Low-sugar Banana Bread
Serves:
Ingredients
- 3 ripe bananas, mashed
- 1/3 cup apple sauce
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups wholemeal flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- Pinch of nutmeg
You’ll also need:
- Hand-blender
- Wooden spoon
- 2 large mixing bowls
- 21 x 11 cm loaf tin
- Baking paper
Method
Preheat fan-force oven to 170°C (180°C if no fan-force).
Grease loaf tin and line with baking paper.
Mash the bananas until they are mostly lump-free.
Using a hand blender, beat together the banana, apple sauce, eggs, vanilla and water until beautifully creamy.
In a large separate bowl, sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder and spices.
Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet, beating well with a wooden spoon.
Pour the batter into the loaf tin and spread evenly.
Bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
Cool completely on wire rack before slicing.
Serving Suggestions
Note
- You can buy a jar of apple sauce from the supermarket, but it’s really easy to make your own. Just peel, core and cube a couple of apples, put into a saucepan, add a cup of water, throw in a slice of lemon (skin on okay), bring to the boil and then reduce heat to simmer for around 20 minutes, stirring often. Add more water if needed. Once soft, remove lemon slices, run through a sieve and you’re done.
- If you’re a bit scared of wholemeal flour, try 1 cup wholemeal and 1 cup of plain.
- Freeze leftover banana bread as a whole loaf or in slices. Wrap with greaseproof paper and put into a zip-lock plastic bag. Will keep for at least a month.
This recipe was created by Maxabella Loves – view Maxabella’s blog here.
Ham toasties
Serves:
Ingredients
Nut-free
8 slices bread
4 thick slices leg ham, chopped
1 cup grated tasty cheese
1 tomato, quartered, deseeded and diced
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Method
Preheat grill and toast one side of the bread. You might need to do this in two batches.
Combine ham, cheese, tomato and eggs in a bowl and mix to combine. Place bread, uncooked side up, on a tray and divide ham mixture between slices. Spread the ham mixture evenly to cover the bread. Grill until golden brown and bubbling.
Allow to cool slightly, slice into soldiers and serve.
Notes:
My children (who will never eat a tomato) were initially sceptically regarding the red bits, but I assured them it was just like tomato paste (shame on me) on pizza. Unbelievably, calling them Toasties was the key to consumption! The fact that eggs are also in the mix is still my secret…
.
Serving Suggestions
Note
White chocolate and cranberry biscuits
Serves:
Ingredients
- 1 cup caster sugar
- 125g butter, melted
- 1 cup plain flour (gluten-free, see notes below)
- 1 cup self-raising flour
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- half a cup white chocolate, roughly chopped
- half a cup dried sweet cranberries
Method
Preheat oven to 190C. Line two baking trays with baking paper. Place sugar in a large bowl, melt butter and pour over sugar. Stir well, add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Roll 2 tablespoonfuls of mixture into balls and place 3-4cm apart on trays, press down slightly.
Bake 15 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven, cool slightly before removing to a wire rack to cool completely .
Notes:
- This is a fabulous basic biscuit recipe, add whatever you like to the mix, but keep the same quantities. I used up my Christmas leftover ingredients of white chocolate and cranberries makes that festive spirit (over eating!) last just a bit longer.
- I used gluten-free plain flour and 2 teaspoons baking powder to make these biscuits gluten-free.
- Recipe created by Melissa Hughes for Kidspot.
Meringue baskets
Serves:
Ingredients
- 4 meringue nests
- 4 tablespoons thick cream, icecream or yoghurt
- ½ cup raspberries, fresh or frozen
- ½ cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
- Grated chocolate (or Flake) to decorate
Method
If you are using frozen berries, defrost in a single layer on paper towel.
Place a nest on each plate, put a tablespoon of cream/icecream/yoghurt in the centre, scatter berries over the top and sprinkle with grated chocolate.
A very simple, very delicious entertaining idea.
Notes:
- Supermarkets all have their own brand of meringue nests.
- Normally in a box of 10 near the packaged cakes, vol au vents etc.
- Use whatever fruit you have in the house (strawberries and mango also look and taste great), but raspberries and chocolate are my favourites.
