Best ever chocolate brownies

Best ever chocolate brownies

Serves:

 

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup plain flour
  • 1/3 cup cocoa powder (good quality)
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/3 cup dark chocolate
  • 1/4 cup espresso coffee (liquid) (strong)
  • 1 tbs butter
  • 3/4 cup caster sugar
  • 2 egg (large)
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbs low-fat sour cream

Method

Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced) and line a 20cm square pan with baking paper.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder and baking powder.

Place chocolate, espresso and butter into bowl, then place bowl over small saucepan 1/3 filled with water and bring to gentle simmer. Melt and set aside to cool slightly.

While chocolate is melting whisk eggs, vanilla and sour cream together. Mix egg and chocolate mixtures together with sugar and fold through dry ingredients until just combined (if you over mix it, the brownies will be crumbly).

Pour into pan and bake for 14-16 mins until just set. It may look uncooked to your practiced baking eye, but it will continue to cook in the pan while cooling. Cool brownies completely in the pan and store in an airtight container.

Find more chocolate recipes

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Note

  • These brownies are great for freezing – just wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container.
  • Brownies usually use a lot of butter, chocolate and eggs, but you don’t need a lot to get a lovely fudgy consistency. The key is to use quality cocoa and chocolate – this gives you all the flavour without the fat.
  • This recipe was created by Jay Rogers for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.

Tim Tam brownies

Tim Tam brownies

Serves:

10

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup (120g) self-raising flour, sifted
  • 1 1/4 cups (285g) white sugar
  • 1/2 cup cocoa, sifted
  • 3 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup (180g) butter
  • 1 pkt (200g) Tim Tams

Method

Step 1. Gather all ingredients together. Line a slice tray (15cm x 30cm) with baking paper and set aside. Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced).

Step 2. Place flour, sugar and cocoa in a bowl and mix together. Add eggs, vanilla and butter and whisk until combined. Place 4-5 tablespoons of brownie mixture into the tray and spread to cover the base.

Step 3. Place 2 rows of 5 Tams on top of the brownie mixture. Pour remaining mixture into the tin and smooth over to cover the Tim Tams.

Step 4. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until lightly baked through. Cool and cut into squares or fingers and serve.

Tim Tam brownies

 

Find related brownie recipes:

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • You can use any of your favourite chocolate biscuits to hide in this brownie mixture. I do like the idea of a Mint Slice hiding in there.
  • Baking time on these brownies will vary on how you like your brownies. If you want them soft and gooey then 25 minutes is perfect. If you want them firmer I would bake them for 35 minutes.
  • This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand's best recipe finder.

Tex-Mex bean burgers

Tex-Mex bean burgers

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 2 tins borlotti beans, rinsed
  • ½ cup breadcrumbs, plus ¼ cup more for rolling
  • 2 tablespoons whole-egg mayonnaise
  • 1/3 cup coriander, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons more for frying
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 6 hamburger buns
  • ½ cup light sour cream
  • 2 small tomatoes, sliced
  • 1 avocado, mashed
  • Butter for toasted buns
  • Tasty cheese slices
  • 1½ cups salad greens

Method

Place the beans, ½ cup breadcrumbs, mayonnaise, coriander, 1 tablespoon oil, salt and pepper into a food processor and process gently until combined but still chunky.

Remove mixture and gently roll into 6 balls and then press into patties. Dredge each patty in the remaining breadcrumbs and set aside.

Bring a frying pan or barbecue grill to a medium heat , then add 3 tablespoons oil. Carefully add each patty and cook on each side for about 2 minutes until golden. Add a slice of cheese to the cooked side of the patty. Remove the patty from the heat when the cheese has melted.

In the meantime, slice and toast the buns under the grill. Spread the bottom half of the bun with avocado, add salad greens, and butter the top half.

Place the bean patty on top of the greens, top with tomato, a dollop of sour cream and the other half of hamburger bun.

Serve immediately.

 

Serving Suggestions

Note

Notes:

  • I love my sandwiches and burgers to be crunchy, so feel free to stick a few good-quality corn chips inside the burger before you serve.
  • Make each patty an appropriate size for whoever will be eating it – this recipe will make six adult portions so you could get 10 smaller patties out of the mixture for kids.
  • This is so delicious! This recipe easily wins over anyone who is normally suspicious of veggie burgers.
  • This recipe was created by Kristine Duran-Thiessen for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.

