EASY SHORTBREAD.....

This has to be the simplest shortbread recipe ...not traditional , no rice flour.....but with 4 simple ingredients...fool proof and very scrummy.

Ingredients:

1 cup 100% corn flour
2 cups plain flour
1 cup of caster sugar
250 grams real butter

mix all  dry ingredients together in bowl
add melted butter
mix together
press into slice tin

Into 170 degrees oven for 30 minutes
Take out and pricked lightly with fork and slice into whatever shape takes your fancy.
Sprinkle with sugar (optional)
Back into the oven for another 15--20 min...and your done.

Cool in tin ..remove with spatula and  place in fridge for awhile to firm up nicely.

Of course oven times are approximate...


I have another recipe waiting...so stay tuned.....



                                                              

STEAMED PUDDING.....

A beautiful Saturday here...and after a couple of requests for my pud recipe recently....bumping it to the top of the  blog... It was the very first recipe I posted. Ahh nostalgic... way back in 2011...

Ingredients:

TBS BROWN SUGAR HEAPED
2 CUPS OF MIXED DRY FRUIT.
I CUP OF CHOPPED DATES
DASH VANILLA EXTRACT
70 GRAMS REAL BUTTER
1CUP MILK
TBL MIXED SPICE
3/4 TSP of BICARB SODA...TEASPOON
HEAPED CUP OF FLOUR>>>WHOLEMEAL WORKS TOO  I USE SELF RAISING ...
!/2 CUP OR TO TASTE OF SWEET OR CREAMED SHERRY...I RECOMMEND MCWILLIAMS BRAND>

OK....
Add  the fruit...dates...butter...milk..vanilla...sugar..and sherry...into a saucepan
heat till simmering...just takes a few minutes.  Take of stove...add BICARB....watch it froth up...then add the flour...and there you have it...the mixture....now put into a greased pudding bowl...cover with baking paper and alfoil....tie with string....make sure water tight...or if you have a good ol fashioned steamer like me with a lid...well then still add the paper... foil...then the lid!  
Now you can either boil on stove in a saucepan of water for 2 hours...making sure water goes half way up the sides of steamer....or like I do in  a slow cooker  for about at least 6 hours on high......make sure if on stove...water doesn't boil dry!!...slow cooker much more easier...just do the same..1/2 way up the side of pudding tin with water..in the slow cooker.  :)     

I will be back very  soon...have a very easy peasy recipe to share.....

                                                          

BANANA CAKE.........

HIHO!!   A very quick and simple banana cake.... I have to get to the market...so Ill make this short and sweet!  :)

INGREDIENTS

1 and 1/2 cups of self raising flour
1 tsp of bicarb of soda (flat)
1/2 cup sugar..I always use organic raw
1/2 cup of light oil...macadamia...sunflower ect
2 eggs
3 RIPE bananas mashed (the riper the better)
dash Vanilla

METHOD:

add the flour bicarb and sugar into a bowl give it a quick mix
make a well in the center..add your oil and  beaten eggs vanilla and then  bananas
stir in...no over-mixing...you don't want a tough cake,:

I used cold pressed macadamia oil.
don't overdo it on bicarb..not a spec more!

Into a greased and lined tin at approx 170 degrees for around  50 minutes
and your done!  Now I use a 17 cm tin..slightly smaller than the average...but makes a higher more presentable cake!
Now that was easy  and may I say gorgeous with a dollop of whipped cream... I'm a gal who cant eat cake without whipping up the cream! Ok till next time...Im out of here.... vegies wont buy themselves!

BLUEBERRY CRUMBLE CAKE

oh my....I nearly didn't blog this cake....ha ha..lined and greased my cake tin...started to pour batter into it...and noticed the melted butter still in the saucepan!!  As i poured the melted butter onto top of the already mixed batter...my son walks in...I said...if this isn't here when you get home ...don't be surprised....thinking no way it will work and would be promptly deposited in the bin. It passed by a  margin.  and only on hubby's say so!  Ok...waves profusely! Till the next blog! 

