD Place the chopped biscuits, candied orange, cranberries, pistachios, dried cherries & halved cherries into a large mixing bowl. Add the softened ice cream & gently fold until all ingredients are evenly combined. Spoon the mixture into a lined 2-litre pudding mould or bowl. Press the mixture down firmly & smooth the top. Cover & place in the freezer overnight, or until completely set. To serve, remove from the freezer & carefully turn out onto a serving platter (or serve in what you froze the pudding in!). Garnish with fresh or tinned cherries & serve immediately. TIPS Allow to pudding to stand at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before unmoulding for easier serving. Add drizzle of chocolate sauce or berry coulis for an extra indulgent finish. Swap pistachios for almonds or hazelnuts if preferred. TOOLS Festive Glass Serving Bowl Mixing Bowl Silicone Spoon Ice Cream Scoop Sauce Boat
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Weck Jar Christmas Puddings
INGREDIENTS 1kg mixed dried fruit (e.g. raisins, sultanas, apricots, peel, cranberries, dates) 1 cup brandy, rum or marsala Zest of 1 large lemon Zest of 1 large orange 1 small apple, grated 70g plain flour ¾ tsp baking powder Pinch of salt ¾ tsp ground cinnamon ¾ tsp mixed spice 45g fresh white breadcrumbs 135g butter, at room temperature135g brown sugar 3 eggs 100g slivered almonds METHOD Macerate the fruit: In a large bowl, combine the mixed dried fruit, grated apple, lemon zest, orange zest, & alcohol. Mix well, cover, & set aside overnight (or up to several weeks) to soak. Prepare the jars: Grease 6 × 450ml Weck jars. Make the batter: Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, & mixed spice into a bowl. Stir in the breadcrumbs. In a separate bowl, beat the butter & brown sugar until light & fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold in the dry ingredients, then stir through the soaked fruit mixture & slivered almonds until evenly combined. Fill the jars: Spoon the mixture into the prepared jars, leaving about 2cm at the top to allow for expansion. Cover each with greased baking paper & foil, securing with string. Bake in a water bath: Place the jars in a deep roasting pan. Pour boiling water halfway up the sides of the jars. Bake at 160°C for 1½–2 hours, or until firm & cooked through. Cool & store: Allow puddings to cool completely. Leave the foil on & place plastic lids on top. Store in a cool, dark place or in the fridge for up to 3–4 months. Reheat & serve: To serve, remove the plastic lid but leave the foil on. Re-steam the puddings for 1–1½ hours until heated through. Turn out onto a serving plate & enjoy with flaming brandy or rum & a scoop of ice cream. TOOLS Weck Jar Mixing Bowl Mesh Strainer Roasting Pan
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Mum’s Rum Balls
Makes: 15 (of each version) Fruit Version INGREDIENTS 250g packet arrowroot biscuits 395g tin condensed milk ½ cup shredded coconut (plus ½ cup for coating) 1 cup mixed dried fruit 2 Tbsp cocoa powder 2 Tbsp Beenleigh rum METHOD Crush the arrowroot biscuits in a large bowl. Add condensed milk, shredded coconut, mixed fruit, cocoa powder, and rum. Mix until well combined. Roll into golf ball-sized portions and coat in extra shredded coconut. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Best served at room temperature. Chocolate Version INGREDIENTS 250g packet arrowroot biscuits 395g tin condensed milk ½ cup shredded coconut 1 cup rice bubbles 2 Tbsp cocoa powder 2 Tbsp Beenleigh rum ½ cup chocolate sprinkles (for coating) 1 cup crushed walnuts (for coating) METHOD Crush the arrowroot biscuits in a large bowl. Add condensed milk, shredded coconut, rice bubbles, cocoa powder, and rum. Mix until well combined. Roll into golf ball-sized portions. Coat half the batch in chocolate sprinkles and the other half in crushed walnuts. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Serve at room temperature for best texture.
