Chocolate & caramel Ice Cream Bundt

This is a showstoppers dessert !

Ingredients:

• 8 snack-size nutty nougat caramels or snickers bars
• 900 ml double cream
• 6 peanuts cookies
• 300g light sweetened condensed milk
• 150g white cooking chocolate to decorate, optional
• 75g dark chocolate

Method:

Roughlt chop 5 of the caramels or Snickers and tip into a heatproof bowl with 300ml of cream. Place over a pan of just-simmering water and melt, stirring occasionally.Leave to cool.

Meanwhile, line a 2ltr bundt tin with clingfilm, allowing the excess to hang over the sides so that the bundt is easier to remove later.

Finely chop 2 more of the caramels and roughly chop the peanut cookies. Put the remaining cream in a bowl and whisk until thickened and soft peaks form. Gently fold the condensed milk, chopped caramels, cookies and cooled nougat cream into the whipped cream.

Pour into the tin, then tap it on a surface a few times to level the cream and remove any bubbles. Cover with clingfilm and freeze overnight.

About 25 minutes before serving, make the chocolate decoration, if using. Melt the white chocolate, then pour onto a metal baking tray spread to an even layer about 2mm thick. Chill for 15 minutes until just set. Run a vegetable peeler over the surface to make a thick curls.

Melt dark chocolate, then cool until slightly thickened. Roughly chop the remaining caramel or Snickers. Use the clingfilm to help remove the bundt from the tin, then turn out onto a serving plate and remove the film. Drizzle over most of the melted chocolate so that it drips down the sides. Top with the white chocolate curls (if using), chopped caramel and the remaining melted chocolate.

Serve immediately

Raspberry Cheesecake ice cream

I had a choice to either buy an ice cream machine or make no-churn ice cream. No brainer really, I wanted homemade ice cream and I wasn't about to rush out and buy a machine.

I used frozen raspberries but fresh would go well with this recipe too. 

A little warning, this ice cream is rich and creamy to the point where you're left with a layer of creamy goodness on the roof of your mouth. This, in my opinion, is how ice cream should be!!

Ingredients:

• 11/2 cups raspberries 
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp cornflour 
• 200g cream cheese, softened at room temperature
• 2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract 
• 300ml double cream

Method:

Place raspberries and sugar into a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until raspberries release juices. Add cornflour and stir for 2 minutes until syrup has thickened. Remove from heat and place into freezer to chill.

Beat cream cheese in mixer until smooth and creamy. Add condensed milk in portions while mixing to keep mixture smooth. Stir in vanilla extract. 

Pour in cream and whisk mixture until soft peaks.

Pour 1/3 of cream mixture into a tin, pour half of the reap berry syrup over the top. Repeat with remaining cream and raspberry syrup, ending with a layer of cream. Make swirls through the ice cream with skewer. Cover and freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight. 

Remove from freezer 20 minutes prior to serving. 

Sticky Toffee Pudding

This is a great sticky toffee pudding recipe-the perfect winter warmer!. Buy Medjool dates if you can, they have a lovely natural toffee flavour and sticky texture.

Ingredients:

• 200g dates, stoned and chopped
• 250ml black tea, not too strong
• ½ tsp bicarbonate soda
• 85g unsalted butter, softened
• 175g golden caster sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 175g self raising flour
• 1 tsp mixed spice

Toffee sauce:

• 100g light muscovado sugar
• 100g unsalted butter
• 142ml double cream

Method:

Heat oven to 180ºC/fan oven 160ºC. Put the dates and tea in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Cook for 3-4 minutes to soften the dates. Stir in the bicarbonate soda.

Beat the butter and caster sugar together with electric beaters until pale and creamy, then beat in the egg, flour and mixed spiced. Fold in the date mixture and pour into a buttered ovenproof dish or brownie tin.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the top is just firm to touch. Meanwhile, make the sauce by putting the sugar, butter and cream in a pan over a low heat and simmer until the sugar has dissolved. Cook until the sauce is a lovely toffee colour. Cut the pudding into squares and serve with the warm sauce and a scoop of vanilla ice cream

Vegan Blueberries Cheesecake

What do you do on a snowy day like this? Guess it's time to update another baking adventure

This is  a sweet, creamy vegan dessert that can fit in the palm of your hand. They are super cinch to make, but they look fancy. Just the right bite of sweetness with the blueberries tang. I made mine in a muffin cups but you can also just make one big cheesecake if you prefer.

They don't take much time to whip up at all. I also think any berry will work in this.

Ingredients:

• 1½ cup raw almonds
• 8-10 medjool dates
• water
• 2 cups raw cashews nuts, soaked overnight
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 1/3 cup squeezed lemon juice
• 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
• 2/3 cup full fat coconut milk, refrigerated
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup

Method:

Drain and rinse the cashew nuts 

In a food processor, combine the dates and almonds. Slowly a little at a time add water until you see the mixture clump together. Once it looks like it's holding together, press a little bit into the bottom of each muffin cup. I use silicone muffin liner for these but you can also use paper liners.

Once all the crust is pressed into the muffin cups, place them in the fridge while you make the cheesecake part.

