WALNUT AND ONION CHUTNEY

Happy New Year everyone , 2023 can you believe it , what a journey ? I started preparing / making preserves just befor Xmas and today 1 made walnut and onion chutney . It is sweet and tart and somewhere between an onion marmalade and a traditional chutney , combining the crunch of the nuts with the fruity onion base . I really like it . Peel and slice 1 kg of onions and cook the onions in a large pan with 5 tbs of oil until tender , about 10 minutes . Now add 500gm of peeled , chopped and cored green apples along with 250ml of red wine . Simmer for 20 minutes or until the onions and apples are both softened and cooked . Stir in 225 gm of unrefined sugar ( not castor sugar ) , 1 dsp of sea salt , 1 tsp of black pepper and 100ml of red wine vinegar . Continue to cook for 30 minutes , until the chutney has thickened and most of the liquid has been absorbed . It is now time to stir through 350 gm of walnut pieces ( I used crushed walnut pieces ) and the juice of 1 lemon . Continue to cook until all the liquid has evaporated . Pack chutney into sterilised jars , seal and label . Leave sit for 2 weeks before opening and once opened keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks .

MILKY PINEAPPLE JELLY ..

Prepare 1 paccket of jelly ( 85m ) with 1 cup of boiling water . Stir until fully dissolved and then add 1/2 cup ( 125 ml )of condensed milk along with 1/2 cup of pinepple pieces . Stir till well combined and then pour into serving dishes . Refrigerate until set .

THE MANOR KITCHEN. SUMMER PICKLES

I love making conserves / preserves and pickling ... I have made lemon marmalade and The Manor Kitchen Pickle ... It is my combination of ingredients for The manor pickle , my first attempt is now bottled and I'm awaiting setting and sitting time . Until I know the results I won't share my recipe . With the ingredients I used , they should be be ready to be tasted in 3 weeks . Here is the photographic result of my summer pickle , made in The Manor Kitchen .

WARM TUNA PASTA SALAD

This warm tuna salad is all about preparing a cost effective filling meal .... most of the ingredients come in cans. If you don't like tuna replace it with tinned salmon . Cook 500gm of spiral pasta in a pot of salted boiling water , uncovered , until just tender,then drain and rinse under cold water .( spray lightly with cooking oil ). Set aside . Now open 2 X cans of tuna in oil and drain in a coliander ( reserve 2 tbs of the oil ). Place the pasta and the tuna together in a large bowl along with , 1 can ( 440 gm ) of corn kernals ( drained ) , 1 red capsicum finely sliced , 2 stalks of celery finely chopped . In a seperate bowl mix together 1/4 cup of mayonnaise (75gm ) , 1 tbs of Greek yoghurt, 3 tbs of minced garlic , 1 dsp of grated lemon rind and lemon juice and 2 tbs of wholegrain mustard . Add this mixture to the pasta mix and toss gently to combine ...the warmth comes from the warm pasta . Enjoy...

TIRAMISU ......ITALIAN PICK ME UP

I served this dessert Xmas day along with a steamed chocolate pudding . Mix together 750mlof freshly brewed coffee with 1 tsp of castor sugar and 80 ml of apera , set aside . Beat together 6 egg yolks with 2 and 1/2 tbs of castor sugar with electric beaters intil pale and creamy .( beat for 5 minutes ) Now place the the egg yolk mixture in a medium pot over a low heat and continue mixing with a whisk until the mixture doubles in volume . remove the pot from heat and continue to whisk until the custard cools a little . Set aside to cool completely , now add 400 gm of mascarpone , stirring through until smooth. In a separate clean bowl mix with clean beaters the 6 egg whites until they hold stiff peaks. Now gently fold them through the custard . Lightly dust the base of your serving dish with Dutch cocoa . Place savoiardi biscuits ( lady fingers ) over the base halving them to make them cover the base of your dish . Now slowly pour over the coffee / apera liquid until the biscuits are well moistened , but not soggy . Dust the biscuits with Dutch cocoa powder Repeat the layering and soaking of the bicuits . Now top with the custard and add a thick layer of cocoa . Cover and refrigerate with a thick covering of the Dutch cocoa powder , Refrigerate for 8 hours . You can slice or spoon the tiramisu onto serving plates . In Italy you can order tiramisu for breakfast with a strong coffee ... it will keep you 'going' all day .

