Chocolate & PB Oat Slice

Rich, nutty, & reasonably healthy with the abundance of oats... Especially great for peanut butter lovers...

Ingredients:
2.25oz chocolate cookie crumbs
6tbsp old-fashioned oats
5tbsp confectioners' sugar
small pinch of salt
1.25oz butter
4tbsp/80g chunky peanut butter
3tbsp/60g creamy peanut butter
1tbsp. creamy peanut butter/white chocolate, or both

2.5oz dark chocolate, melted
1tbsp cream
1oz butter

Method::
1. Grease & line with parchment a 9*3" baking pan.
2. Combine crumbs, oats, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.
3. Melt & combine butter, chunky peanut butter and 3tbsp smooth peanut butter.
4. Add peanut butter mixture to crumbs mixture, mix well.
5. Transfer to baking pan, and firmly press mixture into an even layer.
6. Refrigerate till set (around 30mins; alternatively put in freezer for 5mins).
7. Combine chocolate, cream & butter, and pour over chilled mixture
8. Spread into a thin layer that covers the entire surface.
9. Refrigerate until hardened (around 5-10 minutes).
10. Heat remaining 1tbsp smooth peanut butter until runny, & drizzle over chilled chocolate.
11. Refrigerate until hardened.
12. Slice & let bars stand at room temperature for 5 minutes before serving.

**Sliced bars can be refrigerated for up to 1 week / frozen for up to 1 month

Brownie Mosaic Cheesecake

Brownies
2.67oz unsweetened chocolate
4oz butter
2/3 + 1/2cups sugar
2 eggs
1/4tsp salt
2/3cup flour

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Line 8" square baking pan with foil.
3. Melt chocolate and butter
4. Blend in eggs.
5. Add flour and salt; mix well.
6. Spread into prepared pan & bake for 30mins or until toothpick inserted comes out with fudgy crumbs.
7. Cool in pan, then cut them into 1/2" squares
** Easier to cut once they’ve been refrigerated

Crumb Crust
5oz chocolate cookie crumbs
2.5oz butter, melted
1/3 cup sugar
1/8 tsp salt

1. Stir together ingredients and press onto bottom and sides of a 9" springform pan.
2. Chill.
**Crust can be doubled

Cheesecake
3 (8 oz) packages cream cheese
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup sugar
1tbsp flour

1. Preheat oven to 350°C
2. Beat cream cheese until fluffy and add eggs, 1 at a time
3. Add vanilla and sugar, beating on low speed until everything well-incorporated
4. Fold in brownie cubes and pour mixture into prepared crust.
5. Bake for 45 minutes, or till cake set with center is still slightly wobbly when pan is gently shaken.
6. Cool & top with following glaze.

Ganache Glaze
2oz bittersweet chocolate
1.33oz butter
2tbsp + 2tsp heavy cream
1/2tsp vanilla extract
2/3 tbsp icing sugar

1. Scald butter and cream
2. Add chocolate and blend until completely smooth
3. Add the extract and sugar and mix until smooth.
4. Spread over cheesecake while ganache is still warm.
5. Chill until ready to serve.

Apple & Almond Crumble Cake

Soft, buttery almond flecked cake filled with sweet apples and topped with a crunchy cinnamon crumble...Perfect with a cuppa...

Crumble
150g butter, cold and diced
200g plain flour
80g brown sugar
40g caster sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Cake
150g butter, softened
130g caster sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
75g plain flour
1½ tsp baking powder
110g ground almonds (not almond meal)
2 medium golden delicious apples

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and line an 8" square cake tin with baking paper.
2. In a large bowl, rub the butter into the flour, sugars and cinnamon until you end up with a crumbly mixture. Place the crumble mix into the fridge.
3. Cream the butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Add the vanilla extract and eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition.
5. Gently fold through the flour, baking powder and almonds (don’t overmix).
6. Spread the cake batter into prepared tin.
7. Cut each apple into 16 thin slices.
8. Layer the apple slices over the cake batter (try to really cover the mixture with the apple slices to prevent batter from popping through the apples and the crumble mix).
9. Sprinkle the crumble mix over the apple slices and bake for approximately 45 minutes. If a skewer comes out clean then it is ready.
10. Allow to cool completely before serving

