My Most Favourite Dessert

Growing up, this was always my favourite dessert, I made my mum make it for all of my Birthdays. I had a copy of the recipe, and I lost it quite a few years ago. Well, yesterday, whilst attempting to clean up our spare room, I found my little book of hand written recipes. I know Mum had the recipe, but have no idea of its origin. I have adapted it to make it yummier, Lol.

Choc Mint Cheesecake

Base

250 grams Nice biscuits
2 Tablespoons cocoa
90 grams margarine (melted)

Crush biscuits finely, add cocoa, mix well. Stir in melted butter. Press mixture on to the base and sides of a 9" spring form cake tin. Refrigerate.

Filling

500 grams Philadelphia cream cheese (room temperature)
2/3 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon water
1 block Peppermint chocolate ( I use Nestle Club Peppermint Dark Chocolate)
2/3 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons gelatin
2 cups thickened cream (whipped)
1 Tablespoon water (extra)

Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth.

Sprinkle gelatin over water in a small dish. Place dish into a a larger dish, and pour hot water into larger dish. Stir gelatin until dissolved. Once dissolved remove from hot water bath, and let cool. Add to cream cheese mixture, beat well.

Fold in whipped cream.

Spoon mixture into base.

Place chocolate and extra water into a heat proof bowl (one that is bigger than a small saucepan). Place a small sauce pan onto stove, put about 2cm of water in, and boil. Once boiled turn down to low, and place bowl on top. Stir chocolate until melted, remove from stove and cool slightly.

Spoon chocolate mixture over cream cheese mixture, and swirl mixture with a spoon.

Refrigerate for 2-3 hours.

Additions

As I love peppermint, I added about 4 Tablespoons of Creme De Menthe into the cream cheese mixture, Yum Yum.
Even if your not a fan of dark choclate, please use the one specified.

Chocolate Cupcakes w/ Chocolate Vienna Buttercream Frosting

These cupcakes were delicious, light yet moist. They were so quick and easy too. I had them made and in the oven in less that 10 minutes. I halved the recipe, and made 6 standard size and 12 mini size cupcakes. You may need 2 quantities of frosting if you make the 2 dozen standard size cupcakes. It depends on if you pipe, or spread the frosting on.

Easy Chocolate Cupcakes
Original recipe from Baking Bites Blog

Makes 24 standard size cupcakes, or 60 mini size cupcakes

Ingredients

3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1 1/2 cups caster sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons bi-carb soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (170 degrees Celsius fan-forced). Line trays with cupcake papers
2. In a large bowl whisk cocoa, flour, sugar, soda, baking powder and salt thoroughly.
3. In a medium bowl whisk together eggs, water, buttermilk, oil and vanilla.
4. Whisk wet mix, into dry mix until all of the ingredients are combined with no flour streaks.
5. Fill cupcake papers 3/4 full with mixture.
6. Bake for 11 minutes (mini), 15 minutes (standard), or until a skewer comes out clean.
7. Remove cupcakes from pan, and cool on a wire rack. Once cool they are ready to ice.

Chocolate Vienna Butter Cream
Recipe from the Women's Weekly Children's Birthday Cake Book

Ingredients

125 grams margarine
1 1/2 cups sifted icing sugar
2 Tablespoons milk

Method

Beat margarine until light & creamy, add in half of the icing sugar, continue to mix until fully incorporated. Add half the milk, followed by the remaining icing sugar, beat until mixed. (sometimes you need the rest of the milk, sometimes you don't). Mixture should be smooth and easy to spread with a spatula.

Boys Night In!

Every Tuesday night for the past 2 months, I have been going out. 7 weeks of it I had Tafe, and the others I go to beading classes. Basically it's my night to do what I like.

Adam (& Harrison) have been inviting their mate Mick, and Adam's Dad Steve over for a boys night. They watch TV (Wipeout & Two & a Half Men), eat pizza & drink beer (Harrison doesn't).