CATHEDRAL WINDOW JELLY DESSERT

For this dessert you will need 3 separate bowls to prepare 3 different coloured jellies . Completely dissolve 1 box of jelly powder ( 65 gm ) in each bowl with 1 cup of boiling water then stir in 1/3 rd of a cup of cold water to each bowl . Now transfer the the liquid of each bowl into individual square or rectangular containers and refrigerate until they are set . In a medium bowl , combine 1/2 cup of pineapple juice , 1/2 cup of condensed milk , 1/2 cup of cream , 4 tbs of castor sugar and finally 1/4 tsp of salt . Stir with a whisk until incorporated .Set aside . In another mixing bowl , combine 1 and 1/2 cups of water with 3 tbs of unflavoured gelatin powder . Stir until the powder completely dissolves ( the mixture will thicken ), add 1 cup of boiling water to the thickened gelatin mixture until the mixture is clear . Pour the gelatin mixture into the milk mixture , whisking until well incorporated . Now slice the set jelly mixtures into cubes and place in a lightly oiled mould or aluminioum tray , pour the gelatin / milk mixture over the jelly cubes ....allow to set over night in the refrigerator . To serve turn out onto a serving plate.

BERRY AND RHUBARB TRIFLE

It's the festive season and alot of people like a trifle , there are so many versions of trifle ,but because I always have access to fresh rhubarb , this is my favourite version of trifle . Combine 2 cups ( 500ml ) of balck coffee in a bowl with 60 ml of Apera , set aside to cool . Place 1 cup of water ( 250 ml ) in a medium saucepan with 60gm of castor sugar , heat gently until the sugar dissolves . Now add 3 trimmed stalks of rhubarb sliced into 10cm ( 1/2 inch ) lengths , simmer until the rhubarb is tender . Drain and set aside to cool . Place 3 egg yolks and 2 tbs of castor sugar in the bowl of your electric mixer and beat until light and creamy . Add 500gm of mascarpone and 300 ml of cream and beat until smooth . Dip 16 lady finger biscuits ( savoiardi biscuits ) in the coffee mixture , one at a time until just moist . Arrange them in the base of a serving bowl or divide 1/2 of them between individual parfait glasses . Divide some of the rhubarb over the biscuit base and then add a scatter of fresh bluberries, then some of the mascarpone cream on top and a scatter of fresh hulled strawberries . Refrigerate overnight before serving . This will give you a bowl of trifle to serve 10 people or 10 single parfait glass serves .

ROAST CHICKEN AND GRAPES .

Preheat your oven to 180deg C . Wash your 2 kg chicken inside and out , pat dry with paper towel . Place the chicken on its breast and use kitchen scissors to cut along each side of the backbone and remove it . Turn the chicken over so the breast is facing up and gently face down on it with the palm of your hand and crack the breastbone . Starting near the neck , gently insert your fingers under the skin and slowly push your fingers through to separate the skin from the breast and thigh , keep the skin attached but loosened . This is what I love about this recipe , it is about the pleasure of rubbing the fresh herbs and lemon under the skin and all over the skin of the bird , knowing all the time how delicious the dish will be when cooked . Now rub the zest of 1 finely grated lemon , a mix of 1 tsp mix of salt and cracked black pepper beneath the skin of the chicken and over the top too. In a small bowl mix together the juice of 1 lemon , 1 small bunch of finely chopped sage leaves , chopped thyme leaves and 3 tbs of minced garlic and 100gm of softened butter / marg. Rub this mixture all over the chicken skin . Place the chicken , breast side up in a roasting tray / pan , generously sprayed with cooking oil . Pour in 500ml of dry white wine , place 500 gms of red grapes in stems around the pan along with 500gm of cherry tomatoes on the vine and fresh rosemary stems . Now bake in the prehated oven for 1 hour and the chicken is golden brown . Remove the chicken to a serving tray along with the tomatoes and grapes . Add a little white wine to the pan and deglaze the pan and pour over the chicken and serve .

LEMON VANILLA MARMALADE ( 2 )

The lids have all popped and the marmalde is setting perfectly .

