Sweetest Kitchen Recipe Archive

• Combine butter, peanut butter, sugars, egg, and vanilla. Blend together very well.
• Add flour, baking soda and salt with mixer. If using Nutella, just drizzle it on top of the dough (use more or less to suit your taste) then swirl it through the dough with a butter knife. Chill dough 15 minutes in the refrigerator. Roll into balls by hand.
• Place on greased cookie sheet. Using a fork, press down the balls and create a criss-cross pattern. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven until edges are very lightly browned (about 7 to 10 minutes). Don’t overbake.

• For the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Melt the butter and set aside. Melt the chocolate using a double-boiler.
• Beat the eggs with the sugar until blended. Add the melted the butter and vanill extract and mix well.
• In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt and add to the butter/egg mixture. Beat until blended, but do not overbeat.
• Divide the batter in two halves. In the first half, add the Matcha tea, in the second the chocolate and cocoa diluted in milk. Stir each half until thorougly incorporated.
• Spoon chocolate mixture into cupcake liners, and spoon matcha mixture on top of the chocolate. Fill liners about 1/2 – 2/3 full. You can use a toothpick or knife to gently stir the colors together for a marbled effect, or you can leave as is.
• Bake in a preheated oven for 20-22 minutes. Test with a toothpick to make sure they are done.
• For the chocolate ganache glaze:

  Heat the whipping cream and chocolate in a small pan over low heat until melted. Do not boil. Remove from heat and sit aside until cooler. Dip tops of cupcakes into the ganache and sit aside to let ganache harden, or put into the refrigerator to harden it quicker.
• For the matcha swiss meringue buttercream: Put egg whites and sugar into the top of a double boiler over a pan of simmering water. Whisking constantly, cook until sugar has dissolved and mixture is warm (about 160 degrees).
• Pour heated egg whites into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat egg white mixture on high speed until it forms stiff (but not dry) peaks. Continue beating until fluffy and cooled, about 7 minutes.
• Switch to the paddle attachment. With mixer on medium-low, add butter two tablespoons at a time, beating well after each addition. Increase speed to medium-high; continue beating until frosting appears thick, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low; add matcha powder and continue beating 2 minutes to eliminate air bubbles.

• Prepare a standard muffin tin with 12 paper liners.
• Combine chocolate, peanut butter and salt in a heavy-based saucepan over very low heat, or use a double-boiler, to melt the chocolate. Stir frequently. Remove from heat.
• Place 2 teaspoons melted chocolate in each cupcake liner and carefully spread it with the back of a spoon at the bottom and only 1/4 of the way up the liner. Repeat with all 12 liners.
• Place the chocolate-covered liners onto a plate in the fridge to firm up, for about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare the filling: Stir together peanut butter, sugar, optional crumbs, and salt.
• The chocolate should be hard by now, so divide peanut butter paste into all 12 liners, about 1 heaping tablespoon (20g) per liner, pressing down gently to make sure the paste goes everywhere. Place in fridge to firm up, for about 20 minutes.
• Top with 2 teaspoons melted chocolate, spreading carefully so that none of the peanut butter can be seen.
• Let cups firm up in fridge for at least one hour before enjoying. Store in fridge or freezer.

• Cook bacon (if using) in a non-stick skillet over medium heat until crispy. Reserve bacon and fat in the skillet.
• Butter one side of each bread slice, then flip buttered-side-down. Spread peanut butter on the un-buttered side of all slices. Place banana pieces on two bread slices. Add bacon (if using) atop bananas.
• Top with remaining bread slices, buttered-side-up, forming sandwiches. Warm skillet with leftover bacon fat (or oil/butter for vegetarian/vegan) over medium heat. Fry sandwiches on both sides until golden-brown and peanut butter slightly oozes (2-3 minutes per side).
• Let sandwiches rest briefly before slicing. Serve promptly and enjoy.

• In a medium saucepan or skillet, add olive oil, herbs, garlic and mushrooms. Cook, uncovered, over low-medium heat until it begins to simmer; remove from heat.
• Meanwhile, cook spaghetti according to package directions. Drain. Toss with mushroom mixture until thoroughly coated. Serve with a sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese.