Simple French onion potato bake

Simple French onion potato bake

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 2 kg potatoes, peeled and sliced thinly
  • 4 brown onions, peeled and sliced into rings
  • 1 pkt French onion soup mix
  • 600ml pouring cream

Method

In a large baking dish layer onions, potatoes and soup mix in that order until all ingredients are used ending with potatoes as the last layer.

Pour cream evenly across the dish.

Cover with foil and bake for 50mins at 180C.

Notes

  • This recipe can also be made in the microwave oven. Just place the ingredients in a dish and cover. Microwave for 45-50 mins.
  • Its also nice served with a nice salad for lunch
  • This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder

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Savoury scones

Savoury scones

Serves:

 

Ingredients

  • 240g self raising flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 small stock cubes of your choice
  • 30g butter, at room temperature
  • 3/4 cup milk, approximately
  • Flour, extra to roll and dust

Method

Turn oven to 160’C. Lightly grease an oven tray.

Sift together flour and salt in a large bowl.

Crumble stock cube into mixture and stir through well.

Rub butter into the flour mix, by rubbing between fingertips until it becomes a breadcrumb-like consistency.

Stir in milk slowly until the mixture comes together to form a soft dough. This may take less or more milk depending upon the brand of flour you use.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface and gently knead and roll out to a 3cm thickness.

Cut out scones with a small glass or round cutter and place on baking tray with about 1/2 cm between each scone. Brush with milk if desired.

Bake in oven for 8-10 minutes until light golden brown on top.

Serve warm with butter and/or cheese

Notes:

  • If you are using powdered stock, 2 teaspoons is ample.
  • This is family-friendly recipe so get your kids to help you.
  • Keep the scones in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze them in an airtight container or ziplock bag for up to 1 month.

 

Related scones articles:

This is Moira Gillard’s recipe – adapted by Melissa Klemke for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.

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Hoisin pork with rice noodles

Hoisin pork with rice noodles

Serves:

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 4 clove garlic (crushed)
  • 1 tbs ginger (grated)
  • 1/3 cup hoisin sauce
  • 1/3 cup soy sauce
  • 2 tbs brown sugar
  • 2 tbs rice wine vinegar
  • 500 g pork fillet
  • 200 g rice noodles
  • 2 tbs oil
  • 1 carrot (julienned)
  • 1 zucchini (julienned)
  • 1 capsicum (julienned)
  • 1/4 cup peanuts (chopped)
  • coriander (*to serve)

Method

In a large non-metallic bowl, combine garlic, ginger, sauces, sugar and vinegar.

Thinly slice pork fillet. Add to marinade and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.

Cook rice noodles according to packet instructions.

Heat oil in a wok. Cook pork quickly in batches, removing to a plate once sealed and adding more oil to the wok as necessary. Quickly stir-fry julienned vegetables for 1-2 minutes. Return pork and toss to combine. Add noodles and stir-fry, being careful not to break them up too much. Serve topped with chopped peanuts and coriander.

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Note

  • Dried rice noodles are available in supermarkets. Keep an eye out for fresh rice noodles as these would be delicious as well.
  • I used a pork fillet in this recipe which is beautiful and tender. You could also try pork shoulder or scotch.
  • Substitute with whatever vegetables you prefer. Just be sure to cut them finely to allow quick cooking.
  • This recipe was created by Greer Worsley for Kidspot.

Meatloaf cupcakes

Meatloaf cupcakes

Serves:

Ingredients

Frosting:

  • 1kg potatoes (the varieties recommended for creamy mash)
  • 1 cup grated cheese
  • 25-50g butter
  • 1/2 cup (125ml) cream or milk
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 tbsp dill, chopped
  • 1 tbsp paprika
  • 1 punnet cherry tomatoes

Meatloaf:

  • 1kg minced beef (or 500g Pork and 500g beef)
  • Worchestershire sauce
  • 1 tbsp tomato sauce
  • 1 red capsicum
  • 1 onion
  • 1/4 cup chopped mushrooms
  • 2 eggs, lightly beated
  • 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
  • handful of parsley
  • generous pinch of rosemary

Method

Preheat oven to 170°C (150°C fan-forced)

Steam or boil peeled potatoes.

Mash and whisk potatoes with all the other frosting ingredients except the dill and paprika (while warm) to make cheesy creamy mash potatoes. Put aside to cool.

Place all meatloaf ingredients into a bowl and combine well using clean hands.

Line a 12-cup muffin pan with liners. Place a large handful of mixture into each liner.

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Stick a skewer into it to make sure it's cooked through. Remove from muffin tray and leave to cool for about 10 mins.

