Ingredients

* 1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
* 1/2 cup warm milk
* 1 egg
* 1/3 cup butter, softened
* 1/3 cup white sugar
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
* 1/4 cup butter, softened

Directions

1. Place water, milk, egg, 1/3 cup butter, sugar, salt, flour and yeast in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select Dough/Knead and First Rise Cycle; press Start.
2. When cycle finishes, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half. Roll each half into a 12 inch circle, spread 1/4 cup softened butter over entire round. Cut each circle into 8 wedges. Roll wedges starting at wide end; roll gently but tightly. Place point side down on ungreased cookie sheet. Cover with clean kitchen towel and put in a warm place, let rise 1 hour. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
3. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden.

Source:allrecipes.com

Ingredients

* 16 cups young arugula leaves, rinsed and dried
* 4 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
* 1 cup pine nuts
* 1/2 cup grapeseed oil or olive oil
* 1/4 cup rice vinegar
* salt to taste
* freshly ground black pepper to taste
* 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
* 4 large avocado – peeled, pitted and sliced

Source:allrecipes.com

Ingredients

* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 1 onion, chopped
* 4 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 green bell pepper, chopped
* 1 fresh red chile pepper, seeded and chopped
* 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
* salt and pepper to taste
* 2 teaspoons dried basil
* 1 teaspoon dried oregano
* 1 teaspoon dried thyme
* 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
* 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
* 1/2 cup water
* 1 pinch paprika
* 1 pinch cayenne pepper
* 1 cup white wine
* 1 (10 ounce) can minced clams, drained with juice reserved
* 25 mussels, cleaned and debearded
* 25 shrimp
* 10 ounces scallops
* 1 pound cod fillets, cubed

Directions

1. In a large pot over medium heat, heat the olive oil, and saute the onion, garlic, bell pepper, and chile pepper until tender. Add parsley, salt and pepper, basil, oregano, thyme, tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, paprika, cayenne pepper, and juice from the clams. Stir well, reduce heat, and simmer 1 to 2 hours, adding wine a little at a time.
2. About 10 minutes before serving, add clams, mussels, prawns, scallops, and cod. Turn the heat up slightly and stir. When the seafood is cooked through (the mussels will have opened, the prawns turned pink, and the cod will be flaky) serve your delicious cioppino.

Ingredients

* 3 cups white sugar
* 4 eggs
* 2/3 cup water
* 2 teaspoons baking soda
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1 teaspoon ground allspice
* 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons salt
* 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
* 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
* 1 cup chopped walnuts
* 1 cup raisins
* 1 cup vegetable oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 7 x 3 inch loaf pans.
2. Mix oil, sugar, and eggs together in a large bowl. Mix in pumpkin puree and water. Stir together flour, soda, baking powder, salt, and spices. Add to the pumpkin mixture, and mix until just combined. Stir in nuts and raisins. Divide batter into prepared pans.
3. Bake for 1 hour. Cool on wire racks.

Source:allrecipes.com

* 3 cups all-purpose flour
* 3 eggs
* 2 cups white sugar
* 1 cup vegetable oil
* 2 cups applesauce
* 1 cup raisins (optional)
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 cup sour cream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour two 9 x 5 inch loaf pans.
2. Beat together eggs, sugar, and oil. Blend in applesauce, and then sour cream or buttermilk. Mix in flour, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon. Stir in raisins. Pour batter into prepared pans.
3. Bake for 80 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

Source:allrecipes.com

Ingredients

* 2 eggs
* 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 3/4 cup white sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup vegetable oil
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1 cup persimmon pulp
* 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 cup raisins

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Oil a 9 x 4 inch pan.
2. In a small bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, salt, nuts, and raisins.
3. In a large bowl, blend eggs, sugar, and oil. Mix baking soda into pulp, and add to sugar mixture. Fold in flour mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan.
4. Bake for 75 minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Source:allrecipes.com

Ingredients

* 1 cup butter, softened
* 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
* 1/4 cup red maraschino cherries, quartered
* 1/4 cup green maraschino cherries, quartered

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, combine butter, flour, and confectioners’ sugar. With an electric mixer, beat for 10 minutes, until light and fluffy. Spoon onto cookie sheets, spacing cookies 2 inches apart. Place a piece of maraschino cherry onto the middle of each cookie, alternating between red and green.
3. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the bottoms of the cookies are lightly browned. Remove from oven, and let cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer cookies on to wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container, separating each layer with waxed paper.

