Brownies and Caramel Cheesecake Trifle

We had company over for Eid this time and I decided to make this dessert as I wanted something easy but eye catching. This trifle is a decadent mix of cheesecake and brownies that is easy to make and serves a crowd. This is a rich dessert so a little goes a long way. There are three different layers at play here: Brownies, Chocolate pudding and Caramel cheesecake (no bake). You can go all out and make everything from scratch (brownies, pudding and caramel) but I had to save my sanity  (on account that I was cooking Prawn Biryani, Rara mutton, Pineapple Upside Cake and Seven Layer Bars) and decided to use the packaged stuff. Either way, this turned out great and at the end of the night we had an empty trifle bowl. 

P.S: My cousins said it tasted like the Cheesecake Factory's 30th anniversary cheesecake. Hurray!

Recipe 

Ingredients

1 Pan Brownies (9x13) Cut into 2 inch cubes

200 Grams Cream Cheese

1/2 Cup Caramel

2 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream

1 Packet Instant Chocolate Pudding (e.g. Jello or Dr. Oetkers) or 2 Cups homemade chocolate pudding

2 Cups Chilled Milk (If using homemade pudding omit this)

Method

Prepare the Layers

1. Whip the heavy cream to soft peaks and keep aside.

2. Place the chocolate pudding mix in a medium bowl and add the 2 Cups milk. Whisk and prepare according to package directions.

3. Add one cup of the whipped cream and mix to combine. Keep aside till needed.

4. In a separate bowl, place the cream cheese and beat till fluffy. Add all but two tablespoons of the caramel and mix well.

5. Add the remaining whipped cream and beat till combined. 

Assemble The Trifle

1. In a trifle bowl, add half the chocolate pudding mixture and spread evenly at the bottom. Then add half the brownies. Lastly, add half the cheesecake mix and level it. Repeat all layers.

2. Finish with a drizzle of the two tablespoon caramel.

3. Place in fridge for minimum of 2 hours. Serve Chilled.

Happy Eating!

Snickers Cake

 

I love snickers in any form (ice cream, cake, cheesecake or cupcakes) and this combination of peanuts, nougat and chocolate is simply perfect. Although I made the cake exactly like the recipe from Brown Eyed Baker I have given my own changes below which I will incorporate when I will make it again. Because all the four components of the cake are on a sweet note the overall taste tended to be a little too sweet for  many of the tasters though some were going gaga over the cake like little children with candy.

This cake requires some time and effort but everything is very easy to make and comes together quickly once all the components are ready. The nougat filling tastes exactly like the inside of a snickers. I was planning to make the fluff from scratch but luckily I got the fluff jar in Lulu Barsha and the filling was super easy to make.

Recipe Source: Cake and Nougat Recipe Given as is from Brown Eyed Baker with my changes in red.

Ingredients - Makes one 8 inch square or round 3 Layer cake

For the Cake

2½ Cups + 1 Tbsp All Purpose Flour
3 Cups Granulated Sugar
1 Cup + 1 Tbsp Dutch Process Cocoa Powder (I used regular cocoa powder)
1 Tbsp Baking Soda
1 1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
1 1/2 Tsp Salt
3 Eggs (Large, at room temperature)
1 1/2 Cups Buttermilk (at room temperature) (I used milk and vinegar substitute)
1 1/2 Cups Strong Black Coffee (hot)
3/4 Cups Vegetable Oil
4 1/2 Tsp Vanilla Extract (I used vanilla essence)

For the Nougat Filling

4 Tbsp (57 Grams) Unsalted Butter
1 Cup Granulated Sugar
1/4 Cup Evaporated Milk
1 1/2 Cups Marshmallow Fluff
1/4 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
1 1/2 Cups Salted Peanuts (Roughly chopped)

For the Frosting (what I plan to use when I make the cake again)

453 Grams (16oz) Full Fat Cream Cheese, Softened But Still Cool
1 1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar
1 Cup Cold Heavy Cream
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Essence

 For the Dark Chocolate Ganache

226 Grams (8 ounces) Dark Chocolate (70%) , finely chopped
1/2 Cup (4 ounces) Heavy Cream

 For the Assembly & Garnish

1 Cup Salted caramel sauce 
Chopped peanuts

Make the Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease three 8-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with rounds of parchment paper, grease the parchment, then flour the insides of the pans, tapping out excess; set aside.

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer (or large mixing bowl if you're using a hand mixer), sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, coffee, oil and vanilla.

3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix for 2 minutes on medium speed. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix for an additional 20 seconds (the batter will be very thin).

4. Divide the batter evenly among prepared pans. Bake for 20 minutes and rotate the pans in the oven. Continue to bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the cakes comes out almost clean (with a few moist crumbs), about 12 more minutes. Cool the cakes (in the pans) on wire racks for 20 minutes, then carefully turn them out onto cooling racks to cool completely.

