We would like to share some of our favourite recipes. Each week there will be something new. If you have a recipe you would like to share we would be happy to hear from you.
Breads & Finger Foods
Ingredients
900g = 6 ½ cups bread flour, more or less as needed for a sticky dough
1 tablespoon active dry or instant yeast
2 teaspoons salt
600g = 2½ cups water
Equipment Needed
Large Bowl – Plastic Cling Wrap or Kitchen Towel
Banneton Basket (Rattan)
Greased Baking Sheet – Digital Thermometer
Method
- Combine half the flour with the yeast and salt in a large bowl. Mix well. Add the water and blend into a batter.
- Start adding the remaining flour, a little at a time, until a sticky dough forms. Depending on the flour, you might need less or more than the amount specified above.
- Knead the dough until smooth. Cover the bowl with plastic cling wrap and allow the dough to rise until doubled in bulk, 1 to 2 hours.
- While the dough is rising, prepare the Rattan Proofing Baskets by dusting them liberally with flour.
- Punch the dough down and divide for the baskets, depending on their sizes. Press each dough portion into each banneton. Butter the top (to prevent sticking) and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rise until doubled.
- Preheat the oven to 220°C
- Invert each dough loaf onto a line or grease the baking sheet, carefully removing the basket. Bake 40 to 50 minutes, or to an internal temperature around 95°C when tested with a digital thermometer.
- Cool 15 mins on a wire rack before cutting.
Storage: Leftover bread can be stored cut-side down at room temperature for up to 3 days. It can also be tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and foil and frozen for up to 3 months.
NOTE: Please remember that with dough many things affect the rise: weather, yeast quality, and flour types can affect the rise.
Ingredients
125g spam ham
125g grated cheese
2 teaspoons mustard
1 egg
1 small tin reduced cream
1 pkt French onion soup
salt and pepper
Method
- Have 2 / 3 sheets of puff pastry out of the freezer to soften
- Chop ham into small cubes and add all other ingredients – mix well (may need a little more cheese)
- Cut pastry into circles with cutter and place into well-greased tart trays
- Bake in moderate oven 180°c for approximately 25 minutes
These savoury tarts are a big hit for finger food or pre-dinner parties. Everyone will keep coming back for seconds.
Delicious Meals
Ingredients
1 packet instant lasagna
Bolognaise Sause
2 onions finely chopped
2 tablespoons oil
4 garlic cloves crushed
500 g mince
1 large can chopped tomatoes
1 – 425g can tomato puree
Salt and pepper
Method
- In a non-stick pan sauté the onions in oil and add garlic and mince, frying until the meat is crumbling
- Add the tomatoes, tomato puree and simmer for 30 minutes
- Add salt, pepper and sugar
Béchamel Sauce
2 tablespoons plain flour
60g butter
2 cups warm milk
5 tablespoons grated cheese
Sprinkle of nutmeg or paprika
Salt & pepper
Method
- Melt butter in a saucepan
- Add flour, salt, pepper, and nutmeg and combine until smooth
- Stir over heat for 1 minute and have milk ready
- Add milk quickly and stir until smooth and sauce forms and begins to simmer (keep stirring so it doesn’t burn or go lumpy0
- Remove from heat and add the cheese stirring until the cheese has melted into the sauce
Béchamel Sauce
2 tablespoons plain flour
60g butter
2 cups warm milk
5 tablespoons grated cheese
pinch nutmeg
S & P
Assemble
- Preheat oven to 180°c.
- In an ovenproof flat lasagna dish cover the base with meat sauce.
- Lay sheets of lasagna over and spoon over more meat sauce and drizzle on the béchamel and add another layer of lasagne.
- Repeat covering lastly with grated cheese.
- Bake until golden brown and bubbling for approximately 40 minutes.
This mince sauce recipe can be substituted with vegetables; pre-roasted eggplant, sweet potato, pumpkin, zucchinis, capsicum, and fresh onions or mushrooms.