Source:allrecipes.com

These gingerbread biscuits, or lebkuchen, are typical Christmas treats in Germany. Remember the story of Hansel and Gretel, the wicked witch and that tempting sweet-and-spicy gingerbread house? The German authors of that fairy tale, brothers Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, started the fashion for gingerbread shapes decorated with icing in the early 1800s.
Preparation Time

60 – 180 minutes
Cooking Time

15 minutes
Makes

40
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Ingredients

* 100g butter
* 200g (1 cup, firmly packed) brown sugar
* 250ml (1 cup) treacle
* 2 eggs, lightly whisked
* 600g (4 cups) plain flour
* 150g (1 cup) self-raising flour
* 1 tbs ground ginger
* 1 tbs ground cinnamon
* 1 1/2 tsp ground cloves
* 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
* 2 egg whites
* 420g (2 2/3 cup) pure icing sugar
* 1 tsp fresh lemon juice

Method

1. Place the butter, sugar and treacle in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves. Set aside for 10 minutes to cool slightly.
2. Combine the butter mixture and egg in a large bowl. Sift the combined flour, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and bicarbonate of soda over the butter mixture. Stir until well combined. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead until smooth. Shape into a disc. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 1 hour to rest.
3. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line 2 baking trays with non-stick baking paper. Divide the dough into 2 even portions. Roll out 1 portion on a lightly floured surface until 5mm thick. Use a 12.5cm-long Christmas tree-shaped cutter to cut trees from the dough. Place on the lined trays. Bake for 5 minutes or until golden. Set aside on the trays for 5 minutes to cool before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough.
4. Place the egg whites in a bowl. Use a wooden spoon to lightly beat the egg whites until foamy. Sift icing sugar over the egg whites and stir until smooth. Add lemon juice and stir until well combined. Divide icing between a piping bag fitted with a 4mm plain nozzle and a piping bag fitted with a 4mm fluted nozzle, and pipe onto the biscuits to decorate. Set aside for 1 hour to set. Serve.

Source:taste.com

Ingredients

* 2/3 cup flaked almonds
* 250g unsalted butter, softened
* 2 1/2 cups pure icing sugar
* 1 egg yolk
* 1 tablespoon vanilla essence
* 2 tablespoons aniseed essence
* 2 1/4 cups self-raising flour
* 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Place almonds on 1 tray. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until golden. Set aside to cool. 2 Using an electric mixer, cream butter and 1/2 cup icing sugar until pale and creamy. Add egg yolk and beat until well combined. Add vanilla and aniseed essence.
2. Sift flour and baking powder together over butter mixture. Using hands, crumble toasted almonds over butter mixture. Stir until dough comes together. Knead gently. Flatten into a 10cm disc and wrap in greaseproof paper. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
3. Roll dough out until 15mm thick. Using a glass, cut crescent shapes from dough. Place on baking trays. Bake for 20 minutes or until light golden. Stand biscuits on trays for 5 minutes.
4. Roll warm biscuits in remaining icing sugar. Place on a wire rack to cool. Sift any remaining icing sugar over cooled biscuits. Serve.

Source:taste.com

Ingredients

* 1 cup caster sugar
* 1 egg, at room temperature
* 2 tablespoons golden syrup
* 2 teaspoons ground cardamom
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
* 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
* 250g butter, melted, cooled
* 3 1/2 cups plain flour

Method

1. Using an electric mixer, beat sugar, egg, golden syrup, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and bicarbonate of soda until pale and creamy. Slowly add butter, beating until just combined. Sift flour over spice mixture. Stir until dough comes together. Transfer to a lightly floured surface. Knead dough until smooth. Wrap in greaseproof paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until firm.
2. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line 2 flat baking trays with baking paper. Roll out dough between 2 sheets of baking paper until 5mm thick. Using a 6cm round fluted biscuit cutter, cut shapes out of dough (see hint). Press leftover dough together and repeat. Divide biscuits between baking trays.
3. Bake biscuits for 10 to 12 minutes, swapping trays after 6 minutes, or until light golden. Allow biscuits to cool on trays for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes & tips

* You can store these biscuits in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
* Dip the fluted biscuit cutter in flour before cutting each biscuit. This prevents dough from sticking to the cutter.