Make the Nougat Filling

1. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the sugar and evaporated milk, stirring until dissolved, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2.  Remove the pan from heat and add the marshmallow fluff, peanut butter, and vanilla extract, stirring until completely smooth. Fold in the peanuts. Let the nougat mixture cool to room temperature before using it in the cake. You can do this leaving it at room temperature or you can pop it into the refrigerator to speed up the process. Be sure to give a stir occasionally as it cools.

 

Make The Frosting

1. Sift the powdered sugar and add the cream cheese to the bowl of your mixer with the paddle attachment. Beat them thoroughly until fluffy and completely smooth/lump free.

2. In a separate bowl, beat the heavy cream to nearly stiff peaks, then add the whipped cream into the cheese mixture, scrape down the sides of your bowl and quickly and briefly beat to combine. Do not over beat.

 

Assemble The Cake

1. Place one layer on a cake board, and place it on a turntable. If the tops of the cakes are domed, level them.

2. Spread 1/2 of the nougat filling on the cake and top with 1/2 Cup salted caramel.

3. Repeat with second layer of cake, remaining nougat and caramel. Place the third square on top.

4. Cover the cake with the frosting and chill in the fridge till the ganache is prepared.

 

Make The Chocolate Ganache

Place the chocolate in a medium bowl; set aside. Place the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat and warm until it just comes to a boil. Pour the cream over the chopped chocolate and let sit for 2 minutes. Begin whisking the mixture in the center, gradually working your way outward until the ganache is completely smooth. Set aside to cool, whisking occasionally, until it has thickened to spreadable consistency.

 

Garnish The Cake

1. Cover the cake with the ganache, drizzle some additional salted caramel sauce over the top and side of the cake, and top with chopped peanuts. Keep the cake refrigerated, removing it from the refrigerator about 20 minutes prior to serving.

 

 Happy Eating!!  

Seven Layer Bars

Seven Layer Bars are an amazing combination of digestives, chocolate, coconut and condensed milk.  I baked a batch to take to work with me and within an hour the entire box was gone. The recipe contains very simple ingredients and is super easy to put together . It is also a great project to make with kids.

   

Though I loved the bars as is, next time I would love to add a salty element to it like pretzels or crushed Ritz crackers. You could also use salted peanuts instead of the almonds.

Recipe Source - Brown Eyed Baker, lightly changed

1 1/2 Cups Crushed Digestive Biscuits
113 Grams Unsalted Butter (Melted)
1/2 Cup Chopped Walnuts

1/2 Cup Chopped Almonds
1 1/2 Cup Chocolate Chips
1/2 Cup White Chocolate Chips
1 Cup Sweetened Shredded Coconut
1 Can Sweetened Condensed Milk

 

1. Line a 9X13 (or one 8x8 square pan for thicker bars) baking tray with aluminium foil with an overhang on both the sides. Grease the foil with butter , making sure to go up the sides.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

3. In a medium bowl, mix the crushed digestives with the melted butter. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. There is no need to press it in as this is not a crust.

4. Next add a layer each of the nuts, semi sweet chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, and coconut over the biscuit layer.

5. Pour the entire can of the condensed milk all over the pan. Do not press any of the ingredients.

6. Place on the middle rack and bake for 25 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Cool in the pan on a wire rack till the bars come to room temperature.

7. Remove the bars using the foil handles and cut into bars. Store in an air tight container.

Happy Eating!!

Orange Chocolate Tiramisu Trifles

I am a big fan of the Dark Chocolate Orange bars from Lindt and love to incorporate them in baked goods. The chocolate is of fantastic quality and the orange flavour is just right. I made this Tiramisu trifle for a picnic in a larger pan and put the remaining cream and ladyfingers in these little glasses. They make for adorable presentation and are handy to serve at home.

I made a simple chocolate whipped cream using the dark chocolate and orange bar and dipped the ladyfingers in dissolved orange jelly (same as Jell-O in the US) to give them an intense orange flavour. Overall I was very happy with the way it turned out and so I am sharing this with you. You can scale this to any quantity you like. The below measurements yields a 8x6 glass dish with 4 inch high sides. I had just enough leftover to fill two mini glasses. Of course I forgot to photograph the dish and had to rely on these two the next day.

Recipe - Makes One 8x6 dish with 4 inch sides - An Everybunny Loves Food Original

Ingredients
2 Boxes Vanilla Flavoured Instant Pudding Mix
3 1/2 Cups Cold Milk
50 Grams Dark Chocolate Orange Bar (like Lindt)
1 Package Orange Flavoured Jelly
1 Cup Boiling Water
1 Cup Cold Water
2 Cups Whipping Cream
1/4 Cup Powdered Sugar (more or less as per taste)
1 Packet Ladyfinger biscuits (approx. 18 biscuits or as many as you need to fill the dish)

Cocoa Powder for dusting

Fresh Orange Segments for decorating

 

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cold milk and vanilla pudding mix. Mix well till smooth. Cover and place in fridge till needed.

2. Place the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and melt in 15 second intervals. Keep aside to cool completely.

