Chocolate Kissed Soft Spiced Honey Cookies

Ingredients:

4 cups flour, sifted
5ml salt
5ml bicarbonate of soda
5ml baking powder
10ml ground cinnamon
10ml ground ginger
2.5ml ground cloves
250g butter, softened
315ml (1 1/4 cups) honey
65ml sugar
1 egg ( or you can substitute 1/3 cup buttermilk)
250ml of chocolate chips for the kisses, more or less depending on the number of cookies.

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 180 C.

Prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Into a large mixing bowl sift together the dry ingredients.

In a large saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and be sure not to burn it.

Add the honey and sugar to the butter and stir until the sugar is dissolved.

Put the pot into refrigerator and cool until the pan is just warm and not hot. Remove from the refrigerator and beat in the egg (or buttermilk) until well combined.

Stir in the sifted flour mixture, a cup at a time until well mixed. About 20 strokes.

Make sure the dough is cool enough to handle for shaping and roll into 1 1/2 inch balls.

Place the balls 2 inches apart on the parchment paper to allow for spreading and press into place 5 chocolate chips on each cookie.

Put into the preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Cool on cookie racks.

Makes 3 to 4 dozen. Store cookies in an airtight container.

Pecan Cheesecake Pie Fudge

Ingredients:

For the Crust and Filling:

16 saltine crackers

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed

2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk

For the Cheesecake Fudge:

3 cups white chocolate chips

1-1/2 tablespoons butter

pinch of salt

1 cup sweetened condensed milk

1-1/2 cups marshmallow cream

1 – 3.4 ounce instant cheesecake pudding mix

1 cup pecans, chopped

Method:

For the crust and filling:

Preheat the oven to 220C. Line an 8x8 inch baking dish with baking paper.

Arrange the saltine biscuits in an even layer on the bottom of the dish.

In a medium saucepan, bring the butter and brown sugar to the boil over a medium-high heat. Cook for 2 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in the condensed milk. Pour over the crackers.

Bake for 10 minutes.

Set aside and make the fudge topping.

For the cheesecake fudge:

In a medium saucepan combine the white chocolate chips, butter, salt and condensed milk. Heat until all is melted and smooth.

Add the pudding mix and stir until the mix dissolves.

Add the marshmallow and stir until melted and smooth.

Pour hot fudge over filling. Smooth using a plastic spatula.

Sprinkle on pecans, pressing down gently with the palm of your hand.

Refrigerate until set.

Remove from the fridge and cut into squares.

Orange Bundt Cake with Zesty Orange Glaze

Ingredients:

Bundt Cake:

1 box yellow cake mix 

4 eggs

65ml sugar
1 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
30ml freshly squeezed orange juice
130ml vegetable oil
5ml vanilla
20-30ml orange zest
powdered sugar, optional

Zesty Orange Glaze:

250ml powdered sugar
10ml orange zest
50-80ml freshly squeezed orange juice
30ml softened butter (almost melted)



Method:

Preheat oven to 180°C. 

Grease and flour a Bundt pan or spray with a nonstick spray with flour. 

Place all cake ingredients except for the powdered sugar in a large bowl and beat with a hand mixer on medium speed until thoroughly combined (about 2-3 minutes). 

Pour into Bundt pan and bake for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean. Do not worry if the cake falls a bit in the middle especially if you’re using a decorative Bundt pan. 

Let cake cool for about 10 minutes and then turn out to cool on a wire rack. Once cooled, dust with powdered sugar if you desire.

To glaze cake: 

Once cooled, mix the glaze ingredients together. Adjust orange juice amount to desired taste and consistency. Place cake on a serving tray or platter and pour glaze over or serve cake with glaze on the side.

