Rich chocolate cupcakes

Easter Egg Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 
  
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tbs instant coffee powder
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 30 mls dark rum *optional
• 250 mls boiling water
• 150 g unsalted butter softened
• 2/3 cup caster sugar
• 2 egg
• 1 1/4 cup plain flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 18 mini caramel-filled Easter eggs

• Equipment

  • 1 baking tray
  • electric beaters
  • 18 paper cases
  • wire rack

  • Method

    • STEP 1Preheat oven to 160C degrees (fan forced). Add 18 cardboard baking cups to a baking tray.
    • STEP 2Add cocoa powder, instant coffee powder, brown sugar, dark rum in a bowl. Pour boiling water into bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside while you prepare the other steps.
    • STEP 3With electric beaters cream the butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and beat until combined.
    • STEP 4In another bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda. Sift again for a light cupcake.
    • STEP 5Add the flour mixture into the butter mixture and beat until combined.
    • STEP 6Add the cocoa-coffee mixture to the batter and beat until combined. Beat for a further 2 minutes on medium speed until well-combined and mixture looks smooth.
    • STEP 7Add three tablespoons of cake batter to baking cups. Pop one Easter Egg into the cup and then cover with three tablespoons of cake batter. The baking cups should be 3/4 full.
    • STEP 8Bake for 18-22 minutes. The cupcakes are ready when the cake bounces back at your touch, and a skewer poked into the cake comes out clean.

    Notes

    To make sure the Easter Eggs don't completely melt - place the eggs in the freezer for 5 minutes or fridge for 15 minutes before adding to the cake batter. I use cardboard baking cups but you can also make these in a cupcake cases too. Double sifting the flour will make for a nice and light cake. The cupcakes are pretty rich and with the caramel-centre surprise you don’t really need an icing but I have used a chocolate cream cheese icing or a rich dark chocolate ganache. Best enjoyed warm from the oven as the caramel-centre is gooey. You can re-heat in microwave for 10 seconds per cupcake (avoid if icing cupcake).

A decadent breakfast

Eggs Benedict

Ingredients

• 6 slices ham (deli)
• 1 1/2 tbs butter
• 3 English muffins split toasted
• 6 egg

Hollandaise sauce

• 90 g butter
• 1 egg yolks
• 1 tbs cold water
• 1 tsp salt and pepper
• 1/4 lemon juiced

Equipment

• 1 frying pan
• 1 glass bowl
• 1 whisk

• Method

  • STEP 1Sauté the ham slices in the butter for a couple of minutes.
  • STEP 2Place the ham on the English muffins. Pour on any butter from the frypan.
  • STEP 3Poach the eggs in salted, simmering water in a frypan. Spoon the water over the eggs. When set, remove with a slotted spoon. Place on top of the ham.
  • STEP 4Sauce: Melt butter and add the juice of a quarter of a lemon.
  • STEP 5Place egg yolk and water in metal or glass bowl sitting over a pan of hot water on low heat, with bowl touching water. Whisk mixture while slowly pouring in the melted butter.
  • STEP 6Whisk yolk mixture briskly as it cools. It will thicken and double after five minutes.
  • STEP 7Spoon over the eggs on the muffins.

  Notes

  You can substitute ham for bacon, or smoked salmon. Baby spinach leaves under the eggs is also a nice addition. If the hollandaise sauce starts splitting, add a drop more water over low heat and whisk, and it should come together again.

A very tasty and simple Thai curry

Chicken and Pumpkin Red Curry

Ingredients

• 
  
• 2 tsp peanut oil
• 3 tbs red Thai curry paste
• 1 onion cut into wedges
• 2 garlic clove diced
• 1 lemongrass stalk thinly sliced
• 850 g (fillets) chicken thighs quartered
• 400 mls coconut milk
• 1 cup chicken stock (liquid)
• 700 g pumpkin chopped
• 1 tbs fish sauce
• 2 tsp lime juice
• 1/3 cup basil shredded

• Method

  • STEP 1Place a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add oil and curry paste and cook for 1 minute or until aromatic.
  • STEP 2Add onion, lemongrass, garlic and chicken and cook until browned.
  • STEP 3Add coconut milk and stock and simmer, covered, over low heat for 15 minutes.
  • STEP 4Add pumpkin and simmer uncovered, for 15 minutes or until tender.
  • STEP 5Stir through fish sauce, lime juice and basil.
  • STEP 6Garnish with extra basil and serve with steamed rice.

  Notes

  I use vegetable oil as I have to maintain a peanut free household. I also replace the lime juice with lemon juice when necessary. I prefer the Mae Ploy brand curry paste.