- Recipe created by Melissa Hughes for Kidspot.
Serving Suggestions
Note
Golden syrup slice
Serves:
Ingredients
- 1 packet plain biscuits
- 2 tablespoons golden syrup
- 1 x 400g can condensed milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 80g unsalted butter, melted
- 125g milk or dark chocolate
Method
Grease a 16cm x 26cm slice tray and line with non-stick baking paper. Place Marie biscuits in a food processor and whiz. Melt the butter with the golden syrup and vanilla. Place the biscuit crumbs, butter mixture and condensed milk in a large bowl, stir well to combine.
Transfer mixture to tray and press down with the back of a metal spoon. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
Melt chocolate in microwave on medium-high for 1 minute. Stir and repeat until melted. Spread melted chocolate over the top of slice. When the chocolate is set, cut into small squares.
Serving Suggestions
Note
Notes:
- Refrigerate the base overnight, then the cold base helps set the chocolate quickly. All the quicker for eating!
White chocolate and raspberry mousse
Serves:
Ingredients
- 200g white chocolate
- 4 egg whites
- 1/3 cup caster sugar
- 2/3 cup thickened cream
- 1 punnet raspberries
Method
Break the chocolate into pieces and place in a heatproof bowl over simmering water. Don’t let the water touch the bottom of the bowl. Stir until the chocolate is smooth and set aside.
Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer in a clean, dry bowl until they form firm peaks.
Beat in half of the sugar until it dissolves and then beat in the rest until the mixture is thick and glossy.
Add cream and beat until the mixture thickens.
Fold in the chocolate with a metal spoon until just combined.
Reserve 16 raspberries for a garnish and divide the half the remaining fruit between the serving glasses. Top with mousse and repeat. Finish with reserved berries for garnish.
Place in the freezer for 20 mins to set and serve immediately.
Notes
- This White chocolate and raspberry mousse in this is quite sweet but the berries cut the sweetness and compliment the flavour.
- Make sure you use a very clean, dry bowl for those egg whites otherwise they won’t firm up.
- This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.
Cherry ripe cheesecake
Serves:
Ingredients
- 250g chocolate biscuits (I used chocolate covered teddy bears)
- 125g butter, melted
- 85g raspberry jelly crystals
- 1/3 cup boiling water
- 500g cream cheese
- 2 cups thickened cream
- 170g cherry Ripe candy bars, diced
Method
Grease a springform tin liberally with canola spray.
Crush the biscuits in a food processor until they resemble fine crumbs. Add the melted butter and blend until combined. Press into the prepared springform pan.
Dissolve jelly crystals in boiling water. Soften the cream cheese with an electric beater then gradually add the jelly, beat until smooth.
Fold through thickened cream and Cherry Ripe pieces. Pour onto crust, cover with cling wrap and chill until set.
Notes:
- This cheesecake recipe will set in about 2 hours but it tastes better if it’s left overnight.
- If you cant get your hands on Cherry Ripe bar you may be able to find some other type of cherry-chocolate bar that will do the job.
- I have been having a love affair recently with cheesecakes. They are just so easy to make and the results always look like you really care!
- This recipe was created by Melissa Klemke for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.
Serving Suggestions
Note
Pizza pockets
Serves:
Makes 4
Ingredients
- 1 sheet puff pastry, defrosted
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/3 cup pasta sauce
- 2/3 cups (70g) mozzarella cheese, grated
- 80g ham, sliced
- 8 cherry tomatoes, halved
Method
Preheat oven to 230°C (210°C fan-forced).
Cut pastry into four even squares and place them on an oven tray lined with baking paper.
Brush the edges of one square with beaten egg. Spoon some pasta sauce into the centre, and top with some cheese, ham and tomatoes.
Fold over a corner diagonally to form a triangle and use a fork to seal the edges. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
Brush beaten egg over the tops of the pockets. Bake for 12 minutes until puffed and golden.
Related pizza recipes
Serving Suggestions
Note
- These pizza pockets are delicious either hot or cold.
- Be creative with your ingredients. You could add diced capsicum, grated carrot or mushrooms.
