Tray Bakes and Other

I'm sure this is a dish and range of recipes that you have never heard of before. Enjoy the experiment!


Microwave Caramel Self Sauce Pudding

Recipe from Super Food Ideas
Photo by Yasmin

I'm sorry that I have not been able to post any of the recipes I have listed in the 'Soon to come' column. I have had this recipe and photos ready to post since Mother's Day; however, have not had the time to post it. My mother enjoyed her first of two desserts I prepared for her, the second, Lemon Meringue Pie, will be posted shortly. I have just been sooo busy with one million and one things to do, I'm sure you all know the feeling. If you are in that stressed and hectic situation, I recommend that you be naughty and eat some of this delicious comfort food. This self-sauce pudding takes less that 17 minutes to prepare and cook, and it is absolutely fabulous! It can be made with or without the nuts, I prefer without. This pudding is perfect for a truely naughty afternoon tea or dessert, especially in the now cooler months when you need that bit of warmth. I'm telling you now, this hits the spot. I also appologise for the unprofessional photograph of this pudding, I was craving food and comfort, so I just took one quick photo, which wasn't very neat.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup self raising flour
• 1 1/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar
• 60g butter, melted
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup chopped pecan nuts (optional)
• 1 cup boiling water
• icing sugar and ice cream, to serve

Varitations: Replace pecans with chopped hazelnuts, almonds or macadamia nuts.

Method:
Grease a 6cm deep, 6 cup capacity, heatproof, microwave safe dish. Combine flour and 1/2 cup sugar in bowl. Make a well in the centre. Add butter, milk and egg. Whisk to combine. Stir in pecans. Spoon mixture into prepared dish. Smooth top. Combine boiling water and remaining sugar in a heatproof jug. Stir until sugar has dissolved. Pour mixture over the back of a large metal spoon to evenly cover pudding batter.

Place dish on a microwave safe rack or upturned dinner plate. Cook, uncovered, on Medium (50%), for 9-10 minutes or until the pudding comes out clean. Carefully remove from microwave. Stand for 1 minute. Dust with icing sugar. Serve with ice cream.




Scrolls

Recipe and photos by Yasmin

Scrolls is a brilliant invention. It is the simplest of recipes; needing only two ingredients and a constant ratio of 1:2 - 1cup of buttermilk to 2cups of Self Raising Flour. From this you can be as creative or subtle as intented; however, the result is undyingly satisfying. I have made this snack or lunch many times before today, yet today is somewhat special because I am sharing a memorable cooking experience with a longtime friend. A caring primary school friend visited and we prepared this dish, alongside many others, as we prepared a feast to celebrate the end of Lenten fasting. As a beginner we made scrolls, followed by the main meal of Chicken and Corn Pie, and finishing with afternoon tea of Apple and Cinnamon Cake and lastly dessert being Incredible Pie. This was a VERY filling and enjoyable experience - as every cooking session should be. I regard my kitchen and cookbook as an old friend as I embrace the task ahead, rather than some people today who believe cooking is a burden and a nuisance. I hope you enjoy the first of many recipes being posted after my Lenten break. It is both sweet and savoury - a perfect balance to start.

Ingredients:

• Buttermilk (a carton)
• Self Raising Flour
• Fillings of choice

Filling Combinations:
Sweet:

• Plum Jam, shredded coconut, shredded apple and sultanas (as featured in photo)
• Shredded apple, cinnamon and sugar
• Nutella and choc chips
• Apricot jam, diced apricots and shredded coconut
• Strawberry Jam and mixed dried fruit
• White chocolate and passionfruit pulp
• Honey and sliced banana

Savoury:

• Vegimite and cheese
• Shredded ham, cheese and pineapple
• Salami, ham and cheese
• Semi-dried tomatoes, low fat feta cheese, ham, salami and cheese

Method:
In a bowl, combine 1 cup of buttermilk and 2 cups of flour with a fork until a soft dough forms. Flour a mat and rolling pin and roll out the dough until 1-2cm thick. Spread with a filling of your choice, sweet or savoury. Pick up pastry from one end and roll it up to the other (as shown in the photo above). Once the dough is now one big scroll, use a sharp knife to cut the scroll into 2-3cm slices. Place these lying flat on a non-stick baking tray as you cut (as shown in the photo below). Cook in an oven at 180'C fan-forced 4 for 20-25 minutes. Once cooled a little, serve.