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Lemon Meringue Cake
Ingredients Cake 225 g plain flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 220 g sugar 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest, plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice 185 g sour cream 2 large eggs 125 g unsalted butter, melted Lemon curd 3 eggs 2 egg yolks 220g caster sugar 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon rind 125ml lemon juice 150g cold unsalted butter, chopped Italian meringue 200g sugar 1/2 cup water 4 large egg whites, at room temperature 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar Method: Cake Preheat the oven to 180°C Lightly grease 2x 23 cm spring from tins. Line bottom with baking paper. Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, combine the sugar with the lemon zest and rub together with your fingertips. Whisk in the sour cream, eggs and the lemon juice until well blended. Using a spatula, add the wet mixture to the flour mixture, stirring just to blend. Fold in the melted butter. Scrape the batter into the prepared tin, smoothing the top. Bake until the top of the cake is golden brown, the edge pulls away from the side of the tin, and a tester inserted in the centre comes out clean - around 30mins. Lemon curd Makes 1½ cups. Place the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, lemon rind and lemon juice in a bowl and whisk to combine. Pour the mixture into a large saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until the sugar has dissolved Reduce the heat to medium and gradually add the butter, 3 pieces at a time, stirring continuously until melted. Continue to cook, stirring continuously, for 4-6 minutes or until the mixture is thickened and coats the back of a spoon. Strain immediately into a medium bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour or until cold. Tip: You can store this lemon curd in an airtight container or sterilised jar in the refrigerator for up to one week. Italian Meringue In a small saucepan, combine sugar and water. Heat over high heat, stirring constantly until the mixture comes to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, stop stirring. Cook the sugar syrup until it reaches 115°C on an instant-read or candy thermometer. Be cautious not to stir during this process. If sugar crystals appear on the sides of the pot, use a pastry brush dipped in water to brush them down into the syrup. Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine egg whites and cream of tartar. Set the mixer to medium speed and mix until soft peaks form. This means that when you lift the mixer's whisk, the peaks in the egg whites should gently form and slowly collapse back into themselves. This process should take about 2 minutes. With the mixer still running, carefully and slowly drizzle the hot sugar syrup into the egg white mixture. Safety note: Hot sugar can cause severe burns, so exercise caution while doing this step. After adding all the sugar syrup, increase the mixer speed to high and whip the mixture until stiff peaks form. This should take a few minutes. You'll notice that the mixture becomes glossy and holds its shape when the whisk is lifted. Assemble: Place one cake onto a cake stand: Start by placing one of the cake layers onto your cake stand or serving platter. Spread lemon curd over the cake: Using a spatula or the back of a spoon, spread a generous layer of lemon curd evenly over the top of the first cake layer. Place the second cake on top: Gently place the second cake layer on top of the lemon curd-covered first layer. This creates the cake's base structure. Spread Italian meringue over the top: Carefully spread a thick layer of Italian meringue over the top cake layer. Use a spatula to create swirls and peaks in the meringue. This not only adds a decorative touch but also allows the meringue to caramelize beautifully. Torch the meringue: Using a kitchen torch, evenly torch the meringue all over. Hold the blow torch about an 3cm or so away from the meringue and move it in a circular motion until you achieve a golden brown, caramelised finish.
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Naked Gingerbread Cake
INGREDIENTS Gingerbread Cake 250g butter 400ml Golden syrup 480ml milk 4 eggs 20g ginger, ground 10g cinnamon, ground 5g mixed spice 5g salt 500g self-rising flour 20g Baking powder 5g Bicarb soda Caramel Sauce 150g caster sugar 150g brown sugar 3g sea salt 135ml water 150g cream 75g unsalted butter Cream Cheese Frosting 750g cream cheese 1 vanilla extract 80g caster sugar 1 tsp ginger 1/2 tsp cinnamon 2 tsp mixed spice 350ml cream 1 lemon juiced METHOD Gingerbread Cake Grease and line base of 3 x 20cm springform cake tins and set aside. Melt butter with golden syrup, then add the milk and whisk in the eggs Sift together the dry ingredients and then fold into the wet mixture. Pour equally into the lined baking tin and bake for about 30 minutes until the centre is cooked. Set aside to cool. Caramel Sauce In a saucepan, combine the caster sugar, brown sugar, sea salt, and water. Place the saucepan over medium heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Allow the mixture to come to a boil without stirring. Let it cook until it reaches a deep amber colour. Remove the saucepan from heat and carefully whisk in the cream and butter. Be cautious as the mixture will bubble vigorously. Continue whisking until the caramel sauce is smooth and well combined. Let the caramel sauce cool slightly. Poke holes into top of cakes and pour over caramel sauce. Cream Cheese Frosting In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, vanilla extract and sugar until smooth. Add ginger, cinnamon and mixed spice and mix until smooth. Add the cream and whip until thick and then add the lemon juice. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use. To Assemble Place a first cake on a cake stand and add frosting. Keep layering until you have used the last cake. Spread the rest of the frosting around side of cake until smooth. Scrape some frosting away to reveal cake layers (giving that naked cake look) Decorate top with rosemary trees.
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Roasted Carrots with maple and whipped feta
Roasted Carrots 1kg Dutch carrots 3 TBSP of maple syrup 2 TBSP of olive oil 1/2 tsp of chilli flakes Salt Pepper Whipped feta 60g Greek yoghurt 100 g feta cheese 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 lemon juiced and zested Salt Pepper Roasted Carrots Preheat the oven to 220°C and prepare a baking tray by lining it with baking paper Begin by trimming the tops and of the carrots. If you have larger carrots, it's a good idea to cut them into equal-sized pieces to ensure even cooking. Transfer the cleaned and trimmed carrots onto the lined baking tray. Pour over the maple syrup, oil, chili, salt, and pepper: Drizzle the maple syrup and oil evenly over the carrots. Sprinkle the chili, salt, and pepper evenly over the carrots as well. Gently toss the carrots in the maple syrup, oil, and seasonings until they are evenly coated. You can use your hands or a spatula to do this. Arrange the coated carrots in a single layer on the baking tray. Make sure they are evenly spaced to allow for even cooking and caramelization. Place the baking tray with the carrots in the preheated oven and roast for about 20 minutes or until the carrots are tender and slightly caramelised. Keep an eye on them to prevent overcooking. Whipped feta Place all ingredients into blender and blitz till creamy Assemble Spread whipped feta on platter and place roasted carrots on top
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Shortbread
Ingredients 250g butter ⅓ cup icing sugar plus extra for dusting ⅓ cup corn flour plus extra for dusting ¼ cup sugar ½ teaspoon vanilla 2⅓ cups plain flour Method Preheat the oven to 170°C. Melt the butter over low heat and let it cool slightly. Sift icing sugar and corn flour into a bowl, then add sugar. Add the melted butter and vanilla to the dry ingredients and beat the mixture until it becomes thick and creamy. Mix in the sifted flour until well combined. Roll out the dough to a thickness of 1cm and cut out desired shapes. Re-roll any leftover dough and continue cutting shapes. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 25 minutes or until the cookies are golden. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on a cooling rack. Once cooled, dust the cookies with a mixture of equal parts icing sugar and corn flour.
