Cherry and Pistachio Biscotti

Ingredients
100g butter, chopped and softened
3 eggs
2 tsp mixed peel
100g glace cherries, chopped
3/4 cup self raising flour
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 caster sugar
1/2 cup pistachio

1. Cream butter and sugar, add in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

2. Add in mixed peel and nutmeg, mix well.

3. Stir in flours and nuts, mix well.

4. Fold in the cherries.

5. Refriderate dough for 1 hour.

6. Pre heat oven to 180 degrees.

7. Take a greased/lined tray. Halve the dough and shape each halve into 1 inch high logs. (This is easier if you shape the logs directly onto the tray)

8. Bake for 20mins or until lightly brown and firm. Remove from oven and stand for 10mins.

9. Using a serated knife cut the logs into 1cm pieces wide. Place slices onto an oven tray.

10. Bake in a low oven (approx. 125 degrees) for 40mins, turning the slices every 10mins, or until dry and crisp.

Pumpkin, Fetta and Pear Salad

Ingredients
1 small pear (firm to touch)
500g butternut pumpkin
Fetta cheese (to taste)
Baby spinach
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar

1. Pre-heat a 180 degree oven.

2. Cut pumpkin into small wedges, leaving skin on, slightly brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for approximately 30mins or until tender. Leave to cool.

3. Quarter and thinly slice the pear.

4. Cut the fetta into 1cm cubes.

5. Slice the pumpkin flesh off the skin.

6. Toss all the pumpkin, pear, fetta and baby spinach together. Dress with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Black Forest Trifle

A different take on the traditional trifle, this is a quick and easy recipe. Depending on taste and the size of the serving bowl, more cream, custard and cake maybe required.



Ingredients
1 chocolate sponge cake (see recipes on this site), sliced in half horizontally
300ml thicken cream
300ml pouring custard
1 pkg frozen cherries (defrosted and quartered)
1 pkg port wine jelly mixture

1. Make jelly following instructions on the package. (The jelly needs to be made first as it will take 2-3 hrs to set). When set, break up the jelly with a fork.

2. Beat cream until thick and fold in cherries.

To assemble trifle:
3. Layer sponge cake to cover the bottom of the bowl.

4. Pour in half the custard to evenly cover the sponge layer. Sprinkle half the jelly over the custard, then half the cream mixture to cover the entrie layer.

5. Layer again with the remaining sponge cake, the repeat the custard, jelly (reserving a little for decoration) and cream layer.

6. To decorate, sprinkle the outer circumference with remaining jelly and the centre with shaved dark chocolate.

Chocolate Sponge Cake

This cake doesn't rise, so don't be alarmed when cooked and its butter free.

Ingredients
4 egg whites
2 egg yolks
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1/3 cup caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup plain flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder

1. Line a cake pan and pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees.

2. In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks with the vanilla until combined. Set aside.

3. Place egg whites and cream of tartar in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until foamy. Gradually beat in the sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Then beat in the egg yolk mixture until combined - be careful not to over mix at this stage.

4. Sift flour and cocoa powder and fold lightly into the egg mixture.

5. Bake in a 180 degree oven for 10-15mins or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Turn onto cake rack to cool.