Ingredients

• 60ml Brisbane Gin Distillery's Queensland Dry Gin
• 30ml Orange juice (freshly squeezed)
• 30ml Thickened cream
• 1ml Pyewackets Bitters
• 1 Egg white
• 4 Small ice cubes
• 60ml Capi Blood Orange soda

Decoration

• Mary Valley Dried Oranges
• New Farm Confectionery Mandarin and Passionfruit Sherbet

Equipment

• Cocktail shaker
• Jigger
• Handheld milk frother
• Collins glass

Method

• Add the gin, orange juice, cream, bitters and egg white to a cocktail shaker and dry shake for 10 seconds.
• Once incorporated add the ice cubes to your cocktail shaker and using your handheld milk frother whisk your mixture.
• You will need to froth your mixture until all the ice cubes have fully melted (this will take approximately 5-10 minutes depending on the temperature of the room - yes it's a long time, but trust us it will be worth it)
• Place into the fridge for 2 minutes.
• Measure 30ml of your soda and pour into a chilled collins glass (highball glass)
• Slowly pour your cocktail mixture over the soda to the rim of the glass and let it sit for another 2 minutes. 
• Slowly pour your remaining 30ml of soda into the centre of your glass and watch as your froth rises making sure it doesn't collapse.
• Garnish with a dried orange slice and a sprinkle of passionfruit sherbet.

Tips

• Use your mandarin lollipop as a spoon to scoop the delicious froth from your cocktail.

Ingredients

Cake

150g Unsalted butter (softened)

225g Caster sugar

75g Vegetable oil

4 Eggs

220g Plain flour

60g Cocoa powder

2tsp Baking powder

1tsp Bi-carb soda

Ganache 

550g Dark Callebaut Chocolate 

370g Cream 

Equipment:

3x6 inch pans

Stand or hand mixer

Cake turntable (not necessary but will make things easier)

Baking paper

Palette knife or Flat scraper

Small saucepan

Piping bag / Piping tip (if desired)

Cooling rack

Heatproof bowl

Method

To begin the cake, use a stand, or hand mixer to cream your butter and sugar until it is very light and fluffy.

Continue to mix and add in the oil.

Continue to mix and add in your eggs one by one until well combined.

In a separate bowl, add all of your dry ingredients and combine to ensure they are evenly mixed together.

With your mixer on slow add in you dry ingredients one spoon at a time. Do not overmix.

Once it is fully incorporated, divide the batter between your three cake tins and bake at 175 degrees (fan forced) for 20-25 minutes.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a cooling rack.

Once the cake has completely cooled, you can make the ganache. 

Placing the chocolate in a heatproof bowl.

In a saucepan, bring the cream up to a boil and pour over the chocolate and let is sit for a few minutes to allow the chocolate to soften.

Once the chocolate has softened, mix the cream and chocolate together and then set aside to cool.

Remove your cakes from the tins by gently flipping the upside down onto a cutting board or a clean benchtop.

If using a cake turntable, position your cake in the center and spread on a layer of ganache approximately 0.5 cm thick. You can do this just directly onto your serving platter.

Place the next layer of cake on top and repeat and ganache layer.

Place the last cake layer on the top and coat the whole cake in the ganache.

Once fully coated, you may decide to recoat for a thicker layer or simply pipe decorations on top. 

Tips

You may need to trim your cake layers slightly to ensure they are completely flat and perfect for stacking.

Keep an eye  on how runny or thick your ganache is and adjust accordingly with heat to soften and smooth or refrigerating to firm up and thicken.

Notes

Your ganache should be smooth and spreadable when decorating your cake. If the ganache has started to harden and has become thick, microwave the ganache 10 seconds at a time to slightly warm and make more spreadable.

This cake can be decorated with chocolate shards and other chocolate decorations. See our Chocolate Tempering post to find out how to temper your own chocolate.

