Citrus Slice

Recipe and Images by Yasmin

I have modified a slice recipe to accommodate my love of citrus flavours; producing Citrus Slice. This is a delicious slice to share amongst friends for afternoon tea.

Ingredients:
For base and topping:

• 1 cup SR flour
• 1 cup plain flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 100g butter
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 2 tblsp milk

For filling:

• 100g butter
• 1 lemon, grated rind and juiced
• 1 orange, grated rind and juiced
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten

Method:
For base, mix the sifted flours and sugar in bowl. Grate in cold butter, then rub it in until it resembles rolled oats. Make a well in the centre and add the lightly beaten egg. Add just enough milk so that the particles will stick when pressed, making a dough. Press 3/4 of this over the bottom of the pan, keeping the rest in the fridge to crumble on top.
For filling, melt butter on stove on a medium-sized pot. Take off heat. Mix in the grated lemon rind and juice, grated orange rind and juice, sugar and eggs, then heat again, stirring constantly, until first bubbles form. Pour it evenly over the base and crumble remaining dough mixture on top.
Heat oven to 180'C and bake slice for 35- 45 minutes, until golden brown, with centre almost as firm as the edges. Remove from loose bottomed pan. When cool, dust with icing sugar (optional).

Vegetable Pie

Recipe and Images by Yasmin

This is a delicious and healthy dish for dinner or lunch; a boxing day delight! Although the many vegies, this pie is sweet in some sections because of the sultanas which give the dish a nice sweet kick! I would recommend this pie to anyone, as my family knows - I love pies!!!

Ingredients:

• 2 sheets puff pastry
• 1 cup cooked brown rice
•  1/2 cups sultanas
• 3 tsp curry powder
• 2 medium carrots grated
• 1 onion grated
• 1 stalk of celery, chopped
• 125g grated cheese
• 2 cups broccoli
• egg for glazing
• seasame seeds

Method:
Line pie tin with sheet of pastry. Combine  remaining ingredients and place in pie shell. Cover with pastry and bake in moderate oven until golden.

Chocolate Cherry Ice-cream Cake

Recipe from Women's Weekly The Barbecue Cookbook
Images by Yasmin

This is a beautiful idea; two wonderful creations combined - ice-cream and cake! Ice-cream cake is fun to make with a few people as it brings you together and enables you to relax as you work. As a result, this is how the image below came to be made. Because there are chocolate and cherries in this recipe, I naturally don't like it; however, I am under the impression that my friends and family LOVE it so I'm sure you will too! Boxing Day was also when this dish was served, alongside the Orange Creme Caramel dessert. Good combination! Unfortunately, as you can see in the image below, the loveheart tin chosen to make this dessert in wasn't deep enough, so we could only stack two layers into the cake; serving the third as a scoop of ice-cream.

Ingredients:

• 2L vanilla ice-cream
• 90g dark cooking chocolate
• 1/2 cup thickened cream
• 2 tblsp cocoa
• 2 tblsp red glace cherries, chopped
• 1/2 bag of honeycomb chocolates

Method:

Heat chocolate and cream over low heat until chocolate is melted, stir in sifted cocoa, cool to room temperature. Whip cream until soft peaks form.

Soften Ice-cream tube slightly, divide between three bowls. Mix glace cherries into ice-cream in one bowl. Spoon ice-cream into cake tin. Freeze while preparing the next layer.

Gently fold chocolate cream into the second bowl of vanilla ice-cream. Spoon chocolate ice-cream over first layer.

For third layer, half or quater the chocolate honeycomb pieces. Mix into the last bowl of ice-cream. Spoon over chocolate ice-cream (if you have room!!!). Freeze several hours or overnight.

Orange Creme Caramel

Recipe from Women's Weekly Barbecue Cookbook

Images by Amanda and Yasmin

This is a yummy dessert with an interesting texture. It is not as hard as a cheesecake but not as soft as custard. This dessert has double points for me because it is a citrus flavoured dish; however, it looses points because it is a very subtle flavour of citrus orange - and I love a strong citrus flavour. However, if you have a pallet similar to my sisters, you will love the infusion of orange you taste with each bite. It seems as though you might taste the orange but then as you grasp for the flavour it slips out of reach until another bite is taken. I served this dessert on Boxing Day and everybody loved it.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 lemon juice
• 1/2 cup water
• 4 eggs
• 1/3 cup sugar, extra
• 300ml jar thickened cream
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 2 tsp grated orange rind

Method:

Combine sugar, lemon juice and water in pan, stir over low heat without boiling until sugar is dissolved. Bring to the boil, do not stir. Boil rapidly, uncovered, until syrup turns golden brown, about 5 minutes. Pour the syrup into an 18cm round cake tin.

