Velvet Chocolate Cheesecake

This is a time consuming cake / cheesecake so start well in advance.

You need to make the cheesecake base, ganache, cheesecake filling and a separate cake.  Then assemble it all - 

Crust Ingredients:

2 packets Oreo cookies, processed into crumbs including cream 

5 tbsp butter, melted and cooled

 

Filling Ingredients:

1 box cream cheese, at room temperature

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 large egg

Ganache Ingredients:

150 gms heavy cream

300 gms chocolate, finely chopped 

Make the cake: 

follow the recipe given here

Make the cheesecake base: 

To make the crust, preheat the oven to 180˚C. 

Butter a 8-inch springform pan and place it on a baking sheet. 

Combine the chocolate cookie crumbs and melted butter in a small bowl. Mix well to moisten all of the crumbs. Press into a thin layer covering the bottom and sides of the springform pan (at least 3 inches up the sides).

Make the ganache: 

Bring the cream to a simmer in a medium saucepan. 

Pour the cream over the chopped chocolate mix until a smooth ganache has formed. 

Pour 1/2 of the ganache over the bottom of the crust. 

Freeze the base until the ganache layer is firm. 

Keep balance ganache in reserve

Make the cheesecake filling: 

Using an electric mixer beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium-high speed until well blended. 

Add in the vanilla and beat until well incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. 

Beat in the egg.

Fold in the flour. 

Pour the filling over the cold ganache in the crust. 

Bake until the top is lightly browned, puffed and cracked at the edges, and the center moves only very slightly when the pan is lightly shaken, about 1 hour. 

Transfer to a wire cooling rack. 

Cool at room temperature for at least 30 minutes and then chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours

Assembling the cheesecake: 

Remove the cheesecake from the tin and transfer to a serving platter. 

From the remaining ganache, smear a thin layer on top of the cheesecake to help the cake adhere well

Place your cake layer on top of cheesecake

Decorate top of cake with balance ganache and some white chocolate

Spicy Crinkle Chocolate Cupcakes

Christmas is round the corner.  The mood was for baking something with spice.  So here is my version of Crinkle cookies in a cupcake

Ingredients

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 cup castor sugar

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 /2 tsp cinnamon powder

1/2 tsp nutmeg powder

pinch of salt

Confectioner Sugar

Mix the cocoa powder, castor sugar and oil till it all comes together in one lump.  This can be done with a spoon.

Beat in the eggs, one at a time, alongwith the vanilla extract

Sift in the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg powders and mix just to bring together.  Do not beat

Keep in a cool place for 4-6 hours.

Preheat oven to 180 C.  Take some of the chilled dough and roll it in your hands.

Roll in the confectioner Sugar till fully coated.

Bake in a muffin tray - I used a mini size - for 10-12 min.

Chocolate Fudge Sauce

This one for my daughter.  For all the late night cravings of hot chocolate fudge - sadly we found out just yesterday, late at night, that Nirulas has closed all its branches in Gurgaon.  So no complaints now ..... there's lots of fudge sauce and ice cream in the fridge, go ahead and make your own Sundae.

Recipe follows....

115 gms butter

180 gms chocolate

1 tin condensed milk

Melt the butter on medium heat.

Add in the chopped chocolate or chips and mix till smooth.

Mix in the condensed milk and combine well.

Once cooled stored in the refrigerator.

Fudge cake

My favourite and tried tested Fudge cake also called Devils food cake or mud cake.   You cannot go wrong on this one, even if you have never baked before.

To prepare mould take 2 tbsp melted butter and 2 tbsp cocoa powder and make a paste of it.  Brush the mould with this and your cake will not stick

1.5 cups flour

1.5 cups castor sugar

1.5 tsp baking soda

0.5 cup cocoa powder

Mix all and keep aside

1 cup milk

2 tbsp malt vinegar

Mix in a glass bowl and leave to thicken

Add

2 eggs  + 1 cup oil +thickened milk

To the dry ingredients and mix till moistened, with a spoon

Beat with an egg beater for 2 minutes.

Pour into a prepared tin and bake at 180C

for 35 minutes.

Mix will be more liquid than normal cakes but that is correct so don't worry.