- Recipe by Greer Worsley, who blogs at Typically Red.
Rocket and mushroom pies
Serves:
Ingredients
- 4 slices bread, crusts removed
- olive oil spray
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 (60ml) cup milk
- 1/4 cup rocket, finely chopped
- 2 large mushrooms, finely chopped
Method
Preheat oven to 180°C conventional (160°C fan-forced). Lightly grease 4 holes in the muffin pan.
Use the rolling pin to roll out each slice of bread until really flat.
Spray both sides of the bread with the oil. Tuck each slice into the muffin cups.
Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven.
Whisk the eggs and milk together. Divide the rocket and mushrooms between the bread cases
Carefully pour in the egg mixture. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until set.
Find related pie recipes
Serving Suggestions
Note
- This recipe is not suitable to freeze, but perfect made the night before, packed into the lunch boxes and kept cool in an insulated bag until lunchtime.
- You can vary this recipe and add whatever ingredients you have in the fridge, such as salami strips or halved cherry tomatoes.
- This recipe was created by Maxabella of Maxabella loves… Follow Maxabella on Facebook or Pinterest.
Easy biscuit pops
Serves:
Ingredients
- 6 cream-filled chocolate biscuits
- 6 cream-filled shortbread biscuits
- 3 1/4 cups white chocolate melts
- 2 tbsp hundreds and thousands
You will also need:
- 12 ice-cream sticks
- 30cm-square piece of polystyrene
Method
Using a sharp knife, carefully separate biscuits. Try to keep most of the filling on one half. Place halves with filling on a flat surface, filling-side up. Place 1/4 cup of melts in a heatproof, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on MEDIUM (50 percent) for 1 minute, stirring halfway with a metal spoon, or until smooth.
Dip 3cm of one end of each ice-cream stick into melted chocolate. Press one stick into filling of each biscuit half. Drizzle with a little melted chocolate. Sandwich with remaining biscuits. Stand for 10 minutes or until firm.
Place 1 cup of remaining melts in a heatproof, microwave-safe mug. Microwave on MEDIUM (50%) for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds with a metal spoon, or until smooth. Holding the mug on a slight angle, dip 4 biscuits, one at a time, into melted chocolate. Rock backwards and forwards until biscuit is fully coated. Gently tap the stick on the side of the mug to drain excess chocolate and remove any air bubbles.
Push sticks into polystyrene. Stand for 10 minutes or until chocolate has set. Repeat dipping process again, sprinkling the pops with hundreds and thousands. Push sticks into polystyrene.
Repeat in 2 more batches with remaining biscuits, melts and sprinkles. Stand pops for 20 to 30 minutes or until set. Serve.
Find related pop recipes
Serving Suggestions
Note
- When dipping, don’t rotate stick or stir chocolate as this can cause crumbs to break off into the chocolate or the biscuit to fall off the stick.
- NUTRITION: (each) 1298kJ; 16.1g fat; 13.9g sat fat; 1.6g protein; 39.8g carbs; 0.4g fibre; 17mg chol; 82mg sodium.
- Recipe & food preparation Claire Brookman Photography Craig Wall Styling Michelle Noerianto
Delicious cheese pizza just for me
Serves:
Ingredients
- 2 bought pizza bases
- 4 tablespoons tomato paste
- 8 cherry or grape tomatoes, minisculely chopped
- 2 cups grated cheese
Method
Preheat the oven to 220 degrees C. Lay pizza bases out onto two baking trays. Spread each with 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, scatter with tomato and grated cheese. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes or until golden.
Notes:
- My kids have recently discovered the movie Home Alone. Remember how cute little Macaulay Culkin was? My son particularly loved the reference to having a delicious cheese pizza just to himself.
- I sneak finely grated carrot into the tomato paste. Instead of finely chopping the tomatoes, you could use diced canned tomatoes—I use the stab mixer to puree them into an unidentifiable mush.
- For the adults, do a half-and-half pizza, with identifiable tomato and maybe some salami strips.
- Recipe created by Melissa Hughes for Kidspot.
