Sticky Date Pudding

PUDDING
SAUCE

Dates – stoned and chopped 170gms

Bicarbonate of soda 1 teaspoon

Boiling water 300ml

Butter - unsalted 60gms

Sugar - castor or brown ¾ cups

Eggs 2

Gluten free Flour – self raising 170gms

Pure vanilla ½ teaspoon

Brown sugar 400gms

Thick coconut cream 1 cup

Butter - unsalted 250gms

Vanilla bean 1

Preheat oven to 180C and butter an 18cm square cake tin.

Mix dates, bicarbonate of soda and boiling water in bowl and leave stand.

Cream butter and sugar, add eggs one at a time and beat well.

Fold in flour, then stir in date mixture and vanilla.

Pour into prepared tin and bake for 30 – 40 minutes until cooked through when tested with a

skewer.

To make sauce mix all ingredients in a sauce pan and simmer for 5 minutes.

Pour a little sauce over warm pudding and return to oven for a few minutes..

Cut pudding and serve with warm sauce.

Coconut and Pineapple Pie

Maggie beer’s gluten free pastry

1 cup water

2 tspn salt

90g unsalted butter chopped and kept cold

150g gluten free flour Plus 1/2 cup extra for kneeding

2g xanthan gum

2 free range eggs

Preheat oven to 200C

In a heavy based saucepan combine the water, salt and butter.

Bring to a simmer and add the flour and Xanthan gum. Stir vigorously with a wooden spoon. Lower temperature and continue to cook until pastry comes away from the sides and is well combined. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

Whisk the eggs to combine and add half the egg mixture slowly, incorporating fully before adding the final half. If the mixture is a dough texture when you add in the first half, you may not need to rest of the eggs mixture.

Turn out onto a surface on which you have placed a further ½ cup gluten free flour and knead until shiny. Try to incorporate as little flour as possible so the pastry does not go crumbly.

Chill pastry then using a rolling pin roll the pastry between two pieces of baking paper greased on both sides.  Roll to half a centimetre thick and place in pie tins.

For the Filling

1/2 cup (85 grams) diced fresh pineapple or canned, drained
7 Tablespoons (3 1/2 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 1/2 cups (200 grams) sweetened shredded coconut, chopped
2 extra large eggs
Pinch of kosher salt
1 Tablespoon Rum, light or dark (optional)

Scatter the pineapple pieces over the bottom of the tart shell, generously pressing them into the dough. Transfer the tart onto a rimmed baking sheet and place in the freezer for 15 minutes.  

For the Filling

Preheat the oven to 180º c

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until well blended, about 1 minute.  Beat in the coconut and then the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Add the salt and rum and beat until blended.  Remove the tart from the freezer and spread the filling evenly over the pineapple.

Bake the tart for 50-55 minutes until the top is deep golden brown and the center of the tart is set.  Cool the tart completely on a wire rack.  

Source: Adapted from Simply Sensational Desserts by François Payard

Choc-chip Oatmeal Cookies

INGREDIENTS 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats (do not use instant or quick oats) 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup  unsalted butter, room temperature 1/2 cup caster sugar 1/2 cup (packed) dark brown sugar 2 large eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 12-ounce package dark chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.  Butter 3 large (16 by 14-inch) nonstick baking sheets. Place oats and 1/2 cup flour in processor; blend until oats are almost ground, about 10 seconds. Transfer oat mixture to medium bowl. Mix in remaining 1 cup flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Using electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat butter in large bowl until light, about 1 minute. Add both sugars and beat until well blended, about 1 minute. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until well blended, about 1 minute. On low speed, beat in dry ingredients just until blended (do not over beat). Stir in chocolate chips. Drop batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto prepared sheets, spacing evenly apart and forming 6 mounds per sheet. Bake cookies 8 minutes. Reverse cookie sheets and continue baking until golden brown, about 8 minutes longer. Cool cookies on sheets for 5 minutes. Using metal spatula, transfer cookies to racks and cool completely.

Blueberry Pie

Maggie Beer’s Sour cream Pastry

125ml sour cream

250g plain flour

200g unsalted butter chilled

To make the pastry, dice the butter, then pulse with the flour in a food processor until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

Add the sour cream and continue to pulse until the dough starts to incorporate into a ball.

Wrap the dough in plastic film and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Roll the chilled pastry out until 3 mm thick and cut to suit.

Cover pastry with baking paper, weight with rice, beans or pie weights and blind bake for 20 minutes. Set aside while you make the filling. 

1. 
   
   
   
   
   Filling
   
   
   1/4 cup sugar
   3 tablespoons cornstarch
   1/4 teaspoon salt
   1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
   4 cups fresh blueberries
   In a pan over a low heat mix sugar, corn-starch, salt, cinnamon, and blueberries, until thickened then spoon into prepared pie crust. Top with remaining pastry and brush with milk or egg whites. Bake at 180C for 30 minutes or until golden brown.