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 chocolate 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.