Sunday 30 October 2011

Rock Cakes

My husband grew up having these as a special treat. So today, he brought the kids into the kitchen and taught them how to make these fruity rock cakes.

Rock Cakes


Serves 12.

Ingredients

225g plain flour
2 1/4 tsp baking powder
110g butter or margarine
110g mixed dried fruit
55g raisins
55g caster sugar
1 medium egg
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp milk
demerera sugar for dusting

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 200C (180C for fan-assisted ovens) or 400F.

2. line or grease baking tray.

3. Mix the flour, baking powder, salt and butter in a bowl.

4. Add the fruit, raisins, sugar and egg and mix well.

5. Mix in two tablespoons of milk.

6. Spoon 12 large spoonfuls on the tray or trays, spearating by about 1 1/2 inches form each other.

7. Sprinkle the tops with demerera sugar.

8. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Leave to cool for 5 minutes after removing from the oven.

Serve and enjoy!

Make sure the parent or adult operates the oven and places in and removes the cakes from the oven for safety.

Rock cakes 1




Sunday 31 July 2011

Reduced Sugar Belgian Chocolate Truffles

These are delicious and decadent tasting smooth and creamy chocolate truffles.

The version noted here for is Belgian chocolate, but these could just as easily be made in any flavor, from simple mint chocolate to toffee chocolate or orange chocolate, depending on which flavor of Options or Skinny Cow sachet is used.

These are very easy to make and don't require any actual cooking other than a minute's use of the microwave, so kids can easily make these!

(The next time I make these, I will add a photo to this post.)


Makes 20

Ingredients

50g Dark Chocolate
113g Quark
6 tbsp sweetener
2 sachets of Belgian Chocolate flavor Options
1 tsp Cocoa to dust (1/2 syn per tsp)

Directions

1. Melt chocolate in microwave for 1 minute

2. Beat Quark with sweetener until creamy. Add melted chocolate and mix well.

3. Add the Options sachets and mix well.

4. Make into 20 blobs using a teaspoon and put on greaseproof paper or wax paper.

5. Put into the fridge to harden for about two hours.

6. Remove from the fridge and shape into balls.

7. Roll in cocoa powder and set in the fridge overnight.

8. Serve and enjoy!


Thursday 17 March 2011

Quick Saint Patrick's Day Cookies

I had not planned anything special for St. Patrick's Day this year even though I usually do. So when today arrived, I knew I needed to do something quick.

My kids loved making and eating these green cookies. They were fascinated with the fact that the cookies and frosting were actually green.


Quick Saint Patricks Day Cookies


Makes 12 cookies.

Ingredients

1/2 cup soft margarine or butter
1 cup sugar
1 medium egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup flour
1 tbsp green food coloring
2 cups powdered sugar (icing sugar)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
Fry Light or other oil spray
decorative sprinkles (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F.

2. Mix the butter, sugar, egg, 1/2 the green food coloring and 1/2 of the vanilla extract together in a bowl.

3. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking soda and baking powder together.

4. Mix the two bowls together by pouring the flour mixture into the other bowl and combining with a spoon until thoroughly mixed.

5. Spray a baking tray with Fry Light or other oil spray.

6. Put spoonfuls of mixture onto try, leaving about 1 1/2 inches between each.

7. Bake in the oven for 8 to 12 minutes.

8. While the cookies are baking, mix the milk, powdered sugar, the rest of the vanilla extract and the rest of the green food coloring in a bowl together. (If the mixture is too thin, add more powdered sugar until you get the desired consistency.)

9. Remove cookies from oven and leave to cool for 15 minutes.

10. Once the cookies have cooled, pour the frosting mixture over the cookies. Add sprinkles if desired and then leave to sit for another 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

Quick Saint Patricks Day Cookies1


Quick Saint Patricks Day Cookies2