Ingredients Nutrition

1 3/4 cups self-raising flour, sifted

2 tablespoons cocoa powder, sifted

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup milk

125g butter, melted

1/2 cup milk chocolate chips

380g can caramel Top ‘n’ Fill, stirred

1/4 cup roasted salted peanuts, chopped

300ml tub thickened cream, whipped

white mini marshmallows, milk chocolate chips, extra, and chopped roasted salted peanuts, extra, to decorate

Sauce

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa powder, sifted

2 cups boiling water

Method

Step 1

Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan-forced. Combine flour, cocoa and sugar in a bowl. Add milk and butter. Stir well. Stir in chocolate chips.

Step 2

Spoon half the batter over base of a 10 cup-capacity ovenproof dish. Level with a spatula. Top with caramel, spreading with spatula. Sprinkle with peanuts. Spoon remaining batter over the top. Carefully spread batter evenly, making sure it goes to the edge of dish.

Step 3

Make Sauce. Combine sugar, cocoa and boiling water in a heatproof jug. Pour sauce over the back of a large spoon, over top of pudding. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until top is just firm. Stand for 5 minutes. Dollop with whipped cream and decorate with marshmallows, extra chocolate chips and peanuts. Serve immediately.

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Ingredients

185g unsalted butter, melted

1/4 cup (25g) good-quality cocoa, sifted

1 cup (220g) caster sugar

2 eggs

1 cup (150g) plain flour, sifted

50g dark chocolate, melted, cooled

Mint topping

1/3 cup (75g) caster sugar

1 bunch mint, leaves picked

250g cream cheese

3 eggs

1/2 tsp peppermint extract (see note)

100ml thickened cream

2-3 drops green food colouring

Method

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 160°C and grease and line a 20cm square loose-bottomed cake pan with baking paper.

Step 2

Place butter, cocoa, sugar, eggs and flour in a bowl and mix well to combine. Press firmly into the prepared pan and bake for 15 minutes or until set. Allow to cool completely.

Step 3

Meanwhile, for the mint topping, place sugar, mint and 1/2 cup (125ml) water in a saucepan over low heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium and simmer for 3 minutes, then set aside to cool completely. Strain the sugar syrup into a jug, discarding the solids. Place the cream cheese in a food processor and whiz for a few seconds to soften. Add cooled sugar syrup, eggs, peppermint extract, cream and food colouring and process until smooth.

Step 4

Pour the cheesecake mixture into cake pan then tightly wrap the base of the pan with foil to make it watertight. Place the cheesecake in a deep baking dish and fill with enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Bake for 25 minutes or until topping is just set – the cake may have a slight wobble but it will firm on cooling. Remove from the oven and cool completely, then chill for 2 hours or until firm.

Step 5

Cut cheesecake into slices, drizzle over the cooled melted chocolate and serve.

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Servings:28 ounces

Ingredients

1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large banana, sliced

3 tablespoons light brown sugar

1/4 cup dark rum

pinch of ground cinnamon

1/2 cup cold whole or lowfat milk

8 medium scoops French Vanilla ice cream, softened until just melty at the edges

Directions: 

For the bananas Melt the butter in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat and heat until it stops foaming. Add the bananas and brown sugar, stir to help melt the sugar and coat the bananas, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the bananas are soft and saucy, about 2 minutes.

Add 3 tablespoons (1½ ounces/45 milliliters) of the rum, allow it to warm for a few seconds, and carefully wave a lit chimney match over the pan until the rum ignites.

Allow the rum to burn until it extinguishes, about 30 seconds. Off the heat, add the cinnamon, stir to combine, and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.

For the shake Place the bananas, sauce, milk, and remaining 1 tablespoon (½ ounce/15 milliliters) of rum in a blender and blend to mix thoroughly, about 30 seconds. Add the ice cream and pulse several times to begin breaking it up.

