Chocolate Lamingtons

Lovely sweet bitesize tea time treat.

For Cakes:

4oz Margarine

4oz Castor Sugar

4oz SR Flour

2 Eggs beaten with 2tbsp of milk

For Coating:

3oz Icing Sugar

1oz Cocoa Powder

Desiccated Coconut

Make cake by beating sugar and margarine till light and fluffy.

Beat in eggs and milk, then fold in flour.

Put cake mix in greased and lined square cake tin, and bake till risen and golden brown, leave to cool completely.

Sift icing sugar and cocoa into bowl, make well in middle and add 1-2 tbsp boiling water and mix till smooth, but not too runny.

Cut cake into small squares, and using 2 forks to dip each square into the chocolate mix, then dip into coconut.

Leave to set on parchment paper.

Enjoy!

Coconut Tartlets

This is another of Mums recipes that brings back memories.
I had some pastry left from the almond tarts, so made these.

Grease and line a 12 cupcake tray with the pastry using a round cutter.

For Filling:

4oz Margarine
4oz Castor Sugar
2 Eggs (beaten)
4oz Desiccated Coconut
Strawberry Jam

Beat together margarine and sugar until light and fluffy.
Bet in eggs and coconut.

Add 1/2 tsp jam in bottom of pastry tarts, then add 1 dessert spoon of cake mix in each, spreading and sealing the edges.

Bake Gas 6, until risen and golden brown.

Enjoy!

Coconut Meringue Slices

These are lovely and light, and ideal for afternoon tea.

Base:
3oz Margarine
4oz Sugar
2 Egg Yolks
6oz SR Flour
pinch Salt

Topping:
2 Stiffly beaten egg whites
2oz Desiccated Coconut
4oz Sugar
1oz Chopped Nuts
1oz Chopped Glace Cherries

For the base, cream margarine and sugar then add rest of ingredients, and mix till combined (quite a stiff mixture).
Spread on base of greased tray bake tin and press down.

Mix all the ingredients for the topping and spread evenly over base mix.

Bake for aprox 20 minutes (Gas 4) until pale brown.
Allow to cool in tray, before cutting into slices.

Picnic Slices

A quick and easy recipe, and so delicious!

8oz Dark or Milk Chocolate
2oz Butter
4oz Castor Sugar
1 Beaten Egg
4oz Dessicated Coconut
2oz Sultanas
2oz Glace Cherries

Line and grease a swiss roll tin with greaseproof paper.
Melt chocolate in bowl over hot water, pour into tin and let it set.

Cream butter and sugar, then add all other ingredients and mix well.

When chocolate set, spread coconut mix on top, then bake in oven, Gas 3, for aprox 30 minutes until golden brown.

Leave to cool, then turn out onto cutting board and cut into slices with sharp knife.

Enjoy!

Poached Caramel Pears

For this recipe I used 3 pears, but you can do as many as you like, ideal for showing off when you have friends over for dinner, and so simple..

Soft pears
Red wine
Nestles caramel covering
Chocolate
Coconut or chopped nuts

Firstly peel pears keeping stalk and slice a little from the bottom of the pear ( this helps them to stand up).

Put about 1/3 of a bottle wine in saucepan with pears and simmer for 20 minutes, keep turning so they get equal coverage.
Remove and let drain on kitchen paper.

When cool cover with caramel and place on grease proof paper.

Melt a little chocolate in bowl over pan, or in microwave, and dip pears in to cover bottom half, then immediately dip in coconut or chopped nuts.

Hope you  enjoy these as much as I did!

Coconut Snowballs

This is a quick and easy recipe and they can be frozen.

6oz condensed milk
12oz desiccated coconut
pinch salt
2 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp cream of tartar
3 tbsp icing sugar
2 large egg whites

glace cherries for decoration

Whisk egg whites and tartar till forms peaks, add icing sugar a little at time, then continue to whisk till peaks form.

In another large bowl mix together coconut, condensed milk, salt and vanilla thoroughly.

Fold coconut mixture into egg whites.

Line 2 baking trays with non stick parchment paper.

Roll mix into balls and place on trays, add half a cherry on tops.

Bake in centre of oven, Gas 5 for aprox 15-20 mins until lightly brown.

Leave on trays to cool slightly before transferring to wire rack to finish cooling.

Enjoy!

Lime and Coconut Biscuits

Lovely light buttery biscuit, very moreish!

14oz plain flour
7oz butter
8oz castor sugar
2 eggs (beaten)
1tsp bicarb
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1/2 tsp salt
2 limes
4oz coconut

Sift flour, bicarb, salt and sugar into large bowl.
Add butter and coconut and mix till combined and like breadcrumbs.

Grate limes on small grater to gather zest, then juice both limes.

Mix lime zest into mixture.
Beat eggs in separate small bowl or jug, add vanilla and lime juice, then add to biscuit mixture and mix till combined.

Place mix on floured surface and knead lightly, ( the mix will be a little sticky at this stage)
Put in fridge for 30 minutes.

Grease 2 large baking sheets.
Remove biscuit mix from fridge, and divide into 4, roll out one portion at a time on generously floured surface, and use small biscuit cutter of your choice.
Place on tray very widely spaced, as they will spread, prick with fork gently.
Place in middle/top of oven, Gas 4 and bake 10-15 minutes, or until lightly brown.
When you remove from oven, lightly sprinkle with castor sugar and place on cooling rack.

This recipe makes quite a generous batch! You can divide the ingredients in half, or use lemons instead of limes.

Enjoy!

NB: on a personal note, do not grate thumb on grater and get lime juice in! :)