samsteele
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 22, 2014
I've been in the same boat with my nieces. I love them but they are all-consuming little love monsters!
No worries.
Unplugged Cookie Recipe Exchange
- Thread starter *NikkiBell*
- Start date
No worries.
samsteele
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 22, 2014
Wanted to ask you Jes, curious what is the price of a lb of butter in Australia? In my area of Ontario, the regular price of a pound of butter is $5.99 Cdn. But with Christmas baking going on, there are some holiday sales for no-name butter at $3.99 lb. eg Walmart's Great Value label. I've been stocking up and grabbing a few extra since it keeps well in the fridge. I believe it is much more reasonable in the US. However, they can buy their butter in smaller sticks (?) but we must buy in the standard pound brick.
Princess Jes
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jun 15, 2013
Ok, so we, like the rest of the world, use metric measurements in Australia, so I'll try to convert where I can. 
A block of butter, so I guess like a stick, but shorter and fatter, in a "home brand" (no-name) is 250g and costs $1.39.
250g is 0.55 pounds, so for a pound, you're looking at around $2.80 (or $2.59 if buying a 500g block as opposed to 2 x 250g blocks). If you were to exchange that to USD, it sounds like a lot, but $ for $ is relative here, so $2.80 sounds like a decent price.
A name brand (western star is the best) is $2.30 for the same size. So it depends what you're doing with it I guess as to whether you want a brand name or not. I don't always think name brand stuff is better, dependant of the item. (I'm VERY brand loyal, but that doesn't always mean a name brand, in some cases I'm brand loyal to "home brand")
Ok, so Margarine, the home brand "Canola margarine" is $1.89 for a kilo tub. So far cheaper, but I never buy the home brand marge, I use "Flora" brand, and that is $2.99 for a 500g tub, so roughly a pound.
Also to bear in mind, our GST (Goods and Service Tax) is already included in our prices and is 10%, however, GST isn't applicable to many "staple food items" (as well as some other necessary items such as some types of feminine hygiene products, but not others) and Butter and margarine are not applicable to the GST.
A block of butter, so I guess like a stick, but shorter and fatter, in a "home brand" (no-name) is 250g and costs $1.39.
250g is 0.55 pounds, so for a pound, you're looking at around $2.80 (or $2.59 if buying a 500g block as opposed to 2 x 250g blocks). If you were to exchange that to USD, it sounds like a lot, but $ for $ is relative here, so $2.80 sounds like a decent price.
A name brand (western star is the best) is $2.30 for the same size. So it depends what you're doing with it I guess as to whether you want a brand name or not. I don't always think name brand stuff is better, dependant of the item. (I'm VERY brand loyal, but that doesn't always mean a name brand, in some cases I'm brand loyal to "home brand")
Ok, so Margarine, the home brand "Canola margarine" is $1.89 for a kilo tub. So far cheaper, but I never buy the home brand marge, I use "Flora" brand, and that is $2.99 for a 500g tub, so roughly a pound.
Also to bear in mind, our GST (Goods and Service Tax) is already included in our prices and is 10%, however, GST isn't applicable to many "staple food items" (as well as some other necessary items such as some types of feminine hygiene products, but not others) and Butter and margarine are not applicable to the GST.
samsteele
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 22, 2014
So I looked online and 1 lb butter = 454 grams. So about $3 plus change Australian for a small brick of butter. Not a stick but a hefty brick? Technically in Canada we are metric like the rest of the world. However, in some things (like dairy), we have such a strong historical imperial British system that the conversion is quasi. I was in Grade 2 when we switched from imperial measurements to metric so I am in lost generation who prob struggles with both systems.
Princess Jes
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jun 15, 2013
OK, so i'll start with the easy one because I'm pretty sure you will have the same/similar ingredients in the States and Canada as we have here.
Also, these are "recipes" that are staples among most Aussie households, and often are made by taste or sight, so i'll preface it all with saying, increase or decrease ingredients to taste
Chocolate Truffles:
1 x 250 gram packet of Marie Biscuits (these are basically just sweet tea biscuits, vanilla flavoured, no filling etc. google and see if you can match it to something you have at home)
1 can carnation sweetened condensed milk (14oz I think it is over there)
Cocoa powder to taste
Desiccated coconut or sprinkles (we call them 100's and 1000's)
This is a simple recipe!
