Chocolate and Caramel Ripple Cheesecake with Brownie Base.

I have said it before but I will say it again. Cheesecake is my favourite dessert. It is also one of my favourite foods to experiment with. I love thinking up and trying out new flavours. This weekend brought the idea of mixing things up with a brownie base instead of the usual biscuit base. Now I don't know about you but I love, love, love brownies. Particularly when they are fudgy in the middle but crispy, bordering on over cooked on the edges. Pair this with a delicious, light cheesecake filling and I think that sounds like a darn good sweet treat.



The cheesecake filling I used is a delicious, light and fluffy filling. It is light on flavour which lets the brownie base remain the star of the dessert. And the chocolate and caramel sauces which are rippled throughout just finish it off. The gelatine in the cheesecake filling also means that you don't have to worry as much about getting the perfect consistency or allowing the cheesecake to set overnight. 4 hours in the fridge and you are good to go.



No fluffy around this week, it's straight to the recipe!

This week's tips and hints:
* I use about half of the chocolate and caramel sauces to ripple through the filling and save the rest to drizzle over when you serve.
* Don't stress if your filling is a little lumpy when you fold all the ingredients together. While you want it to be as smooth as possible, you also don't want to beat all the air out of the whipped cream. As long as the cream cheese was whipped until smooth and it is relatively well combined with the cream you will still get a delicious and smooth cheesecake.



Enjoy! Xxx

Chocolate and Caramel Ripple Cheesecake



Serves: 8 - 12
Prep time: 20 minutes
Baking time: 30 minutes
Setting time: 4+ hours

Ingredients

Brownie base
125g butter
1 cup caster sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup plain flour
40g cocoa
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
1/2 cup choc chips

Cheesecake filling
3 tsp powdered gelatine
1/2 cup water
250g cream cheese
3/4 cup caster sugar
1 tbls lemon juice
300ml thickened cream

Chocolate sauce
120g good quality milk chocolate
4 tbls thickened cream

Caramel sauce
2 tbls brown sugar
40g butter
4 tbls thickened cream

Method

Preheat oven to 160ºC. Line the base of a 20cm springform fan with baking paper and grease the sides with butter.

Melt butter in a saucepan, over medium heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, until the mixture is thick and glossy.

Sift in flour and cocoa and stir until well combined.

Stir in the vanilla and choc chips.

Bake for 30 minutes. Set aside to cool completely.

Once the brownie base has cooled start on your sauces and filing.

Caramel sauce

Place butter, cream and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Stir over low heat until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Do not boil! Set sauce aside to cool.

Chocolate sauce

Place chocolate and cream in a small saucepan.  Stir over a low-medium heat until the chocolate has melted. Do not boil! Set aside to cool.

Cheesecake filling

Sprinkle gelatine over water in a cup and stand in a small pan of simmering water. Stir until dissolved. Set aside to cool.

Beat cream cheese, lemon juice and sugar with electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Transfer to a large bowl.

Whip cream until soft peaks form. Fold cream into cheese mixture. Fold in gelatine mixture.

Pour half the cheesecake mixture into springform pan on top of brownie base. Drizzle 1/4 of the chocolate and brownie sauces over the mixture. Swirl with a wooden skewer.

Pour the rest of the cheesecake mixture into pan. Drizzle with another 1/4 of the chocolate and caramel sauces. Swirl with a wooden skewer.

Place in fridge to set for at least 4 hours.

Before serving heat leftover caramel and chocolate sauces for 15 seconds in microwave and stir until smooth. Drizzle over each slice of cheesecake as served.

DIY Lightbox and Triple Choc Muffin Recipe

The quality of the photos I have been taking for The Weekly Feast has been a problem for me since the very beginning. I only own a smart phone and a basic point and shoot which already lower the quality of photos I can produce. But I also live in a house which has a poor amount of natural light for taking photos. And, well, photography just isn't my greatest strength. Then recently a friend made her own photography lightbox and the difference it made was incredible! Being the procrastinator that I am, though, it has taken me months to actually get myself organised and make my own. Now that I have, I have spent most of my afternoon taking photos of all kinds of things just to play around with my new toy.