This process can be repeated until all of the buttermilk is used. It makes approximately 2 1/2 batches. For the half batch make sure the measurements maintain that ratio of 1:2, in this case it will be 1/2:1. If you don't simplify the ratio evenly, then the dough will either be too sloppy or too hard.



Orange Cake Bites

Recipe and Images by Yasmin

I was so excited about preparing this sweet snack because I invented the recipe. What gave me this idea was founded by my mother for two reasons. One, I was originally baking a cake for her birthday and it turned out as a flop - but it still tasted fantastic, too good to waste. Which leads to reason number two, I saved the cakes and turned them into little balls of goodness, as my mother suggested. To do this I gathered a basic idea for additional ingredients from an ancient and falling apart cookbook (which is no longer in print!), called Nmaa Cooks.

This recipe was an experiment but turned out to be a success! Remember that you can always salvage previous errors in cooking, the bin doesn't need to be fed!! Another example of a way to salvage this cake catastrophy would be to make a triffel, but if you decide to do this be sure that the cake is spongy enough and not a complete flop (like mine!). I encourage everyone to have a go and see what you can do with a bit of a mess, have fun! HINT: Make sure with this recipe that the mixture isn't sloppy or too moist, otherwise it will fall apart. If it is too moist then simply add more almond meal or, if none is left, and enough quick cook oats and oatbran to allow the mixture to stick firmly together.

Ingredients:

For cake pieces:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups white sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 cups plain flour
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup milk 

For snack mixture:

• 470g orange cake (made from ingredients above and method below)
• 100g sugar
• 115g almond meal (more if needed)
• 2 tblsps hot apricot jam
• 1-2 tblsps orange juice
• rind of half an orange
• desicated coconut, to coat
• oatbran and/or quick cook oats (if needed to combine mixture)

Method:

For Cake: cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy, in a large glass bowl. Slowly add whole eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one. Stir in vanilla extract. In another bowl, mix flour with baking powder, and salt. Add flour mixture to the creamed ingredients, while alternatively adding milk. Grease and flour two round cake tins and evenly divide mixture between both. Cook in an oven at 180'C fan-forced for 20-30 minutes (longer if needed). Remove from oven and turn onto wired racks to cool. Then refridgerate for at least one day.

For snack mixture: Use hands to crumble cake mixture into a big bowl, until it looks like bread crumbs. Using a wooden spoon, combine sugar, almond meal and orange rind to the cake. Stir in jam and juice until thoroughly combined. At this stage if mixture is too sloppy or moist add as much oatbran and quick cooking oats as required, until firm. In spoon fulls, roll mixture into balls and then roll in desicated coconut to coat. Place balls into a tupperwear container and refrigerate for 24hrs until hardened.

Dutch Pancakes

Original recipe from NMAA Cooks, modified by Yasmin

Image by Yasmin

I have my moments on some mornings were I crave for sweetness. My solution.... Dutch Pancakes. A Dutch Pancake is very similar to the average packet mix pancake except it has added goodness; fruit. My favourite combination for these pancakes is shredded apple dusted with cinnamon. However, any combination of fruit and seasoning can be created, depending on what is available at the time and your craving. For another example, try sultanas, shredded apple and jam, or diced dried apricots and coconut. The possibilities are endless!



Ingredients:

•  125g plain flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 egg + yolk extra
• 250ml milk
• 50ml water
• 1 tblsp melted butter
• canola spray

Method:
Sift flour and salt, make a well in the middle, and break in the egg and yolk and stir. Add milk and water gradually and stir until smooth. Stand for 1 hour, then add melted butter. If desired, add a fruit and seasoning combination (some are suggested above). Stir slowly until mixed through. Heat frying pan and when hot spray with canola oil. Pour pancake batter onto the middle of the pan to the desired size (remembering that it will spread). Cook until bubbles form around most of the pancake. Using a spatula, flip the pancake onto the other side for only a few minutes. Then, using the spatula, transfer to a plate. Repeat the cooking process until all the batter has been used (stacking the pancakes). If desired, reheat in the oven for a few minutes at 180'C. Serve plain, with ice-cream dusted with cinnamon, or one of the suggestions below (if fruit has not already been added into batter).