Spoon potato mixture into a piping bag.  Pipe frosting on top of the cupcakes. Sprinkle dill and paprika over the top of the frosting to look like sprinkles and then top with a cherry tomato.

Find related mince recipes

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • Cook the potatoes first because you want to give them time to cool before piping onto the cupcakes. 
  • Unlike normal cupcakes these don't rise in the baking so make the top nice and round to get a muffin top and press it into the muffin tray to get the base shape.
  • You can use rolled oats or breadcrumbs in your mixture but I found oats give a better texture. 
  • If you don't have a piping bag, you can use a zip-lock sandwich bag and snip the end off.
  • Other modifications can be to swirl tomato sauce or caramel balsamic over the top like chocolate sauce.
  • This recipe was created by Alexandra Morey.

Mini ham and zucchini quiches

Mini ham and zucchini quiches

Serves:

Makes 18

Ingredients

  • 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, defrosted
  • 1 small zucchini, grated
  • 80g ham, diced
  • 1/2 cup (40g) tasty cheese, grated
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/2 cup (125ml) milk

Method

Preheat oven to 210°C (190°C fan-forced).

Using a round cutter with an 8cm diameter, cut 9 circles from each sheet of pastry. Press them gently into the rounds of a patty-pan tray. (You will either need two trays or to do this in two batches).

Distribute the zucchini, ham and cheese evenly into each pastry case. Whisk eggs and milk in a jug and gently fill the pastry cases. Bake for 14 minutes until puffed and golden.

Find related quiche recipes

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • Depending on your children’s tastes, you can vary the fillings. Use parmesan in place of tasty cheese, or cooked bacon in place of ham.
  • You could make slightly larger quiches using a 1/2 cup muffin tray, but you’ll need to cut slightly larger pastry circles.
  • Recipe by Greer Worsley, who blogs at Typically Red.

Veggie noodles

Veggie noodles

Ingredients

  • Maggi 2 minute noodles
  • Mixed veggies, fresh or frozen
  • shredded cheese or Kraft cream cheese spread

Method

Cook noodles and veggies as per normal.

Once cooked stir through either cheese spread and/ or shredded cheese.

 

Cake in a mug

Cake in a mug

Serves:

 

Ingredients

  • 4 tbsp self-raising flour
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp cocoa
  • 1 egg
  • 3 tbsp milk
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla essence
  • 1 tbsp chocolate chips

Method

In a large mug, place all the dry ingredients and mix well with a spoon. Use the spoon to grind all of the cocoa against the side of the cup so there are no lumps.

Add the egg and beat it a little on top of the dry ingredients to break the yolk.

Add the oil, milk and vanilla and mix until well combined.

Stir the chocolate chips in and put into the microwave on high for 3 minutes.

Serve with a nice big scoop of ice-cream.

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Note

  • This a dirty little secret and should only be shared with other chocoholics so shhhhh.
  • Mix it really well and you will end up with a cake that rises beautifully and has a great texture.
  • This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.

Banana and choc chip muffins

Banana and choc chip muffins

Serves:

 

Ingredients

  • 2 and a half cups self-raising flour
  • half a cup sugar
  • 1 cup (250mL) milk
  • 1/3 cup (80mL) oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 over-ripe banana, mashed
  • half a cup choc chips or chopped chocolate

Method

Preheat oven to 180C. Grease a 12 hole and a 6 hole muffin pan or line with paper cases. Sift flour into a large bowl of an electric mixer. Add sugar and beat briefly to combine. In a glass measuring jug, pour in milk (up to 1 cup), oil (up to 1 1/3 cups) and add eggs, whisk to combine.

Pour milk mix and mashed banana into dry ingredients, beat with until just combined. Stir through chocolate. Spoon into muffin pans, fill each hole 2/3 full and bake for 15 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Cool slightly, then place on rack to cool completely.

 

 

Notes:

  • I make 18 muffins with this mixture because I don‰t like Muffin Tops on my muffins. High risk of spill over in the oven, too hard to get out of the pan and extra work cleaning the pan! But if this doesn‰t bother you, make 12 monster muffins.

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Puppy cupcakes

Puppy cupcakes

Serves:

12

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup (125g) butter, room temp
  • 3/4 cup (180g) sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla essence
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup (125ml) milk
  • 1 1/2 cups (225g) self-raising flour
  • cocoa powder
  • ready-made white frosting
  • spearmint leaves
  • white marshmallows
  • black Jelly Belly jelly beans
  • black writing icing
  • red Smarties
  • brown mini M&Ms

Method

Preheat oven to 160°C (180°C fan-forced). Line a 12-cup baking tray with patty cases and set aside.