In a the food processor, combine all the cheesecake ingredients and blend until  smooth. Spoon the cheesecake mixture into each muffin cup. Fill them up to the top. Once you are done, place them in the fridge to chill.  They need a good 6 hours or so to set up pretty well. You can speed up the process by placing them in the freezer for a bit though. These can be stored in the fridge or freezer, whichever you prefer. They should last a couple of weeks in the fridge and up to 6 months in the freezer.

Chocolate Strawberry Mousse Cake

Layered cake with a brownie base, topped with creamy strawberry cheesecake mousse and a strawberry gelée

Ingredients:

Brownie layer

• 1 box of Betty Crocker brownie mix
• ¼ cup water
• 1/3 cup oil
• 1 egg

Strawberry Gelée

• ½ cup water
• 3 tsp powdered gelatin
• 450g strawberries
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1½  tsp lemon juice

Strawberry Cheesecake Mousse

•  1 cup white chocolate chips
• 225g cream cheese, softened
• 2 cup cool whipped*

Method:

Brownie layer: Line the bottom of an 8 inch springform pan with baking paper and cut a long rectangular to line the sides with. Preheat oven to 160°C.

Mix together the brownie mix with  ¼ cup water, oil and egg. Pour into an even layer in the springform pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

Strawberry Gelée: Pour  ½ cup water into a small bowl and sprinkle gelatin over top. Set aside until ready to use.
Combine strawberries and sugar in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture comes to a boil.Remove from heat and purée strawberries using a blender.
Press strawberry  purée through a fine mesh sieve into a large bowl, if you like to remove the seeds. Stir in gelatin and lemon juice.

Strawberry Cheeecake Mousse: Pour white chocolate chips and 2/3 cup strawberry purée into a saucepan and heat over low until melted.
Beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. Stir white chocolate mixture into cream cheese. Fold in the whipped topping*.

Assemble cake: Pour strawberry cheesecake mousse over top of the brownie and smooth outthe top surface. Freeze for 30 minutes while strawberry gelée cools.
Remove from the freezer and pour the strawberry gelée over top. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Remove, unmold from pan, and cut into slices to serve

* Homemade Cool Whipped:

• 115g cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup icing sugar
• 1½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup double cream

Method: In a large bowl beat softened cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla extract until light and creamy. Set aside.

Add one cup of double cream to a mixing bowl and whip until soft peaks form. Add cream cheese mixture to the double cream  and beat just until stiff peaks form.

Slow Cooker Curried Vegetable and Chickpea Stew

This creamy coconut curried stew is a perennial favourite in the house. It's full of tender vegetables and chickpeas, along with warming flavours of  ginger and garlic- and it's vegan !!!!

• 1 tbsp cooking oil
• 1 meduim onion, diced
• 1 tbsp salt
• 2 medium potatoes, diced
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• 1 tbsp packed brown sugar
• 1 tbsp peeled and grated fresh ginger
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper, optional
• 2 cups vegetable broth, divided
• 2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 medium green bell pepper, diced
• 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
• 1 medium cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets
• I can chopped tomatoes
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• 1 bag (10 ounce) baby spinach
• 1 can coconut milk

 Method:

Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion, season with 1 tsp salt and sauté until translucent about 5 minutes. Add the potatoes and 1 tsp salt, and sauté until just translucent around the edges.

Stir in curry powder, brown sugar, ginger, garlic and cayenne  (if using) and cook until fragrant about 30 seconds. Pour in ¼ cup of vegetable broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Transfer this onion-potato mixture into the slow cooker.

Add the remaining 1¾ cups vegetable broth, chickpeas, bell peppers, cauliflower, chopped tomatoes, pepper and remaining 1 tsp salt. Stir to combine. The liquid should come about halfway up the sides of the bowl; add more vegetable broth when needed. Cover and cook for on HIGH setting for 4 hours.

Stir in the spinach and coconut milk. Cover and let sit for a few more minutes to allow the spinach to wilt. Taste and season with salt and other seasonings as needed. Serve on its own, or over cuscous or rice.

**Smaller slow cooker: Cut this recipes in half for a smaller slow cooker

Rich chocolate tart with salt flake

A super simple chocolate pudding

Ingredients:

• 300 ml double cream
• 2 tsp caster sugar
• a pinch of fine sea salt
• 50g unsalted butter, softened
• 200g 70% cocoa cook's chocolated, broken into small pieces
• 50 ml whole milk
• 375g ready-made shortcrust pastry
• sea salt flakes and creme fraíche or ice cream to serve

Method:

You can make the pastry for this, if you like but ready-made is easier. 

Preheat oven to 180℃/160℃ for fan oven. Roll out the pastry and use to line a 23cm greased tart tin. Cover with baking paper, fill with dried beans or rice  and bake blind for 10-15 minutes until golden.

Put the cream, sugar and salt in a pan and bring to boil. Remove as soon as the mixture boils up. Off the heat, add the butter and chocolate. Stir until blended.

Take a couple of minutes for a breather, then stir in the milk. Keep stirring till shinny. Pout into the tart shell and leave at room temperature for 2 hours to set.