3. Dissolve the jelly in the boiling water and then add the cold water. Cool completely but do not let it set.

3. Place the whipping cream in the bowl of a stand mixer and whip on high till you get soft peaks.

4. With the mixer running slowly add the melted chocolate and whip to stiff peaks. Taste and add powdered sugar, adjust to the sweetness that you like.

5. Now its time to assemble the trifle, keep the trifle dish in front of you and the ladyfingers, orange jelly, pudding and whipped cream ready to use.

6. Dip one lady finger in the orange jelly liquid (do it very quickly, not more than 1 second). Place it on the bottom of the trifle dish. Repeat with the ladyfingers till you have one layer covering the bottom of the dish.

7. Spread two cups of the pudding evenly on the ladyfingers and then add one cup of the whipped cream layer.

8. Repeat the ladyfinger, pudding and whipped cream layers.

9. Dust the top with the drinking cocoa powder and decorate with fresh orange segments. Press a layer of cling film on top and place in fridge for at least 4 hours before serving. Serve Chilled.

Happy Eating!!

Brownie Mosaic Cheesecake

 

This year Latif wanted me to make Brownies for his birthday, to which my reaction was Meh.. I mean, I do love a good brownie, but when its for your birthday I want to make something that is spectacular. So I started hunting for a dessert that would incorporate brownies and hit two birds with one stone. This Brownie Mosaic Cheesecake hits the spot in all the right places. It is rich, creamy and truly spectacular. Oh and I also added a salted caramel drizzle just for kicks.

 

Even though there are four parts to this cheesecake it all comes together fairly easily.  I made the brownies one night before and chilled them in the fridge for easier cutting. The brownie recipe makes a lot so I would suggest to make just half the recipe (unless you want extra for snacking or some other recipe).
 

 

 

I did double the crust for my cheesecake but found it a bit overwhelming. With the brownies and the ganache already so rich, the Oreo crust was a bit too much for me and some of the tasters (Latif loved it as is). Next time I would try plain chocolate wafers, or just use the original quantity.

 

I also completely screwed up while making the ganache. Instead of melting the butter and cream I melted the butter with the chocolate. I still ploughed on and added warm cream to the mixture and it turned out beautifully. So you don't really need to go through a food processor and can make the ganache the old fashioned way.

Recipe Source - Given as is from Smitten Kitchen with some changes of my own.

Ingredients

For the Brownies
113 Grams Dark Chocolate (I used 70%)
 170 Gms Unsalted Butter
1 3/4 Cups Sugar
3 Eggs
1 Tsp Vanilla Essence
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 Cup All Purpose Flour

1. Preheat oven to 175 Degrees C (350°F). Line 13×9-inch baking pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan. Grease foil.

2. Microwave chocolate and butter in large microwaveable bowl on high for 2 minutes, or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted. Stir in sugar. Blend in eggs and vanilla. Add flour and salt; mix well. Spread into prepared pan.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minute or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with fudgy crumbs. (Do not overbake.) Cool in pan on wire rack. Remove brownies from pan, using foil handles.

4. Cool brownies, then cut them into 3/4- to 1-inch squares for use in the cheesecake. You will need only 2 Cups for the cheesecake. Add cubes to cake batter as directed below.

For The Crumb Crust
141 Grams Oreo Cookies or Chocolate Wafers (Finely Ground)
5 Tbsp Unsalted Butter (Melted)
1/3 Cup Castor Sugar (I used granulated and I could feel the sugar in my mouth even after baking)
1/8 Tsp Salt

Stir together crust ingredients and press onto bottom and 1 inch up side of a buttered 24-centimeter springform pan. Fill right away or chill up to 2 hours.

For the Cheesecake
680 Grams (or 24 ounce) Cream Cheese (Softened)
4 Large Eggs
1 Tsp Vanilla Essence
1 Cup Sugar
2 Cups Brownie Cubes (from recipe above)

1. Make crumb crust as directed above for 24-centimeter cheesecake. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Make filling and bake cake: Beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until fluffy and add eggs, 1 at a time, then vanilla and sugar, beating on low speed until each ingredient is incorporated and scraping down bowl between additions.

3. Fold brownie cubes in very gently and pour mixture into prepared pan. Put springform pan with crust in a shallow baking pan.(Very important - I used a cookie sheet with sides - a lot of the butter from the crust seeped out on the pan)

4. Bake in middle of oven for 45 minutes, or until cake is set 3 inches from edge but center is still slightly wobbly when pan is gently shaken.

5. When completely cool, top with following glaze.

For The Ganache Glaze
85 Gms (3 ounces) Semisweet chocolate, broken up, or 1/2 cup chocolate morsels
57 Gms (2 ounces) Unsalted Butter
1/4 Cup Heavy Cream
1/2 Tsp Vanilla Essence
4 Tbsp Icing Sugar.

1. Place the chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat the cream and butter to simmer and pour over the chocolate.

