Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
These chocolate-packed cookies are crisp on the edges, softer and chewier in the middle. We use milk chocolate chips, but dark or white chocolate chips (or a combination of these) could be used. Margarine can be used in place of the butter; cookies made with margarine tend to be softer than those made with butter.
Makes about 36 cookies.
125g butter, softened (if using unsalted butter, add 1/4 teaspoon salt with the butter)
110g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
90g (1/3 cup plus 2 teaspoons, very firmly packed) brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (1 teaspoon natural vanilla essence)
1 large egg (we use eggs with a minimum weight of 59g)
100g (2/3 cup) self-raising flour
150g (1 cup) plain flour
200g (about 1 rounded cup) chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (160 degrees fan-forced).
Line one to three large baking trays with non-stick baking paper. If you have a fan-forced oven, you can use three trays and bake all of the cookies at once. Otherwise, bake the cookies one or two trays at a time so they bake evenly. © exclusivelyfood.com.au
Using an electric mixer or electric hand-held beaters, beat butter, caster sugar, brown sugar and vanilla together until pale and creamy.
Stop the machine occasionally and use a spatula to scrape down the side and base of the bowl. Add the egg and beat until well combined.
Stir the plain flour and self-raising flour together in a small bowl. Add the flour and chocolate chips to the butter mixture and stir until well combined.
Form heaped teaspoons of dough into balls and place balls about 6cm apart on a baking tray. If baking the cookies in batches, you can refrigerate the dough between batches to prevent it from becoming too soft.
Bake for about 13-15 minutes, or until cookies are lightly golden but still very soft (they will firm up on cooling). The longer the baking time the crunchier the cookies will be. If you are using two trays, and you don't have a fan-forced oven, swap the trays around halfway through the baking time so that the cookies brown evenly.
Leave cookies to cool on the tray for about three minutes, and then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Once the cookies have cooled to room temperature, store them in an airtight container. © www.exclusivelyfood.com.au
Christmas Pudding Recipe
This steamed Christmas pudding is flavoured with a hint of spice and packed with dried and glace fruits. We use raisins, sultanas, dried dates and glace cherries, but any combination of dried and glace fruits could be used.
Although the pudding can be served on the day it is made, we prefer to make it in advance as it becomes more moist and flavoursome over time. We serve the pudding hot with custard.
Serves about 14.
350g (2 cups) raisins
150g (3/4 cup) sultanas
150g dried dates, chopped
100g glace cherries, chopped
1 small (about 130g) green apple, peeled and grated
50ml (2 1/2 tablespoons) rum, brandy or sherry
170g butter, softened
170g (3/4 cup, firmly packed) brown sugar
3 large eggs (we use eggs with a minimum weight of 59g)
1 tablespoon (30g) golden syrup
225g (1 1/2 cups) plain flour
3/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon mixed spice
Stir raisins, sultanas, dates, cherries, apple and rum together in a large bowl until combined, and then set aside until required.
Cut a piece of aluminium foil and a piece of non-stick baking paper both about 50cm long and 30cm wide. On a flat surface, place the paper on top of the foil and align the edges. Fold a 5cm wide pleat in the centre of the paper/foil running parallel to the shorter side. The paper/foil is used to cover the pudding while it cooks and the pleat allows for expansion.
Very generously grease a 1.5 litre (6 cup) capacity pudding basin with butter. Cut two strips of baking paper about 2.5cm wide and 50cm long. Press one strip across the base and up the sides of the basin so that the ends overhang on opposite sides of the basin. Repeat with the second strip, placing it at right angles to the first strip. These paper strips are used to help remove the cooked pudding from the basin. Line the base of the basin with a circle of non-stick baking paper (the circle should be placed over the strips).
Using an electric mixer or electric hand-held beaters, beat the butter and brown sugar together in a large bowl until pale and creamy. Stop the machine occasionally and use a spatula to scrape down the side and base of the bowl. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for about one minute after each addition. Add the golden syrup with the last egg. The mixture may look curdled at this stage.
Sift flour, bicarbonate of soda and mixed spice together into the bowl with the butter mixture. Stir until combined. Add the flour and butter mixture to the bowl with the fruit and stir until well combined.
Spoon the pudding mixture into the prepared pudding basin, firmly pushing the mixture down with the back of the spoon to ensure that there are no air pockets. Smooth the surface of the pudding with the back of the spoon.