Using a mixer, cream the butter, sugar and vanilla essence. Add eggs, beat well. Add milk and self-raising flour. Mix until ingredients are incorporated.

Spoon mixture into patty cases and bake for around 12-15 minutes, until golden. Cool on wire racks. 

Mix cocoa powder with white frosting to make a pale brown colour. Cover spearmint leaves with brown icing. Ice cupcakes with white icing. Position ears. Use white marshmallows as noses, with black jelly beans as snouts. Draw mouths with black writing icing. Place red Smarties just under the marshmallows as tongues. Use brown mini M&Ms for eyes. 

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Note

  • You can use Betty Crocker vanilla frosting in this recipe.
  • Don’t overbeat the cupcake mixture or your cupcakes will be dry.
  • This recipe was created by Alana House.

Apricot muesli bars

Apricot muesli bars

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup dried apricots, chopped
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 150g butter, chopped
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 1/4 cups plain flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 1 cup White choc bits

Apricot muesli slice:

Preheat oven to 180C.

Line the base of a 28cm x 18cm x 3cm tin with baking paper.

Put the apricots and water in a saucepan, bring to the boil, simmer until the liquid is absorbed.

Remove from heat.

Add the butter and stir until melted.

Stir in the brown sugar, cool.

Sift the flour and baking powder together.

Add to the apricot mixture with the rolled oats and white choc bits, mix thoroughly, press into the tin.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown and cooked when tested with a skewer.

Stand 10 minutes, turn out onto a rack, when cold, cut into bars.

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Grand Marnier and chocolate mousse

Grand Marnier and chocolate mousse

Serves:

 

Ingredients

  • 200g dark chocolate
  • 3 eggs, separated
  • 1/2 cup light olive oil
  • 1/4 cup Grand Marnier

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.

In a separate bowl, beat the eggs whites with an electric mixer until they form stiff peaks. Add the egg yolks one at a time beating well.

Beat in the chocolate and gradually add the oil in a thin stream and then the Grand Marnier, making sure it is all well combined.

Pour into small dishes or martini glasses and refrigerate until firm.

Notes

  • This is a super-rich decadent dessert and a little goes a long way.
  • The oil gives this chocolate mousse a silky feel on the tongue but adds no flavour at all.
  • This is really nice served with a dollop of double cream and some orange slices cooked in orange juice and brown sugar on the side.
  • You can make this recipe a day ahead and it works well for a midweek dinner party or special occasion.
  • This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.

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Tuna melts

Tuna melts

Serves:

 

Ingredients

  • 1 pkt English muffins
  • 185g tin tuna, strained
  • 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • half a cup grated carrot
  • half a cup corn kernels, tinned or fresh
  • half a cup tasty cheese, shredded plus 14 cup extra
  • salt and pepper

Method

In a large bowl add tuna, mayonnaise, carrot, corn and cheese – stir to combine and season to your liking.

Heat your griller, cut muffins in half and spread with margarine or butter.

Place a heaped tablespoon of mixture on each half.

Add a touch of extra cheese on top and grill until melted and lightly brown.

 

Note

  • For this recipe I used tinned corn so my 3 year old could do all the work!
  • Swap or change the vegetables to suit your family if you like.
  • I spread the muffins with margarine so the muffins do not go soggy from the topping.
  • Recipe created by Camilla Baker for Kidspot, New Zealand‰s best recipe finder.

Chicken tacos

Chicken tacos

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 400g chicken breast, cut into strips
  • 1 pkt Old El Paso Crispy chicken seasoning
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 avocados
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • Salt and pepper
  • 8 taco shells
  • 3 cups iceberg lettuce, shredded
  • 2 tomatoes, halved and sliced
  • 2 cups tasty cheese, shredded

Method

Place the seasoning in a ziploc bag with the chicken and shake to coat.

Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the chicken until golden and cooked through. Drain on paper towel.

While the chicken is cooking, mash the avocado with the lemon juice, garlic and salt and pepper. Set aside.

Warm the taco shells and arrange the tacos by layering with lettuce, tomato, chicken pieces, cheese and then top with the avocado.

More Mexican recipes

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Note

  • If you don’t have the crispy chicken seasoning you can replace it with a tablespoon of burrito seasoning and 1/2 a cup of breadcrumbs.
  • Kids will love these and I like to set the ingredients out on the table so the kids can make their own.
  • This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.

