TheAustralianWomensWeekly_Food_Issue_22_2016

1 Place sugar and the water in

a large frying pan; stir over low

heat until the sugar dissolves.

2 Add red food colouring; stir until

combined. Add peanuts; stir until

well coated in mixture.

3 Bring to the boil; boil, uncovered,

without stirring, for 12 minutes or

until temperature reaches 150°C

on a sugar thermometer (or when a

teaspoon of syrup dropped into a cup

of cold water gives a crackling sound

and turns brittle). Swirl mixture once

or twice during cooking time, but

only enough tomake sure the peanuts

are cooking evenly.

4 Remove from heat. Stir with a

wooden spoon until the mixture

crystallises around the peanuts.

Turn mixture out onto a tray to cool.

TIPStore sugar−coated peanuts

inan airtight container in a cool,

dry place for up to 2 weeks.

COFFEE WREATHS

PREP + COOK TIME 1 HOUR (+ REFRIGERATION

& COOLING) MAKES 2

To make these wreaths, you’ll need

three or four different−sized star

cutters. We used 8cm, 6cm, 5cm

and 3cm cutters.

2 teaspoons instant coffee granules

1 tablespoon boiling water

250g butter, softened

1½ cups (330g) firmly packed dark

brown sugar

2 eggs, at room temperature

3 cups (450g) plain flour

½ cup (50g) dutch cocoa powder

CHOCOLATE SAUCE

¼ cup (60ml) pouring cream

100gdark eating (semi−sweet)

chocolate

1½ tablespoons hazelnut−flavoured

liqueur

1 Combine coffee and the water in a

small bowl; stir until coffee dissolves.

2 Beat butter and sugar in a large

bowl with an electric mixer until pale.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well

after each addition. Stir in coffee

mixture and sifted flour and cocoa, in

two batches.

3 Turn out dough onto a floured

surface; knead until smooth. Divide

dough in half, enclose each in plastic

wrap; refrigerate for 30 minutes.

4 Roll each half of dough between

sheets of baking paper until 5mm

thick; place on a tray, refrigerate

for 15 minutes.

5 Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan.

Line two oven trays with baking paper.

Draw a 25cm circle on each piece of

baking paper; turn paper over.

6 Using the largest star cutter, cut

out 40 stars. Use remaining cutters

to cut out different−sized stars,

re−rolling scraps of dough as

necessary. Place the stars on trays,

slightly overlapping to make two

wreaths. Bake for 15 minutes or until

biscuits are firm; cool on trays.

7 Meanwhile,make chocolate sauce.

Serve the wreaths with the sauce.

CHOCOLATE SAUCE

Bring cream almost to the boil

in a small saucepan; remove from

heat. Break chocolate into pan,

add liqueur; whisk until smooth.

Stand for 30 minutes or until thick.

SUGAR-COATED PEANUTS

PREP + COOK TIME 25 MINUTES (+ COOLING)

MAKES ABOUT 1½ CUPS

2 cups (440g) caster sugar

2 cups (500ml) water

½ teaspoon red food colouring

500g raw peanuts

SUGAR-COATED

PEANUTS

AWW FOOD • ISSUE TWENTY TWO 127

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