• For the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flours, sugar, baking powder, salt and matcha powder; mix on low speed until combined. Add butter, mixing until the cubes of butter are peanut-sized or a little smaller.
• In a large glass measuring cup, whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla. With mixer on medium speed, add wet ingredients in 3 parts, scraping down sides of bowl before each addition; beat until ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat.
• Divide batter evenly among liners, filling about 2/3 full. Bake until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 17 to 20 minutes.
• Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cupcakes have cooled completely, using the cone method, fill cupcakes with strawberry jam or preserves.
• For the buttercream: Place whites and sugar in a heatproof mixer bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Whisk until sugar dissolves and mixture registers 160 degrees on a candy thermometer.
• Remove from heat, and attach bowl to a mixer. Whisk on medium speed for 5 minutes. Increase speed to medium-high, and whisk until stiff, glossy peaks form, about 6 minutes. Reduce speed to medium, and add butter, 1 piece at a time, whisking well after each addition.
• Switch to a paddle attachment. With mixer on low, add strawberry puree, and beat until smooth, 3 to 5 minutes. Use immediately, or cover, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature, and beat on low speed until smooth before using.

• For the donuts: Pour enough oil to cover at least 2 inches in the bottom of a heavy pan. Using a deep fry thermometer, heat oil to 375F. Do not leave unattended.
• While oil is heating, open biscuit tin and lay each biscuit on a cookie sheet. Flatten each one slightly with the palm of your hand. Use a small circle cutter to cut a hole in the middle of each biscuit; keep the holes, you can fry them as well. Let biscuit dough rest for 10 minutes.
• Carefully place donuts, one or two at a time, into the oil. Cook for about 1 minute on each side, or until golden brown. Using a slotted spoon, carefully lift donuts out of the oil and place onto paper towels to drain and cool completely. Once cool, coat the donuts in chocolate glaze.
• For the glaze: Combine the butter with the powdered sugar in a medium bowl and blend with an electric mixer.
• Add the vanilla and hot water. Mix until smooth.
• Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir, then microwave another 15-30 seconds and stir again until completely melted. Be careful not to burn the chocolate. Add to the plain glaze mixture. Blend until smooth.
• When the donuts have cooled, dip each top surface into the glaze and then flip over and cool on a plate until the glaze firms up, about 15 minutes. If desired, add some sprinkles!

• For the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350F; line a cupcake tin with paper liners.
• Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl; set aside.
• Combine buttermilk, pumpkin and vanilla in a bowl; set aside.
• Beat butter and sugars together in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, until the mixture is smooth and light. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk mixture, blending well after each addition.
• Divide batter evenly among cupcake liners. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
• Cool cupcakes completely, then using the cone method, fill cupcakes with pumpkin buttercream (recipe follows).
• Frost each cupcake with chocolate frosting (recipe follows), then dip the frosted tops into the finely crushed Oreos to evenly coat. Stick an Oreo Fudgee “tombstone” into the top of each cupcake, and place a zombie hand in front of it.
• For the pumpkin buttercream: With electric mixer, cream butter and pumpkin (mixture will look grainy). Turn mixer to low and add cinnamon, ginger, salt and vanilla. Slowly add 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar at a time until the buttercream is creamy and no longer separating (the mixture will look grainy if there isn’t enough sugar mixed in).
• For the chocolate buttercream: Beat butter and cocoa until smooth, then add sugar 1 cup at a time, beating until smooth with each addition . Add milk and vanilla and beat for about 3 minutes.

• For the pumpkin cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice; set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together, brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, and eggs. Add dry ingredients, and whisk until smooth. Whisk in pumpkin puree.
• Divide batter evenly among liners, filling each about halfway. Bake until tops spring back when touched, and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pans once if needed. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.
• Once cooled, using the cone method, fill each cupcake with a dollop of dulce de leche and frost with dulce de leche buttercream. If desired, decorate cupcake with spiderweb design using 3 tablespoons chocolate chips melted together with 1/4 teaspoon shortening.
• For the dulce de leche: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Open up the can and pour the sweetened-condensed milk into a pie pan. Cover tightly with foil. Place into a larger pan and pour boiling water in larger pan & around pie plate (level of water should be about halfway up the pie plate). Don’t let any water seep up and into the pie plate.
• Place in oven and bake for 1 hour. At the one hour point, peel off foil and check for progress. If the mixture has thickened and turned a caramelly color, it’s done. If it doesn’t quite look thick enough or dark enough, cover it up and bake it a little longer (mine took 75 minutes).
• When the mixture appears to have turned into a nice, thick caramel, remove from the oven. Let sit for a few minutes, and then beat with an electric mixer until smooth.
• Dulce de leche buttercream: Cream together softened butter and powdered sugar on low using an electric mixer. Add cream and vanilla and beat on medium speed until smooth and no lumps appear. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the prepared dulce de leche and beat to incorporate.