With the blender motor off, use a flexible spatula to mash the mixture down onto the blender blades. Continue pulsing, stopping, and mashing until the mixture is well blended, thick, and moves easily in the blender jar, roughly 30 to 90 seconds. Pour into a chilled glass or glasses, and serve at once.

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Ingredients

4 ripe bananas, peeled

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup packed light brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 cup banana liqueur

1/2 cup dark rum

1 pint Vanilla Ice Cream, recipe follows, or good quality store bought vanilla ice cream

Directions

Cut the bananas in half across and then lengthwise.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and cinnamon and cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Add the bananas and turning, cook on both sides until the bananas start to soften and brown, about 3 minutes. Add the banana liqueur and stir to blend into the caramel sauce. Carefully add the rum and shake the pan back and forth to warm the rum and flame the pan. (Or, off the heat, carefully ignite the pan with a match and return to the heat.) Shake the pan back and forth, basting the bananas, until the flame dies.

Divide the ice cream among 4 dessert plates. Gently lift the bananas from the pan and place 4 pieces on each scoop of ice cream. Spoon the sauce over the ice cream and bananas, and serve immediately.

Vanilla Ice Cream:

2 cups heavy cream

2 cups whole milk

3/4 cup sugar

1 vanilla bean, split in 1/2 lengthwise

6 large egg yolks

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Servings:18 cannolis

Ingredients

1 32-ounze container part-skim ricotta cheese

3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup mini chocolate chips

18-24 cannoli shells, pre-baked

Directions: 

In a medium bowl, stir together the ricotta cheese, confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract and chocolate chips.

Turn a resealable plastic storage bag inside out and spoon filling into one end. Carefully turn the bag right side out and snip a small hole in end containing filling. 

To pipe into shells, start from the center of the shell out to one end and repeat on opposite side. Dust with additional confectioners sugar for garnish if desired.

*Set up a Cannoli Bar!

Portion flavored fillings (you can add a 1/2 teaspoon of extracts like orange, chocolate, peppermint... to the above filling)into plastic baggies and arrange alongside unfilled shells with a variety of toppings. Let your guests make their own masterpieces.

Divide basic cannoli filling (minus the mini chocolate chips) equally into three small bowls. Create orange, almond and chocolate flavored fillings by adding one of the following to each:

½ teaspoon orange zest

½ teaspoon almond extract

¼ cup cocoa powder

Suggested toppings: chopped pistachios, almond slivers, chocolate shavings, flaked coconut.

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Servings:4

Ingredients

1 box elbow macaroni

3/4 stick butter

8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 cups Cheez-Its, crushed

Salt and pepper, to taste

chopped chives, to garnish

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Boil macaroni until it's tender. 7-10 minutes (check firmness). Strain and set aside. 

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan, then add a splash of cream. Add a handful of cheese and stir until combined. Add another splash of cream and stir again, add more cheese and stir again. Repeat this process until you only have a little cheese left (reserve that to sprinkle on top).

Return macaroni to pot, pour cheese sauce on top and stir. Pour into an oven-safe pan or casserole dish. Stir in some crushed Cheez Its and salt and pepper.

Sprinkle remaining cheese and Cheez-Its on top.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until Cheez -Its are lightly toasted on top. Serve with a chive garnish

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Servings:4

Ingredients

4 pounds chicken wings at room temperature

1 cup sriracha hot chili sauce

1/3 cup honey

3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1 stick unsalted butter

1 tablespoon kosher salt

3 quarts vegetable oil for frying

Directions: 

Heat the oil to 350ºF in a deep fryer or a very large pot.

Fry the wings in 3 or 4 batches, 10 to 12 minutes per batch.

While your wings are frying, preheat the oven to 200ºF and place fried wings on a baking sheet in the oven to keep warm while the other batches are frying.

In a saucepan, melt the butter over low heat, then mix in sriracha, honey, vinegar and salt. 

Transfer wings to a large bowl, toss with the sriracha mixture to coat and serve immediately.

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