CRANBERRY & ALMOND BISCOTTI

This free Cranberry & Almond Biscotti Recipe make the best tea time treats! Use almond extract instead of vanilla for a stronger almond flavour!

Ingredients


2 ¼ cups flour
1 cup white sugar
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 egg whites
2 eggs
1 Tblsp vanilla essence
¾ cup sliced almonds
1 cup dried cranberries (sweetened)


Method

• Preheat oven to 170°C.
• In a mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients together. 
• In a separate mixing bowl whisk the eggs, egg whites, vanilla or almond essence together.
• Add the egg mixture to dry the ingredients, using an electric mixer, mix on medium speed until just moist.
• Add the dried cranberries and almonds and mix well.
• On a floured surface, divide the mixture in half and gently shape each half into a log approximately 35cm long and 4cm thick. 
• Place on a baking tray and bake for about 30 minutes or until firm. 
• Cool on a wire rack.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 150°C.
• Cut biscotti into 1.5cm thick slices and place on baking tray and bake for an additional 20 minutes. 
• Allow to cool and store in a loosely covered container.

Makes about 30

APRICOT CRUMBLE TREATS

This free Apricot Crumble Treats Recipe makes the most delicious tea time treats! Sticky caramelised apricot jam between a crunchy shortbread base and crumble on the top! Feel free to substitute the apricot jam for strawberry or any other jam for a variety of flavours mmm!

Ingredients


250ml apricot jam
750ml self-raising flour
3/4 cups brown sugar
1 extra large egg
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 pinch salt
250g margarine, softened


Method

• Preheat the oven to 180°C.
• In a large mixing bowl add the flour, salt and margarine and mix well.
• In a separate bowl beat the sugar, egg and vanilla essence.
• Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and fold in to form a dough.
• Take one third of the dough and refrigerate. 
• Press the remaining two thirds of the dough flat into a greased, rectangular baking dish that is about 30cm x 20cm and at least 6cm deep. 
• Spread the jam evenly and thickly across the dough.
• Take the chilled dough and use a grater to grate it evenly over the jam.
• Bake in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes or until the topping is nicely browned
• Allow standing for 5 minutes, cut into squares before it cools.

Makes about 12 squares depending on the size.

FRUIT & NUT BISCOTTI

Biscotti are very crunchy Italian biscuits/cookies, which are great to dip into coffee or wine. Biscotti means ‘twice baked cookies’. Biscotti contain nuts and sometimes dried fruit is added. Try this amazing free Fruit & Nut Biscotti Recipe!

Ingredients


60ml butter
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 cup castor sugar
3 extra large eggs
250g organic flour
3ml bicarbonate of soda
125ml seedless raisins
180ml sultanas
180ml mixed nuts


Glaze:
1 egg
1 Tblsp water
2 Tblsp castor sugar, plus extra for sprinkling


Method

• Beat the butter, vanilla essence and castor sugar together.
• Add eggs one at a time beating after each addition. 
• Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients and stir though.
• Place dough on a floured surface and knead until smooth but still slightly sticky.
• Divide dough into two and shape into logs.

Glaze

• Mix the egg, water and castor sugar together and brush logs with glaze.
• Sprinkle with a little extra castor sugar. 
• Bake in a preheated oven at 150°C for 20 minutes and cool for 3 hours.
• Slice into 1cm thick biscuits. 
• Preheat oven to 150°C (fan on).
• Lay biscotti in a single layer on a baking tray and bake for 15 minutes or until crisp, turning halfway through baking time.

Makes about 50

LEMON SQUARES

Try this lovely free Lemon Squares Recipe that will make your mouth with a divine sweet but tart lemony flavour!

Ingredients


Base:
250g butter at room temperature
85g icing sugar
625ml cake flour


Topping:
2 – 3 lemons
4 eggs
400g castor sugar
5ml baking powder


Method

• Grease a deep cake tin (23cm x 23cm x 4cm) with butter and line the bottom with grease baking paper.
• Beat the butter and icing sugar until light and creamy.
• Add 500ml of the flour to the creamed mixture and beat or knead with hands until it forms a dough ball.
• Press the dough into the bottom of the prepared cake tin and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 180°C.
• Place the cake tin into the oven and bake the crust for 15 minutes and remove from the oven and set aside to cool while you prepare the topping.