Sprinkle salt flakes lightly all over, then serve with creme fraíche or ice cream

Mango & Passion fruit mess

I came across this recipe recently and it's a nice twist to the more traditional rendition  of the Eaton Mess. This version is a quick way to enjoy dessert. Whip, crush, chop, purée and you have dessert 😃👍

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe mangoes
• 300ml double cream
• 1tsp vanilla extract 
• 2 tbsp icing sugar, sifted 
• 5 meringues- crushed
• 4 passion fruits- pulp

Method: 

Peel and chop one mango and set aside. Perl and purée the other mango in a blender till smooth and set aside. 

Whip cream with vanilla extract and icing sugar until thick and then add the crushed meringues. 

To assemble: 

Layer mango purée, crushed meringue and cream mixture and top with chopped mango and passion fruit pulp in a glass. Serve immediately. Serves 4. 

Vegan Chocolate Mousse

If you beat the liquid from a can of chickpeas (called aquafaba), then it will froth into a meringue. This sure is a breakthrough in vegan cuisine

No eggs, No cream, No gelatin, No cholesterol, No soya, No gluten, No nuts, No avocado, No chai seeds, No coconut cream, No flaxseed, just the magic of commonly used brine, sweetener and dairy-free chocolate, few sprinkles of imagination, and viola-the most delicious airy chocolate mousse.

Ingredients:

• liquid of 1 can of chickpeas ( around 125ml)
• 100g dark chocolate, melted
• 1-2 tsp confectioner's or icing sugar
• a pinch of salt

Method:

Bain marie the chocolate, melt in a bowl placed over a pan of simmering water. Take the pan off the heat but keep the bowl over the hot water then remove it. Allow it to cool down whilst you prepare the next stage

Beat the chickpeas liquid with electric whisk until peaks form and you have a meringue, then add the remaining ingredients except the chocolate. Whisk for another 15 seconds.

Now gently fold in the chocolate (make sure the chocolate has cool down) with a spatula until enough to incorporate. Spoon into a cup or mousse bowl.  Put into the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Golf Ball Cake

A cake a cake fit for an avid golfer 🏌⛳️

The cake might look difficult to do but in actual fact it's really easy, if you have the right material. You can either do a cheating way by buying ready cake mix & frosting or make it yourself  from scratch. 

Ingredients:

For the golf ball

• A box of chocolate cake mix and ingredients it requires
• A can of frosting, you can make this if you like
• Non-stick baking/cooking spray
• Wilton sphere cake tin as picture below
• Plastic chopstick or any round edge blunt object

For the brownie base:

• 3/4 cup flour, sifted
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 170g butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs

Method:

For the golf ball

Preheat oven according to the cake mix instructions. 

Prepare the baking pans by spraying with non-stick baking/cooking spray.

Combine cake mix ingredients together, as instructed in the box. Pour cake batter into balls pan and bake until a long toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Should take about 40-50 minutes to fully bake. Let it cool completely. Flatten the tops of each half-circle by cutting off the excess cake.

Turn the cake pans over to release 2 half-circle cakes. I prefer  to cover and refrigerate the cake over night or for at least for a few hours. It helps "firm up" the cake and reduce the amount of crumbs while decorating it.

For the brownie base:

Preheat oven to 180℃/160℃for fan oven. Grease a 9 inch square baking pan.

In a large bowl, combine flour, cocoa and salt. Melt butter in a large saucepan and remove from heat. Stir in sugar and vanilla extract. Quickly whisk in eggs, one at a time.

Add butter mixture to flour mixture and stir until well blended. Spread brownie batter into prepared tin and bake for 20-30 minutes. Cool completely.

Assemble the cake

Place the brownie in a square cake base board that was cover with green ready roll icing. Make a shallow hole in the centre of the brownie to sit the golf balls so that it don't roll away.

Make or buy buttercream icing and add green colour to the icing and mix well. Use a grass pipping nozzle then pipe all over the brownie except the hole that sits the golf balls.

Place the golf balls in the hole. Use a clean, smooth knife, spread a thin layer of icing on the large, flat cake surface and place the other half of the golf ball on top of that. The cake should have a 3-D ball-shaped cake.

Using a clean smooth knife, carefully take icing and smooth it over the entire cake. Stick it back to the fridge for 30 minutes or so, to help harden the icing.

Then get a cup of cool water. Using a flat spatula, dip the spatula in the water and carefully smooth over the icing. This is a trick to help get as smooth an icing surface as possible. Continue to dip it in water and smooth the icing until you are happy.

Put back in fridge for 10-15 minutes to hep harden the icing.

Remove cake from the fridge. Dip the fat end of a plastic chopstick in a cup of water and make a shallow indentation in the icing. Continue the indentations in s straight line. You can make 5-8 indentations before you need to dip it in the water again ( the water keeps the chopstick from sticking to the icing). You may need to clean the chopstick every now and then with a paper towel, just to prevent icing sticking. You can also put the cake back in the fridge every 10 minutes or so....the harder the icing the easier this indentation process will be. Continue to make indentations until the cake is covered with dimple

Char Siew Pork (Chinese BBQ Pork)

A delicious and simple recipe for a Chinese-restaurant classic which you can make at home.