LEMON VANILLA MARMALADE

To make this lemon marmalade a success you need to choose lemons with a shiny , thin peel. Place the lemons in a bowl of water and let them sit overnight , next day ...dry and slice off the top and bottom of each lemon , slice very thinly and remove seeds . Place the sliced lemons in a large pot with 1 and 1/ litres of water and bring to the boil . reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour , until the lemon rind is soft . Split 1 vanilla bean in half and scrape the seeds into the lemon and water mixture . Add the vanilla bean covering to the mixture along with 1 kg of white sugar . Simmer for another 60 minutes , then test to see if the mixture has reached setting point . To test for setting point , stir the jam well with a wooden spoon , then lift out the spoon until it is cooled , if a firm drop forms when the spoon is held horizontally , setting point has been reached . Remove from the heat and add 3/4 cup of limonello ( an Italian lemon liqueur ) , stir and cool a little . Spoon the marmalade into sterilised jars and seal .

GINGER CUSTARD

This is a delicious custard . Whisk 3 egg yolks with 60 gm of castor sugar in a bowl . Place 250 ml of milk in a small saucepan with 1 tbs of minced ginger and 1 tbs of vanilla extract and heat gently until simmering . Gently /slowly pour the egg mixture into the hot milk ., stirring constantly with a wooden spoon . Keep stirring until the custard mixture coats the back of the wooden spoon . Pour into a serving dish .

BANANA AND HONEY ROULADE

OMG , this is one of those special desserts right for anytime of the year and /or for any occasion . Whip 300mlof cream until thick and drizzle in 1 and 1/2 tbs of honey , contiue whipping ubtil the cream is stiff . Now add 2 ripe and mashed bananas , beating them into the cream . Refrigerate . Now let's prepare the meringue . Preheat your oven to 180 deg C . Grease a slice tray (33cm x 23 cm ) with cooking oil and line the base and sides with baking paper , leaving some excess paper over the sides . Spray the paper liberally with cooking oil and sprinkle over castor sugar , coating the paper well .Shake off any excess . Place 180gm of castor sugar , 7 egg whites , a pinch of salt in a bowl and mix with electric beaters until stiff and glossy ( about 6 minutes ) Pour the meringue into the prepared pan and spread evenly . Place in the preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes or until lightly folden . Set aside to cool completely . Keeping the meringue in the tray , peel the edges away from the sides of the meringue . Spread the banana cream over the top . Place a long serving plate next to the tray and partially lift the meringue onto the plate by dragging it with the baking paper . Roll the meringue around the banana cream , starting from the end still in the pan . You need to roll up and over the side of the tray . The roulade should easily slide of the tray onto the plate in one movement . Drizzle the roulade with honey and a dusting of icing sugar ...

CHARGRILLED YELLOW FIN TUNA STEAKS , CAPSICUM AND CHERRY TOMATOES

Place in a large bowl 1 small red chilli , finely chopped , 1 tbs of small capers chopped , 1 dsp of fennel seeds ,3 tbs of rice bran oil , the juice of 1 lemon , 80 ml of red wine vinegar . Add 4 x 250 gm of yellow tuna fin steaks and rub them into the marinade . Set aside for 90 minutes . Now grease and oil a large pan . Add 2 peeled and sliced onions, 1 sliced celery stick , 1 red amd yellow capsicum both sliced into strips , 3 large tomatoes skinned and flesh chopped , 3 tbs of minced garlic and finally 2 tbs of oregano , seasoned with cracked black pepper . Place on top 250 gm of trussed cherry tomatoes . Cover with scrunched baking paper and cook over a medium heat until the onions are tender , about 30 minutes . Grease a char grill frypan with oil and add the tuna fin fillets to the pan over a med - high heat and cook for 3-4 minutes each side . To serve divide the capsicum mixture between your plates , place the tuna steaks on top and brush with the excess marinade and add the cherry tomatoes on top .

A XMAS SUMMER PUDDING

This pudding is at its best with a mix of sweet and tart fruits for example strawberries , raspberries , blueberries and if available red or black currents . If you are using frozen fruits make sure they are well defrosted . Place 600gm of mixed ripe / thawed fruits in a medium saucepan with 7 tbs ( 100gm ) of castor sugar , stir together and bring to a slow simmer. Remove from the heat . The fruits will release a lot of juice . Now line the base and sides of a 3 and 3/4 cup pudding pan with a light spray of cooking oil and then with thick slices of one or two day old bread ( crusts removed ) , overlapping slightly and trimming if necessary . You will need to keep aside a slice or two for the "lid". Fill the mould with all the fruit , you may find you have more juice than you need , (that's okay , you can use it as a topping when serving .) Now slice the reserved bread to fit the top of the pudding pan , place a plate on top that just fits inside the rim and weigh it down with a couple of tins from the pantry . Refrigerate for 8 hours . When ready to serve , invert the pudding pan onto a large plate and pour over any reserved juice . Serve with cream .

