Hazelnut Rings

Shortbread bases are topped with an almond mixture, hazelnuts and melted chocolate. Recipe makes 12 rings.

Ingredients:

2 ounces (60 g) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup caster sugar
1 cup all-purpose (plain) flour
1 egg yolk
Topping:
4 ounces (125 g) unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup icing sugar
1 cup all-purpose (plain) flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup ground almonds
2 ounces (60 g) whole hazelnuts, roasted and skins rubbed off
2 1/2 ounces (75 g) dark cooking chocolate, melted

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Lightly grease 2 baking trays.
2. For the bases, put the butter, sugar, flour and egg yolk into a mixing bowl; beat well to a smooth dough. Cover with clear plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
3. For the topping, put the butter in a mixing bowl and beat until smooth. Sift the icing sugar over and beat until pale and creamy.
4. Sift the flour and baking powder over; add the ground almonds and mix well until evenly combined.
5. Put the chilled dough on a lightly floured work surface. Roll out and cut out twelve 3 inch (7.5 cm) rounds. Cut out the centers, using a 1 1/4 inch (3 cm) round cutter, to form rings. Re-roll the trimmings if necessary. Put the rings on the baking trays and bake for 5 minutes.
6. Put the almond mixture into a piping bag fitted with a large star pipe/nozzle. Remove the biscuits from the oven. Pipe the topping onto each ring and top with the hazelnuts.
7. Return biscuits to the oven and bake for a further 10 minutes, or until pale golden and cooked. Drizzle he rings evenly with the melted chocolate.

Tip: Take care when melting chocolate. Heat it slowly and do not let it get too hot or it will thicken and be too difficult to work with. Drizzle the melted chocolate from a teaspoon over the rings.

Fresh Fruit Galette

Shortcrust and puff pastries combine in a pretty casing for summer fruits and cream. Recipe serves 7.

Ingredients:

1 sheet frozen ready-rolled shortcrust pastry, thawed
2 sheets frozen ready-rolled butter puff pastry, thawed
Beaten egg, to glaze
Filling:
1 pint (600 ml) carton fresh cream
1/2 cup icing sugar, sifted
4 teaspoons orange flavored liqueur or 1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring essence
4 ounces (125 g) very small strawberries
4 ounces (125 g) fresh figs, quartered
4 ounces (125 g) redcurrants
4 ounces (125 g) blackberries or boysenberries
4 ounces (125 g) raspberries
4 ounces (125 g) blueberries
1 large kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced

Method:

1. Line a large baking tray with non-stick baking paper. Place the short crust pastry sheet on a lightly floured, cold, dry surface. Using a 3 inch (8 cm) pastry cutter and a sharp knife, cut the circle into a flower shape with 7 petals. Transfer the pastry shape to the baking tray. Prick all over with a fork.
2. Place one sheet of puff pastry on the floured surface; brush lightly with cold water and place the second sheet of puff pastry on top. Roll over lightly with a rolling pin to seal the two sheets together. Using the pastry cutter and sharp knife, cut into a similar flower shape, as in Step 1. Cut out the inside of the petals, leaving a 1/4 inch (6 mm) border of pastry around each one. Remove the cut-out pastry.
3. Brush the shortcrust pastry 'flower' with egg. Carefully lay the puff pastry on top and brush with egg. Chill for about 30 minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (220 degrees C). Bake the pastry 'flower' for 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. For the filling, beat together the cream, icing sugar and liqueur or vanilla essence with an electric mixer until soft peaks form.
6. Put the pastry base onto a serving plate. Spoon the whipped cream mixture into the cut-out petals. Arrange a different type of fruit over the cream in each petal and serve within 2 hours.

Seafood Cannelloni

This is a recipe for special occasions. For a family meal, you may like to omit scallops and shrimp and replace them with 1 pound (500 g) of minced white fish. Recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1/2 cup tomato paste
2 cups water
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground thyme
1 teaspoon ground basil
Salt to taste (optional)
7 ounces (200 g) white fish, cut into small chunks
5 ounces (150 g) shelled shrimp, coarsely chopped
3 ounces (100 g) scallops, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup fresh wholemeal breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons dry white wine
Ground black pepper to taste
1 egg, lightly beaten
12 lightly cooked cannelloni shells (to make handling easier)
1/2 cup grated low-fat block cheese

Method:

1. Heat oil in frying pan and saute 1 clove garlic and 1 onion until tender.
2. Add tomato paste, water, lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon thyme, 1/2 teaspoon basil and salt.
3. Combine remaining garlic, onion, thyme and basil with fish, shrimp, scallops, breadcrumbs, parsley, wine, pepper and egg.
4. Spoon fish mixture into cannelloni shells, and arrange in a shallow casserole.
5. Pour tomato mixture over cannelloni shells and sprinkle with cheese.
6. Bake at 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) for 30 minutes until sauce is hot and bubbling.

Passion Fruit Sponge Cake

The passion fruit sponge is a traditional afternoon tea delight. This recipe has a tangy passion fruit butter filling.

