Chocolate Bavarois

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups milk
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup caster sugar
3 teaspoons gelatin
1/4 cup water
1/2 pint (300 ml) thickened cream
2 ounces (60 g) dark chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons Tia Maria
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
Strawberry Coulis:
8 ounces/250 g/1 punnet strawberries
Icing sugar to taste

Microwave Method:

1. Heat milk for 2 minutes on HIGH.
2. Cream egg and sugar until light in color.
3. Add hot milk to egg mixture while whisking gently. Cook for 3-4 minutes on medium, stirring occasionally.
4. Mix gelatin and water together. Heat for 20-30 seconds on HIGH. Pour into custard mixture while whisking gently. Refrigerate for half an hour.
5. Whip cream and fold into custard.
6. Melt chocolate with Tia Maria and vanilla essence for 1 minute on HIGH. Swirl through custard mixture. Pour into lightly oiled molds. Refrigerate until set. Turn out onto serving plates. Serve with coulis.


Strawberry Coulis:

1. Puree fruit in blender or food processor, add icing sugar to taste.

New-Style Christmas Cake

Ingredients:

3 x 1.5 ounce (75 g) packets (1 1/2 cups) whole Brazil nuts
8 ounces (250 g) pitted dates
2 x 1.5 ounce (75 g) packets (1 1/4 cups) crushed walnuts
2/3 cups chopped candied peel
3.5 ounce (100 g) packet (1/2 cup) red glace cherries
3.5 ounce (100 g) packet (1/2 cup) green glace cherries
1/2 cup seeded raisins
1/4 cup brandy
3/4 cup all-purpose (plain) flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 tablespoons brandy, extra

Microwave Method:

1. Place un-chopped nuts and fruit in a large bowl. Pour over brandy, cover and leave overnight.
2. Stir flour, baking powder, salt and brown sugar into fruit.
3. Stir in eggs and vanilla essence until a stiff mixture is formed.
4. Spoon into a greased 10 x 4 inch (26 x 11 cm) microwave plastic loaf dish.
5. Cook for 14-16 minutes on MEDIUM HIGH. Allow to cool in loaf dish. Pour over extra brandy while warm.

Convection Microwave Method:

1. Place un-chopped nuts and fruit in a large bowl. Pour over brandy, cover and leave overnight.
2. Stir flour, baking powder, salt and brown sugar into fruit.
3. Stir in eggs and vanilla essence until a stiff mixture is formed.
4. Spoon into a greased 9 X 5 inch (24 x 13 cm) loaf tin.
5. Place on Low Rack, cook for 30-34 minutes on LOW MIX/BAKE (300 degrees F/150 degrees C).
6. Allow to cool in tin. Pour over extra brandy while warm.

Caramel Apple Crunch

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

1 x 26 ounce (800 g) can pie apple
1 x 13 ounce (410 g) can condensed milk
1 ounce (30 g) butter
1 tablespoon golden syrup
3 tablespoons toasted coconut
3 tablespoons crushed nuts
1 teaspoon nutmeg

Microwave Method:

1. Place pie apple in a 9 inch (23 cm) pie plate.
2. In a separate bowl, combine condensed milk, butter and golden syrup.
3. Cook for 1 1/2 minutes on HIGH. Stir.
4. Cook a further 1-2 minutes on HIGH. Mix well.
5. Pour caramel over apple.
6. Mix coconut, nuts and nutmeg.
7. Sprinkle over caramel.
8. Cook for 3-5 minutes on HIGH until apple is warm.
9. Serve warm with whipped cream.

Cherry Cheesecake

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

Topping:
2 pound (1 kg) fresh cherries (pitted) or
2 x 14 ounce (450 g) cans cherries (pitted)
1 cup water
1 tablespoon gelatin
Cheesecake:
3 ounces (90 g) butter
4 ounces (125 g) sweet biscuits, crushed
8 ounce (250 g) packet cream cheese, softened
1 x 13 ounce (400 g) can sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 egg, lightly beaten

Microwave Method:

1. Place cherries in water in a large bowl. Cook for 2-3 minutes on HIGH. Drain, reserving liquid.
2. Melt butter 40-60 seconds on HIGH. Stir into crushed biscuits.
3. Press into a greased 9 inch (23 cm) pie plate.
4. Beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually stir in condensed milk, lemon juice and egg. Mix well.
5. Pour mixture onto biscuit base.
6. Cook for 8-12 minutes on MEDIUM.
7. Arrange cherries over cheesecake.
8. Sprinkle gelatin over reserved syrup. Cook for 1-2 minutes on HIGH, stirring halfway through cooking.
9. Cool syrup in refrigerator until slightly thickened, pour over cherries.
10. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours before serving.

Convection Microwave Method:

1. Place cherries and water in a large bowl. Cook for 2-3 minutes on HIGH. Drain, reserving liquid.
2. Melt butter 40-60 seconds on HIGH. Stir into crushed biscuits.
3. Press into base of a greased 8 inch (20 cm) spring form tin.
4. Preheat oven to 325 degrees f (160 degrees c).
5. Beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually stir in condensed milk, lemon juice and egg. Mix well.
6. Pour mixture onto biscuit base.
7. Place on Low Rack. Cook for 18-22 minutes on LOW MIX/BAKE. Cool.
8. Arrange cherries over cheesecake.
9. Sprinkle gelatin over reserved liquid. Cook for 1-2 minutes on HIGH stirring halfway through cooking.
10. Cool syrup in refrigerator until slightly thickened, pour over cherries.
11. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours before serving.

Note: If using canned cherries, reserve 1 cup syrup for topping.

Chocolate Truffles

Makes: 24

Ingredients:

6.5 ounces (200 g) Nestle choc melts
1 ounce (30 g) butter
1/4 cup cream
1/4 icing sugar
1 packet glace cherries, finely chopped
1 ounce (30 g) chopped nuts
Coconut for coating
3.5 ounces (100 g) chocolate, extra

Microwave Method:

1. Place chocolate and butter in a bowl. Heat for 2 minutes on HIGH.
2. Add cream, stir until well combined.
3. Heat a further 1 minute on HIGH.
4. Stir in sugar, cherries and nuts. Chill for 1 hour.
5. Roll into balls and coat with coconut or chopped nuts. Coat in extra chocolate.
6. Refrigerate until ready to serve.