2. Let it stand for 1 minute, then stir well till chocolate is completely melted.

3. Add the sugar and vanilla and stir until smooth. Spread over cheesecake while ganache is still warm. Chill cheesecake in fridge for at least 2 hours or until ready to serve.

 

Happy Eating!!

Frozen Brownie Sundae Cake

Summer is here in full force and we need lots of ice cream to cool down. I made this brownie sundae for dessert at our monthly potluck. The recipe for the brownie and sauce is amazing and I loved both the elements. Instead of making the recipe as given I made it as a cake in a spring form pan. I also made mini sundaes which are perfect to serve at a dinner party.

Recipe Source - Brown Eyed Baker

Ingredients
One 9 inch round layer of Brownies (I used half of this recipe)
1/2 Litre Vanilla Ice Cream (Keep outside for 5 minutes before using)
1/2 Litre Strawberry Ice Cream (Keep outside for 5 minutes before using)
1/2 Cup Salted Peanuts (Chopped)
Chocolate Sauce for topping (Recipe below)
Maraschino Cherries for Decorating
One 9 inch spring form pan

For The Chocolate Sauce
1 Cup Powdered Sugar
1/2 Cup Evaporated Milk or Heavy Cream
1/3 Cup Semi sweet Chocolate Chips
1/4 Cup Unsalted Butter
1/2 Tsp Vanilla Essence

Method

1. Line the spring form pan with plastic wrap and place the brownie layer inside.

2. Put the vanilla ice cream in an even layer and place in freezer till ice cream is firm.

3. Remove from fridge and put the strawberry ice cream. Keep in freezer till ice cream is firm (covered, at least 2 hours)

4. Prepare the Sauce - Add all ingredients except vanilla to a small saucepan and bring to boil over medium high heat. Cook for 8 minutes, stirring constantly till mixture becomes thick. Remove from heat and add vanilla.

5. Cool the sauce for 30 minutes.

6. Remove the cake from the freezer and pour the sauce over the ice cream.

7. Top with chopped peanuts and decorate with the cherries. Cover with plastic wrap and return to freezer until ready to serve.

8. Let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Happy Eating!!

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

This year Latif and I had decided that we would not celebrate our birthdays anymore and there would be no cake cutting or decorations. I had agreed to this without thinking much but when my birthday rolled around (mine comes first in November) I started having cake withdrawal symptoms and promptly announced that no cake birthdays suck.

Latif celebrates his birthday in December and I could not bear the thought of not making him a cake so I decided to make his all-time favorite Pineapple Upside Down. As I was assembling the ingredients I realized I didn’t have any pineapple at home. With a sad face I started keeping everything back inside when I spotted a packet of mini chocolate chips in the cupboard. What better way to cheer yourself up than making home made cookies!

I am a big fan of these cookies as chocolate, peanut butter and oatmeal are my idea of cookie heaven. I quickly mixed up a batch and baked them, all thoughts of a birthday cake forgotten.

Recipe Source - Given as is from Brown Eyed Baker

Ingredients

1 Cup All Purpose Flour
1 Tsp Baking Soda
1/4 Tsp Salt
113 Grams / 1 stick / 1/2 Cup Unsalted  Butter (At room temperature)
1/2 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter
1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
1/3 Cup Light Brown Sugar
1/2 Tsp Vanilla Extract (I used vanilla essence)
1 Egg
1/2 Cup Rolled Oats (I used quick cooking)
1 Cup Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

2. Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

3. On medium speed, cream together the butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and beat to combine. On low speed, gradually add the flour until just combined. Stir in the oats, and then the chocolate chips.

4. Use a large cookie scoop (3 tablespoons) and drop dough onto prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly golden. Cool completely on the baking sheet and then store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Happy Eating!!

The Best Chocolate Cake Ever

I think it’s high time that I dedicate a post to my favorite chocolate cake. Sure the cake has been featured a number of times on the blog but it has always been overlooked by some frosting or flavor. Today it’s all about the cake and what a cake it is.

 

This is my go to recipe for any occasion when I need a quick cake as all the ingredients are always there in my pantry. It doesn’t even require butter and uses regular canola or sunflower oil. It is chocolatey, moist, rich and everything I want in my chocolate cake. It stands well to frosting and tastes yum plain as well. I have given this recipe to so many of my family and friends and all of them have reported excellent results. Many people call this Hershey’s black magic cake but I found the recipe on the food network. The coffee in the batter enhances the chocolate flavor and you will not taste the coffee at all. I have made this recipe in all shapes and sizes (including cupcakes) and it always turns out well.

Recipe Source – Food Network

Ingredients – Yields two 8 inch round cakes/one 13x9 rectangle/two 8 inch squares/12 Cupcakes.