• For the cupcakes: Heat oven to 350°F. Line muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper baking cups.
• Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.
• Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 22 to 25 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.
• Using the cone method, fill cupcakes with chocolate ganache (recipe follows). Frost with buttercream (recipe follows) using a round piping tip, then spoon chocolate ganache glaze (recipe follows) on top of buttercream. Put sprinkles on as soon as you finish putting the ganache on each cupcake, just in case the ganache hardens too much for the sprinkles to stick. Push a maraschino cherry into the top of each mound of frosting (the ones with stems make a better presentation!).
• For the ganache filling: Chop the chocolate and transfer it to a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream until simmering and pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit for one minute and then stir until smooth. (If this has not sufficiently melted the chocolate, you can return it to a double-boiler to gently melt what remains. 20 seconds in the microwave, watching carefully, will also work.) Add the butter and stir until combined.
• I put the ganache in the refrigerator to firm it up just a little teeny bit, about 15-20 minutes I think it was. It was still pourable, but it wasn’t dripping everywhere, either.
• For the vanilla buttercream: Beat butter with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes.
• Reduce speed to medium. Add sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating after each addition, about 5 minutes. (After every 2 additions, increase speed to high, and beat for 10 seconds, then reduce speed to medium-high). Add vanilla, and beat until buttercream is smooth.
• For the ganache glaze: Place chocolate in a medium-size heatproof bowl. Bring cream and corn syrup just to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; pour mixture over chocolate. Let stand, without stirring, until chocolate begins to melt.
• Gently stir chocolate and cream until totally combined; begin near the center of the bowl and gradually work your way toward the edge, pulling in as much chocolate as possible, until the mixture is smooth and glossy.

• For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 325F (160C).
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well.
• In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, lemon myrtle, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In 3 parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold in coconut.
• Line a muffin pan with paper liners. Fill each liner evenly with batter. Bake for 20-25, until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove to a baking rack and cool completely.
• For the lemon myrtle syrup: Bring all ingredients to the boil stirring until sugar is dissolved. Strain lemon myrtle from syrup. Poke holes into the cupcakes with a fork, then either dip cupcakes into syrup or spoon the syrup over the cupcakes. This is best done when the cupcakes and syrup are still warm.
• For the coconut frosting: Using a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar in a large bowl on medium-high speed about 1 minute. Add the whipping cream, coconut cream, and salt; beat until combined. Frost cupcakes when they are completely cool.

• Thoroughly mix Nutella, cream cheese and salt until no streaks of cream cheese remain. Mixture may be a little grainy-looking. Slowly add milk a bit at a time and stir until milk is thoroughly mixed in (you’ll need to mix for a while for it to come together). You should end up with a nice smooth, creamy dip for your fruit. Store in refrigerator. To soften up the dip after removing from the refrigerator, just stick it in the microwave for about 10-15 seconds.

• Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease a 12-hole muffin tray and line with paper cases.
• Sift the flour, soda and spices into a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, buttermilk, eggs and sugar until combined. Add to the dry ingredients and stir to combine.
• Gently stir in the chocolate chips. Divide the mixture among muffin cases, then bake for 20-25 minutes until lightly browned and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.
• Meanwhile, place the extra 2 tbs sugar in a pan with 2 tbs water and simmer over low heat, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Brush the glaze over the muffins.
• Sift icing sugar into a bowl. Add lemon juice and just enough hot water to make a thick, pipable icing. Use a piping bag or drizzle from a spoon to draw a cross on each muffin, then serve.

• Preheat the oven to 200C. Grease an 18cm round cake pan and line the base and side with baking paper – the paper should protrude about 2.5cm above the pan.
• Place walnuts on a baking tray and cook for 4-5 minutes until lightly roasted. Cool and cut into thirds.
• Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt into a bowl. Repeat to ensure they are evenly mixed.
• Put the egg whites in a very clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until soft peaks start to form. Slowly pour in the sugar for the egg whites, while the motor is still running, being careful not to overmix – the meringue should reach soft peak stage. Quickly transfer the meringue to another bowl and set side until needed.
• Put the egg and egg yolk in the bowl of the electric mixer and add the sugar for the egg yolks. Mix on high speed for 3-4 minutes, until the mixture doubles in volume and is quite airy. With the motor still running, slowly pour in the oil in a thin stream being careful that it doesn’t split or deflate too much.
• Remove the bowl from the mixer and with a spatula, gently fold in the flour mixture until combined. Fold in the carrots and walnuts. Quickly and lightly fold in the meringue – do not fold it through completely, you should still be able to see streaks of meringue through the mix.
• Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour 10 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into centre of the cake comes out clean. You may need to drop the oven temperature to 180C after the first 30 minutes if the top is browning too quickly.
• Meanwhile, for the cream cheese frosting, cream the icing sugar and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer until pale and smooth. Add the cream cheese in small amounts, allowing it to be completely incorporated before adding the rest. Scrape down the sides of the bowl during this process to ensure even mixing. Add the cream and mix until smooth, being careful not to overmix at this stage or the cream may curdle and separate. If using a different type of cream cheese for this recipe you may need to add a little more cream – the frosting needs to be of a spreadable consistency but not at all runny.
• Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 30 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Using a serrate knife, slice horizontally through the centre of the cake to form 2 even-sized layers and fill with cream cheese frosting. Dust the top of the cake with icing sugar to serve.