Tim Tam cake pops

Tim Tam cake pops

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 1 x pkt (200g) Tim Tam biscuits
  • 80g cream cheese
  • lollipop sticks
  • 200g dark chocolate melts
  • fondant decorations

Method

Step 1.  Grab a packet of Tim Tams and the cream cheese.

Step 2. Place them in a food processor and blend until well combined.

Step 3. Roll tablespoon-sized balls of the mixture and lay on a tray covered with baking paper. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes. Remove from the freezer and push lollipop sticks into the balls.

Step 4. In a heatproof bowl, melt the chocolate and dip the balls into the melted chocolate. Tap on the side of the bowl to remove excess chocolate. Lie onto baking paper and decorate.

Notes:

  • I used ready-made fondant decorations from the supermarket but you could also use desiccated coconut, 100s & 1000s, crushed nuts, sprinkles or melted white chocolate.
  • You can also use Mint Slice biscuits in place of Tim Tams for this recipe.
  • This recipe makes 10 cake pops and may easily be doubled or even tripled.
  • These are great to wrap and give as gifts. If you want to display these on a party table, you can place some florist’s foam (Oasis) in a gift box and cover it with tissue paper. Then you can just poke in the pop sticks and serve.
  • This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.

Find related pop recipes

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Red curry prawn noodles

Red curry prawn noodles

Serves:

 

Ingredients

  • 125g dried rice vermicelli noodles
  • 10 green prawns, peeled, deveined and tails removed
  • 2-3 tablespoons red curry paste
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 4 spring onions, cut into 2cm lengths
  • ½ cup (125mL) chicken stock
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • ½ cup coriander leaves
  • 2 lemon wedge

Method

Soak noodles in a bowl of hot water for 10 minutes or until soft, drain and set aside.

Take a deep recovery breath after dealing with the prawns, then slice prawns in half lengthways.

Place prawns in a bowl and mix in the curry paste to coat each prawn.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok over high heat and cook eggs in an ‘omelette’, remove from wok and set aside.

Wipe the wok out with paper towel.

Heat remaining oil and stir fry prawns for 2 minutes, then add noodles and spring onions and stir for another 2 minutes.

Add stock and soy sauce, stir until heated through.

Slice the omelette and stir though.

Divide noodles and prawns between two bowls and garnish with coriander and lemon.

Notes:

  • I use rice vermicelli noodles because they are gluten-free, but they do have an annoying habit of clinging together unless you persist with gently mixing.
  • Substitute with your favourite noodles, such as hokkien or soba.
  • If your kids love prawns, then by all means double or triple the recipe to suit the whole family.
  • This recipe works just as well with a milder curry paste such as korma or satay.
  • Recipe created by Melissa Hughes for Kidspot.

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Make-up compact birthday cake

Make-up compact birthday cake

Serves:

Serves 15

Ingredients

  • 2 store-bought double sponges
  • Meadow Lea or 125g butter, softened
  • 2 1/2 cups icing mixture, sifted
  • 2 drops rose food colouring
  • 20cm aluminium foil
  • 50cm strap black licorice
  • 1 musk stick
  • 1 white marshmallow
  • 2 fruit tingles
  • sprinkles or sugar sands of choice

Method

Cut one edge off both sponges about 1 inch from edge, with a bread knife.

Stand up one of the cakes on its cut edge and move it to butt against the other cake to resemble an open compact. Measure the aluminium foil against the cake, cut or fold the aluminium foil to fit with about 1cm gap to the edge of the cake.

Make the icing by beating butter and icing sugar together until well combined. Add vanilla and food colouring and ensure it has a smooth, spreadable consistency. Add water by the drop if the mixture is too stiff, or add extra icing sugar by the tablespoon until you reach the desired consistency.

Ice the bottom half of the cake and then the top. Fix the aluminium foil to the the top part of the cake – it will stick to the iciing. Stand the top part of the cake up and ice the back of it.

To decorate, cut the strips of licorice with scissors to 5mm widths and arrange around the aluminium foil as a border to the ‘mirror’ and create some boxes or circles on the lower part of the cake to represent blush and/or eyeshadow.

Fill in the gaps with sprinkes/sugar sand, and press down with forefinger into the icing.

Place two fruit-tingles near the connection of the two cakes to represent hinges.

Lastly, place a musk stick and a marshmallow cut to size with scissors for the make up applicator.

Notes:

  • Packaged sponge cakes can be found in large chain supermarkets with a bakery section, you may also order them from your local bakery.
  • You don’t need to use a round cake, use a square on if you like – your only limit is your imagination!
  • This cake is particularly popular with pre-teens, and can be decorated by them, freeing you of cake decorating duties if you so desire!
  • This recipe was created by Melissa Klemke for Kidspot New Zealand’s best recipe finder.

