Santa Balls

The quality of ingredients is important.  Use the best you can afford. 

100 g Macadamian nuts, roasted best.
200 g milk chocolate, I used Lindt, but Cadburys cooking chocolate would be O K
2 Tablespoons of cream, 40 mils
400g Xmas pudding. Use a good one. Break into 2 cm cubes.
1 tablespoon of Brandy, rum or a liqueur that will complement the pudding.  I used Peach Brandy. 

300 g of extra chocolate to dip. 
Pen with white chocolate.  You can buy these at Supermarket.  Queen brand
Method

Grind Macadamia nuts until the size of rice grain.  Set aside.  No need to wash bowl.                                                       
Add broken up chocolate to bowl and grind 10 seconds, speed 9. Scrape down and add cream. 
Heat at 50, speed 1 until chocolate is melted. 
Add nuts, pudding and liqueur to bowl and mix on reverse,  until all is incorporated but fruit in pudding is not cut up. 
Use a spatula to see that chocolate and nuts are well mixed through. 
Tip into a dish and refrigerate to firm up mixture. 
Use a 4 cm ice cream scoop to form balls and roll in hand. 
Return to fridge to chill.  This will make dipping in melted chocolate easy. 
When balls are well chilled,  dip in melted chocolate, drain well and place on cooking paper on lined tray. 
Decorate however you wish. 

Keep in container in fridge, but best served at room temperature. 
Makes 25
The bought ones cost $3 each. 
Inspiration for this recipe came from Exclusively Food and Nigella.  Of course adapted to TMX

Ciabatta

This Ciabatta is made with Sour Dough starter.
Each time we visit Hobart , I find a reason to eat at Smolt. The food is always very good but the Ciabatta they serve with olive oil and Balsamic dip is outstanding.  I think this is the reason that I have not made Ciabatta before.  With just an ordinary domestic oven , how could I make anything so good.!
While looking at some Blogs,  I came across "Fig Jam and Lime Cordial".  How on earth have I missed this wonderful site with a true Bread Tragic .
After spending a morning drooling over Celia's recipes I decided to give her Ciabatta a go.  I have converted the process to TMX and made slight changes.  I made a 1/2 recipe .That is 2 Ciabatta.

Ingredients
150g Sour Dough starter
335 mls  iced water
250g fine Semolina
250g white bread flour
9g salt.

In TMX bowl add all ingredients and knead for 1 minute
Leave in bowl and after 1 hour ,  knead again for 1 minute
Leave in bowl and Knead again for 1 minute.
Remove the dough to a well oiled bowl,( it will be very sticky) cover  with plastic wrap and allow to prove until double. depending on weather this will take between 6 to 8 hours.

Heat oven to 220 FF degrees. Place heavy baking tray or pizza stone into oven to heat.

When double tip onto a well floured mat, I used Semolina.  Fold top 1/3 over and then bottom 1/3 over first fold.  You may have to use a plastic scraper and well floured hands.
Cut in 1/2.
With aid of large plastic scraper lift dough onto well floured baking paper. Stretch it out a little along ways.

( This will be slid on to tray in oven. ) Do the same with second piece.
Slide into oven and bake for 25 minutes Turning tray at 10 minutes.Pull out Baking paper.
Lower temperature to 175 degrees and bake for a further 15 to 20 minutes.
Remove and cool on rack.


The crust and texture are perfect but I would have liked the crust browner.  The next ones I baked were browner. !