Deconstructed No Bake Nutella Cheesecakes

Yes, food is in fashion like never before, and it looks like it is here to stay.  The Foodie Nation report states that cooking shows have inspired two thirds of us to have dinner at home over dining out or take away meals. Simple meat and three vege is so 1990's. While shows like Masterchef have increased the popularity of gourmet home cooking, it just brings to light how little so many people do know about cooking. Don't get me wrong, I'm no expert, and I am always learning from my mistakes, but the sheer lack of basic knowledge  from some adults makes my head spin. I agree, TV shows make the art of cooking look easy! Effortless even. But there's nothing like a flurry of questions on a food blog to make you realise just what people don't know about the very basics of even beginning to cook. They are tackling moderate to advanced recipes without even having ever boiled an egg before or made a cake from the box. They don't think in terms of food and how it works (there's a science to it.) Thumbs up for being enthusiastic and willing-I think its great people are thinking in terms of good and well presented food, but I think you need to start at the very beginning- it's a very good place to start!
I guess what spurred me to write this, or pushed me over the brink, was an adult person asking how to make chocolate dipped strawberries. It was a question posed on my friends cooking facebook page. They were simple chocolate dipped strawberries, no joke, and she asked my friend for the recipe! Astounded, I turned to my 4 year old son and asked him how he would make chocolate dipped strawberries. "You get the chocolate, melt it, and dip the strawberries in it." He said. Four year old logic. I had to have a quick look at this woman who didn't know how to dip strawberries in chocolate, and she was middle aged an regular looking. How she has survived until now, I do not know. Who could live without choc dipped berries, after all?
Anyway, we all have to start somewhere. Here are a few things I have learned about beginning to cook, which I have collected over the 20 years I have been baking:

1. Read the recipe before you begin, then read it again. There's nothing like getting half way though a recipe only to realise you needed plain flour and you only have Self Raising flour, or you have no idea what the soft ball stage is.

2. Utilize online forums and search engines like google if you have any doubts, and use conversion calculators or charts. So many questions I get after recipes are out of sheer laziness. "How many tablespoons is 50g butter?" Please google this and stop being lazy. You could have your answer within seconds. Having a printed conversion table is also a good plan.

3. Measure. So many people I have spoken to say that they simply throw the ingredients into the bowl, a bit of this, a bit of that, no specific measurements. This is recipe for disaster. You may be able to get away with this carefree style of cooking with a stew, but don't expect to succeed if you only put 3/4 cup flour in to that cake instead of 1 level cup. Precision isn't always key, but it is in most cooking for most ingredients.

4. Stick to your level unless you've been there for a while and are ready to take things up a notch. For example, if you have never cooked before, making macarons probably isn't the best way to start off. Get the basics down-pat first.

5. Don't mess with the recipe if you're a beginner! Maybe Jamie Oliver can substitute a carrot for a chicken and have it taste awesome, but it's best to stick to the recipe and not leave anything out or add anything if you're a beginner. Successful experimenting comes later.

6. Do the prep work, such as lining trays, preheating the oven and sifting flour. Every step is there for a good reason.

7. Don't stress if you fail! There is always next time.

And here's an easy beginner level  dessert for two that is impressive as well as delicious! it's non bake too, so it's pretty hard to be unsuccessful with these deconstructed nutella cheesecakes. They're perfect for hot summer nights when you don't want to turn on the oven, and are very quick and simple to put together. They also look elegant in tall glasses, topped with berries or shavings of chocolate.

DECONSTRUCTED NO BAKE NUTELLA CHEESECAKES (Adapted from Sweet & Savory by Shinee)

4 chocolate biscuits, crushed
1/4 cup hazelnuts, crushed (optional)
1 heaped tsp. butter, melted
100g cream cheese, room temperature
4 tbsp. sweetened condensed milk
3 tbsp. nutella

Place the crushed biscuits and hazelnuts together in a small bowl. Add the melted butter and stir to combine. Divide this mixture between two dessert glasses, reserving a teaspoon for garnishing if desired. Place in the refrigerator.
In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk and nutella together until smooth and thick. Fit a piping bag with a large star nozzle and fill with the cream cheese mixture. Pipe the mixture into the glasses, garnish with the reserved crumb mixture, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Serves 2

Coconut Ice Domes with Roses

We've hit a million views. And that makes me want to come out and give a give hug to everyone who has ever been to visit the blog--unless you're some sort of creepy stalker type, then I will refrain. Politely.

Where have I been?
Am I alive?
Why am I posting less frequently?

There are a few reasons:

1. Every time I make or go to eat anything that could be classed as sweet, my husband reminds me I have to visit the dentist. (Random I know, but did you know the pickle in the cheeseburger is the only thing that stops it from being classed as confectionery?)

2. There's someone in this house that needs me more than my blog fans--oh yes, the precious new baby of the house! I would not miss those precious new born moments with her. Yes I am with her every waking hour, and do manage to cook a few things while she's sleeping every so often. So don't worry, I'm not going anywhere!

3. I wish baby weight melted away from eating lots of naughty food. I don't think I stand a chance. (Note to self: It's time to seriously start cooking for my husbands colleagues to keep the recipes rolling. The fat must be shared around.)

4. Blogger is posting my pictures with some sort of grainy, grey film over my shots...making them look super inedible. Slightly moldy, to be honest. (see pictures below for example) I don't know why or how to fix this problem--any ideas? The original shots are light and warm and just beautiful...why have they uploaded like this?

Anyway, now you know, I'm not among the deceased, and it's time to present a school fete favourite--Coconut Ice--all grown up this time, domed in shape and decked with pretty little fondant roses. These would make such a pretty addition to a high tea or girls party as they are definitely feminine and a bit of a show stopper, if I say so myself. They sport a vanilla infused coconut base, topped with a lightly strawberry flavoured pink dome (I had to find a way to use those gorgeous dome molds that have not been of much use so far...makes for a fancy looking dessert after all!) with a dollop of vanilla cream icing and a pink fondant rose. And they are incredibly delicious, and rich, and it is, I warn you, a little hard to stop at one...

