Christchurch grandmother Sue Heazlewood has just released her third cookbook Tangleby Everyday Recipes and it features a few recipes perfect for these occasions and (mostly) easy to wrap and gift.
Cooking and gardening have always been her passion and she found her dream home in Christchurch with its large kitchen and a paddock she has transformed into a garden of her dreams.
She now grows 15,000 vegetable and annual flower seedlings every year in her glasshouse.
It has provided the perfect space for her to entertain her six grown children and their families as well as friends.
"They prioritise simplicity and easily accessible ingredients.
"These tasty, quick and exciting recipes are designed to make food preparation a breeze."
THE BOOK
Tangleby Everyday Recipes by Sue Heazlewood Photography by Neil Smith
Published by Auckram Publishing $49.95
Cheesecake-stuffed strawberries
These tasty wee morsels are always popular at a cocktail party.
Makes 20
20 large strawberries
200g cream cheese
½ cup icing sugar
2 Tbsp cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ cup sweet biscuit crumbs
Method
Use a sharp knife to cut a small wedge from the side of each strawberry.
Place the cream cheese in a mixer or large bowl and beat until smooth.
Beat in the icing sugar, cream and vanilla.
Transfer to a piping bag and pipe into the strawberries.
Refrigerate until needed, then arrange on a serving platter and sprinkle with the biscuit crumbs to serve.
Cheese and herb biscuits
These wee savoury biscuits are fabulous on a platter or cheeseboard. It’s a big recipe but easily halved if desired.
Makes 36
Ingredients
2 ½ cups grated tasty cheese
225g butter — softened
¼ cup cream
1 Tbsp milk
1 tsp garlic salt
A pinch of black pepper
A pinch of cayenne pepper
1 ½ cups flour
1 ½ cups grated Parmesan
3 Tbsp finely chopped fresh basil, rosemary or thyme
Method
Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan bake).
Line two baking trays with baking paper.
Cream together the cheese, butter, cream, milk, garlic salt, pepper and cayenne.
Beat in the flour, Parmesan and herbs a little at a time until just combined.
Halve the dough and roll out one half on a lightly floured surface.
Cut into about 18 biscuits with a small cutter and place the biscuits on one of the prepared trays.
Repeat with the remaining dough.
Bake for 15–18 minutes or until golden.
Tim Tam fudge slice
A rather decadent slice that I often serve as a petit four after a dinner party.
Makes 24
Ingredients
395g can condensed milk
375g milk chocolate
175g Tim Tam biscuits, roughly chopped
½ cup chopped walnuts
Chocolate icing
20g butter, melted
¼ cup cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ cups icing sugar
A little boiling water
Method
Line a 20cm slice tin with baking paper.
Combine the condensed milk and chocolate in a medium bowl. Place over a pan of simmering water or microwave in short bursts, stirring between, until melted and smooth.
Stir in the chopped biscuits.
Transfer to the prepared tin and refrigerate for 2-3 hours until set.
To make the chocolate icing, mix the butter, cocoa and vanilla in a medium bowl.
Stir in the icing sugar and just enough boiling water to make an icing consistency.
Spread the icing over the base.
Sprinkle the walnuts over the slice and leave to set.
Cut into 24 pieces and store in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
Fruit & nut chocolate bark
Add this beautiful chocolate bark to a dessert platter or wrap it up prettily for a special gift.
Makes 20
Ingredients
200g dark chocolate — roughly chopped
50g white chocolate — roughly chopped
½ cup roughly chopped pecans
½ cup roughly chopped walnuts
⅓ cup dried cranberries
Method
Line a baking tray with baking paper.
Melt the dark chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water or in short bursts in a microwave, stirring between bursts.
Pour the chocolate on to the lined baking tray and spread it out with a spatula.
Melt the white chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water or in short bursts in a microwave, stirring between bursts.
Pour the white chocolate over the dark chocolate in ribbons and swirl through with a skewer to create a marbled pattern.
Sprinkle the chopped nuts and cranberries over the top.
Refrigerate until set, then cut or break into pieces.