Topping:

• Grate the zest of 2 lemons with a fine grater.
• Juice the lemons (about 90ml required).
• Beat the eggs and castor sugar until well combined.
• Add the remaining cake flour, baking powder, lemon zest and juice, beat well.
• Pour the mixture onto the baked crust and return to the oven for about 30 minutes or until the topping has set.
• Allow to cool in the cake tin, dust with a little icing sugar and cut into squares.

Makes 12 – 16 squares

GINGER SHORTBREAD

If you love ginger then this free Ginger Shortbread Recipe is for you… This recipe is very easy & makes the most divine Ginger Shortbread… Best served with a nice hot cup of tea or coffee!

Ingredients


500g butter
250g castor sugar
500g cake flour
250g corn flour
60ml glace ginger in sugar syrup, drained & finely chopped


Method

• Preheat the oven to 160°C and grease two rectangular (20cm x 30cm) baking tray.
• Cream the butter and castor sugar together until light and creamy.
• Sift the cake flour and corn flour together and add the ginger.
• Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix thoroughly until a dough is formed.
• Divide the dough mixture and press into the baking trays.
• Prick the dough with a fork and mark out bars or squares.
• Bake for 1 hour or until golden brown.
• Sprinkle castor sugar on the top after baking.

Makes about 30 squares or bars

HEALTHY SEED & BRAN RUSKS

This free recipe makes the most amazing Healthy Seed & Bran Rusks…This recipe is full of bran flakes, digestive bran, seeds and raisins which make the rusks high in fibre.

Ingredients


500g butter
350ml brown sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
500ml buttermilk
1kg self-raising flour
10ml baking powder
200g all bran flakes
500ml digestive bran
150ml raisins
100ml sunflower seeds
30ml sesame seeds
30ml linseeds


Method

• In a saucepan melt the butter and sugar together, set aside to cool.
• Add the eggs and buttermilk to the butter mixture.
• Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together.
• Add the bran flakes, digestive bran, raisins and seeds to the dry ingredients and stir in the egg mixture.
• Shape the dough into balls and place next to each other in a greased baking tray.
• Bake in a preheated oven at 170°C for 45 to 50 minutes.
• Turn out onto a wire cooling rack, cool slightly and break into rusks.
• Place the rusks onto wire racks and stand them on baking trays.
• Reduce the oven temperature to very low and return the rusks to the oven and allow them to dry out for 8 to 10 hours.
• Store the rusks in airtight containers.

Makes about 40

CHEESE & SMOKED PAPRIKA BISCUITS

This free Cheese & Smoked Paprika Biscuit Recipe makes the most amazingly light & tasty savoury biscuits… Very quick & easy to make!

Ingredients


410ml cake flour
5ml smoke paprika
a pinch of salt
180g butter
560ml mature cheddar cheese, grated


Method

• Add the smoked paprika and salt to the flour.
• Rub the butter into the flour mixture and then stir in the grated cheese.
• Knead the mixture to form a smooth dough.
• Roll out thinly onto a lightly floured surface, use a biscuit cutter to cut out different shapes.
• Place biscuits on greased and lined baking trays and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for about 10
• minutes or until golden brown.
• Allow to cool on the tray before placing on a cooling rack.

Makes about 30 biscuits

M&M COOKIES

This free M&M Cookie Recipe is one of the best cookie recipes in the world! The kids will love these cookies they are full of chocolate… Great to serve as a party snack or an anytime sweet treat… Substitute the M&M’s for Astro Chocolates if you cannot get your hands on M&M’s.

