Italian Almond Cookies

  Italian Almond Cookies:

These are really cute and especially nice on the first day when they are a bit crisp. They are still really nice a few days later, if they last that long.

I've made them for a 'pre-ball' platter and for a morning tea for my staff.

Ingredients

3 cups (300g) almond flour


1 cup (200g) sugar


Pinch of salt


Zest of 1 big lemon 


1 tsp vanilla extract or paste


3 egg whites (from medium eggs)


~1/4 cup powdered sugar for rolling (optional)


 Optional toppings: sliced almonds, a whole almond, or your favorite jam!
Get creative: add almond, rose or lemon extract, cardamom, cinnamon—whatever makes you happy.

1. To a bowl, add almond flour, sugar and lemon zest. Rub the lemon zest into the sugar to release the flavours. Add salt and mix.

2. Add egg whites + vanilla. Mix first with a spatula and then with your hand into a soft, slightly sticky dough, use immediately or let it rest a bit to enhance flavours.

3. Roll into same size tablespoon-sized balls, coat in powdered sugar or almonds, or make thumbprints for jam.

4. Place on a baking sheet and bake 15–18 mins at 325°F / 165°C until lightly golden at the edges, no longer. Let cool & enjoy with coffee or tea!


Caramels and Caramel Slice - Keto

I use this recipe to make caramels and have made the caramel slice.
Our preference is caramel with 95% cacao chocolate drizzled over the top...eaten from the freezer.

Keto Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe was a first attempt so it will probably get modified as I try it each time. The cookies were a soft consistency, rather Than the crispy cookie I like. 

Yes, they are a make again and I’ll probably freeze some for an ‘emergency’.




Ingredients 

1 1/2 cups of almond flour
1/2 cup of powdered sugar substitute
1/2 tsp Xnanthan gum
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup sugar free choc chips (I used Healtheries)

1/2 cup salted butter melted
1/2 tsp vanilla extract 
1 egg

Mix dry ingredients.
Mix in beaten egg, melted butter and vanilla extract.

Bake for 15 mins at 180 .

Makes about 12 cookies

Macros approximate 
Net carbs 3g
Fat 13g
Protein 3g

Carrot Cake - Keto

A bit of a retrospective post. I made this in November for a family birthday cake. Carrot cake is usually the birthday cake of choice for Patrick but since I had started dabbling into Keto eating I decided to give this recipe a try. 
The cake is quite dense, but a lot of carrot cakes are. It was approved by all who ate it and I have to admit to sneaking slices from the left over cake from the fridge for day afterwards.
I’d make it again.
The recipe comes from the ‘Elle Herself’ facebook page.

I’ll re-type the recipe when I get the chance...

Apple Gingerbread Cake

Gingerbread cake was a favourite of mine as a child - especially hot with butter melting into it. I'm not sure why I have never made it as an adult. 
Today we are helped by a neighbour when the car battery was flat. Isabella and I thought it was appropriate to thank him with a cake and with eggs. Our four chickens are producing an eg a day at the moment so we have a bit of a surplus.

Ingredients

125 g	Butter
½ cup	Brown sugar
¾ cup	Golden syrup, (185ml)
2 cups	Self raising flour, sifted
½ tsp	Baking soda, sifted
1 Tbsp	Ground ginger, sifted
1	Granny Smith apple, peeling and grated
1	Egg, lightly beaten
¼ cup	Milk
2	Granny Smith apples, extra, peeled cored and quartered
1 Tbsp	Golden syrup, extra, heated
1 to dust	Demerara sugar
1 to serve	Vanilla custard

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 160 degC. Place butter, sugar and golden syrup in a saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring, until butter is melted. Set aside to cool.

2. Place flour, bicarbonate of soda and ginger in a bowl and mix to combine.

3. Add butter mixture, grated apple, egg and milk and combine. Pour into a lightly greased 20 x 30cm tin lined with non-stick baking paper.

4. Cut a row of slits in the extra apple quarters and press into the gingerbread. Brush with extra golden syrup and sprinkle with demerara sugar. Bake for 50 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer.

5. Slice and serve with custard.

Crunchy Lemon Muffins

I really enjoy this recipe – super quick to make up and results in lovely moist lemony muffins with a tasty crunchy top. Lovely warm or cold and can be frozen also.

Ingredients

2 Cups self raising flour
1 Cup white sugar
Finely grated rind of 2 lemons
100g butter, melted
1 Cup milk
2 large eggs

Syrup

Juice of 2 lemons

1/4 cup white sugar

Method

Preheat oven to 200C (390F).

Mix the first 3 ingredients in a large bowl.

In the second bowl mix together the melted butter, milk & eggs.

Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour the liquid ingredients into this. Lightly fold ingredients together until the flour is dampened. Do not over mix.

