Author Archives: Helen Jackson

Fiesta Cake

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fiesta cake
Tres leche cake, or three milk cake, is the cake to beat all cakes! It demands
a party and perhaps that’s why it is one of the most popular desserts for
birthday and wedding celebrations in Mexico. This is my version, complete
with a fresh fruit filling.
Nici Wickes
Serves 10–12
You will need:
6 eggs, separated
¾ cup caster sugar
1½ cups plain flour
1½ tsp baking powder
2 tbsp rice bran oil
½ cup milk (optional)
1 x 395 g can sweetened
condensed milk
1 cup evaporated milk
½ cup whole milk
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp rum (optional)
300 ml fresh cream,
whipped
1 cup cut fresh fruit (I like
strawberries or mango)
¼ cup chopped almonds
(optional)
sprinkles, for decoration
Frosting
75 g butter, softened
2 cups icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp milk

Spicy Baked Yoghurt Chicken Drumsticks

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Drumsticks (2)

 

 

One of my favourite ways to serve a meal is as a platter of deliciousness, wherewe all sit around and build our own little snacks, adding as much chilli or cooling yoghurt as we like. These drumsticks are wickedly spicy and so, so good.
Nici Wickes

Makes 10 drumsticks

Albert Squares

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AlbertSquare_0108 (2)

Helping Gran as she baked a treat, then sitting at morning or afternoon tea with her and her friends as she shared the baking has special memories for me and my brother and sister. In this recipe, adding a little lemon zest
to the base or to the icing will make it a bit different. Make sure you don’t
cook it too long, as it will dry out quickly.
Natalie Oldfield

 

Italian Bomboloni – Dean Brettschneider

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bomboloni

 

These small Italian doughnuts are half doughnut and half filling. They taste amazing andcan be eaten in one or two bites. Before you know it, you’ve eaten the whole lot. Make sure to fry these doughnuts to a rich dark brown colour so they have a thin crisp coating, then toss them in the sugar almost immediately. Pipe cream or jam into them while they are hot and the dough is still soft on the inside.

Reproduced with permission from Baked  by Dean Brettschneider. Published by Penguin Group NZ. RRP $45.00. Copyright © 2013 Marshall Cavendish International (Asia) Pte Ltd.

Slow Roasted Leg of Lamb

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SLow roasted lamb fl


I like legs of lamb completely cooked with not a sign of pink.
When they are cooked long and slow the meat is tender and moist, it falls off the bone and is absolutely delicious!  Some say that the meat needs high heat first to caramelise the outside but I find that the skin is always golden and crisp.
The only problem is the potatoes, the heat is too low for good roasted vegetables.
I think therefore you should par boil them and when the lamb is resting increase the oven heat and roast the vegetables.

 

Farro Risotto with Asparagus and Broad Beans

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farro risotto

 

Farro is an ancient grain full of fibre and nutrients,  it has a nutty flavour and a great texture that makes a change from rice.  Our link will take you to Sabato, one of the stockists and importers of farro.
I find that farro needs less liquid than rice risotto, it takes longer to cook but absorbs less liquid.

Nici Wickes’ Italian Ricotta and Sultana Dessert

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ricotta dessert

Wine match: Selaks Reserve Gisborne Waipara Gewurztraminer Riesling
I love this honey-scented cake because it is so easy to make and can be served warm, or made ahead and served at room temperature, paired with whatever fruits are in season.

1 cup sultanas

4 eggs

5 Tbs sugar

3 heaped Tbs plain flour

2 heaped Tbs liquid honey (or any honey warmed slightly to liquid)

Zest of one lemon

250 g ricotta cheese

1 cup thick yoghurt

½ tsp ground cinnamon

1 Tbs sugar, to serve