Chocolate Chippies (Bulk)

Perfect for shearing or any morning or afternoon smoko, my mother in-law estimates she has made several thousand of these over the years. I make a batch and put some in the freezer as they freeze really well and are great for the kids lunch boxes (and that stops me opportunistically nabbing one every time I go past). This is a big batch and makes about 100 biscuits. 

 INGREDIENTS

• 500gm butter 

• 750gm flour
• 1 tin condensed milk
• 250gm sugar
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 350gm chocolate chips

METHOD:

Soften the butter. Add the sugar and then cream butter and sugar together. Add the condensed milk and mix. Add the flour, baking powder and chocolate chips and mix into dough. Roll out into balls and press with a fork onto tray. Bake at 160degrees C for 10 minutes. Don't overbrown.

Enjoy x

Fruit & Nut Oat Slice

This slice is quick to throw together and is a favourite in our house. You can slice into small bites for a great lunch box snack or into bigger slices for a shepherd that needs the energy for a long walk. Full of yummy bits that you can change depending on what you have on hand, this slice is like an ANZAC biscuit mixed with scroggin and is similar to a Cookie Time Bumper Bar. 

 INGREDIENTS

• 125g butter

• 2 Tblsp Golden Syrup
• 1/2c sugar
• 1/4c brown sugar
• 1 cup Rolled Oats
• 1 cup Dessicated Coconut
• 1 cup Flour
• 3/4 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/4 cup (with a splash out) Warm Water
• 1/2 cup Dried Cranberries
• 1/2 cup Chopped Dried Apricots
• 1/2 cup Chopped Almonds (can use slivered)
• 1/2 cup Chocolate Drops or Chunks (can use milk, white or dark choc depending on preference)

METHOD:

Preheat the over to 180 degrees celcius. Grease a slice pan. 

 Place the butter and golden syrup into a saucepan and melt slowly. Mix all but water, baking soda, fruit, chocolate and nuts together. Mix water and baking soda together and then stir thorugh mixture. Add fruit, nuts and chocolate. Press into slice pan and bake for 25 minutes.

TIPS:

You can swap out the fruit and nuts for what you have in the cupboard, for example swap almomds for walnuts .

Yum yum xx

Chocolate Chip & Cranberry Biscuits

 

The tins are always in need of sweet treats to fill them and these crumbly delicious biscuits are a favourite from Gran's book. You can make them twice the size for soft and delicious big treats (careful you don't eat the whole batch when you do this mind-you) or make small ones for little people's lunch boxes. 

INGREDIENTS

• 250g butter

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 2 eggs
• 2 1/4 cups self raising flour
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 150g chocolate drops
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries

METHOD:

Preheat the over to 190 degrees celcius. Grease a biscuit tray. 

Place the butter, sugar and vanilla essence in a food processor and mix together until creamy. Add eggs and beat in.

Add flour and cinnamon. Fold into the mixture with a spoon or spatula, then add the chocolate drops and cranberries and fold in. Place in spoonfuls on to the prepared trays, and bake for 12-15 minutes until golder brown.

TIPS:

Swap out the cranberries for walnuts, you can split the mixture in half and do two flavours in the same batch for some variety.

Enjoy xx

Banana, walnut & date loaf

Don't be in too much fo a rush to toss out your overripe bananas- they are great for feeding the vege garden as the skins are full of Potassium (K) but they are also perfect for making some scrummy baking to fill the tins! This loaf is so good with a spread of butter and a hot cuppa for smoko.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Tblsp softened butter

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 3 very ripe bananas, well mashed
• 1 1/2 cups self raising flour
• 2 Tblsp milk
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup chopped pitted dates or sultanas

METHOD:

Heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Grease, line with baking paper or use amazing non-stick silicone, 22cm x 11cm x 6cm deep loaf tin.

Place the butter and sugar in the mixer or food processor and cream well. Add the egg, then the bananas a little at a time, then the flour. Dissolve the bicarbonate soda in the milk and add to the mixture. Mix/process until smooth.

