Chocolate topped Strawberry cheesecake

Pictures speak a thousand work.  Made this fabulous strawberry cheesecake for my good friend's birthday...

Enjoy!

Biscuit, butter and sugar

Crushed biscuits for the base

The lovely base after baking for 10 minutes

Lovely strawberries

And here they are cooking in masala wine and sugar



More healthy Fat free ingredients





Form the mixture



Add to the springform and place in a water bath for baking

Pizza

I'm not normally a fan of tuna on pizza, but i have to use what I had available at home.  It turned out tasting really good...

Ingredients

For the dough

-  2 cups strong bread flour
-  1 1/2 tsp dry yeast, mix with 1/3 cup warm water
-  1 tsp salt
-  1 tsp castor sugar

Topping

It's pizza - use whatever you like!!!  haha

I used tomato paste to line the then added sun-dried tomatoes, sliced calamatta olives, tuna and mozzarella cheese.

Directions

1. Combine the dry dough ingredients, then gradually add the water with the yeast and knead for several minutes.
2. Put in a greased bowl covered with cling wrap and allow to double in size 1-2 hours.
3. Punch down the dough and and roll out to the size of your pizza base.
4. Apply the toppings and cook on 180C for 7-10 minutes.

Enjoy!!

Croissants

Making croissants is a bit like making puff pastry.  Not so difficult, quite a lot of fun to make and a nice taste at the end...

Ingredients

-  2 cups plain flour
-  1 1/2 tsp dry yeast
-  1/4 cup of cold water
-  1/4 cup of cold milk
-  1 1/2 tbls unsalted butter soft
-  1 tsp salt
-  3/4 cup of butter for the layer of butter for the pastry rolling
-  1 egg for egg wash

Directions

1. Combine the flour yeast and salt.
2. Add the milk and water gradually and beat using a dough hook if you have it.
3. Knead a little and wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate overnight.
4. Next day roll out the dough and using the butter layer follow the puff pastry making style of folding, rolling and refrigerating.  Repeat 3 times then refrigerate overnight.
5. Roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thick and cut into triangles as below.
6. Roll up each portion from large end to the point and lay out on a baking sheet.
7. Apply egg wash and allow to stand for up to 2 hours.  The croissants will rise.
8. Bake on 200C for 15 minutes.  Cool and ...

Enjoy!!







The dough after several rolls and folds



Cut into triangles



Rolled out ready for cutting



Croissants before allowing to rise







After 2 hours and ready to go in the oven







Baked Fish Chinese style

Apologies for making you stand on your head for this one.  Baked fish is fantastic.  The combination of juices and the soy sauce, oyster sauce and flavours from the ginger and lemon grass make this dish truly amazing.

Cook the fish covered for about 10 minutes at 190C.   Times will vary according to the thickness of your fillet, but just check that it is flaky and then it's cooked.

Enjoy!!





The bottom of the dish is lined with lemon grass and ginger





Atop that with sauteed mushrooms and sliced capsicum





Round the edges with sauteed prawns.  Lay the raw fillet of fish and top with auteed onions



Chocolate Swirl Marble Cheesecake

Made this chocolate swirl marble cheesecake last week for some colleagues' going away.  Rich in creamy texture with a topping of peanut butter...

Used a 99% fat free Nestle Sweetened condensed milk in the filling instead of sugar.  It is offset by plenty of evil so don't worry... Lol

Ingredients

For the crust

-  1 packet of Arnotts Milk coffee biscuits

-  150g butter melted

-  2 tablespoons of granulated sugar

For the filling

-  500g cream cheese

-  1 can of Nestle sweetened condensed milk

-  1 cup of whipping cream

-  1 tsp vanilla essence

-  3 eggs

-  100g semi-sweet chocolate melted

For the topping

-  4 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

-  2 tablespoons cream

-  1/2 cup icing sugar

Directions

1. Crush the biscuits in a plastic bag.  Combine with the sugar and melted butter
2. Form a base on an 8" springform pan and cook at 140C for 10 minutes.  Remove and cool
3. Beat the cream cheese till fluffy and add the condensed milk, cream and remainder of ingredients.
4. Add the eggs one at a time until well blended
5. Separate 1 cup of the filling and combine with the melted chocolate.
6. Pour the filling into the pan, layering with the chocolate combined mix.
7. Use a knife to swirl and combine the layers
8. Cook on 200C for 10 minutes then 140C for a further 45 minutes.
9. Allow to cool for an hour in the oven and then transfer to the fridge for a further 6-8 hours.
10. The topping can be prepared in advance by combining all ingredients on a low heat until smooth. 
11. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
12. Remove the springform pan and then using a piping bag, pipe the topping in a desired way.

