Market buzz

Malanda markets

Market buzz

The yungaburra markets give me the opportunity to sell some of my jams. So many interesting things to buy. Crystals, crochet items, food, seedlings. Can't forget the good coffee either.

GREEK CRESENT BISCUITES

Ingredients:
250g unsalted butter
80g icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tsp almond essence
1 egg yolk
375g plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
100g ground almond
Sifted icing sugar for dusting


How to make:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan oven 160°C/350°F/Gas mark 4.
- Grease or line two baking sheets. This volume will make between 30-40 biscuits.
- Beat the butter and icing sugar until pale and fluffy.
- Add the essence and egg, then beat until combined.
- Fold in the flour, baking powder and almonds. Only fold until you sense the mix is about to come together into a dough.
- Take tablespoons of the mix and roll in your hands until you have made a fat sausage. Curve it slightly into a crescent and place on the baking sheet. The biscuits expand a little but not greatly so you can put them quite close.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes or until lightly golden.
- Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
- Traditionally the biscuits are dusted with icing sugar before serving.

JAM MUFFINS

Ingredients

• 300g (2 cups) self-raising flour
• 2/3 cup caster sugar, plus 1/2 cup extra to coat
• 80ml (1/3 cup) vegetable oil
• 1 large egg
• 175ml buttermilk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 tsp good-quality strawberry jam
• 100g unsalted butter
• 1 t
• sp ground cinnamon

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C and grease a 6-hole muffin pan.
2. Sift the flour into a medium bowl, then add a pinch of salt and the caster sugar. In a jug, combine the vegetable oil, egg, buttermilk and vanilla extract. Add to the dry mixture and stir to only just combine. Place a spoonful of the mixture in each muffin hole and make an indent in the centre. Fill each indent with a generous 1/2 teaspoon of strawberry jam. Cover the jam with the remaining muffin mixture and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.
3. Meanwhile, melt the butter. Combine the extra sugar and the cinnamon in a large bowl. When the muffins are cool enough to handle, brush each muffin with the melted butter, then roll in the cinnamon sugar. Serve while still a little warm.

JAM DONUTS

INGREDIENTS

¼ cup (55g) caster sugar
¾ cup (185g) warm milk
2½ cups (375g) plain flour
1 sachet dried yeast (8g)
pinch salt
3 egg yolks
100g butter, chopped coarsely
½ cup strawberry jam, warmed, sieved
vegetable oil, for deep frying
1 cup (220g) caster sugar, extra

METHOD

Combine sugar and milk in small jug; stir well to dissolve sugar.

Combine flour, yeast and salt in large bowl. Add milk mixture and egg yolks stirring well with a wooden spoon to combine.

Tip mixture onto a lightly floured bench; using hands knead dough until just smooth, about 2 minutes.

Knead butter into dough; one piece at a time, until incorporated and dough becomes glossy and very smooth. You will need to keep the bench lightly floured during this process.

Place dough in an oiled bowl; cover with plastic wrap. Stand in a warm place about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

Divide dough into 20 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball. Place on a baking tray; cover with plastic wrap and stand 30 minutes or until doubled in size.

Place jam in small piping bag, fitted with a small plain piping nozzle.

Heat oil in wok or large saucepan to 190°C or 170°C fan-forced.

Add dough balls, a few at a time, turning occasionally with a slotted spoon to ensure they brown evenly. Cook until golden brown and floating, about 5 minutes.

Drain on absorbent paper before tossing in extra sugar. Pipe jam into the centre of each doughnut. Serve immediately.

JAM FANCIES

Ingredients

• 200g butter, chopped, at room temperature
• 100g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 250g (1 2/3 cups) plain flour
• 85g (1/4 cup)  Strawberry OR  Raspberry jam

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160°C. Line 2 baking trays with non-stick baking paper. Use an electric beater to beat the butter, sugar and vanilla until pale and creamy.
2. Sift half the flour over the butter mixture. Use a round-bladed knife in a cutting action to stir until just combined. Add the remaining flour and stir until it forms moist clumps. Gather the dough together and turn onto a sheet of non-stick baking paper.
3. Divide the dough in half. Roll one portion between two sheets of baking paper to form a 5mm-thick disc. Use a 5cm-diameter round pastry cutter to cut out 18 discs. Place pastry discs on 1 lined tray. Use a fork to lightly prick.
4. Roll out the remaining dough and use a 5cm-diameter round pastry cutter to cut out 18 discs. Use a 2cm-diameter fluted pastry cutter to cut a small hole in the centre of each disc. Place discs with holes on the remaining lined tray.
5. Bake biscuits in oven, swapping trays halfway through cooking, for 12-15 minutes or until lightly golden. Set aside on the trays to cool.
6. Spread each whole biscuit evenly with jam. Sandwich together with the remaining biscuits and serve.