Melting moments

    Ingredients

    125g butter, softened
    3/4 cup (115g) plain flour
    1/4 cup (45g) icing sugar mixture
    1/3 cup (50g) custard powder
    60g butter, softened, extra
    2/3 cup (110g) icing sugar mixture, extra
    2 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind
    1 tablespoon lemon juice




    Method


    Step 1

    Preheat oven to 160°C. Line 2 oven trays with baking paper. Use an electric mixer to beat butter until pale and creamy. Add the flour, icing sugar and custard powder and use a wooden spoon to stir to combine.
    Step 2

    Use your hands to roll teaspoonsful of the dough mixture into balls. Place the balls 3cm apart on the lined trays. Use a fork dusted in icing sugar to gently flatten. Bake in preheated oven, swapping trays halfway through cooking, for 15 minutes or until just cooked through. Remove from oven and set aside for 30 minutes to cool.
    Step 3

    Use an electric mixer to beat the extra butter and icing sugar in a bowl until light and fluffy. Add the lemon rind and juice and beat until combined. Spread the butter mixture over the flat side of half the biscuits and sandwich together with remaining biscuits.

25 Best Dessert Recipes

 Ingredients


Crust:
36 honey graham crackers (about 9 sheets)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
4 teaspoons water
Cooking spray
Filling:
2/3 cup light cream cheese
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
Topping:
6 cups small fresh strawberries, divided
2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted
Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare crust, place crackers in a food processor; process until crumbly. Add 2 tablespoons sugar, butter, and water; pulse just until moist. Place mixture in a 9-inch round removable-bottom tart pan coated with cooking spray, pressing into bottom and up sides of pan to 3/4 inch. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely on a wire rack.

To prepare filling, combine cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar, and extracts in a medium bowl; stir until smooth. Spread mixture evenly over bottom of tart shell.

To prepare topping, place 2 cups strawberries in food processor; process until pureed. Combine strawberry puree, 2/3 cup sugar, and cornstarch in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring with a whisk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low; cook 1 minute. Remove glaze from heat, and cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.

Combine 4 cups strawberries and juice; toss to coat. Arrange berries, bottoms up, in a circular pattern over filling. Spoon half of glaze evenly over berries (reserve remaining glaze for another use). Sprinkle nuts around edge. Cover and chill 3 hours.

Note: You can use either an 8 x 12-inch rectangular pan or a 9-inch round tart pan. The recipe also works with a 9-inch springform pan and a 10-inch pie plate.

Carrot quinoa cake with cream cheese frosting

    Ingredients
    Nutrition

    225g (1 1/2 cups) self-raising flour
    1 teaspoon cinnamon
    1 teaspoon mixed spice
    1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
    230g (1 cup) firmly packed brown sugar
    185g (1 cup) cooked quinoa
    310g (2 cups) firmly packed coarsely grated carrot
    55g (1/3 cup) dried pitted dates, chopped
    185ml (3/4 cup) vegetable oil
    1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    4 eggs

Cream cheese frosting

    125g cream cheese
    20g unsalted butter, softened
    1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
    90g (3/4 cup) icing sugar mixture, sifted



    Method

    Step 1

    Preheat oven to 170ºC or 150°C fan forced. Grease a 20cm square (base measurement) baking tin and line the base and sides with baking paper.
    Step 2

    In a large mixing bowl, sift flour, cinnamon and mixed spice together, add the zest, sugar, quinoa, carrot, dates and stir to combine. Whisk oil, vanilla and eggs together, add to mixture and stir until well combined.
    Step 3

    Spoon batter into prepared tin and bake for 50-60 minutes or until firm to touch and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out with a few moist crumbs (you may need to cover cake with foil if browning too quickly). Transfer to a wire rack and set aside to cool for 15 minutes, then remove from tin and set aside to cool completely.
    Step 4

    To make the icing beat the cream cheese, butter and zest together with electric beaters until smooth. Add icing sugar and beat until well combined. Spread evenly over top of cooled carrot cake and serve.

Upside-down rhubarb, ginger & almond cake

    Ingredients
    Nutrition

    5 rhubarb stalks, halved lengthways, cut into 5cm pieces
    3cm piece ginger, finely grated
    1 1/2 cups (330g) caster sugar
    4 eggs, separated, plus 2 extra eggwhites
    1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil
    100ml milk
    1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    1 cup (150g) plain flour, sifted
    1/2 cup (60g) almond meal
    1 teaspoon baking powder
    1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar



    Method

    Step 1

    Preheat the oven to 160°C. Grease a 22cm round springform cake pan and line the base with baking paper. Cover the outside of the pan with foil to prevent any syrup leaking out during cooking. Arrange the rhubarb in the base of the pan, ensuring there are no gaps.
    Step 2

    Place ginger, 3/4 cup (165g) sugar and 1/3 cup (80ml) water in a saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil, then cook for 10 minutes or until thickened but not golden. Pour over the rhubarb and set aside to cool slightly.
    Step 3

    Beat egg yolks and 1/2 cup (110g) sugar with electric beaters until thick and pale. Add the oil, milk and vanilla, then beat until just combined. Add the flour, almond meal and baking powder, then beat until well combined. In a clean bowl, whisk the 6 eggwhites to soft peaks. Gradually add the cream of tartar and remaining 1/4 cup (55g) sugar, then whisk to stiff peaks. Fold one-third of the meringue into the batter to loosen, then fold in the remainder.
    Step 4

    Pour batter over the rhubarb, then bake for 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool cake completely in pan (it will shrink slightly). Invert onto a plate, then serve.