COCONUT ICE DOMES WITH ROSES (Adapted from Delicious, October 2002 by Valli Little)

Domes:

2 cups icing sugar
pinch cream of tartar
395g can of sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla essence
3 1/2 cups dessicated coconut
1/2-1 tsp strawberry essence
15 small fondant roses (make your own here!)

Icing:

1/2 cup icing sugar, extra
a few drops vanilla essence, extra
2-4 tbsp. heavy cream

Sift the icing sugar and cream of tartar into a medium sized bowl. Add the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla and coconut and stir until well incorporated. Divide the mixture between two bowls. Add the vanilla essence to one, and the strawberry essence to the other. Mix until thoroughly incorporated.
In the bowl containing the strawberry essence, add a drop or two of red or pink food colouring. Stir again until the colour saturates the mixture. (If you find that the addition of this extra liquid has made the texture too wet, add a little more icing sugar to the mixture. You don't want it to be too damp, but able to hold its shape when you press it together in your hand.)
Liberally grease your dome molds. Spoon the pink mixture into 15 molds until the mixture is evenly distributed between them. Firmly press the mixture into each so that it is firmly compressed and flat on the top. Repeat with the white mixture on top of the pink, filling each dome to the rim, and pressing down again firmly. Refrigerate for two hours before gently removing with the help of a spoon if necessary.
To make the icing, place the extra icing sugar and extra vanilla in a small bowl. Combine with just enough cream to get a nice texture that will not drip when applied to the coconut ice domes. Dollop a small amount on the top of each dome, and then top with a fondant rose.

Makes 15 domes

NOTES: If you do not have a dome mold such as the one used in this recipe, you can easily make this in a 30x20cm slice tin and cut it into squares.

Fudgy Dulce de Leche Brownies

If there's any food I'll ever call wicked, it's probably this super fudgy dulce de leche brownie. Oozing with South American style caramel, and packed full of chocolate, this brownie is bound to satisfy any sugar or chocolate cravings within seconds. Thankfully for the waistline, it's a super rich brownie that can't be eaten in huge quantities at a time, but makes a large batch for sharing or freezing for future desserts--it's particularly delicious warmed up with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side. Absolute decadence!

FUDGY DULCE DE LECHE BROWNIES (Adapted from Delicious. More Please by Valli Little)

400g can sweetened condensed milk
200g dark chocolate, chopped
250g butter, chopped
1 3/4 cups brown sugar, firmly packed
4 eggs
1 1/3 cups plain flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/3 cup cocoa powder

To make the dulce de leche, remove the paper label from the side of the sweetened condensed milk can. Immerse the can into the saucepan of water so that the water covers the top of the can. Place over a high heat on the stove and set the stove timer. Boil for three hours, checking frequently to top up the water to cover the can if it has evaporated. (It is important to keep the can covered, as failure to do so may result in the can exploding). Turn off the heat and allow the can to cool before removing and opening.Set aside to completely cool.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180C. Grease and line a 22cm square cake pan with baking paper. Set aside.
Place the chocolate and butter in a medium saucepan over a low heat. Stir until the contents have melted and are well combined. In a bowl place the brown sugar and the eggs. Whisk until the eggs have broken down, then add the melted chocolate and butter mixture. Stir in the flour, baking powder and cocoa until well incorporated.
Pour half of this batter into the base of the lined baking tin, and smooth to evenly cover the bottom. A teaspoon at a time, scoop half the cooled dulce de leche from the can onto this batter in random areas. Cover with the remaining brownie batter, and repeat again with the rest of the dulce de leche. Gently swirl the caramel on the top layer  with the end of a spoon (do not break through the brownie batter though as this can spoil the brownie.)
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until set. The dulce de leche will be molten, so allow to cool in the pan before removing to cut into squares.

NOTES: You can buy prepared and authentic dulce de leche from some gourmet food stores.

Ultimate Meringue

Meringue. There's something nostalgic about meringue and it makes me think of white, fluffy fairy castles. I used to watch my mum piling that sticky, sweet goodness up into high mounds before baking it and turning it into a most impressive pavlova. "Pav" was always a favourite around our house when I was a child, and sinking my teeth into it makes me a little bit proud too, being a particularly Australian dessert.
Unfortunately when this little girl grew up into a woman and tried piling meringue fairy castles up for her own children, I was hit was huge waves of dissapointment.
Flat. Sticky. Weeping. Gooey inside.
The meringue, not me.
Although I felt a little how it all looked, sagging there on the kitchen bench in delicious disarray. (Good thing you can still put failed meringue to good use with an Eton Mess Dessert)
I blamed it on the humid, tropical climate I moved up to. Then my sister in law Liz told me her mum, who long resided in the same climate as I do, made the best pavlovas despite the humidity. That made me feel a million dollars. It was official--I was a failure at meringue.
So as you may well guess, I went crazy trouble shooting meringue and all the possible mistakes I could be making that made my meringues so temperamental. To my joy I found I was correct about the humidity and rain playing a roll in its failure, so be sure that if you want to succeed, chose a dryer day if you can to get baking. Having said that, it's winter here and still 70% humidity and my meringues, using the below recipe for the ultimate meringue, formed glorious, crisp on the outside, slightly chewy on the inside, non-weepy, non-gooey, non-sinky, gorgeous meringues. I think it might be fail proof. Finally.
I now have two favourite meringue recipes that have never failed me to this day. One I use for making Meringue Swans, and it does brown a bit, and has the most delicious crunchy outer and caramelly inner. But this recipe keeps its whiteness and I (almost) promise, you won't have any issues with it. Bon appetit!

