August 2023 Recipes

Breakfast

These grab-and-go muffin-like cookies are full of goodness – any time of day. A natural source of protein & fibre.

1 large ripe banana, mashed (1/2 cup)

2 large eggs

257.50 gm milk, or So Good™ Soy or Almond Milk

56.88 gm light flavoured olive oil

4 Weet-Bix™ wheat biscuits, finely crushed

187.50 gm wholemeal self-raising flour

2.50 gm ground cinnamon

1.20 gm salt

250.00 ml pitted dates, chopped (180g, 12 medjool dates)

125.00 ml sunflower seeds

Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Line two trays with baking paper.

In a large bowl whisk banana, eggs, milk and oil. Add crushed Weet-Bix wheat biscuits and stir well to moisten.

Add flour, cinnamon, salt, dates, and seeds, and fold through.

Scoop heaped tablespoons of batter onto prepared tray and bake for 10 - 12 minutes, or until the tops of the cookies are golden and firm.

Cool on pan for 2 minutes, then move to a rack and cool completely.

Date and seed breakfast cookies

Desserts

Take a quick shortcut with these easy blueberry and cream tarts.

125g blueberries

80ml orange juice

40.00 gm caster sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste

5.00 gm cornflour

2 x 150g pkts Make At Home Tart Shells

300ml thickened cream

Blueberries, extra, to serve

Place the blueberries, orange juice, sugar and vanilla in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, for 6-8 mins or until the blueberries just soften. Combine the cornflour and 1 tbsp of water in a small jug. Add to the blueberry mixture and cook, stirring, for 2-3 mins or until mixture bubbles and thickens. Remove from heat. Set aside to cool completely.

Divide the blueberry mixture among the tart shells. Use an electric mixer to beat the cream in a medium bowl until stiff peaks form. Place in a sealable plastic bag. Cut off 1 corner and pipe the cream onto the tarts. Top with the blueberries to serve.

Easy blueberry tarts

A rich, indulgent chocolate panacotta, layered with chocolate sauce and flaked chocolate - perfect guilt-free dessert for a dinner party!

31.50 gm gelatine, powdered

60.00 gm hot water

252.50 gm full cream

257.50 gm whole milk

1/4 Cup Monkfruit Classic Sweetener

4.40 gm vanilla essence

17g sugar free chocolate, chopped

20.00 gm cocoa powder

252.50 gm cream

10.00 gm cocoa powder

20.00 gm Monkfruit Classic Sweetener

30g sugar free chocolate

In a small pot add the cream, milk, chocolate, cocoa powder, sweetener and vanilla. Bring to the boil and immediately remove from the stove.

Dissolve the gelatine powder in hot water in a small bowl or cup.

Add this gelatine to the panacotta mixture and allow to cool to room temperature before pouring into your glasses or moulds.

Set in the fridge for 1-3 hours.

To make the sauce, add all the ingredients into a small pot and bring to the boil. Set aside. Once the panacotta has set, pour over the chocolate sauce and top with grated chocolate. Serve.

Triple chocolate panacotta recipe

Melt-in-the-mouth magic, just made for afternoon tea!

125.00 gm almond meal (ground almonds)

225.00 gm pure icing sugar

4 eggwhites

53.75 gm caster sugar

20.00 ml instant espresso coffee powder

90g dark chocolate, chopped

40.40 gm thickened cream

Grease 3 large baking trays. Line with baking paper. Sift almond meal and icing sugar together in a bowl.

Using an electric mixer, beat eggwhites in a bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, beating until dissolved. Beat until just combined. Fold in half the almond mixture until just combined. Fold in remaining mixture until combined and glossy (mixture will break down a little).

Spoon mixture into a large snaplock bag. Snip 1cm from 1 corner. Pipe 4cm rounds of mixture onto prepared trays, 4cm apart. Sprinkle coffee over half of each macaron. Tap trays on bench to remove air bubbles. Set aside for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 130°C/110°C fan-forced. Bake macarons, 1 tray at a time, for 18 to 20 minutes or until tops are firm. Cool on trays. Carefully transfer to a wire rack.