Fold in the walnuts and the dates or sultanas. Pour the mixture into the tin and bake for 40-45 minutes. Test with a skewer to see if the loaf is cooked in the middle. If the loaf is cooked, the skewer will come out clean.

Enjoy xx

Chocolate Chip Banana Bars

 

When you have an abundance of ripe bananas, you should give this classic from Gran's book a whirl. This is the easiest recipe and is great for smoko or add yoghurt or ice cream for a yummy dessert. There are plenty of bananas in this recipe so I think you can call it a healthy snack to go with your cuppa...

INGREDIENTS

• 5 very ripe bananas about 1 2/3 cup

• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup oil any type
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 3/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup chocolate chips divided

METHOD:

Heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Grease or line with baking paper, a 40cm x 25cm tin.

Peel bananas and mash. Stir in brown sugar, oil, milk and eggs until combined. Add in dry ingredients and stir. Fold in 1/2 the chocolate chips.

Spread the batter into the prepared tin and sprinkle remaining chips on top. Bake 18-22 minutes, until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely and cut into squares.

Makes 24 bars.

Enjoy xx

TIPS:

• I use chocolate drops or buttons because gran used to but i'm sure it would be just as scrummy with chips if that's what you have to hand.
• Using coconut oil gives a lovely flavour
• replace the flour with wholemeal flour to make them a little more filling
• Eat one while they are still warm and the chocolate is all melty... so good (this reminds me so much of gran, she always let us take one before they ahve cooled on the bench!)

Roll Up Scones

This recipe is published in the Waihi School cook book "Fuel for your family" it has been shared from the recipe book of a country mum. I'm sure thousands of these have been served up to hungry farmers around the country over the years, its the buttermilk that makes them so good and I love that you can make them sweet or savoury depending on whatever takes your fancy on the day.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups self raising flour
• 1/4 cup castor sugar for sweet scones, 1 Tblsp for savoury scones
• Pinch of salt
• 100g butter
• 400ml Buttermilk, approximately

METHOD:

Preheat the oven to 220 degrees celcius. Sift the flour, sugar and salt into a large bowl. Grate in the cold butter and mix through with a knife. Add the buttermilk and again mix through with a knife- don’t over-mix.Turn out onto a floured board and using a gentle touch, form into a rectangle shape approximately 2.5cm thick. Spread with desired topping. Roll as you would for pinwheel scones and slice. Place on baking paper. Cook for 10-12 minutes.

IDEAS FOR TOPPINGS:

• Basil and pesto with cream cheese
• Relish and cream cheese
• bacon, cheese and tomato relish
• bacon, cheese and spinach
• chilli jam and cream cheese
• date and orange. Soak dates first in orange juice
• Rasberry and peach
• Lemon curd
• Rasberry and mango
• Apricot and almond

Enjoy xx

Raisin, Oat and Chocolate Chip Biscuits

In a farm house, it is essential that the tins are filled with yummy things that go well with cups of tea. These cookies are delicious, and go well with tea. They also remind me of gran, she used to say that the oats and raisins made them healthy- which meant I was allowed two. I have since found this to be just something Grandmas say when they want to make an excuse for allowing small children to eat more than one biscuit.... got to love gran xxx

INGREDIENTS:

• 2/3 cup Brown Sugar
• 1 tsp Vanilla essence
• 1/3 cup caster sugar
• 175g butter
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup flour
• 2 cups rolled oats
• 3/4 cup raisins
• 150g dark chocolate chopped into chunks

METHOD:

Preheat the over to 160 degree Celsius. Place vanilla, brown sugar, caster sugar, butter and egg in the food processor and and process until combined. Add the flour, baking soda and oats. Process until combined. Add the raisins and chocolate and mix together with a spoon. Roll one tsp of mixture at a time into a ball and place on a baking try lined with baking paper. Make sure you leave room for them to spread out. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until they are golden. Leave on the tray to cool for 5 minutes and then transfer onto a wire rack to cool.