ULTIMATE MERINGUE (From BBC Good Food)

4 large egg whites
115g caster sugar
115g icing sugar
a few drops of food colouring if desired

Preheat the oven to 100C (110C for a fan forced oven).
Line two or three trays with baking paper and set aside. In a medium to large, clean and dry glass bowl, add the egg whites. Beat on medium speed until the whites stand up in stiff peaks when the beaters are lifted and they resemble fluffy clouds.
Turn up the speed to high and begin to add the caster sugar, a tablespoon at a time with 5 seconds in between each addition. (If you add the sugar too quickly, the meringue may weep at a later stage) You may add some food colouring at this stage if desired.
The mixture should look thick and glossy when it is ready--do not over beat.
Divide the icing sugar into three parts. Add the first part, and fold it into the mixture with a rubber spatula or big metal spoon. Repeat with the two remaining parts. Don't over-mix at this stage, just fold until the mixture looks smooth and billowy, like a snow drift.
Y0ou can place the meringue mixture in a ziplock bag fitted with a piping nozel and pipe the mixture as desired, or simply spoon the mixture onto the tray, using another spoon to help ease it off.
Bake for 1 1/2 hours to 1 3/4 hours in a fan oven, or 1 1/4 hours in a conventional oven. Meringues are ready when they feel dry to touch and sound hollow when tapped underneath. Leave to cool on the trays for a few minutes, then remove to cooling racks. Meringues will store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks, and can be frozen for a month.

Lime Cheesecake Ice Cream with Raspberry Swirl

It's a little experiment that turned out oh so right.
This thick, creamy cheese cake ice cream, infused with lime and rippling with raspberry puree, has a lovely biscuit base mimicking the real deal and tastes sublime. It's rich and decadent and smooth, and the flavours of the lime and raspberry together are just meant to be. There's nothing quite like home made!

LIME CHEESECAKE ICE CREAM WITH RASPBERRY SWIRL (Adapted from The Perfect Scoop By David Lebovitz)

1 lime
125ml (1/2 cup) full cream milk
225g cream cheese, room temperature
250g sour cream
pinch salt
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup raspberries
green coloured food dye (optional)
3 scotch finger biscuits, crushed

Finely grate the zest of one lime into a small bowl containing the milk. Stand for half an hour to infuse. Meanwhile, cut the lime in half and juice. With a small spoon, scoop out the green fleshy part of the lime and also add this to the juice.
In a food blender or processor, place the cream cheese, sour cream, salt, vanilla and sugar, as well as the juice and flesh of the lime. Add the milk and zest. Process until well combined, then place in the refrigerator to chill for at least an hour.
Add the food colouring.
Pour the mixture into the ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer's instructions until the mixture forms a thick ice cream. While churning, place the crushed biscuits in the base of the container you are using to store the ice cream. Puree the raspberries and set aside. Spread the churned and frozen ice cream over the biscuit layer when removed from the ice cream machine. Swirl the raspberry puree through the ice cream and place in the freezer until firm. Serve with raspberries or more lime zest if desired.

Makes about 700ml

Mini Boston Cream Pies

It's Lent and I'm not eating sweet things.
Promise.
Sundays are an exception though, we indulge a little and eat a little thing or two that's fancy. Something like these gorgeous little mini Boston Cream Pies. I've never had a Boston Cream Pie but I'm guessing it's sublime, because these were too. They reminded me of profiteroles--obviously the cake part was a different texture, but it's all the same mouthwatering flavours and explosions in one bite. Flavours I cannot resist!
There's the lovely, giving cake-iness of the cupcake, then that divine vanilla cream custard filling that oozes and slides down in perfect harmony with the bitter sweet fudgy chocolate ganache. They're rich, they're decadent and they're just glorious. Got to have another one.

MINI BOSTON CREAM PIES (adapted from Martha Stewart)

GANACHE:
1 cup chocolate chips
2/3 cup thickened cream

In a medium microwave proof bowl, combine the chocolate and cream. Microwave for one minute on high, then remove and stir until well incorporated. Refrigerate for an hour or two to thicken.

CUPCAKES:
6 tbsp butter
1/2 cup milk
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup plain flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence

Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease a 24 hole mini muffin tray.
In a medium, microwave proof  bowl, place the butter and milk. Microwave on high for a minute or two, until the butter has melted. Remove from microwave and add the sugar, flour, baking powder and salt to the bowl. Whisk until well combined, then beat in the eggs and vanilla essence. Spoon this batter into the cupcake tins so that each is about 3/4 full. Bake for 15 minutes. Set aside on a cooling rack to cool.

CUSTARD:
1 cup milk
2 large egg yolks
3 tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 tbsp. cornflour
20g butter, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla essence

Place milk in a small saucepan and bring to the boil.
Meanwhile, in a separate saucepan, combine yolks, sugar and cornflour and whisk over a low heat. When the milk has boiled, add a few tablespoons into the yolk mixture and whisk. Gradually add the remaining milk and whisk vigorously on a medium heat. Custard will thicken. Continue to whisk until boils, and remove from heat. Scrape into a small bowl and sit in a few inches of cold water or ice, to cease the cooking process. When cooler, add the butter in two installments, stirring until combined. Add essence, mix and refrigerate until cool

ASSEMBLY:
When the cupcakes are cool, take a knife and hollow out part of the centre of each (don't remove the cake too closely to the bottom of the cake, as this makes them more difficult to handle when completed.) Spoon custard into each hollow, then pair with another cupcake so that the custard sides merge. Spoon the thickened ganache over the top of each doubled up cupcake. Serve immediately, or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Makes 12

NOTES: You could also make these in a regular 12 hole muffin tray. Instead of placing one cupcake on top of another, simply cut the top off with a serrated knife, hollow out a little of the bottom and fill with custard, then replace the "lid".
Custard stores for 2-3 days when refrigerated.

