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.

MEXICAN CHOCOLATE CAKE

1 1/2 cups self raising flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa, sifted
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon bicarb soda
1/4 teaspoon chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup cold water
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon brown vinegar
1 tablespoon vanilla

preheat oven to 180 c (350 f.) line bottom and grease and flour sides of 20cm (8 in.) round cake tin.

place all ingredients into a bowl and using an electric mixer on low, beat until well combined.  (can use a spoon also).

pour into cake tin and cook for approx. 30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

cool in the tin on a wire rack for 10 minutes then remove to rack to cool completely.

ice.

ICING

250 grams butter, soft (8 oz)
3 cups icing sugar
1/2 cup cocoa, sifted
2 tablespoons milk

mix the cocoa and icing sugar together.

using an electric mixer beat the butter till smooth then add half the icing sugar mix. beat until well combined.

add the milk and the rest of the icing sugar mix. beat until well combined.

cut cake in half and spread half the icing across the bottom half of the cake. place the top on and spread with the rest of the icing.

decorate as desired.

MEXICAN SWEET BUNS
with or without bread machine



DOUGH
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup warm milk
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

TOPPING

1/3 cup sugar
57 grams butter, soft (1/4 cup)
1/2 cup plain flour
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

line a lage baking tray with baking paper.

BREAD MACHINE.....
place ingredients into bread machine in order as recommended by the manufacturer.  set to dough cycle. dough should double in size.

when ready, punch dough down and divide into 12 equal sized pieces and roll each piece into a ball. place balls onto baking tray and cover the top of each ball with topping. place some cuts across the top of the topping. 3 one way then 3 across the other way (like noughts and crosses)
cover the tray with a teatowel and let rise for another 45 minutes. 

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

TO MAKE TOPPING...using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar. stir in flour and cinnamon until well combined. divide mix into 12 equal pieces and roll into balls.  flatten each ball to approx. 7 .5 cm (3 inch) circles.


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.

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.

BROWN SUGAR MAYONNAISE CAKE....one bowl

2 cups self raising flour
1/2 teaspoon bicarb soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup white sugar
1 cup milk
1 cup real egg mayonnaise
2 teaspoons vanilla

preheat oven to 180c. (350 f.) line a 9 x 13 in. baking dish with baking paper.

place all the ingredients into a bowl and using an electric mixer, beat until well combined.

pour into baking dish and cook 40 -45 minutes, until golden on top and a skewer comes out clean.

leave in baking dish on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes then remove cake to wire rack to cool completely.

ice.

ICING

3 cups icing sugar
2 slightly heaped tablespoons soft butter
milk

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

decorate as desired.

CREAM BUNS with JAM OR NUTELLA

1 cup warm milk
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
450 grams plain flour
1 egg
85 grams butter, room temp., cubed

jam for filling
nutella for filling
whipped cream

combine yeast and milk. put aside till foamy.

*in a mixing bowl. combine the cinnamon, sugar, salt and
flour.

add the yeast mix and egg. using an electric mixer on low,
beat to combine.

gradually add butter. once all butter has been added, turn
speed up to medium and beat until dough is smooth and soft.
if too sticky add a little more flour (about 50 grams).

form the dough into a ball and place into a greased bowl.
place in a warm spot and let rise until doubled.

divide dough into 18 even sized pieces and roll into balls.

place each ball on a tray lined with baking paper. cover tray
with a teatowel and put aside to rise for another hour.

heat the oven to 200 c. (400 f.). 

cook for 8 - 10 minutes  until golden on top.

place buns on a wire rack to cool.

when cold, using  a serrated knife, cut a piece out of the
top of each bun, leaving a hole to fill. (keep top).

fill each hole with jam or nutella and pipe  whipped cream
over the top of each hole. place the cut off top on top of
the cream and dust with icing sugar.

* ALTERNATIVELY place  all the dough ingredients into a bread
machine EXCEPT THE BUTTER, on dough setting. when the dough
has come together, gradually add the butter, ( add more flour if dough is too sticky) then let the
machine finish. I added the extra flour.

follow instructions from there.