• For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Line 1 (12-cup) muffin pan with paper cupcake liners.
• In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, add the butter and the sugar. Beat with a hand-held mixer until combined. Add the sour cream and the vanilla extract. Slowly beat in the eggs, 1 at a time. Incorporate the dry mixture and wet mixtures together until thoroughly combined. Add the bananas and shredded coconut, being careful not to over mix. Using an ice cream scoop, fill each cupcake liner 3/4 way full. Bake in the preheated oven until the tops turn golden-brown and when a toothpick, inserted in the middle of the cupcake, comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from the oven to a wire rack and let cool before frosting.
• For the frosting:

  Combine creme fraiche and confectioners sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Using the whisk attachment, whisk until thick and creamy, being careful not to overmix or it may become grainy. Use immediately.
• For the caramel sauce: Stir all ingredients in a pan over low heat to dissolve sugar, then simmer for 5 minutes, until thickened. Cool to room temperature before using on cupcakes, otherwise it will melt the frosting.
• Use leftovers for pancakes, pies or ice cream.
• Assembly:

  Pipe a small mound of creme fraiche frosting on top of each cupcake using a plain round tip, or a Ziploc bag. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Using a small spoon or butter knife, insert the tip into the very top of the frosting and turn in a circular motion while pushing down to make an indentation, or pocket, in the frosting (see photo above). Fill this pocket with cooled coconut caramel sauce. Place a piece of sliced banana firmly, but gently, on top of the pocket of sauce to completely cover it. Drizzle a little bit of the sauce on top of the banana. Serve immediately.

• Caramel sauce: Spread the sugar in an even layer in a large metal Dutch oven or casserole, at least 6 quarts (6 L). Set over moderate heat and cook without stirring, until the sugar near the edge just starts to liquefy.
• Using a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, begin gently stirring, encouraging the melted sugar around the edges toward the center and delicately stirring up any sugar melting on the bottom as well. The sugar will start to look pebbly as it cooks, but keep going; it will melt completely as it turns amber.
• Continue to cook until the sugar turns deep brown and starts to smoke. (Don’t worry about any large chunks of caramel.) The darker you can cook the sugar without burning it, the better the final sauce will taste. It’s ready when it’s the colour of a well-worn centime, or penny, and will smell a bit smoky.
• Remove from heat and quickly stir in about a quarter of the cream. The mixture will bubble up furiously, so you may wish to wear an oven mitt over your stirring hand. Continued to whisk in the cream, stirring as you go to make sure it’s smooth. Stir in the butter and salt. Serve warm. If you like your sauce a bit thinner or less rich, add 1/4 cup (60 ml) water.
• French toast: Prepare egg mixture for the French toast by placing eggs, milk, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl. Whisk until smooth. Pour into a shallow dish and set aside.
• Heat a frying pan over low-medium heat. Add about 1-2 teaspoons (just eyeball it) unsalted butter and let it melt. Add sliced apples and 1 tablespoon of the caramel sauce. Stir to melt caramel sauce and coat the apples. Cook the apples until tenter and a little bit transparent. Add 1 teaspoon or more of caramel sauce if the apples are looking dry. When done, remove from the pan and set aside (keep warm, if possible).
• Do not clean the frying pan after cooking the apples – the cooked-on caramel will give a great flavor to at least your first batch of French toast. Keep the pan on the heat and increase the heat a little bit. Add 1-2 teaspoons (again, just eyeball it) of unsalted butter to the pan and let it melt. Coat a slice of bread on both sides in the egg mixture, then place into the frying pan. Cook until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes, then flip the bread over and cook the other side until golden brown. Repeat with the rest of the bread, adding more butter before you add more bread to the pan. You can cook two slices at a time or more, if your pan is big enough. Set aside the cooked slices and keep warm while you cook the rest of the bread.
• I like to add more cinnamon and nutmeg to my egg mixture after coating each slice of bread just to make sure the next slice has the same amount of spice!
• To serve, arrange French toast on a plate. Place caramel apples on top of the toast, then drizzle the whole pile with caramel sauce (not too much though, so it won’t be too rich!). You may need to heat the caramel sauce in the microwave to make it pourable, if it’s been in the refrigerator.

• Sift flour and sugar together into a bowl with a pinch of salt.
• Whisk milk and egg together, then add to dry ingredients, whisking until smooth.
• Heat a non-stick frypan over medium heat and brush with a little melted butter. Drop level tablespoonfuls of the mixture into the pan and cook for half a minute or until bubbles appear on the surface.
• Turn over and cook other side for 1 minute until golden.
• Allow to cool and serve with toppings of your choice.