One thing that I miss about living in Malaysia is being able to nip to the wet market in the morning or  a kopitiam that selling ready make char siew that they will served with chicken rice.

Usually the char siew pork you find often has a tinge of red in the meat as they either use red  food colouring  or red fermented beancurd. 

I find that it is easier to prepare this dish a night before serving or make it first thing in the morning so that the meat has had some time to marinat before roasting. 

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 3 tbsp runny honey and 2 tbsp for extra
• 3 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce 
• 1/2 tbsp dark soya sauce
• 1 tbsp soya sauce
• 1 1/2 tsp five spice powder
• 2 cloves garlic, finely grated
• 1 inch garlic, finely grated 
• 500g pork tenderloin 

Method:

Place all the ingredients for the marinade into a bowl and whisk to combine.

Place the pork into a large ziplock freezer bag and pour the marinade inside. Make sure the pork is well coated in the marinade. Place the bag into the fridge and leave it to marinade for 2-3 hours or preferably overnight.

When you are ready to roast the pork, take it out of the fridge  and let it come to room temperature in the marinade. 

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Place a roasting  rack inside a large baking tray and fill the tray with boiling water. The rack needs to be high enough so that when the meat is sitting on top of the rack, the meat should not touch the water. The water helps to create a steam in the oven to cook the pork and keep it moist.

Place the pork on the roasting rack and roast for about 30 minutes, basting every 10 minutes or so.

Meanwhile, pour the reserved marinade into a small saucepan and add the extra 2 tablespoons of honey. Bring the sauce to a boil and simmer gently for a few minutes. Use this sauce to baste the pork. 

After 30 minutes, turn the oven to grill mode on high heat, if possible, place the tray high as possible in the oven under the grill. Baste the pork generously every 3-5 minutes, making sure that it is browning nicely and doesn't burn. Once the pork has caramelised nicely, remove the tray from the oven.

Let the park rest for about 10 minutes before slicing. 

Kuih Kosui

Penang has a very strong Nyonya presence and being a Penangite, Nyonya kuih always have a special place in my heart. One of my favourite  is kuih kosui. 

A good kuih kosui is rich in pandan aroma and have a springy and soft texture. Best eaten with freshly grated coconut. 

Ingredients :

Syrup

• 454ml water
• 285g sugar

Pandan juice

• 12-15 pandan leaves
• 620ml water

• 1 tbsp alkaline water (lye water)

Batter 

• 150g rice flour
• 50g tapioca flour

Method:

To make the syrup: melt the sugar in water over low fire until sugar dissolves. Set aside to cool. 

Cut pandan leaves into small pieces. Combine pandan leaves and water in an electric blender. Blend 1-2 minutes. Strain the pandan juice through a fine sieve. Add alkaline water into pandan juice. Set aside. 

In another bowl, add rice flour and tapioca flour. Slowly pour in the pandan juice mixture while stirring it consistently till well blended. Add in syrup.

Cook the flour mixture on low fire till slightly thickened. Remove from heat and pour into little teacups. Steam on oh high fire for 15 minutes. Take the kuih out immediately. Leave it cool for at least 6 hours before removing the kuih from the little teacups.

Serve with fresh grated coconut. 

Vegan Peanut Butter Banana Brownies

No more throwing away overripe bananas and make this chocolately Peanut Butter Banana Brownies.

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe bananas
• 1 cup sugar
• 115g vegan butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter

Method:

Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C for fan oven. Grease a 9x9 inch baking tray and dust the side of the baking tray with cocoa powder.

In a bowl, use a fork to mash the bananas. Add sugar, butter and vanilla and whisk until combined. Add flour, salt and cocoa powder and whisk until fully incorporated.

Pour the batter into prepared baking dish.

Use a spoon to add dollops of peanut butter on top of the batter. Use a butter knife to swirl the peanut butter into the brownie batter.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, until center no longer jiggles when pan is shaken. 

Allow brownies to cool completely before cutting. 

Oreo Chocolate Cheesecake Icebox Cake

Chocolate + cheesecake + Oreos = ❤️❤️

This cake not only looks beautiful but it tastes amazing. Be warned !!! You will want to reach for a second helping ! 😱

What I love about thus icebox cakes is that creamy chocolate cheesecake filling. It tastes just like a non-bake chocolate cheesecake. It's thick and creamy with a little tang from the cream cheese but plenty of sweetness from the dark chocolate.

The filling is easy to make too. Only 5 ingredients needed.

Ingredients:

• 250g cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp castor sugar
• 150g good quality dark chocolate 
• 500ml double cream ,whip to soft peak
• 280g Oreos biscuits 
• 1 cup milk

Topping:

• 360 ml double cream, whip to soft peak
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp icing sugar
• 10 Oreos biscuits

Method:

Prepare a 9 inch round spring form baking tin by greasing the bottom with a small bit of butter.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add your vanilla and sugar and beat to combine. 

Melt the chocolate in the microwave and stir until smooth and leave it aside to cool slightly. Then add the chocolate to the cream cheese and mix together. Finally fold through the whipped cream.

