Why not spend some time baking these following "treats", then set aside some time, bring out the nice tablecloth and napkins, and the very best china -- and enjoy an old-fashioned AFTERNOON TEA ..... (not for dieters).
185 g (6 oz) butter or substitute, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 teas instant coffee powder, 1 teaspoon boiling water, 60g (20z) roasted hazelnuts,
2 cups plain flour, 90g (3 oz) dark chocolate,
30 g (1oz) solid white vegetable shortening (e.g. copha).
Put biscuits on greased oven trays, and bake in moderate oven 10 - 15 minutes until light golden colour. Remove from trays, and cool on wire rack. Pipe coffee cream around the edges and in centre of large biscuits.
Melt chocolate and vegetable shortening in top of double saucepan over simmering water, allow to cool slightly. Pour chocolate into saucer, dip one side of each small biscuit into this mix. Arrange a small chocolate-covered biscuits on top of each large biscuit.
Coffee Cream - you need:
125 g (4 oz) butter/substitute, 1 teasp vanilla, 1 cup icing sugar, 2 teasp instant coffee powder, 2 teas. hot water, 2 teas milk.
Beat butter and vanilla until light and creamy, add sifted icing sugar gradually, and beat until well combined. Dissolve coffee in hot water, cool, and add to creamed mix with milk. Mix in.
Pastry -- 60 g (2 oz) butter/substitute, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 egg, 1 teas vanilla, 1 cup coconut,
1/2 cup self-raising flour, 1/2 cup plain flour, 3 tabs. raspberry jam.
Topping -- 3 tabs. custard powder, 3 tabs. sugar, 2 cups milk, 2 eggs, 2 tabs. brandy,
1 teas vanilla.
Fold in sifted flours. Grease 18 cm x 27 cm (7" x 11") lamington tin, line base with greased paper. Spread mixture evenly over base, bake in moderately hot oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, cool slightly.
Spread jam evenly over base, spread half custard over jam, sprinkle 1/2 cup coconut over custard, spread remaining custard on top, and sprinkle rest of coconut.
Allow to cool in tin, turn out and cut into slices.
TOPPING -- put custard powder and sugar into saucepan, add milk gradually, mix till smooth. Stir over medium heat until custard boils and thickens. Remove from heat, cool slightly. Add beaten eggs, brandy and vanilla, mix well.
8 oz butter/substitute, 1/2 cup castor sugar, 1 tab. grated orange rind, 2 cups plain flour, 1/2 cup ground rice.
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, add orange rind. Stir in sifted flour and ground rice.
2 cups plain flour, 2 teas baking powder, 1/2 teas salt, 1/2 teas mixed spice, 60g (3 tabs) butter/substitute, 1/4 cup castor sugar, 1 egg,
1/2 cup evaporated milk, cinnamon sugar.
Sift flour, baking powder, salt and spice together. Cream butter, sugar and egg till light and fluffy.
Add evaporated milk, flour, and mix till blended.
Turn on a lightly floured board, knead lightly. Roll out to about 12 mm thickness. Cut into rounds with doughnut cutter or a 8 cm scone cutter.
1 cup raw sugar, 6 oz butter/substitute, 1 egg, 1 teas vanilla, 4 oz sesame seeds, 1 1/4 cups wholemeal flour, 1/4 teas baking powder.
Cream butter and sugar, add vanilla and egg, mix well, then stir in sesame seeds, sifted flour and baking powder.
Cake ......
185 g (3/4 cup) butter/margarine, 375 g (1 1/2 cups) castor sugar,
3 x 60 g eggs, 280 g (2 1/4 cups) self-raising flour (sifted),
1/2 teas salt, 100g ( 2/3 cup) cocoa, 250 ml (1 cup) water,
1/2 teas. vanilla essence, strawberry jam, 1 x 200ml (small bottle) of cream.
Icing .....
185 g (6 oz) dark cooking chocolate, pinch salt, 125 ml (1/2 cup) sour cream, strawberries for decoration.
Sift all dry ingredients together. Fold into creamed mixture, a little at a time, alternating with water.
Stir in vanilla essence.
Divide mixture between 3 lined and greased 20 cm (8 inch) sandwich cake tins and bake in a moderately slow over at 160 c (325 F ) for 35-40 minutes, or until cakes are cooked.
Cool for few minutes in tins, then turn out on wire cooling trays.
When cold, sandwich cakes together with strawberry jam, and whipped cream. Stand on cake plate. Ice top of cake while icing is still warm. Decorate with fresh strawberries. Serve with tea, coffee or as a dessert.