Ingredients:

5 large eggs, separated
3/4 cup caster sugar
1 cup self-rising (raising) flour
1/4 cup cornflour
Pinch salt
1 tablespoon butter
4 tablespoons boiling water
1 cup whipped cream
Passion fruit icing
Passion fruit butter

Method:

1. Grease 2 x 8 inch (20 cm) sponge sandwich tins. Cut a circle of baking paper and line base, grease over paper and dust tins with cornflour.
2. Beat egg whites in a clean dry basin until stiff peaks form. Gradually add sugar while you continue to beat.
3. Add egg yolks one at a time while beating.
4. Sift flour, cornflour and salt together, combine butter and boiling water and keep ready.
5. Quickly and lightly sprinkle flour over egg mixture and commence to fold in with a large metal spoon. Pour butter and water around side of the bowl and continue to fold quickly and lightly.
6. Pour evenly into the two prepared tins.
7. Bake in a preheated moderate oven (375 degrees F/190 degrees C) for 20 minutes, or until tops spring back when lightly touched and mixture begins to shrink from the sides.
8. Turn out onto a wire rack, remove baking paper and cool.
9. Spread one cake with passion fruit butter and whipped cream. Spread passion fruit icing on top of second cake, then sandwich together.

Curried Vegetable Pasties

Spicy curried vegetables in a sour cream pastry will liven up your lunchtime. Recipe makes 8 pasties.

Ingredients:

4 cups self-rising (raising) flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 ounces (125 g) butter
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 pint (150 ml) sour cream
Filling:
4 teaspoons peanut oil
1 ounce (30 g) butter
1 large potato (about 8 ounces/250 g), peeled and diced
1 large carrot (about 5 ounces/ 155 g) peeled and diced
1 cup finely chopped leek
4 ounces (125 g) mushrooms, diced
4 teaspoons curry powder or paste
Salt
Beaten egg, to glaze

Method:

1. Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and rub in with fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
2. In another bowl, mix the eggs and sour cream. Stir into the flour mixture until it forms a soft dough. Compress the dough together, then form into a disc shape on a lightly floured surface. Wrap in greaseproof paper and chill for 1 hour.
3. For the filling, heat the oil and butter in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add the potato and carrot, cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the leek and mushrooms and cook a further 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the curry powder and stir constantly for 1 minute. Remove from heat and add salt to taste. Leave to cool.
4. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease 2 large baking trays. Roll pastry out on a lightly floured surface and cut out eight 6 inch (15 cm) rounds. Turn the rounds over, brush off excess flour. Spoon the filling evenly onto one side of each round. Brush edges with a little beaten egg. Fold the pastry over the filling and seal the edges with a fork.
5. Put the pasties onto the prepared baking trays. Brush with remaining beaten egg. Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve hot.

Tip: Try using wholemeal self-rising (raising) flour for a wholesome variation. Or, add 4 ounces (125 g) diced cooked lamb or chicken to the curried vegetables.

Chinese Stir-fry Pork

The secret of a successful stir-fry is to have all the ingredients prepared before you begin cooking, and then to cook them swiftly so that they reach the table still crisp and alive with color. Recipe serves 4-5.

Ingredients:

1 pound (500 g) pork fillet
1 tablespoon polyunsaturated oil
1/2 teaspoon ginger grated
1 clove garlic, crushed
Pinch Chinese five spice powder
1 cup small broccoli florets
1 cup small cauliflower florets
1/2 green pepper (capsicum), diced
2 medium carrots, cut into matchsticks (julienne)
3 spring onions, chopped
16-20 snow peas
10-12 button mushrooms, sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced diagonally
1 apple, cut into slices
1/4 cucumber, cut into slices
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon tomato ketchup (sauce)
1 1/2 tablespoons cornflour (cornstarch)
1 cup chicken stock

Method:

1. Prepare pork fillet by slicing thinly at an angle.
2. Heat oil in a pan until very hot. Add pork, ginger, garlic and five spice. Stir fry for 3-5 minutes.
3. Add broccoli, cauliflower, pepper and carrots. Stir-fry 1-2 minutes, making sure that nothing is allowed to overcook and become limp.
4. Now add the rest of the vegetables and continue stir-frying over high heat for another 1-2 minutes.
5. In a bowl, combine soy sauce, honey, tomato sauce, cornflour (cornstarch) and chicken stock. Add mixture to the chicken and vegetables, bring to the boil, cover, turn down the heat and simmer 2-3 minutes only.
6. Serve on a bed of boiled brown rice.

Chocolate-nut Treats

Dark chocolate surrounds a creamy mocha fudge and hazelnut center. Recipe makes about 30 chocolates.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/4 pint (150 ml) cold black coffee
2 1/2 fl oz (75 ml) fresh cream
10 ounces (300 g) dark cooking chocolate
2 ounces (60 g) unsalted butter
8 teaspoons coffee-flavored liqueur
1/4 teaspoon vanilla flavoring essence
2 1/2 ounces (75 g) hazelnuts, finely chopped

Method:

1. Line 2 baking trays with non-stick baking paper.
2. Put the sugar, coffee and cream into a heavy-based saucepan. Place over a low heat, stirring gently with a wooden spoon until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to medium and heat, without stirring, until the mixture reaches 230 degrees F (115 degrees C) on a sugar thermometer. Remove from the heat.
3. Meanwhile, chop 3 1/2 ounces (100 g) dark cooking chocolate finely in a food processor. Add the chopped chocolate, half the butter, liqueur and vanilla to the sugar mixture. Stir together until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool completely and thicken.
4. Using clean cold hands, roll the mixture into 1 inch (2.5 cm) balls. Roll in the chopped hazelnuts.
5. Break the remaining chocolate and butter into a heatproof bowl. Place over a pan of barely simmering water and leave to melt.
6. Using 2 forks, dip the balls into the melted chocolate until coated. Put on the prepared baking tray and leave to set.

Tip: Store the chocolates in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Eat within 3 days.