Enjoy!!

Just some of the ingredients

Lattice Slice

Lattice slice is like a cheesecake sandwich.  Quick and easy to make and a great snack idea.

Ingredients

-  1 x 250g pack of cream cheese (i used 99% fat free one here)
-  125g unsalted butter (softened)
-  125g castor sugar
-  1 tsp vanilla essence
-  2 tsp lemon juice
-  1 sachet of gelatine (2 tsp, pour over 1/4 cup of hot water and let set)
-  1 to 2 packets of Arnotts Lattice biscuits

Directions

1. Beat the cream cheese, butter and sugar until creamy.
2. Add the gelatine, vanilla essence and lemon juice and beat well till combined.
3. In a flat rectangular dish tile half the lattice biscuits, sugar side down.
4. Pour the mixture over the biscuits
5. Apply another tiled layer sugar side up creating the sandwich.
6. Refrigerate for 30 minutes until set
7. Cut into squares a serve up your cheesecake sandwich.

Enjoy!!

Almond Shortbread Biscuits

Shortbread biscuits are great to dunk in a cup of coffee.  My first attempt at them made about 5 dozen of these little bell shaped cookies.

Ingredients

- 2 Cups Plain flour

- 250g unsalted butter (softened)

- 100g fine brown sugar (if you like more sweet make it 125g)

- 125g ground almonds
- 1/2 tsp salt

- 1/2 tsp almond essence

Directions

1. Cream butter and sugar
2. Combine the dry ingredients
3. Add the essence and dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix well.
4. Combine the dough and need a little.  Put in the fridge for 20 minutes to firm.
5. Pre-heat oven to 150C (140C for fan-forced)
6. Roll out the dough and flatten about 1/2 inch thick.
7. Use a cookie cutter of your choice to shape the biscuits.
8. Place on a lined tray and cook for 12-15 minutes until the cookies are firm to touch.
9. Take out of the over and let cool on the tray for a while before transferring to sealable container.

Enjoy!!

Only a few ingredients needed

Coarse dough which will firm in the fridge

Lamingtons

Lamingtons are an iconic Aussie sweet and i tried my hand at making them.  Backed myself to make self-raising flour from plaing flour and baking powder but it didn't rise with a good consistency, resulting in a sponge cake that was a little heavy.  The rest was fine.  Will try again!!!

Enjoy!!!

Cinnamon Rolls 2

Tried my hand at Cinnamon Rolls again.

This time made a half batch which produced 10 cinnamon rolls.

I made 4 toppings : Peanut butter, Vanilla, Lemon and Coffee flavoured.

Taste was good but the dough was a little heavy.  Again i think a problem with the yeast fermintation.  Trial and error process continues ...

Loaf of White Bread

Tried my hand at baking bread for the first time on the weekend.  Simple small white loaf, enough for me to eat in about 2 meals - so just nice for the weekend. 

Taste was good with a crunchy outer, but a bit dense the texture.  My friend said this is because my yeast water was too hot and killed the enzymes thus not allowing for sufficient leavening of the bread.

Will try again...

Almond and Cranberry Biscotti

Bacon and Banana Crepes

Bacon, Mushroom, Tomato and Mozzarella Cheese, Sweet Basil for a Savoury Crepe

Bacon, Sliced Banana and Honey for a Sweet Crepe

 

Ingredients

-  2 large eggs
-  1 cup plain flour
-  3/4 cup milk
-  2 tablespoons of melted butter
-  1/4 tsp pinch of salt
-  1/2 tsp castor sugar

 

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour and eggs
2. Add the salt, sugar and butter and gradually add the milk till smooth.
3. Prepare an 8" fry pan on medium heat with a little butter.
4. Pour enough mixture to coat the pan thinly.
5. Cook for 2 minutes till lightly brown and then turn for a further 1-2 minutes.

Roll it up with your favorite filling.  I like to use crispy bacon, sauteed mushrooms and cheese...  Honey banana works well also...

Enjoy!!

Lemon Butter Cookies

Great bite-sized cookies that give a sugary-rush kick.  Perfect when tired-ness is kicking in...