Lightly beat eggs and extra sugar together. Heat cream, milk and orange rind until hot, whisk into egg mixture. Strain mixture into tin, place in baking dish with hot water to come halfway up side of tin. Bake in moderately slow oven 45-50 minutes or until set. Remove from water, cool, refrigerate overnight. Turn onto serving dish, decorate with cream and orange segments if desired. Serves 6.

Marshmallow Puddings

Recipe from 'Woman's Weekly Chrsitmas Entertaining'
Images by Yasmin

I know that I said I would never post chocolate recipes, but it is christmas and I thought why not post a chocolate recipe to get familar with the jolly season. This recipe is a modern day twist to the classical mini puddings. Instead of having some pudding smothered in chocolate, it is a marshmallow in the centre. It is very clever, and I'm sure it tastes nice. My sister made these for some family friends for christmas. Seasons Greetings!

Ingredients:

• 12 large Marshmallows
• 1 1/2 cups (225g) milk chocolate melts, melted
• 1/4 cup (35g) white chocolate melts, melted
• coloured cachous or chopped cherries, to decorate

Method:
Line a large baking tray with baking paper. For each pudding, insert a toothprick in the top of a marshmallow. Place the marshmallow in milk chocolate. Using a teaspoon, coat the marshmallow in chocolate, leaving a small gap around the toothpick. Using a fork, lift the marshmallow from the chocolate, letting excess drip into bowl. Place on the prepared tray. Allow to set.

Remove toothpicks from marshmallows. Using a teaspoon, drizzle a little white chocolate over each marshmallow. Sprinkle with cachous or cherries. Allow to set.

Place each pudding in a small coloured patty pan (optional).

Vanilla Slice

I will post the recipe that goes with this picture in the coming weeks, but I just though this photo was too cute to not post immediately!!! I hope you have pets like this adorable budgie to enjoy! His name is Pip and he just turned 9yrs old. Still as cute and FAT as ever!

Blood Orange Cheesecake

Recipe and Images by Yasmin

I had some left over cream cheese in the fridge today and I thought it would be a nice idea to make some cheesecakes for dessert. As I raided out fruit bowl for something to add flavour to the cheesecake mixture I saw and orange. I thought that was perfect to go in my cheesecake but when I cut it in half to juice it I saw that it was actually a Blood Orange. I still used it and the end result was delicious! I would recommend this recipe to anyone - it is one of my best!

Ingredients:

• 225g Cream Cheese, softened
• 2/3 cup caster sugar
• 1/2 blood orange, juiced
• 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, blood orange juice 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 or dessert with a bowl of mixed fruit.

Scones

Recipe from NMAA Cooks
Images by Yasmin

I love having scones, jam and cream with friends. It is such a delight to catch up in the holidays and have good, simple food to jumpstart the conversations. I wish everyone a happy holiday and to keep safe.

Ingredients:

• 250g self-raising flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tblsp powdered skim milk (optional)
• 1 tblsp butter
• 1 cup milk
• milk or egg yolk for glazing
• jam and whipped cream, to serve

Variations:

• Yoghurt: Use yoghurt instead of milk or 1/2 yoghurt and 1/2 milk
• Cheese: Add 2 tblsp grated cheese
• Date: Add 1/2 cup chopped dates and 1 tblsp sugar
• Egg: Crack an egg into measuring cup, fill to 1 cup with milk, beat together before mixing into flour
• Wholemeal honey: Use wholemeal self-raising flour, omit butter and add 2 tblsp honey dissolved in the milk
• Savoury: Add 2-3 tblsp finely chopped cooked bacon, 2 tblsp finely chopped cooked onion, 1 tsp curry powder, and 2 tblsp finely chopped parsley

Method:
Heat oven to 220'C fan forced. Grease scone tray or oven slide. Sift flour, salt and skim milk. Cut butter into flour and using fingers rub in lightly. Mix to a soft dough with milk. Turn on to a floured surface and knead slightly. The less the dough is handled, the lighter the scones will be. Flatten out with heel of hand to approx 2-3cm in thickness. Stamp out with scone cutter or glass dipped in flour. Place scones touching each other on tray, glaze tops with milk or egg yolk. Bake 8-10 minutes. Serve with jam and cream.