Blitz the biscuits in a food processor or bash the crap out of them with a rolling pin (in a plastic bag with a tea towel over the top) until they're all broken and looks like a sandy consistency
Pour in about 3/4 of the sweetened condensed milk and a couple of tablespoons of cocoa
Mix well until they're a sticky almost dough like consistency (adding more condensed milk if its too dry, just don't let them get too wet), add more cocoa as you go dependant on how chocolatey you like it.
Scoop out into small ball like portions and roll between your palms until you have nice 1-2 bite balls
Roll in desiccated coconut or sprinkles
Eat a few. (because you made them and you deserve it!!)
Refrigerate remaining overnight until firm
Variation:
In Australia, some people refer to these as "Rum balls" even though most people don't make them with any rum.
I think a dark rum would be appropriate but also Cointreau would go nice for a choc-orange flavour, maybe some Frangelico if you like a bit of hazelnut, or even just some mint essence for a nice mint-chocolate flavour!!
Also, these are "recipes" that are staples among most Aussie households, and often are made by taste or sight, so i'll preface it all with saying, increase or decrease ingredients to taste
Chocolate Truffles:
1 x 250 gram packet of Marie Biscuits (these are basically just sweet tea biscuits, vanilla flavoured, no filling etc. google and see if you can match it to something you have at home)
1 can carnation sweetened condensed milk (14oz I think it is over there)
Cocoa powder to taste
Desiccated coconut or sprinkles (we call them 100's and 1000's)
This is a simple recipe!
Blitz the biscuits in a food processor or bash the crap out of them with a rolling pin (in a plastic bag with a tea towel over the top) until they're all broken and looks like a sandy consistency
Pour in about 3/4 of the sweetened condensed milk and a couple of tablespoons of cocoa
Mix well until they're a sticky almost dough like consistency (adding more condensed milk if its too dry, just don't let them get too wet), add more cocoa as you go dependant on how chocolatey you like it.
Scoop out into small ball like portions and roll between your palms until you have nice 1-2 bite balls
Roll in desiccated coconut or sprinkles
Eat a few. (because you made them and you deserve it!!)
Refrigerate remaining overnight until firm
Variation:
In Australia, some people refer to these as "Rum balls" even though most people don't make them with any rum.
I think a dark rum would be appropriate but also Cointreau would go nice for a choc-orange flavour, maybe some Frangelico if you like a bit of hazelnut, or even just some mint essence for a nice mint-chocolate flavour!!
minniemumma
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2013
Don't forget the Pav!!
And she was a good reason not to post them!! She asked this morning to stay at Auntie Sheshies!!!
Our family's Christmas Carrot Cake (originally “The $250 Carrot Cake from the Toronto Star)
Cake
· 1 ½ cups granulated sugar (I go with a little bit less – maybe 1 1/3 cups)
· 1 ½ cups vegetable oil (I go with a little bit less – maybe 1 1/3 cups)
· 4 eggs
· 2 cups all purpose flour
· 2 tsp. baking soda
· 2 tsp. baking powder
· 2 tsp. cinnamon (I add a bit extra)
· ¾ tsp. salt
· 3 cups grated carrots (I go with between 3 1/2 cups and 4 cups)
· ¾ cups chopped nuts or raisins (optional)
1) Preheat oven to 300F and grease and flour Bundt pan
2) Beat sugar and oil until thick
3) Beat in eggs, on at a time
4) Sift dry ingredients and fold into oil and sugar mixture
5) Fold in carrots and nuts/raisins (if using)
6) Pour into prepared pan (batter will be thick)
7) Bake for 45 to 60 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean (I always need at least an hour – possibly because I use more than the called for amount of carrots)
8) Cool
Icing
· 8 oz cream cheese (softened)
· ¼ pound butter (softened)
· 2 tsp. vanilla
· Icing sugar (recipe says 1 lb. but I never measure and am pretty sure I use a fair bit less – just go by taste/consistency)
1) Cream butter, cream cheese, and vanilla
