Belgium Bars

Recipe from 100 Favourite Cakes and Slices
Images by Tammy

This is a delicious slice/bar to eat with friends for afternoon tea. I have passed this recipe on to many of my friends and they have all loved it and found it truely addictive! It is a very sweet slice and I have always found it to taste similarly to gingerbread, but maybe that is just me. You'll have to try it and tell me what you think!

Ingredients:
Base:

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 200g softened butter
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp mixed spice
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 2 cups plain flour

Filling:

• approx. 1/2 cup jam (of your choice)

Icing:

• 2 cups sifted icing sugar
• 25g softened butter
• approx. 3 tblsp lemon juice or water
• red jelly crystals or coloured sugar

Method:
Grease or line with baking paper a large baking tin. For base, measure the brown sugar, softened butter and egg into a large bowl or food processor. Mix well, then add all the dry ingredients except for the flour. Mix again then add and mix in half the flour. Add the remaining flour and mix well. Divide dough into 2 parts, refridgerate in a plastic bag until firm enough to roll. Roll each half out to fit your pan (if you like, work the dough between sheets of floured waxed paper or plastic to prevent sticking).

Place the first sheet in the prepared baking pan and neaten the edges. Spread it with a thin layer of jam, then cover with the second sheet of dough. Prick in a few places.

Bake for 20-30 minutes until the centre is firm when gently pressed. Cool, ice as below and cut into bars.

For icing (if desired), mix icing sugar, butter and enough lemon juice or water to make it fairly soft. Spread evenly over the cooked mixture. If you like, sprinkle a few jelly crystals (or some coloured sugar) on the icing in rows.

Honey Joys

Recipe by Yasmin
Image by 'Grub'

Honey Joys are another simple and quick beginner recipe. I thought it important recently to go back to the basics and explain the simplistics before posting complicated (for me anyway!) recipes. If you have young children, they will enjoy this sweet treat.

Ingredients:

• 85g butter
• 85g white granulated sugar
• 30g honey
• 140g cornflakes

Method:
Preheat oven to 150'C fan-forced. Line a 24 hole patty pan tray with paper cases and spray with canola oil. Melt butter, sugar and honey over low heat together in a large saucepan until frothy. Add corn flakes and stir through quickly to coat evenly. Working quickly, spoon into paper patty cases. Bake for 10 minutes. Let it cool completely before serving.

Raisin or Date Loaf

Recipe and Photo by Yasmin

This is a really yummy and moist loaf for breakfast, morning tea, afternoon tea or supper. We had left over cream cheese icing which we used up on this cake, but I usually have it plain with a bit of margarine on the side, heated. It is delicious when it is hot and has melted butter on it!!! Lovely on a winter's morning!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup raisins or pitted dates
• 1 cup cold water
• 1 tsp bi-carb soda
• pinch salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp butter
• 2 cups self raising flour
• 1 egg, beaten

Method:
Put dates, sugar, water, butter and soda into a saucepan and leave on stove until butter melts. Cool. Mix flour and salt in a bowl, add egg. Mix in other ingredients. Bake in moderate oven for 30 minutes. When cool ice with cream cheese icing (optional) or serve plain, heated and with 1tsp of margarine or butter on one side.

Lemon Cheesecake

Recipe and Photos by Yasmin

Today I felt like being distracted from my assignments and exams so I decided to bake a cheesecake, just because I could! Then I discovered halfway through that I did have an occasion; a friend was coming over! So it all worked out in the end! It was my best cheesecake yet! It is presented a little differently with the base, but it still tastes delicious; the best part about this base is that you don't need a cheesecake tin! Enjoy!

Ingredients:
For Pastry:

• 100g chilled butter
• 1 1/2 cups plain flour
• Zest of half a lemon
• 50g icing sugar
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2 tblsp chilled water

For filling:

• Zest of half a lemon
• 300g cream cheese, softened
• 2/3 cup caster sugar
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten (room temperature)
• 3-4 tblsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• fresh fruit, to decorate

Method:
For pastry: Using a food processor, pulse butter and flour until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add lemon zest and icing sugar, pulse for 1 minute. Combine the egg and water in a separate container. With motor running, slowly pour water mixture into the food processor. The mixture should stick together making dough. Remove. Roll into a ball in glad wrap. Chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven 220'C. Prepare an oven proof dish. On a flowered board, roll out pastry to fit the cooking dish. Blind-bake for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and reduce temperature 180'C.

For filling: Beat zest of half a lemon, cream cheese and sugar together in a food processor. With motor running, slowly pour in the eggs, lemon juice and vanilla. Check that the consistency is smooth and not too liquidly. Pour mixture into blind baked base. Bake for 20-25 minutes until lightly brown on top. Refrigerate and decorate with berries. Serve with ice-cream.

Coffee Loaf/ Cake

Recipe from NMAA Cooks
Images by Yasmin

This is just another version of the simplicity cake I have made; coffee cake. I hate coffee, but I love tea with a slice of coffee cake or loaf. It is heavenly and enough of a pick-me-up to get me through the day. It is so simple and quick to make, no effort or energy required for those of you who need three cups of coffee a day! Wake up everyone to this great idea!

Ingredients:

• 2 tblsp margarine or butter
• 1 cup self-raising flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp vanilla flavouring
• 3 1/2 tsp of instant coffee dissolved in 3 tblsp of boiling water, cooled

Method:
Grease cake tin. Heat oven to 180'C fan-forced. Melt butter. Beat in other ingredients. Put in tin. Bake for 30 minutes or until a skewer can be inserted and come out clean. Serve with coffee or tea.