Choc-mallow-jelly-slice (Taste.com.au)

INGREDIENTS

  • 250g packet plain sweet biscuits
  • 150g butter, melted
  • 200g block milk chocolate, chopped
  • 1/3 cup thickened cream
  • 4 cups (360g) vanilla marshmallows (see note)
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 85g packet raspberry jelly crystals

METHOD

  • Step 1
    Grease a 6cm-deep, 20cm square (base) cake pan. Line base and sides with baking paper, extending paper 3cm above edges of pan.
  • Step 2
    Using a food processor, process biscuits until fine crumbs. Add butter. Process until just combined. Press biscuit mixture evenly over base of prepared pan. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
  • Step 3
    Meanwhile, place chocolate and cream in a heatproof, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH (100%) for 40 seconds, stirring until smooth and combined. Pour over prepared slice base. Spread with a spatula to level. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm.
  • Step 4
    Place marshmallows and milk in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until marshmallows have melted and mixture is smooth. Pour over chocolate layer, spreading with a spatula to level. Refrigerate for 3 hours or until set.
  • Step 5
    Make jelly following packet directions. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until cold but not set. Pour over marshmallow layer (skim off any bubbles from top of jelly). Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight until jelly is set. Cut into squares. Serve.
Smoky Bacon Jam – Otago Daily Times 2/8/17

500g smoky streaky bacon, 3 large onions, 3 cloves garlic, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 200g dried apricots, 3 Tbsp light brown sugar, 1/4 cup sherry vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 3/4 cup water.

Method

Preheat oven to 200degC. Line a baking tray with foil and top it with an oven rack. Lay bacon strips in a single layer on the rack, and place the baking tray in the oven. Cook for 20 -30 minutes until the bacon is crispy.

When the bacon is cooked, transfer it to a paper towel lined plate to drain, and carefully remove the tray from the oven. Pat the bacon dry with a paper towel to remove the bacon fat. Reserve the bacon fat left on the foil and pour into a frying pan.

Slice and chop the onions, garlic and dried apricots. Heat the frying pan, with the saved bacon fat,  on medium heat, add the chopped ingredients and cook until the onions are soft.While the onions are cooking, chop the bacon and set aside.

Once the onions are starting to turn a light golden colour, add salt, light brown sugar, sherry vinegar and cayenne pepper*. Stir to combine.

Add the chopped bacon and stir in the 3/4 cup water to the now combined mixture. Cook until the overall colour is a light brown bacon colour and continue to cook for 15 minutes, or until a jam consistency is achieved.

Allow the mixture to cool slightly and store in jars. Apply lid once jam has cooled completely and the Lid is air tight.

Jam is usable for 3 weeks if kept in the refrigerator.

* A drop of high quality liquid smoke can also be added at this stage for an extra smoky hit.

Special Chocolate Chippie Biscuits

1/2 C Butter, 1 C Flour, 1/2 tsp Baking Soda, 1/2 C Sugar, 6oz Chocolate Chips, 1/2 C Brown Sugar, 1/4 tsp Salt, 2 oz Hershey Bar (Grated), 1 Egg, 1/2 tsp Baking Powder, 1/2 tsp Vanilla Essence, 3/4 C Chopped Nuts, 1 & 1/4 C Rolled Oats (That have been chopped up in a kitchen whizz to make a fine powder)

 

Cream butter and both sugars, add egg and vanilla. Mix together with flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder & baking soda.  Add chocolate chips, Hershey bar & nuts.

Roll into balls, about 18, and place 2 inches apart on a baking tray. Bake for 10 minutes at 375 C

Cheesecake Bites ( From Facebook)

250g biscuits (For base)

5 tbsp melted butter

Mix together and press into a square tin.

 

Mix 450 softened cream cheese with 150 granulated sugar. Add 2 tbsp cornflour and 1/8 tsp salt.

Add 2 eggs and beat in well with 1 tsp vanilla.

Pour over base and cook 160c for 30-40 minutes.

once cool , put in the deep freeze to harden.

Cut into inch squares, then dip into 220g chocolate melts that have been melted together  with 2 tbsp Kremolta .

Leave to harden.