2) Add icing sugar, beating well, until desired taste and consistency is reached
Cake
· 1 ½ cups granulated sugar (I go with a little bit less – maybe 1 1/3 cups)
· 1 ½ cups vegetable oil (I go with a little bit less – maybe 1 1/3 cups)
· 4 eggs
· 2 cups all purpose flour
· 2 tsp. baking soda
· 2 tsp. baking powder
· 2 tsp. cinnamon (I add a bit extra)
· ¾ tsp. salt
· 3 cups grated carrots (I go with between 3 1/2 cups and 4 cups)
· ¾ cups chopped nuts or raisins (optional)
1) Preheat oven to 300F and grease and flour Bundt pan
2) Beat sugar and oil until thick
3) Beat in eggs, on at a time
4) Sift dry ingredients and fold into oil and sugar mixture
5) Fold in carrots and nuts/raisins (if using)
6) Pour into prepared pan (batter will be thick)
7) Bake for 45 to 60 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean (I always need at least an hour – possibly because I use more than the called for amount of carrots)
8) Cool
Icing
· 8 oz cream cheese (softened)
· ¼ pound butter (softened)
· 2 tsp. vanilla
· Icing sugar (recipe says 1 lb. but I never measure and am pretty sure I use a fair bit less – just go by taste/consistency)
1) Cream butter, cream cheese, and vanilla
2) Add icing sugar, beating well, until desired taste and consistency is reached
samsteele
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 22, 2014
Sure!
Princess Jes
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jun 15, 2013
I think it would be rude not to!!
Princess Jes
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jun 15, 2013
I don't know how to actually make a Pav though, I just buy the pre-made ones, which I'm almost positive wouldn't be available in the USA/Canada.
Do you have a Pav recipe?
Ok, so I'm going to preface this one too with just a little something and I'm not sure how off base I am, but I will say it anyway.
In Australia, we use real cream. Not Cool Whip crap in a can, that's not whipped cream!!
So, any recipe I have that involves whipped cream, is the real deal!
Oh and one more thing, we use the work Biscuit, I think the equivalent is a cookie, but not so huge. They're usually around 2 inches in diameter
Chocolate Ripple Cake (AKA, Choc ripple)
1 packet Arnott's chocolate ripple biscuits (google them and see if you have something similar. they're basically chocolate biscuits, but better. no actual chocolate, they're a dry biscuit, no stuffing etc) I've also used Butternut snap biscuits. Any firm biscuits would do, but shortbreads and soft style biscuits wont work
600ml thickened cream
Vanilla extract or vanilla beans to taste
Castor sugar to taste
Fresh or frozen berries, shaved chocolate for decoration
Whipped cream:
Pour the thickened cream into a mixing bowl, a few drops of vanilla and if you wish, some castor sugar. (I've cut back on putting sugar into my whipped cream, but instead opted for a higher quality vanilla extract. The biscuits are usually sweet enough)
Whip with electric beaters (or the old fashioned way if you have arms like the Hulk) until just before stiff peaks form (more than soft peaks) so there's a tiny bit of a liquidy feel to the cream, but so that it is well formed.
Set aside about 1/3 of the cream
Assembly:
Smear some whipped cream onto the serving platter, usually a long rectangle platter, but these can be made into any shape you like. I'm hoping to attempt a wreath shape this Christmas! you can also make a shorter version and do 2 rows.
Using a spatula, spread about a 1/4 inch of whipped cream on a biscuit almost to the edges. Sandwich another biscuit onto this (the cream will then smoosh to the edges).
Repeat a few more times until the biscuits are starting to develop a log shape.
Stand these up on the platter (not stacked high, but standing up long so they're like a log) on top of the whipped cream (it should act like mortar for bricks in terms of filling in any gaps at the bottom and also holding the biscuits upright)
Now, spoon and smear some cream onto a biscuit and add to the log.
Repeat until you're out of biscuits.
With the remaining cream, cover the biscuit log so that none of the biscuits are showing and you have a nice white log shaped "cake"
Leave in the Fridge overnight.