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.

Apricot, Date Bars

Recipe from NMAA Cooks
Images by Yasmin

This is a healthy fruit bar to have as a snack in lunch boxes, with coffee, for afternoon and morning tea, or as a snack during the day. It has a crusty appearance and texture similar to shortbread. The flavour is delicious though!

Ingredients:

• 125g dried apricots, chopped
• hot water
• 1 cup raw sugar
• 2 cups self raising flour
• 3/4 cup coconut
• 1/2 cup chopped dates
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 185g butter or margarine, melted

Method:
Soak chopped apricots in hot water for 30 minutes, drain. Put in bowl with sugar, sifted flour, coconut, dates, salt. Add melted butter, mix well. Spread mixture into greased lamington tin. Bake in moderate oven for approximately 25 minutes or until cooked. Remove from oven, allow to cool, and cut into squares.

Variations:

• Omit dried apricots and double quantity of dates
• Omit 1/4 cup flour and substitute 1/4 cup wheatgerm

Post Competition

Hello everyone!

I would just like to inform everyone about the recipe sharing that is happening on Taste of Pearl City. It is an 'Anyone Can Cook' competition which ends this friday. It is a really great way to share you simple and quick recipes with everyone and gather some great ideas too! All you have to do is go to this website: http://tasteofpearlcity.blogspot.com/ and follow the linking process. It is really simple and fun! I hope you get the chance to look and enter! There are some prizes too! I have already entered the following recipes:

Coconut Loaf with Passionfruit Sauce










Scrolls










Incredible Pie












Pasties












These are some of my favourites!!! I hope you share your simple and quick favourites as well!

Cheers,
Yasmin

Coffee Square Slice

Recipe from Rae Barr (friend)
Photos by Yasmin

This is a recipe from my Grandma's friend. It is a combination of a coffee cake and a fruit cake. Delicious idea, perfect with coffee and friends. My sister went to Japan recently and she brought me back some mini hello kitty cake tins. So in this cake I transferred some of the mixture into these pans and put the rest in a lamington tin. They turned out so cute!

Ingredients:

• 180g butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 350g mixed fruit
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 1 tsp garam marsala
• 2 cups walnuts
• 1 cup milk, thickened with juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp bi-carb soda
• 1 1/2 cups flour

Method:

Into a saucepan put butter, sugar, fruit, spices and walnuts. Simmer for a few minutes, then cool. In a separate bowl, add milk, lemon and bi-carb soda. Add to saucepan and combine.

Bake in a lamington tin for 35-45 minutes at 180'C fan-forced. Ice with lemon icing and sprinkle with cinnamon.

Coconut Loaf with Passionfruit Sauce

Modified from NMAA Cooks
Images by Yasmin

This is a beautiful, citrus delight! Coconut and Passionfruit mix divinely together! However, the passionfruit sauce is optional. Enjoy! This recipe is very simple and quick to prepare (it takes a while to cook). I have had so many morning and afternoon teas with friends this week and have made about four of these loaves! It is sooo simple and easy; with only four ingredients this loaf is a winner!!! I am posting this recipe for Britany who enjoys cooking as much as I do! Thanks for the wonderful memories!

Ingredients:

For Loaf:

• 1 cup coconut
• 1 cup Self-raising flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup milk

For Sauce:

• 170g passionfruit pulp fresh or from a can
• 50g water
• 60g sugar

Method:
Heat oven to 190'C fan forced. Mix all ingredients together and cool in well greased loaf tin for 40-45 minutes (don't over cook, it will go dry).

For sauce, place ingredients in a small saucepan and cook for 7 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

Pasties

Recipe and Images from Yasmin

This is a very simple dinner to prepare when live is hectic and there are many busy and late nights. This is a meal perfect for when you don't feel like making something that takes a while to develop a great flavour, is filling and healthy. If there are any left over puff pastry sheets to fill with the meat filling, simple sweet pasties can be prepared as well. The list of fillings possible for this pastry design is endless, so have a go at mixing your favourite sweet and savoury flavours to produce something simply delicious. If serving this meal as a dinner, be sure to serve with a beautiful garden salad. I apologise in advance for this inartistic photo of the meal, we were in a hurry to eat and I couldn't prepare a decent setting for the meal. It is eaten so quickly it is hard to capture it on camera!!!