Serving Suggestions
Note
Tuna fried rice
Serves:
4
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 eggs
- 4 rashers bacon, diced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 425g tin tuna
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 cups cooked rice
- Coriander or chives to garnish
Method
Heat oil in a wok or large frypan, break eggs into wok and stir with a spoon to break up the yolks.
Cook for a minute, flip the omelette over and cook the other side for a minute. Transfer omelette to a plate and slice into bite size strips.
Return wok to heat and stir fry bacon and onion until onion is soft, about 3 minutes. Add peas, cook for two minutes.
Add tuna and soy sauce, combine with other ingredients, then add rice and egg strips. Stir well to combine and heat through.
Serve immediately garnished with herbs.
Notes:
- I usually cook this fried rice after I have made Û÷something else with riceÛª; cook extra rice, store it in an air-tight container in the fridge and use the leftovers for this super-fast meal.
- DonÛªt be put off by the tuna ÛÒ it works really well in this dish, particularly tuna in chilli oil.
- Tempt the kids to the table with those little fish filled with soy sauce that you have left over from sushi ÛÒ my kids love putting ÛÏa drop over here and a drop over thereÛ_Û
Spicy Spanish eggs
Serves:
Ingredients
- ¼ red capsicum, sliced thinly
- 1 pinch salt
- ½ cup tinned chopped tomatoes
- ¼ cup salsa
- ½ cup chicken stock
- ½ red chilli, finely chopped
- 2 large free range eggs
- 1 tbsp coriander, chopped
Method
Spray a small frying pan or saucepan lightly with oil and add capsicum with a pinch of salt. Cook until tender.
Add tomatoes, salsa, stock and chilli. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for a couple of minutes before making 2 holes in the mixture and cracking in the eggs.
Allow eggs to poach, cooking to your liking. Serve sprinkled with coriander.
Find more egg recipes
Serving Suggestions
Note
- There isn’t much to this dish and it’s so easy to cook. If you only feel like one egg, keep all the other quantities the same as the sauce is delicious.
- This recipe was created by Jay Rogers for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.
Cheese, corn and sweet potato quiches
Serves:
Ingredients
- 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into cubes
- 1 cup creamed corn
- 1/2 cup tuna
- 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
- 1 egg
- 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C conventional (160°C fan-forced).
Steam the sweet potato for about 15 minutes, or until soft, and mash.
Combine this with the corn, tuna, cheese and egg and mix well.
Cut pastry into 8 rounds and tuck them into the holes of a muffin tin. Fill with the sweet potato mixture and bake for 20 minutes, or until the pastry is golden.
Find related quiche recipes
Serving Suggestions
Note
- These are great for parties and, because they freeze beautifully, are worth making up in a big batch. Vary the fillings according to whatever you have handy.
- You can swap the sweet potato for pumpkin in this recipe.
- This recipe was created by Sophie Hansen for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder. You can follow Sophie on Local is Lovely, Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest.
Apricot biscuits
Serves:
Ingredients
- 150g butter, chopped
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 3/4cup self-raising flour
- 150g dried apricots, chopped
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
Method
Preheat oven to 180C.
Place butter and sugar in a medium saucepan and put on medium heat on the stove. Stir to melt butter and dissolve sugar.
Once butter has melted and sugar dissolved, remove from heat, add remaining ingredients and mix through thoroughly.
Spray a baking tray with non-stick spray and place a heaped teaspoon of the biscuit mixture onto the tray about 2 cm apart.
Bake for 12-15 minutes.
Remove from oven to a wire rack and cool.
Notes
- This is a great recipe for kids of all ages to help with. They are soft enough for the littlest mouths.
- These biscuits will keep well when stored in an airtight container.
- Recipe created by Camilla Baker for Kidspot, New Zealand
Serving Suggestions
Note
Flower biscuits
Serves:
Ingredients
- 12 round biscuits
- 1 cup icing sugar
- 1-2 teaspoons water
- 30 marshmallows (nearly 1 packet)
- 12 Smarties
Method
Sift icing sugar into a bowl and stir in half a teaspoon of water at a time until you get a smooth, spreadable paste.
Cut marshmallows horizontally.
