I have no idea of the quantities I used. Maybe 2 cups icing mix, 125g butter and a handful of strawberries? A dash of milk to improve consistency.
Method
Mix icing mix and butter together (turns out you should actually cream the butter first. This causes a lighter colour and texture)
Mash and strain strawberries to remove seeds.
Mix it all together and check consistency. Add a little milk if needed. If you can’t spread it, it’s too thick (add milk), if it runs off your spatula, it is too thin and needs more icing mix.
Dice mushrooms, dates and onion (set aside separately)
Soak dates in enough boiling water to cover them, in order to soften them
Drain and rinse chickpeas.
Brown meat and onions then add in mushrooms and dates (include soaking water).
Boil off the liquids
Add all other mince ingredients (tomatoes, chickpeas and spices)
Reduce until slightly runnier than spaghetti bolognese sauce
Make couscous by combining ingredients, stirring and letting sit for 6 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve
Notes:
Maybe use 1 cup dates, 1 TSP corriander and add in the onion and paprika… Also may need an extra can of tomatoes (800g). Trying to replicate a friend’s recipe…
This is a recipe adapted from the Women’s Weekly Best Ever Kid’s Cake book. The toffee comes from Women’s Weekly Cooking Class Cookbook.
Total Time: 2 hours 20 mins approx.
Time for cake: 40 mins
Time for toffee: 30 mins + 1 hour to set
Makes 1 cake, enough to feed almost 20 people (small serves due to richness)
Ingredients
Cake
360g Yummy Dark Chocolate
Butter
water
Brown sugar
Spelt flour
Cocoa powder
Baking soda
(I’ll find the exact amounts soon)
Toffee
3 cups sugar
1 cup water
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 drops of yellow food colouring, 1 drop of red
Other for assembly
TV snacks
Cocoa Buttercream icing
extra cocoa
1 dark flake (85g)
1 milk chocolate flake (85g)
Method
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C
Combine the chocolate, butter, sugar and water over low heat until smooth, stirring continuously (sugar will burn quickly).
Sift together flour, cocoa and baking soda.
Add the liquid mix and stir until combined.
Line 2 same sized round baking pans with baking paper and oil. Divide mixture between pans evenly.
Cook for 15-20 mins until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
Cool on a wire rack.
Toffee
Place all ingredients in the smallest pot they fit in (they should fill about half the pot).
On low heat, dissolve the sugar, stirring continuously. As sugar gets deposited on the side of the pot use a pastry brush dipped in water to wash the sugar back down. This helps to avoid burning of those small amounts of sugar.
Once all sugar is dissolved, bring to a rapid boil for 15 or so minutes. To test if the toffee is done, use cold (fridge) water, drop a small amount of mixture in. If it “cracks” then the toffee is ready. If not, continue boiling and testing every minute or so. Be careful not to over-boil and burn the toffee.
When ready, immediately place the pan in a bath of cold (tap) water. This stops the cooking process. After a few minutes, pour the toffee onto a large sheet of baking paper. You can make different shapes by allowing non-uniform edges to be poured.
Allow to set on the bench top. Do not place in the fridge and avoid humid environs. This will cause the toffee to go sticky.
When set, break into fire shaped pieces (triangular/ wavy…).
Assemble
Create a cocoa butter cream icing.
Place one cake on the cake board and cover with icing.
Place the other cake on top and cover with icing. Use a wet spatula to help smooth the top of the cake, but don’t worry about the sides (just make them neat).
Sift some cocoa powder on top of the cake to make it look like dirt.
Place TV snacks around the cakes as shown.
Creatively place the broken toffee in the middle of the cake.
Cut flakes into thirds and arrange around the flames.
Beth's Baking 