Chewy Apricot and Chocolate Cereal Bars

Ingredients

200g rice bubbles

100g chopped dried apricots

60g pecan nuts (optional)

100g butter

125g golden syrup

85g plain or white cooking chocolate broken into pieces

Method

Combine the rice bubbles and apricots in a mixing bowl.

Put the butter, golden syrup and chocolate in a small saucepan and heat gently until melted.

Stir the wet mixture into the dry ingredients until well coated.

Press the mix into a shallow slice tin (lined). Refrigerate to set.

Cut into desired bar size when firm.

Sultana Lunch Cake

Ingredients
350g sultanas
225g butter
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
3 1/2 cups plain flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk

Method
Preheat oven to 180.
Lightly grease a 20 cm cake tin and line the bottom.
Cover sultanas with water and boil for 10 minutes. Strain and cool.
Cream butter and sugar, then add eggs one at a time, beating well.
Add sultanas, sifted flour, baking powder and salt.
Stir in milk.
Pour into prepared tin and bake for 90 minutes, or until cooked.
(it only took 65 minutes in my oven at 140!)

Here's the finished product :)

Lemon Meringue Pudding

I made this one for guests on Friday night and it was a big hit. It uses a sponge base instead of the traditional pastry base.

Ingredients - pudding
200 g bought sponge cake
430ml cream
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 teaspoon of finely grated lemon rind
80ml lemon juice
6 eggs
165 g caster sugar
280g jar of lemon butter

Ingredients - meringue topping
3 egg whites
165g caster sugar

Method
1. Preheat oven to moderately low. Lightly grease a round 2 litre ovenproof dish.
2. Cut sponge cake into 3 cm pieces. Place pieces randomly in prepared dish. Combine cream, extract, rind and juice in a small saucepan overlow heat, stirring until hot.
3. Whisk eggs and sugar in a large bowl until combined. Whisking constantly, pour hot cream mixture into egg mixture and then pour into dish over sponge cake. Bake, uncovered, in a moderately low oven for 45 minutes. Remove pudding from the oven and increase the oven temperature to moderate.
4. Cool pudding for 10 minutes, then, using rubber spatula, carefully spread lemon butter over the surface.
5. Make meringue topping. Spoon topping over pudding to completely cover surface. Bake, uncovered, in a moderate oven for about 15 minutes or until browned lightly.

Method - meringue topping
Beat egg whites in a small bowl with electric mixer until soft peaks form, add sugar, a tablespoon at a time, beating until sugar disovles between additions.

Serve hot with cream or ice cream. Serves 8.

Scones

Here's a super easy and fail-safe scone recipe from Super Food Ideas that I've tried and tested a few times now.

Ingredients:
Plain flour for dusting
3 cups of self raising flour
80g butter, cubed
1 - 1 1/4 cups milk

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Lightly dust a baking tray with flour, or line the tray with baking paper. Sift self raising flour into a large bowl.
2. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
3. Make a well in the centre and add 1 cup of milk. Mix with a flat-bladed knife until the mixture forms a soft dough, you may need to add more milk to get to the right consistency. Turn on to a lightly floured surface and knead gently until smooth.
4. Pat the dough into a 2cm thick round. Using a 5cm round cutter, cut out aprrox 12 rounds. Press the dough back together and cut out remaining rounds. Place scones on to the baking tray, about 1 cm apart. Sprinkle the tops with a little plain flour.
5. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until golden and well risen.
6. Serve warm with jam and cream.

cherry ripe self saucing pudding

You may notice that any recipes that I contribute are super easy. This one is another simple one - in fact, it comes from a kid's cookbook!

Ingredients:
60 grams butter, chopped
1.5 cups self raising flour
1 cup caster sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
2 x 55 gram cherry ripe bars, chopped coarsley
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon cocoa powder, extra
2 cups boiling water
50grams butter, chopped, extra

Method:
1. Melt butter in a deep 12 cup microwave safe dish, uncovered, on HIGH in a microwave oven for about 1 minute, or until butter has melted. Remove dish from the microwave.
2. Add sifted flour, caster sugar and cocoa to dish with milk and extract; whisk until smooth. Stir in Cherry Ripe.
3. Combine brown sugar and sifted extra cocoa in medium jug; gradually stir in the boiling water. Add extra butter; stir until butter melts. Carefully pour syrup mixture evenly over pudding mixture.
4. Cook, uncovered, on HIGH in microwave oven for 15 minutes or until just cooked in the centre. Remove dish from microwave oven and let stand 5 minutes before serving.
5. Serve with fresh cherries and cream. Serves 8.