Place the prepared baking paper and foil over the basin with the baking paper side down. Mould the foil/paper down against the sides of the basin to form a lid. © exclusivelyfood.com.au
Secure the lid by firmly tying a double-thickness of kitchen string just under the rim of the basin.
Trim off excess paper/foil so that only 2cm extends below the around-basin string. Enclosing the baking paper, scrunch the 2cm of foil up to form a good seal to prevent any water from coming in contact with the pudding.
Cut a 120cm long piece of string and fold in half. Tie one end of the double-thickness piece of string to the string tied around the basin. Tie the loose end of the double-thickness string to the opposite side of the around-basin string. This forms a handle that you can use to lift the pudding. Repeat the procedure to make another handle at right angles to the first one.
Place an upturned saucer (don't use your best saucer as it may discolour) or trivet on the base of a large boiler or very large saucepan. Stand pudding basin on saucer or trivet and pour enough boiling water into the boiler or saucepan to come halfway up the side of the basin. Do not allow any string, baking paper or foil to come in contact with the water.
Cover the boiler or saucepan with a tight-fitting lid (steam vent shut) and boil for 3.5 hours. Top up with boiling water, as necessary, to maintain the water level during cooking.
Using the handles, carefully remove the pudding basin from the boiler. Leave pudding to stand for 15 minutes.
Remove the string, foil and baking paper from the pudding. The pudding can be removed from the basin and served immediately or stored until required.
Removing from the basin
Run the blade of a knife around the inside of the basin, between the basin and the paper strips. Use the paper strips to pull the pudding away from the basin, helping to loosen the pudding. Wearing rubber gloves, hold a plate on the top of the pudding basin and invert. Lift the basin away from the pudding. If the pudding doesn't release from the basin, repeat the removal procedure. When the pudding releases, remove the circle of baking paper from the top of the pudding.
Storing
The pudding can be left in the basin and stored in the refrigerator, or removed from the basin and stored in the refrigerator or freezer.
To store in the basin, use fresh paper/foil to cover the pudding as before, but without pleating the baking paper/foil. Refrigerate until required.
To store out of the basin, remove from the basin, following the removal instructions above. Allow the pudding to cool completely then tightly wrap in plastic wrap and place in an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator or freezer until required.
Reheating
Thaw frozen pudding for two days in the refrigerator. Remove pudding from refrigerator on the day of serving and set aside in a cool place until required. Pudding can be reheated in the microwave or reboiled.
Reboiling: If the pudding has been removed from the basin and wrapped in plastic wrap, you will need to remove the plastic wrap and return the pudding to the basin. Cover pudding and make handles using the same method as above (it is not necessary to pleat the paper/foil). Boil pudding, using above method, for 1 hour.
Remove the string, foil and baking paper and follow above directions for removing from basin (if applicable).
Serving
Cut hot pudding into wedges and serve with custard, cream, ice cream, brandy butter etc. © www.exclusivelyfood.com.au
Coleslaw Recipe
This salad consists of cabbage, carrot, capsicum and green onion in a tangy, mayonnaise-based dressing. Because the vegetables soften and release moisture once dressed, we prefer to dress the salad just before serving. Coleslaw is a great accompaniment to barbequed meats or roast chicken.
When purchasing cabbage for this recipe, remember to allow for the removal of the core and any tough outer leaves. A mandoline could be used to finely shred the cabbage.
Serves 4-6 as a side dish.
180g (2 1/4 cups, loosely packed) finely shredded cabbage
180g (2 1/4 cups, loosely packed) finely shredded red cabbage
1 medium (about 130g) carrot, peeled and grated
1 small-medium (about 200g) red or yellow capsicum, thinly sliced
24g (1/4 cup) finely chopped green onion (green shallot)
Dressing
2/3 cup (166g) mayonnaise
2 tablespoons (40ml) white vinegar
3 teaspoons caster sugar
Salt, to taste © exclusivelyfood.com.au
Stir mayonnaise, white vinegar, sugar and salt together in a small bowl. Cover bowl and refrigerate until required.
Toss vegetables together in a large bowl. If you wish to serve the salad immediately, pour dressing over the vegetables and toss to coat. Otherwise, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, store in the refrigerator and dress salad just before serving. © www.exclusivelyfood.com.au
Apricot Balls Recipe
These soft apricot and coconut balls contain crushed peanuts, chunks of fluffy marshmallow, and finely chopped white chocolate. For optimum flavour, we remove the apricot balls from the fridge about 15 minutes before serving.
