Chocolate and banana brownies

 Ingredients
200g light soft brown sugar

175g Cadbury Dairy Milk, broken into pieces

175g unsalted butter, diced

100g self raising flour

2 tbsp Bournville Cocoa Powder

1 tsp baking powder

3 medium eggs, beaten

2 ripe medium sized bananas, mashed



Method
 1. Preheat oven to 180⁰C, gas mark 4. Grease and line a 30x20cm Swiss roll tin with baking parchment.

2. Melt the sugar, chocolate and butter in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. When melted , remove from the heat and mix well to combine the melted ingredients.

3. Sift the flour cocoa and baking powder into a bowl. Add the chocolate mix, eggs and bananas and stir well to combine.

4. Pour into the tin and push the mixture into the edges. Bake for 25-30 minutes until just firm in the centre. Cool in the tin, then turn out and cut into 24 pieces.

Loved this recipe!!! I added nuts to the brownies I made.
Taken from this site  

Apricot Chocolate Chip Cake

Ingredients

1 cup chopped dried apricots

1 cup apricot nectar

125g butter

2/3 cup raw sugar

2 eggs separated

1  1/2 cups coconut

1  1/2 cups self-raising flour

1/2 cup choc bits

1.  Grease a deep 20cm round cake pan.

2.  Combine apricots and nectar in bowl, stand 1 hour.

3.  Cream butter and sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy.

4.  Beat in egg yolks one at a time until combined.

5.  Stir in coconut, then half the sifted flour and half the apricot mixture.

6.  Stir in remaining flour and apricots, then choc bits.

7.  Beat egg whites in small bowl until soft peaks form. Fold into mixture, spread into prepared pan.

Bake in moderate oven for about 1  1/4 hours. Stand 5 minutes before turning on to wire rack to cool.

Dust with sifted icing sugar if desired.

Pineapple Cake With Crunchy Coconut Topping

Ingredients
450g crushed pineapple
125g butter
1/2 cup castor sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups self raising flour

COCONUT TOPPING
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup plain flour
1/2 cup coconut
90g butter

1. Grease a 20cm ring pan. Drain pineapple, reserve 1/2 cup syrup.
2. Cream butter and sugar in small bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in eggs one at a time, until combined.
4. Transfer mixture to large bowl, stir in half the sifted flour and half the reserved syrup, then remaining flour and syrup.
5. Spread half the mixture evenly over base of prepared pan.
6. Top with well-drained pineapple and half the topping.
7.Spread with remaining cake mixture, sprinkle with remaining topping.
Bake in moderate oven for about 50 minutes. Stand 5 minutes before turning on to wire rack to cool.

COCONUT TOPPING: Combine sugar, flour, coconut in bowl, rub in butter.
(Before starting with my cake mixture, I mixed the coconut topping first then set it aside.)

Bread recipe

Makes

1 loaf

Ingredients

• 450g (3 cups) plain bread flour (see note)
• 1 tbs (12g/2 sachets) dried yeast
• 2 tsp caster sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 250ml (1 cup) warm milk
• 2 tbs melted butter

Method

1. Combine flour, yeast and sugar in a large bowl. Stir in salt. Make a well in the centre. Add milk and butter.
2. Use a wooden spoon to stir the mixture until well combined, then use your hands to bring the dough together in the bowl. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic.
3. Brush a large bowl with olive oil to grease. Place the dough in the bowl and cover with a damp tea towel. Set aside in a warm, draught-free place to prove for 45 minutes-1 hour or until the dough has almost doubled in size.
4. Punch down the centre of the dough with your fist. Turn onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 2 minutes or until the dough is elastic and has returned to its original size. You can make bread or buns from this mixture.
   

PAVLOVA

Prep Time: 20mins. Cook Time: 1 3/4 hours Serves: 12

Ingredients
8 egg whites
2 cups caster sugar
1 tsp cornflour
1 tsp white vinegar
2 x 300ml tubs thickened cream
Extra 1 tblsp caster sugar
Sliced strawberries, banana, kiwifruit
and passionfruit pulp, to serve



1. Grease a 26cm x 36cm baking dish. Line base and sides with baking paper, extending paper 5cm above two long edges of pan.
2. Wash large bowl and beaters of an electric mixer in hot, soapy water. Rinse, then dry well. Place egg whites in warm bowl. Beat on high speed until soft peaks form. With motor operating, sprinkle 1 tblsp sugar at a time over egg whites, beating between additions. After adding sugar, scrape down side of bowl.
3. Continue beating for 8 minutes, or until meringue is smooth and glossy. Add cornflour and vinegar. Beat until just combined. Spoon mixture into prepared dish. Smooth surface.
4. Cook in a very slow oven (120C) for about 1 hour, or until pavlova is lightly browned and crisp on top. Turn off oven. Cool in oven, with door ajar, for 2 hours. Transfer dish to a wire rack and leave until cold. Invert pavlova onto a wire rack covered with a sheet of baking paper. Remove paper from base. Invert pavlova onto a chopping board.
5. Beat cream and extra sugar in the small bowl of an electric mixer until firm peaks form.
6. Spread cream over pavlova. Arrange strawberries, banana and kiwifruit over top. Drizzle with passionfruit pulp.

Note: Undecorated pavlova can be made up to a day in advance. Store in an airtight container.

Lemon Coconut Meringue Slice

This recipe is from: The Australian Women's Weekly Cakes & Slices Cookbook.
It's easy to prepare.

This shortbread base requires kneading to make it crisp!

90g butter
2 tablespoon castor sugar
3/4 cup plain flour
1/3 cup cornflour
400g can sweetened condensed milk
2 eggs, separated
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup castor sugar, extra
1/2 cup desiccated coconut
1/2 cup flaked coconut

1. Cream butter and sugar in a small bowl with mixer.
2. Gradually add sifted flour and cornflour, turn on to lightly floured surface.
3. Knead for 5 minutes.
4. Spread evenly over base of prepared pan.
5. Bake in moderate oven 15 minutes or unitl lightly browned.

• Combine condensed milk, egg yolks, lemon rind and juice in a bowl, pour over base.
• Bake further 10 minutes.
• Beat egg whites in small bowl until soft peaks form, gradually add extra sugar, beat until dissolved.
• Add desiccated coconut, spread over filling.
• Sprinkle with flaked coconut, bake further 10 minutes or until golden brown.
• Cool in pan before cutting.

FROSTED CHOCOLATE CAKE

125g butter
1/2 cup castor sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup self-raising flour
2 tablespoon cornflour
2 tablespoons cocoa
3/4 cup milk

Chocolate frosting
90g butter
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
1 tablespoon cocoa
2 tablespoon milk, approximately

1. Grease 20 cm ring pan, line with grease paper
2. Combine butter, sugar and eggs in processor, process for a few seconds until combined.
3. Add dry ingredients and milk, process until mixture is smooth and changed in colour.
4. Spread into prepared pan.
5. Bake in moderate oven for about 35 minutes.
6. Stand 2 minutes before turning on to wire rack to cool.
7. Spread cold cake with frosting; decorate with walnut halves.

Chocolate frosting

• Beat butter in small bowl with electric mixer until creamy.
• Gradually add sifted icing sugar and cocoa and milk, beat until frosting is spreadable.