• Preheat oven to 150C. Grease and line the base and sides of an 8cm x 11cm x 30cm (6-cup) loaf pan with baking paper. Sift flour, bicarbonate of soda, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon salt into a bowl.
• Using an electric mixer, beat eggs and sugar on high speed until thick and pale. Reduce speed to low-medium and gradually add oil in a thin, steady stream. Add bananas, yogurt and vanilla, and beat until well combined. Add flour mixture and three-quarters of the walnuts and stir until combined. Pour batter into prepared pan and scatter with remaining walnuts. Bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Cool for 10 minutes in pan, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
• Meanwhile, combine ricotta and 2 tablespoons of the honey in a bowl. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Place remaining 4 tablespoons honey in a small pan and warm slightly.
• To serve, drizzle banana bread with warm honey. Thickly slice and serve with honeyed ricotta.

• Preheat the oven to 190C. Grease and line the base and sides of a 20cm square cake pan with baking paper. Fill a sink one-third full with water. Place eggs and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Place bowl in sink and whisk for 2 minutes or until mixture is runny and slightly foamy. Remove from sink. Using an electric mixer, whisk on high speed for 4 minutes or until mixture is pale and triples in volume.
• Using a sieve, sift just enough flour to cover the top of the egg mixture. Using a large metal spoon, fold in flour in one light motion. Repeat sifting and folding with remaining flour until just combined.
• Combine vanilla and butter in a bowl, then add a large spoonful of batter and stir to combine. Gently fold the butter mixture into batter until just combined, then spoon into the prepared pan.
• On a work surface, spin the pan to level, then bake for 25 minutes or until centre springs bake when pressed with your fingertip. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Freeze for 20 minutes; this will make the sponge easier to cut.
• To make icing, stir butter and milk in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water until butter is melted. Sift over sugar and cocoa, then stir until smooth. Turn off heat.
• My note – I didn’t use the double-boiler method as described here to make the icing, I just put the ingredients in a saucepan and had the burner set very, very low.
• Using a large serrated knife, trim sides of sponge, then cut into 16 cubes. Scatter coconut over a tray. Insert a skewer into the crust side of a piece of sponge (don’t go all the way through). Holding the skewer over icing, and, holding a spoon in the other hand, spoon icing over the sponge, rotating the skewer to coat evenly. Shake off excess, then slide sponge off the skewer onto the tray of coconut. Scatter coconut over the top and sides of sponge, then transfer to a tray lined with baking paper. Repeat with remaining sponge cubes, icing and coconut. If the icing starts to thicken, stir in a little water to thin.

• Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Cook chorizo, stirring, for 2 minutes or until browned. Add garlic, onion, mushrooms, oregano, basil and half each of the olives and chillies. Cook, stirring, for 4 minutes or until onion has softened. Stir in tomatoes, bring to a simmer, then cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain. Reserve pan.
• Return pasta to pan and toss with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the tomato sauce, rocket and parmesan, and toss well to combine.
• Divide pasta among bowls, then top with the remaining olives and chillies. Scatter with extra basil, rocket and parmesan, then drizzle with extra virgin olive oil to serve.

• Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line a 20 x 30cm lamington pan with baking paper, leaving 4cm overhanging on all sides.
• Combine the butter and peanut butter in a saucepan over low heat, stirring, for 1-2 minutes until melted. Place the flour in a large bowl with the sugar, coconut, egg and butter mixture and stir to combine. Press the mixture into the base of the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Bake for 10 minutes until golden (I had to bake for 10 minutes longer). Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, place the dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water (don’t let the bowl touch the water) until the chocolate has melted. Stir until smooth, then pour over the base and chill for 30 minutes until set.
• Melt the white and milk chocolates in separate bowls as above. Whisk the extra 2 tbs peanut butter into the white chocolate until smooth. Drizzle slice with melted milk chocolate, followed by the white chocolate mixture. Chill briefly until set. Using the paper, lift the slice out of the pan and cut into 12 squares.

