Carousing with white chocolate...

Ah..White chocolate....
Chocolate that isn't dark... I know I know...that's really lame...
But what isn't is this amazing white chocolate cupcake recipe. I was surprised at how easy it is and using just one ingredient that u have to buy-white chocolate. the rest...the same as any vanilla cupcake batter.

I added a swirl of a berry crush. It wasn't mentioned in the recipe. You can even hide a small blob of jam inside which helps to cut the sweetness of the cake.
I also did not cover them with frosting, because when I bit into one... All I will say is that frosting is not necessary.


Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
4 oz white chocolate, chopped and melted
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup + 1tbsp milk
Frosting:
8oz cream cheese
1/2 cup butter
2 oz white chocolate, melted
2 tsp vanilla
6 tbsp milk
4-6 cups confectioners sugar

Method:

• Preheat oven to 325 degree F.
• Line a cupcake pan with cupcake liners.
• In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and salt.
• Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time mixing well after each addition.
• Add the melted white chocolate and vanilla and mix.
• Add the flour mixture and milk into the butter egg mixture alternately, starting and ending with flour.
• Pour into cupcake tins. Bake for 15 to 25 mins.

Frosting:

• Cream the cheese and butter until smooth. Add the white chocolate, vanilla and milk. Add the confec (icing) sugar till you reach the desired consistency. Pipe onto the cupcakes.

Enjoy!!

Chocolate Banana Cake

Chocolate Banana Cake is a snap to put together. Fifteen minutes is about all you need. Just mix the wet ingredients into the dry, and pop it into the oven and bake. I'm not really a fan of banana cakes, but this is with chocolate so I thought, hey! what's the worst that could happen?? Also banana cakes are best eaten a day after they are baked.

 
Ingredients:

2 cups (400 grams) granulated white sugar

1 3/4 cups (245 grams) all-purposeflour

3/4 cup (75 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder(regular or Dutch-processed)

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

1 cup mashed ripe bananas(about 2 medium sized bananas)

1 cup (240 ml) warm water

1/2 cup (120 ml) milk

1/2 cup (120 ml) corn, safflower or canola oil(or other flavorless oil)

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

 

Chocolate Ganache Frosting:

8 ounces (227 grams)semisweet or bittersweet chocolate , cut into small pieces

3/4 cup (180 ml) heavy whippingcream

1 tablespoon (14 grams) unsalted butter

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place rack in the  center of the oven. Butter, or spray with a non stick vegetable spray, a 9 x 13 inch (23 x 33 cm) pan. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. In another large bowl, whisk together the eggs, mashed bananas, water, milk, oil, and vanilla extract. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir, or whisk, until combined. You will notice that the batter is quite thin. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 35 to40 minutesor until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

4. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack. When completely cooled, frost with the Ganache.

Ganache:Place the chopped chocolate in a medium sized stainless steel, or heatproof bowl. Set aside. Heat the cream and butter in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat (can also be heated in the microwave). Bring just to a boil. Immediately pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. When Ganache has completely cooled, beat until soft and fluffy (I use a wire whisk). Then spread the frosting on top of the cake. Can garnish with dried banana chips.

Serves 16 people. Yeah, its a big cake...

Enjoy!

 

London Cheesecake

               Again, long time... I did bake a few treats, but was too lazy to put 'em up. But this one deserves to be put up. When it comes to cheesecakes, I'm not a very confident person. But after this....I think I have overcome my fear!!! yay!!

This is the simplest cheesecake there is, but its so dreamy... uh... I mean creamy and soft and light and... I could just go on...
This is again a Nigella Lawson recipe and I did not try to make any kind of changes. Did exactly as she said, and voila!!


You can leave out the sour cream topping, but tastes best with it.


Ingredients:
150 gm digestive biscuits
75 gm unsalted butter, melted or very soft
Filling:
600gm cream cheese
150gm caster sugar
3 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
1 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
20 cm cake tin
Al foil

Topping:
145 ml sour cream
1 tbsp caster sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla


Method:

1. Process the biscuits until they are like crumbs, then add the butter and pulse again. Line the bottom of the Springform tin, pressing the biscuits in with your hands or the back of a spoon. Put the tin in the fridge to set, and preheat the oven to 180ºC/gas mark 4.
2. Beat the cream cheese gently until it's smooth, then add the sugar. Beat in the eggs and egg yolks, then finally the vanilla and lemon juice. Put the kettle on.
3. Line the outside of the chilled tin with strong foil so that it covers the bottom and sides in one large piece, and then do the same again and put it into a roasting dish. This will protect the cheesecake from the water as it is cooked in its water bath.
4. Pour the cream-cheese filling into the chilled biscuit base, and then pour hot water from the recently boiled kettle into the roasting tin around the cheesecake. It should come about halfway up; don't overfill as it will be difficult to lift up the tin. Put it into the oven and cook for 50 minutes. It should feel set, but not rigidly so: you just need to feel confident that when you pour the sour cream over, it will sit on the surface and not sink in. Whisk together the sour cream, sugar and vanilla for the topping and pour over the cheesecake. Put it back in the oven for a further 10 minutes.
5. Take the roasting tin out of the oven, then gingerly remove the Springform, unwrap it and stand it on a rack to cool. When it's cooled down completely, put it in the fridge, removing it 20 minutes before eating to take the chill off. Unmould and when you cut into it, plunge a knife in hot water first.

So its really easy to make and you cant go wrong. Enjoy!!