Ingredients
1 butternut pumpkin
1 large sweet potato
2 onions
4 chicken stock cubes
1 tin evaporated milk
2 cups water
Salt & pepper
- Cook all vegetables and stock cubes until tender in 2 cups water.
- Blend in a blender keeping the water the vegetables were cooked in.
- Add thin evaporated milk and blend again.
- Heat again and serve. You may need to add more water depending on desired consistency.
Ingredients
½ cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
2 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
4 shallots chopped
1 cup diced cooked vegetables (potato, carrot, broccoli, peas)
2 tomatoes
3 chicken stock cubes
Pepper
½ cups water
Method
- Beat eggs and add all remaining ingredients
- Fold in gently until all combined
- Place in a well greased baking dish 20cm deep
- Bake at 170 for about 45 minutes until set and brown
- Serve warm or cold
Ingredients
2 cups long grain rice
2 dessertspoons cooking oil
4 dessertspoons chicken stock mixed in 2 cups water
1 egg – beat and cook in the microwave – then cut into small pieces
1 cup cooked chicken, bacon or ham
1 – 2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 cup peas
A variety of vegetables – celery, eschalots, capsicum
Method
- Heat oil in a frying pan
- Add washed rice and cook until a little brown, turning occasionally
- Reduce heat and add water and chicken stock
- Cover and simmer until all the water is absorbed
- Reduce heat again and add soy sauce, peas, egg, bacon and other vegetables turning continually so as not to allow it to stick to the pan
- Keep turning until rice has completely separated and serve
This texture should be between fried rice and risotto.
Serve with chicken breasts crumbed in cornflakes and fried in a little oil. The cornflakes make them nice and crispy.
Ingredients
500 g mince
2 crushed Weet-bix
Tomato or BBQ sauce
Worcestershire Sauce
1 large onion finely chopped
1 egg
2 dessertspoons flour
Sprinkle of thyme flakes
Method
- Mix all together and roll in flour and flatten with hands
- Fry in oil in a covered pan until brown
See how many times you end up making this recipe. The weet-bix gives it a different taste and texture.
Ingredients
2 chicken breasts diced and cooked in the microwave
1 large onion cut into small pieces and cooked in the microwave
1 can chicken soup
1 can mushroom soup
1 can carnation milk
1 cup grated cheese
4-6 button mushrooms diced fried in a little butter
Salt & pepper
Method
- Dice chicken breasts, and cook in the microwave (2 – 3 minutes)
- Slice onions and cook in microwave for two minutes
- Heat the soups and carnation milk. Be careful not to burn the soup and milk as it tends to stick to the bottom of the saucepan, so stir often.
- Reduce heat and add cooked chicken, onion, fried mushrooms, grated cheese, and salt & pepper. Stir often
- May keep warm in the saucepan or place in a casserole dish sprinkled with more cheese and grill.
This goes beautifully with pasta or rice.
Favourite Salads
Ingredients
1 tub sour cream
1 small tin mandarin pieces
1 small tin pineapple pieces
1 200g packet chopped marshmallows
1 large cup shredded coconut (thick coconut not desiccated)
Method
- Mix all together and leave refrigerated overnight for best result.
- Goes great with lasagne or a great Christmas special.
- Remember the coconut will absorb the liquid so don’t have it too dry.
Ingredients
Shred ½ sugar loaf cabbage
1 to 2 packets fried noodles (Changs)
1 bunch eschalots
Packet slivered almonds (toasted in oven)
Method
- Cut or shred cabbage up finely
- Cut shallots into small slices and add to cabbage
- Add roasted slivered almonds
- Before serving, add the Chang noodles and pour dressing over and stir in until well combined.
Dressing
½ cup caster sugar
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup white vinegar
2 tablespoons soya sauce
Method
- Put on the stove and boil for five minutes – let cool
- Pour over salad before serving
This salad can be prepared the day before and kept in the fridge. It is still good the next day and the only thing is the noodles just go a little bit soft.
