dessert Archives - Page 34 of 57

Caramel Ice Cream Cheesecake With Salted Butterscotch Sauce And Meringue

12|05|2015

There was a time when I would buy a can of condensed milk only to dip my flat breads into. On Sundays when breakfasts could be a bit elaborate and I could stand in front of the sizzling frying pan, patiently turning flat breads one at time whilst simultaneously rolling out the next one, I would always make a few extras. Flat breads as you know are best served immediately. But I couldn’t resist the idea of savoring them later with a few tablespoons of creamy condensed milk. Then I discovered Delce de Leche. After that, the only reason condensed milk came into my kitchen was to make Dulce de Leche. A simple process but time consuming and requiring a fair amount of supervision. The taste was however so worth the effort that sometimes I would make the flat breads only to finish up the Dulce de Leche. After that, I discovered Caramel Top n Fill and that was the end of my Dulce de Leche making. The thick, rich caramel sauce is so similar in taste to Dulce de Leche minus the effort to make it. My flat breads found a new partner. Nope! This is not a sponsored post. I am sharing this because I figured out another favorite way of eating it. In this cheesecake.

During summer this year, I discovered the convenience, ease and delightful taste of an ice cream cheesecake that I shared with you here and here. I was thinking of make-ahead recipes for Mother’s Day that would involve ice-cream and I hit upon this idea. The fact that there is no use of gelatine or no need to whip up heavy cream gives me all the more reasons to make it. It’s as simple as opening a few containers, placing them together, mix, fold and place it in the freezer. I made this a couple of days before Mother’s Day because I knew I would be busy. After lunch, I served it to the boys who wanted to eat the entire cake.

If you do not want to use Caramel Top n Fill or do not have access to it, any thick caramel sauce would work. A thinner consistency may thin down the cheesecake mix that will melt faster when you leave the ice cream cheesecake at room temperature. To top the cheesecake, I have used salted butterscotch sauce and torched meringue. You can skip this if you find it difficult to make, and just drizzle with chocolate sauce or decorate with shaved dark chocolate.

Caramel Ice Cream Cheesecake With Salted Butterscotch Sauce And Meringue
Serves 6-8

180 g chocolate cookies
75 g unsalted butter, melted
500 g cream cheese, room temperature
500 ml vanilla ice-cream, softened (I used store bought)
380 g can caramel top n fill

Line the base of a 19 cm round Spring-form pan with baking paper.
Place the cookies in a food processor. Process until fine crumbs. Add melted butter and mix to combine. Alternatively, you could crush the biscuits with a rolling pin inside a zip-lock bag. Using your fingertips, press biscuit mixture over base of prepared pan. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes or until required.

Meanwhile, beat the cream cheese in a large bowl (with a mixer or a whisk) until light and fluffy. Add the ice cream and mix well. Gently fold in the caramel top n fill. Pour over the prepared crust. Freeze for at least 6 hours (preferably overnight)or until firm. Remove from freezer 10 minutes before serving.
Before serving, drizzle with salted butterscotch sauce and pipe the meringue. Brown the meringue with a blow torch.

Salted Butterscotch Sauce

25 g salted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup thickened/heavy cream
1/8 spoon sea salt

For the butterscotch sauce combine butter, sugar, cream and salt in a saucepan over low heat until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Bring sauce to a boil, reduce heat and cook for 5-6 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly. Cool to room temperature. Pour over caramel ice cream cheesecake.

Meringue

2 egg whites, room temperature
1/2 cup castor sugar
cream of tartar, a pinch (optional)

To make the meringue, place the egg-whites, sugar and cream of tartar in a heatproof bowl that is placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Whisk continuously till the sugar dissolves (about 2-3 minutes). Remove from heat and whip up the mixture with a electric or hand mixer to stiff peaks.
Fill up a piping bag with a round nozzle and pipe meringue kisses on top of the cake. Using a blow torch, brown the meringue.