A side by side comparison. Same lighting, same position, taken within a minute of each other and both have received a little cropping and the same editing (brightening etc). Lightbox on the left, normal on the right. Look at the difference!

Over the last few months I have read lots of tutorials and tips on making your own photography lightbox. The idea of a lightbox is to diffuse light (whether natural or artificial) and provide your image with a uniform background. This gives you a crisp, clear, well light image. And the best part is that they can be cheap and easy to make. All you need is a box the size you want your lightbox to be (I used a small box today but might make myself a bigger one down the track), some white card (this will need to be at least 30% longer than the length of the box) and some white tissue paper.

Another comparison. I mean, really, which one would you rather eat? Oh wait, did I mention that's the same muffin?!?!

Simply cut off the top of the box, and then cut out a rectangle 2.5cm from the edges on three of the four sides. Once you have popped the cut outs out, piece together the tissue paper to create a piece large enough to cover one side of the box. Attach the tissue paper to the side of the box with sticky tape, covering the whole you have made. Repeat with the other two sides. You then need to cut your white cardboard to the same width as the inside of the box. Place the card in the box, making sure it curves at the back. Now your lightbox is ready to use!
Place it an area with lots of light, or use some lamps to add light. Place your object on the flat part of the cardboard and click away!

A few shots of my new lightbox in use.

Now what would be the point of going to all this effort if I didn't have something delicious to photograph in my new light box. Enter my triple choc muffins! These babies are delicious and hit that chocolate craving right in the .... well craving. Haha!



This weeks tips and hints:
*  These are a great base. Mix it up with whatever you like. Fruit, nuts, marshmallows. Use you imagination.
* If the batter seems a little dry, add extra milk in small amounts until you are happy with the consistency.
* These are super delicious fresh out of the oven, or pop them in the microwave for 10-20 seconds before eating. They will stay fresh for a couple of days or can freeze well.

Enjoy! Xxx

Triple Choc Muffins


Serves: 12
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 20 - 25 minutes

Ingredients

60g butter, melted
2 cups self raising flour
1/2 brown sugar
3/4 cup milk
2 eggs
1tsp vanilla bean paste
1 cup choc chips (I used half milk chocolate and half white chocolate)

Method

Preheat oven to 180ºC (160ºC fan forced). Place muffin cases in 12 pan muffin tin.
Lightly beat together eggs, milk and melted butter.
Combine wet ingredients with flour, sugar and vanilla in a bowl. Once combined stir through choc chips.
Divide mixture between muffin cases.
Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until firm on top when lightly touched.
Allow to cool on wire rack.

Chocolate Tart

I have mentioned before that I am generally more of a savoury food type of person. Give me a plate of cheese, biscuits and chips any day! Ironically, however, I find myself creating more sweets recipes than savoury and getting more enjoyment from cooking sweets. The only problem is that I will often eat one, small, portion of what I have cooked and am left with nearly a whole dessert.



This comes in very handy when we are having guests though. Last night was one of those nights. We were having some family and friends over for homemade pizzas (my Dad's specialty) so dinner was sorted. While browsing through my sweets recipes for dessert I had the urge to make a chocolate tart. Always a winner in my books! And it is super, super simple but looks impressive (again a win if you ask me).



Well the night was a success and both the pizzas and the tart were a big hit. So I thought I would share the recipe with you.