Enjoy xx

Yo-yo biscuits

It seemed appropriate to take this picture on one of Gran's plates because she used to make the BEST yoyo's of all time, hers always looked just like the fancy magazines, not like these rather chunky ones that I have created with the icing running because i wasn't patient enough to wait for the biscuits to completely cool. But even if I say so myself, they still taste pretty darn good with a cuppa.
INGREDIENTS:

• 250g softened butter
• 1/2 cup icing sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
• 1 2/3 cup flour
• 1/3 cup custard powder
• 1/2 tsp baking powder

FOR THE ICING:

• 30g butter
• 1 cup icing sugar
• 1 Tblsp hot water
• 1/2 tsp vanilla essence

METHOD:
Preheat the oven to 160 degrees celcius. Line 2 oven trays with baking paper or grease the trays. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. mix in the vanilla.
Sift over the flour, custard powder and baking powder. Mix gently to combine.
Roll tablespoonfuls of the mixtureinto balls and place them on the baing trays. Use the palm of your handto flatten each slightly.
Bake to yoyo's for 25-30 minutes until they are just starting to colour. Leave them to cool for a few minutes and then transfer them to a cooling rack. To make the filling, mix all of the ingredients together until the mixture is light and creamy. Sandwich the yoyo's together with the filling.

Enjoy xx
A

Mini Bacon and Corn Quiches

These little gems are perfect for taking to a pot luck or to have made up in the freezer so that when unexpected guests arrive you can pop them straight into the oven and serve with some potato salad and tomato relish for a quick lunch.

INGREDIENTS:

• 5 sheets shortcrust pastry
• 600ml cream 
• 2 onions finely chopped 
• 2 eggs
• butter 
• 1 cup grated cheese 
• 200g bacon rashers, cut into small pieces, no rind 
• 1 420g can corn, drained 
• 2 Tblsp chopped parsley 

METHOD:
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Using a pastry cutter or the top of glass, cut circles to neatly line cupcake or small tart tins. A 7cm cutter fits my cupcake trays perfectly. I use 4 trays, each fits 12 little quiches.
Gently fry the onions in a little butter until transparent, add the bacon and cook for another 5 minutes, until the bacon and onions are brown. Add the corn and parsley and mix together. Place a spoonful of this mixture into each pastry lined tartlet tin. Pour the cream into a mixing bowl, whisk in the eggs until well mixed, and pour a little (1-2 spoonfuls) into each tartcase to fill it nearly to the top. It is easiest to pour the egg and cream mixture into a small jug, as spoonfuls can get quite messy.
Sprinkle the top of each quiche with a little cheese. Bake for 15 minutes or until the pastry is golden and the quiches are browned on top.

Baileys Ginger Kisses

This recipe comes from my friend Emma and it is literally going to change your life, forever. You will never be the same and no other biscuit is ever going to taste as good- all those other biscuits in the world will actually be a little disappointing after wolfing through a batch of these. They even smell fabulous, the kind of smell you can taste in the air before you get the pleasure of actually eating them. These really are one of the best recipe finds of the year, so yummy and easy to make- thanks Em!

INGREDIENTS:

• 40g unsalted butter
• 2 eggs, beaten 
• 1 Tblsp golden syrup
• 125g caster sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon 
• 2 cups flour 
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground ginger

IRISH BUTTER CREAM:

• 150g unsalted butter, softened
• 300g icing sugar
• 1 Tblsp baileys Irish cream

METHOD:
Preheat oven to 190°C on fan bake. Grease and line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Cream butter and sugar in electric mixer until light and pale. Add golden syrup. In separate bowl, sift all the dry ingredients. Gradually add beaten eggs to butter mixture, alternating with dry ingredients. Mix well to combine.
Roll teaspoons of dough into balls and press down gently onto prepared trays. Bake for 8 minutes or until golden. Cool completely.
For the Irish butter cream, combine the ingredients and mix into a smooth icing. Sandwich together the kisses with the butter cream.

