butter
Ingredients:
3 egg whites, at room temperature
2 tbs caster sugar
1 drop of yellow food colouring gel
1 1/3 cups pure icing sugar, sifted, plus extra to dust
1 cup almond meal
1 tbs sprinkles, or any of your choice
Lemon Buttercream:
500g soft icing mixture
120g butter, softened
1 tsp lemon rind
2 tbs lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
3 tbs milk
1 drop of yellow food colouring gel
Method:
1. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Sieve the almond meal and throw away the remaining bigger bits that refuse to pass through.
2. Using an electric beater, beat the egg whites to soft peaks and gradually add the caster sugar and food colouring gel (you can add a bit more food colouring for more intense colour). Beat until sugar dissolves. Gently fold in the icing sugar and almond meal a little at a time.
3. Spoon the mixture in a piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle. Pipe 36 rounds onto the tray, spacing 2cm apart. Tap the tray on the bench 2-3 times to dispel any air bubbles. If you see any pointy peaks on top of the macarons, smooth them back with your finger. Sift over a little extra icing sugar to lightly cover the macarons and topped with a little bit of sprinkles on each macaron (you can use any type that you like). Let the macarons rest at room temperature for at least 20 minutes. While the macarons are resting, preheat your oven to 150 degrees Celsius.
4. Bake the macarons for 14-18 minutes (depending on your oven). Macarons are ready when they look dry and firm. Sometimes you just have to test them and it might take a few goes to figure out when they’re done. If the macarons are still very soft inside, you need to bake them for a few more minutes. Cool slightly on the tray then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. Pipe the buttercream on the flat side, then sandwich together with the remaining macaron.
For the lemon buttercream:
1. Beat butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the icing sugar until combined. Add the lemon juice, lemon rind, vanilla, milk and food colouring gel until well combined. If the mixture is a bit hard, add a tablespoon of milk or lemon juice to get the right consistency.
Ingredients:
250g macadamia biscuit or any plain sweet biscuit
120g butter, melted
4 gelatine leaves
1/3 cup milk
3x250g cream cheese, softened
395g condensed milk
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla essence
125g raspberries
125g blueberries
Blueberry coulis:
1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries
1/4 cup caster sugar
1 tsp. corn flour
Method:
1. Grease and line the base and side of a 25cm (base measurement) springform pan.
2. To make the coulis, bring all ingredients to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring constantly and crushing berries with the back of spoon. Boil for 2 minutes to thicken. Pour into a blender and whiz until smooth. Strain through a fine sieve into a jug.
3. Place the biscuits in the bowl of a food processor and process until finely crushed. Add the butter and process until well combined. Transfer mixture to the prepared pan.
4. Use a spoon or a straight-sided glass to spread and press mixture firmly over the base of the pan. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill.
5. Soak gelatine leaves in cold water for 5 minutes. Heat milk in a pan over medium heat until just below boiling point. Squeeze excess water from the gelatine leaves and add to the hot milk, stirring until dissolved. Set aside.
6. Whiz cream cheese, sugar, condensed milk, vanilla, lemon juice and the milk mixture in a food processor until smooth. Pour mixture over biscuit base. Use a teaspoon to drizzle the coulis on top of the cheesecake and use a toothpick to create swirls. Chill for 5 hours or overnight.
7. Serve the cheesecake with berries, drizzled with blueberry coulis.
![neapolitan cake 034fadecorrW_thumb[1]](https://sarahlynskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/neapolitan-cake-034fadecorrW_thumb1.jpg "neapolitan cake 034fadecorrW_thumb[1]")
Vanilla Cake:
115g butter, softened
1 cup caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups self-raising flour, sifted
1/2 cup milk
1/4 tsp pink food gel
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Grease and line the base and sides of a 20cmx9cm (high) spring form cake pan.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Add the vanilla and beat for 1 minute. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition (the mixture will look curdled at this stage). Add the flour and milk, in alternate batches. Add the food gel. Continue mixing for another 2 minutes until combined.
3. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted in centre comes out clean. Stand in pan for 5 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Halve the cake horizontally using a sharp knife.
Chocolate Cake:
1 cup hot water
2/3 cup cocoa powder
170g butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 1/2 cups caster sugar
2 cups plain flour
1 1/4 tsp bicarbonate soda
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Grease and line the base and sides of a 20cmx9cm (high) spring form cake pan.
