Aunty Wendy's Pumpkin Scones

Ingredients

1 cup cooked and mashed pumpkin

4 cups self-raising flour

1/8 tsp baking powder

½ cup icing sugar

½ tsp cinnamon and mixed spice combined

60g butter, melted

½ cup milk

½ tsp vanilla essence

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease and line sheet pan with non-stick baking paper
2. Sift the dry ingredients into a large bowl
3. In a separate bowl, combine the wet ingredients, including the pumpkin. Whisk until smooth
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix until combined and a ball of dough forms
5. Turn dough out on to a floured surface
6. Roll out to a rectangle approx. 2cm thick
7. Use a sharp knife to cut into squares
8. Place squares on prepared tray
9. Brush tops lightly with a little extra milk
10. Bake for 10-15mins or until golden and puffed

Mars bar slice

Ingredients

Base:

3 standard sized mars bars

120g butter

3 cups puffed rice cereal

Topping:

125g dark chocolate

30g copha or coconut oil

 

Method

BASE:

1. Grease and line slice pan with non-stick baking paper
2. Melt mars bars and butter in a large microwave safe bowl starting with 20-30 second bursts, stirring between each. Reduce time  to 10-15 second bursts as the mix comes closer to being completely melted
3. Stir in rice cereal until well combined
4. Press firmly into prepared tin.

TOPPING:

1. Melt chocolate and oil together, stirring to combine well (*see note)
2. Spread chocolate mix evenly over the cooled base
3. Place slice into refrigerator to cool completely before cutting into small squares

NOTE: Chocolate topping can be melted together in a microwave in 15 second bursts, stirring between each heating, or in a heat-proof bowl over a pot of simmering water (double boiler technique – link to a step-by-step to come soon).

 

Apple and Custard Muffins

Ingredients

90g butter, melted

2 cups self-raising flour

1 cup plain flour

½ tsp ground cinnamon

¾ caster sugar

1 egg

1 cup milk


1/4 cup thick custard

½ cup canned pie apples

2 tbs brown sugar

½ tsp ground cinnamon, extra

 

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C
2. Grease 12-hole muffin pan (1/3 cup capacity)
3. Combine butter, sifted flours, caster sugar, cinnamon, egg and milk in a large bowl
4. Stir until just combined
5. Spoon half the mixture, divided evenly, into prepared pan
6. Make a well in the centre of each and drop 1 teaspoon of custard and 2 teaspoons of apple into each well
7. Top with remaining mixture.
8. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over the muffins
9. Bake for 25mins or until golden brown
10. Cool on a wire rack

 

Aunty Tracey’s Buttermilk Pancakes

Ingredients

2 cups buttermilk

2 cups S.R. Flour

1 egg

½ cup water

1 tablespoon caster sugar

 

Method

1. Whish all ingredients, in a large bowl, until well combined
2. Ladle mixture into a hot, well greased pan to form rounds
3. Flip pancakes when bubbles pop on the surface
4. Serve warm

Rock Cakes

Ingredients

1 cup self-raising flour

1 cup wholemeal self-raising flour

90g cold butter, cubed

½ cup caster sugar (for a healthier option, substitute with 1/3 cup Natvia granulated sweetener)

½ cup mixed dried fruits – sultanas, currents, mixed peel, craisins, dried apple, dried blueberries

1 tbs chopped nuts – your choice

½ tbs spices – ground ginger, cinnamon, allspice, mixed spice, nutmeg

1 egg

3 tbs milk

¼ cup crushed bran cereal

 

Method

1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease and line sheet pan with non-stick baking paper
2. Sift flours into a large bowl
3. Add butter and rub into flour with fingertips until it resembles fine breadcrumbs and the butter is evenly distributed through the flour (or use a pastry blender like this one)
    
4. Chop any larger dried fruit into pieces about the size of a sultana
5. Mix in the sugar, fruit, nuts, spices and bran cereal
6. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg and milk together
7. Add milk mixture to the flour mixture and stir until a stiff dough forms
8. Spoon dough into evenly spaced mounds on the prepared pan – mix should make 15-20 cakes
9. Bake for 15-20mins or until golden brown
10. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely
11. Serve plain or lightly buttered.