Drizzle with chocolate ganache

Boston Cream Pie

A Pie which is not a pie but a cake.  A total misnomer but a delicious light cake.  Its actually a sponge cake filled with vanilla cream and then covered with a chocolate ganache. 

Recipe

Sponge cake

• 100 gms flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 120 gms sugar
• 4 eggs - separated
• vanilla extract

1. Sift the flour and baking powder and keep aside.
2. Grind the sugar to make powdered sugar.  Sift to ensure there are no lumps
3. Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.  Gradually beat in the castor sugar, till you achieve stiff glossy peaks.
4. Add in the egg yolks and extract, beating well.
5. Fold in the flour, in three lots, taking care not to deflate the mixture.
6. Pour into a lined, dusted 9" dish and bake for 30 mins at 170 C or till skewer inserted in centre comes out clean.
7. Turn onto a wire rack and leave till cool

Pastry Cream

• 3 egg yolks
• 50 gms sugar
• 300 ml milk
• 20 gms cornflour
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Beat the egg yolks and sugar till light and creamy
2. Add in the flour and stir to make a paste.
3. Bring the milk just to boil.
4. Pour milk into the egg, sugar, flour mix, whisking all the while to ensure egg does not curdle.
5. Put this mix back on the heat and cook on low till it becomes thick and coat the back of a spoon.
6. Remove and cool.  Add extract once it comes to room temperature.
7. Cover and keep in the refrigerator to cool.

Chocolate Ganache

• 100 gms chopped chocolate
• 100 gms cream
• 1 tbsp butter

1. Heat butter and cream together till warm and butter melts.
2. Pour over the chopped chocolate and stir to mix all.
3. Keep to cool to room temperature.

Assembling.

1. Split the cooled cake into three layers.
2. Place the top layer on the bottom and spoon the center with some of the pastry cream
3. Cover with 2nd layer and repeat.
4. Cover with the 3rd layer and pour ganache on the top.  I just let it drip down the sides.

Since this is a sponge cake and is not soaked in any liquid, its best eaten fresh the same day.

Chocolate Nutella Cheesecake

Do you like Cheesecake ???  And do you like Nutella ?? If yes then this is an absolute gem of a dessert as it combines both.

What I liked about it was that it came together in a real short time with not much effort as its a no bake cheesecake and super easy.  

I should probably mention there’s lots of rum involved too.  

So forget the diet and grab a spoon!

This is a great cheesecake I want to make a fabulous quick dessert and don’t have time or energy for springform pans, water baths, ovens, etc.  You know what I mean?  

Layer your dish with cookie crumbs mixed with melted butter.  I used Digestive biscuits but you could use chocolate also.  If you use a flat dish you could just layer the base with oreo cookies.

For the Nutella Ganache, 

Using a small saucepan, bring 1/2 cup [100 gms] cream [I used Amul] up to a boil and remove from heat.  Pour over 150 gms chopped chocolate and whisk till smooth. Stir in about 5 generous tablespoons of Nutella. 

Spoon 2 Tbsp. ganache in each parfait glass and refrigerate to set.

For the Cheesecake layer,  using a hand blender,  beat 200 gms cream cheese [I used Kwark from Flanders but Amul plain cheese spread works fine] and about 1/4 cup or 30 gms of  powdered sugar on medium speed till smooth. 

Add 170 gms of Nutella and continue mixing.

Stir in 200 gms mascarpone and mix till combined.

Mix in 1/4 cup of dark rum

Separately whip 1 cup cream [I used Riches], vanilla extract and 1/4 cup powdered sugar till stiff.

Gently fold into the cheesecake till everything is combined.

Fill parfait glasses with cheesecake filling and leave for 1/2 an hour to set.

Garnish with flaked Almonds

TIRAMISU CAKE

Another hectic weekend.  Sometimes I wonder where time goes.  My son turned 16 on Sunday - whoever coined the term Sweet Sixteen was definitely not a parent.  Had to be one of the kids.  Its a terribly tough age and much as I love my kids Sweet is not a word I associate with them in their teens.  