• For the pastry: Place the flour, butter and a pinch of salt in a food processor and blend until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add 1-2 teaspoons cold water and blend again until the dough just comes together. Tip out onto a lightly floured board or clean bench and form dough into a disc, enclose in cling film and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes.
• Roll pastry out to 3-5mm thick, then use to line a 9-inch loose-bottomed tart tin (you’ll probably have to trim the edges). Prick the base with a fork, then place back in the fridge to rest for about 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line the pastry case with baking paper and pastry beads or uncooked rice. Blind-bake for 15 minutes minutes, then remove baking paper and beads and bake for another 5-10 minutes until just golden. Press down any bubbles that have risen up and allow to cool.
• For the pastry cream:
• In a medium-sized stainless steel bowl, mix the sugar and egg yolks together with a wooden spoon. (Never let the mixture sit too long or you will get pieces of egg forming.) Sift the flour and cornstarch together and then add to the egg mixture, mixing until you get a smooth paste. Set aside.
• Meanwhile in a saucepan combine the milk and split vanilla bean on medium heat until boiling. Remove from heat, add white chocolate and whisk until melted. Add milk mixture slowly to egg mixture, whisking constantly to prevent curdling. (If you get a few pieces of egg (curdling) in the mixture, pour through a strainer.) Remove vanilla bean, scrape out seeds, and add the seeds to the egg mixture.
• Place the egg mixture back into a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until boiling, whisking constantly. When it boils, whisk mixture constantly for another 30 – 60 seconds until it becomes very thick and it is hard to stir.
• Remove from heat. Pour through a strainer into a clean bowl and immediately cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a crust from forming. Cool. Just before using in the tart shell, fold in the whipped cream with a wooden spoon. Pour into tart shell and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight for best results.
• Assembly: Just before serving, arrange mulberries (or fresh berries of your choice) on top of cream, which should now be relatively firm. Melt 4 or 5 squares of white chocolate and drizzle it on top of the tart. Serve chilled.

• Place the soy sauce, mirin and maple syrup in a bowl and stir to combine. Add the chicken and green onion and toss to coat. Cover and set aside for 5 minutes to marinate.
• To make the cucumber salad, place the vinegar, vegetable and sesame oil, mirin and cucumber in a bowl and mix to combine. Set aside.
• Thread the chicken and green onion onto skewers, reserving the marinade. Heat a char-grill pan or barbecue over high heat and char-grill or barbecue the skewers for 3 minutes each side or until cooked through. Place the reserved marinade in a small saucepan over high heat and cook for 2 minutes or until heated through and thickened slightly. Serve the chicken with the cucumber salad, yakitori marinade and wasabi.

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8×8″ square pan and set aside.
• In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and brown sugar, stirring constantly until smooth. Remove from the heat, and stir in the peanut butter. Allow to cool.
• Meanwhile, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl.
• Add the egg to the butter & sugar mixture and mix well. Add the vanilla extract and stir to combine. Pour the mixture into the prepared dry ingredients, and stir to create a thick, smooth batter. Fold in half the chocolate chips, reserving the rest for sprinkling on top.
• Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, spreading the batter evenly to the edges of the pan. Sprinkle with the chocolate chips and lightly press them into the batter.
• Bake for 25 minutes until the top is golden and the edges are slightly browned. Allow to cool in the pan. Cut into squares and serve.

For the cupcakes

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners.
• Whisk together cocoa and hot water until smooth. In another bowl, whisk together flour, pistachios, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
• Melt butter with sugar in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring to combine.
• Remove from heat, and pour into a mixing bowl. With an electric mixer on medium-low speed, beat until mixture is cooled, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
• Add vanilla, then cocoa mixture, and beat until combined.
• Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the sour cream, and beating until just combined after each.
• Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three- quarters full.
• Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 15 minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely.
• Using the cone method, cut out a hole in the center of the cupcakes then stuff in a truffle. Cover the truffle with a trimmed part of the cupcake you cut out, if desired.
• Frost cupcakes with chocolate olive oil mousse, then sprinkle with chopped pistachios.

For the truffles

• Melt the chocolate and cream together in a glass bowl set over a small pan of simmering water.
• Stir in the vanilla, then pour into a small bowl. Once cool, put in the fridge to chill for 2-3 hours.
• When firm, use a melon baller or 2 teaspoons to scoop out and form balls, then roll each truffle in the chopped pistachios.

For the frosting

• Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water (don’t let the bowl touch the water) and stir until melted.
• Stir in the olive oil, then remove from heat to cool for 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a chilled bowl using chilled beaters, whip the cream to soft peaks (I used Katie, my KitchenAid mixer to do this!).
• Gently fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture until combined.
• Spoon into a piping bag fitted with the tip of your choice and pipe onto cupcakes.
• Sprinkle with pistachios.