 

Family mince tart

Family mince tart

Serves:

 

Ingredients

  • 2 sheets frozen puff pastry
  • 500g mince
  • 4 rashers short cut bacon, chopped
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • half a red capsicum, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 400g can diced tomatoes or 2 cups tomato passata

Method

Preheat oven to 180C. Place pastry sheets on a work bench to defrost.

Lightly flour two pizza trays or baking trays (my pizza tray has small holes in the centre, which gives a lovely crunchy pastry base).

Heat a large non-stick frypan over medium-high heat. Brown mince, then add bacon and onion and cook for a further 5 minutes. Add capsicum, tomato paste and diced tomatoes. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered for 20 minutes. The mixture should be quite thick, but add some water if it is sticking to the pan.

Place pastry on baking trays, use a knife to score a 1cm border in the pastry. Spoon mince mixture onto pastry within the border. If you have some pastry scraps, twist ribbons of pastry and decorate the top of the tart. Bake for 15 minutes or until pastry is puffed and golden.

Notes:

  • Mince tart was a family favourite when I was growing up and is a fabulous thing to do with mince! Make the meat sauce the day before or use leftover bolognaise sauce and dinner is ready in minutes.
  • Add carrot, celery, peas or mushrooms to the meat sauce, as tolerated by your family.
  • Recipe created by Melissa Hughes for Kidspot.

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Tiny Teddies pool party

Tiny Teddies pool party

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 12 basic cupcakes
  • 12 flat-bottomed ice cream cones
  • 1 tub (453g) Betty Crocker Vanilla Frosting
  • 1 tsp blue food colouring
  • 1 x 250g pkt Tiny Teddies Honey biscuits
  • 1 x 250g pkt Jaffas
  • 1 x 160g pkt Rainbow Sour Straps
  • 1 x pack of Lifesavers

Method

Push the prepared cupcakes into the ice cream cones. (They may be snug and they will be iced over if you damage the tops.)

Add the blue food colouring to the Vanilla Frosting and combine well. Cover the top of each cupcake in icing.

Add the Tiny Teddies to the top to create your beach scene. Place the Lifesavers swim rings on the icing to look like swim rings and roll up one end of the Sour Straps to look like towels with head rests. Scatter the Jaffas to look like beach balls. Place your Teddies onto the icing.

Notes

  • These are cute for beach themed parties and to take to school to celebrate birthdays.
  • I like to fill the bottoms of the cones with lollies so they will sit firmly on the tray, otherwise they are top heavy.
  • If you don’t have time to make cupcakes, you can buy them and decorate.
  • If you can’t get Sour Straps for this recipe, you can use Fruit Roll-Ups as a substitute.
  • This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder.

Find related Tiny Teddy recipes

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Chocolate crackles

Chocolate crackles

Serves:

MakesåÊ15 chocolate crackles

Ingredients

  • 4 cups rice bubbles or rice puffs
  • 1 1/2 cupsåÊ(230g) icing sugar, sifted
  • 1 cup (85g) desiccated coconut
  • 1/4 cup hundreds and thousands (sprinkles)
  • 3 tbsp cocoa or powdered cooking chocolate
  • 250g Copha (vegetable fat)

Method

In a large bowl combine rice bubbles, icing sugar, coconut, hundreds and thousands and cocoa. Mix well.

Melt copha in a small saucepan over medium heat. When completely melted, pour over the dry ingredients.

Mix well, ensuring all ingredients are covered with Copha.

With a spoon, fill cupcake cases and place on a baking tray. Chill in the refrigerator for one hour.

Note

  • Crackles can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.
  • You can substitute the hundreds and thousands with coloured sprinkles or cachous if you wish.
  • This is a party favourite and no birthday party is complete without chocolate crackles!
  • Thanks to our sister company Kidspot Australia for creating the instructional video.
  • This recipe was created by Melissa Klemke for Kidspot, New Zealand’såÊbest recipe finder.

Baked cherry cheesecake

Baked cherry cheesecake

Serves:

Ingredients

  • 2 cups plain sweet biscuit crumbs (I used McVite’s Digestive
    biscuits)
  • 75g unsalted butter, melted
  • 375g Philadelphia cream cheese, softened
  • 500g ricotta
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 tablespoons cornflour
  • 2 tablespoons cold water
  • 1 ½ cups caster sugar
  • 1 ½ cups morello cherries (I buy the 680g glass jar)
  • Finely chopped zest and juice of 1 lemon
  • Fresh cherries, to decorate
  • 1 teaspoon icing sugar, to dust

Method

Butter the base of a 22cm springform pan and line with non-stick baking paper. In a bowl, combine biscuit crumbs and melted butter. Press firmly into the base of the pan and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 150°C.

