Altuisa Cake (also known as Lumberjack Cake)

Put 1c chopped dates, 1 c boiled water and 1 tsp baking soda into a pot. Heat slowly and cook until dates are tender.

Add 125g butter and remove pot from heat when butter has melted. Add 1 beaten egg, vanilla, 1 c sugar, 1 ½ c flour and 1tsp baking powder. Bake 30 mins in greased tin in moderate oven.

In the same pot put 1 c coconut, 1 c brown sugar, 60g butter and 2 tbsp milk. Slowly bring to boil and simmer for 2 mins. Pour over cake and bake a further 10 mins.

 (Barb)

Chocolate Berry Torte/Pavlova

4 egg whites

1 cup caster sugar

1 tbsp cocoa

250g block chocolate

500ml cream

2 - 3 c berries (strawb, blue, rasp)

You need two baking trays lined with foil then greased and floured.

Beat egg whites till peaks form then slowly stir in sugar and cocoa.

Spread onto trays, one circle on each. Keep it quite thickish. It won’t spread out. (Best to do it to the size of the plate you’re going to serve it on. Draw an outline around it onto the foil first to make it easier.)

Bake @ 150 for approx. 1 hour maybe less. Let them dry in the oven with the door open.

Melt chocolate in big bowl over pan of boiling water.  Set aside to cool.

Whip 300ml of the cream and roughly chop the strawberries. Add cream to cooled chocolate and berries. Fold in gently.

Spread the yummy mixture onto the bottom meringue shell. Top with other shell then top with rest of whipped cream and slivered almonds or grated chocolate. Let it sit for a while – up to several hours. It will go all gooey and yummy.

(Wendy from Jude Glue)

Mum’s Ginger Roast Kumara and Chickpea Soup

2 medium kumara peeled and cut into chunks

2 onions peeled and sliced

1 heaped tbsp grated fresh ginger (buy a piece and put it in the freezer; use when needed; grate frozen)

2 cloves garlic

2 tsp fresh hard herb leaves (thyme, sage, rosemary, oregano) or use 1 tsp dried

1 tsp smoked paprika

400g can chickpeas drained and rinsed (or cook 100g dried chickpeas)

300ml oat milk (or soy)

500ml vegetable stock (or make up to with boiling water and veg stock cube)

1 tbsp chopped parsley or snipped chives

 

Preheat oven to 180C. Place kumara, onions, ginger, garlic, herbs, smoked paprika and olive oil in roasting dish and mix thoroughly. Roast 25-30 mins, stirring 2 or 3 times until onions begin to caramelise and kumara is soft.

Place in saucepan with stock, chickpeas and milk. Slowly bring to boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook 10 minutes.

Using a stick blender, puree about half of the soup – leave it a little chunky. Serve with a sprinkle of parsley or chives on top. Yum!

(Hannah)

Chocolate Mousse Cake

200g dark chocolate

150g butter

5 eggs, separated

1/2 cup castor sugar

1/2 cup icing sugar

1 1/2 cup finely ground almonds (I used hazelnuts, and added with this 2 tsp freshly ground coffee)

 

Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius; line 23cm spring form tin with baking paper.

Melt chocolate and butter together, stir in egg yolks, sugar and almonds

Whisk egg whites till stiff, fold in to chocolate mixture and pour into prepared tin.

Bake 1hr till cake is firm in centre.

 

The next day I added the cherries and put a glaze on top, made with the cherry juice.

 

(Mechthild)

Red Lentil Loaf

(serves 6-8)

1 1/2 cups red lentils

3 c water

1 bay leaf

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 sliced onions

1 tbsp olive oil

2 eggs

1 tin Mexican spiced toms

1 – 2 c grated cheese

3 slices wholemeal bread, crumbled

1 tsp salt

1 tsp curry powder

1/2 c chopped parsley 

Simmer lentils with water, bayleaf and garlic until tender.

Meanwhile saute onions in oil. Remove from heat and add eggs, cheese, tomatoes, breadcrumbs, seasonings and parsley.

Remove bayleaf from lentils and drain off any excess water.

Stir lentils into rest of mixture and spoon into greased/lined baking dish or tin.

Bake uncovered at 180 C for about 45 minutes or until firm in the middle.

(Jan)

Pesto Cake

180g flour (wholemeal, white, spelt, or glutenfree or mixture)

4 tsp baking powder

100ml milk

4 dsp olive oil                                                                                  

3 eggs

100g cheese (cheddar type), grated

130g pesto

50g pine nuts

                                                                        
 

1.     Mix flour and baking powder.

2.     Beat together milk, oil and eggs and stir into flour mixture.

3.     Add cheese, pesto and pine nuts. Stir to combine.

4.     Spoon into greased and floured loaf tin.

5.     Bake at 180 for 45 mins until a knife comes out clean (better to be slightly under than over-cooked).  Cool in tin for 10 mins then turn out and cool on wire rack. When cold, wrap and store in fridge. Wait at least one day to eat if possible! Cut with serrated knife. Freezes well for one month.

(Wendy from Frances)

Christmas mince pies

This recipe makes between 50 and 60 mince pies depending on the size of your cutter. I use tart tins (kind of shallow muffin tin) with holes the size of my cutter.

Apricot mincemeat

1c currants

1c raisins

1c dried apricots

1½ c sultanas

2 apples

1tsp grated lemon rind

1tbsp lemon juice

1c brown sugar

1tsp ground cinnamon

½ c brandy

125g melted butter

Chop currants, raisins, apricots and sultanas. Place in a bowl. Peel apples and grate. Add apples to bowl with lemon rind, lemon juice, brown sugar and cinnamon. Add brandy and melted butter. Mix well to combine. Store for several weeks to allow the flavour to develop.

This quantity fills about half a 2 litre ice cream container.

 Pastry

This makes the amount you will need for the above quantity of mincemeat. I have a big food processor so can do it all at once. If you can’t, then just divide the amounts in half and make it up one half at a time.

550g plain flour

50g ground almonds

350g butter

150g sugar

Finely grated rind of 1 lemon

2 egg yolks

6 tbsp milk

Filling

1 quantity of mincemeat as above

1-2 tbsp brandy

Sift flour and add ground almonds. Add butter cut into small pieces and whizz for about 10 seconds. Add sugar and lemon rind and whizz for a couple of seconds. Lightly mix together egg yolks and milk and pour into dry ingredients. Whizz until the dough just clings together in a ball. Divide into 4 equal lumps. (You don’t have to but I just find it easier to handle this way.) Cover with plastic and put in fridge to chill for 30 mins.

(Wendy)