Topping suggestions:

• sugar coated with lemon juice
• Ricotta cheese, sugar, cinnamon, sultanas
• Berry jam with cream
• 250g fuit mince softened in 1 tblsp brandy
• 125g cream cheese, 2 tsp lemon juice, 4 tblsp chopped walnuts
• chocolate sauce
• honey or golden syrup
• nutella spread

Egg Decorating

Everybody tries to 'jazz up' ones meal and make it look appealing, but has anyone thought of decorating it for entertainment? At school, egg decorating and cake decorating (as you can see on the 'designer cakes for parties' page) is a fun way to be creative with food. Once a year our school holds a day for us to be creative and have fun, it is called 'Cultural Festival'. On this day we all enter different competitions, such as singing, playing an instrument, egg decorating, cake decorating, comedy, pavement art and the list continues. Below are some of my sister's and my previous entries for the egg decorating competition, some of them even won places! (I shall post the others once the photos have been relocated!) 


To decorate an egg you can cheat and hard boil it, or follow the traditional method of 'blowing' the egg. This means you use a skewer to gently make a hole at both ends of the egg, then you blow in one end (really hard) to make the yolk and whites come out the other (make the bottom hole bigger). This takes some time and a lot of effort. I guarantee once the egg is hollow, you will be light headed!! Then sit it in an egg cup to drain and dry. Once dry, decorate accordingly to your theme. Then try and think of a name that can use egg- instead of ex- such as egg-cellent. This way it is much more entertaining! Enjoy!

'Egg-austed'

(notice the egg-person sleeping upstairs while the party is happening downstairs!)

By Yasmin

'Cultural Diversity'

By Camilla

Lemon Poppy Seed Tray Bake

Recipe from Cake Bible
Images by Yasmin

I wouldn't call this recipe a slice because it isn't the same texture. A tray bake is a mixture between a slice and a cake. It is laid out in the format of a slice, however, is fluffy and spongy like a cake. With the right combination of complimenting flavours, this is a dish format that anyone would have seconds. It can be served as a dessert with a syrup or can be snacked on with/without the syrup, hot or cold (I prefer cold). Either way this type of dish is delicious, especially lemon and poppy seed flavoured!

Ingredients:

For tray bake:

• 120g softened butter
• 120g castor sugar
• 175g SR flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• finely grated zest 1 lemon 
• 1 tblsp popp seeds
• 2 tblsp milk
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten

For syrup:

• 100g cator sugar, dissolved in the juice of 1 lemon

Method:

Preheat oven to 180'C fan-forced. Prepare a rectangular cooking dish. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Sift the flour and baking powder together in a separate bowl. Fold into butter mixture. Add lemon zest, poppy seeds, milk and eggs. Mix to a smooth batter. Pour into prepared dish. Smooth the top. Bake for 20 -25 minutes or until the cake is golden brown. It should pull away from the sides of the pan. Brush some of the lemon syrup over the tray bake. Allow to cool a little. Turn out onto a rack to cool completely. Cut into long rectangles. Serve with syrup.

Old-Fashioned Gingerbread

Recipe from Cake Bible

Images by Yasmin

This too is neither a cake, slice or even tray bake - it is something in between. This traditional gingerbread texture is more similer to a tray bake then anyother type of dish. It isn't the same as ginger bread biscuits however, it is fantastic all the same.

 Ingredients:

• 225g softened butter
• 1 cup castor sugar
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup treacle
• 1 cup milk
• 3 cups plain flour
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp grated nutmeg
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp bi-carb soda

Method:

Preheat oven to 160'C fan-forced. Lightly grease a 23cm square cake tin and line the base with non-stick baking paper.