Spread a biscuit with icing and top with five marshmallow halves (sticky side up).
Pinch the marshmallows in the corner to get more of a petal shape.
Push a Smartie into the centre of the biscuit . . . done!
Looks fabulous and so quick and easy.
Notes:
- These biscuits can be made one or two days before the party and stored in an airtight container, but keep them out of sight!!
- For our little princess party, we also make Fairy Wand biscuits they were a huge hit and easy to make.
- Recipe created by Melissa Hughes for Kidspot.
Serving Suggestions
Note
Raspberry butter cake
Serves:
Ingredients
InIIngredients
- 125g unsalted butter
- ¾ cup caster sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1½ cups self-raising flour (gluten-free see notes below)
- ½ cup milk
- 1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
Method
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Grease and line a 23cm round cake tin with baking paper.
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy (electric mixer or food processor), add eggs one at a time and beat until well combined.
Add half flour and milk, mix, then add remaining flour and milk, mix well.
Gently fold ¼ cup of the raspberries through the mixture.
Spoon ¾ of the mixture into the tin, sprinkle with remaining raspberries, then pour rest of cake mixture over the top.
Use a spatula to smooth the top. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
Allow cake to cool for 5 minutes in the tin and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
Sprinkle with icing sugar before serving.
Serving Suggestions
Note
- If using frozen raspberries, don’t defrost.
- Raspberries are my absolute favourite, so this cake is a regular feature for our family morning teas.
- Oh, and for lunch boxes, if you must share.
- Make this cake gluten-free by using gluten-free plain flour and 3 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder.
- A smidgeon (about 1/8 teaspoon) of xanthan gum (from health food shops and some supermarkets) gives the ‘gluten-like’ consistency.
- Recipe created by Melissa Hughes for Kidspot.
Valentines Day heart-shaped cupcakes
Ingredients
- 100g butter
- 2/3 cup caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 cup self-raising flour
- 1/3 cup cocoa, sifted
- 1/2 tsp bicarbonate soda
- 125ml (1/2 cup) milk
Topping
- 300ml thickened cream
- 1 tbsp icing sugar, sifted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- sprinkles
Method
Step1. Preheat oven to 180å¡C conventional or 160å¡C fan-forced. Line cupcake tins with cases.
Using a mixer, cream butter, sugar and vanilla until creamy and fluffy. Gradually add eggs and mix until just combined.
Combine flour, cocoa and bicarbonate soda. Add to creamed mixture with milk. Beat until just combined. Spoon mixture into liners until each case is 1/3 full.
Step 2. Place a marble into each cupcake tin hole between pan and cupcake liner to create heart shape. Bake for 15-20 minutes.
Step 3. Leave to cool in tin for 10 minutes before removing cupcakes to cooling rack.
Step 4. While cupcakes are cooling, whip cream until thick and add icing sugar and vanilla to flavour.
Place cream into piping bag and pipe onto cooled cupcakes. Add sprinkles and serve.
Note
- Do not fill cupcake liners more than half full. It there is too much mixture it overflows and loses its heart shape.
- It’s very important that you cool the cupcakes entirely or the topping will slide right off.
- You can also top these with buttercream icing if you prefer.
- This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.
Caesar salad
Serves:
1
Ingredients
- 1 cos lettuce, divided and washed
- 1 french stick, sliced
- 6 bacon rashers
- 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, shaved
- Canola oil sray
Dressing
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 tbsp dijon mustard
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 6 anchovy fillets
- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 cup of vegetable oil
Method
Preheat the oven to 180å¡C. Place the french stick slices on a tray and spray with canola oil. Bake for 10 minutes until golden and crisp.
In a frying pan, cook the bacon on high until crisp. Drain on kitchen paper and slice.
Chop the lettuce and set aside.
In a food processor, whizz all of the dressing ingredients except for the oil. With the motor running, add the oil in a thin stream. Stop halfway and scrape down the sides of the bowl and continue until all of the oil is used.
Drizzle the dressing over the lettuce and toss to coat.
Toss in bacon, shaved parmesan and croutons.