This weeks hints/tips:
* You can use frozen shortcrust pastry or even a pre-made pastry shell. I have gotten my shortcrust down pat these days so I don't bother but I know that some people find pastry intimidating.
* I used a food processor to make my pastry but it is simple to make by hand.
* Make sure you use decent chocolate, not home-brand! I use Nestle chocolate melts.
* This would be lovely made with dark chocolate as well.
* A little salt added to the ganache filling would cut through some of the sweetness and really make the chocolate sing.
* I used fresh raspberries to serve with the tart, but any berries, fresh or froze, would work wonderfully.
Enjoy xxx

Chocolate Tart



Servings: 16
Prep time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 30 minutes
Total time: 3 hours

Ingredients
Pastry
200g plain flour
Pinch of salt
100g chilled butter, cubed
50-60g ice cold water
Ganache Filling
500g milk chocolate
300g thickened cream
Optional
Cream or ice cream, to serve
Berries, to serve

Method
Place flour, salt and butter in food processor. Mix for 10 seconds on med-high.
Add water and mix for a further 5-6 seconds on medium high or until it forms a rough dough.
Knead lightly on a floured surface, wrap in glad wrap and place in fridge for 30 minutes.
Pre heat oven to 180ºC.
Once the dough has rested, roll it out on a lightly floured surface. Then place it in a greased pie dish or tart tan and prick the base with a fork.
Gently place baking paper inside the case and fill with blind baking beans or uncooked rice.
Cook in oven for 15 minutes. Remove beans or rice and baking paper and bake for a further 15 minutes.
Remove tart case from the oven and allow to cool for about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, place chocolate and cream in a microwave safe bowl.
Microwave on high for 60 seconds. Stir chocolate and cream until the chocolate is melted and they are well combined. If necessary, microwave ganache for a further 30 seconds.
Allow ganache to cool slightly.
Pour ganache into the tart case and place the tart in the oven to set (I like to let it set for at least 2 hours).
Serve with cream or ice cream and berries.

Mixed Berry and White Chocolate Friands

As a general rule I am more of a savoury snack type person. I love pretzels and salty little morsels. Sit me down with some cheese and crackers, or some chips, and I will be one happy little Corinne. There are times however when you just want something sweet. And there are a few sweet things I will never say no to. Last week I told you my all time favourite dessert was cheesecake. This is so true I could eat cheesecake any time of the day or night. This week I am going to share my favourite afternoon tea sweet. Berry and white chocolate friands.

Coffee dates with friends, while super trendy and lots of fun, can be a little boring for me when it comes to ordering. I don't often drink hot drinks and when I do order one I usually only drink two thirds of the mug before I lose interest. This means that at catch ups I am often the one sitting there with a glass of water or soft drink while everyone sips away at their hot beverages. Because of this I always try and ensure that we are headed somewhere that serves something tasty to eat. I love looking at all the delicious, pretty little sweets in the glass fronted cases. I do not, however, enjoy making a decision on which sweet to buy. Decision making and I are not exactly buddies, in fact I hate it! Friands are the exception to this rule. If I spot friands in that glass fronted cabinet all bets are off, the decision is made and I am guaranteed to not have ordering remorse.

That's a thing right? I'm not the only one who suffers from buyers remorse at restaurants am I? You know, when you um and ah over the menu, eventually making a last minute decision when pressed by the waitstaff and regret your decision as soon as it arrives. I am notorious for it.

Anyway friands never give me ordering remorse. They have also become one of the most requested sweets for me to bake by my family. So I thought it was time to share one of my most popular recipes with you.

This week's hints/tips:
* I used mixed berries today, I usually use just raspberries but thought I would mix it up this time. I was also out of raspberries, haha. So basically you can top them with whatever you think will work.
* I usually bake my friands in muffin cases. This is for a few reasons: it makes cleanup easier; I am too lazy to grease my pans; I don't own a proper friand pan.
* Save your left over egg yolks. They can be used to make pudding or lemon curd or custard. Store in an airtight container, covering the yolks in water, for up to two days in the fridge.

Enjoy!

