Recipes

This recipe was passed on to me by my mother-in-law, Shirley. This slice is "absolutely delicious" and takes just 10 minutes to make, plus another 5 minutes to add the icing. It is so easy, even the kids could do it. However, I must warn you, it is loaded with fat, cholesterol and calories, but if you don’t count them, you’re fine! Make it for your next group get-together and watch it disappear -- in a flash!

Ingredients
1 packet "Sao" or Cream Crackers (plain square shaped water style cracker)
600ml Cream
80g Sachet Foster’s Clark quick custard mix (any powered pre-mix custard)
***It is very important to use the premixed sachet of FC quick custard mix,
regular custard power will not work.***
Vanilla Essence (optional)
1 cup icing sugar
1 tblspn butter
Rose pink food colouring
Glad Bake baking paper

Method
Line a container with Glad Bake baking paper
Place Sao crackers in the bottom of container (12-15)
Mix cream with custard powder
Add a few drops of vanilla essence
Pour mixture over Sao crackers
Place another layer of Sao crackers on top of the mixture
Refrigerate
To make icing mix butter with icing sugar
Add some water to achieve a smooth consistency
Add two drops of rose pink food colouring
Spread icing over top layer of Sao crackers
Refrigerate overnight
Cut into slices and serve

HINT: It is "best made the day before" but if you want to make and eat it the same day, spray the bottom layer of Sao crackers with water before adding the mixture. Also, spray top layer very lightly before refrigerating.

My girlfriend Kathy told me I simply must put this recipe on my website. During a visit to Margaret River a couple of years ago, I tasted some yummy muffins with white chocolate and raspberries. When I came home, I tried a couple of variations but this one was the biggest hit. They are best eaten slightly warm so the chocolate literally melts in your mouth! Rather "decadent" and totally wicked!

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup natural yoghurt (Margaret River Mundella, of course!)
1 cup raspberries (frozen berries work very well)
1 cup white choc chips
2 cups sifted self-raising flour

Method
Preheat the oven to 180degC/350degF.
Line a muffin tray with patty cup cases.
Lightly spray cases with a non-stick cooking spray.
Cream the butter and sugar.
Add eggs one at a time.
Add the yoghurt and mix well.
Stir in the white choc chips.
Gradually fold in sifted flour.
Gently fold in berries with a wooden spoon.
Spoon mixture into muffin cases.
Bake in moderate oven for approximately 20min or until golden.

HINT: Only thaw the frozen berries just enough to separate. Gently fold in the berries to avoid the mixture going pink. Alternatively, you can place the berries on top of the mixture, once it has been spooned into the patty pans.

EASY Fruit Cake Recipe
(Sent in by Stella Beswick)

Ingredients
375gr/12oz mixed fruit
400ml/13oz 100% fruit juice (canned or bottled flavour of your choice)
2 cups SR flour

Method
Soak fruit in juice for at least 6 hours.
Add flour and mix well.
Pour into a greased and lined cake tin.
Bake in moderate oven for 1 hour.

Different flavours of fruit juice obviously give the cake a different flavour. It doesn't last long in our house when I make it. I got the recipe from my sister who got it from a friend and so on. No idea where it originated!

Ingredients
A little butter for greasing tins
300gr/10oz SR flour
155gr/5oz brown sugar
160gr/6oz butter, melted
125ml/4oz milk
2 eggs lightly beaten
3 x 50gr/2oz pks Rolos (chocolate coated caramel rolls)

Method
Preheat oven to 200degC/400degF.
Grease ten 1/2cup muffin tins with butter.
Combine the flour and sugar in a large bowl and make a well in the centre.
Add the butter, milk and eggs, then stir until just combined (do not overmix)
Half fill of each muffin tin with mixture.
Press 3 Rolos close together into the centre of the muffin mixture.
Top up each tin with the remaining mixture to enclose the Rolos.
Bake for 15-20 mins or until golden.
Leave muffins in the tin for 5mins before transferring to a wire rack.
Serve the muffins warm.

This recipe was passed on to me by a teacher friend many years ago. If you like cheese-cake, you'll love this slice version. It's "deliciously creamy", ever so light and not at all too sweet.