(cooked savoury pastie)

Ingredients:

For Savoury:

• 1-2 carrot
• 1-2 zucchini
• 1 sweet potato
• 1 potato
• 1 cup green beans
• 1 cup corn kernells
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 300-500g minced beef 

For Sweet:

•  2 -3 dessert spoons of jam
• 1 apple, thinly sliced and cored
• 1 cup dried fruit (of choice)
• 1/2 cup coconut 

 (Uncooked Sweet Pastie)

Method:

Take frozen puff pastry sheets out of freezer and separate, allowing to defrost on the bench.

While pastry is defrosting, prepare savoury filling. Into a large bowl, grate carrot, zucchini, sweet potato, potato, beans and corn. Add partially defrosted minced meat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Using bare hands, thoroughly combine the savoury filling. 

Using a sharp knife, divide the mostly defrosted pastry diagonally, to create two triangles. Place a small handful of the uncooked mixture in one end of a triangle piece of pastry. Mold this to fit into the triangle shape, leaving about 1-2cm room around the edges to allow room to fold the pastry. Grab the other corner of the triangle and drag it over the filling to match the triangle shape, this is symmetrical. Press down on the folded pastry to seal the triangle shape pastie. Fold over the edges of the triangle and press again to secure (this should make sure that the pastie won't open and the contents spill). Lastly, twist the ends of the triangle, as it is just excess pastry.

Continue until all filling is used. As each pastie is made, place it on an oven tray lined with non-stick baking paper. Cook for 20-30 minutes on 180'C fan-forced.

If there is leftover pastry either cut it into triangles, as done for the savoury pasties, or leave it as a square to then fold into a rectangle (as shown in picture). Prepare a sweet filling. Smooth jam over pastry. Cover with coconut, thinly sliced apple, currants, sultanas, dried apricots and/or dates. Fold symetrically, using the same method as before, whether it is a triangle or rectangle, except, for the rectangle, cut a few slits in the sides (as shown in the photo).

Cook for 20-30 minutes at 180'C fan-forced.

Lemon Meringue Pie

Recipe and images by Yasmin

This is a family recipe that has been well shared among friends as well. It is truly delicious dessert for any gathering that I guarantee will stir a good conversation. This recipe requires minimal fuss and ingredients but still produces fantastic results. It really does.. Tickle Your Taste buds! For even more flavour in this dessert add one can of passion fruit pulp and syrup or two passion fruit. This gives an excellent kick to the citrus flavours.
NOTE: For future cooking reference, this pastry can be used for any pastry desserts - just remove the lemon zest. It produces a very steady dough for molding on the dish and extra decorations on the top of pies.

Ingredients:
Pastry:

·         100g chilled butter

·         1 1/2 cups plain flour

·         1/2 lemon of grated zest

·         50g icing sugar

·         1 egg, lightly beaten

·         2 tblsp chilled water

Filling:

·         tin of sweetened condensed milk

·         2 - 3 egg yolks

·         juice of to lemons

Meringue:

·         3 egg whites, at room temperature

·         1/2 cup Castor sugar

Method:
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, combine ingredients into a bowl. Then pour into the partially cooked pastry base. Cook for approximately 15 minutes. For meringue, whisk egg whites until soft peaks form. Slowly add Castor sugar while beating, until stiff and glossy.

Spoon meringue over the top of the cooked filling. Bake for another 10-15 minutes or until the meringue is lightly browned. Serve warm or cold with whipped cream and ice cream.

Mish's Muffin Recipe

Recipe from Mish
Photos by Yasmin

This is a different way to make delicious blueberry muffins. Very moist and truely yummy for lunches or snacks. Bonus, it is healthy too!

Ingredients:

• 3 cups self raising flour
• 1 cup castor sugar
• 1 cup canola oil
• 1 cup milk
• 3 eggs
•  1 tsp vanilla
• 2 x 75g packets of frozen blueberries

Method:
Combine all dry ingredients and berries. Combine oil, milk, eggs and vanilla in a separate bowl and mix well. Pour oil mixture into the dry mixture and stir 12-15 times. Do not over mix. Muffin mixture should still have some dry flour.

Bake in oven at 170'C fan forced for 30-35 minutes. Makes 1 1/2 dozen.

Apple and Cinnamon Cake

Recipe from Cake Bible
Photos by Yasmin

This is a very simple tea cake. It doesn't have much flavour but is very moist and perfect for tea, coffee or a snack. If you have a sweet tooth and aren't a fan of simple flavours then serve this cake with a jam of your choice. You can eat it like a scone with the jam by cutting the cake in two or you can serve it on the side of the cake (as shown in the photo) and eat it with the cake, like with a dessert. This recipe isn't in any way a festive Easter cake, however it is delicious to eat on Easter Monday in the peace and quiet of your home.