Mixed Berry and White Chocolate Friands



Makes: 12
Prep time: 10 minutes
Baking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
6 egg whites
185g butter, melted
1 cup almond meal
1 1/2 cups icing sugar, sifted
1/2 cup plain flour
100g white chocolate chips
100g (roughly) frozen berries

Method
Preheat oven to 180°C. Line or grease 12 pan muffin tray or friand tray.
Place egg whites in a bowl and whisk lightly with a fork to combine.
Add butter, almond meal, sifted icing sugar, and flour. Stir to combine.
Add chocolate chips and stir through.
Divide batter evenly between pans.
Bake friands for 10 minutes, then top with berries. Bake for a further 15 - 20 minutes, until golden.
Cool on wire rack (right side up).
Drizzle with melted white chocolate or dust with icing sugar before serving.

International Cheescake Day 2015: Chocolate & Salted Caramel Cheesecake

Did someone say cheesecake?! International cheesecake day? A whole day to celebrate the wonder that is cheesecake? Count me in!

I could not resist using this photo. Not only because it is a great picture of the cheesecake but
notice my photobomber in the background. He thought it smelt amazing. He was no more than
a metre away the entire time I was photographing.

If you asked me to list my favourite desserts there is no doubt that cheesecake would top the list. If you asked me to list my favourite cheesecakes however, I would really struggle. Cheesecake is such a versatile dessert, which is one of my favourite things about it. Chocolate, mint, caramel, lemon, black forrest, vanilla, the possibilities are endless.

Some of my favourite recipes that I have created are cheesecake recipes. The challenge of deciding on a flavour or flavour combination. Picking the right ingredients. Balancing the flavours and texture. And of course unveiling the masterpiece and tasting your victory. It really is one of those recipes that are deceptively simple and once you have mastered the basic recipe the possibilities are endless.

This recipe (as proven by the vote on my facebook page) is super popular and is so delicious. The combination of caramel and chocolate is classic and the addition of the salt really makes the cheesecake sing.

This weeks tips/hints.
* If you aren't a fan of salted caramel simply omit the salt from the recipe to make a nommy chocolate and caramel cheesecake instead.
* The pretzel crumb is optional. I personally love the salty, savoury, crunch it adds to the cheesecake. Again if it's not your thing, leave it off.
* The salted caramel sauce recipe makes a lot. Just pop any left overs in an air tight container in the fridge and warm up as necessary. It's great on ice cream.
* This is quite a soft cheesecake (I had forgotten about that since I last made it!). If you wanted it firmer you could play around with the cream cheese to top n fill ratio. Alternatively it would work wonderfully as individual cheesecakes in glasses or jars. Or next time I am going to add a small amount a gelatine to achieve the consistency that I want, I will update you!

Chocolate and Salted Caramel Cheesecake
Prep time: 30 minutes
Set time: 5+ hours (overnight is best)

Ingredients
Base
250g choc ripple biscuits
100g melted butter

Filling
380g cream cheese
380g tin of Caramel Top n Fill
1 tbs lemon juice
salt, to taste

Ganache
150g milk chocolate
150g thickened cream

Salted Caramel Sauce
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 thickened cream
60g butter
salt, to taste

Crushed pretzels (optional)

Method

Place biscuits in food processor and blitz until they create a crumb. Add melted butter and blitz until mixed.
Pour crumb into 19 cm springform pan and press gently into base and up sides (about 3/4 of the way).
Place in fridge while you make the filling.

Place cream cheese in mixer/processor and beat until smooth. Add caramel top n fill and lemon juice and blend until smooth and creamy. Salt to taste.
Pour filling over base and return to fridge to set (4 hours or overnight is best).

Once cheesecake has been setting for a few hours start on your ganache and salted caramel sauce.
To make the ganache place chocolate and cream in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds, then stir. Return to microwave and cook for a further 30 seconds. Remove and stir until all the chocolate is melted and the ingredients are well combined. If necessary return to microwave for a further 10 seconds at a time. Let ganache cool and thicken for half an hour or so, stirring occasionally.

To make the caramel sauce combine ingredients in a saucepan and place over medium high heat until butter is melted, stirring occasionally. Once butter is melted simmer mixture for 4 minutes stirring constantly. Set sauce aside and allow to cool.

