Sweet Goodies

This week it is all about treats! Yes Christmas is only 2 days away and there is so much to do before then........that has been put on hold for a good reason, I have been helping a friend who has amazing good will and participates in a lot of charity functions. This was a fund raiser for a sick little boy Oscar, he has cancer and this event was not only to help him but to bring awareness. 


I have offered to bake some lovely treats for a cake store, kind of like the stores you have at fates. My kitchen was in full work mode, I had stuff everywhere.......even my husband got involved and was in charged of slicing the coconut ice and tying the toffee apples.


It was such a fantastic feeling, to actually bake for a cause. They had a great turn out and everything went super!

Polka Dot Cookies

250g butter,softened

3/4 cups caster sugar

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 egg yolk

2 1/4 cups plain flour, sifted

smarties

Preheat oven to 180º
Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until pale and creamy
Add vanilla and egg yolk and beat until well combined
Add flour and beat until a smooth dough forms
Roll 1 tablespoon of the dough one at a time into balls place on baking trays lined with baking paper
flatten slightly allowing room to spread
Press smarties into each cookie
Back for 10-15 minutes 
Cool on wire racks.


Toffee Apples
8 wooden sticks
8 small red apples
1 3/4 cups of white sugar
3/4 cup of water
red food colouring


Insert wooden stick into the centre of each apple
Place sugar and water a large saucepan over low heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved
Increase the heat to high and boil, without stirring, for 8-10 minutes or until the syrup is golden
Add a few drops of food colouring to the mixture and stir until combined
Dip the apples into the toffee syrup, one at a time
Place on a tray lined with baking paper
Set aside for 5 minutes or until set
Wrap in thick plastic and store in a dark place for up to 2 days
Do not refrigerate.


Coconut Ice
8 cups of icing sugar
6 cups of desiccated coconut
625ml of condensed milk
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
pink food colouring


Place the sugar, coconut, condensed milk and vanilla in a large bowl and mix well to combine
Knead gently or place into the mixer using a dough hook attachment
Divide mixture into two portions
Press potion 1 onto a lightly greased 20cm x 30cm tin lined with baking paper
Knead a few drops of food colouring in remaining mixture until pink
Place on top of 1st portion and gently press into the tin
Cover and refrigerate over night to set
Cut into squares to serve.


Raspberry and White Chocolate Muffins
2 cups of plain flour sifted
1 tablespoon of baking powder, sifted
1 cup caster sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup of milk
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
2 cups frozen raspberries
1 cup of roughly chopped white chocolate
icing sugar for dusting


Preheat oven to 180º 
Place flour, baking powder, sugar, eggs, oil, milk and vanilla in a large bowl and stir until combined
Fold through the raspberries and chocolate
Spoon mixture into a 12 x 1/2 cup-capacity muffin tin lined with cupcake wrappers
Cook for 20-25min or until cooked
Cool on a wire rack, dust with icing sugar.

Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Last week I went to Noosa with my good friend Cara, and at the moment she is addicted to Apple Cinnamon Muffins so we went to little bakery and bought the most amazing muffin it was lovely and moist topped with butter icing. We loved it so much that we were back there the next day and bought two more for our drive back home.


So since then I was inspired to try and make a muffin just as good. When I make muffins I always mix the dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately. Then using a wooden spoon fold the ingredients together no more than 20 times. It doesn't matter if there are lumps in the mixture they will still turn out fluffy and amazingly moist.


I love this recipe you can use the basic muffin mixture and put in what every you like. 

Apple Cinnamon Muffins - Basic recipe

100g butter

200ml milk

Zest of half a lemon

2 eggs

150g caster sugar

1 Tsp vanilla extract

240g plain flour

2 Tsp baking powder

Extra's

1 Tbsp cinnamon

200g tinned pie apple diced

Icing

200g icing sugar

3 Tbsp softened butter

Splash or two of milk

Preheat the oven to 170 degrees

Melt the butter and add milk and lemon zest

Beat together the eggs, sugar and vanilla until pale and fluffy

Stir the butter and egg mixture together

Mix together the flour and baking powder and fold into the wet ingredients

Gently fold in cinnamon and apple

Put papers in muffin tin and pour in mixture

Bake for approximately  20-25min

Once cooled mix together icing sugar, butter and milk

Using a a knife ice the muffins and sprinkle with cinnamon.