Ingredients:
Cake:

• 1 cup self raising flour
• 2 tblsp castor sugar
• 3 tblsp softened butter
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup milk

Topping:

• 200g green apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (or more if desired)
• 1 tsp cornflour
• 1 1/2 tblsp butter, melted

Method:
Preheat oven to 180'C. Prepare cake tin. Sift flour and sugar into a mixing bowl. Add butter and cut into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Stir in the egg and milk. Beat to a smooth batter. Pour into the prepared bake tin.

Combine the apple, cinnamon and cornflour in a bowl - to coat the apple slices in flavour. Arrange on top of the cake batter. Drizzle butter over the top. Bake for 45 minutes or until cooked through. Cool in the tin on a rack. Remove from the tin when cooled and serve.

Apple Pie

Recipe and Photos by Yasmin

This is a classic dish that everyone should make at some point in their life, whether it is with your Grandma or your Grandchildren. This dessert, for me, isn't as much about the soft texture of the apples complimented by the sweet flavour of cinnamon and sugar, it is about tradition. Rain or shine, hot or freezing, without fail, I will make this dessert when my Grandma comes and visits from Melbourne. It is a tradition that strengthens our love and makes each other happy. My Grandma is the woman who taught me how to make this dessert by letting me stand by her side and peel the apples and roll the pastry. She is a major factor that made me who I am today and helped develop my love of cooking. Although I am older and more experienced in the cooking department, and my Grandma has become less capable, our tradition and bond is tighter than ever. Nowadays, when she visits (as she is at the moment) I am the one who makes this beautiful dessert for her and she is the one to judge if it is made with enough Grandma love. I hope everyone enjoys making Apple Pie as much as I do, and enjoys sharing this dessert all year round, but especially at Easter (as shown through the bunny on the table cloth!) with you much loved family.

Ingredients:
Pie:

• 20 apples, peeled, cored and chopped
• 1 cup water
• 1/3 cup milk, to brush
• 2-4 tsp sugar, to dust
• 2-4 tsp cinnamon, to dust
• short crust pastry (home made preferably - see recipe below)

Pastry:

• 100g chilled butter
• 1 1/2 cups plain flour
• 50g icing sugar
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2-3 tblsp chilled water

Method:
For Pastry; using food processor, pulse butter and flour until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add icing sugar and pulse for 1 minute. Combine the egg and water in a separate container. With the motor running, slowly pour water mixture into the food processor. The mixture should stick together making dough, if not add more flour until it comes together as a dough. Remove and cover in nonstick wrap. Form it into a ball shape. Chill for at least 30 minutes.

For Filling; stew apples by placing them in a large pot. Fill just a little bit of the bottom of the pot with water, to start the softening of the apples when boiled. Boil the apples and then turn down the heat and let them simmer. Constantly check the apples to see if they are soft. Once softened remove from heat and allow to cool.

Remove pastry and place the ball of dough on a floured mat. Take 3/4 of the dough to be the base and roll out in a circular shape until wide enough to fit the pie dish and go over the edges. Spray the pie dish with cooking canola spray and lay the rolled pastry on it. Add the stewed apples but do not overfill the dish. Using the 1/4 of dough left roll out in the same way as the base to use as the top of the pie (it is always better for the base to be thicker than the top). You can leave the top as a whole circle to cover the pie or you can cut the pastry into strips and create a laced top pie. If there is extra pastry hanging over the edge of the pie then cut it off with a sharp knife and use it to create patterns on top of the pie. For assistance in the decorations, use shape cutters. When placing the top pastry to the pie, brush milk on the edges to help the two pastry sheets to stick together. Then, using a fork, press the fork prongs around the edges of the pie to make sure the two sheets are stuck together and to complete the pie's appearance (as shown in the photo below). To finish, brush the top of the pie with milk and then dust with sugar and cinnamon (this allows the sugar and cinnamon to stick to the pie top).

Bake in the oven at 160'C fan forced for 40-45 minutes. When golden brown on top, remove and allow to cool a little before serving. Serve with cream and/or ice-cream and a dusting of cinnamon over everything (optional).

Scrolls

Recipe and photos by Yasmin

Scrolls are 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.