Australia Day is fast approaching, so to help you out with all those engagements you’ve got coming up, we’ve got a bunch of easy Australian recipes coming your way. Today’s recipe is for a good ‘ol Aussie favorite – lamingtons! But the twist is these ones are gluten free and studded with raspberries to take advantage of the beautiful produce we have in Australia these summer months.

The ingrediens aren’t too scary – most you can pick up from any good supermarket these days including the coconut oil and water. The coconut flour you might do a bit more searching for, but is usually readily available at health food shops.

GLUTEN FREE
RASPBERRY LAMINGTONS

6 free range eggs
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp honey
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
70g coconut flour
2 tsp baking powder
150g frozen raspberries
100 ml coconut water
200g dark chocolate, at least 70% cocoa, chopped
200g shredded coconut

1. Preheat your oven to 160C. Grease and line a 23cm square cake tin.
2. Whip the eggs, vanilla and honey for 10 minutes until light and airy. Add the coconut oil and mix until well combined.
3. Sift in the coconut flour and baking powder and gently stir together until just combined.
4. Pour the cake batter into the lined cake tin and smooth over evenly. Stud the cake mix with the raspberries at even intervals.
5. Place the cake in a moderate oven and cook for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when pricked into the center of the cake. Transfer cake to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.
6. Meanwhile, heat the coconut water in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Pour the coconut water over the chocolate and stir until you have a smooth ganache.
7. Cut the cake in half. Turn one half over and spread thinly with a little chocolate ganache. Place the second half, right side up, on top. Place cake in the fridge to set for 15 minutes.
8. Cut the cake into 8 squares and brush lightly with the chocolate ganache. Roll each square in the shredded coconut and place on a tray. Place the lamingtons back in the fridge for 15 minutes to set before serving.

Makes 8

Following on from our Gluten Free Raspberry Lamingtons for Australia Day, today we are bringing you another Aussie classic – pavlova! Today’s twist is that it’s a deconstructed version. By layering all the components of a traditional pavlova in stemless wineglasses, you can create an easy, elegant dessert in under 30 minutes!

DECONSTRUCTED AUSSIE PAVLOVA

125g blueberries
125g raspberries
250g strawberries, halved
200g white chocolate, melted
600ml thickened cream
1 tbsp icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
100g mini meringues
mini Australian flags (optional)

1. Line a baking tray with grease proof paper.
2. Dip each strawberry in the melted white chocolate, shake off any excess and place on the prepared tray. Place in the fridge for 15 minutes or until chocolate is just set. Reserve remaining chocolate.
3. Beat cream, icing sugar and vanilla until firm peaks form.
4. In 6 x stemless wine glasses, alternate layers of cream mixture, berries and meringue. Drizzle with remaining melted chocolate, place an Australian flag in each and serve immediately.

Makes 6

Our final post for Australia Day is a recipe for Peach Melba cake. Peach Melba is a classic dish of poached peaches served with raspberry sauce and ice cream, first invented in 1892 in honour of the Australian soprano, Nellie Melba. This cake is an interpretation of that dish, with a peach upside down cake served with a raspberry sauce. It’s a simple dish that’s easy to prepare and sure to be a hit at your Australia Day BBQ.

PEACH MELBA CAKE

1kg can peach slices in juice, drained well
185g butter, softened, chopped
3/4 cup caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 3/4 cups self-raising flour
1/2 cup milk
300g fresh or frozen raspberries
2 tbsp icing sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice
double cream, to serve

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Line a 23cm round cake tin with greaseproof paper.
2. Arrange the peach slices in two circles at the bottom of the cake tin, overlapping the peaches slightly.
3. Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla together until light and creamy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Sift in the flour and add the milk, stirring together until just combined. Pour the cake batter over the peaches and gently smooth the surface.
5. Place the cake in a moderate oven and cook for 45-50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Allow cake to cool completely in the tin before turning it out onto a cake stand.
6. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan add the raspberries, icing sugar and lemon juice and cook over medium heat, breaking up the raspberries with the back of a wooden spoon, until you have a thick syrup. Remove sauce from heat and allow to cool completely before refrigerating until needed.
7. Serve the cake with cream and the raspberry sauce.

Serves 12

Today is Anzac Day here in Australia, and in remembrance of our soldiers who fought at war we traditionally make Anzac Biscuits. It was claimed the biscuits were sent by wives to soldiers abroad because the ingredients do not spoil easily and the biscuits kept well during naval transportation. As I don’t really like the taste of Anzac biscuits, I’ll be making these cheese biscuits instead, a recipe passed on to me by my late Grandmother Jean.