Source:taste.com

Ingredients

* 2 3/4 cups plain flour
* 1 cup pure icing sugar
* 125g butter, cubed, chilled
* 1 egg, at room temperature
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method

1. Place flour and 3/4 cup sugar in a food processor. Process for 30 seconds. Add butter. Process until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add egg and vanilla. Process until dough comes together. Transfer to a lightly floured surface. Knead dough until smooth. Press into a 20cm (diameter) disc. Wrap in greaseproof paper. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm.
2. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line 2 flat baking trays with baking paper. Roll out dough between 2 sheets of baking paper until 5mm thick. Using snowflake biscuit cutters, cut shapes out of dough. Place on trays. Press leftover dough together and repeat. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until firm.
3. Bake biscuits for 10 minutes, swapping trays after 5 minutes, or until light golden. Allow to cool on trays completely. Dust with remaining sugar just before serving.

Source:taste.com

Makes

1
Equipment

You will need: Base – Plywood, heavy platter or chopping board; Cardboard cut-outs – Two 13cm x 19cm rectangles (roof), Two 11.5cm x 16cm rectangles (side walls), Two 16cm x 19cm rectangles (front and back), each trimmed at 1 short end to form two 10cm-high gables; Decorations – Raffaello balls, white choc melts, white choc bits, Allens ABC jubes, red M&Ms or Smarties, red and white licorice bullets, red jelly beans, strawberry creams.
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Ingredients

* 3 1/2 cups self-raising flour
* 1 cup plain flour
* 1 tablespoon ground ginger
* 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
* 185g butter, chopped
* 1/2 cup golden syrup
* 2 eggs, lightly beaten
* 1/4 cup pure icing sugar
*
Royal icing
* 2 eggwhites, lightly beaten
* 3 cups pure icing sugar

Method

1. Combine flours, ginger, cinnamon, sugar and butter in a food processor. Process until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Whisk golden syrup and eggs together in a jug. With the motor running, add egg mixture and process until dough just comes together. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Knead gently until smooth. Cut dough in half and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or until well chilled.
2. Roll dough, 1 portion at a time, between 2 sheets baking paper until 5mm thick. Remove top layer baking paper. Using cardboard cut-outs as a guide, cut shapes from dough (see tip). Place gingerbread in a single layer on trays. Freeze for 15 minutes or until firm.
3. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line 4 baking trays with baking paper. Place gingerbread on trays. Bake, 2 trays at a time, for 15 minutes or until firm. Cool on trays.
4. Make royal icing: Using an electric mixer, beat eggwhites until soft peaks form. Gradually add icing sugar, beating constantly until thick.
5. Use icing to join walls together, placing unopened cans of food to support walls until icing dries. Use icing to attach roof to walls, using cans to support roof (to prevent it fom slipping off walls) until icing dries completely.
6. Spoon 1/2 cup remaining icing into a snap-lock bag. Trim 1 corner of bag and pipe windows and doors on house and frost on roof edges. Allow to dry. Spoon remaining icing into snap-lock bag. Pipe a little icing on the back of each lolly and attach to house to decorate. Dust roof with icing sugar.

Notes & tips

* This cute gingerbread house will keep for up to 1 week. Don’t forget it’s edible!
* Tip: Before cutting gingerbread to size, make a test run with cardboard cut-outs to ensure pieces will fit together.
Source:taste.com

Photography by Mark O’Meara

Delicate hazelnut-chocolate cake conceals a mascarpone and cream filling flavoured with vanilla seeds and Frangelico liqueur.
Preparation Time

40 – 160 minutes
Cooking Time

20 minutes
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Ingredients (serves 10)

* Melted butter, to grease
* 30g dark cooking chocolate, coarsely chopped
* 4 eggs
* 155g (3/4 cup) caster sugar
* 2 tbs warm water
* 1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
* 40g (1/2 cup) self-raising flour
* 1 tbs plain flour
* 40g (1/3 cup) hazelnut meal
* 5 tsp caster sugar, extra
* 1 x 250g ctn mascarpone
* 125ml (1/2 cup) thickened cream
* 2 tbs Frangelico liqueur
* 1 vanilla bean, split lengthways, seeds removed
* White chocolate leaves, to decorate (see notes)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush a 25 x 30cm (base measurement) Swiss roll pan with melted butter to grease. Line the base and 2 short sides with non-stick baking paper to reach about 7cm above the edge of the 2 short sides.
2. Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan half-filled with simmering water (make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water). Stir occasionally with a metal spoon until the chocolate melts and is smooth.
3. Use an electric beater to beat the eggs and sugar in a medium bowl for 10 minutes or until pale and creamy.
4. Stir the water and bicarbonate of soda into melted chocolate. Sift the combined flour over the egg mixture. Fold in the hazelnut meal and chocolate mixture with a metal spoon until well combined. Pour into the lined pan. Bake for 12 minutes or until firm and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
5. Meanwhile, place a 50 x 30cm sheet of non-stick baking paper on a flat surface. Sprinkle with 4 teaspoons of extra sugar. Use the overhanging paper to carefully turn the cake onto the sugar on the paper. Remove the top sheet of paper from the cake. Trim the crisp edges of the cake. Starting with the long side closest to you, and using the paper as a guide, roll up the cake. Wrap in baking paper. Place, seam-side down, on a tray and set aside for 1 hour to cool completely.
6. Beat the mascarpone, cream, Frangelico and vanilla seeds until firm peaks form. Carefully unroll the cake. Spread with mascarpone mixture. Roll up. Sprinkle with remaining sugar. Cover with baking paper. Place in an airtight container in fridge for 1 hour to chill. Top with white chocolate leaves to serve.

