A specialty in the McGregor house when I was growing up. There were always rotten bananas to be used up and where better than in a loaf. I always loved it with a good spreading of butter . . . still do. It’s perfect with a cup of tea. This is fantastic for kids’ lunches and will keep for a few days in an airtight container. 
 
Prep time 15 minutes
Cook time 40-50 minutes
Makes 10 slices
 
Ingredients

     1¾ cups self-raising flour
     ½ tsp baking soda
     ½ tsp ground cinnamon
     ¼ tsp salt
     ½ cup sugar
     2 eggs
     ¼ cup milk
     75g butter, melted and cooled
     1 cup mashed banana
 
Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Grease a 22cm loaf tin or line it with baking paper.
Sieve the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt together. Combine with the sugar in a large bowl.
In another bowl whisk the eggs lightly, then stir in the milk, banana and butter (make sure the butter is not too hot or it will scramble the egg). Quickly add this to the dry ingredients and combine.
Pour into the loaf tin and bake for 40-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
 
Top tips
·       Throw some walnuts or macadamia into the mix.
·       Finely chopped dates are also a great addition.

This show-stopper looks and tastes the part. A great cake for any celebration, this is one to share with the special people in your life. 

Prep time 15 mins
Cook time 60 mins
Serves 8

Ingredients

     Cake
     ½ cup shredded coconut
     1½ cups coconut milk
     6 eggs, separated
     1 cup sugar
     pinch of salt
     250 ml almond oil
     4 tsp baking powder
     2 cups flour
     
     Coconut Icing
     1/3 cup shredded coconut
     3 egg whites
     1 cup sugar
     ½ tsp cream of tartar
     pinch of salt
     2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions
 
Preheat the oven to 180ºC. Grease two x 20–22 cm cake tins. Stir the coconut into the coconut milk. Set aside.

Separate the egg whites from the yolks. Place the egg whites in a small- to medium-sized mixing bowl. Put the yolks in a large mixing bowl. Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until they are like whipped cream. Set aside. Add the sugar to the yolks, along with the salt and oil. Beat to a smooth consistency.

Stir the baking powder into the flour, then add this to the yolk mixture. Add the coconut milk and shredded coconut. Beat for 1–2 minutes or until well combined.
Fold the beaten egg whites into the batter and pour the batter into the prepared tins. Bake for 30–40 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool on a rack before icing.

To make the icing, toast the coconut in a dry frying pan over a medium-high heat. Stir continuously until lightly browned. Immediately transfer to a bowl to cool.
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Combine the egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar and salt in a stainless-steel bowl that fits tightly over a saucepan. Stir well. Add 3 cm of water to the saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low. Set the bowl with the egg mixture over it. Using a hand-held electric mixer, beat the mixture on low speed. Gradually increase the speed over 5 minutes, ending at high speed. Add the vanilla when you switch to high speed. Beat until the icing is stiff and easily holds its shape. Remove from the heat.
 
To assemble the cake, place the first layer on your serving plate and cover the top with a generous amount of icing. Sprinkle over some of the toasted coconut. Now add the second layer and again cover the top with icing. Finish by icing the sides of the cake. Sprinkle toasted coconut all over the top and don’t forget the sides.

Need some inspiration for the kids lunchboxes, without loads of sugar? Give this a whirl, the kids will thank you for it!

Ingredients
      1⅓ cups quick-cooking (not instant) rolled oats, divided
      a pinch each of salt, ground cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger
      1 cup of your choice of roughly chopped dried fruit and/or nuts and seeds.
      (I used all nuts as dried fruit has more sugar content)
      ¼ cup cacao nibs
      ¼ cup canola oil
      ¼ cup high quality maple syrup
      2 tbsp brown rice syrup

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Line a 8” square baking pan with baking paper, letting a bit of excess paper hang over the sides.
2. Grind ⅓ cup of the oats in a food processor until powdery. Add them to a large mixing bowl with the remaining oats, the salt and spices and the cup of your choice of nuts/fruit/seeds.
3. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients and then stir them into the dry ingredients.
4. Put the mixture in the prepared pan, smoothing the top with a rubber spatula. Bake for ½ hour, or until evenly browned.
5. Remove from oven and let cool for about 15 minutes. Remove from tray and place onto to a cutting board (the baking paper will act as a sort-of sling, making this very easy). Cut into individual bars.

Anzac day is a day for remembering our brave soldiers, why not do so while enjoying some Anzac biscuit deliciousness. With this recipe you not only have dessert sorted but also something for the biscuit tin.