Gluten -free bacon and egg tart. ( Tin Goose , Cromwell)

1 carrot grated, 1 courgette grated, 1 spring onion sliced finely, 1 handful fresh spinach chopped, 1/2 a red capsicum chopped, 4 slices bacon, diced, 8 eggs, 1 cup cream, 1/2 a cooked kumara sliced in small pieces, sour cream, sweet chilly sauce.

Combine first 8 ingredients in a bowl making sure eggs are well mixed. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat oven to 160degC. grease 6 large muffin cups.

Pour mixture into each muffin cup, only filling three quarters full.

Place a piece of Kumara in the middle of each cup followed with a dollop of sour cream in the middle.Fill up with remaining mixture. Add a swirl of sweet chilly sauce.

Bake for 30 minutes or until the centre springs back to the touch.

Serve with salad and a drizzle of sweet chilly sauce.

Apple shortcake – a Grandma’s recipe.

6oz butter(170g), 1 cup of sugar, 2 eggs, 1 tsp baking soda, 3 cups of flour, 2 tsp cream of tarter, pinch of salt.

Cream the butter and sugar.

Add the eggs.

sift in the dry ingredients. mix until dough comes away from the sides. Gently knead into a ball, wrap in gladwrap and refrigerate  for 30 minutes.

Roll out one  half into a desired shape and then, using the rolling pin, carefully put into a greased dish. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon onto the dough. Put apple mixture on top and then cover the apples with the other half of the rolled out dough.

Cook for 25-30 minutes.

when cold and cut, sprinkle with icing sugar.

Freeform Plum Pie

1 sheet frozen shortcrust pastry (or see recipe below), 6 plums (stoned and halved) sliced, 2 tbsp raw sugar + 1 tbsp extra, 25g butter + 10g butter extra.

Preheat oven to to 180C . line an oven tray with baking paper.

Cut square edges from the the pastry to form a circle. place on the tray. Top evenly with the sliced plums, leaving a 3 -4 cm border. sprinkle with the sugar and dot the butter over.

Working quickly, fold the pastry border in towards the centre, crimping the edges at intervals. Brush the pastry with the extra butter and then sprinkle with the extra sugar.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until the pastry is golden and crisp. Cool on the tray for 5 minutes. Serve with ice cream, and or whipped cream.

Enjoy.

 

Sweet shortcrust pastry

1 cup flour, 75g butter, 1/4 sugar, 1 egg yolk. 1 tbsp water.

In a food processor put flour and butter. process until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in sugar , add in yolk and water. mix to a stiff dough.  Chill  for 30 minutes before using.

Poached Plums

2 cups water, 1 cup caster sugar, 1 orange ( sliced),  1 cinnamon stick, 8 plums ( halved , stones removed).

In a medium saucepan, combine the water and sugar. Stir over low heat for 3 – 4 minutes, without boiling, until the sugar dissolves. Add the orange slices and cinnamon to the syrup. Bring to the boil on high. Reduce the heat to Low and simmer, uncovered for 20 minutes until it has thickened slightly. Add the plums and simmer , uncovered for 3-5 minutes until they are just tender.

Capsicum Marmalade

8 large capsicums,

3/4 C lemon juice,

1/4 C orange juice,

1/4C red wine vinegar,

4 large garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

1 onion , peeled and chopped

2 C sugar

2 tbsp tomato paste

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped

1 tsp fresh marjoram , chopped

1 lemon, zest of

1 orange, zest of

 

  1. Grill the capsicums under a searing hot heat until they blacken
  2. Halve, remove the seeds and core
  3. Chop  6 capsicums finely and cut the remaining 2 into fine julienne slices
  4. Place all ingredients into a saucepan and stir over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved.
  5. Bring to the boil then reduce to a gentle simmer
  6. Cook 10 minutes until the mixture is thick and the consistency of jam
  7. Bottle into hot sterilised jars and seal.
Chocolate Christmas Pudding

3 slices of Molenburg Bread

1/2 c brown sugar

4 tbsp drinking chocolate

whipped cream

 

Tear bread into chunks, add sugar, and process in a food processor, add drinking chocolate and process some more.

Layer mixture with whipped cream in small glasses.