BLUEBERRY SLICE

11/2 cups plain flour
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup grounded cashew nuts (or nuts of your choice)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
185g cold butter, chopped
125g cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup caster sugar
1 tsp grated orange rind
2 x 150g punnets blueberries
Icing-sugar mixture, to decorate

METHOD

Grease 19cm x 29cm rectangular slice pan.
Process flour, sugar, hazelnut meal and cinnamon until combined.
Add butter and process until mixture is crumbly. Press ¾ of mixture over the base of pan.
Press remaining mixture into a ball-shape. Cover and freeze until firm.
Cook base in moderate oven (180C) for about 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool in pan.
Beat cream cheese, sugar and orange rind in a bowl with an electric mixer until combined. Spread over base, then sprinkle with blueberries. Coarsely grate remaining frozen dough over top. (or you can crumble remaining dough over the top)
Cook in moderate oven (180C) for 30 minutes, or until topping is golden brown.
Stand slice in pan for 10 minutes before cutting.
Serve slice warm or cold dusted with icing-sugar mixture.

CARAMEL MUD CAKE

INGREDIENTS

Caramel Mud Cake

185g unsalted butter
150g white chocolate, chopped
1 cup brown sugar firmly packed
1/3 cup golden syrup
1 cup milk
11/2 cups plain flour
½ cup self-raising flour
2 eggs lightly beaten


GANACHE

250g white chocolate chopped
1/3 cup thickened cream


Step 1. Grease a deep 22cm round cake pan and line base with baking paper. Combine butter,chocolate,sugar,syrup and milk in a medium pan. Stir over low heat until chocolate is melted and sugar dissolved. Transfer mixture to a large bowl – cool for 15 minutes. Whisk in sifted flours and eggs. Pour mixture in cake tin and cook moderately slow oven 160c for about 1 hour 10 minutes or until cooked. Cover with alfoil half way through cooking and let stand in tin for 30 minutes.

Step 2. Ganache. Combine chocolate and cream in a medium pan. Stir over low heat until chocolate in melted and mixture is smooth. Pour into a bowl and let stand until spreadable consistency.

TO ASSEMBLE Place cake on serving plate and spread ganache over the top of cake. Decorate with grated chocolate

PLUM CAKE

1 cup sugar
juice and grated ring of 1 lemon
200g butter, softened
3 eggs
150g tub yoghurt vanilla
3 cups plums (fresh or tin) finely chopped
½ cup chopped nuts (optional)
2 cups flours
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
icing sugar for dusting


METHOD

1. In a food processor place the sugar and peeled rind of 1 lemon, running the machine until the rind is finely chopped and incorporated with the sugar.
2. Add lemon juice and then the butter mix until creamy. Add eggs and mix well.
3. Mix in yoghurt, fruit, nuts, flour, baking powder and cinnamon, don’t overmix, just combine.
4. Pour into a well greased 20cm cake tin.
5. Bake for about 50-60 minutes. Cool in tin for about 5 minutes and then turn onto a wire rack until cooled.
6. Dust with icing sugar.
7. You can use any other fruits or flavoured yoghurts that you like

WHITE CHOCOLATE BROWNIE SLICE

125g unsalted butter, chopped
240g block white chocolate, chopped
¾ cup caster sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
¾ cup plain flour
½ cup self-raising flour
Extra 240g block white chocolate, chopped
3 x 55g Cherry Ripe bars
Icing sugar mixture, to decorate

METHOD

Grease a 23cm square cake pan. Line base and sides with baking paper.
Place butter and chocolate in a medium pan. Stir over a low heat, without boiling, until mixture is smooth.
Stir in sugar. Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes.
Stir in eggs, vanilla extract, sifted flours and extra chopped chocolate. Spread mixture into prepared pan. Cut cherry ripe bars into 1cm-wide strips. Arrange evenly over top of slice, pressing down slightly.
Cook in a moderate oven (1 80C) for 35 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool in pan.
Turn out slice and trim edges. Cut into squares and dust with sifted icing sugar mixture.

CHOCOLATE OAT BAR

2 Cups brown sugar
250g butter, melted
2 eggs lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
21/2 cups self-raising flour
3 cups rolled oats

FILLING

300g chocolate chopped
400g can sweetened condensed milk
30g butter
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 teaspoons vanilla essence

METHOD

Line two 19cm x 29cm lamington tins, with baking paper and grease.
Combine sugar, butter, eggs and essence in a medium bowl. Add sifted flour and oats, mix well.
Divide mixture into 3 equal portions. Press one portion evenly over base of one tin and then do the same with the other portion.
Spread filling evenly over both bases. Drop tablespoons of remaining base mixture over filling.
Bake in moderate oven for about 35 minutes or until lightly browned, cool in tins. Remove and refrigerate for several hours before cutting into slices.

FILLING

Combine chocolate, condensed milk and butter in small saucepan, stir over low heat until chocolate melts. Add nuts and essence mix well.