Great for dinner parties

Chicken in Cream Sauce

Great for dinner parties, and so easy to make, very filling also.

Ingredients

• 
  
• 4 chicken breast fillet
• 300 mls cream
• 3 shallots chopped
• 1 chicken stock cube
• 1 tsp garlic chopped

• Method

  • STEP 1Put chicken breast in microwave for 5 minutess on high, then brown in a frying pan.
  • STEP 2Place cream in saucepan along with chopped shallots, crushed stock cube and chopped garlic.
  • STEP 3Bring to the boil, stirring constantly.
  • STEP 4Simmer for approximately 20 minutes or until the sauce thickens.

  Notes

  To serve, place chicken on plate and pour sauce all over the chicken. Serve with mashed potatoes, baby carrots and beans. I use whipping cream.

An easy chicken casserole.

Supreme Chiken

Ingredients

• 
  
• 6 (fillets) chicken thighs
• 2 tbs tomato paste
• 4 bacon rashers diced
• 2 tbs plain flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp parsley
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 red capsicum
• 1 onion chopped large
• 2 cup chicken stock (liquid)
• 500 g mushrooms sliced
• 3 carrot finely chopped

• Equipment

  • 1 frying pan
  • 1 casserole dish

• Method

  • STEP 1Preheat oven to 160C.
  • STEP 2Fry onion and bacon in a large frying pan. Add mushrooms and cook gently.
  • STEP 3Remove and brown chicken which has been coated in flour.
  • STEP 4Add all ingredients to a large casserole dish, cover and cook for 2½ hours.
  • STEP 5After cooking for 2 hours remove lid for the last half an hour of cooking.

  Notes

  Use salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, parsley, etc. for seasoned flour.

Good enough for a dinner party

Braised Chicken with Onions

Ingredients

• 3 tbs extra virgin olive oil
• 2 onion large chopped
• 3 bacon rashers chopped
• 5 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 garlic clove *to taste
• 4 chicken breast fillet
• 1 plain flour
• 1 seasoning
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup low-salt chicken stock (liquid)
• 220 g canned chopped tomato

• Method

  • STEP 1Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large casserole dish over medium heat.
  • STEP 2Add onions, bacon, thyme and bay leaf and cook gently for about 10 minutes until onions are caramelised and soft; add the garlic and cook 1 minute longer, then set aside.
  • STEP 3Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a frypan. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper, dust with flour and cook skin side down until lightly browned (about 5 minutes each side).
  • STEP 4Remove and place on top of the onions in the casserole dish.
  • STEP 5Drain most of the oil from the frying pan, add wine and bring to the boil. Scrape browned bits, add stock and tomatoes. Simmer until reduced a little.
  • STEP 6Pour over chicken in casserole dish, check seasoning. Cover casserole with lid and simmer over gentle heat for about 15 minutes until cooked through.

  Notes

  Lovely served over mashed potatoes or rice. Reheats beautifully next day too.

absolutely delicious

Beef Wellington

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 kgs beef tenderloin
• 115 g butter
• 60 g chicken pate
• 1 baby onion finely chopped
• 1 cup beef stock (liquid)
• 230 g button mushrooms sliced
• 1 egg yolks
• 500 g puff pastry
• 1/2 tsp salt and pepper
• 2 tbs red wine

• Method

  • STEP 1Spread beef with 30 g softened butter.
  • STEP 2Bake at 220C for 10-15 minutes or until fillet is browned all over.
  • STEP 3Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Reserve the pan juices.
  • STEP 4Sauté onion and mushrooms in 30 g butter until tender.
  • STEP 5Combine remaining butter with pate, season lightly with salt and pepper. Spread all over the top of the beef fillet.
  • STEP 6Top with onion and mushroom mixture.
  • STEP 7Roll puff pastry to 3 mm thickness.
  • STEP 8Place beef fillet in the centre and wrap the pastry around it. Press firmly together, making sure any overlapping edges of the pastry are not too thick.
  • STEP 9Place pastry wrapped fillet in baking dish.
  • STEP 10Brush with beaten egg yolk.
  • STEP 11Bake at 240C for 10 minutes.
  • STEP 12Reduce heat to 220C and cook for a further 10-15 minutes or until pastry is rich golden brown.
  • STEP 13To reserved pan juices, add beef stock and red wine.
  • STEP 14Cover and cook over high heat until sauce is slightly reduced. Strain.
  • STEP 15Cut fillet into thick slices and spoon sauce over.
  • STEP 16Serve with vegetables or tossed green salad and baby potatoes.