2. In a large bowl, sift flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. Mix hot water and cocoa powder in a heatproof bowl until dissolved. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool.
4. Using an electric mixer, beat butter for 30 seconds and then gradually add sugar. Beat for 2 minutes.
5. Add eggs one at a time and then beat in the vanilla until fluffy. Gradually add the flour mixture and cocoa mixture in three parts until just blended.
6. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Cool cake for 20 minutes. Turn cake onto a wire rack, top-side up. Cool completely. Halve the cake horizontally using a sharp knife.
Buttercream frosting:
200g butter, softened
1kg icing sugar
1 tbs vanilla essence
1/3 cup milk
1/4 tsp pink food coloring
1 tsp strawberry essence
Method:
1. Using an electric mixer, beat butter in a bowl until pale and fluffy (about 5 minutes).
2. Gradually add icing sugar mixture, milk, strawberry essence and food coloring, beating constantly until combined.
To assemble the cake: Place 1 cake base, cut-side up, on a serving plate. Spread with buttercream mixture. Continue layering with 3 layers of the cake and the remaining buttercream mixture, finishing with the cream mixture. Use the remaining icing to completely cover the cake. Decorate with your favorite fruit.
Ingredients:
125 g butter, chopped
150 g pitted dates, roughly chopped
3/4 cups caster sugar, plus extra
1 tspn mixed spice
1/4 tspn salt
1 tspn bicarbonate soda
1 x egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cup self-raising flour, sifted
6 x medium fresh figs
60 g butter (for toffee)
1/2 cup thickened cream (for toffee)
1/2 cup dark brown sugar (for toffee)
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Lightly grease and line base and sides of a 7cm deep, 20cm (base) square pan. (you can use a round pan if you don’t have a square one)
2. Place butter, dates, sugar, salt and 1cup of water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 2 minutes.
3. Remove from heat. Stir in bicarbonate of soda (mixture will foam). Transfer to a large bowl and set aside for 15 minutes to cool slightly.
4. Add egg to the date mixture and mix well. Combine flour and mixed spice. Add to the mixture and stir gently to combine. Spoon into pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Stand in pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
5. Meanwhile, preheat grill (broiler). Cut figs in half; place cut-side up, on oven tray. Sprinkle with sugar over the cut surface. Grill figs until browned lightly and caramelized.
6. To make the toffee sauce, melt butter, thickened cream and brown sugar in a small saucepan over low heat. Increase heat. Simmer for 5 minutes.
7. Cut cake into squares. Top with figs and drizzle with toffee sauce. Serve with whipped cream.
Ingredients:
115g butter, softened
1 cup caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups self-raising flour, sifted
1/2 cup milk
Raspberry coulis
1 cup frozen raspberries
2 tbs caster sugar
1 tbs water
Buttercream frosting
125g butter, softened
1 1/2 cups icing sugar mixture
1 tbs milk
1/4 tsp yellow food coloring
1/4 tsp red food gel
Method:
Makes 14-16 cupcakes
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Line muffin pans with patty cases.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Beat in the eggs, one at a time and beat in the vanilla until just combined (mixture will look curdled at this stage). Add the flour and milk in alternate batches and beat until combined. Always remember to start your mixer on low speed when adding ingredients, or you’ll get flour everywhere!
3. Divide mixture evenly among the prepared cups (I used a large ice-cream scoop and it is the perfect measurement for the large patty cases). Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centres comes out clean. Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan and cool completely.
4. To make the coulis, combine raspberries, sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to the boil, while mashing with a wooden spoon. Simmer for one minute on low. Place raspberries in a food processor and process until smooth. Use a spoon to press puree through a sieve into a bowl. Discard seeds. Place in the fridge until required.
5. Use an apple corer to cut holes in the cupcakes – but don’t go all the way through (you can use a small knife if you don’t have an apple corer). Spoon coulis in the center of each cupcake. Top with a small piece of cake that was cut out.
6. Using an electric mixer, beat butter in a bowl until pale and fluffy. Gradually add icing sugar and milk, beating constantly until combined. Place in the fridge until required.
7. To achieve the swirl, carefully squeeze a few drops of red food gel down the side of the piping bag and use a skewer to spread it down in a line. Sprinkle a few drops of yellow food coloring on the buttercream mixture and mix slightly. Put the frosting in a piping bag fitted with your desired nozzle and pipe on top of cupcakes. Decorate with maraschino cherries or fresh raspberries.
