Sunday, March 21, 2010

Easter Tea Ring
This is a great treat to make at Easter, I have made it many times and it is always very popular. I always feel a sense of achievement when I see it made.

Dough
2 tspn Dried Yeast
1 tspn Sugar
150mls Tepid milk
375g Plain flour
pinch salt
60g Marg
60g Sugar
1 egg
Filling
Make this while dough is rising
2 large green apples
30g butter
60g sugar
2tbsp water
125g dried fruit
60g almond slivers
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Icing
Icing sugar
1tspn butter
warm water
chopped nuts or coconut

1/.Blend dry yeast with sugar, and a little milk, set aside until softened, stir with hand whisk and then add the rest of the milk.
2/.Put in a warm place until covered with bubbles, meanwhile sift flour and salt, rub in margarine and add sugar add egg,then add yeast liquid, and mix till combined and a little extra milk if required or extra flour if sticky
3/.Knead thoroughly (to rise it I spray a stainless steel bowl with cooking spray)and put it in and cover with a teatowel or gladwrap(I spray gladwrap with cooking spray so the mix does not stick to it.and allow to prove till it is double in size.
4/.Punch down, and knead until smooth, roll out on a floured board until it is a neat oblong shape
5/.Along the centre put a strip of the cold filling, made by cooking sliced apples with butter, sugar, water until soft, drain excess liquid off, then adding fruit, cinnamon and almonds.
6/. Brush the edges of dough with water, fold over to make a long strip (sausage) the join ends to make a circle. Seal down firmly.
7/. Lift onto a warmed, greased oven tray, snip at intervals to show filling.
8/. Cover and allow so prove until it is double in size then bake at 200C for 30 mins until golden brown.
9/. When cool spread icing on and sprinkle with nuts or coconut.

When I make this I start early as it takes a while to do 2 risings.
I use a stainless steel bowl when rising the dough as it absorbs the heat, I have also been known to put it in the car I parked in the sun this helps the rising process.
Have fun and feel very proud of yourself when you have mastered this.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Apple and Rhubarb Pie
This is one of our favourites and is never short on offers to take the leftovers.
4 sticks Rhubarb
14 med size green cooking apples
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
2 sheets of ready rolled puff pastry
Wash and chop rhubarb into bite size pieces and peel, core and slice apples. Place in a large saucepan with sugar and water.
Bring to boil and simmer gently till apple is just changing colour. Drain and cool. Grease and line a pie dish with pastry and pour apple and rhubarb into pastry and cover with top sheet of pastry and press down around the edges.
Glaze with milk and sprinkle with sugar and bake at200C till golden brown.

Saturday, March 6, 2010

Snowy River Casserole
This recipe I have made for many years. Unfortunately they no longer make the continental tomato soup in a packet so it is necessary to substitute.

1 kg Blade steak
2 tbsp plain flour
2 onions
1 clove garlic
4 Cup a soup pkts of Contintental Tomato Soup
1 cup water
2 tbsp vinegar
2 tbsp Raisins
1 bay leaf

Dice meat to pieces into chunks, coat meat in flour and put in crock pot. Slice onion and crush garlic and add to meat, then add remaining ingredients and stir till combined. Put lid on and go back at regular intervals and stir.
Garnish with some sliced tomato and Parsley and serve.

I sometimes put this on in the morning on low and sometimes at lunchtime on high in my crock pot. It is always greeted with Yum by the males. I also freeze the leftovers, it is great on toast or add some fresh veges for another meal.