Oh So Simple Sultana and Coconut Slice

This is such a simple yummy recipe. You can substitute the sultanas for anything you like - dried dates, choc chips, dried cranberries. Whatever you choose.

125g melted butter
1 cup self raising flour
1 cup coconut
1 cup sultanas
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon of vanilla essence

Just throw it all in a bowl and mix. Put it in a slice tray and bake at 160C for around 20 minutes or until brown.

Simple Cup Cakes

A simple cup cake recipe is always a crowd pleaser at birthday parties. Everyone loves a cup cake right? Thanks to my sister Michelle for this recipe - so yummy! These ones are iced with buttercream icing and lollies to resemble butterflies and flowers.

125g butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 cups self raising flour

Cream butter and sugar.
Add vanilla and eggs.
Fold in flour alternatively with milk.
Mix well for 2 minutes.

Bake in a moderate oven for 20 minues

Butter cream icing

125g unsalted butter at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
185g icing sugar
2 tablespoons milk, at room temperature

Beat the butter in a small bowl with electric beaters until pale and fluffy.
Continue beating and gradually add the vanilla and half the sifted icing sugar.
Gradually add the milk and remaining sugar and beat until smooth.
Colour as needed.

Double Choc Chip Cookies

It's 8am and this batch of double choc chip cookies are fresh out of the oven. What is wrong with me? Thanks to my niece Gaby who gave me this fabulous recipe. My girls love to help me bake them (probably because they get to lick the spoon).

250g butter
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2/3 cup caster sugar
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1/2 cup crushed nuts
1 cup dark choc chips
1 cup white Melts (halved)

Beat butter, vanilla essence, sugars and eggs in a medium bowl with electric mixer until smooth. Stir in sifted flour and soda, nuts, choc chips and mix well.

Drop level tablespoons of mixture about 5cm apart on greased baking tray.

Bake in moderately hot oven (180C) for about 12 minutes or until browned lightly. Stand cookies for 2 minutes before turning onto a wire rack.

Pumpkin and Leek Tart

Another yummy recipe when we have an abundance of eggs and leeks are reasonbably priced.

1/2 butternut pumpkin, diced into medium sized cubes
2 carrots, diced into large cubes
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 sheets puff pastry
1/2 leek, sliced thinly
3 eggs
1/2 cup cream
1/4 cup grated cheese
(I also put in a handful of sage from the garden)

Preheat oven to 160C. Place the pumpkin, carrots and leek onto a small baking try and toss with brown sugar and olive oil, coating well. Place in oven and cook until soft.

Grease a 30cm x 10cm tin. Place pastry into the tin, allowing 1-2cm overflow. Put in the oven and allow the bottom of the pastry to almost cook.

Whisk the eggs and cream in a blow and add seasoning if required.

Place the pumpkin, carrots, leek, sage and cheese into the cooked pastry, and add the cream and eggs last. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until cooked.

Anzac Biscuits

With Anzac Day coming up this weekend I thought it only fitting to share my Anzac Biscuit recipe. You either like your Anzacs crunchy or chewy and my recipe is for chewy Anzacs. So this weekend while you are enjoying your Anzacs with a cup of tea, remember those brave men and women. Lest We Forget.

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup plain flour, sifted
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup desiccated coconut
150g butter
2 tablespoons golden syrup
2 tablespoons boiling water
1 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

Combine oates, sifted flour, sugar and coconut in a large bowl. Melt butter and golden syrup together in a small pan.

Mix boiling water and soda together. Blend into butter mixture. Pour over dry ingredients and mix well.

Place spoonfuls of mixture onto greased baking trays, allow room for spreading.

Bake at 150C for 15-20 minutes, or until golden. Loosen while warm. Cool on trays. Transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Mini mud cakes

These little treasures were given to each guest at my wedding and were very popular. Yes, I have a sweet tooth and yes a lot of my recipes are chocolate based but that's me. There are plenty more recipes to share but these things take time. Hope you enjoy this one for the coming weekend. They are divine!

180g dark chocolate, chopped
125g butter, chopped
2 teaspoons dry instant coffee
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg, beaten lightly
1 tablespoons Kahlua or Tia Maria (I never have this in the pantry so just use milk)
1/2 cup plain flour
2 tablespoons self raising flour
icing sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to slow (150C). Grease a 24 hole mini muffin pan.

Combine the chocolate, butter, coffee, water and sugar in a medium saucepan, stir over a low heat until the chocolate is melted.

Remove from the heat and transfer to a large bowl. Stir in the egg and liqueur then gradually stir in the combined sifted flours, mixing well. Divide the mixture among the prepared pan holes. Bake in a slow oven for about 15 minutes. Stand cakes in the pan for 10 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool.

Just before serving, dust with sifted icing sugar.

Suitable to freeze.

Chocolate Brownies

A few of my friends now that I've been searching for a good brownie recipe since a friend refused to share hers. I think this one is as good as any I've eaten so I'm happy to share. Though I leave out the nuts, I prefer my brownies without nuts. Here's the recipe for your enjoyment. Be warned - it's rich!

125g dark chocolate, roughly chopped
125g unsalted butter, cubed
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla esence
1 cup plain flour, sifted
100g pecans or walnuts, lightly toasted and roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 160C. Grease a 20x30cm baking tin and line base and sides with baking paper.

Melt chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of hot water, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Allow to cool.

In an electric mixer, beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla for 3-4 minutes, or until pale and fluffy. Beat in the cooled chocolate mixture. Add the flour and bat until smooth. Stir in the nuts.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking tin and smooth the surface. Bake for 30 minutes, or until dark brown and the top has formed a crust. Allow to cool in the tin. Remove and cut into squares. Dust with icing sugar to serve.

"Impossible" lemon pie

Another favourite recipe when our chickens are being kind and giving us lots of eggs and our citrus trees are in fruit. This morning I made it with limes as our lime tree is fruiting well and our lemons aren't ripe just yet. It's so easy to make and so yummy. I always get requests so here is the recipe for you to enjoy.

1 cup desiccated coconut
1/2 cup plain flour
1 1/4 cups caster sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon rind
4 eggs
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 1/2 cups milk
40g butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
cream to serve

Preheat the oven to 180C. Place coconut, flour, sugar and lemon rind in a large bowl. Add the eggs, lemon juice, milk, butter and vanilla and stir until well combined. Pour the mixture into a lightly greased 4 cup capacity baking dish and bake for 40 minutes or until the top is golden. Allow to cool slightly before serving. Serve with cream.

The pie is a bit syrupy on the bottom but that makes it all the yummier.

Banana Bread

My good friend gave me this awesome banana bread recipe and I can't get enough of it. I must make it every couple of weeks (unless bananas are too expensive). Thought I'd share the recipe as it's such a good one. ENJOY!!!!

1.5 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon bicarb soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
125g unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 large ripe bananas
1/2 cup buttermilk (I just use regular milk - can't be bothered buying buttermilk just for one recipe)

Preheat oven to 170°C. Grease a loaf tin.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, bicarb and salt.
In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter and suger for 3-4 mins until pale and fluffy.
Gradually add the beaten eggs, mixing well after each addition.
Mash bananas with a fork and add to the butter mixture. Stir well to combine.
Add the combined dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk, beating well after each addition.
Spoon mixture into prepared loaf tin and bake for 55-60 mins or until the top of the bread is firm and is a deep brown colour.