Baked Mini Red Velvet Cheesecakes

Anyone who has known me for more than a year knows that St.Valentine's Day and I have a love hate relationship. I'm a hopeless romantic. Yet The Man Up Stairs has a great sense of humor and has sent me disappointments on that day just about every year since I have been in love. Yes, I'm talking about you, ex-boyfriends. Just kidding. They never lasted till St.Valentine's Day.
I've only ever been wined and dined by my darling husband for St.Valentine's Day, seeing as we both met at 19. He's the sweetest man and always spoils me, and St.Valentine's Day is no exception. But what do you do when fate wants to put a damper on your romantic evening? Every year?
Like what if the waterfront restaurant you booked happens to float away down the river?
Or the dozens of Chinese lanterns you decked the veranda out with decide to only light up for half an hour?
The bouquet of chocolates you sent to his work didn't arrive at his work before he left?
These are just a few of the things that could go wrong on St.Valentine's Day, and for me they did. Yes, that restaurant literally drifted away down the river a few days before our booking. Ironically, the restaurant was called "Drift".
Anyway, from past experience I now know that I can't rely on anyone else to make St.Valentine's Day special--with the exception of my husband, he has planned the dinner and is cooking it himself, and I can't wait to see what he serves. As you might have guessed, I'm to create the dessert. So I've been trialing a few different recipes that would make lovely romantic St. Valentine's Day desserts. Here's one of them--baked mini red velvet cheesecakes with a chocolate crust bottom, topped with a swirl of whipped cream and a dusting of cocoa. Needless to say, I'm in love with these deliciously creamy morsels.

BAKED MINI RED VELVET CHEESECAKES

Base:
10 chocolate chip biscuits
2 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp butter, melted

Filling:
250g cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp red food colouring
1 egg
1/2 cup whipped cream to decorate
chocolate shavings to decorate if desired

 Preheat the oven to 180C.
Lightly great 20 mini muffin holes (I used a silicone mini muffin tray.)
In a food blender, place the broken biscuits and chop until they resemble fine bread crumbs. Transfer to a small bowl and add the cocoa powder and melted butter. Combine thoroughly, then divide the mixture between the 20 mini muffin holes. Press the mixture firmly into each hole using your fingers or the back of a spoon. Place in the refrigerator while preparing the cheesecake filling.
To make the filling, beat the cream cheese in a medium bowl until smooth. Add the sugar and cocoa and beat until fluffy. Add the vanilla and red food colouring and beat until well combined. Add the egg and beat until smooth. Divide the cheesecake mixture evenly among the muffin holes  so that the cups are almost full. Bake for 20-25 minutes until centres are firm, and leave for 15 minutes to cool in the tray. The cheesecakes may sink a little.
Cover and refrigerate for an hour at least, before garnishing with whipped cream and chocolate, if desired.

Makes 20 mini cheesecakes

Chocolate Cointreau Ganache Crepe Cake

My father in law had his fifty somethingth birthday on the weekend. Most people don't like to think about how "old" they are past thirty it seems, but I think that there's little need to worry unless you're cheese--and chances are you aren't. If you were, we could probably smell you.
So anyway the birthday forced me out of my non-cooking rut (all I can think of these days is salads!) and I put together this extraordinary cake made of crepes. It was so like me to choose the hottest day to make this cake, with its twenty or more layers wedged together with chocolate cream and cointreau chocolate ganache. As you can imagine it was like a muddy landslide as I built it up higher. The cream began to melt and I had to transfer it to the freezer with multiple props supporting it upright, just to finish the cake off. Hence, it was a little messy to put together and I highly recommend making this on a cooler day or in an air conditioned house, if it's a warm one.
All is well that ends well however, and after 20 minutes in the freezer, the cake was nicely set and ready to ice with more cream, lavish drizzlings of ganache and cointreau laced truffles rolled in cocoa powder.
The car trip is always eventful, and it did begin to look a little melty on the way. When we arrived it looked as if a few sheep had passed over the cake and left their droppings on the top--I kid you not! The ganache truffles had suffered in the summer heat and melted into oval pebble shapes, the cocoa having dissipated somewhat.
But despite what difficulties may have arrived due to that hot summer's day, the cake was delightful and quirky, surprising everyone with its brown and white layered effect on being cut. It was scrumptious too, the perfect balance of textures and flavours without being overly sweet, and held a subtle hint of orange liqueur. You can flavour it with any liqueur or essence as desired. Chocolate mint sounds mighty tempting to me.

 CHOCOLATE COINTREAU GANACHE CREPE CAKE (adapted from Sprinkle Bakes)

CHOCOLATE COINTREAU GANACHE:

1 cup heavy cream
250g dark chocolate, roughly chopped
2 tbsp cointreau or triple sec

Place the cream in a medium saucepan over a medium-high heat. When it just begins to boil, remove from heat and stir in the chocolate until well combined and incorporated. Add the liqueur. Stir until smooth. Refrigerate. This ganache will thicken the longer it is cooled. If it is too thick when it comes to putting it in the cake, microwave briefly to thin out the mixture. The remainder of the ganache that is not used on or in the cake will be used to form the truffles. To get the ganache thick enough to roll into balls, you will need to refrigerate this for at least a day or overnight. I took 1/2 cup of the mixture and set it aside for truffles before putting any in the cake, just to make sure I had enough for the truffles.