• Combine instant coffee and hot water in a bowl that is wide enough to dip the sponge fingers into; stir to dissolve coffee. Place in refrigerator to cool completely. It doesn’t need to be chilled, just near room temp is fine.
• While coffee is cooling, whip thickened cream to stiff peaks, be careful not to overbeat. In a separate bowl, combine mascarpone cheese, caster sugar and Tia Maria, if using. If you’re not using Tia Maria, take out 4 tablespoons from your brewed coffee and use it instead. Stir mixture until smooth and creamy (the sugar made it a little grainy for me, but it will eventually dissolve on its own, I discovered).
• Gently fold the mascarpone mixture into the whipped cream and set aside.
• Remove coffee from the refrigerator and dip the sponge fingers in it, one by one, for about 4-5 seconds each. Immediately place the fingers into an 8×8-inch square baking dish to form one single layer (break some in half if you need to). Spread half of the mascarpone mixture evenly on top. Dip remaining sponge fingers, as above, to form one more single layer, then spread remaining mascarpone mixture on top. Dust the top with sifted cocoa powder. Refrigerate for about 3 hours to firm up, then slice and serve cold.

• Place the Tim Tams in a food processor and process until they become fine crumbs. Add the cream cheese and pulse until the mixture is smooth and starts to form a ball.
• If you don’t have a food processor, you can place a few of the Tim Tams at a time in a blender instead (or you could try bashing them in a large Ziploc bag with a rolling pin!). Tip the crumbs out into a bowl and mix the cream cheese in with your hands.
• Shape the mixture into balls and smooth them by rolling in the palms of your hands. Each of my truffles weighed 25g. Place the truffles into the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes to firm them up; this makes them easier to work with.
• Melt the chocolate in a heavy-based saucepan over low heat, stirring often (or use your preferred method of melting chocolate). Remove from heat when only little bits of chocolate remain, and stir until those bits are melted. Take the lollipop sticks, dip the ends into the melted chocolate and stick the chocolate-coated end halfway into each truffle. Place them back in the refrigerator again to firm up the chocolate, about 5 minutes.
• Remove from the refrigerator and begin the dipping process! Lay a sheet of baking paper on a plate, tray or cutting board. Holding on to the stick, slowly and carefully lower each truffle into the melted chocolate and coat entirely. Try not to swirl the truffle around, in case the truffle isn’t totally secured onto the stick – just dip straight in and out. Let the excess drip off, then place the truffle, stick side up of course, onto the baking paper, pushing down gently to make sure it stays upright.
• When finished, place them back in the refrigerator (this is why I mentioned to have the baking paper on a plate, tray or cutting board!) to set the chocolate.
• If you want to double-dip for a thicker chocolate coating that has a little bit more crunch, melt another 100g or so of chocolate, remove the pops from the refrigerator after about 20 minutes, and dip them again in chocolate that is at room temperature – not hot. Place back in the refrigerator to set. Be sure that the chocolate coating is entirely set if you want to stick them into bags.

• Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set aside.
• Heat cream and sugar in a pan over low heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Bring to just below the boiling point, then remove from heat and pour over the chocolate, stirring until completely melted and smooth. If the chocolate doesn’t melt entirely, you may place the bowl in the microwave for 15-20 second intervals, stirring very well after each, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.
• Gently stir in the egg yolks and brandy or vanilla extract, then add butter and stir to combine.
• Divide chocolate mixture between four 200ml dessert moulds or pots, then chill for at least 2 hours or overnight until just set.
• Meanwhile, for salted caramel toffee, line a baking tray with a sheet of foil. Place sugar and 1/4 cup (60 ml) water in a pan over low heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Increase the heat to high and cook, swirling pan occasionally and brushing down sides with a damp pastry brush, for 4-5 minutes or until a light golden caramel. Quickly, but carefully, pour onto prepared tray, swirling and tilting to spread the caramel. Sprinkle over salt. Cool completely until hardened, then break into shards. Toffee can be prepared up to a day ahead and kept in an airtight container.
• To serve, top chocolate pots with whipped cream and sprinkle over shards of salted caramel toffee.

• Scoop the dulce de leche into the coffee and stir until thoroughly combined and all the dulce de leche is melted. Taste the mixture to make sure it is to your liking. Place in the refrigerator to cool completely.
• Pour into molds, as per the instructions for the Zoku, and wait up to 10 minutes to freeze (or just simply pour into plain old popsicle molds and freeze overnight).

• For the quick shell:
  In a double boiler over barely simmering water, whisk together the chocolate and coconut oil until the chocolate has completely melted. Remove from heat and let cool completely before applying to pops. Yields 3/4 cup of Quick Shell.
• For the cherry popsicles:
  In a blender, combine cherries, yogurt, milk, and sugar. Blend until throughly combined and smooth.
• Pour into the Zoku base as per instructions, or if using a traditional popsicle mold, pour in and allow to freeze overnight.
• Adding the quick shell:
  Hold a popsicle, flat side facing up, and use a small spoon to drizzle the quick shell onto the pops. Wait a few seconds for the shell to harden and do the same to the other side.