Thanks Em xx

Banana and cinnamon muffins

For these muffins you will need two large overripe bananas, which is why you should never throw away your bruised or blackened bananas, just pop them into the freezer as they are (skin on) to have when you feel the need for this recipe or any other that requires bananas. They look quite gross once defrosted but the flavour is as good as ever!
These muffins are quick to make and yummy yummy yummy!! Great for smoko or to fill a gap in the farmers lunch box

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 c self raising flour
• 1/3 c plain flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 c firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 c mashed banana
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/3 c vegetable oil
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon extra (for topping)
• 125g cream cheese (softened)
• 1/4 c icing sugar

METHOD:
Preheat the oven to 180 Degrees Celsius (fan bake). grease a muffin tin or fill with cases, you will need 12 spaces about 1/3c in size. Sift flours, cinnamon, soda and sugar into a bowl. stir in the mashed bananas. in another bowl combine the eggs, buttermilk and oil. Then add this to your flour/banana mixture.
Divide the mixture among your pan holes and then bake for 20 minutes. Stand your muffins for 5 minutes int he tin before taking out and putting on a wire rack to cool.
To make the cream cheese icing combine the cream cheese and icing sugar and stir until smooth. Spread your icing onto the muffins once cold and then top with a tiny sprinkle of cinnamon to finish

TIPS:

• Buttermilk is the best but if you don't have any to hand then normal milk is fine.

Toffee Pop truffles

These little guys are amazing, not only because they take about 5 minutes to make but because they are sooooo good. Perfect for entertaining or for camp mother to take on netball trips, these truffles are a crowd pleaser. But beware they are very moreish and sweet- a recipe for a sore tummy for those that overindulge!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 packet of toffee pops (the cheap ones are fine)
• 3 Tblsp cream cheese
• 1 Tblsp icing sugar
• drinking chocolate or coconut to dress

METHOD:

Put the toffee pops into the food processor and turn on high until they are like bread crumbs. Then add the cream cheese and icing sugar and pulse until the mixture combines. Roll into little (I say little because they are very sweet!) balls and then coat in the drinking chocolate or coconut. Refrigerate for as long as you can stand not eating them or until the party.

TIPS:

• Coconut flour would be a lovely coating or crushed flake chocolate.

Enjoy xx
A

Pikelets

This post is for my friend Staz, who up until the weekend had never made pikelets. I promised I would share my simple pikelets recipe becasue I'm not sure how she ended up with such a complicated one! In this post you are going to see a kitchen appliance that changed my life. I got a crepe maker given to me for my 21st, at the time I wasn't that thrilled (how wrong I was). This has turned out to be one of the best things I have ever owned in the kitchen. I have even convinced others to buy one since. Staz even borrowed mine on Saturday to learn how to make her first ever pikelets. Now I think she will buy one too.

Who doesn't love pikelets- the farmer LOVES pikelets lathered in butter.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 c flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 egg
• 1/4 c sugar
• 3/4 c milk (approx)

METHOD:

Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. In another bowl beat egg and sugar until thick. Add with milk to the sifted ingredients. Mix until just combined. Drop tablespoonfuls of the mixture from the point of a spoon onto a hot, lightly greased girdle, non stick frying pan or crepe maker. Turn pikelets over when bubbles start to burst on the top surface. Cook second side until golden.

Simply the Best Banana Cake

I am not a very good baker, I think it is because I tend to sort of throw a bit of this and that into my cooking instead of strictly following a recipe. So when a friend asked me to bake two cakes (yes TWO!) for a joint thirtieth- I freaked out a little. The Farmer's Aunty Lesley was immediately called in for a crisis meeting because she is an AMAZING baker. Lesley also has a pretty impressive cook's office and from that she shared this fantastic banana cake recipe that even I have managed to have good success with. Pity I drank a bit much wine to remember to get a picture of the two cakes- one had a tractor ploughing a paddock iced on top and the other was a helicopter on a landing pad (a farmer and a chopper pilot turning thirty- the Woman's Weekly cake decorating book would have been so proud!).