Ingredients
       3 apples, peeled and diced
       3 feijoas, peeled and diced
       1 tbsp brown sugar (optional)
       Anzac crumble
       1 cup flour
       ¾ cup caster sugar
       1 cup desiccated coconut
       2 cups rolled oats
       125 g butter
       2 tbsp golden syrup
       1 tsp baking soda
       3 tbsp boiling water

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 180°C (160°C fan bake). Place flour, caster sugar, coconut and oats in a bowl and stir to combine. Make a well in the centre.
2. Place butter and golden syrup in a saucepan to melt. Dissolve baking soda in boiling water. Add melted ingredients and dissolved baking soda to dry ingredients and mix to combine.
3. Lay apples and feijoas in the bottom of an ovenproof dish. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Take half of the crumble mixture and spread evenly on top of the fruit. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
4. Serve with cream.
5. With the remaining mixture roll spoonfuls into balls and press onto a baking tray, allowing space for biscuits to spread while cooking.
6. Bake for 15 minutes or until firm and golden brown. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Useful tip

• You can substitute the fruit for peaches or plums 

Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Makes: 16

Cathy’s brownie recipe was a star at my mother’s café, Rhubarb, in Taranaki. She spent time in the States where she discovered the deliciousness of these chocolate brownies when she was 10 years old and visiting a family friend in Portland, Oregon. Twenty –two years later and she says her mouth still waters when this brownie comes out of the oven. If you like your brownies chewy, be sure to beat the eggs in really well!

Ingredients
       400g unsalted butter
       1 cup cocoa
       4 cups brown sugar
       ½ tsp salt
       2 tsp vanilla extract
       2 cups plain flour
       4 eggs
       1 cup chocolate buttons
       Icing sugar, for dusting

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Lightly grease a 20 x 30 cm slice tin.
2. Melt the butter and cocoa in a large saucepan. Stir to combine, then add the sugar, salt and vanilla. Mix well. Take the pan off the heat, sift in the flour and combine.
3. Beat the eggs in a bowl until light and fluffy. Add to the mixture and stir until well combined. Pour into a tin. Pace the chocolate buttons on top in a pattern of your choice.
4. Bake for about 30 minutes or until if feels slightly firm. Cool in the tin, then slice. Dust with icing sugar.

Useful tips

• Be careful not to overcook the brownie or it will be dry.
• Throw in a few raspberries for something a little different

Everybody loves to eat a rich chocolate cake that oozes deliciousness when cut into. This is one of those recipes that keeps you coming back for more. Just remember that everyone’s oven is slightly different, so always do a tester first. When removed from the oven and cut into it, should have a molten centre. Too long in the oven and you will simply have a cake. The little hint of chilli is just fantastic.

Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 10 mins
Serves: 4

Ingredients
       1 red chilli, seeded and finely sliced
       50g butter
       200g good-quality dark chocolate, chopped into small, even pieces
       ¼ cup flour
       1 tbsp 70% cocoa, plus extra for serving
       4 eggs
       ½ cup castor sugar
       2 tsp vanilla extract
       Flaked chocolate and whipped cream to serve

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Grab 4 ramekins and liberally butter the insides with a brush. Once completely covered, sprinkle the insides with castor sugar (or cocoa), shaking out any excesses.
3. Place a saucepan of water on a medium heat and bring to the boil. Meanwhile take a heat resistant bowl that will fit snugly on top of the saucepan and add the chilli, butter and chocolate. Place the bowl over the simmering water and stir while everything gently melts together. When totally smooth, set aside to cool.
4. Sift together the flour and cocoa into a medium bowl. In another large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar and vanilla until pale yellow and fluffy. Add the chocolate to the egg mixture, a little at first, gently folding it in to keep the air in the egg mixture. Gently combine the flour and egg mixture.
5. Carefully fill the ramekins to at least ¾ full and place in the middle of the oven for 10 minutes.
6. Serve straight away sprinkled with cocoa or flaked chocolate, whipped cream and the raspberry coulis.

Useful tips

• These taste great with this simple Raspberry Coulis: Place 200g frozen raspberries and 2 tablespoons icing sugar or castor sugar in a saucepan, simmer until berries begin to break down. Pass through a fine sieve, then return to the heat in a clean pan and reduce to desired consistency.
• When buttering ramekins, butter from the base of the ramekin towards the top, it makes a big difference.
• Chilli can be optional if the kids don’t like it.

No need to cream the butter and sugar in these cookies which make them a perfect kids recipe. Perfect for a school holiday distraction.

Cook time: 15 mins
Prep time:  10 mins
Serves: 16

Ingredients
150g soft butter
125g soft light brown sugar
100g caster sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
300g flour
½ tsp baking soda
150g dark chocolate chips
150g milk or white chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 170.
2. Melt the butter then let it cool a little. Put the sugars in a bowl and pour over the the cooled butter. Beat these together then add the vanilla, egg plus yolk and continue to beat until light and creamy, then add the flour and baking soda and gently combine. Finally add the chocolate chips and combine.
3. Divide the mixture into 16 balls and lay them onto 2 baking tray’s covered with baking paper. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden on top. A good tip is to make sure you swap the trays in the oven half way through cooking time to ensure they cook evenly. Remove and let cool.

Useful tips
If there is too much mixture shape like a log on some cling film, wrap and freeze. Simply pull the frozen cookie dough log from the freezer slice place on tray and bake.