Mix cornflour and water together in a small bowl to make a runny paste. Place cream cheese in a food processor and whiz until smooth, add ricotta and whiz again to combine. Add the eggs, cornflour mixture, sugar, lemon zest and juice. Whiz until all combined. Pour 2/3 of the cream cheese filling into pan, sprinkle cherries over, and then cover with remaining cheesecake mixture.

Place onto a baking tray (just in case there is overflow or seepage from the springform pan). Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Check to see if the cheesecake is set in the middle, if not, bake for another 10-15 minutes.

Cool in pan, then run a knife around the edge of the pan, release sides of pan and transfer to a serving plate. I leave the cheesecake on the base of the pan.

Refrigerate until cold or needed. Just before serving, top with fresh cherries and dust with icing sugar (place icing sugar in a tea strainer and sprinkle from a height). What an impressive dessert! Serve with thick cream.

Related Christmas recipes:

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • I love baked cheesecake. And the lemon and cherries in this version cut through the richness. A nice cool alternative to Christmas pudding.
  • Best of all, cheesecake can be prepared a day or two ahead of serving and kept nice and cold in your overloaded fridge. Added bonus: the taste improves while you are worrying about the turkey, doing a last minute clean of the house and wrapping presents at 11pm on Christmas Eve!
  • Store leftover cherries in the jar in the fridge and use later in muffins or cakes.

Savoury teddy scones with beef and mash

Savoury teddy scones with beef and mash

Serves:

 

Ingredients

  • 5 potatoes, peeled and chopped
  • 1 tspn butter or margarine
  • 2 tbsn milk
  • 1 tbsn olive oil
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 large or 2 small onions
  • 1 carrot, peeled and diced
  • 1 zucchini, diced
  • 310g minced beef
  • 2 field mushrooms, diced
  • 2 tbsn instant gravy powder
  • 1 tbsn stock powder (vegetable or beef)
  • 1 cup water

For the Teddy scones:

  • 1 cup Self Raising Flour
  • 2 tbsn chilled butter or margarine, cubed
  • 2 tbsn cold water
  • 3 tbsn grated cheese
  • 1 tbsnn parmesan cheese
  • A little extra flour for rolling out

Method

Preheat the oven to 220 degrees Celsius.

Fill a saucepan with water and bring to the boil. Add the potatoes and leave until soft cooked.

Meanwhile, put a large fry pan on the stove on high heat. Drizzle in the oil when hot.

Add the garlic and onions and fry until clear, stirring so they don’t stick.

Add the mince, stirring until browned. Stir in the carrot, mushrooms, zucchini and leave on a low heat. After a few minutes, stir in the gravy and stock powder, then pour in the water. Leave on low heat, stirring occasionally. A gravy will begin to form after a few minutes. Leave to simmer for about 10 minutes.

While the gravy thickens and the mince cooks through, test the potatoes in the saucepan to check cooked. They should feel soft when poked with a knife.

Strain potatoes to drain the water then add back to the saucepan. Mash thoroughly until smooth. Mix in butter or margarine and milk. An easy way to do this is with a whisk as it ensures really fluffy mash.

Pour the mince and gravy mix into a casserole dish. Spoon out your mashed potatoes in a ‘mountain’ on top.

For the teddy scones, sift the SR flour into a large bowl. Massage in butter or margarine with your hands. You want the mixture to resemble breadcrumbs. The Teddy stage is a great way to get the kids involved. Stir in the cheese.

Use a dinner knife to mix in the water, stirring until the mixture turns into dough. Sprinkle some flour on the bench, and turn out the dough onto it. Sprinkle a bit more flour on the dough. Roll out to about 1 centimetre thick and cut out shapes with a cookie cutter. This dish is called Teddies on the Mountain as we always use a teddy bear shaped cookie cutter, but you can easily substitute it for any shape. The kids can have great fun cutting out shapes.

Continue rolling out and cutting shapes until all the dough is gone. Place your ‘Teddies’ on top of the pile of mash, spread out so the don’t touch. They will rise a bit while baking.

Bake for 30 – 40 minutes depending on your oven. It’s done when the scones are risen and golden brown.