Ingredients


125g butter, softened
250ml sugar
1 large egg
375ml cake flour
10ml baking powder
100g pecan nuts, chopped
250g M&M’s or Astro chocolates


Method

• Beat the butter and sugar together and then beat in the egg.
• Sift the dry ingredients together and mix into the beaten mixture.
• Stir in the nuts and then the chocolates.
• Spoon teaspoonfuls of mixture onto greased and lined baking trays.
• Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 10 to 12 minutes.
• Cool the biscuits on the trays before removing.

Makes about 50 cookies

PEANUT & DATE COOKIES

Ingredients


5ml grated orange rind
80ml sultanas
80ml seedless dates, chopped
140ml peanuts, chopped
135ml butter
100ml castor sugar
1 large egg
230ml self-raising flour
250ml cornflakes, lightly crushed


Method

• Mix the orange rind, sultanas, dates and peanuts together in a bowl.
• Cream the butter and sugar together until light and creamy.
• Add the egg and beat well.
• Fold in the flour and stir in the fruit and nut mixture.
• Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Roll the mixture into small balls and then roll in the crushed cornflakes.
• Place onto greased baking trays and bakes for 12 – 15 minutes until golden brown.

Makes about 40 cookies

HOT-CROSS BUN COOKIES

This free hot-cross bun cookie recipe is great, they really look like hot-cross buns…Spoil your family this Easter with these delicious spicy fruity cookies.

Ingredients


250g butter, softened
250ml icing sugar, sifted
625ml cake flour
3ml baking powder
Pinch of salt
10ml ground mixed spice
125ml mixed raisins and sultanas, roughly chopped
50g white chocolate, melted


Method

• Beat the butter and icing sugar together until creamy.
• Stir in the dry ingredients, raisins and sultanas.
• Roll the mixture into 2 log shapes and cover with plastic wrap.
• Refrigerate for an hour or 2, until firm.
• Cut the logs into 1cm thick slices and place on greased baking trays.
• Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 12 – 15 minutes, until light golden brown.
• Remove from trays and cool on a wire cooling rack.
• Spoon the melted chocolate into a sealable plastic bag or a paper piping bag.Cut off one of the corners of the bag and carefully pipe melted chocolate in the shape of a cross over each biscuit.
• Allow the chocolate to set completely before packing the cookies between layers of greaseproof paper.

Makes about 25 cookies

COCONUT BISCUITS

Ingredients

100g margarine

310ml cake flour

50g castor sugar

5ml baking powder

150ml desiccated coconut

1 egg

60ml smooth apricot jam

A little extra coconut for decorating

Method

• Rub the margarine into the flour.
• Stir in the sugar, baking powder and coconut.
• Bind into a stiff paste with the egg and knead well.
• Roll out to just under 10mm thickness on a lightly floured board.
• Cut into rounds, re-rolling and cutting and place on a greased baking sheet.
• Prick with a fork and bake at 180°C for 15 – 20 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and brush with jam and sprinkle a little coconut on top.

LEMON BISCUITS

This free lemon biscuit recipe is amazing!!  

Ingredients

310ml flour

5ml baking powder

200ml corn flour

120g margarine

125ml yellow sugar

2 egg yolks beaten

Grated rind of 2 lemons

Icing

250ml icing sugar

25ml lemon juice

Method

• Sift the flour, baking powder and corn flour into a mixing bowl.
• Melt the margarine, add the sugar and stir until dissolved.
• Stir in the yolks and lemon rind.
• Add to flour mixture, stirring until well mixed.
• Wrap the dough in wax paper and chill for 30 minutes.
• Roll the dough into sausages, cut into slices and place on a greased baking tray.
• Bake at 200°C for 10 minutes.
• Leave on the tray for a minute then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Blend the icing sugar with lemon juice and spread over biscuits before serving.

CHOCOLATE FRIDGE CAKE

Ingredients

250g margarine
1 egg
2 tblsp milk
2 tblsp cocoa
1 tsp vanilla essence
500g icing sugar
1 packet marie biscuits

Method

• Melt the margarine.
• Beat the egg, milk, cocoa, vanilla, icing sugar with the melted margarine together.
• Break up the marie biscuits and place in a greased dish then pour over chocolate mix.
• Leave to set in fridge.

