ICED APPLE CAKES

1 cup plain flour
1 cup self raising flour
1/2 cup caster sugar
100 grams cold butter (3.5 oz)
1 egg
2 tablespoons cold water

1 cup canned pie apple (or home cooked) lightly chopped


preheat oven to 180 c. (350 f.) line 2 baking trays with baking paper.

place the flours and sugar into a bowl. rub in the butter until resembling breadcumbs

beat egg and water together then stir into flour mix. use hands to bring to a dough.

using half the dough at a time, between 2 sheets baking paper, roll out to approx. 3-4 millimetres (1/8 inch) thick.

cut out circles using a 7 cm round cutter (approx. 2 3/4 inches).

place half the circles on the trays and place 1 teaspoon apple in the middle of each circle.

top with the rest of the circles, pressing to seal edges.

cook for approx 25 minutes or until just colouring.

cool completely and ice.

ICING

2 cups icing sugar
approx 2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence

ground cinnamon

mix the icing sugar and essence together with enough milk to make a spreadable paste.

ice top of biscuits and sprinkle with some ground cinnamon

LEBANESE FLAT BREAD WITH ZA'ATAR

5 grams fresh oregano, leaves only (approx 2 tablespoons)*
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
2 teaspoons ground sumac
1/3 cup olive oil, divided
2 teaspoons salt, divided
2 teaspoons caster sugar
7 gram pkt dry yeast (2 teaspoons)
2 cups plain flour
3/4 cup hot water

TOPPING
2 tomatoes, sliced into small wedges
40 grams feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 small onion, finely diced
mint leaves


TO MAKE THE ZA'ÁTAR......mix the oregano leaves, sesame
seeds, 1 teaspoon salt and sumac with 2 tablespoons of the
olive oil. stir until well combined. put aside.

FOR THE BREAD.... mix the hot water,  sugar, 1 teaspoon salt
and yeast together in a jug.  stand in a warm spot for 10
minutes or until frothy.

place flour in a bowl and add the yeast mix and the rest of
the olive oil.  stir to form a dough.  tip onto a lightly
floured board and knead  until smooth.  place dough in a
greased bowl, cover and put in a warm place to rise until
doubled in size.

heat oven to 200 c.  line 2 large baking trays with baking
paper.

cut dough into 2 equal halves. roll each half into a 45 x 15
cm. (18 x 6 in.) rectangle. spread each piece evenly with the
za'atar.

cook for 15 - 20 minutes or until golden.

top each evenly with the tomatoes, onion, feta cheese and
mint.

serve immediately.

*can also use thyme leaves.

COFFEE OR STRAWBERRY ICED FINGER BUNS

1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup warm milk
1/3 cup caster sugar
80 grams butter, soft (1/3 cup)
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 1/2 cups plain flour
1 heaped teaspoon bread improver, optional
3 teaspoons instant dried yeast
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup sultanas

line 2 x small or 1 large baking trays with baking paper.

BREAD MACHINE.....
place all ingredients except sultanas into bread machine in order as recommended by the manufacturer. set to dough cycle.

add sultanas once dough has come together. dough should double in size.

when ready, punch dough down and divide into 12 equal sized pieces and roll each piece into a log.

place logs onto baking tray. cover the tray with a teatowel and let dough rise for
another 45 - 60 minutes or until doubled in size.

heat oven to 190 c (375 c) and cook for 20 -25 minutes until golden.

cool on wire rack and ice when cold.  serve with butter

BY HAND....
in a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water.
stir in milk, sugar, butter, salt, egg and 2 cups of the flour.

using an electric mixer, beat until smooth.( can also use a wooden spoon)

stir in remaining flour. if dough is too sticky, add a little more flour.

turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic.

place in a large greased bowl, then turn greased side up cover and let rise in a warm place until double, about 1 1/2 hours.

follow rest of the directions for bread machine from punch down.



COFFEE ICING....covers 6 buns

1 1/2 cups icing sugar
1 tablespoon butter
2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
1 teapoon warm water
milk

walnut crumbs

mix the coffee and water together in a bowl. add the icing sugar, butter and enough milk to make a spreadable paste.

spread over 6 buns and sprinkle with walnut crumbs.

double recipe for 12 buns.

STRAWBERRY ICING...for 6 buns

1 1/2 cups icing sugar
1 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons strawberry essence
few drops pink food colour
milk
100's & 1000's

mix the icing sugar, butter, essence and food colour together with enough milk to make a spreadable paste.

spread over 6 buns and sprinkle with 100's & 1000's.

double recipe for 12 buns.

CHICKEN IN MUSTARD SAUCE

4 skinless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, sliced
2 tablespoons butter
200 mls boiling water
2 oxo chicken stockcubes
250 mls thickened cream
2 tablespoons french mustard

1 tablespoon cornflour
1 tablespoon water

1 heaped teaspoon whole grain mustard
salt and pepper to taste

cut each chicken breast in half lengthways.

heat the olive oil in a large deep frypan.  saute the chicken until cooked through, turning as needed. remove from frypan.

wipe out frypan and add the butter. saute onions until translucent. 

mix the water and stock cubes together and add to the onions. cook until reduced by half.  add the chicken back and cook until chicken is heated through.

mix the cream with the french mustard and add to chicken. stir to combine. on low heat, bring to boil.

mix the cornflour and water together and stir into the sauce, stirring until thickened.

add the whole grain mustard and salt and pepper.

serve.

