We wanted to share some of Hunter Scrubs absolute favourite baking recipes! From our family to yours!
Pip's Gingery Ginger Bread
As a mum of two boys, Christmas baking is a messy but beautiful activity that we like to do together. This recipe maximises taste and minimises effort!
Ingredients
- 125g Salted Butter, at room temperature
- 100g (1/2 cup,) brown sugar
- 125ml (1/2 cup) golden syrup
- 1 egg
- 375g (2 1/2 cups) plain flour
- 1 heaped tbsp MasterFoods ground ginger
- 1 heaped tsp MasterFoods cinnamon
- 1 tsp Bicarbonate Soda
- 2 tbsp of milk
Method
Step 1:
Pre heat oven to 180 degrees C and line two baking trays with baking paper
Step 2:
Use the electric beater to beat the butter and sugar in a bowl. Add the golden syrup, milk and egg, beat until all the ingredients have combined. Fold in the flour, ginger, cinnamon and Bicarb soda. The mixture should come together to form a dough.
Pop the dough onto a lightly dusted benchtop and kneed into a ball. Wrap the dough in some plastic wrap and place into the fridge for 30 minutes.
Step 3:
Place the dough between 2 sheets of baking paper. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out flat to 6mm thick. Take your gingerbread man cutter and cut into shapes. Place onto the trays about 3cm apart. Repeat with remaining dough.
Step 4:
Place trays in the oven and cook for 10 mins or until they are golden brown. Transfer to a cooling rack
Step 5:
Once they are fully cool, it’s time to decorate. For simplicity and to reduce the mess, I use Queens designer icing which can be found at Coles or Woolworths to decorate. Let the kids explore their creativity with sprinkles, marshmallows, choc chips, smarties, shredded coconut and anything else you can find in the cupboard.
Claire’s Family Plum Pudding Recipe.
Claire’s plum pudding is famous far and wide, she is often put in charge for the Christmas dessert at every event specifically for this pudding!
Ingredients
- 1kg of mixed fruit
- 4 eggs
- 2 tablespoons of milk
- 2 tablespoons of sherry
- 1 tablespoon of golden syrup
- 2 teaspoons of mixed spice
- 130 grams of butter
- 250 grams of self raising flour
- 175 grams of brown sugar
Method
- Set water to boil in a deep saucepan or boiler.
- Sift the flour and mixed spice into a large mixing bowl.
- Soften the butter, and rub it into the flour and spice.
- Add the mixed fruit and brown sugar, and gently stir to combine.
- In a separate bowl, add eggs, milk and golden syrup and beat with an electric mixer.
- Gently mix the wet and dry ingredients together, then add the sherry and mix again.
- Spoon the mixture into a lightly greased pudding cloth.
- Gather the cloth around the mixture and TIGHTLY secure it with string.
- Gently lower into the water.
- Lower the heat and boil for 6 hours, checking constantly.
- Remove from water and cloth.
- Allow the pudding to dry on a plate.
Carolyn’s Detectible Chocolate Christmas cake
(Inspired by Nigella)
Ingredients
- 350 grams prunes
- 250 grams raisins
- 125 grams currants
- 50 grams piece candied orange peel
- 175 grams soft unsalted butter
- 175 grams dark brown muscovado sugar
- 175 ml honey
- 125 ml cold expresso
- 2 oranges (juice and zest)
- 1 teaspoon mixed spice
- 2 Tbs Cacao
- 100gm dark cooking chocolate
- 3 large eggs (beaten)
- 150 grams plain flour
- 75 grams ground almonds
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
Method
Step 1: Preheat the oven to gas mark 2/150°C/130°C Fan/300°F.
Step 2: Line the sides and bottom of a 20cm / 8-inch round, 9cm / 3½ inch deep, loose-bottomed cake tin with a double layer of baking parchment.
Before proceeding any further, read the following which explains how to do it if you need the encouragement. The paper should come up higher than the sides of the tin; think of a lining that’s twice as deep as the tin. Cut out two circles of paper, and two very long rectangles that will fit along the sides of the tin coming up from it like a top hat. Before you put the rectangular cut-out paper in, fold one long side in of both pieces, as if turning up a hem of about 2cm / 1 inch, and then take some scissors and snip into this hem, at intervals of about 2cm / 1 inch – as if you were making a rough frill. Grease the tin, lay one circle on the bottom and get one of your long pieces, then fit with the frilly edge along the bottom, which you press down to sit flat on the circle to hold it in place. Press the paper well into the sides, and repeat with the second piece. Now place the second circle of paper on the bottom of the tin, but on top of the two pressed-down frilly edges, which will also help to hold the pieces around the edge in place. Finally, wrap the tin with brown parcel paper, again making it higher than the sides, and tie it in place with kitchen twine.
Step 3: .Put the fruit, butter, sugar, honey, expresso, orange juice and zests, spice, cacao and dark chocolate into a large wide saucepan and bring to the boil gently, stirring as the butter melts. Simmer for 10 minutes, and then take off the heat and leave to stand for 30 minutes.
Step 4: .After the 30 minutes are up, it will have cooled a little (though you could leave it for longer if you wanted). Add the beaten eggs, flour, ground almonds, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda, and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula, however you like, to combine.
Step 5: Pour the fruit cake mixture into the prepared cake tin. Place in the oven and bake for 1¾–2 hours, by which time the top of the cake should be firm but will have a shiny and sticky look. If you insert a cake tester into the centre of the cake it will still be a little gooey in the middle.5.Put the cake on a cooling rack. It will hold its heat and take a while to cool, but once it has, unmould it from the tin and, if you don’t want to eat it immediately (and like any fruit cake it has a very long life), wrap it in baking parchment and then in foil and place in a tin.
Hot tips: Best made two weeks prior to heating. Freezes well