1 3/4 Cups All-Purpose Flour, Plus More for Pans

2 Cups Sugar

3/4 Cups Good Cocoa Powder

2 Tsp Baking Soda

1 Tsp Baking Powder

1 Tsp Salt
1 Cup Buttermilk, shaken (I use 1 Tbsp lemon juice + enough milk to make 1 cup)

1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil

3 Large Eggs (at room temperature)

1 Tsp Vanilla Essence

1 Cup Boiling Water

1 Tsp Instant Coffee or Espresso Granules

1. Preheat oven to 350⁰ F / 175⁰ C. Grease and line two 8 inch round cake tins (or one 13X9 inch rectangle) with parchment (baking) paper.

2. In a large bowl, add the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Use a whisk to stir everything well.

3. Place the buttermilk in a medium bowl and add the oil, eggs and vanilla essence. Whisk well till all the ingredients are incorporated.

4. Slowly add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mix. Stir well to ensure there are no lumps.

5. Dissolve the coffee in the hot water and add to the batter and stir just to combine.

6. Pour the batter in the two pans and bake on the middle rack till a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 30-35 minutes.

7. Cool the cakes in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes then invert to remove. Cool completely before frosting or eat as you like!

Happy Eating!!

Oreo and Chocolate Pudding Trifle

If you have any Oreo loving friends and family, make this super easy trifle for them and watch them sigh with pure pleasure. A layer of crushed oreos is topped with chocolate pudding and another layer of whipped cream and cream cheese. Since everything comes from a box this recipe is good to have in your arsenal when you are doing a lot of cooking and dessert is the last thing on your mind. You can scale the quantity as you like to make as much or as little pudding you think you can eat. Or if you want the dessert to be your showstopper you can make everything from scratch (yes, the Oreos also). This trifle fed a lot of people and there was plenty leftover too.

Recipe

Ingredients

2 Boxes of Instant Chocolate Pudding Or Cookies n Cream flavor

4 Cups Cold Milk

2 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream

One 300 Gms Pack of Cream Cheese

½ Cup Powdered Sugar

1 Box Oreos (the big box approx 3lb 4.5 oz)

1. Place the heavy whipping cream in the bowl of a mixer and whip till you get stiff peaks. Using a spatula fold in the cream cheese and powdered sugar till mixed well. Place the cream mixture in the fridge.

2. Prepare the pudding according to package directions and place in fridge.

3. Arrange oreos along the circumference of the trifle bowl. I dipped them on one side in milk and this helped them stick to the glass. Break a few oreos in four pieces each. Place all the pieces on the bottom of the bowl and continue till they reach the height of the oreos on the side.

4. Remove the pudding and cream mixture from the fridge. Pour half the pudding mix on the oreos and smoothen with a spatula.

5. Pour half the cream mixture on the pudding layer and smoothen.

6. Repeat all the layers. Decorate as desired.

7. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 2-3 hours atleast for the oreos to soften.

8. Serve chilled and enjoy!

Happy Eating!

Daring Bakers Nov 2012 - Chocolate Cheesecake Bars

These cheesecake bars are the result of a kitchen disaster. It all started out with Peta of Peta Eats challenging us to make a celebration cookie, square or bar for this months Daring Bakers challenge. She provided us with 12 recipes and I chose the Chocolate and Caramel Turtle Bars as they looked really yum.

Unfortunately for me, I didn't cook my caramel layer for the bars properly and all I had in the end was a big buttery mess. I didn't want to throw all those good ingredients so I reached out to Peta asking her how I could re purpose my failed bars. She gave me the brilliant idea to crush them up and use as a cheesecake base. I took this idea and made a two layer cheesecake bar. The bottom layer is nutty, chocolatey and dark while the top layer is smooth, sweet and silky. What a fabulous result!

Recipe Source - Adapted from Peta of Peta Eats and Annie's Eats

Ingredients
For The Crust (My crust was the failed turtle bar but I have given a recipe below to imitate the flavour)
1 Cup Pecans or Walnuts
2 Cups Crushed Digestive Biscuits or Graham Crackers
100 Gms Dark Chocolate
1 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Melted Butter

For The Cheesecake Layer
8 Oz Cream Cheese (At room temperature)
4 Tbsp Sugar
4 Tbsp Plain Yogurt or Sour Cream
1 Large Egg
1/2 Tsp Vanilla Essence
A pinch of salt

1. Preheat the oven to 325 Degree F (162 Degree C). Line a 9 X 3 inch rectangle pan or 8 X 8 inch square pan with foil overhanging from the sides.

Make The Crust

1. Place the nuts in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the nuts until finely chopped. Add the biscuit crumbs, chocolate and sugar and process till the chocolate is broken into smaller bits. Add the butter and pulse till combined.

2. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside. Leave the oven on at the same temperature.

Make The Filling

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, add the cream cheese and beat on medium high for 2 minutes till smooth.

2. Add the sugar and beat till well combined.

3. Add the yogurt/sour cream, vanilla and salt. Beat till combined.

4. Beat in the egg till well combined.

Assemble and Bake

1. Pour the cheesecake batter on the crust and level with an offset spatula.

2. Place in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 30 - 35 minutes till the edges are browned and the center is slightly wobbly.

3. Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack. Cover with plastic wrap and place in fridge for 3 hours. Cut into bars and serve. Store covered in fridge.

Happy Eating!

White Chocolate, Pudding and Pistachio Cake

Eid Mubarak everyone!  I know I am three days too late but better late than never right?

Well, I will make it up to you by telling you how to make this cake. Coz this cake is what you need to make right now. This was our dessert on eid day and I was really worried about how all the components would work together. Turns out, there was no need to worry as it was fabulous.

Now, I took some shortcuts and used a box mix for the cake and filling because I was fasting and did not have the patience to make everything from scratch. But if you do go that route I am sure it'll only taste even more fantastic. I wanted to do a tuxedo effect on the top because I had seen it before on Annie's Eats and loved it. A previous attempt had turned into a disaster so I was very careful this time and almost nailed it. Because the cake was cold the ganache would firm up on top itself and not actually pour down the sides. Next time I'll bring the cake to room temperature before pouring the ganache.

There are four parts to this cake: Cake, Filling, Frosting and Topping. The cake and filling can be made one or two days ahead and stored in the fridge but the frosting and topping are better made the same day of assembly.

Recipe

Ingredients

For The Cake

1 Box (500 gms) White Cake mix with egg whites, water and oil called for on the box

For The Filling

1 Packet (4 serve) Vanilla Jello Instant Pudding and Pie filling with milk called for on the box

For The White Chocolate Whipped Cream

113 Grams / 4 ounce White Chocolate (Use a good quality, I used Lindt)

1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream (Chilled)

For The Topping (Ganache) - From Annie's Eats

56 Grams/2 Ounce Semi Sweet Chocolate (I used Lindt)

1/4 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream

2 Tbsp Light Corn Syrup

1 Tsp Vanilla Essence

100 Grams Toasted Pistachios (Hulled and Roughly chopped)

Make The Cake

Prepare and Bake the cake as directed on the back of the box in three 7 inch pans. Cool completely and cover with plastic wrap till required.

Make the Filling

While the cake is baking, Prepare the pudding according to the instructions on the jello pudding box. Cover and refrigerate until required.

Make the Frosting

1. Place the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl and melt on a double boiler or in the microwave.

2. Place 1/4 cup of the heavy cream in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer.

3. Immediately add the cream to the melted chocolate and mix very well. Keep aside to cool completely.

4. Place the remaining 3/4 Cup cream in the bowl of your stand mixer and whip till soft peaks form.

5. Add the white chocolate cream mixture (it should be completely cooled) to the stand mixer and whip till it holds firm peaks. Be very careful not to over beat.

6. Cover the bowl (I used the bowl of my stand mixer itself, you can transfer to another bowl if you like washing dishes) with plastic wrap touching the surface of the cream. Refrigerate for two hours.

Make the Ganache

1. Break the chocolate to small pieces and place in a bowl.

2. Bring the cream to a boil and pour over the chocolate. Let it sit for a minute then stir completely.

3. Add the corn syrup and vanilla. Mix well.

4. Keep aside to thicken, meanwhile start assembling your cake. (If you take a long time to assemble a cake then make the ganache after the cake is assembled)

Assemble The Cake

1. Level the tops of all the cake layers. Dab a smear of the frosting on a cake board and place one layer bottom side up on the board.

2. Add half the pudding filling on the cake and spread evenly. Do not spread till the edges.

3. Add 1/4 C of the chopped pistachio pieces.

4. Repeat with a second layer of cake, pudding and pistachios.

5. Place the last layer and do a crumb coat with the frosting. Place in the fridge till it sets.

6. Remove from fridge and frost completely.

7. Pour the ganache slowly over the middle of the cake giving it time to gently drip of the sides. If it sets spread gently with an angled spatula.
8. Garnish the top with pistachios. Place in fridge till cake is set. Store leftovers (If any) in the fridge.

Happy Eating!!

Chocolate Marble Bread

This is the second bread I made as a part of the February Daring Bakers Challenge. The method for both the breads is exactly the same and it is a very easy recipe. However, my cake turned out a bit dry and that could be because I baked it a bit too long. I have given the link to the recipe below from Joy of Baking.

Recipe - Joy of Baking

Happy Eating!!

Hazelnut and Chocolate Torte With Nutella Mascarpone

I am really happy to post this recipe as this was one my best desserts so far. The flavor was so reminiscent of a Ferrero Rocher that I have started calling it a Ferrero Rocher Cake. I also got to try a lot of new techniques like baking a daquoise and making my own Mascarpone.

I had missed the November Daring Bakers challenge of the Sans Rival and wanted to give it a go. Sans Rival is a Filipino dessert which means 'without rival'. I decided to give it a try but without making the heavy buttercream filling as I wanted something light. The Nutella mascarpone complements the dacquoise perfectly and is very easy to make.

Recipe Source - Hazelnut Dacquoise Slightly adapted from November Daring Bakers Challenge host Catherine of Munchie Musings; Chocolate Ganache recipe from Joy of Baking.