This allows the cream to soften the biscuits and voila!! "Cake"!!
Cover in mixed berries (or if you're like me, I just love raspberries!!) and some shaved chocolate. Most of the time, people don't even do this step, but it's a nice way to add some freshness!
You could also use coconut, peanut brittle, sprinkles, we have a chocolate bar over here called Peppermint crisp, which we crush up and sprinkle over Pavlova's usually, but would go amazingly on this.
Slice on an angle so that you get a sort of cross section of the cake.
Serve with a small dollop of cream!
Variation:
Ok, so this is dependant on the type of guests you have, but again, alcohol can add a wonderful flavour to this.
Baileys is the best option, and the only one I've ever tried.
Use a saucer and pour some Baileys onto it, and before dolloping the cream onto the biscuit, give it a quick one-sided dip into the Baileys. Not too much because the biscuit will crumble before your very eyes (I made this mistake once, and the cake was a soggy mess)
I prefer the coffee Baileys but you could also use Kahlua or Tia Maria, or even some port!
pjweaver
just happy to be here
- Joined
- Oct 23, 2015
OK, this is the Elvis cake:
2 cups flour
2 cups white sugar
3/4 cups cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2 eggs (left at room temp)
1 cup of fresh black coffee
1 cup whole milk
1/2 salad oil
2 teaspoons pure vanilla
1 banana thinly sliced
sift the dry ingredients together (you must sift), then in a mixer slowly add the moist. mix until an even consistency, the pout into a 9" x 13" cake pan that is well greased. The batter should be fairly runny. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 for 35 minutes, check with a toothpick.
icing to follow...
2 cups flour
2 cups white sugar
3/4 cups cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2 eggs (left at room temp)
1 cup of fresh black coffee
1 cup whole milk
1/2 salad oil
2 teaspoons pure vanilla
1 banana thinly sliced
sift the dry ingredients together (you must sift), then in a mixer slowly add the moist. mix until an even consistency, the pout into a 9" x 13" cake pan that is well greased. The batter should be fairly runny. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 for 35 minutes, check with a toothpick.
icing to follow...
pjweaver
just happy to be here
- Joined
- Oct 23, 2015
Elvis cake icing:
(This works best if the mixing bowl is chilled slightly)
8 tablespoons of butter at room temp
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup powdered sugar (confectioners sugar)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1/2 pound of bacon
cook the bacon until crispy, then let cool between paper towels to absorb the grease. cream all other ingredients in a mixer, chop cooled bacon into 1/4" size bits, then add to the mixer. Refrigerate, then spread on cake once both have cooled. Double the batch for people with a sweat tooth.
(This works best if the mixing bowl is chilled slightly)
8 tablespoons of butter at room temp
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup powdered sugar (confectioners sugar)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1/2 pound of bacon
cook the bacon until crispy, then let cool between paper towels to absorb the grease. cream all other ingredients in a mixer, chop cooled bacon into 1/4" size bits, then add to the mixer. Refrigerate, then spread on cake once both have cooled. Double the batch for people with a sweat tooth.
Last edited:
Princess Jes
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jun 15, 2013
pjweaver
just happy to be here
- Joined
- Oct 23, 2015
Sorry about that, it's the oil I use to make salad dressing with. I prefer corn oil, but any vegetable oil works.
samsteele
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 22, 2014
These look incredible! I googled pics of your Marie Biscuits and they look similar to what we call Digestive Biscuits. A Plain 1 wafer biscuit with no filling and just a very mild, slightly sweet taste. I'll have to try these in the New Year!
Princess Jes
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jun 15, 2013
They're very plain.
Chocolate ripple and butternut snap are both incredible
samsteele
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 22, 2014
On the baking list they go for the New Year!
pjweaver
just happy to be here
- Joined
- Oct 23, 2015
I stole the idea from the King cake at Pop. My wife got one and had me taste is, but I didn't care for the dry cake. It also took me some time to get the amount of bacon right. It took some trial and error, but I think I found what I wanted in this.That Elvis icing sounds great! I'm a fan of the King Cupcake at the POP and this sounds right up my alley. So, "Thank you, Thank you very much!"
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