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

Chocolate Dipped Strawberry Cheesecake Cups

When ever I see something miniature it does something to my insides. Seeing tiny baby shoes probably is one of the biggest weaknesses that makes me most gooey inside, and following those wee little accessories, mini cupcakes and delightfully delicious little morsels. Maybe it's because they're so devious and deceiving, making you think you could just pop a whole dozen of them into your mouth over a few minutes without any affect on your waistline. After all, they're just babies! They really couldn't be that fattening. Even five or six of them.
Actually, these little strawberry cheesecake chocolate cups caught my eye and made me smile because they couldn't be all that bad for you. Cream cheese, lemon, strawberry and a little dob of chocolate sprinkled with biscuit crumbs--you can't really go wrong here!They're the perfect petit four for any get together.
 Sadly due to the season, strawberries have been scarce and expensive, but I just had to make them despite all obstacles! Mind you, I ended up having to throw most of the berries out due to sogginess. I highly suggest making these in strawberry season when the berries are plump, firm and full of favour. It's well worth it, and they look super cute and are great little disassembled desserts for any party.

CHOCOLATE DIPPED STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE CUPS (Adapted from Zestuous)

100g cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tsp lemon rind, grated finely
1-2 tbsp caster sugar
12 strawberries
80-100g compound chocolate
1 crushed biscuit (we used a scotch finger)

Combine the cream cheese, lemon zest and sugar. Add enough lemon juice until you reach a smooth and pipe-able consistency. Hull the strawberries, digging deep into the berry to make a sizeable well for the cream cheese mixture.Cut off the very bottoms of the strawberries so that they have a flat end with which to stand. Dry the bottoms of any juices (otherwise the chocolate will not stick). Melt the chocolate in the microwave 20 seconds at a time, stirring between intervals to ensure even melting, until a smooth consistency is reached. Dip the flat end of each berry in chocolate, and place on parchment paper to set.
White the chocolate is setting, fit a piping bag with a small star nozzle and fill with the cream cheese mixture. Pipe the mixture into each strawberry. Top with crushed biscuit. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

NOTES: If you refrigerate the berries after completing them, some of the red from the strawberries may leak into the cream cheese and discolour it.

Custard Toffee Cream Desserts

You know those times that you plan to have people over, after a big feast day like Easter, and you're not sure if you should make as much food as usual? You know no one's going to have a very large appetite if they've done the traditional chocolate egg eating. So, to make dessert, or not to?
I hate having too many leftovers, especially when it's just hubby and I who have to polish them off (trust me I don't need that temptation!) 
So I fell in love with this recipe for Custard Toffee Cream Desserts, because you can assemble them on the spot quickly, so as to only cater for as many people as feels like dessert to top off the meal. It's very simple, and very rich--like a disassembled banoffee pie with added vanilla custard. I cheated with this recipe and used store bought toffee sauce (like the goo that you usually pour over ice cream) but here's a fabulous recipe for home made caramel sauce that's to die for. I also made my own vanilla custard because I like it really thick and creamy, but for ease, I have just listed it in the ingredients as store bought.

INDIVIDUAL CUSTARD TOFFEE CREAM DESSERT (Adapted from Glorious Treats)

1 small banana, sliced (reserve one slice for garnish)
1/4 cup whipped cream
1/4 cup thick custard
1 crushed biscuit (we used shortbread fingers)
drizzling of toffee or caramel sauce

Crush biscuit and place in the bottom of the glass. Layer banana, then custard, toffee, cream, banana, custard and then toffee again. Pipe a swirl of cream on the top and garnish with a slice of banana. Serve immediately.

Serves 1