Christmas Recipe Catch-Up

Unfortunately I don't have any photos of the yummy stuff I baked for Christmas gifts this year as our camera was broken, but I did get great feedback for it all at least!

Fererro Rocher
100g dark chocolate melts, melted
1/3 cup (110g) hazlenut spread
1/4 cup (25g) hazlenut meal
1 tablespoon finely crushed icecream wafer or cone
12 hazlenuts, toasted
1 tbs hazlenut meal, extra.

Using small, clean paint brush, paint chocolate thickly inside 12 x 2.5cm foil cases. Place cases on tray, refrigerate about 5 minutes or until chocolate sets. Peel away cases.

Combine spread and hazlenut meal in small bowl, spoon mixture into piping bag fitted with 1.5cm fluted tube.

Divide pieces of wafer and hazlenuts among cases. Pipe chocolate mixture into cases. Sprinkle with a little hazlenut meal.


Gingerbread Men
Ingredients
* Melted butter, to grease
* 125g butter, at room temperature
* 100g (1/2 cup, firmly packed) brown sugar
* 125ml (1/2 cup) golden syrup
* 1 egg, separated
* 375g (2 1/2 cups) plain flour
* 1 tbs ground ginger
* 1 tsp mixed spice
* 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
* Plain flour, to dust
* 150g (1 cup) pure icing sugar, sifted
* 8-10 drops red liquid food colouring
* 8-10 drops green liquid food colouring
* Smarties, to decorate

Method
1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush 2 baking trays with melted butter to lightly grease.

2. Use an electric beater to beat the butter and sugar in a bowl until pale and creamy. Add the golden syrup and egg yolk and beat until combined. Stir in the flour, ginger, mixed spice and bicarbonate of soda. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Press dough into a disc. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest.

3. Meanwhile, place egg white in a clean, dry bowl. Use an electric beater to beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add icing sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Divide icing among 3 bowls. Cover 1 bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge. Add red colouring to 1 bowl and stir until combined. Add green colouring to remaining bowl and stir until combined. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge.

4. Place the dough between 2 sheets of baking paper and roll out until about 4mm thick. Use a 9cm gingerbread man cutter to cut out shapes. Place on trays about 3cm apart. Repeat with any excess dough.

5. Bake in oven for 10 minutes or until brown. Remove from oven. Transfer to a rack to cool.

6. Place prepared icings in small plastic bags. Cut a small hole in a corner of each bag. Pipe icing over gingerbread men to decorate. Finish with Smarties.


Rocky Road
Ingredients (serves 8)

* 500g good-quality milk cooking chocolate, broken into pieces
* 250g milk coffee biscuits, roughly chopped
* 100g marshmallows, chopped
* 100g red glace cherries, halved

Method

1. Grease a 3cm-deep, 16.5cm x 26cm (base) slab pan. Line base and sides with baking paper, allowing a 2cm overhang at both long ends.

2. Place chocolate in a large, heatproof, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave, uncovered, on MEDIUM (50%) for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring every minute with a metal spoon, or until melted and smooth. Add biscuits, marshmallows and cherries. Stir until well combined.

3. Press slice mixture into prepared pan. Refrigerate for 3 hours or until firm. Cut into large pieces. Serve.
This slice will keep for up to 2 weeks in the fridge. Allow to come to room temperature before serving.