Jolly Cake

Recipe from Cake Bible
Images by Yasmin

This cake is very festive. It will suit all special occasions; birthdays, parties, Easter and especially Valentines Day. With knowledge of this upcoming event, and my Mum's birthday, I prepared  this cake in the shape of a love heart and decorated it accordingly. Depending on this situation depends on the decorations and design, be as creative as possible! Personally, I love layered cakes and sweet flavours. In this cake the filling is not the usual cream and strawberries combination, but instead is honey and lemon icing - a beautiful combination. This 'jolly' cake is best shared in the happy accompaniment of friends and family, in order to give life to it's name.

Ingredients:
Base:

• 175g butter
• 175g brown sugar
• grated zest of 1 lemon
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 175g SR flour, sifted
• 1/3 cup whisky

Filling:

• 50g butter
• 175g icing sugar
• 1 tblsp lemon juice
• 2 tblsp thick honey (alternatively you can use golden syrup)

Method:
Preheat oven 190'C fan forced. Prepare two cake shallow cake tins for layering. Cream butter, sugar, lemon zest. Gradually beat in eggs, keeping mixture stiff. Fold in half the sifted flour. Add whisky and the remaining flour. Pour evenly into the 2 prepared tins. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes. Allow to cool on rack.

For lemon butter cream filling, beat all ingredients into a bowl. Sandwich cakes together with half the filling. Spread left over filling on top of the cake. Decorate accordingly. Serve.

Stir Fry with Fried Rice

Recipe by Louise and Yasmin
Images by Yasmin

Usually I am not fond of Stir Fry for dinner as it is a frequent dish at my house for dinner; however, this time was different and special because it was my first, actually solo made, dinner! I was very proud of myself. I have made many dinners before - mostly spagbol or pasties - but someone has always been hovering around to give me some pointers or tell me what to do next. As a result, this is a very basic, but delicious, version of Stir Fry made our family way. I hope you all enjoy it!

Ingredients:

• 3 tblsp olive oil
• 1tsp chili paste
• 1 tsp garlic paste
• steak, cut into small chunks
• variety of vegetables (carrot, capsicum, cucumber, bok choy etc), cut into small chunks, soaked in water, drained
• 2 tblsp fish sauce, extra for taste if needed
• 3 tblsp oyster sauce
• 3 - 4 tblsp water
• Fried Rice, to serve (for recipe see Fried Rice post)

Method:

Heat 2 tblsp oil in a frying pan. Add chili paste, garlic paste and steak to pan and stir (watch out for spitting oil). Lightly brown meat until just turning brown (still some pink on the meat). Remove from pan and set aside on a plate. Wipe pan with paper towel. Heat pan again with 1 tblsp of oil. Add drained vegetables. Stir fry vegetables (keep tossing the vegetables) with fish sauce and oyster sauce until the vegetables are just soft. Return meat to pan (it usually is almost overflowing at this point!). Add water. Stir fry with lid on until vegetables are soft and meat is no longer pink. Add extra fish sauce to taste if needed. Serve with hot fried rice.

Gingerbread Biscuits

Recipe from Yasmin
Images by Yasmin and Alana

This is one of the first treats I made as a child. It is definitely a favourite classic! These gingerbread biscuits can be used on any occasion - Easter, Christmas, Birthdays etc. To suit each occasion just change the shape of the biscuits. These particular biscuits are made for the Christmas season. These Biscuits can be served plain or decorated with piped normal icing (see Icings and Sauces for icing recipe). Seasons Greetings! NOTE: I always find it best to make a double batch, for my family it lasts a bit longer!

Ingredients:

• 125g margarine
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg yolk, well beaten
• 2 cups flour
• 3 tsp golden syrup
• 1 tsp bi-carb soda
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1tsp mixed spice

Method:
Beat margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. Add well beaten egg yolk. Add sifted dry ingredients to mixture. Pour in warm golden syrup and knead mixture lightly. Roll out flat, about 1cm thick, and cut out with shape cutters. Bake in moderate oven (150'C fan-forced) for 15 minutes. When coolded decorate with icing, sprinkles, cachous or whatever pleases you (optional). Serve with tea, coffee or milk.