Make filling: Place chocolate and cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high (100%) for 1 minute or until chocolate melts. Stir with a metal spoon to combine. Refrigerate for 10 minutes or until mixture thickens and becomes spreadable.

Spread 1/2 teaspoon filling over flat sides of half the macarons. Sandwich with remaining macarons. Set aside until filling sets. Serve.

Coffee macarons

Treat yourself - or your kids - to these fabulous mini muffins. Add them to a lunchbox or take them into work for afternoon tea.

125g unsalted butter, melted

165g caster sugar

3 ripe bananas, roughly chopped

2 eggs

4.40 gm vanilla extract

300g self-raising flour

45g desiccated coconut

100g chocolate chips

Icing sugar, to dust

Preheat oven to 200°C and grease a 12-hole mini-muffin pan. Process butter, caster sugar, banana, eggs and vanilla in a food processor until well combined. Place flour, coconut and chocolate in a large bowl, then fold in banana mixture. Working in batches, place dessertspoons of mixture into pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until risen and golden. Cool slightly in pan, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve dusted with icing sugar.

Coconut, chocolate and banana mini muffins

We've reimagined the classic pavlova, topped with seasonal roast peaches, raspberries and turkish delight.

6 Free Range Egg whites

1.25 gm cream of tartar

330g caster sugar

600ml thickened cream

250g crème fraîche

2 tsp rosewater essence

125g raspberries, crushed

190g Turkish delight, coarsely chopped

4 white peaches

4 yellow peaches

30.00 gm caster sugar

60ml amaretto

To make the roasted peaches, preheat oven to 180°C. Use a small serrated knife to cut the peaches in half. Discard the stones. Place the combined peach, cut-side up, in a large roasting pan. Sprinkle with sugar. Drizzle with liqueur or orange juice. Bake for 30 mins or until tender. Cool. Transfer to a shallow container, reserving the syrup. Cover and place in the fridge for 1 hour to chill.

Reduce oven to 100°C. Line a large baking tray with baking paper.

Use an electric mixer to whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar in a clean, dry bowl until firm peaks form. Gradually add the sugar, 1 tbs at a time, whisking well after each addition until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is thick and glossy. Add the cornflour and whisk until just combined.

Use a large metal spoon to spoon the mixture onto the lined tray. Use a palette knife to shape the mixture into a 20cm x 30cm rectangle. Bake for 11/2 hours or until the pavlova is dry to the touch. Turn oven off. Leave the pavlova in oven, with the door ajar, for 2 hours to cool completely.

Use an electric mixer to whisk the cream, crème fraîche and rosewater essence in a medium bowl until soft peaks form. Add the crushed raspberry and gently marble.

Transfer the pavlova to a large serving platter. Top with the cream mixture and roasted peaches. Sprinkle with the Turkish delight and extra raspberries. Drizzle with the reserved syrup and serve immediately.

Peach and raspberry slab pavlova recipe

<p>Although we love regular rice pudding, there's no denying it's hard to go back to it after you've tried this delicious twist. This Fried rice pudding with apple agrodolce - a sweet and sour apple sauce - takes the classic dessert to the next level. Matt Preston and our Food Director, Michelle Southan, made an <a href="https://www.taste.com.au/recipes/fried-rice-pudding-apple-agrodolce/rhk6mUXd">oven baked version</a> a little while ago and it was so delicious that we wanted to make it even simpler by adapting it to an air fryer!</p>

750ml (3 cups) milk

375ml (1 1/2 cups) thickened cream

1 vanilla bean, split lengthways, seeds scraped

100g (1/2 cup) caster sugar

4 eggs

2 egg yolks

165g (3/4 cup) medium-grain rice, rinsed well

30g butter, melted

55g (1/2 cup) walnuts, toasted, coarsely chopped

Purple rosemary flowers, to serve (optional)

Double cream, to serve

100g (1/2 cup, firmly packed) brown sugar

125ml (1/2 cup) red wine vinegar

65g (1/3 cup) raisins

2 strips lemon rind

1 sprig fresh rosemary

4 green apples, peeled, cored, cut into 5mm-thick slices

Place the milk, cream, vanilla pod and seeds in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to the boil. Set aside for 20 minutes to infuse and cool slightly. Discard the vanilla pod.