Well last Tuesday, my class was cancelled, so I stayed home, so I decided to make my own pizza. The boys aren't very adventurous with their pizza, and I was asked to make Hawaiian. Easy.

Hawaiian Pizza

Dough

220ml water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
300 grams / 2 cups plain flour
75 grams / 1/2 cup wholemeal plain flour
1 1/2 teaspoons dried yeast

1. Add ingredients in order they are listed to bread maker pan.
2. Set to pizza dough (50 minute)
3. Scrape down sides of pan after approx 10 minutes.
4. Let it do its thing.
5. Once the bread maker has finished, take dough out of pan, and roll out on a lined tray. (I used a biscuit tray)

Topping

2 Tablespoons tomato paste
2 Tablespoons BBQ sauce
Ham
Pineapple
Pizza cheese

1. Mix together the paste and sauce. Spread over pizza base.
2. Sprinkle a small amount of cheese over.
3. Cover with Ham, then pineapple, then cover with cheese.
4. Place in oven, and cook for 20 minutes at 200 degrees Celsius.
5. Slice & eat.

Five Minute Chocolate Cake

I have been wanting to have a go at this cake for a long time. It has to be the quickest cake in history. Two minutes to prepare, and three to cook, can't be too hard. I didn't really follow the directions, I just bunged it all in the mug, stirred and hoped for the best. So here it is.

Five Minute Chocolate Cake
Original recipe from Dizzy Dee's Blog

Ingredients

4 Tablespoons cake flour
4 tablespoons caster sugar
2 Tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 Tablespoons milk
3 Tablespoons vegetable oil

Method

1. Put all ingredients into mug, stir.
2. Place mug into microwave, cook for 3 minutes on high.
3. Tip mug upside down an shake slightly above bowl, cake will fall out.
4. Add some icecream and eat!

Ingredients mixed

Cake just out of the microwave

Ready to eat

The result is not like a normal cake, but quite gluggy and dense. More like a pudding. Definately needed ice-cream. Not something I would make for guests, but if I was needing a quick chocolate fix, is worth the effort.

Carrot Cake Cupcakes w/ Cream Cheese Frosting

Carrot Cake Recipe

adapted from recipe in The Crabapple Bakery Cupcake Cookbook

Makes 12 standard + 12 mini cupcakes

Ingredients

1 1/3 cups Self Raising Flour
3 grams Bi-Carb Soda
7 grams Cinnamon
2/3 cup vegetable oil
170 grams brown sugar
2 eggs
1 2/3 cups grated carrot (firmly packed)
2/3 cup walnuts (chopped)
1/3 cup raisins (or sultanas)
zest of 1 orange
zest of 1 lemon

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (170 degrees Celsius fan-forced), Line trays with cupcake papers.
2. Sift together flour, soda & cinnamon.
3. In mixer bowl, beat the oil, sugar and eggs, on medium speed. Beat for about 5 minutes or until thick and creamy.
4. Add the carrot, walnuts, raisins and zest. Beat on low speed until combined.
5. Add the flour mixture and beat until thoroughly combined; do not over beat as the mixture will toughen.
6. Spoon mixture into cupcake papers, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake until a skewer inserted comes out clean, (mini cupcakes approx 12 minutes, standard cupcakes approx 20 minutes). 7.Remove cupcakes from the trays immediately and cool on a wire rack. Wait until completely cool before icing.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

50 grams margarine
125 grams cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups icing sugar (sifted)

Method

Beat margarine, cream cheese and vanilla for a couple of minutes until softened and creamy, add 1/2 the icing sugar, and beat until light and fluffy. Gradually add remaining icing sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy and of a spreadable consistancy.

Cupcake Hero - Red, White & Blue

I have been wanting to enter the Cupcake Hero for a while now, so I thought I might as well have a go. I am no where near as imaginative as most of the other entrants, but Hey, I don't need much of an excuse to make cupcakes do I?