Spoon into bowls, making sure everyone gets a few teddy scones (or whatever other shape you’ve chosen).

Notes

  • Though a bit fiddly, this recipe is a great way to get the kids involved in making the cute teddies appear on the mountain.
  • You can change the shape of the teddies to anything that might please the kid’s stars, crowns, angels, whatever!
  • It’s a great way to sneak in some extra veggies. The carrot, zucchini and mushroom can easily be substituted for any left over veggies.
  • Can easily be converted to dairy free by using soy milk instead of milk and replacing cheese with herbs and stock powder.
  • Can be converted to vegetarian by using more vegetables or soy mince if preferred.
  • This recipe was created by Lauren Rowland for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder

Serving Suggestions

Note

Tuna burgers

Tuna burgers

Ingredients

  • 2 eggs
  • 1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
  • 1 tbsp horseradish
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 can tuna
  • 2 spring onions, finely chopped
  • 1 celery stalk, chopped
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • hamburger buns

Method

In a bowl, lightly beat eggs.

Mix in bread crumbs, horseradish, mustard, pepper and salt.

Drain tuna and mix into bowl along with onions and celery. Shape into thick patties.

In nonstick skillet or BBQ, heat oil over medium heat.

Cook patties, turning once, for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and add to your bun.

 

Heavenly Hash

Heavenly Hash

Serves:

 

Ingredients

  • 500 grams lean mince
  • 420 gram can of condensed vegetable soup
  • 420 gram can of tomato soup
  • Vermicelli pasta (egg noodles) 1/4 to 1/2 pkt
  • Small can of corn
  • Water

Method

Brown mince add vegetable soup add tomato soup add water as necessary to avoid it becoming too thick .

Add the pasta but crush or break it up first.

Let it all simmer then serve.

Great to freeze and makes approx 4-6 meals.

Serving Suggestions

Note

Beef pot roast

Beef pot roast

Serves:

 

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup flour (to coat roast in)
  • 1 rump roast 11/2-2kg
  • salt and pepper
  • 3 carrots, roughly chopped
  • 2 large onions, roughly chopped
  • 4 celery sticks, roughly chopped
  • 6 cloves of garlic, chopped
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3 cups of water

Gravy

  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 4 cups beef stock
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Roll the roast in plain flour.

In your cast iron pot, heat the vegetable oil and sear each side for 4-5 minutes. Add the vegetables, garlic, and bay leaves and enough water to come to 1/3 the way up the roast.

Cover and roast for 3 1/2 -4 hours.

When done, remove from the pot and set aside. Strain the liquid to remove all solids and place the roast back in the pot to keep warm.

Gravy

In a saucepan, melt the butter and stir in the flour to make a roux (flour butter mixture). Cook for about 3 minutes until it becomes a light brown.

Whisk in the Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, pot liquids and stock. Cook until it reaches the desired gravy consistency.

Season to taste with fresh salt and pepper.

Slice the roast and serve with the gravy and some seasonal roasted vegetables.

Find related recipes for the man of the house.

Serving Suggestions

Note

  • I love this recipe and have made it over and over.
  • If you don’t have a cast iron pot you can sear this in a frying pan and roast it in a casserole dish.
  • You need to be REALLY careful of the fat when searing the roast.
  • The gravy complements this roast and you may like to add only half the brown sugar depending on your own tastes.
  • This recipe was adapted by Jennifer Cheung from a Rachael Ray recipe for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder

Bunny Butt Pancakes

Bunny butt pancakes

Serves:

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (150g) self-raising flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup (250ml) milk
  • 30g butter
  • 1 banana
  • 24 choc chips
  • 32 white mini marshmallows

Method

Step 1. In a large bowl, combine flour and baking powder. Add egg and milk and whisk until well combined.

Step 2. Melt butter in a large non-stick frypan over medium heat. Use a spoon to create pancake shapes. You will need one large circle for the body, a smaller circle for the head, two small circles for the feet and two triangles for the ears. Cook for 1-2 minutes until bubbles appear on the surface. Flip and cook for a further 1-2 minutes. Remove to a plate and keep warm.

Step 3. Peel banana and slice into 8 pieces. Top small pancake circles with a slice of banana and three choc chips to create feet.

Step 4. Arrange pancakes on plate. Start with the ears. Top with the head piece, slightly overlapping, then the body piece. Finally, carefully place the decorated feet overlapping the bottom of the body. Arrange mini marshmallows to create the fluffy tail.

  • This recipe was created for Kidspot, New Zealand’s best recipe finder by Greer Worsley, who blogs at Typically Red.

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