Notes
- This recipe makes a lot of dressing. It is great to use like a regular mayonnaise and it is packed full of flavour.
- If you are taking this salad to a party keep all of the ingredients separate and toss it when you get there.
- The dressing is so easy you will never ever buy caesar dressing in a bottle again.
- This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.
Tarte Tatin
Serves:
Ingredients
- 1 sheet ready-rolled puff pastry
- 4 Granny Smith apples
- 125g caster sugar
- 100ml water
- 25g butter, unsalted and chopped
Method
Preheat oven to 200C.
Combine the sugar and water in a small (20cm) ovenproof frying pan or saucepan over a medium heat. Stir through until the sugar dissolved. Turn up the heat and bring to the boil. Without stirring, continue to boil the sugar syrup until it begins to caramelise. Swirl the mixture to even out the colour.
Remove pan from heat and add butter pieces and swirl again to combine.
Carefully place the apple pieces into the caramel to make a circle. The core-side of the apple pieces should be facing upwards. Cut the remaining apple pieces to fill in the gaps between the bigger pieces.
Place back on a medium heat for 10 minutes to begin the cooking and the caramelising of the apples.
Meanwhile, trim the pastry sheet into a circle that is slightly larger than the circle made by the apple pieces in the pan.
Remove the pan from the heat and cover with the pasty, tucking the edges down and over all the apple pieces.
Bake in the oven for 25 minutes until the pastry has puffed up and is golden brown. Allow to sit for a couple of minutes in the pan before inverting on to a serving plate.
Serve with cream or ice cream.
Notes
- This makes the most delicious wintery dessert that will please everyone.
- As with many recipes that use few ingredients, the trick to this recipe is all in the technique! The most important thing to do before you start is to make sure you have the right size pan, otherwise you will find that all the delicious caramel will run out and away from the apple pieces.
- I will admit that I had a little difficulty inverting the pan onto a plate and I had to use a spatula to ease the apples from the pan before I successfully got it on the plate. You should also choose a plate with a lip to catch any of the extra caramel that may escape during the flipping process.
This Tarte Tatin recipe was created by Ella Walsh for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.
Related dessert recipes
Serving Suggestions
Note
Easy swiss roll
Serves:
Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- 125g caster sugar
- 2 tsp warm water
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 125g plain flour
Filling
- half a cup jam of choice
- 500ml cream, stiffly beaten
Method
Preheat oven to 190C non-fan forced.
With a Swiss roll tin or large baking tray with at least 2cm lip at sides, grease by brushing with melted butter on bottom and all sides. Flour all sides and pat over sink to remove excess flour.
With an electric hand beater or stand mixer, beat the eggs and sugar at high speed until they almost if not, double in size and becomes pale and fluffy.
Pour in water and vanilla; beat gently a few rounds to combine.
Lift in 1/3 of flour at a time, folding through with a metal spoon each time.
Without delay, pour the mixture into your tray and spread out to edges.
Place in oven for 12-15 minutes until a little golden on top.
Roll out some baking paper and spread 1/4 cup caster sugar on it. Turn out your cake onto the paper.
Cover immediately with a damp (wrung out) tea towel. This will keep the cake moist whilst it cools so you can roll it out without it cracking
When the cake is cool (about 15-20 mins), spread jam over the top, covering as much as possible. Add about 1cm thickness of cream. The cream should be quite stiff to allow the cake to keep its form.
Use the edge of the baking paper and fold over the inch closest to you, away from you.
Keep using the baking paper to continue to fold. Slide off the baking paper onto serving plate, or as I did, cut in half and slide it off. Keep refrigerated.
Notes
- I have recollections of trying to make one of these with my Mum some years ago (well at least 25) for my grandmothers’ birthday.
- If you follow my method of rolling the cake, you shouldnt need to handle the cake at all during the process.
- Make sure you wait until the oven is completely pre-heated before you use it otherwise you will end up with soggy sponge.
- You could make this and try some very tasting variations: Chocolate cake with cherry jam or Ginger cake with a raspberry jam. Yum.
- The key to success is to really stick to the instructions. Dont take shortcuts!
- This recipe was created by Melissa Klemke for Kidspot, New Zealands best recipe finder.