I can beat my head asking him what he wants to eat and the answer is always the "Anything".  Does anyone know what or how to make Anything :)

So this birthday I decided to make him his favourite dessert in form of a cake - a Tiramisu Cake.  

I started this by making a basic vanilla sponge - you can use your favourite recipe.  Alternatively you could also use a chocolate sponge - thats a personal choice.

The tiramisu filling is a beautiful mascarpone, cream, coffee egg yolk filling which holds beautifully.

I have to admit that I have alsolutely no decoration skills.  After spending time racking my brains on what to do with the designing I remembered some chocolate transfer sheets that were lying around, so I just usedthat around the circumference of the cake and piped some cream on top.

All said and done the cake tasted really good.

Chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream

OMG - This is an ice cream to die for.  It is soo good not because of the chocolate or the chocolate chips which I am not overly fond of [I can see a lot of people looking at me like I'm crazy] but for the cookie dough.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

The Cookie dough is so tasty and can be used in various desserts.  There is a whole book dedicated to this - The Cookie Dough Lover's Cookbook - which is latest acquisition.  It uses a cookie dough mix in just about everything.  Am itching to trying all the recipes and sharing them to :)

The Traditional cookie dough ice cream is a vanilla based one but with the craze for chocolate and all things chocolaty at my home [is there a word such as that ?] I decided to go with a chocolate custard.  After hunting down - I spend too much time on the net - various recipes the one I bookmarked to try was from 

http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2012/08/02/chocolate-chocolate-chip-cookie-dough-ice-cream/  - 

It came out splendidly.  If you are a chocolate fan this one is for you -

INGREDIENTS:

For the Chocolate Ice Cream:
225 gms semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
350 gms heavy cream
365 gms whole milk
150 gms granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
4 egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough:
115 gms unsalted butter, at room temperature
110 gms light brown sugar
50 gms granulated sugar
30 gms  heavy cream
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
105 gms all-purpose flour
½ cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

1. Prepare the Ice Cream Custard: Combine the chocolate and cream in a large, heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir until the chocolate is melted, then remove the bowl from the saucepan. Set it aside with a mesh strainer over the top.

2. Warm the milk, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

3. Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of the spatula (it should reach 170-175 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer). Pour the custard through the strainer into the chocolate mixture and stir in the vanilla extract. Place the bowl in an ice bath and stir occasionally until the mixture has cooled to room temperature. Cover and chill in the refrigerator overnight.

4. Make the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough: Combine the butter and both sugars in a mixing bowl and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cream, vanilla and salt, and mix for another minute or so, until combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl, then reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour, mixing just until incorporated. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the chocolate chips. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 days.

5. Churn the Ice Cream: Just before churning the ice cream, scoop the cookie dough into ½-teaspoon to 1 teaspoon-sized balls and place on a plate or parchment-lined baking sheet and place in the freezer. Churn the ice cream according to the manufacturer's instructions. When finished churning, fold in the chunks of cookie dough and transfer to an airtight container. Freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.

Note: If you prefer a vanilla ice cream base for your chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream, just use the same method as outlined above, substituting the chocolate.

Thanks to http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2012/08/02/chocolate-chocolate-chip-cookie-dough-ice-cream/

Chocolate Tart

Kids were away to Maasi's house in Mumbai and their Dad was going through withdrawl symptoms. How does it matter if they are 20 & 16 yrs respectively........ he was miserable.  So I decided to cheer him up with :)

Chocolate - What could be better ?

This is a rich decadent tart - designed to cheer up the lousiest mood.  

And  yes it worked 

INGREDIENTS

For the base

• 150g - approx 10 - 12 - Digestive biscuits
• 30g unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tbsp white caster sugar

For the chocolate ganache

• 175g thick cream
• pinch of salt
• 2 tbsp Baileys Irish Cream
• 50g fresh custard
• 110g dark chocolate 
• 50g milk chocolate

Cocoa Powder to dust

Method

1. Place the biscuits in a food processor and add the melted butter and sugar. Blitz until the mixture resembles fine sand in texture.
2. Place the biscuit mixture inside a 15cm loose bottom cake tin . Flatten using the back of a spoon then put in the freezer to set
3. Mix the cream, salt and Baileys and allow to stand for 5 minutes
4. Stir in the fresh custard.
5. Put the dark and milk chocolate in a bowl. Place over a bain marie ( a double boiler ) and allow to melt completely. Remove from the heat.
6. Add the infused cream to the bowl of melted chocolate, making sure to incorporate the cream thoroughly. 
7. Allow the ganache to cool to room temperature.
8. After 5 minutes, pour the ganache on the base and place the tart in the freezer to set for 2 - 4 hours. 
9. Dust with cocoa powder before serving.

