It’s the most festive time of the year and here are some great recipes for you to enjoy with your loved ones.
Stellar six-layer ice-cream cake
Ingredients:
- 500ml Bulla Strawberries & Cream ice-cream, softened
- 1/4 cup (80g) raspberry jam
- 500ml vanilla ice-cream, softened
- 500ml Connoisseur Matcha Green Tea or Bulla Creamy Classics Mint Choc Chip ice- cream, softened
- 500ml Weis Summer Berries Sorbet, softened
- 450g pkt Coles Bakery Make at Home Unfilled Rectangular Sponge cake
- Frangelico liqueur (optional), to brush
- Mini meringues (optional), to decorate
- Thinly sliced mango, to decorate
- Raspberries, to decorate
- Honeydew melon stars, to decorate
- Mint leaves, to decorate
Method:
Step 1
Line a 10cm x 25cm loaf pan with plastic wrap, allowing sides to overhang. Spoon the strawberry ice-cream into the base and smooth the surface. Place in the freezer for 30 mins or until firm.
Step 2
Spread the jam evenly over the strawberry ice-cream. Top with vanilla ice-cream. Smooth the surface. Place in the freezer for 30 mins or until firm.
Step 3
Spoon green tea or mint choc chip ice-cream over the vanilla ice-cream. Smooth the surface. Return to freezer for a further 30 mins or until firm.
Step 4
Spoon sorbet over the green tea or mint choc chip ice-cream layer. Smooth the surface. Trim cake to a 12cm x 30cm rectangle. Brush with Frangelico, if desired. Place over the sorbet and lightly press to secure. Cover with foil and place in the freezer for 6 hours or until firm.
Step 5
Turn the cake onto a serving plate. Decorate with the meringues, mango, raspberries, melon stars and mint. Serve immediately.
Chilli & Garlic Prawn Bruschetta
Ingredients:
- 12 slices sourdough bread
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 4 spring onions, thinly sliced
- 2 long red chillies, deseeded, finely chopped
- 2 mango, cheeks removed, finely diced
- 36 cooked tiger prawns, peeled, deveined
- 1 bunch coriander, sprigs picked
- lime wedges, to serve
Method:
Step 1
Preheat a large chargrill or barbecue grill on medium. Place bread slices onto a flat surface. Combine oil and garlic in a bowl. Brush garlic oil on both sides of bread. Cook bread slices for 3 minutes each side or until golden and charred.
Step 2
Combine spring onion, chilli, mango and prawns in a large bowl. Spoon mixture onto chargrilled bread, top with coriander sprigs and serve with lime wedges.
Source: https://www.woolworths.com.au/shop/recipedetail/8315/chilli-garlic-prawn-bruschetta
Chicken and roast pumpkin pastry wreath
Ingredients:
- 800g butternut pumpkin, peeled, deseeded, cut into 3cm pieces
- 1 red onion, cut into thin wedges
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 400g chicken breast
- 300g fresh ricotta
- 1 cup firmly packed combined fresh basil and parsley leaves, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 80g (1/2 cup) sundried tomato halves, drained
- 1 egg
- 445g packet Carême shortcrust pastry, just thawed
- Plain flour, to dust
- Mixed or white sesame seeds, to sprinkle
- Tomato relish, to serve (optional)
Method:
Step 1
Preheat oven to 210C/190C fan forced. Line a large baking tray with baking paper. Place pumpkin and onion on the lined tray. Drizzle with 1 tbs oil. Season. Roast for 25-30 minutes, tossing halfway through cooking time, until golden and tender. Set aside for 10 minutes to cool. Transfer to a tray lined with paper towel to cool completely and absorb excess liquid.
Step 2
Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1/2 tbs oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Season chicken. Cook, turning, for 10 minutes or until chicken is golden (chicken will not be completely cooked through). Set aside to cool. Cut chicken into 3cm pieces. Set aside on a plate lined with paper towel to drain.
Step 3
Combine ricotta, herbs, pine nuts, lemon rind and garlic in a bowl. Season. Add the chicken and tomatoes to pumpkin mixture. Gently toss to combine.
Step 4
Whisk egg and 1 tsp water in a bowl. Place the pastry sheet, long side facing you, on a lightly floured sheet of baking paper. Spread ricotta mixture lengthways in a 9cm-wide strip down centre of pastry. Top with pumpkin mixture. Brush edges of long sides with egg. Bring pastry sides up and over to enclose filling. Roll tightly and lay seam-side down. Place in the fridge for 15 minutes to chill slightly. Remove from fridge and brush inside of short ends with egg. Bring ends together to form a circle and press to seal. Place in the fridge for 15 minutes to rest.
Step 5
Carefully transfer wreath on baking paper to a large baking tray. Brush with egg. Use a small sharp knife to score the top. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Cool on the tray for 15 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter. Serve with tomato relish, if you like.
The team at ULTIQA Hotels & Resorts wish you a merry and bright festive season ahead!
Feature Image: Stellar six-layer ice-cream cake – www.taste.com.au