BetterHomesAndGardensAustraliaDecember2015_

230

Orange tiramisu

Preparation time: 15 mins

plus 15 mins chilling

Cooking time: nil

Serves 4

100ml espresso

160ml Cointreau or orange

liqueur

300ml thickened cream

¼ cup icing sugar mixture

250g mascarpone

¾ cup finely grated dark

chocolate, plus extra

to serve

12 Italian sponge fingers or

savoiardi biscuits

1 Put espresso and Cointreau

in a small flat ceramic dish,

stirring to combine. Set aside.

2 Put cream and sugar in the

bowl of an electric mixer and

beat until soft peaks form. Beat

in mascarpone until thickened.

3 Spoon ¹⁄³ of the cream mix

into the base of four 1½-cup

capacity serving glasses. Top

with a layer of grated chocolate.

Dip ½ of the sponge fingers

quickly into coffee mixture (just

enough to cover, not to soak),

and place on top of chocolate

layer, breaking to fit. Spoon over

½ of the remaining cream, then

repeat with chocolate layer and

dipped biscuit layer. Top with

remaining cream and refrigerate

for 15 minutes. Serve tiramisu

topped with grated chocolate.

Fruit and nut

Christmas pudding loaf

Preparation time: 45 mins

plus overnight soaking

Cooking time: 2 hrs 15 mins

Serves 8 –10

2 cups dried mixed fruits

½ cup glacé cherries

1 Granny Smith apple

coarsely grated,

Finely grated zest of 1

orange

Finely grated zest of 1

lemon

²⁄³ cup apple juice

2 Tbsp brandy

2 Tbsp Cointreau

140g butter, plus extra

for greasing

½ cup brown sugar

2 eggs, beaten

½ cup self-raising flour

1¼ cups white breadcrumbs

2 Tbsp golden syrup

2 tsp mixed spice

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp fine salt

25g toasted hazelnuts,

roughly chopped

25g toasted pecans,

roughly chopped

25g blanched almonds,

roughly chopped

TOPPING

50g butter, chopped, plus

extra for greasing

¼ cup brown sugar

1 Tbsp golden syrup

1 Tbsp brandy

25g toasted hazelnuts

25g toasted pecans

25g blanched almonds

25g glacé cherries

Icing sugar mixture, for

dusting (optional)

1 Put dried fruit, cherries,

apple, both zests, apple juice,

brandy and Cointreau in a

large bowl, stirring to combine.

Microwave on high for 1 minute,

then leave to soak overnight.

2 Preheat oven to 180°C.

Grease an 8-cup capacity loaf

tin with butter and line with

baking paper.

3 Put butter and sugar in the

bowl of an electric mixer and

beat on high until pale and

creamy. Using a wooden spoon,

stir in remaining ingredients and

soaked fruit. Spoon mixture into

loaf tin and smooth surface. Put

loaf tin in a deep roasting pan,

fill half way up sides with

boiling water, then bake in oven

for 40 minutes.

4 Reduce heat to 160°C and

cook for a further 1½ hours,

topping up water level in

roasting pan occasionally.

5 To make topping, put butter,

sugar and syrup in a small

saucepan over a low heat and

cook until sugar dissolves. Stir

in brandy, then stir in nuts and

cherries. Spoon over hot

pudding and serve dusted with

a little icing sugar, if desired.

Tips 1. This pudding can be

made up to eight weeks before

Christmas and frozen, or can

be made up to four weeks

before the big day and kept in

the fridge as it matures. 2. To

reheat, put pudding in its tin in

an oven preheated to 160°C

for 30 minutes. Alternatively,

turn it out onto a serving plate,

cover loosely with plastic wrap

and microwave for 5 minutes

on medium. 3. For a more

traditional-style pudding, butter

a 2-litre capacity pudding basin

(or two 1-litre capacity basins)

and line base with a circle of

baking paper. Fill with pudding

mixture, then cover with a large

Orange pomegranate cake

Fruit and nut pud loaf

Sticky orange Marsala pud

Orange tiramisu

show stoppers

Chris t mas