Butterscotch Pudding

Yields 8

Ingredients:
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 cups packed dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cornstarch
5 cups whole milk
4 large egg yolks
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Add brown sugar and salt and whisk steadily until dissolved.

In a small bowl, combine cornstarch, 1/2 cup of milk and yolks. Whisk until smooth.

Pour remaining milk and cream into pan with sugar mixture. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring constantly.

Pour 1 cup of milk mixture in a very slow stream into bowl with cornstarch mixture, whisking constantly and vigorously.

Pour cornstarch mixture back into pan, increase heat to high, bring to a boil and whisk until thickened and smooth, 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla.

Strain pudding through a fine-mesh sieve into a large measuring cup or bowl.

Divide among 8 1-cup ramekins or custard cups.

Cover each pudding cup with plastic wrap, pressing lightly so it touches surface of pudding.

Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or until thoroughly chilled and set. Serve with heart-shaped spice cookies.

Peanut Butter Bars

Ingredients:
1 cup melted butter
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 cups sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
4 tablespoons peanut butter

Combine butter, cracker crumbs, sugar, and 1 cup of the peanut butter in a bowl until smooth.

Spread into the bottom of an ungreased 9 x 13 baking pan.

In a saucepan melt the chocolate chips with four tablespoons of the peanut butter, stirring occasionally.

Pour over the crust in the baking pan. Chill in refrigerator for at least one hour until firm. Cut into bars before serving.

Traditional Cherry Pie

Makes 1 Pie

1 ready made pie crust

Cherry Filling:
2 jars cherries, drained
½ cup dark cherry juice
Juice of ½ lemon
1½ cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ cup cornstarch
¼ cup cold water
1 egg (for glazing)

Combine cherry juice, lemon juice, sugar, and vanilla in a pot over medium heat until sugar dissolves.

Add in cherries and turn heat to high. Be careful not to overstir; it will break up the cherries.

Mix cornstarch and water to make a slurry, then add to cherries and bring to a boil. When the mixture thickens, take it off the heat and set aside to cool.

To assemble the pie:
Line pie pan with one dough circle.

Fill shell with cherry filling.

Brush outer edge with a beaten egg or water.

Either top pie with second dough circle or arrange a lattice by cutting the dough into strips and overlapping.

Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 425° F.

Brush top of pie with egg or cream. Bake for 45 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cherries bubble.

Kellogg's® Chocolate Crackles

Serves 24

Ingredients:

4 cups Kellogg's® Rice Bubbles®
1 cup icing sugar
1 cup desiccated coconut
250g copha®*, chopped
3 tablespoons cocoa
Paper patty cases

In a large bowl, mix the Kellogg's® Rice Bubbles®, icing sugar, cocoa & coconut.

Slowly melt the copha® in a saucepan over a low heat. Allow to cool slightly.

Add to Rice Bubbles mixture, stirring until well combined.

Spoon mixture into paper patty cases and refrigerate until firm.

copha®* - Registered trade mark Peerless Foods.
*Kremalta in New Zealand.

Marshmallow Sticks

100g milk chocolate
200g packet marshmallows
Jar of rainbow sprinkles
Coloured drinking straws (or wood skewers)


Break the chocolate into pieces and place in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Leave until the chocolate has fully melted, stirring occassionaly.

Thread a marshmallow or 2 on to a a drinking straw (or long wooden skewer) and dip the marshmallows into the melted chocolate to coat. Gently drip off any excess chocolate.

While your chocolate coated marshmallow is still wet - dip the top in brightly colored rainbow sprinkles.

Place the coated marshmallow stick on a sheet of waxed baking paper to set.

Repeat with the remainder of the marshmallows. Allow to cool slightly. Chill in the fridge for 30 mins until set.