To assemble, dunk each Oreo in the milk for around 2-3 seconds and arrange in a single layer across the bottom of the cake tin. Don't worry about any gaps. Then pile on half of the chocolate cheesecake mixture and spread it across the cookies in one even layer.

Repeat with another layer of Oreos, dunking and then layering them on top of the chocolate cheesecake. Then add the remaining chocolate cheesecake and smooth it out to form an even layer. Cover and place in the fridge for at least 8 hours or overnight.

To decorate, place your extra double cream in a large mixing bowl. Then sift in the icing sugar and the cocoa powder and gently fold through. Spoon the chocolate cream in a piping bag fitted with a large star tip and pipe swirls along the edges. Half 6 of the Oreos and place in between the chocolate swirls.

Before serving remove the cream filling from the extra 4 Oreos cookies and crush the cookies into fine crumbs. Gently run a knife around the edge of the cake tin and remove the side of the tin. Sprinkle over the Oreo crumbs. Cut and serve. 

Oreo Chocolate Cheesecake Cake

This Oreo Chocolate Cheesecake  Cake is a chocolately bundt cake with an Oreo cheesecake filling and it's topped with cream cheese glaze and more Oreos!!

When it comes to baking a bundt cake, there is one essential step you cannot skip and that is to generously grease and flour the bundt pan from top to bottom. You do not want anything sticking to the sides of the pan.  

Here I used ready mix in a box chocolate cake. Life too short to do everything from scratch! 

Ingredients:

• 1 box chocolate cake
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 

For the cheesecake :

• 227g cream cheese, room temperature 
• 1 large egg
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cup crushed Oreos 

For the topping:

• 113g cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 cups icing sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4-5 tsp double cream
• 3-4 Oreos, crushed
• 1/4 cup hot fudge

Method:

For the cake: Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/160°C for fan oven.  Generously grease a large bundt pan and coat it with a mixture of 50% cocoa powder and 50% flour. Do not skip this step, it is important to help the cake release from the pan. 

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, cocoa powder, eggs, oil, water, sour cream and vanilla extract. Mix all of the ingredients until they are well combined. Set aside. 

For the cheesecake: In a medium bowl, combine the softened cream cheese with the egg, granulated sugar and vanilla extract. Mix all of the ingredients until they are well combined and smooth. Stir in the crushed Oreos. 

Place at least 1/3 of the cake batter into the bottom of the greased and floured pan, be sure cover at least the bottom nooks and crannies.

Then spread the Oreo cheesecake layer over top of the cake batter and try to spread it evenly.

Finally cover the cheesecake layer with the remaining cake batter. Bake at 180°C/160°C for fan oven for 45-50 minutes. To test the cake doneness, insert a skewer into the cake,mid the skewer comes out clean, the cake is done. 

Allow the cake to cool for at least 15-20 minutes and gently sun a knife around the sides of the pan to help release the cake from the sides of the pan. Turn the cake onto a pan by placing the pan on the top of  the cake and use two hands to invert it. Allow the cake to cool completely. 

For the topping: Beat the cream cheese until it's smooth. Then add the icing sugar and vanilla extract and beat until the ingredients are well combined. Then slowly add the double cream, one teaspoon at a time until the cream cheese reaches your desired consistency. It should still be thick, not watery, but it should run off the spoon without too much effort. 

Place the cream cheese in a piping bag and cut off the edge of the piping bag about 1/4 inch from the bottom. Pipe the cream cheese frosting along the top and sides of the cake.

Next, heat the hot fudge according to the instruction on the jar and repeat the same steps to pipe the fudge sauce next to or over the cream cheese. 

Finally, sprinkle more crushed Oreos over top. Keep this cake refrigerated in an air tight container.

Vegan Mango and Ginger Cheesecake

Vegan mango and ginger cheesecake is a great no bake cheesecake celebrating summer flavours. It's easy and quick to make, gluten-free and oil-free too.

Ingredients:

Cheesecake base;

• 125g dates, pitted and soaked in boiling water
• 100g almonds
• 50g desiccated coconut
• Pinch of salt

Cheesecake layer:

• 185g raw cashews, soaked overnight
• 1/2 cup coconut cream
• 3tsp agar agar powder
• 5 tbsp lemon/lime juice
• 5 tbsp maple syrup
• 4 tsp finely grated ginger 
• 1/2 cup water

Mango layer:

• 2 cup mango puree
• 2 tsp agar agar

Method:

Line the bottom of a 8" spring form tin with a baking paper and cut out a long rectangle to line the sides with.

CHEESECAKE BASE:

Grind almonds in food processor until coarse crumb. Take it out of the food processor and set aside. 

Drain dates, squeeze excess water out and chop them roughly. Place then into the food processor and process it into a smooth paste.

In a bowl, mix date paste with enough ground almonds and desiccated coconut to obtain a dough that isn't too sticky yet still holds together well. Season with a bit of salt to taste. 

Line the sides of the spring form tin and then mould the base mixture to the bottom of the tin. Press the mixture down well with your fingers so that there are no gaps. Put a bit of baking paper on top of the base and weigh it down with something heavy. Put into the fridge while making your cheesecake mixture. 