PEANUT BUTTER CUPS

Ingredients

1 ¾ cups cake flour
2,5ml salt
5ml baking powder
½ cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup peanut butter
1 egg, beaten
5ml vanilla essence
2 Tblsp milk
40 miniature chocolate covered peanut butter cups, unwrapped

Method

• Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder together, set aside.
• Cream the butter, sugar, peanut butter and brown sugar together until fluffy.
• Beat in the egg, vanilla essence and milk.
• Add the flour mixture and mix well.
• Shape into 40 balls and place each into an ungreased mini muffin pan.
• Bake in a pre-heated oven at 190°C for about 8 minutes.
• Remove from oven and immediately press a mini peanut butter cup into each ball.
• Cool and carefully remove from the muffin pans.

Makes 40

CHOCOLATE CRUNCHIES

Ingredients

125g margarine

80ml soft brown sugar

60ml syrup

690ml rolled oats

125ml desiccated coconut

175g cooking chocolate, melted

Method

• Melt the margarine, sugar and syrup.
• Stir in the oats and coconut.
• Pour into a greased baking tray and press with a fork.
• Top with the melted chocolate, spreading over with a knife.
• Bake at 180°C for 15 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and cut into squares.
• Allow to cool on a wire rack.

CARROT COOKIES

Ingredients

125ml butter

315ml brown sugar

2 eggs

315ml flour

1 ½ cups nutty wheat

85ml wheat germ

85ml bran flakes

3ml baking powder

Pinch of salt

5ml cinnamon

500ml rolled oats

250ml sultanas

250ml shredded carrots

Method

• Beat the butter and sugar together until light and creamy.
• Beat in the eggs one at a time.
• Add remaining ingredients and mix well.
• Drop teaspoonfuls of mixture into a greased baking sheet.
• Bake at 180°C for 10 – 12 minutes or until golden brown.
• Place on a wire rack to cool.

JAM SQUARES

Ingredients

500ml cake flour
15ml baking powder
1ml salt
125g butter, softened
25ml cooking oil
100 ml sugar
1 extra large egg
apricot or strawberry jam

Method

• Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together.
• Cream butter, oil, sugar and egg together.
• Add flour mixture to egg mixture and mix to a dough.
• Roll two thirds of the dough thinly into a greased pie dish.
• Spread apricot jam over the dough.
• Grate the remaining dough roughly over the top.
• Bake till the top dough starts to brown on the middle rack of the oven at 180°C.
• Remove from oven, cut in squares and cool.

SUGAR BISCUITS

Ingredients

½ cup margarine
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 tblsp milk
½ tsp vanilla essence
2 ½ cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt

Method

• Cream margarine and sugar together.
• Add egg, milk and vanilla essence.
• Add dry ingredients and mix well.
• Refrigerate for about 1 hour or longer to allow the dough to stiffen.
• Roll out onto a floured surface and cut into shapes or make small balls, flatten and decorate.
• Place on a greased baking tray and bake at 190ºC for 8 – 10 minutes.

Optional: May be decorated with icing.

NUTTY BISCUITS

Ingredients

250g margarine
1 cup sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
pinch of salt
1 cup flour
1 cup oats
1 cup unsalted peanuts
1 cup corn flakes
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp baking powder

Method

• Cream margarine and sugar together.
• Add egg and mix.
• Add dry ingredients and mix well.
• Place wallnut sized balls of dough onto a greased baking tray and press down with a fork dipped in flour.
• Bake 180ºC for about 12 minutes

Makes 4 dozen biscuits

GINGER BISCUITS

Ingredients


125 g syrup
90 g margarine
60 g sugar
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tsp ginger
2 tsp mixed spice
2 tsp cinnamon
2 cups flour


Method

• Melt all ingredients together (except flour)
• Add the flour and mix.
• Place walnut sized balls onto a greased baking tray and flatten
• Bake in a preheated oven for 15 minutes at 160°C for 15 minutes.