Sago Plum Pudding

Ingredients

3/4 cup (150g) Sago

Milk

3 slices bread, broken into small pieces

Pinch of salt

1 cup raw sugar

2 cups sultanas or mixed fruit

125g butter

2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda, dissolved in boiling water

Method

1. Place sago into bowl with enough milk to cover well. Cover bowl and allow to stand overnight.

2. Grease steamer bowl with some of the melted butter.

3. In a mixing bowl, combine the bread, salt, sugar and dried fruit.

4. Add the remaining melted butter, softened sago and bicarbonate of soda.

5. Place mixture into steamer and simmer in boiling water for 31/2 hours.

6. Serve with cream or icecream.

Enjoy it.

Apple Batter Pudding

Need a some quick easy comfort food? This recipe is a winner every time! It comes from an English cook book which has other recipes with intriguing names like 'Jugged Hare' and 'Pan Haggerty'. I have lost count of the times I have made it and the page is spotted with ingredients!

Apple Batter Pudding

INGREDIENTS

1 lb cooking apples

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup flour

2 cups milk

4 tbls golden syrup

METHOD

Peel, core and slice apples thinly. Grease a pudding basin and place the apples in it , cover the apples with sugar. Make a batter with the egg, flour and milk and pour over the apples.

Bake for 35-40 minutes.

Serve with golden syrup and cream, custard or ice cream.

This cake has become a favourite in our family for birthday's because it is large, delicious and gluten free.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Serves 8-10

200g dark chocolate

200g butter

1/3 cup hot water

¼ cup cocoa

4 eggs separated

1 ½ cups brown sugar

1 ½ cups hazelnut meal

2 tbs coffee liqueur

Cocoa powder to dust

Coffee mascarpone

1 tsp instant coffee powder

2 tsp boiling water

250g mascarpone

2 tbs icing sugar mixture

1 tbs coffee liqueur

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Grease and line the base and sides of a 23cm square cake pan.

2. Combine chocolate, butter, water and cocoa in medium saucepan over low heat. Cook stirring for 2-3 mins until mixture is smooth. Transfer to a large bowl.

3. Add egg yolks, sugar, meal and liqueur to chocolate mixture; stir to combine.

4. Whisk egg whites in a clean dry bowl until soft peaks form. Add one-third of the egg white to chocolate mixture and gently fold till just combined. Add remaining egg white and fold until just combined. Pour into the prepared pan; smooth the surface. Bake in preheated oven for 40 mins or until skewer inserted in centre comes out clean. Set aside for 10 mins before turning onto a wire rack to cool.

5. Combine the coffee and water in a bowl. Add the mascarpone, icing sugar and liqueur and stir to combine.

6. Cut the cake into squares and dust with cocoa powder. Serve with mascarpone.

Note: Replace coffee liqueur with Bushells Coffee and Chicory Essence available from Supermarkets for a less expensive option.

Bread and Butter Custard

This is a favourite from my childhood when my mum cooked on an Aga stove. With a family of nine to feed my mother was a wizz at using up any stray bits of food.

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons sultanas

2 slices buttered bread

2 eggs

2 tablespoons sugar

2 1/2 cups milk

6 drops vanilla essence

Nutmeg

METHOD

1. Place sultanas in a buttered dish
2. Cut the bread into small squares
3. Place in dish
4. Beat egg and sugar together, add milk and essence, and beat well
5. Pour over bread
6. Sprinkle with nutmeg
7. Stand in baking dish half-full of cold water and cook in a slow oven (150 - 160 C). When cooked, a knife-blade inserted in the centre will come out clean.
8. Remove immediately from hot water and serve either hot or cold.

Note: Can also use fruit bread and omit sultanas.