No Bake Lemon Cheesecake

Ingredients
200g amaretti biscuits (if unavailable, use plain digestive biscuits)
100g Butter
225g cream cheese
500ml double cream, whipped to soft peaks
1 lemon, grated zest and juice only
50g caster sugar
5 tbsp lemon curd
100g white chocolate, melted

1. Line the bottom of a round spring form cake tin with baking paper.

2. Crush the biscuits and put into a mixing bowl. Melt the butter over a low heat and stir into the biscuit crumbs until well combined. Press the biscuit mixture into the base of the lined rings and put in the fridge to set.

3. Put the cream cheese into a large bowl and beat it until soft and smooth. Combine lemon juice, zest and sugar into a small bowl. Add the lemon mixture to the cheese and beat until smooth.

4. Add a little of the beaten cream to the lemon mixture, mix well. Add the remaining cream, 3 tbsp of lemon curd and fold.

5. Spread this mixture over the biscuit crumb base. Dollop the remaining lemon curd on top and using a knife, swirl the curd to create a marbling effect.

6. Leave to set in the freezer (don’t worry, it won’t freeze) for a few hours.

7. Carefully take the cake out of the tin. You might need to run a warm cloth around the tin to get the cake out. Cut grease proof paper according to the height of the cake. With a knife, spread a layer of melted white chocolate onto strips of grease proof paper. Wrap this around the edge of the cake, chocolate side on the cake. Return to the freezer.

8. To serve. Remove the grease proof paper to reveal a wall of chocolate around the cake. Store cake in the freezer.

Chestnut Cake

This cake is made with sweeten chestnut puree. If using unsweeten chestnut puree, use 150g caster sugar instead.

Ingredients
1 jar Bonne Maman chestnut cream (avilable at DJs)
25g butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla essence
3 eggs, separated
50g caster sugar
25g self-raising flour

1. Preheat a fan forced oven to 180°C. Line a 20cm diameter cake tin with greaseproof paper.

2. Put the chestnut purée into a small pan and warm gently over a very low heat for 5 minutes. Beat in the butter, then add the vanilla essence.

3. Whisk the egg whites until stiff. Set aside. Whisk the yolks until they begin to lighten in colour then gradually add the sugar, whisking until the mixture is thick and white.

4. Fold the chestnut purée mixture into the yolk mixture, then sieve in the self-raising flour and fold in. Finally, fold in the whisked egg whites.

5. Tip the mixture into the tin, smooth the top, and bake for 35-40 minutes until firm and set. Leave to cool completely in the tin. The cake will sink a little.

Lemon Cupcakes

This recipe is taken from Gourmet Traveller with a few modifications.

Ingredients
150g unsalted butter, at room temperature and chopped
225g caster sugar
1 tbsp lemon zest
4 eggs
250g self raising flour
100ml lemon juice

1. Pre-heat oven to 175 degrees.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat butter and caster sugar until pale. Add lemon zest and beat in eggs, one at a time, until smooth.
3. Sift in self raising flour and add lemon juice. Mix until combined.
4. Spoon the batter into cupcake liners and bake for approx 30 mins or until top becomes golden. Cool and top with runny icing.

Golden Runny Icing
1 tbsp mixed peel
2 tbsp hot water
6 tbsp icing sugar

1. Infuse the mixed peel in the hot water. Stand for 30 mins. Strain and keep the liquid.
2. Mix the liquid with icing sugar to form a runny consistency. If desired, add in 1/4 tsp edible gold dusting powder to add some shimmer.
3. Spoon 1 tsp onto each of the cupcakes.

Patra Ni Machchi (Fish Steamed in Banana Leaves)

This recipe is taken from Ajoy Joshi, from the Sydney Seafood School at the Fish Markets.

Ingredients
1 coconut, grated
3 medium green chillies, stem removed
3 small green chillies, stem removed
1/2 bunch coriander, leaves and stem chopped
1/2 mint, leaves and stem chopped
2.5cm piece ginger
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp powdered turmeric
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 limes, juiced
1 pinch salt
1/4 tsp white sugar
3 tbsp vegetable oil
4 medium sized banana leaves
6 x 180g bream, snapper, barramundi or flathead fillets (skin off)
6 lemon wedges, to serve

1. Combine coconut, chillies, coriander, mint, ginger, garlic, turmeric, cumin, lime juice, salt, sugar and oil in a food processor. Process until thick.
2. Cut the banana leaves into large pieces, removing the central stem.
3. Spread the coconut mixture on the fish and place each fillet on a banana leaf.
4. Wrap each fillet in the leaf to form a parcel and secure firmly with a toothpicks.
5. Place the parcel in a large steamer and steam for 15-20 mins or until banana leaf starts to darken and gives off a little moisture.
6. Serve with lemon wedges.

