Pasta

500 grams plain flour
5 eggs
2 tablespoons oil
1 teaspoon salt

I combined all ingredients in my Kenwood mixer using the dough hook.
Split into roughly 4 equal sized balls.
Flatten each ball into a disk shape using a rolling pin if desired.
Cover with cling wrap and place in fridge for 1/2 hour.

Dust work surface and pasta machine with flour.
Roll out each disk as follows:

Set the pasta machine at its widest setting
Roll the lump of pasta dough through it.
Lightly dust the pasta with flour if it sticks at all.
Click the machine down a setting and roll the pasta dough through again.
Fold the pasta in half
Click the machine back up to the widest setting and roll the dough through again.
Repeat this process five or six times.

It might seem like you're getting nowhere, but in fact you're working the dough, and once you've folded it and fed it through the rollers a few times, you'll feel the difference. It'll be smooth as silk and this means you're making good pasta!

Now it's time to roll the dough out properly
Work it through all the settings on the machine, from the widest down to around the narrowest.
Lightly dust both sides of the pasta with a little flour every time you run it through.
When you've got down to the narrowest setting you want to use, to give yourself a tidy sheet of pasta, fold the pasta in half lengthways, then in half again, then in half again once more you've got a square-ish piece of dough.
Turn it 90 degrees and feed it through the machine at the widest setting.
As you roll it down through the settings for the last time, you should end up with a lovely rectangular silky sheet of dough with straight sides
If dough is a little cracked at the edges, fold it in half just once, click the machine back two settings and feed it through again. That should sort things out. You'll need to know when to stop. If you're making pasta like lasagna or spaghetti you'll need to roll the pasta down to between the thickness of a beer mat and a playing card; if you're making a stuffed pasta like ravioli or tortellini, you'll need to roll it down slightly thinner or to the point where you can clearly see your hand or lines of newsprint through it.
Once you've rolled your pasta the way you want it, you need to shape or cut it straight away. Pasta dries much quicker than you think, so whatever recipe you're doing, don't leave it more than a minute or two before cutting or shaping it. You can lay over a damp clean tea towel which will stop it from drying.

Cake - As used with Snickerdoodle Train Birthday Cake

1 1/4 cups flour

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup sour cream

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Heat oven 325F

Grease pan

In a large bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

In a medium bowl combine melted butter, sour cream, eggs, vanilla and almond extract, mix until well blended.

Add sour cream mixture to flour mixture and blend on low speed, scraping sides of bowl when necessary.

Beat on medium speed for 1 minute.

Spoon batter into pan/pans.

Tap firmly on counter top to remove air bubbles.

Spread batter out to edges, so batter is lower in the centre.

Bake until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Cool for 10 mins in pan before inverting onto cooling rack to completely cool.

NOTE : I did not use the almond extract

Strawberry Jam

3kg strawberries
3kg white sugar
Juice from 1/2 a lemon

** see below

Hull and half strawberries

Stir sugar through strawberries and leave for 1-2 hour while sugar softens the fruit

Add lemon juice then cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until fruit is soft.
Remove 1/3 of fruit. Set aside.

Cook remaining mixture until fruit is mostly dissolved and jam coats the back of a spoon.

Divide reserved fruit between the steralised jars then fill with jam.

**Update

After a bit more experience I have changed how I make jam now :D

I use almost equal parts of sugar to strawberries but with slightly less sugar

Hull and half strawberries

On low heat in the oven warm the sugar through in a shallow tray

Place strawberries in saucepan on the stove with a couple of table spoons of water to stop them sticking and cook until the strawberries start to break down and soften.

Add lemon juice and sugar and continue to cook until setting point is reached.

Setting point is reach when temperature hits 220 on a candy thermometer, this is the easiest method and it's well worth the $10 to buy a candy thermometer.

or

You can place two saucers in the freezer before you start making the jam and to test for setting point place a teaspoon of the mixture onto a chilled saucer, return to freezer for 30 or so seconds, then if the surface 'wrinkles' when you push it with your finger your jam is ready.

Notes : I used 1.85kg strawberries and 1.85kg sugar

Butter Cookies

500g flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
200g sugar
Dash of vanilla
250g chilled butter

Combine all ingredients and mix to form a smooth dough.
Refrigerate for 30-40min
Roll out to a thickness of about 3mm and cut out shapes with cookie cutters.
Place on a greased baking tray and bake at 175 for 8-12 mins

Russian Fudge

3 cups sugar

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup condensed milk

125g butter

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon golden syrup

Place all ingredients in a very large microwave safe bowl

Microwave for 15 minutes stirring every 3 minutes

Allow to cool slightly

Then beat with an electric beater until thick

Poor into a lined tin to set

Add vanilla or nuts when beating at the end if you wish

Note : This boils over every time in my microwave even when I use the biggest bowl I have, it only ever boils over the once though.

Also I have noted that its a more creamier fudge if you under cook it but by only a minute or two, no more in case it does not set, suppose it depends on your microwave. If I cook in mine for the full 15mins it comes out as a more crumbly fudge and we prefer it more creamy.

Edmonds Cookery Book

Tomato Chutney

2 large red onions, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 x 800g cans chopped Italian
Roma tomatoes
2 cups white sugar
2 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1 cup sultanas
1 tablespoon salt


Place all ingredients, and freshly ground black pepper, into a large saucepan over medium-low heat.
Cook, stirring, for 10 minutes or until sugar has dissolved.
Bring to the boil.
Reduce heat to low.
Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour or until mixture thickens.
Spoon hot chutney into hot sterilised jars.
Cover jars with a clean tea towel.
Cool completely.
Top with lids and label.

Notes
Makes 10 x 1-cup capacity jars
Slightly less curry powder, chilli powder and vinegar

I used 1200grams fresh tomatoes, halved everything and ended up with 4 x 8oz jars

* Have since used 2.4kg tomatoes and the full ingredients*

Preserved Oranges

4 (about 800g) medium navel oranges, washed, dried
200g (2/3 cup) salt
250ml (1 cup) fresh lemon juice
250ml (1 cup) fresh orange juice

Cut oranges in half.
Cut each half into 3 equal wedges.
Place in a plastic bag in the freezer overnight.

Remove from freezer and place in the fridge for 4 hours to thaw slightly.
Wash a 1L (4-cup) capacity glass preserving jar with plastic lid in warm, soapy water.
Rinse well.
Drain on a rack.

Place orange in a bowl.
Add salt and stir until orange is coated.
Place orange and any salt from bowl into the glass jar.
Add lemon and orange juice.
Seal and date jar.
Shake to combine.
Store in a cool place out of direct sunlight for 4 weeks, then use as required.

Notes
Preserved oranges are great in salads and desserts. Simply rinse under cold water and pat dry with paper towel. Cut the flesh and pith from rind and discard. Thinly slice rind and use as desired.

TASTE.COM.AU