Dark Chocolate Mud Cake

Ingredients
250g butter
180g dark chocolate
320g sugar
180ml milk
225g all purpose flour
75g self-raising flour
2 eggs

Chocolate Ganache
140ml cream
360g chocolate

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 170°C
2. Place the butter, chocolate, sugar and milk into a saucepan/bowl over a low heat
3. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.
4. Stir flours into the slightly cooled chocolate mixture
5. Add in eggs
6. Bake for about 1 hour 40 minutes
7. Let the cake cool in the pan.
8. Boil cream, remove from the heat and add the chocolate, stirring well to help dissolve the chocolate.
9. Cool ganache till it reaches a spreadable consistency.
10. Spread ganache on the cooled cake

*Makes a 9" cake

Peanut Heaven

Ingredients:
155 g creamy peanut butter
55g butter
150g sugar
2 eggs
190g flour
9g baking powder
2g salt
180ml milk
200g crushed peanuts (plain/honey roasted)
2-3 quantity Peanut Butter Swiss Buttercream [recipe below]
extra peanuts for decorating

Method:
1. Cream peanut butter, butter and sugar.
2. Add eggs; mix well.
3. Combine flour, baking powder and salt
4. Add to creamed mixture. Add milk. Mix well.
5. Pour into a prepared pan.
6. Bake at 175C for 30-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

*Makes a 9" flat / 8" tall cake.

Assemble cake:
1. Slice the cooled cake into 2 layers.
2. Sandwich some buttercream and peanuts between the layers.
3. Frost the cake with remaining buttercream
4. Decorate with extra peanuts



Peanut Butter Swiss Buttercream:
1/3 cup icing sugar
1 large egg white
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
80g peanut butter

1. Whisk egg whites and sugar until y it turns white and about doubles in size.
2. Add the vanilla.
3. Add the half of the butter and whip until mixture is almost smooth
4. Add the remaining butter and whip until smooth


My entry to the event...Just because a party wouldn't be complete without a cake =)

Peanut Butter and Jam Bars

Ingredients:
113g butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 egg
320g creamy peanut butter
1.5cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
250g jam
1/4cup salted peanuts, coarsely chopped (optional)

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease and flour/line with baking paper an 8" square pan.
2. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed about 2 minutes.
3. Switch to low speed, add vanilla, egg, and peanut butter, and mix until all ingredients are combined.
4. Add in sifted flour+baking powder+salt. Mix just until combined.
5. Spread 2/3 of the dough into the prepared pan
6. Spread the jam evenly over the dough.
7. Drop small globs of the remaining dough evenly over the jam.
8. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts and bake for 50 minutes, until golden brown.
9. Cool and cut into bars.

WAITER THERE'S SOMETHING IN MY... PICNIC

ONION TARTS

Shortcrust Pastry
150g flour
90g chilled butter, cubed
2-3tbsp ice water

1. Rub butter into sifted flour until the mixture resembles bread crumbs
2. Add water gradually until the mixture begins to clump together, resembling beads
3. Form it into a ball, flatten into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20minutes
4. Roll out the pastry into circles and line 4 tart pans
5. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for another 20minutes
6. Line the pastry shell with baking paper, fill it with baking beads/uncooked rice and bake for 10minutes at 180C
7. Remove the weights and bake for another 10minutes
8. Cool completely

Filling
25g butter
2-4 onions
1tbsp Dijon mustard
2 eggs
83ml Sour cream
Grated cheese

1. Melt butter, add sliced onions, and cook it for 25minutes, covered.
2. Remove the cover and cook for another 10minutes until onions are soft and golden
3. Spread mustard on the cooled pastry shells
4. Divide the onion between the tins.
5. Beat eggs and sour cream together, and pour the mixture onto the onions
6. Sprinkle with cheese and bake for 35minutes

*Makes 4 small tarts


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