Lolly Cake

So, this has to be one of the easiest things on this blog to make.  Lolly Cake (personally I call it ‘Lolly Slice’) is a New Zealand treat, found in most bakeries.  My Irish flatmate has just informed me that back home they call something similar ‘fifteens’.  I had never made Lolly Cake before and couldn’t believe how simple it was.  This would be a great recipe to get the kids making and at this time of the year is would make great Christmas gifts for teachers, something to give the neighbours, unexpected visitors…

Ingredients:
120g butter, melted
250g (1 pack) malt biscuits (cookies)
½ can (200g) condensed milk
190g (1 pack) eskimo lollies (you can also use fruit puffs – lollies are what we call sweets in New Zealand)
¼ cup desiccated coconut

Method:
Cut the lollies into bite sized chunks.
Grind the biscuits up in the food processor to a fine crumb.  Add the lollies and biscuit crumbs into a large bowl.
Whisk together the melted butter and condensed milk.  Pour butter mixture over the biscuit mixture and stir to combine.
Mould the mixture into a log shape, coat the outside with the coconut, then wrap in cling film.
Place in the refrigerator for a couple of hours or until set.  Cut into 1cm slices before serving.

You could, if you don’t want the fuss of making a log, press the mixture into a slice tin and sprinkle the top with coconut.  Once it has been the fridge to set you can then cut it into slices.

Hidden Treasure Muffins

Ahoy matey!  I thought these Hidden Treasure Muffins would be a bit of fun for kids, or those young at heart.  When I was younger I used to save all the gummy lollies until the end of my bowl when I had Goody Goody Gum Drops ice cream.  It was kinda fun seeing how many you’d get (and a bit of a competition between my brother and I).  I had an idea to do something similar with muffins.  Inside, these muffins have jelly beans and gummy lollies or, what I like to think of as ‘hidden treasure’.  How many of hidden ‘gems’ can you find? 

2 cups self raising flour
½ teaspoons cinnamon
¾ cup sugar
300g sour cream
1 egg
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 bananas, mashed
⅔ cup jelly beans
12 jube / gummy lollies

Preheat the oven to 200°C.  Grease or line 12 muffin tin holes.
Place the flour, cinnamon, and sugar in a bowl and mix.
Put the sour cream, egg, oil and mashed banana in another bowl and mix together.  Add to the dry ingredients, along with the jelly beans, and stir to combine.
Spoon the mixture evenly between the prepared muffin tins until they are half full.  Place a gummy lolly on top of the batter in each tin, then cover with the remaining mixture.
Bake for 25 – 30 minutes or until golden brown on top.

Aye, shiver me timbers! They look jolly good!