Ingredients
- 125g unsalted butter, softened
- 100g castor sugar
- 1 egg
- 200g plain flour
- Juice from 1 lemon and a teaspoon of lemon zest
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp sea salt

Lemon Glaze
- 2 tbls lemon juice + some zest
- 1/3 cup icing sugar
- 2 tbls cream (optional)

Directions

1. Cream the butter and sugar and then beat in 1 egg.
2. Sift the dry ingredients and add to the creamed mixture along with the lemon juice and zest.
3. Combine well and then cover the dish and put in the fridge for 2 hours until firm.
4. Pre-heat oven to 170C.
5. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/2 inch thickness.
6. Using a dough cutter, cut into the desired shapes.
7. Place on greased baking paper and bake for 6-8 minutes until just starting to brown.
8. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
9. Combine the lemon glaze ingredients and stir till all the sugar dissolves.
10. Dip the cookies in the lemon glaze and allow to set.

Enjoy!!

Cinnamon Rolls

I got the idea for these from a friend of mine who was printing recipes for his wife to try.  Thanks Graham as I think this was one of my most challenging efforts so far in the kitchen.  I merged the recipe somewhat with another I found from the internet which used mashed potato as the primary ingredient.  You've read that right, mashed potatoes.  The thought that mashed potatoes can give you that gorgeous cinnamon roll was enough mystery for me to try it and sure enough it is fabulous!

If you're trying this one, my tip is be patient, allow the dough to rest for sufficient amount of time and let the yeast do it's thing on giving the body to your rolls.

 

Ingredients

1. 1 cup mashed potatoes (peeled Russet potatoes, about 3 medium sized ones)
2. 1 cup potato water
3. 1 cup half water, half milk hot
4. 1/2 cup water hot to combine with yeast
5. 4 1/2 tsp yeast
6. 3/4 cup butter (softened)
7. 3/4 cup castor sugar
8. 9 cups all-purpose flour
9. 1 tsp salt
10. 2 eggs

Filling

1. 1 cup castor sugar
2. 4 tsp ground cinnamon
3. 1/2 cup butter soft

Topping

1. 1 tbls peanut butter
2. 3 tbls cream
3. 1/3 cup icing sugar

Directions

In a small bowl combine the hot water and yeast and let it rest for 5 minutes.  In a large mixing bowl beat the potato, water, milk, butter, sugar and salt until all the butter is melted  (let the water cool).  Add the yeast and eggs and 2 cups of flour.  Continue beating adding flour one cup at a time until smooth dough forms.  Tip out onto a floured surface and knead for a few minutes and then put the dough into a grease dish and cover with a tea-towel for an hour or so until the dough doubles in size.

Mashed potato folks!

After resting, flatten the dough and then separate into two pieces.  Roll one out into a 12" x 18" slab about 1/2" thick.  Combine the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the slab of dough.  Roll it up so becomes a 12" log.  Cut into the desired thickness (anywhere from 6-12 pieces) and place onto a line baking sheet.  Cover and let rest for 30 minutes as the rolls will broaden.  Pre-heat the oven to 170C (160C for fan-forced) at this stage.

After 30 minutes pop the cinnamon rolls in the oven for 35 minutes until golden brown.  Then take them out of the oven and allow to cool on the tray or wire rack.  Continue with the 2nd batch.

Topping

Glazed topping is really a matter of choice.  I have two here.  Peanut butter, made by combining 1 tablespoon of creamy peanut butter with 3 tablespoons of whipping cream and 1/3 cup of icing sugar.

Alternatively a combination of normal butter with milk or cream and icing sugar will give a nice buttery glaze.

Trickle the glaze over the roll and serve with a hot cup of coffee.

Enjoy!!

Simply gorgeous

Allow to rest before putting into oven

The smell of fresh cinnamon rolls is like a bakery

This one with a buttery glaze

Almond, Macadamia and Coconut cookies

Found this recipe at a fantastic blog on the internet.  Suggestion was to add 75 grams of shredded coconut and i'm glad I did.

Ingredients

- 125g softened unsalted butter

- 150g packed brown sugar

- 1 tablespoon of white castor sugar

- 2 eggs

- 1/2 tsp vanilla essence

- 100g chopped macadamia nuts

- 100g chopped almonds

- 75g shredded coconut

- 225g plain flour

- 1 tsp baking powder

- 1/2 tsp salt

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 150C and toast the nuts for 10 mminutes.
2. Beat the butter and sugars until creamy.
3. Separately sift the flour, baking powder and salt until well combined.
4. Add the eggs and vanilla to the butter and sugar and beat well.

5. Add the flour and mix well.  Mixture should be a bit stiff.
6. Combine the nuts and coconut into the mixture
7. Increase oven heat to 180C.
8. Using a ice-cream scoot scoot spoons of the mixture onto a greased baking sheet and press down with a fork.





9. Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown.

 Enjoy!