Mexican chocolate cake (vegan)

    Ingredients

Equipment

    You will need a 22cm springform tin.

Dry

    1 3/4 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour
    3/4 cup coconut flour
    1 1/2 cups raw cacao powder, sifted
    1 tablespoon baking soda
    1 1/2 teaspoons Himalayan pink salt
    3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Wet

    1/2 cup extra virgin coconut oil
    1/2 cup apple sauce
    1 1/2 cups water
    2 cups coconut nectar
    2 tablespoons orange zest
    1 banana mashed
    1 tablespoon coconut oil (to grease the baking tin)

Frosting

    1 cup raw cacao powder, sifted
    1/4 cup orange juice
    1/2 cup coconut nectar
    1 tablespoon orange zest
    1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder
    Pinch Himalayan pink salt
    2 tablespoons orange zest, to serve
    1/2 cup slivered almonds, to serve




    Method
    Notes

    Step 1

    Preheat the oven to 200°C (180° fan-forced).
    Step 2

    Prepare the springform cake tin by greasing with coconut oil and lining base and sides with baking paper.
    Step 3

    Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine all wet ingredients. Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, whisking as you go, until thoroughly combined and smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and bake for 40-45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool completely at room temperature and turn out onto a serving platter.
    Step 4

    In a large bowl, whisk all ingredients for the frosting until smooth. Pour over cooled cake and spread evenly with a spatula. Top with orange zest and slivered almonds.

Easy banana yoghurt cake

    Ingredients
    Nutrition

    150g light margarine (see note)
    1 cup brown sugar
    1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
    3 eggs
    3 cups self-raising flour
    1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
    1 cup Coles Simply Less Greek-style yoghurt
    1 1/2 cups mashed over-ripe banana
    Chopped walnuts and sliced banana, to decorate

Icing

    250g packet light cream cheese
    1/4 cup caster sugar
    1/2 cup Coles Simply Less Greek-style yoghurt




    Method
    Notes

    Step 1

    Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan-forced. Grease a 7cm-deep, 19cm square cake pan. Line base and sides with 2 layers of baking paper.
    Step 2

    Using an electric mixer, beat margarine, sugar and vanilla for 3 to 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until combined. Stir in sifted flour and bicarbonate of soda, yoghurt and banana until well combined. Spoon mixture into prepared pan. Level top with a spatula.
    Step 3

    Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes or until a skewer inserted in centre of cake comes out clean (cover cake loosely with foil if over-browning during cooking). Stand in pan for 10 minutes. Turn onto a wire rack to cool.
    Step 4

    Make Icing: Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar together until light and fluffy. Fold in yoghurt until well combined. Spread icing over top of cake. Sprinkle with walnuts and top with sliced banana. Serve.

Lemon yoghurt cake with syrup

    Ingredients
    Nutrition

Equipment

    You will need a 22cm springform cake pan for this recipe.

Ingredients

    3 eggs
    220g (1 cup) caster sugar
    2 lemons, juiced, plus 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
    300g (2 cups) self-raising flour, sifted
    280g (1 cup) Greek-style yoghurt, plus extra, to serve
    125ml (1/2 cup) vegetable oil

Lemon syrup

    2 lemons, zest peeled into strips
    110g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
    80ml (1/3 cup) lemon juice





    Method

    Step 1

    Preheat oven to 180C. Grease pan, then line base and side with baking paper.
    Step 2

    Using an electric mixer, whisk eggs and sugar for 4 minutes or until pale and creamy. Add lemon juice and zest, then whisk for a further minute.
    Step 3

    Stir in flour, yoghurt and oil until smooth. Spoon into prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into centre comes out clean.
    Step 4

    Meanwhile, to make syrup,place zest in a saucepan of boiling water for 1 minute. Drain and reserve zest. Combine sugar, lemon juice and 2 tablespoons water in same saucepan and cook, stirring, over low–medium heat until sugar dissolves. Simmer for 3 minutes or until thickened, then return zest to pan. Makes 125ml (1/2 cup).
    Step 5

    Using a skewer, poke approximately 15 holes all over cake. Pour half the hot syrup over cake, allowing it to sink in, before adding more. Stand cake in pan for 30 minutes. Release from pan and drizzle with remaining syrup and serve with extra Greek-style yoghurt.