Spoon into well greased muffin tins and bake for 10-15 minutes.

While the muffins cook, mix the lemon juice and the second measure of sugar (do not dissolve the sugar). As soon as the muffins have been removed from the tins, brush them with the lemon juice topping.

Cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container once cooled.

Makes 12 muffins.

Feijoa Shortcake

This can be made with different fruit. It’s easy and looks great.
I prepared the feijoas the day before and kept them in the freezer.

Isabella says..."Absolutely delicious and super easy to make."

FEIJOA SHORTCAKE

Fruit topping

• 500 grams peeled chopped feijoas
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• zest of 1 lemon

Dough

• 180 grams butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• juice of 1 lemon
• 250 grams flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

Method

1. Mix the feijoas, sugar and lemon zest and set aside.
2. Cream butter and sugar. Add egg, vanilla and lemon juice.
3. Mix well and add flour and baking powder.
4. Spread most of dough in greased/lined tin or flan dish, drain feijoas and spread on top of dough.
5. Drop bits of remaining dough on top of feijoa, sprinkle with brown sugar.
6. Bake at 180ºC about 50-60 minutes (I used Moscavato dark unrefined cane sugar)

Over Night Caramel and Apple Scrolls

These are great. Easily made the day before, then baked in the morning. I used foil trays this time due to lack of suitable dishes from the dinner the night before. A great breakfast idea for a houseful of guests.

Great hot, just out of the oven or cold.
The caramel topping was a bit too sticky, so I’d possibly increase the quantities of topping in foil dishes. Previously in this be large dish worked well.


Ingredients

• Rolls

• 3  to 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/4  cup sugar

• 1  teaspoon salt

• 1  pkg. active dry yeast

• 1/2  cup applesauce

• 1/2  cup milk

• 1/4  cup butter

• 1  egg

• Caramel Topping

• 1/2  cup firmly packed brown sugar

• 1/2  cup applesauce

• 3  tablespoons butter, melted

• Filling

• 2  tablespoons butter, softened

• 1/3  cup sugar

• 1  teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

1. 1. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. In large bowl, combine 1 cup flour, 1/4 cup sugar, salt and yeast; mix well.
2. 2. In small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup applesauce, milk and 1/4 cup butter; cook over medium heat until very warm (120 to 130°F.), stirring constantly. Add warm mixture and egg to flour mixture; blend at low speed until moistened. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed. By hand, stir in 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups flour until dough pulls cleanly away from sides of bowl.
3. 3. On floured surface, knead in an additional 1/2 to 3/4 cup flour until dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place dough in greased bowl; cover loosely with greased plastic wrap and cloth towel. Let rise in warm place (80 to 85°F.) until light and doubled in size, 45 to 60 minutes.
4. 4. Grease 13x9-inch pan. Combine topping ingredients in pan; mix well. Spread evenly in pan.5

1. 5. On lightly floured surface, roll dough to 15x12-inch (about 30 by 40 cm) rectangle. Spread dough with 2 tablespoons butter. In small bowl, combine 1/3 cup sugar and cinnamon; mix well. Sprinkle over butter.
2. 6. Starting with 15-inch side, roll up tightly, pinching edges to seal. Cut roll into 12 slices; place cut side down over topping in pan. Cover; refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.
3. 7. When ready to bake, let rolls stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Heat oven to 400°F. (about 200 degrees c) Uncover rolls; bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan 1 minute; invert onto serving platter or tray. Scrape any remaining topping onto rolls. Serve warm.

Caramel Chocolate Chip Biscuits

Hello everyone, it's Isabella and this recipe just a few bars below is gonna change your world even more than sliced bread! It is my all time favourite recipe that I wish I had discovered waaaay sooner. And there a family favourite, I'm pretty sure dad would eat them for breakfast if mum let him!
So here it is

Ingredients

½ cup	Brown sugar
½ cup	Sugar
1¾ cups	Flour
1 tsp	Baking powder
150 g	Butter, melted
1	Egg, lightly whisked
1 tsp	Vanilla essence/extract
1 cup	Chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Place sugars, flour and baking powder in a bowl and mix well.
2. Lightly whisk the egg. Make a well in the centre and add butter, egg, vanilla and mix.
3. Lastly add chocolate chips. If your mixture is too sticky then add a little more flour. Roll small balls of dough and place on a greased or lined baking tray. Press with a fork dusted with flour.
4. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden.

Sour Cream Plum Cake

Another summer recipe which uses up the plentiful summer fruit before it gets wasted.

This cake is very dense but really nice with greek yoghurt - warm or cold.

Plums work well. I also tried figs, but hey did not have the tart tang which the plums had.