• For the cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk together, by hand, the coconut milk, sugar, oil, and vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, almond meal, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer on low-speed, slowly add the dry ingredients to the coconut milk mixture until it is uniform and smooth (do not overmix).
• Pour batter in liners, filling cups no more than 2/3 full (3 tablespoons of batter). Bake 18-20 inutes, or until cake tester comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
• For the frosting: Beat butter with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes.
• Reduce speed to medium. Add sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating after each addition, about 5 minutes. (After every 2 additions, increase speed to high, and beat for 10 seconds, then reduce speed to medium-high). Add vanilla and enough food coloring to turn the frosting a bright pastel green, and beat until buttercream is smooth.

• Rinse the sushi rice under running water until the water runs clear. Prepare the rice according to package instructions. While rice is cooking, cut carrot and cucumber into julienne slices (slice around the mushy center of the cucumber, as you don’t want to use this part in the sushi) – this is easiest with a mandolin and julienne attachment – and cut the avocado into slices.
• To make the wasabi mayonnaise, mix the mayonnaise and wasabi together, using more or less of both ingredients to suit your tastes. You may even choose to leave the wasabi out, or leave the mayonnaise out, or just simply not use either one.
• When rice is ready, fluff it up with a fork, and spread it out onto a non-metallic tray into a thin layer. Sprinkle over the rice wine vinegar and stir the rice around to mix it thoroughly. Spread it out into a thin layer again and cool quickly by fanning it with a notebook, a piece of heavy cardboard, or whatever you have lying around.
• Place a square of seaweed onto a bamboo sushi mat. Take about 1/2 cup of the rice and place it onto the seaweed. Use the back of a spoon to spread it into a thin layer on the seaweed. Leave a 2cm border on the edge of the seaweed that is furthest from you. Spread about 1 tablespoon of wasabi mayonnaise towards the horizontal edge of the rice that is closest to you. Place about 4 lengths of carrot and cucumber and about 3 slices of avocado on top of the wasabi mayonnaise.
• Using the bamboo mat, start to roll the sushi up from the edge that is closest to you. Stop rolling just before you get to the 2cm border at the other edge. Dip a finger into the cup of water and spread some water along the seaweed. Finish rolling the sushi.
• Repeat for remaining seaweed, rice and vegetables.
• Refrigerate the rolls for about 30 minutes. Dip a sharp, serrated knife into a tall cup of water, or stick it under some running water, then slice the rolls however you like. Always be sure to dip the knife in the water before each cut as this will help to slice it easier. Serve the sushi with soy sauce and store leftovers in the refrigerator promptly.

• For the matcha layer:
  Combine sifted matcha and warm water in a small bowl and stir until it forms a smooth paste. You may need more warm water. Set aside.
• Heat the milk in a small saucepan over low heat (do not boil). Whisk in the matcha paste (you don’t have to add all the paste if you feel the matcha flavor is strong enough and the color is green enough) and the sugar. You’ll probably notice little lumps of undissolved matcha – that’s okay, mine didn’t dissolve fully either. Remove from heat and let cool about 10 minutes. Stir in the heavy cream. Place in the refrigerator until completely cool, stirring every so often.
• For the strawberry layer:
  Puree strawberries and milk in a blender until completely smooth. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve to remove the strawberry seeds – you’ll need to use a spoon to help push the mixture through the sieve. Whisk in the cream, sugar and vanilla until incorporated and the sugar has dissolved.
• Assembly:
  Freeze in alternate layers in your Zoku Quick Pop Maker (refer to freezing instructions that came with your Zoku if unsure), letting each layer freeze completely before adding the next layer. Or, fill molds with matcha latte layer, freeze for 30 seconds-2 minutes, depending on how thin or thick you want the outer layer to be. Stick a straw into the unfrozen liquid in the middle and suck it out. Fill the empty matcha shells with the strawberry layer and let freeze completely. Remove popsicles according to the Zoku instructions.

• Cook the pasta in salted boiling water, according to package instructions. Drain and allow to cool.
• Whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice and seasonings in a small bowl until combined.
• Place pasta, tuna, tomatoes, cucumber and mayonnaise mixture in a large bowl and toss/stir gently to coat.

• If you’re using whole almonds, process them until they resemble a coarse meal.
• Add the dates, peanut butter and vanilla; if you’re using already-prepared almond meal, just toss all the ingredients into the food processor together. If the nut butter isn’t salted, you may add a few pinches of salt.
• Process the ingredients until the mixture starts to form a dough, about 2 minutes. If it doesn’t seem to come together, add another tablespoon or two of peanut butter and process again.
• Form the dough into walnut-sized balls and place on a sheet of parchment paper. Press each ball gently with a fork to make the classic peanut butter cookie criss-cross pattern.
• Store in the refrigerator.