MOLASSES AND JAM COOKIES

3/4 cup butter, soft
3/4 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup molasses
3 cups plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon all spice
1 teaspoon ginger

raspberry jam

line 2 large baking trays with baking paper.  heat oven to
180 c. (350 f.)

cream butter and sugar. add egg, vanilla and molasses. beat
until well combined.

add flour, baking powder, all spice and ginger. beat until
well combined.

chill for 30 minutes.

roll dough into walnut sized balls and place on trays. flatten lightly with the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar.

cook for 10  minutes. remove from oven and quickly flip half the cookies over.(flat side up) place 1 teaspoon jam in the middle of each flipped over cookie. place another cookie on top, flat side down.

place back in the oven and cook for another 2  minutes. this sets the jam.

cool on tray for 5 minutes then place on wire rack to cool completely.

lightly dust with icing sugar to serve.

NAKED GINGER AND SPICE HOT CROSS BUNS
(with or without bread machine)

1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup warm milk
1/2 cup caster sugar
80 grams soft butter (1/3 cup)
1 egg, beaten
3 1/2 cups plain flour
1 heaped teaspoon bread improver, optional
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon cocoa
1 teaspoon mixed spice
2 teaspoons ground ginger
3 teaspoons instant dried yeast

100 grams buderim naked ginger pieces, chopped (uncrystallised
ginger) (1/2 cup)

line a large baking tray with baking paper.

FOR BREAD MACHINE....place everything except the chopped ginger
into the bread machine in the order specified by the
manufacturer. set to dough setting.  add the ginger pieces when
the dough has come together completely. if dough has not
doubled in size when the dough setting finishes, just leave in
the machine until it does. it was cold here today, mine took
longer.

when ready, punch down and tip onto a lightly floured board.

knead a couple of times then divide into 12 equal sized pieces.

roll each piece into a ball and place on the baking tray.

cover tray with a teatowel and place in a warm place to rise
for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

heat oven to 190 c. (375 f.)

pipe crosses onto buns then cook for approx. 25 minutes until
golden.

remove from oven and glaze.

BY HAND....
in a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water.
stir in milk, sugar, butter, salt, egg, rind, cocoa, spices and
2 cups of the flour.

using an electric mixer, beat until smooth. (can use a wooden
spoon also)

stir in remaining flour. if dough is too sticky, add a little
more flour. stir in chopped ginger.

turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and
elastic.

place in a large greased bowl, then turn greased side up.
cover and let rise in a warm place until double, about 1 1/2
hours.

follow rest of the directions for bread machine from punch
down.

CROSSES
6 tablespoons plain flour
1 tablespoon icing sugar
5 1/2 tablespoons water

mix all together till well combined and a smooth thickish
paste. needs to hold shape.


GLAZE

2 1/2 tablespoons golden syrup
1 tablespoon boiling water
     or
2 tablespoons caster sugar
2 tablespoons boiling water

stir together till syrup or sugar is dissolved and brush over
hot buns.

my. creation.

CHOCOLATE ORANGE HOT CROSS BUNS (2)
(with or without bread machine)


1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup warm milk
1/3 cup sugar
80 grams butter, soft (1/3 cup)
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
finely grated rind 2 x medium oranges
1 tablespoon cocoa
3 1/2 cups plain flour
1 heaped teaspoon bread improver, optional
3 teaspoons instant dried yeast

1 cup dark chocolate chips

BREAD MACHINE.....
place ingredients into bread machine in order as recommended by the manufacturer. set to dough cycle.  I add the chocolate chips when the the dough has come together. dough should
double in size.

when ready, punch dough down, knead lightly and divide into 12* equal sized pieces. roll each piece into a ball. place balls onto baking tray.

cover tray with a teatowel and place tray in a warm place for 1 hour until buns have doubled in size.

heat oven to 190 c. (375 f.)

pipe crosses onto buns then cook for approx. 25 minutes until brown.

remove from oven and glaze.

BY HAND....
in a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. stir in milk, sugar, butter, salt, egg, rind, cocoa and 2
cups of the flour.

using an electric mixer, beat until smooth. (can use a wooden spoon also)

stir in remaining flour. if dough is too sticky, add a little more flour. stir in chocolate chips.

turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic.

place in a large greased bowl, then turn greased side up, cover and let rise in a warm place until double, about 1 1/2 hours.

follow rest of the directions for bread machine from punch down.



CROSSES
5 tablespoons plain flour
1 tablespoon cocoa, sifted
5 1/2 tablespoons water

mix all together till well combined and a smooth thickish paste. needs to hold shape.

GLAZE

2 tablespoons caster sugar
2 tablespoons boiling water

stir till sugar is dissolved and brush over hot buns.

* I like larger sized buns, to make smaller divide dough into 15 pieces.