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Slowly add the eggs until well combined. Heat treacle and milk in a saucepan. Remove and cool a little before stirring into the egg - and - butter mixture. Sift the flour, spices and bi-carb soda together in a separate bowl. Fold into the wet ingredients.

Spoon the cake batter into prepared tin and bake for 60 minutes or until cooked through.

Cool in the tin before turning the cake out onto a rack to cool completely.

Lemon Curd Meringues

Recipe and Image from Coles

(serves 6)

These are beautiful little moments of joy! Not much more can be said but YUM! NOTE: bought mini meringues can be used instead of prepareing them yourself, this saves time and effort if in a hurry.

Ingredients:

• 2 egg whites
• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 1/2 cup cream, whipped
• 1/4 cup lemon curd
• 6 fresh strawberries, sliced

Method:
Preheat oven to 100'C fan-forced. Line a large baking tray with non-stick baking paper (oil the tray to hold the paper in place when you spread the meringue). Beat egg whites in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Add sugar a little at a time, beating well after each addition, until mixture is thick and glossy. Make 6 mounds of meringue on the prepared tray, leaving room between them for spreading. Use the back of a spoon to shape the 8cm mounds, and indent the centre. Bake meringues for 1 1/2 hours. Turn off the oven and leave to cool completely with the door ajar. To serve, gently fold together cream and lemon curd. Spoon into the cooled meringues and top with strawberry slices.




Banana Bread

Recipe and Images from Yasmin

This bread is something that I look forward to in the mornings. I will wake up and have two slices of banana bread for breakfast. It is truly something delicious and simple. In my experience it tastes best with margarine spread over one side and then heated for 30 seconds in the microwave. It tastes really nice heated and in the morning. I usually make it the night before and serve it in the morning. Another tip which makes this recipe really useful is that the bananas can be used (and is preferably used) when they are really ripened. This means that the bananas are bad to eat, they are all bruised and squishy - perfect for making banana bread. Banana bread is a simple and convenient way to use bananas that have not been eaten when they are most fresh.

Ingredients:

• 125g butter
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 3 ripe bananas, mashed
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp bi-carb soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 egg

Method:
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and bananas. Sift in dry ingredients and stir into mixture. Bake at moderate temperature (150'C fan-forced) in loaf tin for 45-60 minutes (it is better to cook for a longer time at a lower temperature).



Dried Fruit Balls

Recipe from Great Aunt Marie
Image by Ifood

(makes about 35)

I'm sure everyone is well educated in the many variations of the classic Rum Balls. This is a very old and much healthier varitation given to me by my Great Aunt Marie. Although I do love the classic, this recipe has a naturally sweet and scrumptious twist. These are perfect for something to nibble with a cup of tea.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dried fruit medley (apples, apricots, sultanas)
• 3/4 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup dates, chopped
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1 cup skim milk powder
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts
• 1/2 cup desicated coconut

Method:
Combine dried fruit medley, raisins and dates. Pour boiling water over fruits and leave for 15 minutes. Add skim milk powder, nuts and half the coconut and mix thoroughly. Using clean hands, form into 2cm balls, roll in remaining coconut. Refrigerate, covered, for a few hours before serving.

Variation: Press mixture into a slab tin which has been sprinkled with coconut. Press remaining coconut on top.



Lemon Curd Tarts

Recipe from Coles

These little treats are perfect for the Christmas season. They look fantasticand will serve well as a dessert with a bowl of fruit, or, as a side dish with coffee or tea for morning or afternoon tea.

Ingredients:

• 100g unsalted butter, chopped
• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 tblsp finely grated lemon rind
• 6 egg yolks
• 12 mini tart cases
• icing sugar, to dust
• 16 white marshmallows, to decorate
• 12 jaffas, to decorate

Method:
Combine butter, sugar, lemon juice and lemon rind in a medium heatproof bowl and place over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir until butter has melted and the mixture is smooth. Add egg yolks to the butter mixture and use a wire whisk to gently combine. Stir with the whisk, or a wooden spoon, for about 15 minutes, or until mixture has thickened (it is ready when a line drawn through the mixtureon the back of the spoon with your fingertip stays separate). Strain mixture into a bowl and set aside to cool (you can make it up to a day ahead and refrigerate, covered, until needed). Spoon lemon curd into the pastry shells. Dust with icing sugar. Using kitchen sissors, carefully cut each marshmallow crossways into 3 slices. To decorate, place 4 marshmallow "petals" onto each tart and place a Jaffa in the centre. Serve with fruit.