BREADSTICKS

These are easily made if you have friends coming around for drinks and you can make lots in no time at all. Preheat your oven to 200 deg C . Fit the dough hook to your electric mixer and add 2 cups ( 250 gm ) of white bread flour , 2 cups ( 250 gm )of all purpose flour ,1 and 1/2 tsp ( 5gm ) of instant yeast , 1 dsp of salt and 1 and 1/3 rd cup of warm water . Mix on low speed until well combined now add a drizzle of canola oil and mix until smooth and silky , about 10 minutes . Shape the dough into a round and coat with a little extra oil and place in a clean bowl , cover with cling wrap and let rise till doubled in size . Now turn out onto a clean work surface covered with plenty of flour , roll out to 1/2 inch thick . Dust the top evenly with flour and then flip and dust the underside . Cut into strips about 1/2 inch wide , brush the tops with oil and sprinkle lightly with a mixture of flaky sea salt , cracked black pepper , poppy seeds , smoked paprika , rosemary leaves and finely grated parmesan cheese . Oil and line an oven tray with baking paper , place the strips on the baking tray you can curl the sticks if you like . Let proof for 30 minutes , then bake on 200deg C for 20 minutes until golden and dried through to the middle . Let cool on a wire cooling rack .

BROWN BREAD ICE CREAM .

I make this ice cream in the ice cream maker , but it can be easily made by removing the cusard mixture from the freezer and whisking or beating every half hour , until it becomes too firm to beat . Preheat your oven to 160 deg C . Tear 100gm of 2 day old wholemeal bread into small pieces and toss with 1/2 cup of demerara sugar , scatter over a baking paper lined oven tray . Bake for 10 minutes or until quite dark and caramelised . Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the oven tray . Meanwhile pour 1 cup plus 1 tbs of milk into a medium saucepan , split 1 vanilla pod lengthwise and scrape out the seeds with a teaspoon and add them to the milk , together with the empty pod . Slowly bring to a simmer . In a large mixing bowl beat together 6 egg yolks and 1/2 cup of castor sugar , now slowly pour in the hot milk whisking constantly , add the vanill pod too. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan over a low heat . Stir constantly with a wooden spoon for 5 minutes , until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of the wooden spoon . Now pour into a cold bowl and cover with cling wrap to prevent a skin forming and let infuse for 10 minutes . Remove the vanill pod . Remove the vanilla pod and stir in 1 cup and 1 tbs of cream and churn this mixtur in an ice cream maker . When the ice cream thickens but is still a little soft , crumble in the toasted bread and churn until frozen . This is delicious .

COPHA CAKE ( LARDY CAKE)

This recipe has its roots in Britain , both my cooking hereos have recipes for this cake . My food hereos are Elizabeth David and our own Margaret Fulton. Just to murky the waters , here is my version of 'Lardy Cake '.. Preheat your oven to 200 deg C Combine 2 cups (250gm ) of white bread floir , 2/3 rds of a cup of warm water and 1 and 1/2 tsp (5 gm ) of instant yeast . Mix to a soft dough . Melt 1 dsp ( 10 gm ) of softened copha into the dough , then turn out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Put into a clean bowl , cover ,and let rise until doubled in size . In a separate bowl toss together 1/3 rd cup of raisins , 1/3rd cup of glace cherries, 1/3 rd cup of mixed peel , 4 tbs of castor sugar and 1 tsp of ground cinnamon . Now cut 150 gm of copha into small dice and place in a small bowl . Tip the risen dough out onto a clean work surface and press all over with your fingertips to deflate . Use your hands to shape the dough into a rectangle about an inch thick . Scatter half of the dried fruit mixture and half the copha pieces over the dough , then roll up from the short side to enclose the filling . Shape the dough into a rectangle again , scatter over the remaining dried fruit and copha pieces . Roll the dough up again . Shape the dough into an 8" square . Place into a greased , square 8 " pan , leave to rise for 30 minutes . Bake the copha cake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes or until well risen and golden brown . Let cool slightly in the pan for 10 minutes , then turn out onto a wire cooling rack placing it upside down so the melted copha can be reabsorbed into the dough as it cools . Serve warm or cold cut into slices .