CHEESECAKE LAYER:

Just before blending the cheesecake layer, put agar agar and 1/2 cup of water into a small pot. Let the mixture come to boil and simmer on low medium heat, stir frequently until agar agar dissolve and the mixture thickens (about 10 minutes). From that point onwards you need to work fast as agar agar sets as soon as it cools down. 

Put rinse cashew nuts, coconut cream, maple syrup, grated ginger, lime juice, warm agar mixture and extra 1/4 cup water into a blender. Blend, scraping the sides of the blender from time to time as the set agar likes to stay on those. You will need to work fast as agar sets as soon as it cools down. 

As soon as the cheesecake mixture is super smooth, take the spring form tin out of the fridge and pour the cheesecake mixture on top the set base. Make sure you do it very quickly to get smooth finish as agar sets very quickly. Gently tap the filled spring form tin against your work top surface a few times to get rid of air bubbles. Allow this layer to set completely (about 10 mins) before pouring on the next layer.

MANGO LAYER:

Put 1/4 cup of water into a small pot and add agar agar. Let the mixture come to boil and simmer on low-medium heat, stirring frequently until the agar agar dissolve. Add agar mixture to the mango puree and blend until smooth. Pour over the cheesecake layer and allow it to set before decorating.

Cookies 'N Cream Cheesecake

An over-the-top Oreo studded cheesecake that will be the highlight of an occasion ! This Cookies 'N Cream Cheesecake is total dessert bliss !

Every celebration should include cheesecake of some kind don't you think ? Cheesecake is one of my all time favourite desserts and I love trying all the different flavour combinations. 

Ingredients :

Crust

• 20 Oreo cookies 
• 75g butter, melted

Filling 

• 675g cream cheese, softened
• 200g granulated sugar
• 240g sour cream or plain full-fat yoghurt
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs
• 18 Oreo cookies, crumbled
• Whipped cream, for topping

Method:

Preheat oven to 175°C/155°C for fan oven. Place 9 inch springform in the centre of a large sheet of heavy duty aluminium foil. Carefully wrap foil around sides of the cheesecake pan. Spray inside of springform pan with non-stick cooking spray, set aside.

For the crust:

In a food processor pulse 20 Oreos to fine crumbs. In a medium mixing bowl stir together the Oreos crumbs and melted butter until well combined. Press into an even layer in bottom of prepared springform pan. Bake in preheated oven 10 minutes. Allow to cool as you prepared the filling. 

For the filling:

Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and granulated sugar until smooth and creamy. Add in the sour cream or yoghurt and the vanilla extract and mix well. Add eggs one at a time and mix on low speed just until combined. Gently fold in 13 crumbled Oreo cookies. Do not over mix. Pour the filling into the cooked crust. Place the springform pan into a large roasting pan and place in the oven. Fill the roasting pan up with hot water until wate level comes halfway up the outside of the cheesecake pan. 

Bake in preheated oven for 50-60 minutes, or until the center is almost set. Turn the oven off and open the door slightly. Let the cheesecake rest in the oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely at room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. 

Loosen the cheesecake from the rim of the pan and remove the rim. Top with whipped cream, crumble remaining 5 Oreos and sprinkle over cheesecake. Cut into slices and serve chilled. Cover the cheesecake and store in fridge up to 4 days.

Eggless banana bread

Do not waste over ripe banana, they are great for baking a banana bread. I decided to try out an eggless and vegan recipe.  

Ingredients:

• 4 medium sized ripe banana
• 1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour (atta) or plain flour 
• 1/2 cup sunflower oil or vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup brown sugar or granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
• 2-3 pinches nutmeg powder
• 1-2 tbsp sunflower seeds
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 pinch of salt 

Method:

Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C for fan oven. Grease a bread tin load with some oil

Slice the banana into slices. Put into a mixing bowl with the sugar. Mash the banana well or puree them with a hand blender. Add the oil, vanilla, cinnamon powder, nutmeg powder to the banana and mix well.

Sieve the flour with baking soda, baking powder, salt directly into the bowl containing the mashed bananas. Fold the sieved flour really well. This folding step is important as you want the whole bread mixture to be one and mixed evenly. Lastly add the sunflower seeds and fold these. Pour the bread mixture into the loaf pan. 

Bake for 30-40 minutes or till a toothpick inserted in the bread comes out clean.  Let the banana bread cool down for 10 minutes then remove the banana bread from the pan to cool completely in the cooling rack before slicing into pieces. 

Strawberry Bundt Cake with White Chocolate Ganache

This light and moist bundt cake has a vibrant taste of strawberries, matched with the perfect amount of sweetness. It's excellent alone but even more special garnished with a creamy white chocolate glaze and chocolate covered strawberries. 

Ingredients:

Strawberry Bundt Cake

• 425g chopped strawberries 
• 1 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 360g plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 145g butter, softened
• 150g brown sugar
• 150g granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs plus 1 yolk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 
• 1/4 tsp red food colouring

White Chocolate Ganache

• 175g white chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup double cream

Method:

Strawberry Bundt Cake:

Preheat oven to 190°C/170°C for fan oven. 