Makes: 1 x 6 inch 3 layer cake

Ingredients

50g unsalted butter (at room temperature)

50g molasses

50g brown sugar

1 large egg (room temperature)

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

120g plain flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

800g milk chocolate

Equipment

Gingerbread man cookie cutter (various sizes)

Flat tray 26cm x 34cm (for your chocolate bark)

Stand mixer or hand held mixer

Baking paper 

Baking tray (to bake your cookies)

Sieve

Plastic wrap

Rolling pin

Spatula

Method

To prepare your gingerbread dough, add the unsalted butter, molasses, brown sugar and egg to your stand mixer, using the paddle attachment beat on high speed for 1 minute until creamy. 

Using a spatula scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is fully combined.

In a medium bowl, sift all your dry ingredients together. 

Pour the dry ingredients into your wet mixture and mix on low until just combined.

Scrape your dough out of the bowl and onto a sheet of plastic wrap.

Wrap your dough in the plastic wrap making sure to press down firmly, pushing it into a round flat disk which will assist you when rolling out later. Place in the fridge to harden for at least 3 hours, this is important as the dough is quite wet and chilling your dough will make it easier to roll out. 

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees celsius (fan forced). Line your baking tray with baking paper and put aside.

When ready to roll your dough, generously dust your bench, rolling pin and hands with flour. Start in the middle and slowly roll and push the dough out into an even flat shape. Make sure to pick up your dough and rotate it through the rolling process and continue to add flour to avoid sticking. You want your dough about 3mm thick. 

Dip your gingerbread man cutter in flour and then press firmly into your dough, repeat this step as many times as possible. 

Carefully lift up the excess dough and using a spatula transfer your gingerbread men to the baking tray, making sure to keep them at least an inch apart. 

Refrigerate your gingerbread men for 15 minutes before baking, this will help them keep their shape.

Bake for 15 minutes, rotating yoru tray half way through. 

Leave to cool on the tray for about 5 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Whilst your cookies are cooling start to temper your chocolate, you can refer to our 'How to temper' blog post to run you through the process.

Using a flat tray lined with baking paper, pour your tempered chocolate on and spread evenly using a spatula. Give the tray a light tap on your bench to settle the chocolate.

Keep two cookies aside and place the rest of the cookies on the chocolate in a pattern of your choosing. Lightly press them down.

Crush your two reserved cookies and sprinkle over the chocolate bark (preferably in the chocolate spaces and not the cookies).

Set in the fridge for 10 minutes.

You can now break up your bark to your desired shape and size.

Store in an airtight container for up to a week. 

Tips

We used 2 different sized gingerbread men, one 5cm tall and one 7cm tall. Feel free to use only one or mix and match, you can even interchange one size for a small star cookie cutter.

If you want the bottom of your bark to be shiny, replace the baking paper with transparency film, which can be found in places like Officeworks here. You are able to wash it and re use it time and time again with chocolate work. 

Makes 1 large slab of chocolate bark

Ingredients

1x 150g bag of New Farm Confectionery Peanut Brittle

250g roasted peanuts

Pinch of salt

300g unsalted butter

300g dark chocolate

200g caster sugar

350g brown sugar

6 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

150g plain flour

60g cocoa powder

2 tsp salt

Equipment

24cm x 30cm rectangle pan

Baking paper

Food processor

Stand mixer or hand held mixer

Method

Preheat your oven to 160 degrees celsius (fan forced). Butter your baking tray and line with parchment, leaving about an inch overhang on two sides.

To prepare your 'peanut butter' add a bag of New Farm Confectionery peanut brittle, peanuts and salt to your food processor and blitz on high until a smooth paste forms, making sure to scrape down the sides half ways through to ensure all ingredients are incorporated.

Start your brownie batter by adding the unsalted butter and dark chocolate to a small saucepan and heat slowly on a low heat, making sure to mix continuously to avoid burning. Once the ingredients have fully melted together, remove from heat. 

