ELLI LUCA

A sneak peek at a pug magnet design that will be available soon. (Sorry for mobile phone picture)

INGREDIENTS Base: 2 Packets of creme filled sandwich cookies (recommended: Oreo or Newman-O's) 2 ounces good quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped I used a 70% dark chocolate 3 tablespoons good quality butter a used a NZ salted one. (original recipe said use unsalted I prefer the salt) Filling: 3 cups mini marshmallows 1/2 cup whole milk 2 teaspoons of peppermint essence 1 1/2 cups heavy cream Few spots or drops green food coloring, optional 1 loose-bottomed 10-inch fluted tart pan, 2 inches deep METHOD Set aside 1 cookie for later use. Process the remaining cookies and chocolate in a food processor until they form a crumb mixture. Add the butter and process until the mixture starts to clump together. Press the mixture into a high-sided fluted tart pan, making a smooth base and sides with your hands or the back of a spoon. Put it into the refrigerator to chill and harden. Melt the marshmallows in a saucepan over low gentle he...

    Here is a gift idea to make for a family who have just had a baby. My best friend had a baby last week (her second) She really didn't need to be inundated with unnecessary gifts. I wanted to do something thoughtful for her & her family. So I made up a box with some food.   I included: Some apples from the local farmers market (not pictured) A pasta bake Home made baked beans in a tomato and oregano sauce. Some flour less orange cake (the one I made Friday) A couple of tins of tuna Home made tomato Sauce My own spice blend of taco seasoning Some great Australian made muesli Home made white peach and vanilla bean jam Home made tomato sauce A bag of rice The last thing new parents feel like doing is cooking, but are in need of eating healthy food made with love. Didn't take long, as I just made double batches of what I was making for us for the weekend. She sent me a text last night and was very grateful. I was glad I coul...

INGREDIENTS 2 oranges 250 g brown sugar, plus extra for dusting 6 eggs 250 g almond meal 1 tsp baking powder icing sugar for dusting / I used unrefined white sugar Butter (for greasing the pan) METHOD Wash the oranges and cook in boiling water for 2 hours. Drain and allow the oranges to cool before pureeing. This can be done ahead of time. Preheat the oven to 160°C. Butter a 20 cm springform cake tin and dust it with a little sugar. Place the eggs and 250 g of sugar in a mixing bowl and beat well.  Stir in the orange puree followed by the almond meal and baking powder. Pour into the tin and dust the top with more sugar.  Bake for 1–1½ hours, until the top is golden brown.  Dust with sugar to serve.

INGREDIENTS SOUP 100 gm butter, coarsely chopped 2 kg onions, thinly sliced 1 litre (4 cups)beef stock 4 thyme sprigs Fresh Rosemary to taste Tablespoon of Worcester sauce Tablespoon of red or white wine 1 large clove of garlic 3 parsley stalks 1 fresh bay leaf Makes 6 cups. CHEESY BREAD 8 1cm-thick slices of baguette cut on diagonal, lightly toasted 250 gm coarsely grated Gruyère / I used tasty cheese  METHOD Melt butter in a large, wide heavy-based saucepan over medium heat, add onions and garlic, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or until onions are soft.  Remove lid and cook for 1 hour or until soft and starting to caramelise. Add stock, ½ a cup at a time, and simmer for 5 minutes or until stock has almost evaporated. Repeat three times more until 2 cups of stock has been added. add all other soup ingredients, add to onions with remaining stock and season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground...

Milo Cake with Dulce De Leche filling and Milo Butter cream Icing Cake: 125g butter, room temperature 50g (about 1/4 cup) caster sugar 195g (about 1 1/4 cups) plain flour 2 1/2 tsp baking powder 150g (about 1 1/4 cups) Milo powder 3 eggs 120ml (1/2 cup) buttermilk Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) and grease and line a 20cm round spring form tin. Cream butter and sugar together until smooth and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Sift flour, baking powder and Milo together and then gradually add to the rest of the mixture with the mixer on low speed. With the mixer still on low, add buttermilk until just combined. Pour into cake tin and bake for 40-45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.  Remove and cool in tin for 10 minutes, then place on a wire rack to cool completely When cake is cooled completely slice in half and spread Dulce De Leche Filling on one side (to taste) and reassemble. Then frost with the butt...

My online shop will be undergoing maintenance for a few days, I am sorry about the inconvenience. Hope to be back up and running and have some new stock in later this week.  Thanks for your patience.  Elle