Making a high cake keeps it really moist and delicious

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 1/2 c self raising flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 c castor sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 1/2 c mashed bananas (about 4 big bananas) 
• 1 c oil

METHOD:

Sift the flour and soda into a bowl. Make a well and stir in the sugar, eggs, banana and oil.
Mix gently to a smooth batter. Pour into a greased and baking paper lined 20cm round tin.
Bake at 160 degree Celsius for approximately 1 1/2 hours.
Ice with chocolate or cream cheese icing.

TIPS:

• I use a 20cm cake tin to produce an impressively high cake. If you prefer to use a larger tin, adjust your cooking times- it will take less time to cook.

I baked this cake and iced it with chocolate icing ready for decorating

Using rolled out fondant icing, I cut out this flower and put it on the cake

The Tin Kitchen Gluten Free Walnut Bread

Derek making bread at the Tin Kitchen

Regardless of whether you are Celiac or not, a lot of people have decided to go gluten free (blame google is suppose), most don't actually need  to take gluten out of their diet but claim that they feel a lot better for doing so. In a lot of cases it is probably because they are reducing the amount of carbohydrates they eat (most of us eat WAY too many carbs).
Anyway if you are going to go gluten free, then one of the problems you strike is that most gluten free bread resembles a small windowless building- it's heavy, dry and not that tasty. Derek at the Tin Kitchen has developed a range of gluten free bread mixes that are none of these things, they are in fact light, moist and very tasty. I am not gluten free but I still love this bread and I think you will too. You can buy this mix online at www.thetinkitchen.co.nz  or at the Geraldine Orchard and farm shop and I suggest you do!

INGREDIENTS:

• 500gm (I use half of the bag) walnut gluten free bread mix
• 520mls warm water

METHOD:

For each 500gm of bread mix, add 520mls of warm water and mix well together. Half fill a bread tin with the mixture. Leave to rise until it has risen to the top of the tin. Bake at 220 Degree Celsius (standard bake) for 35 minutes on the lowest shelf of the oven.

Pull out of the oven, slice off a piece, lather with butter and enjoy!!

TIPS:

• Visit Derek at the Tin Kitchen in the Geraldine Orchard Shop next time you are in Geraldine.

No bake lolly cake

Who doesn't love lolly cake? When I saw the pack of ingredients at The Cottage Pantry in Geraldine (if you haven't visited then you must!) I had my sister with me who promptly decided that we (when she says 'we' she actually means me- while she watches) were making some that afternoon. This delightful and easy to make sweet bought back memories of childhood birthday parties and also reminded me a of a friend that loves to eat condensed milk when hungover (you know who you are Ross Dowling). I suggest this as a nice surprise to workmates, it's really easy to make and everyone loves lolly cake!

Cover in coconut and then shake of the excess once it's set

INGREDIENTS:

• 120g butter
• 250g malt biscuit crumbs
• 180g fruit puff lollies
• 200g condensed milk
• coconut for decoration

METHOD:

Melt the butter and condensed milk together over a low heat (either in the microwave or in a saucepan). Cut your fruit puffs in half and put into a large bowl. Add the biscuit crumbs and the butter and condensed mixture to the lollies in your bowl. Mix together and then shape into logs or balls. Coat with the coconut and then put into the fridge to set. Refrigerate until firm.

TIPS:

•  Make lolly cake balls for a sweet party plate

Instant pudding biscuits

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 oz (175gm) butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 ½ cups flour
• 1 packet instant pudding
• 1 cup sultanas
• 1 egg
• 1 Tblsp cornflour
• 1 tsp Baking Powder

METHOD:
Cream butter and sugar, beat in egg. Add instant pudding. Then remaining ingredients and mix well. Roll into small balls and then press down with fork. Bake 10-15mins at 180°C.