Ingredients

For The Dacquois
5 Large Egg Whites (At room temperature)
1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
1/2 Tsp Cream of Tartar
2 Tbsp Cocoa Powder
3/4 Cup Chopped Toasted Hazelnuts (Texture of Breadcrumbs)
For The Filling
1 Cup Mascarpone Cheese (You can make your own!!)
1/2 Cup Nutella
2 Tbsp Cadburys Drinking Chocolate
1/4 Cup Chopped Hazelnuts
For The Ganache
100 gms Semisweet Chocolate
60 ml Heavy Cream
1 Tbsp Unsalted Butter

Bake the Dacquoise

1. Preheat oven to moderate 325°F/160°C/gas mark 3.

2. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and draw three squares measuring 4x4 inches on each pan. (See Diagram below). Turn over the paper  and lightly grease the squares.



My weird attempt at drawing..baking sheet with three squares.

3. In a large clean, dry  glass or metal mixing bowl, beat egg whites on medium until foamy (2 mins.) 

4. Sprinkle with cream of tartar. Gradually add sugar, a couple of tablespoons at time, continuing to beat now at high speed until stiff shiny peaks form. (about 7-10 mins.)

5. Fold in nuts.

6. Divide meringue into 6 equal parts and spread onto square shapes in the baking sheet with each square being 1/2 inch thick. (Alternatively you can bake these in cake pans also).

7. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes or until the meringue is set. Remove from oven and peel off parchment paper while still hot. Place on cooling rack to cool completely.

Make the Ganache

1. Place the chopped chocolate in a medium sized heatproof bowl. Set aside.

2. Heat the cream and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. (Can also heat the cream and butter in the microwave.) Bring just to a boil. 

3. Immediately pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand, without stirring, for a few minutes. Stir gently (as you do not want to incorporate air into the ganache) with a spoon or whisk until smooth.

4. Place in fridge to cool completely before using.

Make the Filling
Combine all the ingredients and whisk well. Keep aside.

Assemble The Torte
1.Trim the sides of each dacquoise square.
2. Place one square on a serving plate.
3. Top with 2 Tbsp of the filling.
4. Repeat with one more layer of dacquoise and filling.
5. Add the last layer of dacquoise and pour some of the cooled ganache on top.
6. Garnish with chopped hazelnuts.

Happy Eating!!

Chewy, Fudgy Triple Chocolate Brownies

There is a great rift among people in the brownie world due to all the different types of brownies out there. Fudgy, Cakey, with nuts, without nuts, plain chocolate ones, peanut butter ones, cream cheese and on and on. Everyone has their own favorite recipe and when I started searching for a recipe that I would love I must have browsed a 100 different  ones with each blogger claiming that their version is the best. What is a girl to do in such a case? I just went with my instincts  and picked the Triple Chocolate Brownies from Annie's Eats and I sure picked a winner!

These are everything that I love in a brownie. I would describe my version as fudgy and chocolatey. (I have tried Ina's Outrageous Brownies before and they were too fudgy for me). These rose nicely in the pan even without any leaveners and had a great chocolate flavor. I did not use too much of unsweetened chocolate as I am not a fan of the flavor and made these with half dark and half milk chocolate. This ratio was perfect for me. I made half a pan with walnuts and half without and I loved both the versions. I can't wait to try this recipe with more mix ins in the future.

Recipe Source - Slightly Adapted from Baking Illustrated via Annie's Eats

Ingredients - Makes one 8X8 Pan of brownies.

100 Gms (approx 3.5 oz)  Dark Chocolate (70% Cocoa) (Chopped)
100 Gms (approx 3.5 oz) Milk Chocolate (Chopped)
8 Tbsp (113.4 Gms) Unsalted Butter (Cut into Quarters)
3 Tbsp Cocoa Powder
3 Large Eggs
1 1/4 Cups (8¾ oz.) Sugar
2 Tsp Vanilla Essence
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 Cup (5 oz.) All Purpose Flour
1/4 Cup Chopped Toasted Walnuts (Optional)

1. Pre-heat the oven to 175° C (350° F) and line an 8 inch square baking dish (I used a 10X6 inch rectangle) with foil (Use extra foil so that it hangs out from two sides). Grease lightly and set aside.
2. Place the chocolate and butter in a microwave proof bowl and melt in the microwave in 15 second bursts, stirring after each time till completely melted and smooth. (You can also use the double boiler method on the stove). Add the cocoa powder and whisk till combined. Keep aside to cool

3. Mix together the eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt in a medium bowl for 15 seconds.
4. Pour in the warm melted chocolate mixture and mix.
5. Stir in the flour with a wooden spoon until just combined. Add the walnuts if using.
6. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and spread with a spatula to make an even layer. Place in the middle tray of your oven and bake until slightly risen and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a small amount of sticky crumbs clinging to it, 35-40 minutes. 
7. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature, about 2 hours.  

8. Pull the overhanging foil and remove the brownies from the pan. Transfer to a cutting board and cut as desired.  Store in an air-tight container.  

