The sweetest thing

Bake some joy in the kitchen to either give as pressies or enjoy yourself!

GIANT FRECKLE COOKIES MAKES 20 PREP 25 MINS + CHILLING COOK 35 MINS

250g butter, softened 1 cup caster sugar 395g sweetened condensed milk

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract 3½ cups self-raising flour 4 x 50g boxes Smarties

1 Preheat oven to 180°C. Lightly grease and line two oven trays with baking paper.

2 In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar together. Beat in condensed milk. Add eggs and vanilla, beating well.

3 Fold flour into in butter mixture until well combined. Cover and chill 30 mins

4 Divide dough into 4. Roll out each piece between 2 sheets of baking paper to 1cm thickness. Chill in freezer 10 mins. Cut out 9cm rounds from dough. Press Smarties onto each cookie.

5 Working in 3 batches, transfer to oven trays, 6cm apart to allow for spreading. Bake 10-12 mins. Cool on tray 5 mins before transferring to wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining cookies.

APPLE TEACAKES

MAKES 8 PREP 15 MINS COOK 20 MINS

125g butter, softened ²⁄³ cup caster sugar ½ tsp almond essence 2 eggs

1¼ cups self raising flour, sifted

½ cup desiccated coconut

2 small red apples,cored, finely sliced TOPPING

40g butter, melted 2 tbsp honey, warmed

¼ cup flaked almond, toasted

1 Preheat oven to 180ºc. Lightly grease a tray of eight, ² ⁄ ³-cup mini loaf pan. Line bases and long sides with strips of baking paper.

2 In a mixing bowl, using

an electric mixer, cream butter, sugar and essence together until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold flour and coconut through.

3 Spoon mixture evenly among pans until ½ full. Arrange apples slices over top of each. Bake 20 mins or until cooked when tested.

4 TOPPING Place butter and honey in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on mediumhigh 1 min, stirring once, until butter has melted and mixture is bubbling. Brush over cakes and sprinkle with almonds. Cool in pan 5 mins. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

ONE-POT BROWNIE JARS MAKES 1 JAR OF 16 BROWNIES PREP 15 MINS COOK 35 MINS

1 cup plain flour

½ tsp baking powder 1-litre capacity clear wide-lipped jar 1 cup caster sugar ¹⁄³ cup cocoa powder, sifted

¾ cup dark chocolate bits

¾ cup milk chocolate bits

¾ cup mini marshmallows

ADD

150g butter

2 eggs, whisked

1 Sift flour and baking powder into a bowl. Spoon mixture into jar. Top with a layer of sugar, then cocoa. Top with dark chocolate bits, milk chocolate bits and then marshmallows. Seal jar (see Tip).

2 To cook, preheat oven to 160ºc. Lightly grease and line a 20cm square cake pan with baking paper.

3 In a medium saucepan, melt butter on low heat. Cool 10 mins. Whisk in eggs. Add all ingredients from jar. Mix well. Spoon mixture evenly into pan, smoothing surface.

4 Bake 30-35 mins. Set aside to cool in pan. Cut into squares to serve. Store in an airtight container.

TIP If you are giving this jar as a gift, be sure to write out steps 2-4 of this method and attach to the jar, noting the recipient will need to add 150g butter and 2 eggs.