Cheesecake (lime) Tarts

(fills roughly 12-18)

Recipe from Ruth Gilmore and Yasmin
The original recipe is below for this delicious cheescake; however, it is very simple to modify to suit the flavour wanted. As I love citrus flavours, I replaced 1 tsp of vanilla essence with the juice and rind of 2 limes. This can also be flavoured with the juice and rind of any citrus fruit. Be sure though not to make the mixture too runny. Another variation to the original recipe is serving the cheesecake in larger tart cases with fruit on top, serving it as a dessert with ice-cream and dusting it with icing sugar and lime zest. You can decorate and serve it however you please; be creative.

Ingredients:

• 225g Cream Cheese, softened
• 2/3 cup caster sugar
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten (room temperature)
• 1 tsp. vanilla essence
• tart cases (can be bought at local supermarket)
• Fresh fruit, to decorate (optional)

Method:
Preheat your oven to 180C. Beat the cream cheese with the sugar. With the mixer running, slowly add the eggs and vanilla. Arrange tart cases on a tray. Fill 3/4 (1-2 tblsps) of cases with the mixture. Bake for 15 minutes and leave to cool. When completely cooled (or after refridgeration), decorate with fruit (optional). Serve for afternoon or morning tea with a bowl of mixed fruit.


Fruit Mince Pie

Recipe from The Margaret Fulton Cookbook
Image by Yasmin

This is a favourite family recipe for Christmas morning and afternoon tea or a snack. It is beautiful plain or with lemon icing (see Icing and Sauces page).

Ingredients:
Fruit Mince (only need half):

• 12 oz. (2 cups) seedless raisins
• 8 oz. (230g or 1 cup) mixed peel
• 8 oz. (230g or 1 cup) sultanas
• 1 lb. (455g or 2 cups) apples, peeled
• 2 oz. (60g or 1/4 cup)glace cherries
• 4 oz. (115g or 1/2 cup) blanched almonds
• 8 oz. (230g or 1 cup) currants
• 2 cups (12 oz.) brown sugar
• 1 lemon
• 1 small orange
• 2 tsp mixed spice
• 1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
• 4-6 oz. (115g-170g) butter, melted
• 3 oz. (85g or 1/3 cup)brandy or rum

Biscuit Pastry:

• 3 oz. butter
• 1/3 cup (2 oz.) castor sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 cups (6 oz.) plain flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 quantity fruit mince (above)
• icing sugar

Method:

For Fruit Mince:
Chop raisins, mixed peel, half sultanas, apples, cherries and almonds finely (or put through a mincer.) Add rmaining sultanas and currants. Stir in brown sugar, grated lemon and orange rind, the juice of 1 lemon, spices, butter and brandy. Mix well and put into a large jar. Cover and chill. Stir every day for a week. Fruit mince cannot be kept for a few weeks in refridgerator. Note: Brandy may be replaced with the juice of 1 orange but mixture cannot be made in advance.

For Biscuit Pastry:
Cream butter and sugar well. Add egg and beat well. Sift flour with baking powder and stir into butter mixture. Knead lightly on floured board. Chill for 1 hour, roll out thinly and cut into rounds to fit patty tins. Cut the same number of smaller circles for tops of pies. Line greased patty tins with larger pastry circles. Moisten edges with beaten egg and put 1 heaped teaspoon of Fruit Mince into each. Make a slit in each pastry top or cut with a small star cutter. Top each filled patty tin and press edges of pastry well to seal. Glaze with beaten egg. Cook in a moderate oven (350'F or 150'C fan-forced) for 20-25 minutes until pale brown. Remove from oven and dust with icing sugar or ice with lemon icing.