So the theme for July, is Red, White & Blue. It is usually hosted by Laurie from Quirky Cupcake, but she is having a break so, Clara from I Heart Cuppycakes, and Nikki from Crazy Delicious Food are hosting this month.

Basically the cupcake must have the 3 colours in it, and if you must use food colouring, you can only use it for one of them.

I decided to make Raspberry (red) filled Coconut (white) Cupcakes with Coconut Butter Cream Frosting (blue).

Coconut Cupcakes
Crabapple Bakery

Makes 24


Ingredients

3/4 cup shredded coconut
2 1/3 cups plain flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
3 eggs
3 egg whites, extra
200g softened unsalted butter (I used margarine)
1 3/4 cups caster sugar
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup coconut milkMethod

Preheat oven to 170 degrees Celsius, Line two 12-hole trays with cupcake papers.

Using a food processor, process the coconut until very fine. Add coconut to a bowl with sifted flour, salt and baking powder. Mix until combined.

In a separate bowl combine eggs and egg whites. Do not beat.

In another bowl, cream the butter for 1-2 minutes. Add the caster sugar a third at a time, beating for 2 minutes after each addition. After the last addition, beat until mixture is light and fluffy and the sugar has almost dissolved.

Add the eggs a quarter at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition or until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined.

Add a third of the flour mixture and beat on low speed until combined. Add half the coconut milk and beat until combined. Repeat this process. Add the remaining third of the flour mixture and beat until thoroughly combined; do not over-beat as this will toughen the mixture.

Spoon into cupcake papers, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake for 18 minutes or until a fine skewer inserted comes out clean. Remove cupcakes from the trays immediately and cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes before frosting.

I wanted to fill the cupcakes with something red, and I love coconut with raspberry, so I then got a small paring knife and cut a small cone shape out of the top of the cupcake, and filled with approx 1/2 teaspoon of my favourite raspberry jam.

Then I cut a sliver of the piece I cut out, and placed in on top of the jam.Then they were ready to ice. I had no idea what to have for the blue, so I decided to tint the icing blue.

Coconut Butter Cream Frosting

Ingredients

188 grams butter, room temperature (I used margarine)

1/4 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups icing sugar

1 cup shredded coconut

blue food colouring

Method

Beat butter, scrape bowl.

Add the sifted icing sugar, beat, then add milk and vanilla.

Beat until smooth.

Add colouring, in small amounts, till you reach the desired colour.

Add coconut and mix until combined.

These are my new favourite (non-chocolate) cupcake. they are so yummy.

My Chocolate Fix

I was having a bad day, wondering what I was going to do with myself this week, knowing I was house bound with Harrison being contagious. And I thought, I need chocolate. I actually would of been quite happy with a hot chocolate drink, but, I had no milk. So I thought, Mmmm cookies.

I have made every type of cookie, in my recipe file, and nothing jumped out as chocolaty enough.

So I googled Chocolate Cookie, and this one jumped out.

Outrageous Chocolate Cookies

Adapted by me.

Ingredients

225 grams dark chocolate (roughly chopped)

80 grams margarine

2/3 cup plain flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 large eggs

3/4 cup brown sugar (firmly packed)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

340 grams dark chocolate chips

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (160 degrees Celsius fan - forced)

2. Place chocolate (225 gram amount) and margarine, into a microwave save bowl, and heat on high in 20 second increments, stirring in between, until almost melted, do not overheat, (mine took 80 seconds all up).

3. In another bowl, sift flour & baking powder.

4. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, sugar & vanilla on high speed until light and fluffy.

5. Add melted chocolate and beat on low speed until combined.

6. Add in flour mixture, and stir with a spatula until just combined, stir in chocolate chips.

7. Drop tablespoons of dough 2-3 inches apart onto lined baking sheets.

8. Bake for 12 minutes, rotating sheets half way through, until cookies are shiny and crackly, yet soft in the centre.

9. Cool on sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely.

The finished product.

