Makes 16

Ingredients:
1 1/4 C warm milk
2 t (7g) dried yeast
1/2 C sugar
60g butter, melted
1 egg
4 ¼ C baker’s flour
¼ C cocoa
1 t salt
3 t mixed spice
1 t cinnamon
1 t nutmeg
250 g dark chocolate chips
½ C apricot jam

Method

1. Combine the milk, yeast and 1 T of sugar and sit mixture in a warm place for 10 minutes or until frothy.
2. In a large bowl, sift 3 ¾ C flour, salt, mixed spice and sugar and add sultanas, currants and mixed peel. Make a well in the centre and add milk mixture, butter and egg. Stir until just combined.
3. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10-15 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a bowl and cover with a damp tea towel and place in a warm, draught-free place for 1 hour or until dough doubles in size.
4. Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease a 23cm square cake pan. Punch the dough down with your fist. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 2-3 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic. Divide dough into 16 even pieces and shape each portion into a ball. Arrange dough portions, side by side, in the prepared pan. Set aside in a warm, draught-free place for 30 minutes or until dough has risen 2cm.
5. Meanwhile, mix the remaining flour and 1/3 C water together in a small bowl until a smooth paste forms. Place in a small plastic bag and snip off the end. Pipe a continuous line down the centre of each row of buns, lengthways and width ways, to form crosses. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 180°C and bake for a further 15 minutes or until golden and cooked through (buns are ready when they sound hollow when tapped on the base).
6. Turn onto a wire rack. Place the jam in a small saucepan over high heat. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until jam melts. Strain through a fine sieve. Brush hot jam over the buns. Serve warm with butter, or toasted.
Makes 16

Ingredients:
1 1/4 C warm milk
2 t (7g) dried yeast
3/4 C sugar
60g butter, melted
1 egg
4 1/2 C baker’s flour
1/4 C cocoa
1 t salt
3 t mixed spice
1 t cinnamon
1 t nutmeg
1 C sultanas
¼ C currants
¼ C mixed peel
½ C apricot jam

Method
1. Combine the milk, yeast and 1 T of sugar and sit mixture in a warm place for 10 minutes or until frothy.
2. In a large bowl, sift 4 C flour, salt, mixed spice and sugar and add sultanas, currants and mixed peel. Make a well in the centre and add milk mixture, butter and egg. Stir until just combined.
3. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10-15 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a bowl and cover with a damp tea towel and place in a warm, draught-free place for 1 hour or until dough doubles in size.
4. Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease a 23cm square cake pan. Punch the dough down with your fist. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 2-3 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic. Divide dough into 16 even pieces and shape each portion into a ball. Arrange dough portions, side by side, in the prepared pan. Set aside in a warm, draught-free place for 30 minutes or until dough has risen 2cm.
5. Meanwhile, mix the remaining flour and 1/3 C water together in a small bowl until a smooth paste forms. Place in a small plastic bag and snip off the end. Pipe a continuous line down the centre of each row of buns, lengthways and width ways, to form crosses. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 180°C and bake for a further 15 minutes or until golden and cooked through (buns are ready when they sound hollow when tapped on the base).
6. Turn onto a wire rack. Place the jam in a small saucepan over high heat. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until jam melts. Strain through a fine sieve. Brush hot jam over the buns. Serve warm with butter, or toasted.
Donna, this one is for you.

Yield 1 x 8-inch round

Ingredients:
2 C flour
2 C sugar
3/4 C cocoa
1 C sunflower oil
300 g sour cream
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
2 t baking soda
2 T white vinegar
1 t salt

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 160 degrees. Grease and line a 8-inch cake pan with baking paper.
2. Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Add the oil and sour cream and beat until combined.
3. Gradually beat in 1½ C water, vinegar and vanilla. Whisk in the eggs and beat until well blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and be sure the batter is well mixed. Pour into prepared cake pan.
3. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a cake tester or wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean. Let cool in the pan for about 20 minutes. Invert onto wire racks and let cool completely.

Peanut Butter Frosting

500 g cream cheese
250 g butter
5 C icing sugar, sifted
2/3 cup smooth peanut butter


Method
1. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl often. Continue to beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.
2. Add the peanut butter and beat until thoroughly blended.

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Ganache
250 g dark chocolate
3 T smooth peanut butter
300 mL thickened cream

Yield 1 x 10-inch round

Ingredients:
5 eggs
1 C flour
1 C icing sugar
2 T cornflour
1 t baking powder
1 t vanilla
1 t coffee essence
2 T instant coffee, dissolved
pinch of salt

Method
1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Grease and line cake tin with baking paper.
2. Sift flours, baking powder and salt at least 3 times.
3. Beat eggs and sugar until very thick and increase in volume, about 5-10 minutes.
4. Add vanilla, coffee and coffee essence and beat until combined.
5. Gently fold in sifted flours so as not to let air escapte.
6. Pour mixture into tin and bake 30-40 minutes until skewer comes out clean.
7. Cool in tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. Cut into 3-4 layers.

Filling:
600 mL thickened cream
1 t coffee essence
1-2 t instant coffee, dissolved
1/4 C icing sugar

Method
1. Beat sugar and cream until whipped.
2. Beat in coffee essence and instant coffee until combined.
3. Spread over layers and decorate.