Serving Suggestions
Note
Rich almond tart
Serves:
Serves 8 people
Ingredients
- 7 egg yolks
- 1 cup (220g) caster sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla paste
- 220g butter, softened
- 250g almond meal
Method
Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced) and grease a 24 cm loose-bottomed tart tin.
Place the egg yolks, sugar and vanilla paste in the bowl of an electric mixer and mix until pale and fluffy.
Add the butter and almond meal and mix until well combined.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared tart tin and smooth the top. Cook for 30 minutes or until the top is golden and firm to touch.
Cool the tart in the tin for 5 minutes, before turning out on a wire rack.
Serve with a dollop of double cream.
Serving Suggestions
Note
- This tart tastes even more delicious when served with preserved fruits, or even poached fruit, and some runny cream.
- The moist texture of this tart means it keeps well for a few days. Just wrap tightly with cling film and store in the fridge.
- This recipe was created by Sophie Hansen for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder. You can follow Sophie at Local is Lovely.
Healthy kids burgers
Serves:
8
Ingredients
For the patties:
- 500g lean beef mince
- 1 free-range egg, lightly beaten
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup whole rolled oats, pulsed into meal
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds, pulsed into meal
To assemble:
- 8 small sourdough buns
- 1 cup spinach leaves
- 2 tomatoes, sliced
- tomato sauce
Method
Place patties ingredients into a bowl and combine well.
Roll 1/4 cup measures into small patties.
Cook on a hot grill for 3-4 minutes and then turn and grill until cooked through.
Leave to rest for 3-4 minutes and then assemble burgers with spinach leaves on the bottom, the cooked patties, tomato slices and sauce.
Related mince recipes:
Serving Suggestions
Note
- There’s room for a few vegetables on the burger. You could also replace the usual store bought deep fried hot chips with homemade baked potato or sweet potato chips, a handful of steamed frozen corn and peas or a little side salad.
- Feel free to use chicken mince instead of beef, perhaps switching to seeded mustard rather than Dijon.
- This recipe was created by Katie Rainbird of Katie180. You can find her on Facebook and Twitter and see her delicious food on Instagram.
Banana slice
Serves:
Ingredients
- 1 cup self raising flour
- Pinch of salt
- 1/4 tsp of bi-carb soda
- 1/4 cup of milk
- 1 egg beaten
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 cup caster sugar
- 60g butter
- 1/3 cup mashed banana
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
Method
Sift dry ingredients.
Melt butter.
Mix the egg, milk, butter and banana.
Stir into the dry ingredients.
Grease a lamington pan and bake for 25 – 30 minutes in a moderate oven.
Sprinkle with cinnamon.
Serving Suggestions
Note
Gingerbread men
Serves:
Ingredients
- 125g butter, softened
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup golden syrup
- 1 egg, separated + I egg white, extra
- 2 ½ cups plain flour
- 1 tbsp powdered ginger
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 2 cups icing sugar
- 150g packet smarties or chocolate buttons to decorate
Method
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Cream butter and brown sugar together using an electric beater, stand mixer or food processor.
Add egg yolk and golden syrup and mix until combined.
Add flour, ginger, mixed spice and bicarb soda and combine. It might look a bit crumbly, but don’t worry – it works!
Place onto a piece of baking paper and then cover with another piece of baking paper – using a rolling pin, roll out the dough and cut out with desired shapes (kids can help here) re-roll as needed, but keep using the baking paper.
Move the cut shapes over to greased baking trays with a spatula/egg flip and bake for 8-10 minutes.
Once baked, let cool for 10 minutes on the tray and then transfer to cooling rack.
To make the icing, beat the 2 egg whites until they are stiff peaks, add the sifted icing sugar and combine with a few drops of lemon juice. Place into a piping bag and decorate the gingerbread men with the icing and the smarties.
Notes:
- With any leftover dough, you can let the kids go for their life – we had a ‘cow’ ‘butterfly’ and an ‘Olivia’.
- I saw Georgie and Alex on Playschool making gingerbread men and felt inspired.
- This recipe was tested by Melissa Klemke for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.