ONION AND ROSEMARY FOCACCIA

First thing to do is peel and slice 2 large onions into thin rings and place them in a bowl of cold water to soften them . Set the bowl with the onions aside . Mix 500gm of white bread flour with1 tsp of salt , 1 tsp of instant dried yeast together n a bowl , make a well in the centre and add 6 tbs of canola oil and 200ml of warm water to make a manageable dough . Turn onto a lightly floured bench and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic ( 10 - 15 minutes ) . Roll the dough out and press into into a slice pan 40 X 25 cm ( 16" X 10"), pressing the dough right up to he corners . Now cover with a damp cloth or loosely with cling film and leave in a warm place for 1 and 1/2 hours until well risen and doubled in size . Preheat your oven to 2oo deg C . When the dough has risen , drain the onions and arrange them over the loaf and sprinkle with 3 tbs of fresh rosemary and a sprinkle of sea salt flakes . Bake in your preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the loaf is a pale golden brown and the onions are soft . Cool on a wire rack before serving .

SPAGHETTI WITH SPINACH AND COPPA

( Coppa is smoked pork ). Place 375 gm of spaghetti pasta in a pot of salted boiling water with 2 tbs of oil . Boil uncovered until just tender and then drain using a colander . While the pasta is cooking place 80 ml ( 1/3rd cup ) of canola oil in a frypan along with 2 tbs of minced garlic , 1 small red capsicum , thinly sliced ,1 peeled and finely sliced small onion , 1 dsp of chilli paste and finally 100gm of chopped coppa ).... Stir over a medium heat until the onion and capsicum is tender . Now add a handful of finely chopped spinach leaves , 4 tbs of grated parmesan cheese . Stir the sauce through the drained pasta. Serve with crusty torn bread .

CHRISTMAS CAKE

This recipe has never failed me . Preheat your oven to 160 deg C Grease and line with baking paper a 23cm round loose bottomed pan . Beat together in a bowl with an electric beater 185gm of softened buter / marg with 1 and 1/2 cups of brown sugar until mixed and creamy , then add 250 gm of room temp cream cheese and 1 dsp of vanilla extract , mix until well blended . Beat 4 eggs together in a separate bowl and add a little of these at a time to the butter mixture , beating well after each addition . In a separate bowl mix together 1 and 1/2 tsp of baking powder with 2 cups of plain flour and 1/2 tsp of salt . Now add the flour mix to the egg and butter mixture . Fold in 2 cups of mixed fruit , 1/4 cup of granulated nuts and 1 dsp of grated orange rind . Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven for 90 minutes . Remove the pan from the oven and let sit in the pan for 10 minutes and then undo the pan and turn onto a wire cooling rack . To serve sift icing sugar over the top of the cake and dress with a mixture of glace fruits ( optional ) , dress the serving plate with holly and berry decorations , again optional .

ICED ZABAIONE

Place 4 egg yolks in a bowl with 75 gm of icing sugar and beat with an electric beater until thick and mousse like . In a separate bowl whip together 6 tbs of cream with 4 tbs of marsala / apera , until thick and then fold through the egg mixture . Pour into 4 ramequins , cover and freeze . Sprinkle with ranulated nuts to serve .

SPICED LEG OF LAMB

This is such an easy way to serve a flavoursome leg of lamb, it is perfect for the Xmas table . You will need a 2.5 kg leg of lamb . First , you need to prepare a marinade . Place 4 tbs of minced garlic in a saucepan along with 3 tbs of minced ginger , 2 onions ( peeled and thinly sliced ) , 5 tbs of tamari ( light soy sauce ) , 3 tbs of hoisin sauce ,2 tbs of chilli sauce ( sriracha ),1 tsp of 5 spice powder , 2 tbs of brown sugar , 300 ml of red wine, 200ml of white wine vinegar and finally 1 litre of water . Simmer this spicy mixture over a low heat for 45 minutes . Place the leg of lamb in a large pot and pour over the sauce and slowly bring to the boil . Simmer gently for for 90 minutes , turning the lamb every 30 minutes . Remove the pan from the heat and leave the lamb to cool in the sauce . Leave to marinate for overnight. The following day preheat your oven to 180 deg C . Place the lamb in an oiled roasting pan and place in the preheated oven for 1 hour . To serve , slice the lamb and serve hot or cold ... This is delicious .

