Little Lemon Cakes

These are great little cakes that can be served warm, with lightly whipped cream for an easy and delicious dessert.

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup oil (canola)
• 2 large eggs
• finely grated rind of 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 1 1/2 cups self raising flour
• 3/4 cup hot water
• 3/4 cup sugar
• finely grated rind of 1 lemon

1. Heat oven to a medium temperature (180C.)
2. Blend first measurement of sugar, oil, eggs, a grated rind of one lemon, lemon juice and vanilla in a food processor until creamy.
3. Add flour and blend lightly till smooth. 
4. Share mixture between six 1 cup moulds or tins (smaller sized tins can be used to make more cakes).
5. Bake for 12-15 minutes. 
6.   While cakes cook prepare syrup. 
7. Put water, second measurement of sugar and finely grated rind of one lemon in a microwave proof bowl. Heat on high for 3 minutes. Seive. 
8. When cakes a cooked remove from oven and pour over the syrup. 
9. Let stand for a few minutes before removing from tins. 
10. Leave for at least an hour before serving. Can be lightly reheated in a microwave if required. 

Chickpea patties with Feta

There is no doubt that feta makes it better. I already love throwing feta into my corn fritters so I thought I would try it with falafel style patties.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups cooked chickpeas
• 2 chopped onions
• 4 cloves garlic - crushed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup wholemeal flour
• 1/2 cup parsley, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup mint, finely chopped
• fresh ground black pepper
• 2 eggs lightly beaten
• 100 grams feta
• olive oil. 

1. Put chickpeas, onions, garlic, cumin and coriander into food processor and pulse until chickpeas are broken up. 
2. Add baking powder, flour, parlsey, mint, pepper and eggs. Pulse until combined. Star twith 1/2 cup flour and if the mixture is too damp add more flour.
3. Transfer mixture into a large bowl and crumble feta in and mix in with hands. 
4. Form mixture into small balls.
5. Fry in a small amount of olive oil at a meadium low heat until golden and cooked through. 
6. Serve with a mint and yoghurt dressing, or include in wraps with dressing and salad. 
7. Also can be used as a vegetarian burger pattie. 

Christmas Truffles

I never quite feel in the festive spirit until I have done some Christmas baking. Not having the family to my place this year has meant there has not been that urgency. Instead, I am focussing on making yummy goodies to give as gifts. With Christmas just a week away now time is of the essence. I thought I would start with some favourite truffles that I have been making for about 20 years. I have never made these using a recipe but this year, to enable efficient communication I decided I would measurse the ingredients as I go - please remember though you don't have to be exact at all!

This receipe is a great one to use up chocolate cake left overs. In the past week I have made two birthday cakes for children - you know those cakes where you make a massive slab, carve it up and shape it and then have lots of letf over bits. Well, all these bit go in a container in the freezer and get thawed out to make these delicious truffles.

Ingredients:

• 8 cups of chocolate cake crumbs  (you could include fruit cake or Christmas pudding in that if you wished). These can be finely crumbled by hand but the food processor is a lot more efficient. 
• 500 grams mixed fruit - I measure this by using approximately half of a kilo bag - that's what I mean about not having to be too exact in your measurements. 
• 400 grams chocolate (whatever type you like eating)
• whiskey or rum (optional)
• 400 grams dark chocolate (again, one you like eating)
• 150 grams white chocolate
• red and green gummy sweets cut into small pieces

Method:

1. Mix crumbs, fruit, first measure of melted chocolate and whisky or rum if you are using it. I find it's easier to mix all this with with your hands. If you don't want to get too messy you can use some of the gloves used for food serving. The mixture is less likely to stick to these.
2. Roll into balls - I keep them quite small - remember you will be coating them in another layer of dark chocolate and then white chocolate to resemble the sauce. 
3. Place in freezer or fridge to firm up. The balls are a lot easier to coat in chocolate when they are cold.
4. Melt dark chocolate. 
5. Dip balls in chocolate to coat. Place on baking paper and chill again. 
6. Melt white chocolate and drip over the top so the truffles look like a Christmas pudding covered in sauce. 
7. Arrange red and green pieces on top to resemble holly. 
8. These truffles are beautiful packed in small boxes to give as Christmas presents. 

Ultimate Brownies

• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup chopped nuts
• 250 grams dark chocolate
• 250 grams butter
• 2 t vanilla essence
• 4 eggs - lightly beaten

1. Sift flour and cocoa.
2. Add nuts. 
3. Chop chocolate finely and stir in. Make well in centre.
4. Melt butter. 
5. Pour butter, vanilla and beaten eggs into well. Stir till all moist. 
6. Bake 45 minutes in moderate oven. 
7. 
   

Ultimate Choc-Chip cookies

• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 ups brown sugar
• 180 grams butter
• 150 grams dark choc chips
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup dark choc chips
• 1/3 cup white choc chips
• 150 gram nuts (brazil or macadamias)

1. Mix flour, cocoa and sugar. Make well in centre.
2. Melt butter and first measure of chocolate.
3. Stir into dry ingredients.
4. Stir in choc chips and nuts.
5. Put spoonfuls on prepared trays. 
6. Bake 15 minutes in moderate oven.

Gingerbread People

• 125 grams butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup golden syrup
• 1 egg
• 2 cups flour
• 1/3 cup self-raising flour
• 1 T ginger
• 1 t baking soda

• 1 egg white
• 1/2 t lemon juice
• 1 cup icing sugar
• food colouring

1. Cream butter, sugar and syrup. 
2. Add egg
3. Add flours and spices.
4. Roll dough and cut. 
5. Bake 180oC for 15 minutes. 
6. For icing beat egg white till soft peaks and add icing sugar and lemon juice. Beat till creamy. 

Vegetable Pie

• 200 grams chopped pumpkin
• 1 potato chopped 
• 150 grams broccoli chopped
• 1 carrot chopped
• 1/2 red pepper chopped
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1 chopped onion
• 80 grams grated cheese
• 1 crushed garlic clove
• 1/2 cup cream
• 2 eggs
• 2 sheets ready-rolled flakey pastry

1. Lightly fry vegetables (or roast).
2. Mix vegetables and cheese.
3. Add salt and pepper to 1/2 cream and mix. 
4. Lay one sheet of pastry down. 
5. Mix remaining cream with eggs. 
6. Brush pastry with a little egg mixture.
7. Spoon vegetables on pastry leaving a border around the edge. 
8. Put remaining sheet on the top and press together edges. Fold the border of the bottom pastry over the top and crimp with a fork. 
9. Brush pie with egg mixture. Cut an x about 2cm long each way in the top and fold the points back to make a square. 
10. Bake in a hot oven for 35-40 minutes. Pour remaining egg mixture in the hole. 
11. Bake a further 10 minutes - stand for 5 minutes before serving.