Tiramisu

Ingredients

1 cup whipping cream

225 g cream cheese (room temperature)

½ cup icing sugar

2 tbsps rum

12 ladyfingers

½ cup sold prepared espresso or strong coffee

2 tsps cocoa powder

Method

1 Pour the whipping cream into a bowl, and place in the refrigerator to chill. The cream will whip better in a cold bowl.

2 Beat the cream cheese and icing sugar in another bowl until smooth. Then beat in the rum and set aside.

3 Beat the whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Gently spoon the whipped cream onto the cream cheese mixture. To fold together, use a rubber spatula to cut down vertically through the mixtures, then slide the spatula across the bottom of the bowl and up the side, turning the mixture over. Continue mixing in this way just until ingredients are blended.

4 Split each ladyfinger horizontally in half. Arrange half of them, cut sides up, over the bottom of an ungreased pan. Drizzle ¼ cup of the cold espresso over the ladyfingers. Spread half of the cream cheese mixture over the ladyfingers.

5 Arrange the remaining ladyfingers, cut sides up, over the cream cheese mixture. Drizzle with the remaining ¼ cup cold espresso, and spread with the remaining cream cheese mixture.

6 Sprinkle the cocoa over the top of the dessert. Cover and refrigerate about 4 hours or until filing is firm.

Enjoy !!

Ladyfingers are small, oval-shapped cakes sold in supermarket.

Radish Cake

Ingredients

6 tbsps oil

4 tsps chopped garlic

80 g dried prawns,

(soaked for 5 minutes, drained and chopped coarsely)

4 Chinese mushrooms,

(soaked in water for 20 minutes, rinsed and diced into cubes)

900 g white radish, shredded

Flour Mixture

500g ground rice flour

7 cups water

2 tbsps caster sugar

1 ½ tsps salt

Garnish

Fried shallots

Fresh spring onions

Method

1 Heat oil in wok. When hot, stir fry garlic for 5 seconds, Add dried prawns and stir fry for about 2 minutes.

2 Add mushrooms and stir fry for another 1 minute.

3 Add radish and fry for another 5 minutes, then slowly pour in the flour mixture. Stir well until mixture turns dough like in texture.

4 Grease a 26 cm baking tin. Pour mixture into tin, gently smooth the surface.

5 Steam for 40 minutes. Let radish cake stand for an hour before cutting.

Garnish with shallots and spring onions.

Pizza in the Pan

Ingredients

225 g self-raising flour

4 tbsp vegetable oil (60 ml)

the 4 tbsp water (60 ml)

5 tbsp tomato puree (75 ml)

1 can tomatoes, drained and chopped

175 g Cheddar/Mozarella cheese, grated

chopped fresh herbs

a few black olives

salt and pepper

Method

1 Sift the flour and seasoning into a bowl. Make a well in the centre and pour in 2 tbsp (30ml) of oil and 4 tbsp(60ml) of the water. Mix to a soft dough, you may need to add a little more water.

2 Knead the dough lightly on a floured surface, then roll out to a circle that will fit a medium sized frying pan.

3 Heat half the remaining oil in the pan. Ad the circle of dough and fry gently for about 5 minutes until the base is cooked and lightly browned.

4 Turn the dough out onto a plate and flip it over.

5 Heat the remaining oil in the pan, then slide the dough back into the pan, browned side upper-most. Spread with the tomato puree, then top with the tomatoes and sprinkled over grated cheese herbs and black olives.

6 Cook for a further 5 minutes until the underside is done, then slide the pan under a preheated grill. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the cheese melts. Serve immediately.

Easy Garlic Bread

This is an easy Garlic bread recipe, to save time you can even heat the bread in your microwave. Do not wrap loaf in foil, instead cover with napkin and microwave on medium 1 ½ to 3 minutes.

Ingredients

1 clove garlic

1/3 cup butter or margarine

1 loaf French bread

Method

1 Heat the oven 200°C.

2 Peel and finely chop the garlic. Mix garlic and butter or margarine.

3 Cut the bread crosswise into 1 inch slices. Spread butter mixture over 1 side of each bread slice. Reassemble the loaf, and wrap securely in aluminium foil.

4 Bake 15 to 20 minutes.

Serve with your favourite soup !! .

Variation

Herb Cheese Bread – leave out the garlic. Mix 2 tsp fresh parsley, ½ tsp dried oregano , 2 tbsp parmesan cheese.

Rich Fruit Cake

Fruit cake is traditional for family celebrations, at weddings, anniversaries and Christmas. Rich fruit cakes keep well, it actually improves in taste if kept in an airtight container or wrap in greaseproof paper or foil. (Spoon over a little brandy or other spirit now and then.)

Try this delicious recipe !!

Ingredients

225 g butter or margarine

225 g caster sugar

4 eggs, beaten

225 g plain flour

½ tsp salt

½ tsp mixed spice

225 g seedless raisins

225 g mixed currants and sultanas

100 g glace cherries, halved

1 tbsp brandy

walnuts

Method

1 Grease a 20 cm round cake tin. Line with greaseproof paper and grease the paper.

2 Beat the butter (margarine) with sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the egg a little at a time, beating well after each addition.

3 Sift the flour, salt and spice together into a bowl and stir in the raisins, mixed fruit and cherries. Fold the flour and fruit into the creamed mixture with a metal spoon.

4 Add the brandy and mix to a soft dropping consistency. Turn the mixture into the prepared tin, level the surface and arrange the walnuts on top.

5 Bake in the oven at 150°C for 2 ½ hours. Leave the cake for 15 minutes to cool slightly in the tin, then turn out on to a wire rack to cool completely.