CREPES:

12 eggs
2 cups milk
1 cup cream
2 tsp vanilla
4 cups plain flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup icing sugar

Place all the ingredients in a large bowl. Beat on high with your electric beaters until the mixture comes together in a batter as thick as heavy cream.
Place a 9 or 10 inch fry-pan on the stove, put at high and grease with a little butter. (I like to have a brush and a pot of melted butter by my side to speed this whole part up significantly). When the pan is hot and smoking, ladle a scant 1/4 cup into the fry pan and swirl a little if need be to cover the whole base of the pan. The crepe will rapidly lose its glossy sheen, then it's ready to slide out onto a plate (no flipping required). Brush the fry pan with a little melted butter and repeat the process until you have approximately 22 crepes. (To help speed the cooling process, you can set the crepes out on cooling racks for a few minutes. The crepes tend to get a bit sweaty sitting on top of each other when they come out of the pan)

CHOCOLATE COINTREAU CREME FILLING:

2 1/2 cups heavy cream
6 tbsp. granulated sugar
5 tbsp. cocoa powder (unsweetened)
3 tbsp cointreau or triple sec

Whip the cream on high in a large bowl. When the cream begins to thicken, gradually add the granulated sugar. Then add the cocoa. Gradually add the liqueur. Whip into stiff peaks.

ASSEMBLY:

To assemble, place one crepe in the centre of your serving platter. Spread it scantly with ganache, then spread it will a spoonful of the cream filling. Place another crepe on top of this and repeat until all the crepes are used up. Refrigerate the crepe stack to add some stability. If it is a warm day and begins to slide, prop up with some kitchen bits and bobs in the freezer for half and hour to stabilize.
You may wish to trim some edges if the cake is not as even as you would prefer.
Using the remaining cream filling, coat the sides and top using a butter knife.
Take the remaining ganache and set a little aside for truffles if you have not already done so. Refrigerate until thick and able to be rolled into balls and coated in cocoa powder.
Heat the last of the ganache slightly until fluid enough to spread on the top of the cake (make sure it is not warm enough to melt the cream!) Let a little drizzle down the sides of the cake.
Decorate with truffles if desired. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Enjoy!

Meringue Rave Swan

You know what makes me tick? Art. Food. Art and food combined. You can enjoy it visually, you can feel it, you can taste it, you can smell it...it appeals to all the senses.  It's practically perfect.
I know that visually unappealing food can be delightful to the taste buds. You know me--I think any really "good" food has to have two of three things to be truly successful:

Great Appearance
Great Texture
Great Taste

I believe any dish or dessert or edible can get away with only two of these three, and be a winner. For example, avocado. It  looks divine, and has a wonderful buttery, smooth texture, but doesn't really have much of a taste. I love it! (especially halved and paired with a large dollop of sour cream, and a sprinkling of lemon pepper) All the better if something looks amazing, tastes amazing and has great texture.
So here we have it, my signature dessert. I call it a Meringue Rave Swan because, well, not to blow my own horn too loudly, but it has got rave reviews every time it's been served. The name actually comes from a drink that is served at a quirky Melbourne bar called Madam Brussels. Mind you, if you're ever in Melbourne, do try and locate it. It's one of those bars that people only know about by word of mouth, and is an awesome terrace, garden-party style place on Bourke St. Anyway, we went there on my Hen's night, after a lovely time at a jazz bar, and we lovely ladies were served a giant cocktail in a porcelain swan. It is The Rave Swan. I don't know if they still sell them, but it has ever been impressed in me, and thus, the meringue swan has also taken on its name.

MERINGUE RAVE SWANS

2 egg whites
1/2 cup caster sugar
3oz flaked almonds, lightly toasted
6 generous ice cream scoops

Preheat oven to 150C.
Beat the egg whites on the highest setting until they form stiff peaks. Gradually add the sugar, beating well in between, until sugar dissolves,  and the mixture is thick, smooth and glossy.
Draw 12 tear shapes onto two sheets of baking paper to use as guides for the swan's bodies. Pipe meringue mixture onto these sheets to fill in the shapes, making the meringue thicker at the widest part of the tear. Insert the tips of almonds at a slight angle over the tops of these tear shapes to resemble feathers. Bake for one hour, alternating the trays at the end of the first half hour. Cool with the oven door slightly ajar.
With the remaining meringue, pipe S shapes onto another lined baking tray. Pipe a few extra in case of breakage. Bake in the oven until golden, and cool with the door ajar.
Just before serving, wedge two teardrops together with a generous ball of ice cream to assemble the body and insert the S shape to form the swan's head.

Makes 6 Swans

NOTES: Do not assemble swan and then store in the refrigerator, as the meringue will soften and the swan will not stand. Store meringue in an airtight container until ready to serve, then pair with ice cream on the serving plate.

Drinking The Rave Swan on my Hen's at Madam Brussels, Melbourne

Oreo Cheesecake Swirls

I did it. I ignored my queasy stomach, listened to my heart and mind and set about to create in the kitchen again, determined. It's probably been a month or more since I ventured in to make something I didn't have to make.
It was great, because I had an idea in my mind and just went with it, and within 15 minutes it was all completed before me. Except for the washing up, of course.
The cook should never have to clean up.
Unless you're a cook like me, and it appears a bomb has gone off in that room after you've finished. No one should have to deal with that sort of explosion. So I guess it's up to me. I'm beginning to think I ought to hire cleaners of some sort. Housework gives me blisters. Seriously. My baby hands probably need to do a bit more of it, I'm guessing.
Anyway, nothing worthwhile comes at an easy price, they say. We had some dramas, however not with the cooking (actually, there's no cooking involved in this recipe, it's bake free and summer friendly!) The drama came in the transportation of these gorgeous little morsels. We were headed to my parents in law's house, and I brought dessert. My husband is an exceptional driver, but the Oreo Cheesecake Bites did not stand much of a chance in my hands on that glass plate, with frequents stops at traffic lights and crazy drivers on the road. I figured there's a technique to keeping them on the plate--after we had several go zooming across the car, cheesecake flying and smearing in unimaginable, unreachable places like aircon vents and smooshing into the carpet. We can't wait for that creamy substance to start rotting in the summer heat in that oven like vehicle. Not.
When we stopped at the in-law's place, I promptly opened the door and tossed out the ruined Cheesecake bites, in a truly "un-epic" manner. I tossed them so badly, that the cream simply splattered straight onto the side of the car (where it remains). My husband couldn't believe it. We later found cheesecake smeared over the Christmas presents in the car on the way home. Don't ask!
Anyway, drama aside, the Oreo Cheesecake bites where a hit. The recipe makes approximately 25 (give or take a few depending upon the quantity you pipe on the top), and it's one of the quickest, simplest recipes you'll ever impress your guests with. It's a smooth swirl of cookies and cream cheesecake atop a decadent dark chocolate and vanilla Oreo biscuit.
Life doesn't get much sweeter.