Ingredients

• 185g butter
• 300g sugar
• 3 eggs
• 250g flour
• 3tsp baking powder
• 45g ground almonds
• 340g sour cream
• 1tsp almond essence

Method

Cream the butter and sugar well.

Beat in the eggs one at a time and add the essence.

Sift in the dry ingredients add the sour cream and gently fold everything together.

Spoon the mixture into a 20cms cake tin.

Place stoned plum halves cut on top cut side up. The number of plums needed will depend on their size. Alternatively use any other stone fruit or rhubarb, feijoas etc.

Another alternative is to sprinkle a mix of raw sugar and ground ginger on top.

Bake in a moderate oven for 50 minutes.

Leave to cool in Tin

Store in an airtight container

Fudge For Christmas

Over the last few years I have tried a few different 'sweet treats' as Christmas gifts but really have to come back to the tried and true - Fudge. Its super easy and quick...and delicious.

The basic recipe is great as it is or can be embellished according on the occasion or who will be eating it.
For this years Christmas fudge is made one lot with white chocolate, macadamias and dried cranberries and the other with dark chocolate with pistachios. White chocolate with cranberries and pistachio looks really Christmasy too.
To add a liqueur or spirit flavour (baileys, brandy, whiskey are all good) just add a few drops to the mixture. Do only add a few drops or it won't be firm enough to set.

The recipe below is Nigella Lawson's Fudge recipe. Nigella's is kept in the freezer or fridge to keep it firm.
My friend's recipe is slightly different but I'm not going to publish that without her permission.

Ingredients

• 350g dark chocolate, at least 70 per cent cocoa solids, chopped -I use more - about 500g to make it set more firmly 
• 1 x 397g can condensed milk - I think a NZ tin is 400g
• 30g butter
• pinch salt
• 150g unsalted pistachios, shells removed - I use all sorts of different nuts or dried fruits

Preparation method

1. Place the chopped chocolate, condensed milk, butter and salt into a heavy-based pan over a low heat and stir until melted and well combined.
2. Place the nuts into a freezer bag and bash them with a rolling pin, until broken up into some large and some small pieces.
3. Add the nuts to the melted chocolate mixture and stir well.
4. Pour the mixture into a 23cm square tray, smoothing the top with a wet palette knife. I always line with baking paper to make it easy to get out
5. Let the fudge cool, then refrigerate until set.
6. Cut into small pieces approximately 3cm x 2cm. Cutting 7 x 7 lines in the tin to give 64 pieces best achieves this.
7. Once cut, the fudge can be kept in the freezer - there's no need to thaw, just eat straight away.

Banana Cake

It's delicious - Isabella

Banana Cake

115 grams of butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 mashed bananas (the older and browner the better)

2 tbs milk

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup flour

1 tsp of baking powder

Cream butter and sugar. Add beaten egg, eggs and bananas and mix.

Heat milk and stir in soda, it will be froth up a little. Mix into butter, banana etc mixture. (At this stage I add chocolate chips...about 1/2 - 1 cup)

Sift in four and baking powder. Mix only until the dry ingredients are combined.

Pour into greased, lined baking tin or individual muffin cases.

Bake at 180 degrees for about 30 minutes or until a fork poked into the middle comes out clean.

Carrot Cake

This recipe was a first time for us. It was a birthday cake for a family member and luckily it turned out really well. This one is a 'make again' and will become part of our repertoire!
It makes a big dense cake and the icing mixture makes a lot - probably enough to ice the sides too.

Cake

• 1 cup neutral oil, such as canola or grapeseed
• 2 cups raw or white sugar
• 4 small eggs
• 1 cup wholemeal flour
• 1 cup plain / all-purpose flour
• ¼ tsp salt
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 3 cups grated carrot (about 3 medium carrots)
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp orange juice

Cream Cheese Icing

• 75g butter, at room temperature
• 250g cream cheese (not the spreadable kind)
• finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 4 cups icing / confectioner's sugar
• shredded zest of 1 orange

Preheat oven to 160ºC fanbake. Grease a 25cm-diameter loose-bottomed cake tin and line the base with baking paper.

Place oil, sugar and eggs in the bowl of a food processor and whizz to combine. Add both flours, salt, cinnamon, mixed spice, ginger and grated carrot and pulse again to just combine – don’t over-mix.

Dissolve baking soda in orange juice and pulse into cake mixture. Spread into prepared tin and bake until the top bounces back when pressed and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean (55–60 minutes). Allow to cool before icing with Cream Cheese Icing.

To make the Cream Cheese Icing, place softened butter, cream cheese, lemon zest and juice and icing / confectioner's sugar in a food processor. Blend until smooth then spread over top and sides of cake. Garnish with orange zest.

Variation:

Add 1 cup raisins and / or ½ cup chopped walnuts.