Cupcakes!

Leezar came back from a day on the road with these delicious treats from My Little Cupcake in Neutral Bay. They have the softest texture with the most divine icing... mmmm. Once we'd finished scoffing them we were scouring our plates for all the crumbs! If you are ever in that area of Sydney (or even just in Sydney!) you must swing by and pick up a box, they are well worth crossing town for!

ANZAC biccies!

This ANZAC day we have been getting into the spirit of things early by baking yummy chewy ANZAC biscuits. We love how they make the kitchen smell, and how they taste fresh from the oven, but mostly we love the history behind these delightful treats. ANZAC biscuits are an ongoing legacy of the support given to the Australian and New Zealand soldiers during World War 1 by concerned wives, mothers, girlfriends and sisters. They are incredibly easy to make and your friends and family will love them!

Preheat the oven to 160°C. Line two baking trays with non-stick baking paper. Sift the flour into a large bowl. Stir in the oats, coconut and brown sugar. 

Put the butter, golden syrup and 2 Tbs water in a small saucepan. Stir over a medium heat until melted (or place in microwave for 60 – 90 seconds). Stir in the bicarbonate of soda. 

Pour the butter mixture into the flour mixture and stir until combined. 

Roll level tablespoons of mixture into balls. Place on the trays, about 5cm apart. 

Press with a fork to flatten slightly. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. 

Set aside on the trays for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack (if you don’t gobble them up immediately!) so it cools completely.

You can make friends with friands

Today's post is Mindi's favorite thing to bake, friands. They are delicious, easy, and look amazingly professional when dusted with a little icing sugar. Try these out as the perfect afternoon tea snack!

Orange & Poppy Seed Friands

Makes 12 Friands.

Ingredients

1/2 cup plain flour (or gluten free plain flour, for gluten free friands)

1 1/2 cups icing sugar, sifted

1 cup almond meal

2 tablespoons poppy seeds

Zest of 1 orange

Juice of 1/2 orange

5 egg whites, beaten till lightly frothy

150g melted butter (or nuttelex for dairy free friands)

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C. Lightly grease 12 friand moulds or line moulds with friand cases

Sift Flour and icing sugar into a large mixing bowl. Stir in almond meal, poppy seeds and orange rind.

Stir in egg whites, melted butter and juice.

Divide mixture evenly among friand moulds. Bake for 25 minutes or until cooked through and golden brown.

Dust with icing sugar and eat warm or wait til cool and dust.

Friands can be stored for up to a week in an airtight container in the fridge, or frozen and reheated.

Variations: Jaffa Friands - Omit the poppy seeds and add two heaped tablespoons of cocoa powder for yummy choc- orange flavour. Lemon & Poppy Seed Friands - substitute orange rind and juice for lemon rind and juice.

Easter Baking

Now that we are all significantly recovered from Easter chocolate binging (and congratulations if this wasn't the case for you) we thought we might share a special recipe which Caroline stumbled across in her Grandma's very well used cookbook from 1950. It is for a traditional Easter Simnel Cake. Not only does the cake look spectacular - but it tastes absolutely amazing! Like a light Christmas cake but WAY better!! The effort to bake this is well worth the reward of eating it. So pull out your Dandi Pini and get baking! Click here for the full recipe and instructions.

Easter Simnel Cake - Recipe from Granny Brooks

100g softened butter
½ cup brown sugar
1 tbs golden syrup
1 egg
2 cups of self raising flour
1 tsp mixed spice
350g dried mixed fruit
100g dried apricots
2 tbs apricot jam

Almond icing
360g of icing sugar
100g almond meal
1 tsp. vanilla essence
2 tbs of lemon juice
1 egg

Preheat oven to 180’C. Grease a 17cm round cake pan, lining the base with baking paper.

Place icing ingredients in a bowl and mix. Knead on a clean surface until smooth. Wrap in plastic and set aside.

Beat together butter, sugar and golden syrup until pale and creamy. Add egg and beat until just combined. Add flour and mixed spice and stir to combine. Stir in mixed fruit.

Spoon half the mixture into the pan and smooth surface. Use a rolling pin to roll out 1/3 of the icing into a 17cm disc. Place icing on top of mixture and spoon remaining fruit mixture over the icing, smoothing the surface as you go.

Bake in oven for 30 minutes then reduce to 150’C for a about 1 ½ hours. Remove and cool.

When cold, brush the top of the cake with heated jam. Divide remaining icing in half, using one portion roll out a 17cm disc and place on top of cake. With the remaining almond mixture roll 11 egg shaped balls and arrange on top of the cake.

Place under grill on high until golden. Serve with tea, love and dandi napery!

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