OREO CHEESECAKE SWIRLS

3 packets of original Oreo biscuits
1 cup cream
250g cream cheese, room temperature
1/3 cup caster sugar
Chocolate chips to decorate (optional)

Beat the cream cheese in a medium bowl until smooth. Add the sugar and mix to combine.
In a separate, smaller bowl, whip the cream until firm peaks form.
Take one packet of Oreos and split the biscuits in half, removing and reserving the cream in the centre, by using a butter knife. Place the biscuit halves in a food processor or blender, and blitz until it all resembles fine crumbs.
Add the whipped cream, Oreo crumbs and the reserved Oreo cream into the cream cheese mixture, and fold through until well combined. Set out the remaining two packets of Oreo biscuits on a large serving platter. Fill a piping bag, set with a large star nozzle tip, with the creamy mixture. Pipe swirls of the mixture onto the top of each biscuit. Serve immediately or refrigerate until serving.

Makes approximately 25-30

NOTES: It is easy to make your own caster sugar if you don't have it in your pantry. Simply place the required amount of sugar in the blender and blitz for a few seconds until it becomes finer.For a less rich Oreo bite, you could omit the cream cheese.

Strawberry Custard

That's right--I'm still making my way through the killos and killos of strawberries I have stashed away in my freezer. And loving it! There's nothing quite like excessive ingredients to get the creative juices flowing. It doesn't matter if it flops. There are always more berries to use. But what I had in mind didn't flop, and made a delicious dessert and afternoon snack for the babies too.
My love for strawberries and custard were combined to make one delicious pink and fruity version of the original vanilla custard, which disappeared from the fridge very quickly. We even had trails of it leading to secret hiding places where small children hid licking spoons covered in sticky goodness. Oh the things kids get up to when your back is turned!
I myself felt like hiding in a wardrobe and rocking backwards and forwards with a bowl of strawberry custard, as the nerves for my big cook off on the weekend have well and truly hit. Breathe. I just have to keep reminding myself. Breathe! (And eat custard).

STRAWBERRY CUSTARD (A Lick The Spoon Original)

2 cups milk
4 large egg yolks
6 tbsp. sugar
3 tbsp. cornflour

2 cups fresh or frozen strawberries, room temperature
1/4 cup icing sugar

Place milk in a small saucepan and bring to the boil.
Meanwhile, in a separate saucepan, combine yolks, sugar and cornflour and whisk over a low heat. When the milk has boiled, add a few tablespoons into the yolk mixture and whisk. Gradually add the remaining milk and whisk vigorously on a medium heat. Custard will thicken. Continue to whisk until boils, and remove from heat. Scrape into a small bowl and sit this bowl in a few inches of cold water or ice, to cease the cooking process. While cooling, hull the strawberries and process into a puree in the blender. Add the icing sugar and stir to combine well. Add to the warm custard and mix through well. Custard thickens upon refrigeration. Stores for 2-3 days.

Monte Carlo Cheesecakes

Is it just me, or has the silly season already begun? It's October, yet I feel time has escaped me and I am trying (and failing) to slow things down, resisting the thought of Christmas and all the things, events and people that are to be done, attended and seen before December 25.
In less than a month I am off to attend the unnerving, the exciting, the butterfly-in-the-tummy-filling cook off to find the next Blogger Come Chef at the Brisbane food and wine show. Holy Macaroly, how did I end up there? I am still asking myself. I have never done anything like this before, and I find my heart in my throat at the thought of cooking in front of a crowd of starring eyes and judges...and actually being in competition with another creative foodie mind. Yes Brisbane bloggers. I have been scoping you out, and hoping I am not up against one of you super mums who just seems to have it all figured out! My mind wanders thinking of what I'd put prize money towards...trying not to get too far ahead of myself. With the dream of publishing a cookbook in the forefront of my mind. I. Must. Win.
Having said that, I am not cooking anything sweet.
I know.
Insanity, Louise.
What ARE you thinking?
Well I cant disclose what I'm making in case I have Brisbane foodie stalkers, hoping they're up against me with their wizz-bang recipes that they have been practicing and preparing for months in order to beat me to the prize. You will not know until I'm standing there with my plated creation.
By the way, if anyone is interested in coming and watching me sweating like a pig over the stove in the middle of summer, you're welcome. I am slowly but surely gathering a very gorgeous cheer squad and you can get your pom poms out too. Okay. Rehearsals are every Friday night at my house, cheese and wine provided. Just kidding.
Bring your own wine.
I've had the last of it to steady my nerves.
In all seriousness, you're most welcome to come. Not to my house, to the event. I believe there are lots of exciting things to be seen at these food and wine festivals besides wannabe cooks like me, battling against other wannabe cooks.
I'll be there on Saturday the 10th of November at the Chopping Block stage 7, from 2pm until 2.45.
Phew. That sounds so official.
In the meantime, I'm calming my nerves by cooking everything but what I am meant to be practicing for the cook off. Smart, I know.
Anyway, I've come up with a new recipe, incorporating one of my all time favourites, Monte Carlos. Is there anything quite as delicious as that red line of jam tucking away a filling of vanilla cream? Only a Monte Carlo cheesecake could be that touch more delicious than that.
This is a real treat for the tastebuds. Two gorgeous, vanilla-y, coconut-y, jam-y Monte Carlo biscuits sandwiching a creamy strawberry cheesecake filling.  Oh my. Yes it's as good as it sounds.

