Blind Baking

To prevent them becoming soggy, shortcrust pastry cases need to be partially cooked before adding moist fillings. This process, known as blind baking, which seals the surface and results in a crisp pastry case.

Method:

1. Line the base and sides of an uncooked pastry case with non-stick baking paper. Fill with rice, dried beans, or metal or ceramic baking weights. (This stops the pastry base rising during cooking.) Place on a baking tray and cook in an oven preheated to 220C for 8-10 minutes.
2. Remove the pastry case from the oven and remove the baking paper and rice, dried beans or baking weights. Cook for a further 5-10 minutes (depending on the size of the pastry case) or until light golden.

One-Pot Stew

Ingredients:

2 pounds meat cut from the shoulder of beef, veal or pork (any or all three)
2 onions
1 ounce (2 Tbsp.) lard
1 pound root vegetables (at least two of the following: carrots, turnips, kohlrabi, celery root, leek)
1 marrow bone chopped into lengths (optional)
1 quart stock or water
Salt and pepper
2 pounds (6 medium-size) potatoes
1 pound white cabbage or green beans
3 Tbsp. chopped, fresh herbs: lovage, basil, savory (any or all)

Method:

1. Cube the meat and slice the onions. 
2. Melt the fat in a deep, heavy saucepan or casserole dish and fry the meat until it loses its redness; then, add the onions. Cover and allow to stew gently. 
3. Peel and cube the root vegetables. Add these to the meat. 
4. Add the marrow bone if you have it, and then the stock or water. 
5. Season with salt and pepper. Put the lid on tightly again and bring all to a boil. Turn the heat down to simmer. 
6. Total stewing time will be about 1 hour. You may need to add a little more liquid. 
7. Meanwhile, peel and slice the potatoes into thick wedges. Add them 20 minutes before the end of the cooking time (give the stew a stir at the same time). Wash and shred the cabbage or top-and-tail the beans. Put on top of the stew to cook in the steam for the last 10 minutes. 
8. When the meat is soft, remove the marrow bones and scrape out the marrow into the sauce. Mash the vegetables a little to thicken the sauce. Finely chop the fresh herbs and stir them in just before you serve. The dish is complete and needs no accompaniment except a slice of good bread to mop up the gravy. 

If using a casserole, the dish can be cooked in a preheated oven at 375° for an hour.

Serves 6 to 8

Australian Meat Pie

Ingredients:

1 Tbps olive oil
1 large brown onion, finely chopped
500g lean beef mince
1 Tbsp cornflour
3/4 cup beef stock
1/3 cup tomato sauce
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp barbecue sauce
1 tsp Vegemite
2 sheets frozen, ready-rolled shortcrust pastry, thawed
2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg, beaten

Method:

1. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion. Cook for 3 minutes or until soft. Add mince. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon, or until browned.
2. Mix cornflour and 1 tablespoon of stock to form a paste. Add remaining stock. Add stock, sauces and Vegemite to mince. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 8 minutes or until thick. Cool.
3. Preheat oven to 220°C. Place a baking tray into oven. Grease 4 x 8cm base measurement pie pans.
4. Cut 4 x 15cm circles from shortcrust pastry. Use to line bases and sides of pans. Fill with mince. Brush rims with water. Cut 4 x 15cm circles from puff pastry. Place over meat. Press to seal. Trim. Brush with egg. Season.
5. Place pies onto hot tray. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden. Serve.

Makes 4 pies. 

Italian Cream Cake

Ingredients:
1 stick margarine, (4 ounces)
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1 small can (approx. 3 ounces) flaked coconut, about 1 1/3 cups
5 egg whites, stiffly beaten
1/2 cup shortening
5 egg yolks
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans, or walnuts

Frosting:
1 package cream cheese, softened (8oz)
1 box confectioners' sugar, (1 pound)
1/2 stick margarine, softened (4 Tbs)
1 tsp vanilla

Method:

1. Cream margarine and shortening; add sugar. 
2. Add egg yolks and beat well. 
3. Combine soda and flour; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. 
4. Stir in vanilla. Add coconut and nuts. Fold in egg whites. 
5. Pour into 3 greased and floured cake pans; bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.

Frosting: Beat cream cheese until smooth; stir in sugar. Add vanilla and beat until smooth. Spread on cake layers; sprinkle top with chopped nuts.