Notes & tips

* How to make chocolate leaves: Use a small paintbrush to brush melted white choc melts over the undersides of washed, dried organic rose leaves. Place, chocolate-side up, on a tray lined with non-stick baking paper in fridge until set. Repeat to add a second chocolate layer. Once set, test one by peeling off the leaf – if the chocolate breaks, add a third layer of chocolate to all the leaves. Carefully peel off leaves and discard. Dust lightly with cocoa powder, then brush off excess. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Use to decorate Buche de Noel.
* Time plan tip: Make this recipe up to 1 day ahead. Store in the fridge.

Source:taste.com

Photography by Steve Brown

Ingredients

* 250g butter, softened
* 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
* 1/2 cup caster sugar
* 2 cups plain flour, sifted
* 1/3 cup rice flour, sifted

Method

1. Preheat oven to 150°C. Grease two 4cm-deep, 20cm round cake pans. Line bases with baking paper. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, vanilla and 1/3 cup sugar in a small bowl until light and fluffy. Remove mixture to a large bowl. Stir in flours.
2. Turn mixture onto a floured surface. Knead until dough comes together. Divide dough in half. Roll 1 half of dough between 2 sheets of baking paper to form a 20cm round. Place round into prepared pan. Using the back of a spoon, level top. Using a small knife, score the surface into 8 portions (do not cut all the way through dough). Using a fork, press the edge of the dough to form a decorative pattern. Brush with a little water. Sprinkle with half of the remaining sugar. Repeat with remaining dough and sugar.
3. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until just firm but not browned. Remove from oven. Using a small knife, re-cut portions, being careful not to cut the whole way through. Cool shortbread in pans. Serve.

Notes & tips

* Make shortbread in a 20cm x 30cm (base) slice pan. Score shortbread into fingers before baking.
* Store shortbread in an airtight container in a cool, dark place for up to 5 days.
* Variation: To make spiced shortbread, add 2 teaspoons mixed spice with the flours at the end of step 1 of shortbread recipe.
* Nutrition information is per piece.

Source:taste.com

Ingredients (serves

* 2 1/2 cups (375g) plain flour
* 2 tsp baking powder
* 3/4 cup (165g) caster sugar
* 3/4 cup (90g) almond meal
* 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
* 100g chilled unsalted butter, chopped, plus extra melted butter to brush
* 125g cream cheese
* 1 egg, plus 1 extra yolk
* 1/2 cup (125ml) milk
* 2 tbs brandy
* 1/2 tsp each vanilla & almond extracts
* 1/2 cup (80g) sultanas
* 1/3 cup candied mixed peel
* 1 cup (160g) icing sugar, sifted
* 2 tbs chopped glace cherries
* 1 tbs silver cachous

Method

1. Briefly pulse flour, baking powder, caster sugar, meal, cardamom and 1/2 tsp salt in a processor to combine. Add butter and cheese and pulse until a sandy mixture. Add egg, yolk, milk, brandy, vanilla and almond extracts, and process to a dough, then turn out onto a floured bench. Scatter with sultanas and peel, then knead until incorporated and dough is smooth. Cover in plastic wrap. Chill for 15 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 180°C and line a baking tray. On a floured surface, roll dough to a 24cm x 36cm rectangle. With 1 long side facing you, fold one third of the dough away from you into the centre, then fold over again to make a long rectangle (about 12cm x 36cm). Place fold-side down on tray, brush with melted butter, then bake for 45 minutes or until slightly risen and golden, and a skewer inserted in centre comes out clean. Cool on a rack.
3. Meanwhile, gradually mix icing sugar with 2-3 tbs water to make a soft icing. Drizzle over cooled stollen, then sprinkle with cherries and cachous.

Source:taste.com