MONTE CARLO CHEESECAKES (A Lick the Spoon Original)


3/4 cup sugar
250g strawberries
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp gelatin
150g cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup cream
20 monte carlo biscuits
10 8cmx25cm strips of acetate plastic/ projector film

Hull the strawberries and place in a food blender. Process until pureed. Place the puree and 1/2 cup of the sugar in a saucepan. Turn the heat on low and cook until it just begins to boil. While heating, place water and gelatin in a small bowl and let soften. When the puree begins to boil, add the gelatin mixture and stir, until the gelatin dissolves into the puree mixture. Remove from heat. Allow to cool to room temperature. Meanwhile,
beat the cream cheese and the remaining 1/4 cup of the sugar together in a bowl until well combined. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, whip the cream until firm peaks form. Add the cream cheese mixture to the cream and briefly beat to combine.
When the puree mixture has cooled to room temperature, gently fold it through the creamy mixture until combined.
Place half the monte carlo biscuits on a plate or tray. Firmly wrap one acetate plastic strip around each monte carlo, and fix with a piece of sticky tape to hold together. Spoon the cheesecake filling into each until all the mixture is used up. Top each cheesecake with another monte carlo. Refrigerate until set, for 3 or more hours.
Before serving, remove from the refrigerator and gently peel away the acetate from the sides of the cheesecake. Serve with strawberry puree and cream, if desired.

Makes 10

NOTES: The pictures show the monte carlo cheesecakes served with strained strawberry puree and rolled fondant roses. To make your own fondant roses, click here. Also, acetate plastic sheets (or projection sheets) can be found at your local copy shop or Officeworks. If you cant find any, you can cheat like I did, and cut up a few plastic folders like this one. You could possibly also use baking paper.

Creme de Menthe Chocolate Fudge Slice

I have a bit of a confession to make. I'm one of those people that is easily inspired to do things and then, like water on a firecracker, it often fizzles out before it really goes off. I have the best intentions of course. I suppose that comes with being sanguine in nature. As you can imagine, I'm a bit of a hoarder (so many possibilities in this!) and pintrest will be the death of me. My junk cupboard is filled with all sorts of unfinished projects--because half way through them, I get a huge inspiration for something else and have to start it before the inspiration I forget and lose the interest to do it. I don't know how that darling husband puts up with me.
Anyway, I'm pretty proud to say that my baking passion has not fizzled out (thanks to you all, and my "the way to a man's heart is through his stomach" theory--which happens to be true), and neither has this blog! Unlike so many of my interests, this has somehow stayed consistent, and happily, I find myself writing Lick The Spoon's 200th post. Yes I have a baby on my knee and am writing at a painful rate with one hand, whist she chews on the other with her not-so-gummy mouth. But it's still the 200th post!
Here's a recipe I had a dream about. Yes, that happens frequently, and then I just have to create it. Minty creme de menthe filling wedged between fudgy brownie base and a corrugated layer of thick, chocolate fudge ganache. Oh my! This is a lady killer. A man killer too, as a matter of fact. I couldn't quite get the intensity of mint flavour I wanted with the creme de menthe, so I intensified it by adding a little mint essence just to jack up the flavour a notch. You can substitute the creme de menthe for 1 tsp. mint essence if you don't have any of that sublime liqueur handy, and add a few drops of green food colouring in it too. There, there's a cheats non-alcoholic version for you. Enjoy!

CREME DE MENTHE CHOCOLATE GANACHE SLICE (A Lick the Spoon Original)

Base:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup plain flour
1/4 tsp salt

Filling:
1/4 cup cream
2 tbsp. green creme de menthe
3 cups icing sugar
1/2 tsp. mint essence (optional)

Fudge Ganache:
200g dark cooking chocolate
2 tbsp thickened cream
mint leaves to garnish (optional)

Preheat your oven to 180C.
Melt butter and remove from heat. Stir through the cocoa and brown sugar until combined.
Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Next, blend in the flour and salt. Spoon the batter into a greased and lined 18x18 square baking dish. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, prepare the filling by placing cream, creme de menthe, icing sugar and essence in a medium bowl. Beat until well combined and at the desired thickness and flavour. The filling should be thick yet spreadable.
Spread over the top of the base layer. Refrigerate while making the ganache.
To make the ganache, gently melt the chocolate using your microwave, checking and stirring every 20 seconds or so until the chocolate is almost melted.  Stir to melt the last of the chocolate. Set aside to cool momentarily. Remove the slice from the refrigerator.
Working quickly, add the cream to the chocolate and stir thoroughly to combine. The mixture thickens quickly, so mix in a timely manner and immediately spread over the top of the filling. You can add a pattern to the top of the slice by using the tip of a butter knife.
Refrigerate until ready to serve, then cut into squares.

Apricot Tarts with Almond Crumble

If you're anything like me, your pantry will be stuffed with those odd ingredients you used once and don't know what to do with the remainder. Unless it comes time to make that special dish or dessert again, and by then you have forgotten you had that ingredient, and go out and buy more. It tends to accumulate. I should just go in and reorganise my pantry, I suppose, but I'm too busy blogging. Baking something new. Or blogging some more. Oh that's right. And looking after my darlings!
Well, I've had a bag of dried apricots in the cupboard for a while now and it has been sitting at the back of the pantry and my mind, just waiting to be used.  I was too lazy to find a recipe that involved them, so I made up my own.
It turned out beautifully--the perfect dessert to eat straight out of the oven, topped with ice cream and drizzled with a little cream or caramel sauce. It involves a crispy puff pastry crust, encasing a sweet apricot filling, topped with crushed almonds and brown sugar crumble with a simple lattice to decorate. I have to say I'm not a huge fan of apricots or almonds on their own, but the combination is surprisingly delicious and most satisfying. It's a winner! They're the prefect dessert for one of those chilly winter nights, and look particularly impressive with a large scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.