Molten Chocolate Pots

Chocolate ..... hmmmm,  you can never get enough of it, can you.  Though I must admit I personally am not a great chocolate fan.  Prefer anything citrus anyday.  But what to do - it is the ultimate in food fantasy :)


So it was all about chocolate these past few days - brownies, cakes, cheesecakes and of course the Decadent Molten Chocolate Pot.  Fairly simple to make and always a big hit.   Only once your spoon cuts through the crust do you find the molten center.

It rose beautifully - lovely cracked top - which you cannot see as I dusted it with icing sugar, and a soft molten center.  Do be careful when eating this because you will burn your tongue


What you need


Baking Chocolate - 115 gms
Butter - 115 gms
Eggs - 2 largs
Sugar - 75 gms
Flour - 40 gms


And now to make it

• Grease 4 ramekins with butter and keep aside.
• Melt the chocolate with the butter over a double boiler.  Please do not do this in the microwave nunless you are an expert in chocolate.  Its so easy to burn.
• Beat the eggs and sugar till light and fluffy.  I do find it easier to use a hand mixer rather than by hand.  This needs to be done for at least 5 min as this is what causes the cake to rise.  There is no baking powder or any other raising agent.
• Mix the melted, slightly cooled chocolate into the egg mixture till well incorporated.  
• Fold in the flour.  Fold and not mix - do not over mix.
• Pour into the ramekins, place on a tray and bake for 10-12 min at 180 C.
• Dust some icing sugar on top and serve with cream or strawberries

Note - to make options you could add coffee dissolved in water or cointreau to the chocolate.

Rum and Raisin Cheesecake

What you need

1 1/2 cups chocolate biscuit crumbs

100g butter, melted

1 cup raisins

1/4 cup dark rum

500 gm Cream Cheese, softened

1/4 cup rum

3/4 cup caster sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

300g sour cream

1/4 cup caster sugar

4 tbsp gelatin + 1/4 cup water

100 gms melted chocolate

To make it

COMBINE biscuit crumbs and butter then press into a greased 8" springform pan; chill.

Soak the raisins in the dark rum and keep aside.

BEAT the cream cheese and sugar using an electric mixer until smooth. Add rum and vanilla beat until smooth. Mix in sour cream until well combined. 

Soak the gelatin in water and heat on low to melt. Mix into the cheese cream mixture.

Drain raisins and fold into mixture.

Separate the mix into 2 parts. Mix in the melted chocolate in one part, keeping the other white.

Pour the white mix over the biscuit base and keep to set for 10 min. Once slightly firm pour the choc mix over the white base.

Keep to set for at least 6 hours before serving.

Decorate as desired

Chocolate Frappe

Chilled Frappes on a hot summer day - This is a change from the normal cold coffees

You will need -  

1 shot [60 ml] of Espresso

25 ml of Chocolate syrup

120 ml milk

3 tsp sugar
ice cubes

Espresso is basically concentrated coffee. It typically is made using an espresso machine, but can be using instant coffee. Espresso can be make by using a lot of coffee and a little hot water to create a stout, strong and full-bodied espresso. 

• Boil 1 cup of filtered water. Once water comes to a boil turn off heat immediately.
• Place 3 teaspoons of instant coffee in a coffee mug.
• Add 60 ml [a teacup is 200 ml so this would be a little more than 1/2 the teacup] of the boiling water to the instant coffee.Stir until the instant coffee is completely dissolved.
• Drink the espresso or use it to make a latte or mocha [ this would be another story another day ].  

Mix the chocolate syrup, milk, sugar & espresso along with lots of ice in a blender and run till nice and chilled.

Pour and serve in a tall glass.