Murdoch Books Test Kitchen - Sweet

Spiced treacle gingerbreads

Makes about 36

140 g unsalted butter, cubed and softened

115 g ( cup) dark brown sugar

90 g ( cup) treacle, preferably black

1 egg

250 g (2 cups) plain flour

30 g ( cup) self-raising flour

3 teaspoons ground ginger

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

teaspoon ground cloves

teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

Tinted icing

1 egg white

teaspoon lemon juice

125 g (1 cup) icing sugar, sifted

assorted food colourings

Lightly grease two baking trays. Beat the butter and sugar until light and creamy, then beat in the treacle and egg. Fold in the combined sifted flours, spices and bicarbonate of soda. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 10 minutes.

Divide the dough in half and roll out between two sheets of lightly floured baking paper to a 4 mm thickness. Lay the dough on the trays and chill for 15 minutes until just firm. Preheat the oven to 180C (350F/Gas 4).

Cut out the dough using a 7 cm heart-shaped cutter. Using a 1 cm plain cutter, cut a hole at the top of each heart. (You can thread these with ribbon to hang up the biscuits.) Lay on the trays and bake for 10 minutes. Leave for 5 minutes, then cool on a wire rack.

To make the icing, whisk the egg white until foamy. Add the lemon juice and sugar and stir until glossy. Tint the icing any colour you want, then spoon into paper piping bags, seal the end and snip off the tip. Decorate the biscuits with the icing.

Apricot and macaroon slice

Makes 16 pieces

100 g unsalted butter, softened

90 g (1/3 cup) caster sugar

1 egg

185 g (1 cups) plain flour

teaspoon baking powder

Filling

250 g (11/3cups) dried apricots, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon Grand Marnier

2 tablespoons caster sugar

Topping

100 g unsalted butter

90 g (1/3 cup) caster sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

2 eggs

270 g (3 cups) desiccated coconut

40 g (1/3 cup) plain flour

teaspoon baking powder

Preheat the oven to 180C (350F/ Gas 4). Lightly grease a 20 x 30 cm baking tin and line with baking paper. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and beat well. Sift the flour and baking powder and fold into the butter mixture with a metal spoon. Press firmly into the tin and bake for 2025 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool.

To make the filling, combine the apricots, Grand Marnier, sugar and 125 ml ( cup) boiling water in a bowl. Set aside for 30 minutes, then pure in a food processor. Spread evenly over the cooled base.

To make the topping, cream the butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs, beating well after each addition. Fold in the coconut, flour and baking powder with a large metal spoon.Spoon onto the apricot leaving it lumpy and loose do not press down. Bake for 2025 minutes, or until lightly golden.

Macadamia and white chocolate cookies

Makes about 25

180 g (11/3 cups) macadamia nuts, lightly toasted (see )

1 egg

140 g ( cup) soft brown sugar

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

125 ml ( cup) oil

60 g ( cup) plain flour

30 g ( cup) self-raising flour

teaspoon ground cinnamon

30 g ( cup) shredded coconut

130 g ( cup) white chocolate bits (chocolate chips)

Roughly chop the toasted macadamia nuts and set them aside.

Using electric beaters, beat the egg and sugars in a bowl until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and oil. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the sifted flours, cinnamon, coconut, macadamia nuts and chocolate, and mix well. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180C (350F/Gas 4). Grease and line two baking trays.

Form rounded tablespoons of the mixture into balls and place on the baking trays, pressing the mixture together with your fingertips if it is crumbly. Bake for 1215 minutes, or until golden. Cool slightly on the trays, then transfer to a wire rack.

Variation: Dark chocolate bits can be used instead of white chocolate.

Pecan brownies

Makes 16 pieces

125 g dark chocolate

90 g unsalted butter, softened

250 g (1 cup) caster sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

2 eggs

80 g (2/3 cup) plain flour

30 g ( cup) cocoa powder

teaspoon baking powder

125 g (1 cup) roughly chopped pecan nuts

Preheat the oven to 180C (350F/ Gas 4). Grease a 17 cm square tin and line the base with baking paper, hanging over two opposite sides.

Chop the chocolate into small even- sized pieces and place in a heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan of water to the boil and remove from the heat. Sit the bowl over the pan ensure the bowl doesnt touch the water. Stand, stirring occasionally, until melted. Cool slightly.

Beat the butter, sugar and vanilla with electric beaters until thick and creamy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the chocolate.

Fold in the sifted combined flour, cocoa and baking powder with a metal spoon, then fold in the pecans. Spoon into the tin and smooth the surface. Bake for 3035 minutes, or until firm and it comes away from the sides of the tin. Cool in the tin, remove and cut into squares.

Coconut and pineapple slice

Makes 24 pieces

20 g (1/3 cup) shredded coconut

90 g ( cup) self-raising flour

50 g ( cup) plain flour

140 g ( cup) soft brown sugar

2 tablespoons sunflower seeds

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

70 g ( cup) chopped macadamia nuts

60 g (1/3 cup) chopped dates

1 tablespoon chopped glac ginger

45 g ( cup) desiccated coconut

230 g tin crushed pineapple, drained

100 g unsalted butter, melted

2 eggs, lightly beaten

Icing

250 g (2 cups) icing sugar

30 g unsalted butter, melted

1 tablespoons lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 170C (325F/ Gas 3). Spread the coconut evenly on a baking tray and toast for 58 minutes, or until lightly golden. Grease a 20 x 30 cm shallow baking tin and line with enough baking paper to overlap on the longer sides this will make the slice easier to remove once baked.

Sift the self-raising and plain flours into a large bowl. Add the brown sugar, seeds, macadamia nuts, dates, ginger and desiccated coconut. Stir in the pineapple, melted butter and beaten egg, and mix well.