Preparation time: about 30 minutes
Makes about 36 balls (3 centimetre diameter).
125g Nice biscuits (we use Arnott's brand)
125g dried apricots
60g (2/3 cup) finely chopped white marshmallows
30g (2 1/2 tablespoons) crushed nuts (peanuts)
20g (1/4 cup) desiccated coconut
40g (1/4 cup) finely chopped white chocolate
220g (2/3 cup) sweetened condensed milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract (1/2 teaspoon natural vanilla essence)
80g (1 cup) desiccated coconut, for rolling
Place biscuits and dried apricots in a food processor. Process on medium-high speed for about 30 seconds, or until biscuits are finely crushed and apricots are very finely chopped. Transfer biscuit and apricot mixture to a large bowl. © exclusivelyfood.com.au
If you don't have a food processor, crush the biscuits in a blender or place the biscuits in a plastic bag and roll over them with a rolling pin until they are finely crushed. Place biscuit crumbs in a large bowl. Very finely chop the apricots and add to the bowl with the biscuit crumbs.
Add marshmallows, nuts, 20g coconut, and white chocolate to the biscuit mixture and stir until well combined. Separate any clumps of marshmallow to ensure the marshmallow is evenly distributed throughout the mixture. Add combined condensed milk and vanilla to the bowl, and stir until well combined.
Place extra 80g of coconut in a medium bowl. Roll mixture into balls and then coat with coconut.
Place apricot balls in a single layer in an airtight container. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
If you would prefer to make a larger number of apricot balls (approximately 60 balls) and use the whole can of condensed milk, the quantities are as below.
220g Nice biscuits (we use Arnott's brand)
220g dried apricots
105g (1 cup, lightly packed) finely chopped white marshmallows
55g (1/3 cup, firmly packed) crushed nuts (peanuts)
35g (scant 1/2 cup) desiccated coconut
70g (scant 1/2 cup) finely chopped white chocolate
1 395g can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (1 teaspoon natural vanilla essence)
120g (1 1/2 cups) desiccated coconut, for rolling
Christmas gift idea: Wrap apricot balls in clear cellophane and tie with a ribbon. © www.exclusivelyfood.com.au
Roast Sweet Potato, Feta and Walnut Salad Recipe
We roast the sweet potato, walnuts and garlic used in this recipe. The roasted garlic is used to make a garlic and chive vinaigrette, which is tossed with the roasted sweet potato, crisp walnuts and some mixed salad leaves. The salad is finished with crumbled feta and a drizzle of vinaigrette.
Serves 6 as a side dish.
550g (about 1 large) sweet potato
3 medium garlic cloves, unpeeled
3 tablespoons (60ml) oil
Salt and pepper
50g (1/2 cup) walnut halves
70g (2 1/2 cups, loosely packed or 2 handfuls) mixed salad leaves
2 1/2 tablespoons (50ml) white balsamic dressing
1 1/4 teaspoons caster sugar
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
100g soft feta
Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius (180 degrees Celsius fan-forced).
Peel sweet potato and cut it into one centimetre slices. Cut larger slices into quarters or halves so that all pieces are about the same size.
Place sweet potato pieces and unpeeled garlic cloves in a single layer on a large baking tray. Drizzle vegetables with 1 1/2 tablespoons of the oil and toss to coat with oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Roast sweet potato and garlic for 20 minutes. Remove tray from oven and turn sweet potato pieces over. Remove garlic from tray and set aside. © exclusivelyfood.com.au
Return sweet potato to the oven and roast for a further 15 minutes or until it is tender and lightly browned (the larger your sweet potato pieces, the longer they'll need to roast).
Add walnuts to tray with sweet potato and roast for 5 minutes. Set tray aside and allow sweet potato and walnuts to cool to room temperature.
Squeeze garlic out of its skin into a small jar or bowl and mash garlic with a fork. Add white balsamic dressing, remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil, sugar, salt and pepper to the jar/bowl. Place lid on jar and shake, or use a whisk to combine the vinaigrette ingredients.
Place sweet potato in a large bowl. Break each walnut halve into two or three pieces, or roughly chop. Add walnuts and leaves to bowl with sweet potato.
Add chives to vinaigrette and whisk/shake. Add about 3 tablespoons of the dressing to the bowl with the other ingredients (except feta). Using your hands, gently toss ingredients together to combine.
Pile salad onto serving plate and crumble feta over. Drizzle with remaining dressing and serve immediately. © www.exclusivelyfood.com.au
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