BROWNIES

Preparation time:  20 mins       Cooking time:45 mins

INGREDIENTS:        Serves 4

1/2  cup butter, plus 3 tbsp for frosting
1  cup  white sugar
2  eggs
1  tbsp  vanilla extract, plus 1 tsp for frosting
1/3  cup  unsweetened cocoa powder, plus 3 tbsp for frosting
1/2  cup  all-purpose flour
1/4  tbsp  salt
1/4  tbsp  baking powder
1  tbsp  honey
1  cup  icing sugar, for frosting

Method:

• Preheat oven to 175C. Grease and flour a 20cm square baking tin.
• In a large saucepan, melt the butter. Remove from heat; stir in sugar, eggs, vanilla. Beat in the cocoa, flour, salt and baking powder. Spread batter into prepared pan.
• Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 mins. Do not overcook.
• To make frosting: combine 3 tbsp butter, 3 tbsp cocoa, honey, 1 tsp vanilla, and 1 cup icing sugar. Frost brownies while they are still warm, cut into triangles and serve.

LEBANESE PUDDING

LEBANESE  PUDDING:
INGREDIENTS:             ( serves 1 )

200  ml fresh milk
25  g  rice powder
50  g  sugar
5  ml  rose water
5  g chopped pistachio
Fresh fruit, to serve

METHOD:

• Bring milk to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat and add rice powder. Allow to cook for a few minutes then add sugar. Stirring frequently, cook the mixture until the consistency is thick and creamy.
• Add rose water,mix well and transfer mouhallabiyah to a serving plate. Garnish with pistachios and fresh fruit and serve.

CHOCOLATE FUDGE PUDDINGS

CHOCOLATE  FUDGE  PUDDINGS:
INGREDIENTS:

1-1/2  cups  cake crumbs
1/2  can  sweetened condensed milk
200  g cooking chocolate, melted
3  eggs, separated
1/4  cup plain flour
2  tbsp  Nescafe, chilled
Icing sugar

METHOD:

• Combine cake crumbs, sweetened condensed milk, cooking chocolate, egg yolks, flour and Nescafe.
• Beat egg whites until soft peaks form, gently fold into chocolate mixture. Spoon mixture into individual ovenproof dishes.
• Bake in medium hot ( 180C ) oven for 25-30 minutes until cooked.
• Dust with icing sugar, serve immediately with cream or ice-cream.

FRUIT SLICE

FRUIT  SLICE:
INGREDIENTS:

6  tbsp  plain flour
3  tbsp  self raising flour
2  tbsp  icing sugar
3  tbsp  butter, chopped
1  egg yolk
1  tbsp  water
410  g   jar fruit mince
1  can sweetened condensed milk
1/2  cup  coconut
1/2  cup  slivered almonds, toasted
1/4  cup  plain flour, extra
1/2  cup flaked almonds

METHOD:

• Place flours, sugar and butter in food processor, process until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
• Add egg yolks and water, process until mixture forms a dough. Roll out on well floured surface to fit base of medium sized swiss roll pan, bake in hot  ( 200C ) oven for 10 minutes.
• Combine fruit mince, 1/2 can of sweetened condensed milk, coconut, slivered almonds and extra flour.
• Spoon evenly over pastry. Sprinkle flaked almonds over fruit mixture. Drizzle remaining condensed milk evenly over top.
• Bake in medium hot ( 180C ) oven for 25 - 30 minutes, until golden.

FRUIT WREATH

FRUIT  WREATH:
INGREDIENTS:           ( Makes 4)

1  tbsp  butter
1  can sweetened  condensed milk
1  cup  mixed dried fruit
1/2  cup  slivered almonds
2  tbsp  grated lemon rind
4  sheets frozen rectangular puff pastry, thawed
2  eggs

METHOD:

• Place butter and sweetened condensed milk with one egg in small pan, stir constantly over low heat until golden caramel colour, ( approximately 7 minutes).
• Add mixed fruit, almonds and lemon rind, mix until combined. While still warm, divide mixture and spread evenly over half of each pastry sheet, roll up as for swiss roll.
• With lightly oiled knife cut across into 1 cm slices to within 1 cm of edge.
• Place on greased oven tray fanning out slices to form wreaths. Brush with lightly beaten egg, bake in hot ( 220C ) oven for 20 minutes until golden. Dust with sifted icing sugar.