ICING -- melt chocolate in top of a double-boiler over gently simmering water. Remove from heat and stir in salt and sour cream with wire whisk.
250 g seed and chopped raisins, 250 g dried and quartered apricots, 155 g sultanas,
90 g quartered glace cherries, 250 g mixed glace fruits.. chopped (pineapple, apricots, pears),
1 tab. Angostura Bitters, 3/4 cup dark rum, 6 eggs, 1 1/4 cups castor sugar, 500 g pecan nuts, 1 1/2 cups plain flour, 1 teas baking powder, 1/2 teas salt, 90g shredded coconut,
extra pecans for decoration.
Whisk together eggs and sugar. Sift flour with baking powder and salt and fold into egg mixture. Add coconut, and lastly fold in combined fruits and pecan nuts.
Bake in slow oven for approximately 2 1/2 to 3 hours for the large cake, OR 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours for the 2 smaller cakes OR until cooked when tested and firm to touch.
Pour extra 1/4 cup rum over warm cake. Leave cake in pan, wrap in towel and cool slowly for at least, 24 hours. Unwrap towel and wrap cake in foil, then store airtight.
Serve in fairly thin slices, as this cake is very rich but yummy!!
Biscuit -
125 g (1/2 cup) butter/substitute, 125 g (1/2 cup) castor sugar, 2 eggs,
250 g (2 cups) self raising flour (sifted), 75 g (1/2 cup) chopped dates,
60 g (1/2 cup) chopped walnuts.
Coffee Cream -
90 g (3 tab) soft butter/margarine, 250 g (2 cups) sifted icing sugar,
1 tab coffee essence OR 1 tab. instant coffee blended with 1 tab hot water.
Biscuit - cream butter and sugar till light and fluffy, and add eggs, beating well. Stir in flour, dates, walnuts. Place teaspoons of mix on greased baking trays and bake in moderate oven at 180C (350F) for 10-15 minutes, or until golden. Cool on wire cooling trays.
Sandwich biscuits together with coffee cream when cold. Makes about 24.
250 g (2 cups) plain flour, 250 g (1 cup) butter, 125 g (1 cup) ground rice, 125 g (1 cup) icing sugar, extra icing sugar.
Sift flour, ground rice and icing sugar, into mixing bowl. Add butter and mix into dry ingredients with a clean hand, using a knead and squeeze action, until mixture forms a stiff dough. Wrap dough in greaseproof paper and chill for 10 minutes.
Roll dough out on a lightly floured board, to a rectangle 15 cm (6 inches) wide and 5 mm (1/4 inch) thick. Trim top and sides of rectangle with sharp chopping knife. Cut rectangle in half length-ways, then cut across at 2.5 cm (1 inch) intervals to form fingers. Transfer fingers carefully to baking trays with a palette knife and prick with a fork.
Chill in fridge for 30 minutes then bake in a slow oven at 150C (300F) for 45 minutes without browning. Leave to stand on trays for 1 to 2 minutes until biscuits are firm, then carefully transfer to wire cooling tray. Dip biscuits, while still warm, into bowl of sifted icing sugar until well coated all over. Makes about 24.
2 1/3 cups self raising flour, 1/2 teas salt, 185 gr. butter, 185 gr castor sugar, 3 eggs, 1/4 cup evaporated milk, 1/4 cup water.
Sift flour and salt together. Cream butter sugar and vanilla till light and fluffy, and add eggs, mixing well. Fold in flour alternately with milk/water and spoon into prepared deep 20 cm lined cake pan. Bake in moderately slow oven 160C for 1 1/2 hours approx.
This mixture may be used for patty cakes (see left). Two thirds fill greased patty pans or paper cases. Bake in moderately hot oven 190C for 15-20 minutes. Makes about 36.
Lamingtons -- dip patty cakes or cake squares into Chocolate Coating, then toss in coconut. Allow to set.
Jelly Cakes -- make up 1 packet jelly crystals as directed on packet. Allow to partially set. Dip patty cakes into jelly, then toss in coconut. Allow to set. Split and fill with cream, if liked.
Queen cakes -- lastly fold in 3/4 cup currants.
Sugar Topped Cakes -- sprinkle liberally with castor sugar before baking.
Butterfly Cakes -- when cakes are cool, cut a slice off each and cut these in half. Spoon a little conserve on each cake, then pipe or spoon cream on each, and arrange cake slices on top to form wings.
Painting is Teapot & Iris by T C Chiu