Whilst your mixture is cooling slightly, use your stand mixer (or hand held) to whisk your eggs, sugars and vanilla extract on high speed for approx 4 minutes or until it has doubled in size and become pale and foamy in appearance. 

Turn your mixer to the lowest speed and slowly pour your chocolate mixture in a thin stream into the whipped eggs

In a medium bowl sift your dry ingredients together and then slowly fold them into your wet mixture

Pour half your batter into your prepared baking tray and smooth with a spatula until flat

Spoon half your peanut butter sporadically over the brownie batter and carefully by using a knife, create swirls by making figure 8's through your batter. 

Pour in the rest of the brownie batter and repeat the same process with the leftover peanut butter.

Bake in your preheated oven for 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Cool in the baking tray fully before using the overhanging parchment to pull the brownie out of the tray.

Cut into desired shape and enjoy!

Tips

Place your brownie slab in the fridge for 30 minutes to slightly harden before cutting as this will create sharp lines and neat brownie squares.

Ingredients

Tart Base

150g softened unsalted butter

100g caster sugar

60g egg mix (see notes)

225g plain flour

20g cocoa powder

40g icing sugar

2g salt

Caramel Filling

360g caster sugar

180g cream

230g cold unsalted butter

3g flakey salt

Ganache

100g dark Callebaut Chocolate

100g cream

Equipment

Stand Mixer

25cm tart tin with a removable base (preferably non stick, otherwise spray lightly with canola oil)

Rolling Pin

Method

Preheat your oven to 170 degrees celsius (fan forced).

To prepare the tart base, add the softened butter, caster sugar and egg mixture into your stand mixture. Combine on low speed.

Add the flour, cocoa powder, icing sugar and salt and mix on low until just combined. Do not over mix. 

Gently knead the dough on a benchtop to fully incorporate any loose flour, shape into flattened square, wrap in glad wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until cool to touch.

Once the dough is chilled, dust your bench with flour and roll out the dough to 4-5mm thick.

Line your tart with ring with the dough and refrigerate for another 30 minutes.

Bake the tart base for 18 minutes.

Once the tart base is out of the oven you can then start the caramel filling, this will allow cooling time for your base. 

Add two tablespoons of the sugar to your saucepan and continuously stir whilst melting. Once fully melted continue to add sugar in small amounts and melt until all sugar has been used and is golden brown. Don't rush this stage, it does take time.

While your sugar is melting add your cream to a separate saucepan and warm it up. No need to bring it to the boil, it just needs to be warm.

As soon as all of the sugar has melted and is golden brown, slowly stream the warm cream into the melted sugar and mix through (reserve the saucepan, you can use it to make the ganache in the next stage). Cook caramel for 2-3 minutes, continuously stirring (the crunchy bits will melt). 

Add in the cold butter and flakey salt and mix until thoroughly combined.

Pour the caramel straight into the tart base and place in the fridge until caramel is firm.

While the caramel is setting you can make the ganache.

Heat the cream for the ganache in your reserved saucepan until very hot, almost boiling. Add in the chocolate and mix well with a spatula until it has all melted and is well combined. 

Gently pour the chocolate ganache over the caramel layer of your tart. Ensure it is spread evenly.

Refrigerate tart until needed, a minimum of two hours.

Enjoy!

Notes

For the egg mix, simply mix up 1-2 eggs with a fork and weigh out what you need.

Gluten free flour can be used instead if desired.