Caramel Milk Tart

Ingredients:
250 g Tennis biscuits, finely crushed
200 g butter, melted
1,5 litres milk
200 g sugar
3 eggs
100 g flour
100 g cornflour
10 ml (2 t) vanilla essence
50 g butter
extra 250 ml (1 c) milk
1 box (90 g) caramel instant pudding
250 ml (1 c) cream
1 can (360 g) caramel condensed milk
1 slab (90 g) milk chocolate

Method:

Mix the biscuits with the melted butter and press onto the bottom of a deep 30 cm square dish. Chill until needed.
In a large microwave-proof bowl heat 1 litre (4 c) of the milk with the sugar for 10 min.
In a separate bowl beat the eggs, remaining 500 ml (2 c) milk, flour, cornflour and vanilla essence until smooth.
Mix the flour mixture with the hot milk and microwave for 12 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes until the mixture is thick. Beat in the butter and leave to cool.
Whisk the extra milk and instant pudding together. In a separate bowl whisk the cream until soft peaks form and fold into the instant pudding.
When the custard is cooled, start the layering. Pour the custard over the chilled biscuit layer, smooth the caramel condensed milk over the custard, then add the instant pudding mixture. Grate the chocolate over and refrigerate overnight.

Old Fashion Oatmeal Cake

Ingredients:
For the cake:
1 cup oats 
1½ cup boiling water 
1 cup brown sugar... 
½ cup white sugar 
¼ cup shortening 
¼ cup butter 
2 eggs, beaten 
1 tsp baking soda 
½ tsp salt 
1 tsp cinnamon 
1½ cups flour 

To make the cake:
Preheat the oven to 190 C.
Pour water over oats and let stand for 10 minutes.
Cream together sugars, shortening, and butter; add beaten eggs, beat well. 
Sift dry soda, salt, cinnamon and flour; add to the butter and eggs mixture, alternating with oats. 
Bake in greased 8x12 inch baking pan for 30 to 35 minutes. 

Coconut Icing: 
125g butter 
½ cup brown sugar 
¼ cup cream (or milk)
1 cup nuts, pecans or walnuts chopped, optional 
1 cup coconut, flaked 
1 tsp vanilla 

To make the Icing:
Mix together and spread mixture on cake just out of the oven; Put under the grill until coconut is brown.

Pastry Appetizers with Ham and Gruyère Cheese

Ingredients:

4-5 Puff pastry sheets from the supermarket
150 grams gruyère cheese cut in slithers
150 grams shoulder ham cut in pieces1 egg lightly beaten 
Pinch of sea salt

Method:

Preheat the oven to 190 C.

Roll out the pastry sheets and cut each sheet in two.

Load the ham and cheese on the sheets in a line down the middle. Moisten one side with beaten egg. Roll up the pastry fairly tight and cut each roll into three pieces. Transfer these pieces to a baking tray lined with baking paper. Repeat this with the rest of the pastry sheets until all the rolls are loaded on the baking tray.

Brush the top of each roll with beaten egg and sprinkle with a little sea salt.

Place the baking tray with the pastry rolls in the middle of the oven and bake for 22-25 minutes, until golden and brown.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool. 

Enjoy!

Falafel with Garlic Tahini Sauce

Tahini is a Middle Eastern sesame seed paste you can find
in most grocery stores.
Ingredients: 

For the tahini sauce:225 g tahini 
(seasame seed paste)1/2 a tin of chickpeas, 
drained and rinsedjuice  of 1 lemon
2 garlic cloves, chopped
5ml sea salt
2.5ml cayenne pepper

For the falafel:
1/2 a tin of chickpeas, drained350g lamb mince
50ml spring onions, white and light-green parts only, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh coriander
60 g finely chopped parsley
5ml sea salt
5ml ground coriander
5ml ground cumin
2.5ml ground black pepper
A large pinch cayenne
125 ml olive oil

Method:

To make the sauce, combine ingredients in a food processor.
As you purée, add chickpeas and 170ml of water through feed tube until mixture is smooth.
Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Sauce should be thinner than hummus.
For the balls, in a large ball, mash chickpeas with a potato masher or fork.
Add remaining ingredients and mix well with your hands until well blended.
Form into 2 cm balls.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
Cook balls in batches for 5-6 minutes, turning occasionally until golden-brown and just cooked.
Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.
Drizzle with sauce and serve immediately.