Press the balls of dough down with a fork (wet the fork so it doesn't stick)

TIPS:

• Orange instant pudding (replace cup of sultanas with 1 cup coconut)
• Chocolate instant pudding (replace cup of sultanas with 1 cup chopped walnuts)
• Orange instant pudding (replace cup of sultanas with 1 cup chocolate chips)
• Butterscotch instant pudding & Sultanas

Good simple short crust pastry

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 cups (225g) plain flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 125g cold unsalted butter, cut into small chunks
• 1/4 cup (60ml) iced water

METHOD:

Place the flour, salt and butter in food processor and blitz until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Gradually add the water whilst machine is on and process until it just forms a ball. You may not need all the water so do a little at a time.

Tip the pastry ball out and shape into a disc. Wrap in plastic film and pop in the fridge to rest for about 40 minutes.

TIPS:

• I suggest you double the recipe for making a large pie or tart because otherwise there is not always enough for a lid!
• The little pie in the photo is simple mince and cheese pies made in large muffin trays- great way to use up left overs and the farmer loves them in his lunch

Quick Puff Pastry

Makes about 750g puff pastry. This is a super easy way to make your own puff pastry. The main thing is not to overprocess the butter.

INGREDIENTS:

•  2 cups flour
• 280g cold unsalted butter, cut into 1cm cubes
• 1 tsp salt
• 6 Tblsp cold water

METHOD:

Place the flour into your food processor. Add 60g of the butter cubes. pulse a dozen times until the butter and flour are combined and look like coarse breadcrumbs. Add the remaining butter, pulse a few times to distribute through mixture. Dissolve the salt in the water and pour over the flour mixture. Pulse 3 or 4 times until the dough starts to form into a rough ball. DO NOT OVERPROCESS! If the dough is still dry, add one more tablespoon of water and pulse again. Turn your dough out onto a floured surface and shape into a rough rectangle. Cut 2 rectangles of cling film measuring 30cm x 45cm. Put one on the bench, scatter flour over it, then place the dough rectangle on top of it. Lightly flour the surface of the dough and then place the second sheet of cling film on top. Press the dough as much as possible with a rolling pin to flatten and then roll it so that it becomes about the same size as the cling film.Peel away the top piece of cling film and then flip it over onto the floured surface with the long side facing you and then throw away both sheets of cling film. 

Now fold the long side facing you to meet the middle of your rectangle. repeat with the other side. Then take the short end and fold it towards the other end about four times so you end up with about five layers. Wrap the dough in cling film and refrigerate for at least an hour before using.  

TIPS:

• When you take it out of the fridge, if you leave it for a few minutes, it is easier to roll out.
• Put what you don't use in the freezer for next time.

Happy pie making!
xxA

Susie from the Bannockburn store's scones

Best enjoyed in Bannockburn with a glass of Central Otago pinot noir (a food critic would say that the foods don't match but who cares they are both my favourites- so why not have them together!?)

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cups self raising flour
• 125g grated butter
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups cold milk
• 1 1/2 cups grated tasty cheese 

METHOD:

Sift all of the dry ingredients into a bowl. Add the grated butter. The trick is to grate the butter straight from the fridge or freezer- the colder the better. Rub the butter in with your hands (don't need to get too carried away). Add the cheese. Stir in the milk with a knife- this will prevent you over mixing it. Once combined, tip onto the bench/board and make it into a square about 3cm thick ( or 5cm if you want huge scones) , just make sure you don't over knead the mixture,  it should be crumbly and making a mess! Cut into pieces and bake on 200 degrees Celsius for 10-12 minutes.

 

TIPS:

• you can take out the cheese to make sweet scones
• make them more savoury by adding bacon, spinach and onion

xxA

Savoury scones with spinach, bacon and onion