Baking recipes - to post to poor/homesick students

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sclaredy_cat, Mar 13, 9:06pm
Hey all - my daughter who is a huge sweet tooth, has moved away to Uni this year. I also have a nephew in the same boat. I've been sending them baking each week but they are going to get sick of choc chip cookies and gingernuts really soon. I thought some of you may have ideas on what else I can do - obviously the baking needs to keep well, resist being mushed on the way there, and not be covered in sticky icing. Jam fillings might be OK though! It would be nice to have some savoury ideas as well. Any thoughts!
-paradisefound-, Mar 13, 9:20pm
Lolly Cake.
Ginger crunch.
Homemade muesli bars.

Oops- just saw you wanted actual recipes. Sorry, ideas are as good as it gets at the mo.
elliehen, Mar 13, 9:20pm
Easter's coming.and you don't have to have the brandy butter.

Alison Holst's EASTER MUFFINS, a tried and true easy alternative to hot cross buns

Heat oven 210*C, tray just below middle
Measure in bowl 1 cup dried fruit (sultanas, currants, mixed fruit)
Add:
2 cups self-raising flour
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
1 Tablespoon mixed spice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
Toss to mix thoroughly

Put in container:
1/4 cup canola
1 large egg
1 cup orange juice
Beat with fork

Fold wet into dry ingredients until just mixed (don't over-mix)
Bake 12 - 15 minutes
Stand 2 to 3 minutes
Put on rack & place in plastic bag as soon as cold
Warm briefly to serve (optional)

NOTE: For richer muffins replace oil & salt & juice with 50-75 gms melted butter & 1 cup milk

Serve with BRANDY BUTTER
Beat 50 gms soft butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 -2 Tablespoons brandy
Refrigerate, but serve at room temperature
sclaredy_cat, Mar 13, 9:32pm
Sorry - I should have said ideas, not recipes! Pity we can't edit titles. Must say the lolly cake is an awesome idea, they'll love it - smaller to post too ;)
Thanks for the Easter muffins recipe too Elliehen, it will be nice to send something a bit seasonal, apart from the obvious Easter eggs which no doubt they will OD on!
elliehen, Mar 13, 11:36pm
For ideas then, I'd suggest a loaf - fruit, cheese or coconut.This loaf would travel well.I have a similar one called Coconut Picnic Loaf.
lindylambchops1, Mar 13, 11:51pm
To help them on their way why not treat them to this book.

http://www.mightyape.co.nz/product/Book/Edmonds-Food-for-Flatters/1634230/

Would teach them to be more independent & save you postal cost of sending baking.Although I realize these are treats for them & it is very kind of you to send them.
sclaredy_cat, Mar 14, 12:11am
Good idea but they are both living in hostels and they aren't able to do baking for themselves. They can both cook really well and much prefer homemade goodies. Their flatmates next year will think they've hit the jackpot ;)
ruby19, Mar 14, 1:12am
Ginger bread loaf,
280g (2 cups) flour
200g (1 cup) brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 dessertspoons ground ginger
½ tsp mixed spice
½ tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
360g (1 plus 1/3 cup) golden syrup
225g butter (roughly diced)
2 eggs (lightly beaten)
250ml (1 cup) milk

Method
· Preheat oven to 150°C.

· Grease and line the base of an 11cm x 30cm loaf tin (or alternatively a 23cm square tin).

· Into a large bowl sift flour, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, ginger, mixed spice, nutmeg and cinnamon. ( I just stir in the brown sugar to hard to sift!)

· In small saucepan melt golden syrup with butter.

· To the dry ingredients add the golden syrup mixture followed by eggs and milk. Combine ingredients well, using a whisk (this is a very wet mix). Pour into prepared tin.

· Cook in loaf tin for 1 hour 10 minutes (in the square tin for 45 minutes) or until metal cake skewer comes out clean. When cooked leave in tin to cool for 30 minutes or more before turning out.
This apparently freezes well, but will keep for a week in an air tight container. I think this is better as it gets older, great with a good spread of butter on.

I make this quite often, and it is always a hit.
sclaredy_cat, Mar 14, 2:26am
Ginger crunch cooling on the bench as we speak :)
sarahb5, Mar 14, 3:12am
First year my daughter boarded with a great cook so didn't need any home baking and since then she has been flatting although some of her flat mates don't appreciate her baking - too good, makes them gain weight!For pamper packs from home I either send supermarket vouchers and a bag of lollies or order food online with Countdown and get it delivered or they can pick it up if someone has a car (always include a bottle of wine or cider, of course).
sclaredy_cat, Mar 14, 3:53am
That's awesome, never thought of ordering stuff through countdown. Might do that sonetime.I've already planned to order my nephew pizza delivery for his birthday next month. I figure that will make me the best aunty ever ;)
daisyhill, Mar 14, 6:08am
Have to say, if they are getting sick of the lovely home baking they're getting in the mail then they are being spoilt! Perhaps fewer parcels would result in slightly more gratitude and enjoyment on their parts.