Place the chopped strawberries in a 11" x 7" baking dish and sprinkle the 1 1/2 tablespoon granulated sugar on top. Roast in the preheated oven for 15 minutes and then set aside to cool for about 15 minutes. 

Reduce the oven temperature to 160°C/ 140°C for fan assist oven.  Grease a bundt pan with cooking spray, making sure to coat all of the grooves of the pan..

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda.  In another bowl, cream together the butter, white sugar and brown sugar until the mixture is even in colour and texture and colour has lightened a bit. One at a time, add the eggs and egg yolk, beating between each addition until well-combined. Wipe down the mixing bowl as needed.

In a blender, puree the cooled strawberries with yoghurt until smooth. Add to the batter in the stand mixer along with the vanilla extract and red food colouring. Beat on a low speed until the batter is even in colour and everything is well combined, wiping down the bottom and sides of the bowl to make sure everything is incorporated. Sift the dry ingredients into the wet and fold in with a spatula until just combined; do not overmix. 

Pour the batt into a greased bundt pan, spreading it out to fill every crevice of the pan and smoothing out the top. Tap the pan firmly on the counter top a few times to eliminate any trapped air bubbles.

Bake in the preheated oven for 50-55 minutes, just until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Then rap the pan on the counter top a few times to loosen the cake, place the cooling rack upside-down over the pan, and turn the cake out onto the rack. 

Make the chocolate covered strawberries and plan how you will place them on the cake before making the ganache glaze. 

White Chocolate Ganache

Place the white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. 

In a separate microwave container, microwave the double cream for 30 seconds, just until it starts to boil. Pour the cream over the white chocolate, making sure the most of the white chocolate is covered. Let it sit for 5 minutes. Then stir in a gentle, circular motion until the white chocolate has melted completely and the mixture is smooth. If needed, microwave for another 10 second at a time, stirring gently between intervals, until smooth. If a small bits of chocolate aren't melting or you happen to get air bubbles in the ganache, strain it through a sieve before continuing. The ganache should be very thick so that it falls in a slow stream form the bowl. If needed chill it in the fridge briefly about 5-10 minutes and stir again until smooth. 

Assembly:

Drizzle the ganache over the bundt cake, pouring over the top and letting it pool slowly down the sides. Arrange the strawberries on top and let the ganache set. Serve cake the day it is assembled. 

Aromatic Chinese-Style Beef Stew

Served with simple rice and steamed broccoli , it beats a greasy takeaway on a Saturday night. As this is one of those dishes that would be even better made a day in advance, it's just perfect as entertaining recipe too. 

Ingredients:

• 1kg shin of beef or thereabouts, cuts into large bite size pieces
• 2 tbsp of flour
• 200g of spring onions, sliced thinly into matchsticks
• 2 thumbs worth of fresh ginger, thinly sliced
• 3 star anise
• 10 cloves of  garlic, sliced thinly
• 750ml of beef stock 
• 2tsp brown sugar
• Peel of 2 oranges, juice of 1
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1/2 large chilli, add more according to taste if prefer hotter
• 1 tsp Chinese five spice powder
• 3 tbsp rice wine or sherry
• 3 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1/4 tsp sesame oil
• Black pepper
• Sunflower oil

Method:

Preheat oven to 150°C. Trim any large bits of fat from the beef, cut into bite sized pieces and dust in flour. 

Heat sunflower oil to fairly high. Fry off the beef in batches, don't over crowded the pan. Take your time. After all the pieces are browned, set aside the beef. 

Now turn the heat down a little. Fry the ginger, chilli and 3/4 of the spring onions for a few minutes.

Add the sugar, cinnamon, star anise, 5 spice powder, orange peel to the dish and put your beef back in too. 

Add the beef stock, soy sauce, rice wine and the juice of 1 orange in to the beef. Give it a good stir and pop in the oven for 2 hours. Stir half way through. 

When 2 hours are up, add the honey, a good grinding of black pepper and a tiny amount of sesame oil. Taste and maybe add more honey or pepper.

Serve with sliced chilli, spring onions alongside some plain rice and steamed broccoli. Pok Choi would be great too 

No-Bake Three Chocolate cake

No-Bake Three Chocolate  Cake recipe- Made in a bundt pan, layer of white, milk and dark chocolate  and Oreo cookie crust. Topped with chocolate ganache and fresh berries. A chocolate lover's heaven!!

Here is the look on the inside. Again this is not a three chocolate mousse cake. This is three chocolate  "panna cotta"  style cake in a bundt pan. 

Ingredients: 

• 4 cups double cream 
• 2 cups milk

For white chocolate layer:

• 250g white chocolate 
• 2 1/2 tsp gelatin 
• 2 tbsp cold water

For milk chocolate layer:

• 250g milk chocolate 
• 2 1/2 tsp gelatin 
• 2 tbsp cold water

For the dark chocolate layer:

• 250g dark chocolate (70% cocoa) 
• 4 tbsp sugar
• 21/2 tsp gelatin
• 2 tbsp cold water

For the Oreo layer:

• 24 Oreo cookies
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 114g melted butter

For the ganache:

• 120g semi sweet chocolate 
• 1/2 cup double cream

For decoration:

• Berries for garnishing 

Method:

In a saucepan, combine milk and cream and heat over medium heat, until it starts to boil. Remove from heat, divide mixture into 3 equal parts, about 2 cups each.