If you wanted to make all the salads listed on this site, these quantities would serve around 25 – 30 people. It’s a good combination and great for large family gatherings, parties or Christmas.
Ingredients
This can be made the day before
½ lettuce
250g frozen peas
2 hard-boiled eggs
250g mushrooms
6 shallots
grated cheese
Dressing
2 teaspoons French mustard
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup mayonnaise
Topping
4 bacon rashers
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
cherry tomatoes
Method
- Shred lettuce and spread in the base of a large bowl
- Sprinkle cooked peas
- Chop eggs and combine with finely sliced mushrooms and spread
- Add shallots and grated cheese on top
- Combine dressing ingredients and pour over top
- Cover and leave
- Chop and fry bacon
- Top with tomato wedges or cherry tomatoes bacon and parsley
This is great when catering for parties or a large group of people.
Ingredients
500g bow-tie pasta
1 bunch shallots chopped finely
1 red capsicum
4 – 6 gherkins (more if needed)
6 bacon rashers
2 teaspoons curry powder
500g whole egg mayonnaise
4 hard-boiled eggs
Method
- Cook the pasta and drain and set aside
- Cut bacon into small pieces and fry and set aside
- Cut shallots, capsicum and gherkins into small slices and slice the hard-boiled eggs and mix in with the pasta
- Add curry to the mayonnaise and mix in with the pasta
Ingredients
¾ cup long grain rice
½ cup pine nuts
½ cup sultanas
1 stick celery, diced
4 shallots, chopped
½ cup walnut pieces
2 tablespoons chopped ginger
2 apricots chopped
Dressing
¼ cup orange juice
2 tablespoons oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon grated green ginger
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon honey
- Combine all ingredients in a screw-top jar and shake well. Serves 6
Method
- Add rice gradually to a large pan of boiling water boil uncovered for 10 – 15 mins
- Drain and cool
- Toast pine nuts in moderate oven 5 – 8 minutes
- Combine all ingredients in salad bowl, toss well with dressing
- Cover and refrigerate the day before or several hours before
Sweet Treat & Desserts
Ingredients
2 cups plain flour
¾ cup sugar
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons jam
2 teaspoons bicarb soda
1 packet mixed fruit 750g
1 cup water
Method
- Mix flour, sugar and bread crumbs
- Rub in butter and add jam
- Mix soda in a little hot water then add to cold water
- Stir into dry ingredients
- Add mixed fruit
- Tie firmly in a pudding cloth that has been spread with margarine and then floured
- Place on a plate in boiling water in a large pot, with a lid covering for 3 hours
- Keep adding boiling water and do not let water level get too low
- Take out of cloth immediately and turn onto a plate
This recipe is one handed down over and over again since 1910 – this will be a favourite for many more years to come.
Ingredients
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
220g butter
750g packet mixed fruit
1 teaspoon bicarb soda
1 teaspoon mixed spice
1 cup SR flour
1 cup plain flour
2 beaten eggs
salt, walnuts
Method
- Boil together for 10 minutes water, sugar, mixed fruit, soda, mixed spice
- Cool mixture and add melted butter, eggs and flour
- Grease, flour, and line a square or round cake tin
- Blend well and bake in moderate to cool oven 150°c for 1¼-1½ hours
Make this fruit cake once and you will be baking this every year for Christmas and become one of your favourites too. It’s so easy and everyone will love it.
Ingredients
2 cups self-raising flour
1 cup milk
½ cup plain flour
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
75 butter, chopped
¾ cup sugar
1 cup white bits
¼ cup water
1 egg lightly beaten
1 tablespoon lemon juice
extra ¼ cup sugar
Method
- Grease a muffin pan or extra large patty papers
- Sift flour into a large bowl, rub in butter. Add sugar, white bits, egg, milk, and half the rind
- Stir until just combined. Spoon mixtures into prepared pan
- Cook in a hot oven 200°c for about 20 minutes
- While muffins are cooking combine remaining rind, extra sugar, water and juice in a small saucepan: stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved
- Bring to the boil and boil for 2 minutes. Cool slightly
- Brush hot muffins with warm lemon syrup and stand for 1 minute
- Serve muffins warm or cold
Perfect for any high tea or catering for birthday parties.
