No-bake Cookies and Cream cheesecake

One day, I suddenly had a craving for a certain flavor. Of course its sweet. I checked the pantry for any cookies and found nothing! So I asked Toni to grab some Domino cookies on his way home. As I waited, a recipe was forming in my mind and this is what I came up with:

 

 

I have not made anything like it, and only saw recipes online, after I have actually made it. I hope you will find this delicious. As good as I and my ever loyal fan, my daughter Ria.  :)

 

I started off by scraping the white cream from in between the chocolate cookie sandwiches until I got about 150 gms. (keep the creams) Finely crush the cookies and mix it together with about 70 gms of butter, melted.
Press the cookie crumb to large muffin pan lined with muffin paper. ( about 12 pieces)

Refrigerate the pans while you work on the fillings.

Chop the rest of the cookies (I got a box of 350gms-in the picture) together with the cream and scraped off ones. Don't crush, just coarsely chopped. Set aside.

In a small bowl (ramekin will be nice, something that can be boiled), pour in 1/4 cup of cold water and sprinkle 1 ½ tbsp. gelatine powder. Mix this and let it stand, until the granules become fat.

While you wait for the gelatine, mix together using an electric mixer,  1 pack (200gms) of mascarpone cheese and 1/4 cup of icing sugar. You can add some more sugar later if you think its not sweet enough.

Add to this, 1 small pack (150 ml) of whipping cream and 1 tsp. Vanilla.
 

Gently fold in the crushed cookies. And put the bowl inside the fridge while you work on the gelatine.

 

Put the ramekin with the fat gelatine in a small sauce pan and add enough water to reach the height of the gelatine. On medium heat, slowly stir the gelatine until the fat granules has liquefied but not boiling. 

Quickly fold the gelatine liquid to the cream mixture and pour it on top of the crust on your muffin pans. You can fill up the muffin cups as much as you want, since it will not rise to over flow.

Refrigerate the pans for at least 4 hours before serving. Enjoy!!!

Mississipi Mud pie

Mississipi Mud Pie (taken from Everyday Chocolate - A collection of essential recipes)

To make the pastry:
1. Sift 225 gms of plain flour and 2 tbsp. each of cocoa powder and caster sugar.
2. Rub in 150 gms. of cold butter (cut into small cubes) with fingers until the mixture is more like bread crumbs.
3. Incorporate this together using 2 tbsp. cold water until it becomes one ball of pastry. Wrap this in cling film and let rest in the fridge for about 15 mins.
4. When ready, roll the down to a 9 inch pastry dish. Use your baking beans placed in a baking paper to weigh down the pastry and bake in pre heated oven at 190 degs C, for about 15 mins.
5. Take out the baking beans and bake the pastry for a further 10 mins.
6. Melt on a double boiler, 150 gms. of 70% cocoa baking chocolate bar.
7. While you wait, beat with electric mixer, 175 gms of soft butter and 300 gms of brown sugar.
8. Gradually add 4 eggs (slightly beaten) and 2 tbsp. cocoa powder.
9. Add the melted chocolate to the mixture. Then add 300 ml of cold single cream.
10. Lastly, add 1 tsp. of vanilla essence.
11. Pour the mixture into the pastry, lower down the oven temp to 160 degs C then bake the pie for another 45 mins.

Note: The mixture will start to melt. Don't be alarmed. It will set right back.

12. When done, let the pie cool completely before transfering to a serving dish. Cover with whipped cream and decorate with chocolate flakes or curls. Chill, then serve.

Pecan Brownie

Another craving, satisfied!
 This one is from Hersheys Kitchen.

1. Heat oven to 175 degs C. Grease 9-inch square baking pan.
2. Stir together 1 stick melted butter, 3/4 cup sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla in bowl. Add 2 large eggs; beat well with spoon. Stir together ½ cup flour, 1/3 cup cocoa powder, 1/4 tsp. baking powder and 1/4 tsp. salt; gradually add to egg mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in ½ cup chopped pecan nuts, if desired. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.
3. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Prepare frosting; spread over cooled brownies. Cut into squares. About 16 brownies.
   
   
   FROSTING
   
   3 tablespoons butter, softened
   3 tablespoons Cocoa powder
   1 tablespoon light corn syrup or honey
   1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
   1 cup powdered sugar
   1 to 2 tablespoons milk
   
   Beat butter, cocoa, corn syrup and vanilla in small bowl until blended. Add powdered sugar and milk;
   beat to spreading consistency. About 1 cup frosting.

This is just absolutely delicious! Enjoy...

Cupcake craving....

... SATISFIED!!!!

One day, my man left for a two-week work in Russia. So, called the masseuse,
got a massage and I baked cupcakes!!! And these bad girls were well received by my number one fan. My 7 yr old girl.

This is probably the best ever chocolate cupcakes I've baked for the last 18 years I have been baking. Yes! people.... I have been baking and cooking since I can reach the stove top.

Not to get too far from it, these cupcakes are moist and the frosting, heavenly. See recipe below:

Pre-heat the oven to 175 degs C and prepare cupcake tins for 24 pcs. of small ones or about 16 of large ones.

Boil 1 cup of milk in a small saucepan. Turn off heat, and add 50 grams of really good cocoa powder and stir until smooth. Leave to cool.

In a separate bowl, sift together 175 grams of flour (I used triple A cake flour), 2 tsp. baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Set aside.

In your mixer, beat 113 grams of room temp butter until creamy. Gradually add 200 grams of caster sugar. Then add 2 large eggs, one at a time. Once fluffy cream, add 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract. Add ½ of the flour mixture, then scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the other ½ then slowly add the chocolate mixture.

Fill each muffin cup about two-thirds full with batter and bake for about 16 - 20 minutes until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. (Do not over bake or the cupcakes will be dry.) Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

For butter icing, melt 120 grams of unsweetened chocolate in a heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

In your mixer, beat 150 grams of room temp, unsalted butter until smooth and creamy. Add 160 grams of confectioners sugar and beat until it is light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Beat in 1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract. Add the chocolate and beat on low speed until incorporated. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until frosting is smooth and glossy (about 2 -3 minutes).

Frost those wonderful cupcakes with the delicious frosting!!! Enjoy....