Coconut Cream With Pineapple Curd And Toasted Coconut Chips

7|05|2015

A short and sweet post today. Sweet but without gluten and without dairy. This is a quick dessert that one can whip up in a jiffy with just a few ingredients. Ever since I came across a way to make whipped coconut cream from a can of coconut milk on the Kitchn, I have been meaning to put together a tropical flavored dessert. I mean, what an amazing alternative to whipped cream! If you love the flavor of coconut, this treat is for you. The pineapple curd came from last week’s orange loaf with pineapple curd recipe. After we had generously dolloped over mini pavlovas, spread on toast and swirled over oatmeal in the last week, we still had some leftover and I couldn’t be happier for the timing.

Since the pineapple curd can be made ahead, this dessert can be put together instantly. There are days when you have cravings when a bar of chocolate cannot satisfy, (though very rare for me) or you just want variety. I decided to keep things simple as much as possible so I used toasted coconut chips for a bit of crunch and appeal. Feel free to top them with toasted desiccated coconut, fresh pineapple or mango or even grated white chocolate as substitutes.

There are no hard and fast rules to this dessert. You simply make the individual elements and add them according to taste and preference.

Coconut Creams With Pineapple Curd And Toasted Coconut Chips.

Coconut Cream (please refer to this post from the Kitchn)
Pineapple Curd (recipe here)
Toasted Coconut Chips, store bought (may substitute with toasted desiccated coconut, fresh pineapple or grated white chocolate)

Divide coconut cream among serving glasses/bowls. Dollop a tablespoon of pineapple curd. Mix with the tip of a spoon to create a swirling effect. Top with toasted coconut chips.

Double Chocolate Banana Cake- Easy Mother’s Day Dessert

5|05|2015

I was sitting at the conference table at my office 5 years ago looking at our performance reports when I received a text from my doctor’s office. ‘Your first ultrasound scan is scheduled for next Friday’. I called them back. ‘What do I have to do…what happens during the ultrasound?” You will get the first glimpse of your baby. Drink lots of water’ the assistant told me
‘What..really?’ I thought to myself picturing an angel face with chubby hands and feet.

I was so nervous the following week when I reached the clinic. ‘Do you see the movement of the baby?’ the doctor pointed at the large monitor in front of her. All I could see were black and white patches on the screen and a tiny little thing..probably the size of a pea moving slowly. ‘Would you like to hear your baby’s heart beat?’ ‘Yes’ I suppressed a scream. After that, what I heard might have made my heart stop beating f0r a moment. I was speechless! It was a big surprise that I was not prepared for. But what I was about to hear next was probably the surprise of my life yet. ‘Wait, there is something else!’ She ran out to call another senior doctor. They told me they could see another fetus which may or may not survive. It was early to confirm and they couldn’t make out the heart beat yet. I was to go back in a couple of weeks. I spent the two weeks in anxiety, unable to concentrate at work or anything else. At times, I would imagine what it would be like to hold two precious babies in my arms. At other times, I would wonder what it would do to my beloved career.
Two weeks later, I was told ‘You are having twins. Baby number 2 has survived’
My head reeled at the impact of those words. I knew my life was about to change. Change…it did! In every little and big way. And that was when I really understood what it meant to be a Mother. Motherhood is the birth of a Mom as much it is the birth of a child. It is the birth of a relationship. Predictable in many ways, and not in most ways. Always, giving and forgiving.

I am constantly asked by my friends for an easy cake recipe. Something anybody can whip up at any time and tastes good enough to be shared with people. This one ticks all the boxes. It has a strong banana flavour whilst also being chocolatey enough to satisfy all your cravings. A hint of cinnamon completes the balance. My favorite part are the chocolate chunks that feel like bits of melty gooey goodness encased in rich banana cake. I have opted for a chocolate ganache frosting that is simple to make and can be easily applied on the cake. Add a few toasted hazelnuts or berries and the cake is all set to impress.

I have two more simple desserts to share with you for Mother’s Day. We want to keep things easy while totally making Mommy’s day. Mommy deserves that little extra effort and time to make her something at home. Let’s go for it!

Double Chocolate Banana Cake
Serves 6-8

50 g butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 medium sized over-ripe bananas, mashed
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1 3/4 cup self-raising flour
1/4 cup cocoa, sifted
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 cup dark chocolate, roughly chopped into big and small chunks

Chocolate Ganache
150 g dark chocolate
75 g milk chocolate (or use the entire weight of dark chocolate, 225 g)
1/3 cup heavy or thickened cream

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. (160 degrees C fan forced). Grease and line the base of a 19 cm round cake pan.

