Classic Pistou

• 1 tablespoon crushed garlic
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 1/2 cups basil leaves, torn into pieces (2 ounces)
• 1/4 cup oarsely grated plum tomatoes
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup inely rated Mimolette or slightly aged Gouda (3 ounces)

In a large mortar, pound the garlic with the salt to a paste. Add the basil by the handful and grind the leaves against the side of the mortar until almost smooth. Stir in the tomatoes, then gradually stir in the olive oil until it's incorporated. Stir in the cheese and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Fruit Loaf

• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup self raising flour
• 1 cup coconut
• 1 cup sugar (can be reduced to 1/2 cup)
• 1 cup fruit medley (mixed fruit)

Combine all ingredients and bake in a loaf pan for 40 mins at 180 ° C.

Pinwheel Scones

• 3 cups plain flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• pinch salt
• 50 g cold butter, grated
• 1 cup buttermilk
• extra milk for brushing

Fillings (Choose whatever fillings kids like, it is very versatile)

• 2 tbsp pesto
• 1/2 cup grated parmesean
• Chopped ham and pineapple
• 1 cup grated cheese
• zucchini
• sundried tomatoes
• parmesean
• Dates
• cinnamon

Preheat oven 200 ° C. Grease baking sheet

Sift flour baking powder and salt into large bowl. Add butter and rub through to create coarse crumbs. Pour in buttermilk slowly and mix to create soft dough. Knead briefly on floured bench.

Divide into 2 pieces. Roll each piece into a 1cm thick rectangle and spread with filling. Roll up and cut into 1 cm lengths cut side up.

Brush with milk.

Bake 10-12 minutes until they have risen and are golden.

Using No Egg (Egg Replacer)

The instructions on the box tell you to use water and powder as replacement for the egg. However I have found that when baking cakes, they turn out very crumbly when you use this combination. If you add vegetable oil instead of water, it seems to bind the mixture a lot better and prevent the crumbling.

Cheers,
Mary Wong

PS. The No Egg (Egg Replacer) is available at Coles and Woolworths in the health and specialty food section.

Coconut Cake

• 2 cups self raising flour
• 2 cups coconut
• 1 ½ cups caster cugar
• 1 ½ cups milk

Preheat the oven to 180 ° C.

Whisk all ingredients together.

Pour into a greased and lined round cake pan.

Bake for 40 - 45 minutes.

Date (or Raisin/Sultana) Slice

• 1 cup self raising flour
• 1 cup chopped dates (or other fruit)
• 2 tablespoons golden syrup
• 1 cup coconut
• ½ cup sugar
• 125g butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 180 ° C.

Mix all dry ingredients.

Melt the butter and golden syrup together.

Add butter and golden syrup to dry ingredients along with the vanilla and combine well.

Press into a lightly greased small baking tray. Bake for 10 – 15 minutes.

Cool and top with lemon or vanilla icing if desired.

Granny’s Anzac Recipe by Ben Thorp Country South Australia

• 1 cup plain flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup coconut
• 4 big spoonfuls (soup size) golden syrup
• 2 and a bit Tablespoons hot water
• 1 teaspoon bicarb soda
• Pinch salt
• 125g butter

Preheat oven 170 ° C.

Put dry ingredients flour, sugar, oats, coconut in a bowl.

Melt butter and golden syrup in pan and bring lightly to boil.

Dissolve bicarb soda into the hot water and tip into hot syrup (it will fizz up).

Mix the syrup into the dry ingredients.

Drop spoonfuls onto baking tray and cook in oven.

The mixture should be a "little wet" so it spreads a little on the tray – can add more syrup or hot water if its not wet enough.

Bake for 15-20 min.

Shape Bickies

• 175g plain flour
• 110g soft butter
• 50g caster sugar

Mix ingredients until they come together, roll out till 5mm thick, cut into shapes and transfer to a lined baking tray.

Bake at 180° C for 5 - 10 minutes.

Muesli Squares

• 125 g Butter
• 1/3 cup (75g) firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 cup (90g) rolled oats
• 1/2 cup (45g) desiccated coconut
• 1/2 cup (80g) finely chopped dried apricots
• 1/2 cup (75g) finely chopped dried apple
• 1/2 cup (75g) self-raising flour

Preheat reheat oven to 180 ° C. Grease and line 20cm x 30cm lamington pan.

Stir butter, sugar and honey in a large saucepan over medium heat, without boiling, until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, stir in remaining ingredients. Press mixture into pan.

Bake about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan; cut into squares to serve.