For the white chocolate layer:

Sprinkle gelatin over cold water in a small bowl, let it stand for 5 minutes, until gelatin expands then in a microwave for 30 seconds to liquify.

Place chocolate in a bowl and pour hot liquid over it. Let it stand for 2 minutes and whisk to combine. 

Add gelatin and whisk to combine.

Generously spray a bundt pan with cooking spray. Pour mixture in the pan. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or more until set.

For the milk chocolate layer:

Sprinkle gelatin over cold water in a small bowl, let it stand for 5 minutes, until gelatin expands then in a microwave for 30 seconds to liquify.

Place chocolate in a bowl and pour hot liquid over it. Let it stand for 2 minutes and whisk to combine. 

Add gelatin and whisk to combine.

Carefully pour mixture in the pan over the white chocolate layer. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until set. 

For the dark chocolate layer:

Sprinkle gelatin over cold water in a small bowl, let it stand for 5 minutes, until gelatin expands then in a microwave for 30 seconds to liquify.

Place chocolate in a bowl and pour hot liquid over it. Let it stand for 2 minutes and whisk to combine. 

Add gelatin and whisk to combine.

Carefully pour mixture in the pan over the milk chocolate layer. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until set. 

For the Oreo layer:

Process the cookies in a food processor until fine crumbles. Combine with sugar and butter and mix to combine. 

When the dark chocolate later is set, very gently add the crust layer, using a spoon to distribute it and then lightly press it over the dark chocolate layer. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. 

For the ganache:

In a small saucepan, heat the double cream until it just begins to boil and remove immediately. 

Place chocolate in a bowl and pour hot cream on top. Add peppermint extract (optional).

Let it sit for 1 minute then stir with a rubber spatula. Stir continuously until mixture gets smooth. Let it cool a little before you use it. It still needs to be thin so it drips down the cake 

To serve:

When ready, to remove the cake from the pan, use a hair dryer to heat the walls of the pan, or dip in a hot water for 30-60 seconds to loosen, then invert onto a serving platter. 

Pour the chocolate ganache on top and add berries for garnishing.

Chocolate Poke Cake

This Chocolate Poke Cake is out of this world. SOOO chocolatey !! So moist! Amazing !  I decided to buy a box of Devils Food Chocolate Cake Mix instead of making myself

Ingredients :

Chocolate Cake:

• A box of Devil Chocolate Cake Mix, plus ingredients listed on the box
• 14oz condensed milk 
• 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Chocolate Whipped Cream Topping:

• 2 cups whipping cream
• 1/2 cup icing sugar
• 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• Mini chocolate chips
• Chocolate sauce

Method:

Bake cake according to box directions in a 9x3 cake pan.

Once cake comes out of the oven poke holes all over the top of the cake. 

Place sweetened condensed milk and chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl, microwave for about 30 seconds to 1 minutE. Whisk chocolate and milk until smooth, microwaving more if needed to melt the chocolate. Pour chocolate mixture over the cake and spread to fill in holes. 

Set cake aside to cool, about an hour then refrigerate until completely cooled. 

To make whipped topping, whip whipping cream until it begins to thicken. Add icing sugar, cocoa and vanilla extract and whip until stiff peaks form. Spread whipped topping evenly over cooled cake. Sprinkle mini chocolate chips over cake and drizzle with chocolate sauce. Refrigerate until ready to serve. 

 

Mini Bundts Banana Cake with Vanilla Caramel Glaze

I

Banana cakes comes in many form, from banana bread to layered with cream and sliced banana. These little Banana Cakes are soft buttery banana sponge cake formed in mini Bundts cake pans, and topped with easy vanilla caramel glaze. 

Ingredients:

Cake:

• 115g butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 ripe banana 
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 cup plain flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder 
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon 

For the glaze:

• 30g butter
• 2/3 cup light brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 
• 1 tbsp milk
• Pinch of salt

Method:

Preheat oven to 180°C /160°C for fan oven.  Grease and flour the mini-bundt pan or silicone mini-bundt.

Cream together the butter, sugar and salt until mix well. Mash banana well and beat with eggs, add to butter mixture along with the vanilla and milk. Beat well.

Stir in the baking powder and cinnamon into the flour, to ensure even distribution, then add the flour into the banana butter mixture. Beat until the mixture is creamy in consistency. It will be a little thicker than standard cake batter but smooth and silky.

Dollop into the mini bundt pan. Fill 3/4 full and smooth tops with back of a spoon.  Bake for 20-24 minutes. Toothpick will pull out clean and tops will be light golden brown. 

Glaze:

Add the ingredients to a small non-stick pan over med-high heat. Keep stirring, the sugar will melt quick. The glaze will start to bubble up. Remove from heat once it has thickened a little but still seems a little thin to use. It will thicken as it cools. 

Allow it to cool a couple of minutes before glazing the banana cakes. It should be thick enough to slowly roll down sides of the cake but not stiff.