Beat butter and brown sugar together until pale and creamy. Add banana, egg and milk. Beat together until well combined. Add flour, cocoa, cinnamon and choc chunks and stir until well combined. Spoon into prepared pan and level top.

Bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted at centre comes out clean and top is golden brown. Stand for 5 minutes in pan, then transfer cake to a wire rack to cool.
Once cooled completely, frost with Chocolate Ganache.

To make the Chocolate Ganache : Place chocolate and cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on medium for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds with a metal spoon or until smooth. Alternately, place the ingredients together in a saucepan over low heat. Stir in intervals till smooth and blended.
Stand at room temperature until thickened.

CSR Sugar, Blueberry Lovers Cake And Giveaway

27|04|2015

Disclaimer: This post is brought to you by Nuffnang and CSR Sugar.

Writing a dessert blog with ‘Sugar’ in the title may be a cliché but that word in all honesty, stands for many of the happy, nostalgic, inspiring moments in my kitchen. I love playing around with different forms of sugar in both sweet and savory recipes. I enjoy sprinkling it on baked goods before I photograph them because it adds another dimension to the image. Sugar is more than just an ingredient for me. As a child, I learnt that a sweet start was the best way to embark on any new journey and for me that sweet start was Sugar. Sugar is that spoonful of remedy, my Mum put in my mouth when I burnt my tongue with hot food. Sugar to me is therapeutic. Dynamic! Sugar flavours. It preserves (think jams). It enhances. Leavens. Stabilizes. It is a baker’s weapon. A cook’s secret to balance of flavour. A child’s fantasy! The stuff that sweet memories are made of!
It is the single most ingredient that gives meringue its sizzle, transforms butter to buttercream, gives toffee its intensity and Creme Brulee its gorgeous crust. Sugar is mighty! Yet it is affordable.

CSR is a name I associate with from my pantry-building days in Australia. My new kitchen has been home to many of their products from the time I set foot in this country. Something that has not changed even today.
With 160 years of expertise, CSR is a brand of repute in Australia. The sugars and syrups are of a superior quality because they are 100% graded and natural. CSR products range from everyday sugars (raw and table sugar) and baking sugars (caster, brown, icing sugar) to syrups (Golden Syrup, Treacle) to exclusive items that are not produced by any other sugar company like the Coconut Sugar and Jam Setting Sugar and healthier substitutes like LoGiCane (low GI sugar). You can check out all their products at the CSR website. Here is the link

Though Caster Sugar and Golden Syrup are the ones I use the most in my recipes, my recent favourite is the Jam setting sugar. Jam making has never been easier. The sugar mixture contains pectin and citric acid, hence all you need to add, is the fruit. Amazing!

During my early weeks in Sydney when my pantry and baking gear were limited, my baking was restricted to simple tea cakes and muffins. There is a different kind of excitement when you start from scratch in a new kitchen. Opening new jars and cans every other day. Needless to say my groceries would always include sugar, butter, eggs and flour. With literally no furniture in the house, we would sit on the carpets with a cup of hot chocolate and a large slice of blueberry cake. I had not baked with fresh blueberries before that and I was blown away by the colour. When visitors came, they were treated to a slice as well. ‘How does it feel to be in a new country?’ everyone would ask us. ‘It feels at home’ would be my reply, delighted to be able to lead my life the way I had envisioned. Exploring a foreign land, its resources, coming home with new ingredients and baking like there’s no tomorrow. Almost close to a perfect life! This blueberry cake brings back many memories for me.

The cake is a celebration of blueberries. There are 3 layers of blueberry cake with blueberry jam and blueberry frosting in between the layers. The jam is super easy to make, thanks to CSR Jam setting Sugar. It takes less than 15 minutes to cook the jam. The buttercream frosting uses the same jam to flavour it. The cake has a light, soft texture from the yogurt and is simple to put together.

Giveaway:

Hold your breath ladies and gentlemen, this giveaway could just be the answer to your long awaited baking dreams.