My mum sent me some butter biscuits in the mail this week. I haven't had her home baking in about two years and it was a HUGE treat. Lasted all of two days but I treasured every crumb.
sclaredy_cat, Mar 14, 3:03pm
I can't imagine they will get sick of it - apparently my daughter really looks forward to her deliveries (maybe as it scores her some serious brownie points with the rest of her wing!) and they are both very appreciative of their treats. it's probably more mum/aunty will get sick of making the same thing all the time ;)
Takes me back to when my husband was away with the army on long stretches, I used to send him baking as well. That's going back 15 years or so, so I was really stoked when he mentioned the other day how much he appreciated it, and how popular it made him with the boys - apparently they all used to look forward to him getting mail from home :)

Ginger crunch on it's way to Waikato and Victoria universities today, thanks to paradisefound for the suggestion!
52many, Mar 14, 5:13pm
Savoury Pin Wheel Scone.
3 cups flour1tspn BP
Good pinch salt and pepper
2 cups grated tasty cheese
Milk to mix
Knead into a big square about 1/2" thick
Pre-fry lightly strips of bacon and onion
Spread tomato sauce or chutney over dough
Add bacon & onion
Roll up
Cut into scone size and place onto oven dish with just a small gap between each one. Top with more grated cheese
Pop into pre heated oven of 220c and bake for approx 10-15mins.
Should all pull apart when baked.
Can be re-heated in microwave on arrival!
Yum!
kaddiew, Mar 14, 5:41pm
Peanut brownies! If they smash in the post, they taste just as good. :)
cookessentials, Mar 14, 5:50pm
The lemon yoghurt cake and pumpkin loaves ( both made with oil) would be good as they transport well, and keep very well.
rosiemoodle, Mar 14, 11:29pm
Rice bubble crunch
buzzy110, Mar 15, 12:30am
I am so liking this suggestion.
indy95, Mar 15, 12:37am
How about Anzac biscuits ! They travel well if carefully packed and are more substantial than many others so hopefully fewer will be eaten at a time.or perhaps not. !
indy95, Mar 15, 12:44am
How about Anzac biscuits ! They travel well if carefully packed and are more substantial than many others so hopefully fewer will be eaten at a time.or perhaps not !

Another suggestion -this is a Ruth Pretty recipe. It is very "filling" and goes a long way. It is also absolutely scrumptious !

Trampers Slice

125g butter diced, 200g sugar, 2 T golden syrup, 1 egg, 140g flour, 1 t baking powder, 80g dessicated coconut, 100g rolled oats lightly toasted, 75g sultanas, 95g dried apricots, chopped, 70g each pumpkin and sunflower seeds, grated rind of ½ lemon and 2 T juice.

Oven 180C in well greased and lined 30 x 20cm brownie pan or small roasting pan.
Cream butter, sugar and syrup until pale, beat in egg. Add remaining ingredients and mix well.
Press firmly and evenly into pan.
Bake for 35 to 40 mins until lightly browned and firm to touch. Leave to cool then cut into pieces.
elliehen, Mar 15, 12:52am
indy95, I've got a similar tramper's recipe in biscuit form, called Scroggin Biscuits.I think it's an Alison Holst reworking of the famous Tararua Tramping Club biscuits.
greerg, Mar 15, 1:19am
Afghans, Belgium biscuits, Anzacs, peanut brownies.I found that iced slices survived perfectly well in a couriered care package. Homemade jam was always appreciated too. After seven years of regular packages to Dunedin my daughter was disappointed to hear that young dentists didn't get them. Actually I've weakened a few times over that.
indy95, Mar 15, 1:29am
I also have a Scroggin Biscuit recipe but didn't know about the Tararua Tramping Club biscuits.
elliehen, Mar 15, 1:30am
Accustomed as I am to wrapping books, I found that baking travels well via NZPost in one of those shallow plastic Indian/Thai takeaway trays with lid.As long as it's no thicker than 700mm it goes as a standard C5 parcel - even looks like a book and should be quite acceptable to the dentist fraternity, or sorority ;)
sclaredy_cat, Mar 15, 5:02pm
Awesome ideas thanks all, made sure i got extra ricies today for rice bubble crunch, and jelly for jelly biscuits. I'm getting a kick out if doing this for my daughter/nephew, would you believe it's almost helping me with the grief of them leaving home!
And yep elliehen I've found those containers work well too, i dont want to lose all my tupperware, and icecream containers are too big, so I'm being creative with my packaging ;)