Ingredients
1 cup coconut
1 cup sugar
1 cup SR flour
¾ cup milk
Method
- Mix all ingredients together and put into greased loaf pan and bake in moderate oven for 35 – 40 minutes
Quick and easy – It doesn’t get much better and tastes yummy. If you want it less sweet, it still tastes great with 3/4 cup of sugar.
Ingredients
125g butter
½ cup brown sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup plain flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons cocoa
½ cup chopped pecan nuts
2 x 100g packets marshmallows
Topping
250g dark cooking chocolate
1 cup crunchy peanut butter
1½ cups rice bubbles
Method
- Preheat the oven to 150°
- Cream butter and sugar and beat in the vanilla and eggs
- Sift in flour, baking powder, and cocoa and mix well
- Stir in the nuts
- Spread the mixture into a greased deep lamington pan and bake for 15 – 20 minutes
- Cover the top with marshmallows and return to the oven and bake for a further 3 minutes
- Cool in the pan
- Make the topping and melt the chocolate and peanut butter in the microwave
- Stir in the rice bubbles
- Spread the topping over the cooled marshmallow
- Refrigerate until firm and cut into pieces to serve
Another great favourite for entertaining or if you want a finger food treat.
Ingredients
2 passionfruit
3 apples
2 bananas
2 tablespoons custard powder
2 cups rice cooked with 1 cup sugar
Topping
¾ cup butter
½ cup sugar
1 cup cornflakes crumbs
Vanilla
Method
- Spread butter around sides of a casserole dish and add cold rice
- Cook apples and add other fruit
- Mix custard powder with a little water and stir into hot fruit – simmer until thick
- Spread fruit over the rice and cover with topping mixture
- Cook in moderate – hot oven until brown and crispy
Topping Method
- Crush cornflakes and rub in butter
- Add sugar (this mixture will be quite puggy)
- For extra thick topping make double the mixture
Now, this is a rice dessert with a difference.
Ingredients
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
250g melted butter
Grated rind and juice of 1 orange (about ½ cup)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup flour
3 oranges juiced (¾ cup)
2 tablespoons sugar
Chocolate Icing
125g semi-sweet choc (Plaistowe Nestles)
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon coffee granules
2 teaspoons sour cream
Method
- Lightly grease a 23cm cake pan and preheat oven to 180°c
- Beat sugar and egg until thick and creamy
- Add the melted butter, rind and juice of 1 orange, sifted flour and baking powder and mix in lightly
- Turn mixture into prepared pan and bake for 40 – 45 minutes
- Remove from oven and turn out onto a cake cooler while you combine orange juice and sugar
- Return cake to the pan and while still warm spoon over the orange juice
- Leave to cool, the cake will absorb the juice
- When cold, turn out on a flat plate and cover top and sides with prepared chocolate icing
- Serve as a dessert and offer a bow of unsweetened whip cream and decorate with fresh berries
Now, this is a rice dessert with a difference.
Ingredients
250g butter
150g dark chocolate
2 cups sugar
1½ cups hot water
1 tablespoon dry instant coffee
1½ cups plain flour
¼ cup self-raising flour
¼ cup cocoa
2 eggs lightly beaten
Method
- Grease 23cm square slab pan, line base with paper – grease paper
- Combine in a large bowl – butter, chocolate, sugar, water and coffee in a microwave for 2 minutes, stirring after a minute or until chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Cool to lukewarm
- Stir in sifted flours and cocoa, then eggs
- Pour into prepared pan and bake in moderately slow oven 150? for about 1¼ hours
- Stand for 10 minutes before turning onto wire rack to cool
- Dust with icing sugar or top with whip cream
Perfect for birthdays or high tea gatherings.