APRICOT TARTS WITH ALMOND CRUMBLE

1 cup dried apricots
3 tbsp. white sugar
2/3 cup water, plus 1/3 extra
1/3 cup whole almond kernels (or almond meal)
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 sheet puffed pastry

Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease 6 regular sized muffin holes, or use silicone for added ease.
Place the apricots, white sugar and water in a small saucepan. Cook on high until boiling, reduce heat to medium and continue to boil for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally, until apricots are tender and soft. You may wish to add an extra 1/3 cup water towards the end of this time if the liquid evaporates before the apricots are tender.
Meanwhile, place almond kernels in  a food blender and blitz until roughly chopped up into meal. Place in a small bowl and stir the brown sugar through the almond meal until combined.
When the apricots are tender, place them, undrained, into the blender and process until pureed into a smooth pulp.
Using a 9cm round biscuit cutter, cut 6 discs from the thawed puffed pastry sheet. Push these into the greased muffin tin holes. Place on heaped tablespoon of apricot filling into each. Top with 1 flatter tablespoon of the almond meal mixture. Decorate with remaining puffed pastry if desired. Bake until puffed and golden, about 45 minutes.
Serve with vanilla ice cream and a swirl of caramel sauce.

Makes 6 individual desserts

Individual Strawberry Jelly Cheesecakes

It's been a very exciting month here on Lick The Spoon. Welcome to all the new followers, I hope you thoroughly enjoy the ride, wading through lots of gooey sweets and scrumptious savories.
I am very grateful to have received news that I have reached the second level in the Gourmet Garden Cook Off!
It all began with a blog off, and the eliminations have taken place. Thankfully I was not eliminated! So where to from here? I am to go to the Brisbane Good Food and Wine show in November and have a cook off against another lucky blogger. I'm calling on a cheer squad to give me confidence! Will you be there?
Apparently I will be cooking-off against another foodie blogger on The Chopping Block Stage, and the final product is to be judged by celebrity chefs. I hope they are kind upon my savory efforts when the time comes. I have no more details as of yet, but I will certainly keep you all updated.
I didn't think I would honestly get this far, so I want to thank all the people who helped me: my husband Luke in supporting me (he even told me not to get my hopes up, the sweetie!), the family in taste testing, and also to my mother in law Geraldine for coming to look after my babies while I had a cooking marathon to prepare for the Gourmet Garden Dinner Party. Phew! Without you all I wouldn't have gone to level two. So many, many thanks. I'm counting on you all to be there on the day to cheer me on! (it's my last favour) I am going to need all the luck I can get. Whipping up something and having it plated within a half hour time span will be quite a fete.
Anyway, that's still six months away. I hope my excitement won't have cooled down too much by then.
Well, to keep us going for the next six months of waiting and growing impatient, I have a whole stack of great recipes coming up. Keep your eyes and ears open!
Here is somewhat of a re-post. Well, the recipe is re-posted, with some tweaks made to the physical form of the original. The post went down so well the first time, and it got me thinking of the endless possibilities with this delicious recipe. It was originally a jelly slice, but I love making individual desserts and they are less messy to cut. With the aid of my silicone 12 hole muffin tray from Chef's Toolbox, I made these lovely layered desserts. They have a crispy sweet base, a tangy lemon cheesecake-like filling, and are topped in delicious red jelly in a flavour of your choice. Life doesn't get much sweeter than this. It really doesn't.

INDIVIDUAL STRAWBERRY JELLY CHEESECAKES

BASE:

1 cup Self Raising flour

1/2 cup plain flour

1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

125g butter, melted

1 tsp. vanilla essence

LEMON LAYER

1/2 can (200g) sweetened condensed milk

2 lemons, juiced

2 tsp. unflavoured gelatine

3/4 cup boiling water

TOP LAYER:

1 packet raspberry jelly

1 1/4 cups boiling water

Preheat the oven at 180C. To make the base combine flours and sugar in a bowl. Add melted butter and vanilla, and stir until well combined. Place a tablespoon of mixture into each of a 12 hole silicone muffin tray (or a well greased/lined metal muffin tin) Press down the mixture into each base using your fingertips, until compact and evenly covering the bottom of the tray. Bake for 15-20 minutes until golden. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. When cool enough to touch, press down the cooked bases with your fingertips to flatten.

To make the lemon filling, place the boiling water into a small bowl and gradually shower the unflavoured gelatine into it, so that it does not clump. Stir until dissolved. Add the lemon juice and condensed milk and stir until well combined. Spoon over each cooled base and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until set.

When the lemon layer is firm, take the raspberry jelly crystals and combine with the boiling water. Stir until completely dissolved and sit aside to cool for 15 minutes. Gently spoon the raspberry jelly liquid over the lemon layer, evenly amongst the 12 holes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set.

To remove the cheesecakes, smoothly run a butter knife around the sides of each cheesecake, careful not to pierce the silicone.  Dig the knife a little deeper until it is underneath the base and gently lift the cheesecake out, applying a little pressure to the tray base.

Garnish if desired, and serve.

NOTES: The above recipe makes 12 muffin sized cheesecakes. You can also use the Chef's Toolbox mini muffin silicone tray for a more miniature version, which are perfect to serve as petits fours. Use the 24 hole silicone mini muffin tray, only half the base recipe, the whole lemon layer recipe and half the amount of jelly.

If you want to purchase any Chef's Toolbox kitchen ware, head over to Pauline Phillip's facebook page and give her a holler! She's lovely.