Makes 1x25cm round tart

Ingredients

2 x 150g bags of New Farm Confectionery Macadamia brittle

1 packet of Gingernut biscuits

100g butter

800g cream cheese

70g sour cream

300ml thickened cream

100g icing sugar

1 tbsp lemon

Equipment

24cm springform pan

Food processor

Method

1. To start your base, blitz your biscuits and brittle together in a food processor

2. Melt your butter and mix thoroughly through your biscuit crumb

3. Firmly press your biscuit mixture into the base and up the walls of your tin. you can use the base of a measuring cup to help press it into place

4. Place in the fridge to set whilst making your filling

5. With a wooden spoon beat together your cream cheese, sour cream, icing sugar and lemon until smooth (you can also use an electric mixer if you would like)

6. In a separate bowl whisk your thickened cream to stiff peaks (you can use an electric mixer for this, or a whisk)

7. Gently fold your thickened cream through your cream cheese mixture, until fully incorporated 

8. Pour the cheese mix into your prepared base and smooth the top

9. Set in your fridge for at least 3 hours or preferably overnight

Notes

If you prefer a thicker base don't push any of the biscuit mixture up the walls, instead fully press into the base of your tin

You can also make single serve cheesecakes in glasses which are great for dinner parties

Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature to avoid clumping

You can choose a different biscuit to change up the flavour of the base - chocolate cookies would work well

Whisking your thickened cream to stiff peaks is very important, if under whipped it will not set properly

Ingredients

2x 150g bags New Farm Confectionery Peanut Brittle

350g Milk or Dark Callebaut Chocolate (tempered)

10g Sea Salt (optional)

Equipment Needed

Food Processor

Mini Cupcake Cases

2 Piping Bags

Method

1. Lay out the 40 mini patty cases on a tray.

2. You are now going to make a peanut butter mix. Break the peanut brittle into small pieces approx 1-2 cm and add to the food processor. Blitz this until it reaches a thick paste. (see notes)

3. Temper your chocolate in a bowl while you wait for the brittle to break up. (see 'How to Temper' blog post)

4. Once the brittle has reached a thick consistency, transfer it into a piping bag and cut the tip off. (5-7mm wide)

5. Put your tempered chocolate in a separate piping bag and cut off the tip (about 3-4mm wide).

6. You are now going to pipe the base of your Peanut Butter Cup. Pipe about 3mm of chocolate into half of your patty cases. Make sure it is just half as they will set too fast otherwise. Tap the tray to settle the chocolate and then pipe in a 5 cent piece size blob of the brittle paste into the center of the patty case.

7. You can then do the other half of your patty cases.

8. You can now pipe a layer of chocolate over the top, being cautious not to overfill the patty case. 

8. To finish them off, sprinkle a little sea salt onto the chocolate while it sets.

Tips

Temper your chocolate in a bowl while you wait for the brittle to break up.

You may need to flatten out any points of the brittle paste that pokes up, you can do this by using an oiled finger gently pressing the top of the brittle paste in the patty case.

Notes

This recipe requires a high quality food processor and will need to be running for quite some time. (Approximately 15-20 minutes)

Makes 40 Mini Peanut Butter Cups

Ingredients

For Cupcakes

150g Plain Flour

150g Caster Sugar

1tsp Baking Powder

Pinch of salt

120g Unsalted Butter (softened)

120g Milk 

80g Egg Mix (see notes)

2g Vanilla Flavouring

Ganache Icing

340g Dark Callebaut Chocolate (melted)

240g Cream microwaved 

Decoration

Freeze-dried Raspberry Crumble

100g White Callebaut Chocolate (tempered)

Equipment needed:

Stand/Handheld Mixer

Piping Bags and Star Piping Nozzle

Mini Cupcake Cases

Method

1. To start, make the ganache by heating the cream in the microwave until hot. Melt the chocolate and stir into the hot cream until well combined and set aside.

2. For the cupcakes, combine all dry ingredients into a mixing bowl. Mix in softened butter with a paddle attachment until a crumb forms.

3. Weigh out the egg mix, milk and vanilla flavouring and slowly stream into the mixer, giving it time to mix in each bit as you go.

4. Continue mixing for 2 minutes or until there are no lumps in the batter.

5. Evenly distribute the batter between the mini cupcake cases, fill them close to the top but not full.

6. Bake cupcakes for 12 minutes at 150 degrees, take out when done and leave out to cool.

7. While waiting for the cupcakes to cool, temper the white chocolate and transfer to a piping bag.

8. Pipe out 45 small dog bone shaped decorations.

9. Once the ganache has cooled down, it can be whipped in the mixer using a paddle attachment.

10. When the ganache is light and fluffy, transfer it into a piping bag with a star tip nozzle and pipe onto the cupcakes. Top off with a raspberry crumble and a chocolate decoration.