Italian Cream Cake

Recipe makes 1 3-layer 9-inch round cake

Ingredients:
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
2 cups white sugar
5 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup flaked coconut
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
8 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons light cream
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease three 9 inch round cake pans. In a small bowl, dissolve the baking soda in the buttermilk; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream together 1/2 cup butter, shortening and white sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the eggs, buttermilk mixture, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 cup coconut, baking powder and flour. Stir until just combined. Pour batter into the prepared pans.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool.

To Make Frosting: 

1. In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, 1/2 cup butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla and confectioners' sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Mix in a small amount of cream to attain the desired consistency. 
2. Stir in chopped nuts and remaining flaked coconut. Spread between layers and on top and sides of cooled cake.

Italian Cream Cake

Ingredients:

Cake:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups sugar
5 large eggs, separated
1 cup buttermilk, well shaken
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
Cooking spray

Italian Cream Frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, at room temperature
1 pound confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Method:
For the cake: 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and lightly flour three 9-inch cake pans.
2. Sift the flour and baking soda together and set aside.
3. With an electric mixer, cream the butter and shortening with the sugar until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well between each addition. With the mixer on medium speed, add the flour and buttermilk alternately, beginning and ending with buttermilk. Add the vanilla, coconut and nuts, and stir well to incorporate.
4. In a separate bowl with clean beaters, whip the egg whites to stiff peaks. Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the batter, just until blended.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 25 minutes. Test for doneness by touching the top of the cake with your finger. The cake is done if it bounces back up. Cool the layers on wire racks sprayed with cooking spray to prevent sticking.

For the frosting: 

1. With an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese with the butter on high speed until fluffy. Reduce the speed to medium and blend in the sugar and vanilla. Beat well until the frosting is smooth.
2. When the cake is completely cool, spread the frosting between the layers and on the sides and top of the cake. Sprinkle on the nuts.

Burnt Almond Cake

Ingredients:

The cake:
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks) at room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract

Honey Almond Brittle:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 tablespoons water
2 ounces slivered almonds (about 1/2 cup), toasted
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/8 teaspoon baking soda

Custard Cream:
1 cup milk
3 large egg yolks
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar

Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 8-by-2-inch round cake pans.
For the cake: 

1. Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt together into a bowl and set aside.
2. Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Reduce the speed to medium-low. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating 30 seconds between additions. Add alternating increments of the flour mixture and buttermilk and vanilla, blending well after each addition; this should take about 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for about 30 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in pans, on wire racks, for 10 minutes, unmold the cakes and let cool completely.

Note: The cake recipe makes two 8-inch round cake layers. Only one is used for this recipe.

To make the brittle: 

1. Combine the granulated sugar, honey and water in a medium-sized saucepan. 
2. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Boil, without stirring, until the mixture turns a deep amber color, about 10 minutes. 
3. Remove the pan from the heat and immediately stir in the toasted almonds, butter and baking soda. Mix with a wooden spoon just until the butter melts and the foaming subsides. 
4. Pour the mixture into a nonstick or lightly greased baking sheet and set aside to cool. 
5. Once the brittle has hardened, break it up and crush to fine crumbs in a food processor. 
6. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator until ready to use.

To make the custard cream: 

1. In a heavy saucepan over medium- low heat, heat milk to barely simmering. 
2. Meanwhile, combine egg yolks, sugar and cornstarch in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk to blend smoothly. 
3. Stir the heated milk into the egg mixture; return mixture to saucepan. 
4. Bring back to a boil, over medium-low heat, whisking constantly; boil 1 minute. 
5. Remove pan from heat; add butter and vanilla, stirring to melt the butter. 
6. Transfer custard to a bowl; place a piece of waxed paper directly on top to prevent a crust from forming and refrigerate until cold.
7. Whip the cream and confectioners' sugar until stiff peaks form. Fold into the chilled custard and refrigerate until ready to use.

To assemble cake: 

1. Cut the cake in half horizontally. 
2. Place one layer on a cake plate, spread cake with cold custard cream and sprinkle with brittle crumbs. 
3. Cover with the remaining layer of cake. Spread the remaining custard cream over cake, applying a thinner coat to the sides, then the top. 
4. Chill for a least 1 hour before garnishing.
5. To garnish, press brittle crumbs onto the sides of the cake with the palm of your hand and sprinkle a layer of crumbs on the top. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Note: To toast nuts, arrange in a single layer on a baking pan. Bake in a 375-degree oven until golden brown, about 7 to 10 minutes. Allow nuts to cool before using.