INGREDIENTS

CRUMBLE:

50 grams of melted butter exact

1/3 cup sugar granulated..demerra...raw...all good

1/2 cup plain flour

heaped teaspoon of cinnamon.

CAKE:

1 1/2 cups of self raising flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 free range eggs

1 cup whole milk

125 grams of butter  (melted)

liberal dash of vanilla

cup fresh blueberries

METHOD:

CRUMBLE TOPPING

add the melted butter to the sugar..flour..and cinnamon...mix till all combined.

Put aside.....

CAKE MIX

add all dry cake( sifted) ingredients to a bowl

add blueberries...give it a stir...

beat eggs...add to milk and melted butter and vanilla

add all wet ingredients GENTLY with a spoon to dry ingredients...DON'T OVERMIX..nothing worse than a rubber cake!!  :) 

sprinkle crumble mixture over batter

cook in oven at 180 degrees for approx 55 minutes,,till skewer comes out clean. Of course every oven is different...so adjust accordingly!

I used a 17cm cake tin  

 

HOMEMADE KIT KATS.........

Yummo....I had a sweetie craving...and oh so simple...2 ingredients...so easy you don't need a recipe , but ill write it down anyway ....

Chocolate melts
Wafer fingers

melt your chocolate the way you usual do...I do mine over hot water...not a fan of microwaves
dip your wafer bikies in , drain with a fork...put on baking paper to set in refrigerator ... (wait patiently).....  dip in your espresso!  divine  :)  
how simple is that...why have I not made these sooner... :)
Till the next post! 

RASPBERRY COCONUT SLICE.......

Hello again  :)    Whipped up a  slice this morning...haven't made this recipe in literally years!  so quick and easy...I had mine warm with whipped cream...as you do!! ... onwards with the recipe.


INGREDIENTS

BASE...

125 grams real butter
1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar  I always use organic raw.
1 egg
1 1/2 cups SR flour
dash vanilla
raspberry jam  or whatever takes your fancy   :)

TOPPING...

1 1/2 cups dessicated coconut
1/4  cup of sugar...
2 eggs


Beat together your butter and sugar
add egg...mix ... add a dash of vanilla
then your flour...mix together with a spoon.
Press into a lined slice tin

spread a few spoonfuls of jam on the base

Mix together 2 eggs.. sugar and coconut for the top
spread it out evenly.

Bake at 180 C  for 25 minutes...or until browned on top.

There you go...

I find the less amount of sugar the better...because jam makes it so sweet...so feel free to use less.   :)   

FESTIVE TRIFLE........

HI again.....a bit late for the recipe for a xmassy trifle.... I only make one a year.....jelly and cream and cake and custard...lol...wicked combination of no no"s...... The lighting in my kitchen taking  pics was atrocious! dark and cloudy day....not conducive for fabulously light photos. But one must carry on   :)  as they say...dont sweat the small stuff....and its all small stuff!  I did think of getting hubby to take pic of me outside in better light holding it 
but I envisioned myself tripping and a most delightfully funny pic would of been the result....but I dont think family members keen on eating it would of been too amused....

on to the ingredients....

Sweet sherry  1/3 cup  or to taste

home made custard... about a litre..depends on your bowl size

jelly...I chose port wine...raspberry and lime...festive colours

thickened cream...whipped

sponge roll...or sponge cake (broken up) or sponge fingers....

crushed nuts...or in my case grated chocolate ...


line the base and sides of your bowl with sponge..and extra layer on the base....
sprinkle over the sherry till all sponge is moist...
add cooled custard
then jelly(cut into little squares)  
add whipped cream....
top with nuts or chocolate....  :)  simple!

I make the jelly and custard day before...and also sherry up the cake then too....then put it all together xmas day. 

Its the new year....yay!  Its always a good feeling when I think of a fresh new year ahead....full of possibilities!  Ok till the next post...onwards.................  :)