Apple Strudel with Cinnamon Sauce

INGREDIENTS
4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored
1/4 cup caster sugar
1 vanilla pod, split, seeds scraped
1/2 cup almond meal
75g sultanas (optional!)
12 sheets filo pastry
75g unsalted butter, melted
Icing sugar, to dust

CINNAMON SAUCE
300mL thick cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 egg yolks
15g caster sugar
1 tsp cornflour
1 tsp ground cinnamon

METHOD
Thinly slice apples.
Place in a pan with 3 tablespoons of water, sugar and vanilla pod and seeds.
Cover and cook over low heat for 6-7 minutes or until apples start to soften.
Uncover and cook until apples are very soft.
Remove from heat, add meal and sultanas and cool.
Preheat oven to 180C and grease a baking tray.
Brush 1 sheet of filo pastry with butter, then fold in half, butter-side in.
Repeat with another sheet and place on top.
Place 2 tablespoons of apple mixture along short edge of pastry and start rolling, turning in sides as you roll.
Place strudels seam-side down on tray.
Brush with butter and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden and crisp.
Cool, then dust with icing sugar.

CINNAMON SAUCE
Place cream and vanilla in a pan.
Bring to just below boiling then remove from heat.
Beat eggs, sugar and cornflour until light.
Stir in warm cream then cook over low heat for about 3 minutes or until thickened.
Add cinnamon.
Place baking paper over surface of sauce to prevent a skin forming.
Cool, then serve with strudels.

SERVINGS
6 (or 24 mini strudels)

SOURCE
Delicious Magazine

Nutty Choc-Orange Cake

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups blanched almonds
2 1/2 cups walnuts
200g dark eating chocolate, chopped coarsely
250g butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup caster sugar
5 eggs, separated
1 tbs finely grated orange rind

METHOD
Preheat oven to slow (140C).
Grease deep 23cm square cake pan.
Line base and sides with baking paper.
Blend or process nuts and chocolate until chopped finely.
Beat butter, extract and suagr in a small bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy.
Add yolks, one at a time, beating until just combined between additions.
Transfer mixture to large bowl.
Stir in chocolate mixture and rind.
Beat egg whites in a small bowl with electric mixer until soft peaks form.
Fold in chocolate mixture, in two batches.
Pour mixture into prepared pan.
Bake, uncovered, about 1 1/4 hours.
Cool to room temperature in pan.
Cover, refrigerate 3 hours or overnight.
Cut cake into squares and serve dusted with icing sugar.

SERVINGS
25

SOURCE
Women's Weekly Party Food and Drink

Crunchy Thai Chicken Rounds

INGREDIENTS
250g minced chicken
2 tbsp coconut milk
1 1/2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
2 tsp finely chopped fresh lemon grass
1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 large green cucumbers (800g)

METHOD
Cook chicken in heated medium non-stick frying pan, stirring until browned lightly.
Cool 5 minutes then process chicken until finely chopped.
Combine chicken with coconut milk, sauce, lemongrass, juice, coriander and garlic in medium bowl.
Cover, refrigerate 3 hours or overnight.
Cut cucumbers diagonally into 1cm slices.
Divide chicken mixture among slices, top with coriander leaves if desired.

SERVINGS
25

SOURCE
AWW Bites

Char-Grilled Beef Salad

INGREDIENTS
500g beef rump steak
¼ cup (60ml) fish sauce
¼ cup (60ml) lime juice
3 lebanese cucumbers (390g), seeded, sliced thinly
4 fresh small red thai chillies, sliced thinly
8 green onions, sliced thinly
250g cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 cup loosely packed fresh vietnamese mint leaves
1 cup loosely packed fresh coriander leaves
1 tablespoon grated palm sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 clove garlic, crushed

METHOD
Combine beef with 2 tablespoons of the fish sauce and 1 tablespoon of the juice in large bowl.
Cover, refrigerate 3 hours or overnight.
Drain beef; discard marinade.
Cook beef on heated, oiled grill plate (or grill or barbecue) until browned and cooked as desired.
Cover beef, stand 5 minutes; slice thinly.
Meanwhile, combine cucumber, chilli, onion, tomato and herbs in large bowl.
Combine remaining fish sauce and remaining juice with sugar, soy sauce and garlic in screw-top jar; shake well.
Add beef and dressing to salad; toss gently.

TIPS
Substitute brown sugar for the palm sugar, if desired. The salad dressing can be made a day ahead and kept, covered, in the refrigerator.

SERVINGS
4

SOURCE
Women's Weekly website