INGREDIENTS
2 packets sweet "Lattice" biscuits (square shaped, sweet puff pastry style biscuit, pastry is woven together to create a lattice effect)
1 tablespoon/½ oz Gelatine
250gm/8oz Philadelphia Cream Cheese (not the soft spreadable version)
½ cup castor sugar
1 can passionfruit pulp
1 cup cream 250ml/8fl oz

METHOD
Line a large lasagne dish or Tupperware container with Glad Bake baking paper.
Cover the base of the container with the Lattice biscuits.
Pour the passionfruit pulp into a small saucepan and sprinkle the gelatine over the pulp.
Place over a low heat and stir until gelatine dissolves.
Allow to cool and thicken slightly.
Beat softened cream cheese and sugar until mixture is smooth and creamy.
Add the passionfruit pulp and beat together well.
Whip cream and fold into the cream cheese mixture.
Pour mixture over the Lattice biscuits.
Place another layer of Lattice biscuits on top and press them lightly into the mixture.
Refrigerate overnight.
Cut into slices. I cut each biscuit in half to create "easy to eat" pieces.

This is a wonderful biscuit recipe that my sister, Bernadette passed on to me. They are incredibly easy to whip up and the kids just love them!

INGREDIENTS
125g/4oz butter
1/4 cup castor sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup self-raising flour
1/2 cup plain flour
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup milk chocolate bits
1 cup chopped dried apricots

METHOD
Pre-heat oven to 180degC or 350degF.
Cream together butter and sugars.
Add lightly beaten egg gradually, beating well after each addition.
Mix in sifted flours.
Add coconut, chocolate bits and chopped apricots.
Mix well.
Shape teaspoonfuls of mixture into small balls.
Place balls well apart on lightly greased oven trays to allow room for spreading.
Bake in a moderate oven for 10-12 minutes.
Remove from tray and allow to cool.
Hide in a sealed, non-see-thru container and place well out of reach - not your reach, of course!
Makes about 45 biscuits.

Here is a great sugar-free cake that is deliciously moist and ever so healthy too! I know bananas are an expensive treat for all the Aussies with the price of bananas at present, following Cyclone Glenda, but you might like to keep it aside for next season.

INGREDIENTS
1¾ cups wholemeal spelt or regular flour
2 tspn baking powder
1 tspn bicarbonate or soda
½ tspn ground ginger
½ tspn cinnamon
¾ cup honey
3 eggs
3-4 very ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup light olive oil
2 tspn grated lemon zest
1 cup walnut pieces plus extra whole nuts for the top of the cake.

METHOD
Pre-heat oven to 160degC or 325degF.
Sift all the dry ingredients into a medium-sized bowl.
Beat together the honey, eggs, bananas, oil and lemon zest.
Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and stir well.
Mix in the walnut pieces.
Line a square baking tin or a large loaf tin with baking paper.
Pour mixture in the tin.
Gently press walnuts into the top of the mixture.
Bake for about 1 hour, until top is browned and edges shrink from the sides.
Check the centre is cooked by testing with a skewer that comes out clean.
Remove from tray and allow to cool on a wire rack.

Lynda, of Heritage Stitches & Craft sent me this recipe for you to try at home. I'm told it's extremely delicious and very good for the figure -- a full one, I guess!

INGREDIENTS
2 Pkts Malt O Milk Biscuits
1 Can Condensed Milk
600ml/1pt Cream
2 Dstspns Gelatine Dissolved in warm water (Optional)
2 Violet Crumble Bars (Crushed)

METHOD
Beat cream until thick.
Add condensed milk and beat together.
Add gelatine and crushed Violet Crumble and stir well.
Allow mixture to set for about 20 mins.
Line the base of lamington tray with baking paper.
Place 1 pkt of Malt O Milk biscuits onto the base of a lamington tray.
Pour mixture on top of the biscuits.
Place another layer of biscuits on top, pressing them into the mixture.
Freeze for a few hours or overnight.
When ready to eat it's best left at room temperature for a few mins before cutting.
Dust with drinking chocolate before serving.

A good friend shared this recipe with me many years ago. It's still always a great hit with guests. This very tasty cake can be served both warm or cool and is perfect with a dollop of cream on the side!

INGREDIENTS
¾ cup sugar
1 cup cooked apple
¾ cup rolled oats
125g/4oz butter
1½ cups plain flour
1 tspn bi-card soda
1 tspn cinnamon
1 tspn mixed spice
1 cup sultanas (optional)

TOPPING INGREDIENTS
½ cup extra oats
¼ chopped walnuts
¼ cup brown sugar
125g/4oz melted butter

METHOD
Preheat the oven to 180degC or 350degF.
Line a deep slab tin with baking paper.
Combine sugar, apple, oats and butter.
Allow to stand for 10 minutes.
Sift flour, cinnamon, allspice and bi-carb soda into a large bowl.
Add sultanas and the apple mix.
Spoon the mixture into the slab tin and spread evenly.
Mix the extra oats with the brown sugar and walnuts.
Add the melted butter and stir together.
Sprinkle evenly over the cake mixture.
Bake in a moderate oven for 30-40min.
Keeps well -- if it doesn't get eaten, that is!