LITTLE APPLE AND COCONUT PIES

LITTLE  APPLE  AND  COCONUT  PIES:
INGREDIENTS:              ( Makes 9 )

36  sheets  square filo pastry
1  tbsp  butter, melted
1/2  can sweetened  condensed milk
3  eggs
1/2  cup  coconut
3  tbsp  plain flour
3/4  cup pie apple

METHOD:

• Layer 4 sheets filo pastry, brushing between each sheet with butter.
• Place pastry into deep muffin pans. Repeat with remaining pastry and butter.
• Combine remaining ingredients, spoon evenly into pastry cases.
• Bake in medium hot (180C ) oven for 20 - 25 minutes until golden and set.
• Leave to cool and serve with whipped cream and toasted coconut.

MOUSSE AU CHOCOLAT

MOUSSE  AU  CHOCOLAT:                 EUROPE
INGREDIENTS:        ( serves 6 )

300  g dark chocolate  ( 70% cocoa )
1  small cup  strong espresso
5  eggs
3  tbsp +50 g  sugar
1  drop  vanilla essence
125  g  well- chilled double cream

METHOD:

• Roughly chop the chocolate and melt over a bain- marie with the cup of espresso. Remove from the heat.
• Separate the eggs. Beat the egg yolks with the sugar and the drop of vanilla essence over a hot bain- marie until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is foamy.
• Whip the double cream until it forms soft peaks. Beat the egg whites with the sugar until they form stiff peaks.
• Stir the egg yolk mixture into the chocolate with a whisk. Briskly mix the whipped cream with the chocolate mixture with a whisk before it sets.
• Carefully fold in the beaten egg whites. Spoon into bowls, cover closely with clingfilm and put into the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.

TIPS : A clean dry wooden cocktail stick inserted into the middle of the cake at a slight angle will come out clean when the cake is done. If it does not come out clean, bake the cake for a further 5 minutes and test again.

DATE PUDDING

DATE  PUDDING:
INGREDIENTS:           ( serves 6-8 )

1   cup  dates, chopped
6  tbsp  boiling water
1  tsp  bicarbonate soda
6  tbsp  butter
1  cup  brown sugar
2  eggs
1  cup plain flour
1   can  sweetened  condensed milk
1   can  cream

METHOD:

• Combine dates, water and bicarbonate soda, stand for 30 minutes.
• Beat butter and sugar until light and creamy, beat in eggs one at a time.
• Fold in date mixture and sifted flour. Spoon evenly into greased, lined, medium rectangular pan.
• Bake in medium heat oven at 180C  for 35- 40 minutes, until cooked. Beat sweetened condensed milk and cream until thick, serve with pudding .

BLACK FOREST CHEESECAKE SLICE

BLACK  FOREST  CHEESECAKE  SLICE:
INGREDIENTS:               

185  g plain  chocolate biscuits, crushed
3  tbsp butter, melted
250  g cream cheese, softened
1  can  sweetened condensed milk
1  can  cream
3  tbsp gelatine
2  tbsp  water
425  g can pitted black cherries in syrup
1  tbsp  cornflour

METHOD:

• Combine biscuits and butter. Press into base of foil lined pan, refrigerate.
• Beat cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk until smooth, beat in cream.
• Sprinkle gelatine over water, dissolve over hot water, cool, beat into cream cheese mixture.
• Drain cherries, reserve syrup. Halve cherries and fold into cream cheese mixture, spoon evenly over crumb crust.
• Combine in pan cornflour and reserved syrup. Bring to boil stirring, remove from heat,cool.
• Swirl cherry mixture through cream mixture. Refrigerate until set.

MANGO AND LIME CHARLOTTE

MANGO  AND  LIME  CHARLOTTE:
INGREDIENTS:      ( serves 6 )

1/4  cup  lime jelly crystals
3/4  cup  hot water
250  g  pkt  sponge finger biscuits
Milk  for brushing
250  g   pkt cream cheese, softened
1/2  can sweetened condensed milk (  397 g )
1  tbsp gelatine
1/4  cup lemon juice
440  g mango slices in light syrup, drained
1  cup fresh cream, whipped

METHOD:

• Dissolve jelly in hot water, cool. Pour into base of deep round cake pan,refrigerate until set.
• Trim biscuits to sit evenly around sides of pan. Brush biscuits with milk and arrange around sides of pan on top of jelly.
• Beat cream cheese and condensed milk until smooth. Sprinkle gelatine over lemon juice, stand over hot water until dissolved, cool, beat into cream cheese mixture.
• Puree mango, fold into cream cheese mixture with whipped cream.
• Spoon filling evenly into pan, cover, refrigerate until set.

To serve : Dip cake pan quickly into hot water for a few seconds, turn charlotte out onto serving plates, decorate with extra whipped cream, and mango slices.