CARROT RING

Preheat your oven to 180 deg C . Lightly grease a 2 litre non stick ring pan . Place 500 gm of chopped carrots in a medium saucepan with a peeled and sliced onion . Boil until the carrot is tender . Drain. Then place in a food processor with 1 dsp of cinnamon , 1 tsp of ground ginger , 1 tbs of minced garlic , 1 tbs of soft brown sugar , 1 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp of cracked black pepper . Process until smooth . Stir in 1 dsp of grated orange rind . Let the mixture cool slightly . Now separate 4 eggs . Lightly beat the egg yolks and in a separate bowl beat the egg whites to firm peaks . Stir ( with a wooden spoon ) the egg yolks into the carrot mixture , then fold in the egg whites . Gently fold in 90 gm of tigernut flour ( or fine semolina or almond meal ) and 2 tbs of dried chives . Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until set . Cool slightly before turning out . Fill the centre with lightly steamed green vegetables ... ( sno peas , brocoli ) .. your choice .

YUULONG LAVENDER MUSTARD

Thank you Carol Dickinson for sharing this recipe. Place 150gm of black mustard seeds in a processor with 150 gm of brown mustard seeds ,20 whole cloves , 1 tbs of tarragon ,1 tbs of thyme , 3/4 cup of parsley sprigs , 1 tbs of ground ginger and 2 tbs of minced garlic , 2 tbs of honey and 3 tbs of salt . process until ingredients are finely chopped and processed . Mix together 1 and 1/2 cups of white wine vinegar and 1 cup of olive oil . Turn your processor on and slowly pour the oil , vinegar mixture in . Cover and stand overnight then using a wooden spoon stir through 2 tbs of chopped lavender petals . Store in a sealed jar and let stand for 2 days before enjoying .

SAVOURY NOODLE KUGEL

A kugel is a Jewish baked pudding made with rice or noodles and traditionally chicken fat or margarine , spices , eggs and onions . Simply prepared and very tasty . Preheat your oven to 180 deg C . Lightly oil a medium ovenproof dish ( 1.5 litre ) . Heat 2 tbs of oil in a pan and add 2 peeled and thinly sliced onions . Cook over a medium heat until the onions are tender . Remove the onions to a bowl and cool a little . Once the onions are slightly cooled add 125 gm of whole egg mayonnaise , 4 lightly beaen eggs , 2 tbs of minced garlic , 1 tsp of paprika , 1 handful of finely chopped fresh flat leafed parsley and finally 250 gm of fresh lokshen or fettucine noodles ( cooked and drained. Mix together well . Season with cracked pepper . Place the mixture in the prepared ovenproof dish , place in the ovenproof dish and bake for 45 minutes or until golden . Sprinkle with a mix of chives , dill and parsley . Serve immediately .

TRADITIONAL BAKED CHEESECAKE

This is Christmas on a plate ... Preheat your oven to 180 deg C . First prepare the crust and this is easily done by crushing / processing 220 gm o plain biscuits with 1 tsp of mixed spice and 125 gm of melted butter / marg . Press this mixture into the base and sides of a 20cm round springform pan . Make sure the base of the crust is smooth , using the heel of your hand . Now for the filling , place 3 lightly beaten eggs in a bowl with 3/4 cup of castor sugar and beat with electric beaters until thick , pale and creamy . Gradually beat in 500gm of room temp cream cheese add 1 tsp of vanilla extract , 1/4 cup of sultanas and 1 dsp of grated lemon rind . Beat until the mixture is creamy and light . Pour the mixture into the prepared pan . Bake for 1 hour or until the filling is set . Allow to cool in the tin. Remove the sides of the pan and spread the top with thick whipped cream , dusted with cinnamon sugar and serve with berries or fruit of your choice .div class="separator" style="clear: both;">

SNOWBALLS (BOULES DE NEIGE )

These are great special treats in the run up to christmas or packaged in cellophane bag as a gift ... Actually these are great any time of the year as part of petits four . Oh did I mention how simple these are to prepare ? Preheat your oven to 160 deg C . Line a baking tray with baking paper . Combine 1/2 cup of tigernut flour (which I used , or alternatively almond meal or a combination of almond meal and hazelnut meal to make 1/2 cup .) Mix in 3/4 cup of icing sugar and 1 egg white , with a wooden spoon to make a firm paste . Place 1/4 cup of icing sugar in a bowl and roll teaspoonful measures of the mixture into a ball and roll through the icing sugar and then place on the lined oven tray . Bake for 10 minutes until well puffed . Dust with icing sugar , cool and transfer to an airtight container .