Happy Eating!!

German Chocolate Cake

This cake is not from Germany and has nothing to do with that country. Then why is it called so ? According to Joy of Baking "Richard Sax in Classic Home Desserts says this cake was being made in the 1920's and eventually became popular nationwide after a recipe appeared in a 1957 food column of a Dallas newspaper. While the name "German" Chocolate Cake seems to suggest a tie to Germany, the name refers to the type of chocolate used in the cake which, in turn, is named after the Walter Baker & Company employee, Samuel German, who developed the chocolate in 1852. German's^® Sweet Chocolate is a semi sweet baking chocolate that has a mild flavor and is much sweeter than other semi sweet chocolates (it tastes like a candy bar). Baker's^® sells this chocolate and it is sold on the baking isle of most grocery stores".

In Dubai I found the brand in a few supermarkets like Safest-way but it was way too expensive to justify its use in a single cake. That's where this recipe came in handy as it uses unsweetened chocolate and is very easy to make.

I must say that not everyone who ate this was a fan and that was because of the coconut in it. I am personally a coconut lover and I loved it, especially when heated a little so that the ganache is all warm and melty.

Recipe Source - David Lebovitz

Ingredients - Given as is from his website with my changes in red.

One big, tall 9-inch cake; about 16 servings

For The Cake
2 Ounces Bittersweet Or Semisweet Chocolate Chopped (I used Milk Chocolate)
2 Ounces Unsweetened Chocolate, Chopped
6 Tbsp Water
226 Grams (8 ounces/2 sticks) Unsalted Butter, At Room Temperature
1 1/4 Cup + 1/4 Cup Sugar
4 Large Eggs, Separated
2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1 Tsp Baking Powder
1 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 Cup Buttermilk, At Room Temperature
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
For The Filling
1 Cup Heavy Cream
1 Cup Sugar
3 Large Egg Yolks
85.05 Grams (3 Ounces) Butter, Cut Into Small Pieces
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 Cup Pecans, Toasted And Finely Chopped
1 1/3 Cups Unsweetened Coconut, Toasted
For The Syrup
1 Cup Water
3/4 Cup Sugar
2 Tbsp Dark Rum (I omitted this)
For The Chocolate Icing
8 Ounces Bittersweet Or Semisweet Chocolate, Chopped
2 Tablespoons Light Corn Syrup
42.5 Grams (1 1/2 Ounces) Unsalted Butter
1 Cup Heavy Cream

Bake The Cake

1. Butter two 9-inch cake pans, then line the bottoms with rounds of parchment or wax paper. Preheat the oven to 350°.

2. Melt both chocolates together with the 6 tablespoons of water. Use either a double-boiler or a microwave. Stir until smooth, then set aside until room temperature.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, or by hand, beat the butter and 1 ¼ cup of the sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the melted chocolate, then the egg yolks, one at a time.

4. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

5. Mix in half of the dry ingredients into the creamed butter mixture, then the buttermilk and the vanilla extract, then the rest of the dry ingredients.

6. In a separate metal or glass bowl, beat the egg whites until they hold soft, droopy peaks. Beat in the ¼ cup of sugar until stiff.

7. Fold about one-third of the egg whites into the cake batter to lighten it, then fold in the remaining egg whites just until there’s no trace of egg white visible.

8. Divide the batter into the 2 prepared cake pans, smooth the tops, and bake for about 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool cake layers completely. While the cakes are baking and cooling, make the filling, syrup, and icing.

Make The Filling

1. Mix the cream, sugar, and egg yolks in a medium saucepan. Put the 3 ounces butter, salt, toasted coconut, and pecan pieces in a large bowl.

2. Heat the cream mixture and cook, stirring constantly (scraping the bottom as you stir) until the mixture begins to thicken and coats the spoon (an instant-read thermometer will read 170°.)

3. Pour the hot custard immediately into the pecan-coconut mixture and stir until the butter is melted. Cool completely to room temperature. (It will thicken.)

Make The Syrup

1. In a small saucepan, heat the sugar and water until the sugar has melted. Remove from heat and stir in the dark rum (If using)

Make The Icing

1. Place the 8 ounces of chopped chocolate in a bowl with the corn syrup and 1 ½ ounces of butter.

2. Heat the cream until it just begins to boil. Remove from heat and pour over the chocolate. Let stand one minute, then stir until smooth. Let sit until room temperature.

Assemble The Cake

Remove the cake layers from the pans and cut both cake layers in half horizontally, using a serrated bread knife.

Set the first cake layer on a cake plate. Brush well with syrup. Spread ¾ cup of the coconut filling over the cake layer, making sure to reach to the edges. Set another cake layer on top.

Repeat, using the syrup to brush each cake layer, then spreading ¾ cup of the coconut filling over each layer, including the top.

Ice the sides with the chocolate icing, then pipe a decorative border of chocolate icing around the top, encircling the coconut topping.

Happy Eating!!