Sticky Date Pudding

Makes 10 - 12 muffins

Ingredients

270g dates (pitted)

312ml or 1 1/4 cups water

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

60g butter 

2 eggs (lightly beaten)

1 tsp vanilla extract

160g flour

100g light brown sugar

Method

- Pre-heat the oven to 160 degrees C. Greaseproof the muffin tray with abit of butter/oil. 

- Boil the dates with water. Once done, turn off the heat, melt the butter and baking soda with the boiled dates. When the date mixture is cooled off abit, use a hand grinder to chop up the dates.

- Add the eggs and vanilla extract. Do not over mix.

- Sieve the flour with the baking powder. 

- Add the brown sugar into the flour mixture, remove lumps if any.

- Fold in the dry with the wet mixture. Add walnuts/pecan nuts if you will like.

- Pour into muffin tray (3/4 full will do) and bake for about 25 - 30mins.

- Serves best with caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream! 

Braised beef cheeks with red wine sauce

Serves 4

Ingredients
Marinate beef cheeks overnight:
1 kg of beef cheeks
1/2 bottle of red wine (preferably full bodied wine)
1 large carrot, chopped up into large pieces
1 large brown onion, chopped up into large pieces
4-5 cloves of garlic, smashed
1 celery stalk, cut into small pieces
1 bay leaf
3 sprigs of thyme

Braising liquid
1 large brown onion, diced
2 cups of beef stock
Plain flour, for dusting
Vegetable oil
Butter
1 heaped tbsp full of tomato paste
Italian parsley, chopped finely

Method
- Mix all the ingredients for marinating the beef cheeks and refrigerate covered overnight.
- Remove the beef cheeks and pat dry, set aside the red wine marinate.
- Season the cheeks with salt and pepper on both sides, dust with flour and shake off the excess.
- Heat the oil in a casserole pot over medium/high heat and brown the cheeks on both sides. Leave abit of gap in between each cheek, fry in batches if necessary.
- Fry the onions in the same pan until translucent. Add the tomato paste and fry for another 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the cheeks, beef stock and red wine marinate, along with all the marinated vegs. Season with salt and pepper.
- Turn up the heat until simmering, cover with parchment paper or lid and transfer to the oven, cook at 160 degree C for about 3-4 hours until tender, turning the cheeks every hour.
- Remove the cheeks and strain the sauce, keep the cheeks tightly covered with clingfilm to prevent drying).
- Heat the sauce in a saucepan until reduced by half and thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the butter until you see a rich/glossy consistency. Season with salt and pepper if necessary.
- Slice and serve the beef cheeks with chopped parsley and sauce. Goes very well with pasta or mashed potato. 

Carrot Cake

Cuts into 8-10 slices

Ingredients
200g plain flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmug
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp salt
140g light brown sugar
200ml vegetable oil
3 medium eggs (in room temperature)
250g carrots, peeled and grated
50g chopped walnuts / pecan nuts (optional)

For the frosting
250g cream cheese
Finely grated rind of 1 lemon
1 tsp vanilla essence
150g icing sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice

Method
- Preheat oven to 150 degree C. Lightly oil and line the base of a 7 or 8 inch round cake tin with greaseproof paper.
- Sift and combine all dry ingredients, except sugar.
- Beat the eggs, sugar and oil for about 1 minute in a mixing bowl. Add in all the dry ingredients and mix well.
- Add the carrots and walnuts, mixed thoroughly and pour into cake tin. Bake in oven for about 50 mins - 1 hours (half the baking time if the batter is separated into 2 cake tins), until a skewer inserted into the centre of cake comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool in the tin for 10mins before turning out to a wire rack.
- To make the frosting, beat together the cream cheese, lemon rind, juice and vanilla essence. Take note that the cream cheese and butter should be at room temperature.
- Sift the icing sugar first and stir into the cream cheese mixture, until it reaches a thick and smooth consistency.
- When the cake is completely cooled, spread the frosting over the top/side. Best to chill in the fridge for a day/overnight before serving.