The wonderful people at CSR are coming up with a Cookbook to celebrate their 160th birthday. If you love baking and have a favourite baking recipe this is your chance to be among the 45 selected recipes to be featured in the cookbook. (Australian residents only)

Entries can be made in any of the following 3 ways

1) Leave a comment below or on my Facebook page with the name of your favourite baking recipe and a special memory associated with it (in 25 words or less). Image is optional. Example : Aunty Pat’s chocolate brownies. This is special to me because….
2) You can share your images on Instagram with the caption being the recipe title and the 25 word (or less) memory. Entries must include #madeformemories and #bakingnation
3) You can leave a comment on the CSR Facebook Page with the name of your favourite recipe and 25 word memory. Image is optional.

The competition ends on 22nd May 2015

Wait, it doesn’t stop here!
All 45 selected recipes will be awarded a $50 Wish Gift Voucher as well as a copy of the cookbook (when it is released).

The top 3 chosen recipes will also get to fly to Melbourne to go behind the scenes at the cookbook shoot to learn photography as well as food styling. They will also receive a Magimix Patissier worth $1199.

View the terms and conditions here.

Some Baker’s Notes:

I have used frozen blueberries for the jam. You can use fresh ones as well.

The cake can be adapted to make 2 layers instead of 3 but you will need to adjust the baking time. It would take longer.

If you want a smooth buttercream, remove and strain about 3/4 cup of blueberry jam before setting. Leave aside to set. Use this to make the frosting. You should have 1/2 cup of strained blueberry jam.

Blueberry Lovers Cake

225 g butter (8 oz, 1 cup), cubed
1-1/4 cup CSR caster sugar
3 eggs
2 cups self-raising flour
350 g greek yogurt (12 oz, 11/3 cups)
1/4 cup milk
1 cup frozen (or fresh) blueberries
1 cup fresh blueberry jam (recipe below)
Blueberry Buttercream (recipe below)

For the Blueberry Jam

500 g frozen blueberries (18 oz)
500 g CSR Jam setting sugar (18 oz)
10 g butter (0.35 oz, 1 tsp)

To make the cake: Preheat oven to 180 degrees C (160 degrees C fan forced). Lighly grease 3 round cake pans and line the base with baking paper.

Using an electric beater beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition until combined.

Stir in half the flour and yoghurt until just combined. Stir in the remaining flour, yoghurt and milk until combined. Divide equally among the prepared pans and smooth the surface. Fold in the blueberries. Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from oven and set aside in the pan for 10 minutes to cool slightly.

Carefully turn out the cakes onto a wire rack. Turn upright and set aside for a further 20 minutes or until cooled to room temperature.

To make the Blueberry Jam, Just follow the instructions on the back of the Jam Setting Sugar pack. Crush blueberries with blender. Place the blueberries and CSR Jam setting together in a large, heavy based saucepan. Heat mixture over a low heat until sugar is dissolved. Do not allow to boil.

Add a knob of butter, then increase heat and bring to a rolling boil. Boil for 4 minutes only. Remove from heat. Test for set (by putting a small amount on a cold plate and checking the surface with fingers for wrinkles.

Store in sterilised jars.

To make the Blueberry Swiss meringue buttercream:

6 egg whites
1-1/2 cup CSR caster sugar
400 g (14 oz, approx 13/4 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup blueberry jam
1-2 drops Violet food colouring (optional)

Place the egg whites and sugar in a large bowl that is placed over a saucepan of simmering water (over low heat), and whisk continuously, until the sugar has completely dissolved and the bottom of the bowl is warm to touch.

Remove the bowl from the heat and whip on high speed until meringue holds stiff peaks and looks glossy. The bowl should have completely cooled by now.

Add the butter, 2 tablespoon at a time, until thick and fluffy. If it begins to look curdled, continue to whip until it comes back together, before adding in remaining butter.

When the buttercream has come together, add the blueberry jam and mix in till smooth and well blended. Add the food colouring (if using).

To assemble: Place one layer of cake on a cake stand or plate. Place 4 tbsps. of blueberry jam. With a large star or round nozzle, pipe buttercream kisses all over the cake. Alternately, you could dollop the buttercream on top. Place the second layer and repeat. Repeat with the third layer. Decorate with fresh blueberries.