Preheat the oven to 160C/140C fan forced. Place a 6cm-deep, 18 x 29cm (base measurement) ovenproof dish in a roasting pan.

Whisk together the sugar, eggs and yolks in a large bowl until well combined. Gradually add the milk mixture, stirring until well combined. Stir in the rice. Pour the mixture into the ovenproof dish. Pour enough boiling water into the roasting pan to reach halfway up the side of the dish. Bake, stirring every 10 minutes for the first 30 minutes, for 1 hour 10 minutes or until the tip of a small knife inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove the dish from the roasting pan. Set aside to cool slightly. Place, uncovered, in the fridge for 6 hours or overnight to set.

To make the apple sauce, place the brown sugar, vinegar, raisins, lemon rind and rosemary in a saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a gentle simmer. Add the apple and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until the apple slices are tender but not falling apart.

Cut the rice pudding into 6 portions. Line the base of an air fryer basket with baking paper. Top with 2 slices of the rice pudding. Brush the top with melted butter. Air fry at 180C for 8 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining rice pudding and melted butter.

Divide among serving plates and top with the apple sauce. Sprinkle with walnuts and rosemary flowers, if using. Serve with double cream.

Matt Preston’s air-fried rice pudding recipe

This impressive cake has everything going for it - it's moist, jam-packed with interesting flavours and much easier to make than it looks.

645g (3 cups) caster sugar

450g (3 cups) plain flour

95g (1 cup) cocoa powder

7.50 gm bicarbonate of soda

22.00 gm baking powder

2.40 gm table salt

3 eggs

375ml (11/2 cups) buttermilk

375ml (1 1/2 cups) vegetable oil

375ml (1 1/2 cups) boiling water

8.80 gm vanilla extract

150g pecans

McKenzie’s Moist Flakes Coconut, to decorate

Caramel spread, to decorate

215g (1 cup) caster sugar

250ml (1 cup) evaporated milk

3 eggs yolks, lightly whisked

125g unsalted butter, chopped

130g (2 cups) McKenzie’s Moist Flakes Coconut

150g pecans, roughly chopped

450g unsalted butter, chopped, at room temperature

600g (4 cups) pure icing sugar, sifted

50g (1/2 cup) cocoa powder, sifted

41.20 gm milk

Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan forced. Grease two 18cm (base size) round cake pans. Line the bases and sides with baking paper.

Whisk together the caster sugar, flour, cocoa, bicarb, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Add the eggs, buttermilk, oil, boiling water and vanilla. Whisk until well combined and smooth. Divide half of the mixture evenly between prepared pans. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centres comes out clean. Set aside in the pans for 10 minutes to cool slightly before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Grease and reline pans. Repeat the process, using the remaining cake mixture to bake 2 more cakes.

Meanwhile, to make the coconut pecan filling, place the caster sugar, evaporated milk and egg yolk in a large saucepan. Whisk until combined. Add the butter. Place over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, for 4-5 minutes or until the butter melts. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, for another 10 minutes or until the mixture starts to boil and thicken. Remove from heat and stir through the coconut, pecans and vanilla until combined. Transfer to a bowl and set aside to cool completely.

To make the chocolate buttercream, use a stand mixer with paddle attachment on medium-high speed to beat the butter for 6-8 minutes or until pale and creamy. Reduce speed to low. Add the icing sugar, cocoa and milk. Beat until well combined. Increase speed to medium-high and beat for 3-4 minutes or until fluffy. Spoon 1 cupful of the buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm plain nozzle. Spoon another 1 cupful into a piping bag fitted with a large fluted nozzle.

Use a large serrated knife to trim and level the top of each cake. Pipe a little buttercream in the centre of a serving plate. Place 1 cake, cut-side up, on the plate. Use the plain nozzle piping bag to pipe a ring of buttercream around the top edge of cake. Fill with one-third of the coconut pecan filling. Repeat layering with the remaining cakes, buttercream and coconut pecan filling, finishing with the final cake, base-side up. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill.

