Chocolate Brownie Cheesecake

October 22, 2011 at 11:58 pm · Filed under dessert

From the Hummingbird Bakery cookbook (but written out in my own words)

Brownie

200g dark chocolate
200g unsalted butter
250g icing sugar
3 eggs
110g plain flour

Cheesecake

400g cream cheese
150g icing sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 170C/325F

brownie

Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl over water. Beat butter and sugar together until well combined. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour. Mix at medium speed until well combined and smooth. Slowly pour in melted chocolate and mix until well combined. Pour into 33x25cm baking tray, lined with greaseproof paper. Smooth mixture.

cheesecake

Beat together cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth and thick. Add eggs one at a time and continue mixing. Beat until smooth and creamy but do not overbeat or the cream cheese will split. Spoon over the brownie mix and smooth.

Bake for 30-40 mins. The cheesecake should be firm and light golden around the edges. Allow to cool then refrigerate for at least two hours.

If desired, beat together 300ml whipping cream, 100g of icing sugar and 150g raspberries and use as topping.

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Warm apple pudding (cake)

August 22, 2011 at 11:40 am · Filed under Uncategorized

I’m not a fan of pudding in general, but this is really just a moist apple cake and consequently I loved it. I got the recipe in my recent Aussie Farmers Direct delivery – gotta love food that comes with recipes attached :-)

60g / 2 oz butter
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup self raising flour
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/3 cup buttermilk ( if you don’t have any on hand just add 1 teaspoon of white vinegar to 1/3 cup of milk and leave to stand for 10 mins)
2 apples, peeled. One grated and one thinly sliced
10g / 1/3oz butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Beat butter, sugar and egg for 5 mins
Stir in flour, ginger, buttermilk and grated apple until just combined
Pour into a greased ring pan ( I didn’t have one so used a baba pan)
Bake at 180c /350f for 30 mins or until cooked through
Leave to cool for a few mins the. Top with melted butter and cinnamon

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Teriyaki Meatloaf

January 13, 2011 at 3:12 am · Filed under ground beef / mince

Having discovered that my fussy child will eat meatloaf, I have been trying to expand the number of recipes I can cook from. He doesn’t like this as much as the Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf but he will eat it, and the rest of us think its pretty tasty. 

Teriyaki Meatloaf

800g / 2 lb Lean ground beef


2 Eggs; lightly beaten


1/2 c Bread crumbs


1/2 c Green bell pepper; chopped


1 lg Onion; chopped


2 Carrots; grated


2 Cloves garlic; crushed


2 tb Soy sauce
2

2 tb Brown sugar


2 tb Lemon juice


2 tb Fresh parsley, chopped 

3/4 ts Ground ginger

1/2 c Brown sugar


1/2 c Soy sauce



Combine all but last 2 ingredients. Form into 1 or 2 loaves and place in a baking dish. Bake at 350F/180C for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and drain off grease. Mix together the brown sugar and soy sauce and pour over meat. Bake for 30 more minutes and remove meat to serving platter. Pour sauce over sliced meat loaf or serve separately.

 

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Finally, a bread recipe !

January 13, 2011 at 1:14 am · Filed under bread

I recently did a cooking class at the Cooking Professor  and Chef Sophie taught us how to make Foccacia. Finally, a bread recipe that actually works !!! This is so simple and easy. I am making it regularly now and planning lots of variations.

For one small loaf

1 sachets of yeast (7g per sachet)
325g (11oz) plain flour
250 ml (1 cup) warm water
1/2 tbsp sugar or honey 
1 tbsp olive oil
pinch of salt
1 tbsp fresh herbs chopped (thyme or rosemary)

Place yeast, sugar and salt in large bowl. Add water, oil then flour and mix with a wooden spoon or hands to give a smooth-dough. Leave in bowl, covered with a cloth, in a warm place, for at least 20 minutes for dough to prove (it should double in size during this time but can be left longer if necessary). Preheat oven to 190◦c/360F. