Christmas & Festive
Gingerbread Spice Sponge Cake
(1x 3 layer 18cm or 4 layer 15cm)Ingredients 4 eggs 200g sugar ½ cup SR flour ½ cup cornflour ½ tsp ground clove ½ tsp ground nutmeg 3 tsp ground cinnamon 20ml golden syrup 20ml water 90g butter 600ml whipped cream MethodMelt butter, water and syrup. Whip the egg whites and add the sugar, add the egg yolks and then fold in the sifted dry ingredients and then fold in the wet mix. Spoon into lined cake tins and bake at 180°C for about 15-20 minutes. Allow to cool. Layer cake with whipped cream dust with icing sugar and serve with fresh cherries.
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Spiced shortbread
(makes about 36)Ingredients 125g butter 60g caster sugar 180g plain flour 20g mixed spice (nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, ginger pepper) Icing sugar to dust MethodBeat butter, sugar and sift dry ingredients and fold together. Chill for ½ hour and roll out to 4mm thick cut into shapes and place on a lined baking tray and bake 180°C for about 15 minutes. Allow to cool and dust with icing sugar.
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Gingerbread Trifle
Serves 6-8 Ingredients Gingerbread cake 250g butter 400ml Golden syrup 4 eggs 20g ginger, ground 10g cinnamon, ground 5g mixed spice 5g salt 500g self-rising flour 20g Baking powder 5g Bicarb soda 480ml milk Gingerbread men 185g honey 40g caster sugar 40g butter 1 egg 8g mixed spice 335g flour 2g bicarb soda 8ml water Cream cheese layer 750g cream cheese 1 lemon juiced 80g caster sugar 350ml cream 1 vanilla bean 1 tsp ginger 1/2 tsp cinnamon 2 tsp mixed spice Caramel Sauce 225g caster sugar 225g brown sugar 5g sea salt 90ml water 150g cream 75g unsalted butter MethodGingerbread cakeGrease and line a rectangle baking pan. 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 into the lined baking tin and bake for about 40 minutes until cooked in the centre. Set aside to cool. For the cake crumbs: Cut 1/3 of the cake and crumble roughly onto a lined baking tray and bake at 140°C until dried. Set aside or store in an airtight container until ready to use Gingerbread men. Heat the honey and sugar to 65°C and transfer to a mixer with a paddle attachment, add the butter, and mix, add the flour, egg & mixed spice, & then dissolve the bicarb in the water & add to the dough. Roll into a ball & cover for about ½ hour. Roll out to about 4-5mm thick & cut out shapes & place on a lined baking tray. Bake at 180°C for 10-12 minutes until cooked. Cream cheese layerIn a large bowl, beat cream cheese, scraped vanilla bean 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.Caramel SauceMake a dry caramel by heating a little sugar in a saucepan and heat until melted, slowly adding in all the sugar until a dark caramel. Add the water and salt and stir until dissolved. Add the brown sugar and stir until melted. Add the cream and bring to the boil. Add the butter and melt and set aside to cool and thicken. Keeps in air tight container for a month.To assemble the trifleCut the remaining cake into chunks and place a layer on the base of the trifle bowl. Drizzle a small amount of caramel sauce over the cake. Arrange the gingerbread men to sit on top of the cake around the inside of the bowl, facing out. Top cake layer with cream cheese mixture and allow to set. Place another layer of cake and drizzle with a little caramel sauce and top with gingerbread crumbs. Spoon a little extra whipped cream on top and decorate with gingerbread men. Refrigerate until ready to serve, at least 4 hours. Can be made the night before and refrigerated overnight.
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Champagne Orange Trifle
Serves 6-8Ingredients For the Orange Crème Patisserie 600ml milk 5 eggs yolks 120g sugar 50g cornflour 1 vanilla bean 1 orange, zested 40ml orange liqueur 1 vanilla pod, split and seeded 400ml whipped cream For the Jelly 500ml fresh orange juice, strained 500ml champagne 100g caster sugar 12 sheets gelatine (20g) To Assemble orange segments, to garnish 200g Mascarpone mixed with 150g whipped cream (or combine with left over pastry cream) 4 oranges, sliced 1 orange madeira cake, sliced orange liqueur, to drizzle (optional) MethodFor the Orange Crème PatisserieHeat the milk with the scraped vanilla bean and orange zest and bring to the boil. Mix together the sugar, cornflour and egg yolks, and slowly pour in the milk. Strain into a saucepan and then cook for a few minutes stirring constantly until thick, add the orange liqueur. Pour into a bowl and cover with parchment paper and allow to cool. Fold in 400ml whipped cream, and set aside.For the JellyCombine the sugar, orange juice & champagne then whisk until sugar has dissolved. Soak the gelatine sheets in cold water until plump. Squeeze dry. Melt in a bowl over a double boiler & stir into the champagne mix. Allow to cool and start to set (thicken).To AssembleIn the base of a trifle bowl place a layer of pastry cream. Arrange slices of orange around the glass and in the centre. Spoon over enough jelly to cover the oranges. Place in the refrigerator to set. Top with a layer of cake and drizzle with orange liqueur. Top with pastry cream smoothing over the top and then a thin layer of jelly. Allow to set for several hours or overnight. Garnish with mascarpone cream, sliced orange segments and candied orange zest.
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Christmas Icecream Slice
Ingredients berries and cherries, to garnish 2 litres vanilla icecream, slightly melted 1 store bought rich dark fruit cake brandy, to drizzle (optional) Method Line a loaf tin with plastic wrap. Layer a thin slice of cake on the base and the sides. Drizzle with a little brandy. Spoon in half the icecream and press down. Layer another layer of cake & drizzle with brandy and top with icecream. Finish with a layer of fruit cake and wrap and place in the freezer overnight. Remove from the tin and arrange on a serving plate. Garnish with fresh berries and cherries and enjoy a simple quick, easy and elegant Xmas dessert.
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Pink Pannacotta Tart
Serves 6-8Ingredients For the Pastry 30g icing sugar 1 egg yolk 240g plain flour ½ tsp salt 200g cold butter coarsely grated For the Filling 350ml milk 300ml cream 100g caster sugar 4 sheets gelatine (8g) soaked in cold water 1 vanilla bean 100g natural yoghurt 1 tsp rosewater For the Jelly 400ml Bickfords sparkling red grape & hibiscus 4 sheets gelatine (8g) soaked in cold water dried rose petals or fresh edible flowers, to garnish MethodFor the PastrySift the flour, icing sugar and salt together. Rub in butter and add the egg yolk. Wrap in plastic film and chill for about ½ hour. Roll out about 3mm thick and place in tart case. Rest and blind bake at 175°C until golden. Remove and allow to cool. For the FillingHeat the milk, cream, vanilla bean & sugar. Dissolve the gelatine over a double boiler & stir into the milk. Allow to cool. Fold in the yoghurt and rosewater and place in the fridge stirring regularly until it starts to thicken. Pour into the tart base and allow to set.For the JellyFor the jelly layer dissolve the gelatine over a double boiler & stir into the sparkling & place in the fridge until it just starts to set. Pour over the tart & allow to set. Garnish with dried rose petals & edible flowers.
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