Spread the remaining buttercream over top and side of cake. Use an offset palette knife or cake scraper to smooth the top and side. Reserve a few whole pecans then roughly chop the remainder. Gently press the chopped pecans around the base of cake. Use the fluted nozzle piping bag to pipe swirls of buttercream around the top edge of the cake. Decorate the swirls with reserved whole pecans and coconut flakes. Drizzle caramel spread over top and side of cake to serve.

German chocolate cake recipe

A classic caramel slice with added crunch from macadamias.

Melted butter, to grease

150g granita biscuits (Arnott's brand)

75g butter, melted

100g macadamia nuts

1 395g can sweetened condensed milk

53.60 gm golden syrup

50g butter, extra

150g dark chocolate, roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush an 18cm square (base measurement) cake pan with the melted butter to grease. Line the base and sides with non-stick baking paper, allowing paper to overhang the sides.

Place the biscuits in the bowl of a food processor and process until finely crushed. Transfer to a medium bowl and add the melted butter. Stir until well combined. Press the biscuit mixture evenly over the base of the lined pan and smooth the surface with the back of a spoon. Place in the fridge for 1 hour to chill.

Spread macadamia nuts evenly over a baking tray and cook in preheated oven for 7 minutes or until toasted.

Place condensed milk, golden syrup and 30g of the extra butter in a medium non-stick saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 10-15 minutes or until the mixture thickens and turns a caramel colour. Remove from heat and add the toasted macadamia nuts. Stir until well combined. Spoon the hot caramel over the biscuit base and smooth the surface. Place in the fridge for 1 hour to set.

Place the chocolate and remaining butter in a small clean, dry heatproof bowl. Place the bowl over a small saucepan of barely simmering water over low heat (make sure the bowl doesnt? touch the water). Use a dry metal spoon to stir gently for 2 minutes or until mixture melts and is smooth. Pour the chocolate mixture evenly over caramel filling and smooth surface with a knife. Place in the fridge for 15 minutes or until the chocolate sets. Cut into 12 pieces to serve.

Macadamia caramel slice

These Maltese pastries make the most decadent tea-time treat. Buttery pastry is filled with a spiced, citrusy date paste, deep fried and coated in icing sugar- you won't be stopping at one.

180g pitted dates, chopped

1 tsp finely grated orange rind

60ml (1 ⁄4 cup) fresh orange juice

1 ⁄2 tsp ground aniseed or star anise (see tip)

Pinch of ground cloves

Vegetable oil, to deep fry

375g (21 ⁄2 cups) plain flour

125g butter, chopped

24.00 gm icing sugar mixture, plus extra, to dust

1⁄4.00 gm baking powder

80ml (1 ⁄3 cup) warm water

3 tsp orange blossom water

Place dates, rind, juice and 60ml (1 ⁄4 cup) water in a saucepan. Stir until combined. Set aside for 15 minutes or until dates soften.

Add cinnamon, aniseed, cloves and vanilla. Cook, stirring, over low heat for 20 minutes or until thick and smooth. Remove from heat. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

To make pastry, place flour, butter, sugar, baking powder and a pinch of salt in a food processor. Process until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add warm water and blossom water. Process until just comes together into a soft, smooth ball. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Shape into disc. Cover with plastic wrap. Place in fridge for 1 hour to rest.

Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface into a 5mm-thick, 24 x 40cm rectangle. Trim edges. Cut lengthways into 3 strips. Spread date mixture down middle of each strip. Brush edge with water. Fold dough over lengthways. Press edges to seal. Flatten gently then cut each log diagonally into 2cm-thick pieces.

Pour oil into a large deep saucepan until half full. Place over medium-high heat and heat to 180C on a cook’s thermometer (see tip, opposite). Deep-fry pastries, in batches, turning occasionally, for 2-3 minutes or until golden. Drain on a tray lined with paper towel. Toss in extra icing sugar. Serve warm.

Imqaret (Maltese date-filled pastries) recipe

Dinners

For a quick and easy dinner, you can't beat this one-pan winner - the creamy sun-dried tomato sauce is so nice with the salmon.

August 2023 Recipes

Sections

Recipes