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Espresso Martini Pavlova
Pavlova 6 egg whites 1½ cup caster sugar 2 Tbsp corn flour 2 tsp white vinegar Espresso Martini Syrup 200ml Wheel&Barrow Espresso Cocktail mix 2 Tbsp vodka 1 tsp arrowroot Cream Layer 600 ml thickened cream ½ Tbsp cocoa powder 100ml VOK coffee liqueur 200g Greek yogurt 100g 70% Dark chocolate cut into shards. PavlovaPreheat oven to 180°C. Draw 20cm circles onto 3 separate sheets of baking paper and place each onto baking trays. Beat egg whites in the large bowl of an electric mixer, starting on low speed and gradually increasing the speed as they get foamy. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat for 8 minutes or until thick and glossy. Fold in corn flour and vinegar. Dollop mixture onto baking paper. Use a spoon or spatula to spread and cover the circles. Reduce oven temperature to 150°C. Bake the meringues for 1¼ hours until crisp. Turn off oven and prop door ajar. Leave in the oven to cool slowly, for several hours or overnight. Espresso Martini Syrup Pour Espresso cocktail mix into a small saucepan and bring to boil, then remove off heat. Combine the vodka and arrowroot in a small bowl, stirring to make a smooth liquid. Add vodka/arrowroot liquid to Espresso mix and stir to combine. Add back onto heat and bring to boil continually stirring, take off heat and let cool. Cream Layer Using an electric beater, whip thickened cream into soft peaks. Sift in cocoa powder and pour in coffee liqueur and Greek yoghurt. Whip to stiff peaks. AssemblePlace one pavlova base on cake stand and cover with 1/3 of the whipped cream. Repeat each layer finishing with Espresso Martini syrup drizzle on top followed by chocolate shards.
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Tiramisu
For the syrup 300ml Wheel&Barrow Espresso Martini mix 2 Tbsp Cocoa Powder For the Cream 3 large eggs (150g) 100g sugar 250 mascarpone cheese 2 tsp VOK coffee liquor Vanilla extract to taste 200g heavy cream (whipped) Lady fingers (Savoiardi) Cocoa powder for dusting Method Place a small pot of water on stove and bring to a light simmer. In a large heat proof bowl add cracked eggs and sugar and mix together. Place the bowl of egg mixture over the saucepan and whisk constantly so the eggs don’t cook. The mixture should thicken and have a pale colour after approx. 5 minutes, temperature reads 55-66C. Take mixture off heat and place into stand mixer, whisk until cool, 3-5 mins. Slowly add the mascarpone, coffee liqueur and vanilla extract, whisk to combined. Fold in the whipped heavy cream and refrigerate mixture for 1-2 hours. Assemble In a small bowl whisk together espresso martini mix and cocoa powder and put aside. Using a dish 35x23cm (lasagne dish), soak the ladyfingers into the espresso mixture for no more than 1-2 seconds and arrange them in one layer in dish. Spread half of the cream mixture evenly over the lady fingers. Repeat another layer with lady fingers dipped into the espresso mix, followed by the rest of the mascarpone mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Dust off with cocoa powder to serve.
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Egg Nog
INGREDIENTS 6 eggs, separated 200g caster sugar 750mL milk 250mL cream 125-250mL alcohol (spiced rum, cognac, bourbon or brandy) 1 vanilla bean Ice Fresh nutmeg or cinnamon, to garnish METHOD Whip together the egg yolks & sugar. Heat the cream, milk & scraped vanilla bean, then slowly add the egg yolks, Pour into a saucepan & cook gently, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens. Strain into a bowl over a bowl of ice. Add the alcohol & allow to cool completely. Leave overnight to allow the flavours to develop. Whip 4 of the egg whites to soft peaks & fold into the cream base. Pour enough mixture for 2 drinks (about 400mL) into a cocktail shaker full of ice. Shake, then strain into your glass. Grate over fresh nutmeg or sprinkle with a little cinnamon. NOTES To make an alcohol-free version, set aside some cream base before adding the alcohol & serve as directed. Makes about 10-12 drinks. Keep the base mixture refrigerated until ready to use. Keep chilled for 3-4 days.
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