TRADITIONAL SCOTTISH SHORTBREAD

Preheat your oven to 180 deg C. Grease and line a 9" X 9" square pan or a 8" x 8" round pan with a removable base . Place 2 cups of plain flour in a medium bowl with 230 gm of room temperature butter and 1/2 cup of castor sugar . Now use your fingertips to combine the butter into the dry ingredients until it resembles coarse clumpy breadcrumbs .( it should come together in a dough when pressed together .) Pour the mixture into the prepared pan . Use your hands and fingers to press the mixture firmly into the pan . OPTIONAL .....you can use a sharp knife to mark the shape you want for your shortbreads as this will make cutting easier once it is baked . Some people prick the shortbread with a skewer before baking but it is best to do this on removing the baked shortbread from the oven as the holes will be more pronounced , because the holes will close during baking . Place the shortbread on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 35 minutes or until ligt , golden and firm . When done remove from oven and carefully use a sharp knife and cut the shortbread through your initial makings . Let cool in pan . Store in an airtight container and can be kept for several weeks . The flavour and texture improves over time .

DICED LEMON AND ONION SALAD

This is an amazing salad to serve with a curry or seafood . If you are serving seafood over the Xmas period place this bowl of salad along side . Peel 3 lemons and remove the pith . Slice the peeled lemon in half , remove the core and seeds and cut the lemon into small cubes . Peel and dice 1 red onion and mix with 1 cup of flat leafed parsley along with 1 dsp of sugar and toss in the lemon cubes . Dress with cracked black pepper .

CORNFLOUR PUDDING

Tis the season for puddings .... Mix 3 tbs of cornflour, 1/2 tsp of salt and 1/3 rd of a cup of sugar in a small saucepan . In a separate bowl beat 2 egg yolks with 2 tbs of cold milk .( set aside ) . Add 1 cup of cold milk ( less the 2 tbs of milk ) to the saucepan , heat over a low heat and gradually add 1 and 1/2 cups of hot milk , stir until thick . Once warmed and thick stir through a little of this to the egg yolk mixture and then add the remaining egg mixture to the saucepan .. Cook over a low heat until thick and creamy with addition of 1 tsp of vanilla extract . Stir well and pour into warmed serving bowls , sprinkle lightly with cinnamon and chopped nuts .

CHRISTMAS ROCKY ROAD

This is so simple and a great use of the end bits of treats or leftovers . Eg biscuits ( broken ) , shortbread ( broken ), pudding , left over cake ( cubed ), dried fruit , glace cherries , nuts , mini marshmallows . You can make this anytime through the year with sweet leftovers and name your creation accordingly . It is all about whatever you have leftover in your pantry . Make up a mix of any of the above to about 600gm . Now add to a bowl 500gm of chocolate melts along with 100gm of butter / marg . I melted this mixture in the microwave in 40 second increments . Once cholate and butter / marg are melted and combined , stir it through your leftover mixture . Then spoon this into a baking paper lined slice pan . Place the tray in the refrigerator until the rocky road is set . Cut into squares and share ....

JAM PUDDINGS

These puddings can be frozen till needed . Preheat your oven to 180 deg C . Liberally grease with oil or butter and lightly sprinkle with polenta , 6 X 1 cup ramequins. Now beat 1/4 cup ( 60 gm ) of castor sugar in a bowl with 185 gm of room temp butter / marg and 1 tsp of vanilla extract with electric beaters until light and creamy . Add 3 lightly beaten eggs a little at at a time , beating well between each addition . Using a wooden spoon fold in a mixture of combined flours ( 60 gm of plain flour and 125gm of self raising flour )a quarter at a time . divide the mixture evenly between the 6 greased ramequins and smooth the surface . Cover each ramequin with a piece of greased aluminium foil and tie securely with kitchen string . Place the ramequins in a deep baking dish , carefully pour boiling water down the side of the dish to come 1/2 way up the sides of the ramequins . Bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean . leave the cooked puddings in the ramequins for 5 minutes , before loosening the sides with a knife and turn them onto individual warmed plates , serve with warmed jam , surrounded by custard . If you are goining to freeze the puddings , cool them on a wire cooling rack . wrap them lightly in foil and place in a plastic bag to freeze . TO reheat the puddings , simply place the foil covered pudddings in a preheated oven (160 deg C ) for 15 - 20 minutes and serve with heated jam and custard . These are a great alternative for people who don't like Xmas fruit pudding.