Seagar - Great Baking Recipes

Photography Jae Frew

Wonderful baking doesnt have to be difficult. These 10 much-loved recipes are easy to follow, quick to prepare and sure to impress. Theyre from my bestselling cookbooks Its Easier than you Think and Everyday Cooking, and I guarantee youll be calling on them time and time again. Jo Seagar

300 g butter, cut into cubes

300 g dark chocolate, roughly chopped

6 eggs

2 cups caster sugar

1 cups flour

cup baking cocoa

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup whole raspberries (fresh or frozen)

cup extra chopped chocolate

Preheat the oven to 170C. Line a 25 x 35 cm sponge-roll tin with non-stick baking paper.

Gently melt the butter and chocolate together in a large microwave-proof bowl in the microwave, or gently heat over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring until blended.

Beat the eggs and caster sugar until pale and creamy, then add the melted butter and chocolate. Sift the flour and cocoa together and add to the chocolate mixture with the vanilla. Mix until well combined. Pour into the prepared tin and sprinkle with the raspberries and extra chopped chocolate.

Bake for 2530 minutes. Cool in the tin and cut into slices when cold. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days, or freeze.

Makes a large slice 2024 pieces

INGREDIENTS

2 cups flour

1 cup self-raising flour

1 cup desiccated coconut

2 cups brown sugar

3 cups rolled oats

2 eggs

300 g butter, melted

FOR THE FILLING

200 g butter

2 x 400 g cans sweetened condensed milk

4 tablespoons golden syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla

cup dark and white chocolate melts, melted, to decorate (optional)

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180C. Line a large 25 x 35 cm slice or sponge-roll tin with non-stick baking paper, making sure the paper has a good overhang, and coat with non-stick baking spray.

Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl. Then add the eggs and the melted butter, mixing well. Press two-thirds of the mixture into the tin.

To make the filling, gently melt the butter, condensed milk and golden syrup together. Mix until well blended, then add the vanilla. Pour over the base and sprinkle the remaining crumbly mixture on top.

Bake for 30 minutes. Cool in the tin and refrigerate. To get beautiful slices, its best to leave it until the next day to cut it.

If decorating, drizzle with melted dark and white chocolate before serving. This slice will keep in an airtight container for 710 days.

Makes 12

INGREDIENTS

125 g butter, softened

cup brown sugar

2 eggs

5 feijoas, insides scooped out and mashed with a fork

grated rind and juice of 1 lemon

cup milk

1 cups self-raising flour

teaspoon mixed spice

2 tablespoons poppy seeds

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180C. Coat a 12-cup muffin tray with non-stick baking spray.

Beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring between each addition. Stir in the mashed feijoas, lemon rind and juice, and milk. Mix in the flour, mixed spice and poppyseeds until just combined. Spoon the mixture into the prepared muffin tray.

Bake for 1520 minutes until lightly browned.

Makes 1618 slices

INGREDIENTS

300 g pumpkin, peeled and chopped into small pieces

400 g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 eggs

cup oil (rice bran or canola)

cup milk

cup bran

1 cups self-raising flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

teaspoon salt

teaspoon ground white pepper

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon sunflower seeds

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180C. Coat a 12 x 22 x 7 cm loaf tin with non-stick baking spray and line with non-stick baking paper.

Place the pumpkin pieces in a microwave-proof bowl and cook on high for 68 minutes until soft. Transfer to a food processor with the chickpeas and process to a smooth consistency. Add the eggs, oil and milk and mix well. Then add the bran, flour, baking powder, salt, white pepper and cinnamon. Pulse until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Spoon into the prepared loaf tin and sprinkle the top with sunflower seeds.

Bake for 5055 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the loaf comes out clean.

Cool for 510 minutes in the tin, then turn out on a wire rack to cool completely before slicing. This loaf will keep in an airtight container for 57 days.

Makes 2628

INGREDIENTS

125 g butter

2 tablespoons cold water

2 tablespoons golden syrup

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup long-thread coconut

1 cup flour

1 cup brown sugar

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 160C. Line 2 oven trays with non-stick baking paper.

Put the butter, cold water and golden syrup in a medium to large saucepan over a moderate heat and melt the butter, almost bringing the mixture to the boil. Add the baking soda and remove from the heat. Mix in the dry ingredients until well combined.

Roll the mixture into small walnut-sized balls and place on the prepared trays. Press flat with a fork, allowing a little room between each for the biscuits to spread.

Bake for 1518 minutes. Allow to cool on the trays for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. These will keep in an airtight container for 23 weeks.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup sugar

3 tablespoons water

4 eggs, separated

teaspoon vanilla

1 cups cornflour (make sure it is not wheaten cornflour)

1 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder

teaspoon salt

whipped cream to fill

peaches or strawberries to fill

icing sugar to dust

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180C. Coat 2 shallow 21 cm sponge tins with non-stick baking spray and line the bases with non-stick baking paper.

Place the sugar and water in a microwave-proof bowl or a small saucepan and bring to the boil in the microwave or on the stovetop.

Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff. Slowly drizzle in the hot sugar and water mixture while the mixer is still running. Then beat really hard. Mix in the egg yolks and vanilla. Sift the dry ingredients, then carefully fold them in to the egg mixture be very gentle with the folding process. Carefully pour the sponge mixture into the prepared tins.