If adding pretzels, place a handful in food processor and blitz for a few seconds.

Once your sauce and ganache have cooled, remove cheesecake from the fridge. Drizzle ganache and caramel sauce over the top. Sprinkle pretzels over the cheesecake. Return to fridge for a short while to allow the toppings to set.

Enjoy!

Rocky Road Cake

Do you ever get an idea in your head and you simply cannot rest until you have tried it? This happens to me often, whether it be a craft project, finding a piece of clothing or decor that I feel like I have to have, or a recipe idea. I will admit that I am terrible at losing interest part way through if I am not succeeding though. If you look through my crafting things, or look in any of my notebooks you are likely to find at least one half finished 'great idea' project. Off the top of my head I can name at least 2 half finished crochet hats, 2 started crochet blankets, 1 recipe and 2 unfinished craft projects.

This week's feast was one of these great ideas. I tossed the idea of a rocky road cake around in my head for several days. I imagined a moist, dense chocolate cake, with rocky road ingredients in between the cake layers, covered in smooth, rich ganache, topped with rocky road pieces. So of course I set out to make this dream a reality. Unfortunately (for you guys!) it has taken me 2 weeks to 'finish' this great idea project and write up the recipe to share. I also apologise for the quality of the photos. I tried a new setting and rushed as I was dying to try the cake, it wasn't until I loaded the photos on the computer, days later, that I realised how terrible they were!

Overall I was really happy with the end result, and it went down a treat with the whole family (which on this particular family dinner was 8 adults, 2 teenagers, and a three year old). There are a few things I learnt or would do differently next time though. So onto the recipe!

This week's tips and hints.
* DO NOT LEAVE OUT THE COFFEE. My mother was very concerned when she saw me adding coffee but I can assure you, as I did her, that it is a key ingredient. I did a lot of reading about chocolate cakes and discovered that the coffee helps to provide the moist texture and full flavour that makes this cake so good. You cannot taste the coffee in the final product.
* As you can probably see in the photos my ganache was not great, it is something I am still trying to master. I have narrowed the cause down to two mistakes. Always use good quality chocolate, I cheated and used cheap cooking chocolate. Big mistake! Also I tried to heat my cream and pour it over my chocolate. This just didn't work. My advice (having practiced since) is to heat the cream and chocolate together.
* I'm sorry I don't have quantities for the rocky road ingredients, if I'm honest I just used my judgement and guessed. You can use any ingredients you want. I used what I enjoy in my rocky road, I know there are lots of different recipes.
* I melted the marshmallows for the middle layer. You only need to place a small amount between the layers, it will spread and if you use too much it will leak out the sides and you will spend ages tidying it up and removing the excess, trust me.

Rocky Road Cake

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

Cake

2 cups sugar

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup cocoa

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup strong black coffee

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Rocky Road

Milk chocolate

Crushed nuts

Glace cherries

Marshmallows

Desiccated coconut

Ganache 

Dark Chocolate

Thickened Cream

Method 

Heat oven to 180°C. Grease and flour desired pan/s.

Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt in large bowl.

 Add eggs, buttermilk, coffee, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes (batter will be thin).

Pour batter evenly into prepared pans.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. 

Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.

Meanwhile make a small quantity of rocky road, by melting chocolate and combining all ingredients. Allow to set in fridge.

 When set chop into small chunk and reserve for top of cake.

Make ganache using equal parts chocolate and cream. Place in microwave safe dish and heat for 1 minute. Stir. If the chocolate is still not melted, repeat at 10 second intervals.

Place in fridge to cool.

Once cake has cooled and ganache has cooled and set, it is time to assemble.

Spread ganache on the top of the bottom cake and the bottom of the top cake. Spread a small amount of each roacky road filling on the top of the bottom cake (remember that a little of each ingredient will add up to a lot altogether). 

Place top cake on top.

Cover the entire cake with ganache and allow to set in the fridge.

When set, place reserved rocky road on top.

Enjoy!