Verra Varuval (Pepper Prawns)

This recipe is taken from Ajoy Joshi, from the Sydney Seafood School at the Fish Markets.

Ingredients
18 medium green prawns, peeled and deveined
2 tbsp vegetable oil
6 lemon wedges

Marinade
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp freshly ground black peppercorns
1/2 tsp powdered turmeric
1/2 tsp medium-strength chilli powder
1 1/2 tbsp ground coriander seed
2 tsp tamarind paste
1 spring curry leaves, torn
1 tbsp grated ginger
1 tbsp crushed garlic

Mint and Coriander Chutney

1 bunch mint, leaves only
1 bunch coriander, leaves only
1 medium size green chilli, stem removed (can remove seeds and membrane if you want it really mild)
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup plain yogurt
salt, to taste

To make the chutney: combine all the ingredients in a food processor until a smooth paste forms.

1. Combine marinade ingredients and marinate the prawns for 5 mins.
2. Heat oil in a pan. Toss the prawns in until they change colour.
3. Serve with Mint and Coriander Chutney and lemon wedges.

Chocolate Gingerbread Cookies

I did steal this recipe from Martha Stewart but have modified several ingredients.

Ingredients

1 cup roughly chopped dark chocolate
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 tbsp cocoa powder
150g butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup treacle
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp hot water

1. Combine flour, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and cocoa powder. Set aside.
2. Beat butter and ginger until pale. Add brown sugar, beat until combined. Add treacle, beat until combined.
3. Dissolve baking powder into the water (the mixture will fizz slightly).
4. Mix half the combined dry ingredients into the butter. Mix in baking powder and the remaining dry ingredients into the batter. Mix in chocolate. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
5. Pre-heat oven to 165 degrees. Spoon 1 tsp of the dough and use your hands to roll into a ball. Bake for 10 - 12mins. Once baked, use the back of the teaspoon and press gently into the center of the cookie to make an indentation. The cookie should be soft enough to do this and the edges might crack slightly.

Choux Pastry for Profiteroles, Cream Puffs and Eclairs

Ingredients

240ml milk
240ml water
220g butter
½ tsp sugar
½ tsp salt
340g bread flour or plain flour
310g eggs or 9 large eggs

1. Line a baking tray with grease proof paper and pre heat the oven to 200 degrees.
2. In a large saucepan bring the milk, water, butter, sugar and salt to the boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.
3. Remove from heat, add the flour all at once and stir vigorously to combine. Return the pan to medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan, about 3 minutes.
4. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat briefly on medium speed with a paddle attachment. Add the eggs, 2 at a time, beating until smooth after each addition.
Or
5. If you don’t have a mixer, then prepare to put in some elbow grease like I did. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and beat for several minutes until it has cool slightly. Then add in the eggs, 2 at a time and beat until the mixture is smooth. As you mix the eggs, the mixture will look lumpy and it will separate. Don’t worry, just keep on mixing – fast! By now your arm should feel like its going to fall off – it’s a good thing, just think of it as exercise. The mixture will get thicker and thicker as you add the eggs and your arm will get sorer and sorer.
6. When ready, the mixture should be thick, sticky and pale yellow in colour (like thick custard). You can either use a piping bag or use a tablespoon to shape the mixture for baking.
7. Bake in a 200 degrees oven until it starts to puff and colour, then reduce the temperature to 160 degrees and cook until brown and there are no droplets of water on the pastry. The pastry should be completely dry. This should take around 25mins.
8. Cool on a rack and cut a small slot into the pastry and pipe in the filling.

Chocolate Cream
Thicken cream, beaten until thick
Cocoa powder to taste
Icing sugar to taste
¼ block dark chocolate, finely grated

After mixing the cocoa powder and icing sugar into the cream, fold in the grated chocolate.

Black Sesame Cream
Thicken cream, beaten until thick
3 tbsp black sesame
Icing sugar to taste

Toast the sesame and finely ground it in a mortar and pestle. If you don’t have a mortar and pestle like me, use the end of a rolling pin and a small deep bowl (eg. an individual soufflé dish). Mix all the ingredients together.

Spiced Orange Cream
Thicken cream, beaten until thick
2 tbsp mixed peel, chopped finely
3 tsp runny honey
¼ tsp cinnamon
Pinch of ground nutmeg
Pinch of ground cloves

Mix all the ingredients together.