Notes:

- Chocolate chips (I didn't have any, so I used a combination of block chocolate, and couveture) chopped up.

- The original recipe had salt, which I used in mine, but it left a salty aftertaste, not what I wanted in a cookie.

- You will need a spatula to lift cookies off sheets.

- I was a little disappointed with the shape of the cooked cookie, I prefer a smaller higher cookie, which is chewy in the centre. But even though this cookie was large and flat, it somehow remained chewy, Yay!

So at the moment, this is my Absolute Favourite Cookie.

Adam came home and ate 3, so they must be good, as he usually thinks most of my recipes are way too chocolaty.

Caramel Mud Surprise Cupcakes

Original recipe from the Women's Weekly Cupcakes book.

Adapted by me to make them a little more interesting, and more caramelly (if there is such a word).

Makes 12 regular sized cupcakes

Ingredients

125 grams butter

100 grams white chocolate ( I used Nestle melts )

2/3 cup brown sugar - firmly packed

1/4 cup golden syrup

2/3 cup milk

1 cup plain flour

1/3 cup self-raising flour

1 egg

12 jersey caramel lollies

Method

1. Preheat oven to 170 degrees Celsius / 150 degrees Celsius fan-forced

2. Line a 12 hole cupcake tray with papers.

3. Combine butter, chocolate, sugar, syrup and milk in a saucepan.

4. Stir over low heat until butter has melted and mixture is smooth.

5. Transfer to a mixing bowl, cool for 15 minutes.

6. Add sifted flours, stir until combined. Then mix in the egg.

This is where my recipe changes slightly.

7. Place approx 1 Tablespoon of mixture into each cupcake paper.

8. Place 1 lolly into the middle of mix.

9. Then divide remaining mixture between papers.

10. Bake for 30 minutes, ( I rotated my tray, after 15 minutes, as one side of my oven is hotter than the other ).
11. Remove cupcakes from tray and allow to cool on a wire rack.

I have just eaten one, and Oh my they are so good and caramelly. Here is a photo. The lollies have melted, which is the result I had wanted. Yum Yum.

Caramel Macadamia Slice

Base:

1 packet vanilla cake mix

1 cup coconut

125g melted butter or margarine

Topping:

1 400g tin condensed milk

1 Tablespoon butter or margarine

1 Tablespoon golden syrup

200g macadamia nuts

80g melted chocolate

Method:

1. Preheat oven 180 degrees Celsius. Line a 20cm x 30cm slice tin with baking paper.

2. Mix base ingredients and press into tin.

3. Bake for 15 minutes.

4. Combine condensed milk, butter and golden syrup in saucepan, and heat until butter is melted and mixture has thickened slightly.

5. Remove from heat, and add nuts.

6. Pour mixture over base and return to oven for 15 minutes.

7. Drizzle melted chocolate over slice.

8. Leave slice to cool in tin, then slice into bars. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Lemon Cheesecake Slice

This was so yummy.

Base:

250g Arnotts Nice bisciuts

110g melted butter or margarine

Filling:

1/2 cup caster sugar

250g cream cheese (softened)

1 large egg

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup thickened cream (full fat)

Topping:

1 1/2 cups thickened cream (whipped)

Method:

1. Line a 20cm x 30cm slice tray with baking paper. Preheat oven to 170 degrees celsius (150 degrees celsius for fan forced).

2. Crush biscuits (food processor or blender) then add melted butter. Press into base of tin.

3. Combine sugar, cream cheese and egg, (I used my hand held mixer, but a food processor would work too). Start off slow till cream cheese has broken down, then to medium until smooth.

4. Add lemon juice and cream and mix until combined.

5. Pour cream cheese mixture over base, and bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes. The slice should not have browned. And should be a little wobbly still. Remove from oven and allow to cool in tin, at least 30 minutes. The slice will continue to firm up, during this time.

6. Refrigerate until cold.

7. Spread cold slice with whipped cream.

8. Cut slice into bars, and serve. store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.