Tips

1. For extra flavour, jam and other fillings can be added in the center.

2. Flour can be substituted for Gluten Free flour. 

Notes

To create the egg mix, simply mix two eggs together and whisk with a fork, weigh what you need.

Ingredients

1x 4 Pack of New Farm Confectionery Marshmallows

300g Jar of Raspberry Jam

800g Milk Callebaut Chocolate (tempered)

125g Unsalted Butter (softened)

80g Castor Sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla flavouring

30g Egg (see tips)

150g Plain Flour

Pinch of Salt

Equipment

Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer

1x Piping Bag

Dipping Fork/Bent fork

Rolling Pin

Method

1. To start the biscuit, cream the softened butter, vanilla and sugar in the mixer. 

2. Add the egg and mix until combined, follow with the salt and flour on a slow speed until just combined.

3. Take the biscuit dough out of the mixer and make sure that all of the flour is incorporated into the dough. 

4. Form a flattened out square and refrigerate for 30 minutes. (see photos)

5. To prepare the marshmallows, trim them to 4cm x 4cm square, then slice into 4 pieces per marshmallow. 

6. Roll out the dough on top of baking paper to a thickness of 4mm and cut into 4cm squares using a ruler. (see photo)

7. Chill dough for an additional 15 minutes and preheat the over (fan forced) to 170 degrees. 

8. Once the dough is firm, separate and place pieces on a baking tray with a few centimeters between each biscuit. 

9. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly brown.

10. Let the biscuit cool on the tray.

Assembly Instructions

1. To assemble the cookies, match your biscuit pieces together and lay out 32 squares.

2. Fill a piping bag with jam and cut a small hole at the end. Pipe a small amount of jam onto the underside of half the biscuit pieces.

3. Stick your marshmallow slices onto the jam dots and centre as much as possible.

4. Pipe a larger amount of jam onto the underside of the remaining pieces and carefully sandwich the pieces together.

5. Temper your chocolate in a bowl (see tempering blog post) and prepare a tray with a sheet of baking paper. 

6. Place cookie on the surface of the chocolate and gently push down using the dipping fork  until the cookie is completely submerged. Place the fork underneath the covered cookie and bring to the surface, tap off any excess chocolate, wipe the base on the side of the bowl before placing on the baking paper. 

7. Repeat the process with all of the cookies.

Tips

1. Use a fork to scramble an egg in a cup and weigh out 30g from there.

2. Choose your favourite flavour of marshmallows, jam and chocolate to make your own creation!

3. You may need to warm up your chocolate when dipping with cookies. Microwave the chocolate for 5 seconds at a time and recheck the temperature.

Ingredients

200g Milk Callebaut Chocolate

500g Hundreds and Thousands Sprinkles

Equipment

1x Disposable Piping Bag

1x Baking tray

1x Bowl

1x Spatula

Method

1. Pour the sprinkles into a baking tray. You will need enough to be able to cover the base of the tray by 1cm.

2. Temper your chocolate and pour it into the piping bag. 

3. Snip the end of the piping bag to create a small opening and pipe chocolate discs into the sprinkles leaving a few centimeters between each disc. 

4. Once the tray is filled, tap lightly on the bench a couple times to even out the texture of the chocolate's surface.

5. Place in the fridge to set for 5-10 minutes.

6. Once set, you can freely scoop them out of the tray and repeat the process.

Tips

Make your chocolate discs approximately 4-5cm round.

Pinch the open end of the piping bag between piping discs to control the flow of chocolate.

To keep your freckles fresh, store in an air-tight container in a cool, dry place for up to 6 months.

Tempering Tips in our blog post here.