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Homemade KFC burgers
Serves:
Ingredients
- 2 large chicken breast fillets (about 600g)
- ½ cup plain flour (use Gluten-free)
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 cup cornflake crumbs
- 3 rashers bacon, rind removed
- 4 slices cheddar cheese
- 2 small tomatoes, thickly sliced
- 1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce
- 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 4 bread rolls (use Gluten-free)
Method
Slice chicken breasts in half lengthways, then cut each piece in two. Put the flour on a large square of baking paper, the eggs in a small bowl and the cornflake crumbs on another square of baking paper. Coat the chicken pieces in flour, dust off, dip in egg wash and then coat in cornflake crumbs (throw away the mess just by screwing up the paper!). Place the coated chicken pieces onto a baking tray lined with baking paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Heat a non-stick frypan over medium-high heat. Cook bacon until crisp and brown, about 5 minutes. Keep warm in oven.
Preheat oven to 180°C and bake the chicken for 15-20 minutes until cooked through. Slice bread rolls, spread each with mayo, top with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese and bacon. Place one or two chicken pieces on the rest of the filling and lastly the roll top. Serve immediately.
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Note
- A cheeky title, but this does recreate my favourite bacon and cheese burger, without all the deep-frying. Omit the bacon to speed up preparation.
- I make these gluten-free by using cornflour and gluten-free cornflake crumbs to coat the chicken and gluten-free bread instead of the roll.
- Make your own secret herbs and spices by adding your favourites to the cornflake crumbs. Try parmesan cheese, lemon rind, parsley, sage, oregano, cumin, chilli powder or paprika.
- Recipe created by Melissa Hughes for Kidspot.
Potato Scones
Serves:
Ingredients
- 250g potatoes, peeled
- 30g butter, softened
- 2 teaspoons castor sugar
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- half a cup cream or milk
- 2 and a half cups self-raising flour, sifted
Method
Preheat the oven to hot 210 degrees C. Steam or boil the potatoes for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Drain, cool, and mash. Cream the butter and sugar, then beat in the potato, egg and cream. Place the flour in a bowl, make a well in the centre and add the potato. Mix together to form a soft dough, adding extra cream if needed. Turn onto a floured board and form into a smooth ball. Roll out to 2 cm thick and cut out rounds with a floured 5cm plain cutter. Place on a greased baking tray, glaze with milk and bake for 10-12 minutes.
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Hot smoked trout, almond and lemon pilaf
Serves:
Ingredients
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1 tsp lemon rind, finely grated
- 2 cups basmati rice
- 1 /2 cup white wine
- 3 cups water (or stock)
- 1 cup broccoli
- 150g mixed salad leaves
- 200g hot smoked trout, skinned and flaked
- 1/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted
- lemon wedges and mayonnaise or a lemony horseradish cream to serve
Method
Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion for about five minutes or until soft. Add the garlic and lemon rind and cook for another couple of minutes.
Add the rice, stir for a minute and then add the wine. Cook for another minute and then pour in the water (or stock). Cover the pan and reduce heat to low. Cook for about 15 minutes.
Remove from heat and place broccoli florets on top of the rice. Cover and set aside for five minutes.
To serve, transfer to a platter lined with the salad leaves and top the rice and broccoli with the flaked skinned trout and scatter with the almonds. Place a few lemon wedges on the side.
Notes:
- With a few tweaks and twists it can go in any direction you choose (see variations below). There’s about five minutes of chopping here and then a bit of waiting around while the rice cooks and that’s it! Serve this with a lemony horseradish cream or mayonnaise on the side and some nice bread and what you have is a really great meal!
- Substitute the trout with slices of cooked chicken breast or lamb back strap.
- Add half a teaspoon of cumin, ground cardamom and turmeric to the onions while cooking and then stir through some raisins just before serving. In this case I’d skip the salmon and maybe serve instead a beautiful piece of barbecued lamb. This would be great with some minted yogurt on the side.
- Swap the hot smoked trout for lightly pan-fried snapper or other white-fleshed fish.
- This recipe was created by Sophie Hansen for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.
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