240g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
120g cold butter, cubed
60g grated cheddar
50g grated parmesan, plus extra for sprinkling
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp dijon mustard
2 tbsp cold water

1. Preheat oven to 180C.
2. In a food processor, process the flour, butter, cheeses, salt, cayenne, and mustard until it resembles fine crumbs.
3. With the motor running, add enough of the cold water until the mixture clumps into a ball (you may not need it all, depending on your butter).
4. Remove dough from food processor and divide into 3 portions. Roll each potion out into a log shape 3-4cm in diameter, using a little extra flour to stop the dough sticking to the work bench.
5. Wrap each log in cling wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes until firm. Slice logs into biscuit shapes approximately 5mm thick and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Sprinkle each biscuit with a little extra parmesan, then bake in a moderate oven for 15-20 minutes until beginning to brown. Remove and allow to cool. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Makes approx. 50

Recently, my dad invited me to dinner and I was tasked with bringing dessert. With summer just around the corner, I wanted to create something delicious AND healthy, so came up with these chia puddings with strawberry and rhubarb compote. With only 2 tablespoons of caster sugar in the entire dish, they are a great way to get that after dinner sweetness without feeling guilty. Plus, chia seeds are packed with omega 3 and paired with the yoghurt and protein powder make these a good source of protein. I’ve used vanilla protein powder to flavour my yoghurt, but feel free to substitute with extra vanilla extract, or leave it out completely for a sharper taste.

CHIA PUDDINGS
W/ STRAWBERRY & RHUBARB COMPOTE

200g white chia seeds
700ml low fat milk
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 punnets (500g) strawberries, halved
1 bunch (5-6 stalks) rhubarb, cut into 3cm lengths
2 heaped tbsp caster sugar
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 1/2 cups low fat greek yoghurt
1/3 cup low carb vanilla protein powder

1. In a bowl, combine chia seeds, milk and vanilla. Leave to absorb in the fridge for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Spoon chia into 6 serving glasses and refrigerate for another 30 minutes or until ready to serve.
2. Meanwhile, in a saute pan over medium heat, add the rhubarb, caster sugar, lemon juice and 1/2 cup water. Cook until rhubarb is just beginning to break up, about 3 minutes. Add the strawberries and cook for another minute or two until the fruit is just tender. Remove from heat, allow to cool slightly before refrigerating until cold.
3. When ready to serve, stir together the yoghurt with the protein powder. Top the chia with yoghurt, then compote and serve immediately.

Serves 6

Christmas is almost here, and if you like many other people still have a few presents to buy, we’ve got a solution for you: bake them a tasty treat. These festive shortbreads are a breeze to whip up, and will keep you out of busy shopping centres. You probably even have all the ingredients in your cupboard already. Just place the cooled biscuits in a nice box, tie with a big bow and voila: beautiful (thoughtful) homemade gift.

The New Year is here and no doubt, many of you have made resolutions to eat better. So today we’re posting a delicious, healthy recipe for cinnamon oats with stewed rhubarb & summer fruit that’ll make sticking to that resolution a whole lot easier. The stewed rhubarb recipe makes more than you need for a single serve, about 4-5 cups, so freeze the leftovers in small batches so you’ll always have some on hand.

Australia Day long weekend is coming up, and if you’re in the mood for a spot of baking we’ve got just the recipes for you. Our Rosemary and Cheese Damper is a tasty spin on an Australian Classic, and is similar to a savoury scone. It’s best served warm on the day it is baked, but will keep for a couple of days in an airtight container – just reheat to serve. If you want something sweet, our Salted Caramel-filled Lamingtons fits the bill. Never made caramel? Don’t be scared. Just use a pot larger then you think you need – when you add the cream and butter, the mixture will expand and bubble up, but hold firm and keep whisking. Nothing to it.

Rosemary and Cheese Damper

Salted Caramel–filled Lamingtons

Easter is right around the corner, and if you want to take the time off to do some baking, or need something to take to that family gathering, we have some recipes for you. Today we’ve got a classic New York Style Cheesecake and some gorgeous Fondant Iced Cookies that are perfect for you to dip into your tea after a long hard day hunting for Easter eggs. Use our shortbread recipe as a base.

Fondant Iced Cookies

New York Style Cheesecake

I love tea – there is something about sitting back, relaxing with a cuppa that I find really enjoyable! This Strawberry and Pear Tea Cake is the perfect accompaniment. Not too sweet, with the fruit keeping it beautifully moist. Serve warm with some sweetened natural yoghurt or double cream and you have a simple to make, impressive tea-time cake to serve up to your guests at morning or afternoon tea.