cinnamon scrolls by whisks

these are essentially a glorified scone which i like to make when we need something comforting for afternoon tea and we just don't have the time or patience for a scroll made with yeasted dough.
these are really quick and easy to make. when making these, remember that the less you handle the dough the better they will turn out. once you get the hang of making them, you will find that making them is really no effort at all.

2 cups self raising flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
60 grams butter, melted
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
60 grams very soft butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

glaze:
1 cup icing sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

line a 20cm square tin with baking paper and preheat the oven to 200 degrees celcius.
combine flour and salt in a medium sized bowl.
mix melted butter, milk and vanilla together.
pour the liquid into the bowl with the flour and stir quickly and gently with knife just until dough leaves sides of bowl.
tip the dough out of the bowl onto a lightly floured surface.
sprinkle a little flour onto the top of the dough and roll the dough into a 1 cm thick rectangle about 30 centimetres long and 20 centimetres wide.
spread the dough with the very soft butter.
combine cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle it over dough.
roll up, starting on long side.
cut into 16 rounds and place rounds, with sides just touching, in the prepared pan.
bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.
remove from oven and drizzle with glaze.
serve warm.

for glaze:

combine the milk icing sugar and vanilla and stir until smooth.

coconut mint crunch kisses by whisks

sounds like a real mouthful, doesn't it? well, i really tried to shorten it down from "chocolate coconut peppermint crunch kisses"!
i made these for miss k to take to her coeliac friend's place this morning. i was actually trying to think of what gluten free treat to make last night, but only came up with this recipe this morning. yesterday, we went to sticky where we got a huge bag of pepermint candy and i was determined to think of some thing gluten free to make with them. initial thoughts were to make a slice with the crushed candies and rice cookies, but the combination just didn't appeal to me, so this is what i came up with. if everything is at hand, and the candies crushed, this really only takes a moment to make - the rest is chilling time - it took me less than 10 minutes (felt like 5) to put together and while it was in the fridge, i had my shower and breakfast. it was then chilled sufficiently to cut and bring to lizzie's place!

375 grams dark chocolate
150 grams butter
300 grams peppermint candies, crushed
1 1/2-2 cups shredded coconut

melt the butter and chocolate on defrost in the microwave. once the mixture starts feeling quite warm, stir until smooth. add the candies and coconut gradually, stirring to coat. pour into a lined 15cm x 26cm tin. smooth the surface and sprinkle with extra shredded coconut. cool, then refrigerate. once firm, use a round 3cm cookies cutter to cut out the kisses to serve.

corn relish dip by whisks

this is super simple and is super delicious, particularly if you like corn relish. it only takes moments to prepare, so is a great standby for spur of the moment occasions.

1 cup corn relish
2 cups sourcream

mix the corn relish with the sour cream until blended and chill until ready to serve.serve with crackers, or my favourite - potato crisps/chips.

chicken lavosh rolls

i first tried these at what was then the sheraton on the park hotel on elizabeth street as part of their high tea selection. this is really a glorified chicken sandwich which is nice to serve as finger food. i like it because i can prepare it a day in advance and slice it up as i need it.

2 cooked chicken breasts, chopped
1 small tub plain thick yogurt
1 onion, chopped and softened in butter
1-2 tablespoons curry powder
salt to taste
1 red capsicum, cut in fine slivers
6 pieces lavosh bread

combine the chicken, yogurt, onion, curry powder and salt. lay out a piece of cling wrap (cut larger than the lavosh bread) on a cutting board and place a piece of lavosh on it. spread about 3/4 cup of chicken filling on the piece of bread. place some of the capsicum slivers along the long edge of the chicken and roll the bred up firmly, using the cling wrap to assist the rolling, wrap the roll with the cling wrap entirely. repeat with the remaining mixture. chill the rolls until required; slice the rolls and garnish with parsley and serve.

spring onion pancakes

these are by no means the authentic spring onion pancakes popular in pekingese restaurants and in taiwan. these are my cheat/desparation spring onion pancakes. i wanted to make the authentic ones from scratch, but my dough didn't work out, so i came up with this, which isn't bad and a great way of using up scraps of puff pastry and spring onion.

1 bunch spring onions, chopped
ready rolled puff pastry sheets
salt
oil, extra

cut a pastry sheet in four squares. sprinkle some of the spring onion on a quarter piece of pastry. sprinkle with salt. place another quarter square of pastry on top and roll the two pieces of pastry together to created a thin "pancake".
heat a frypan with a little oil and carefully place the prepared pastry in the pan. fry until crisp and golden on one side and flip with a spatula to crisp the other side.
serve cut in wedges.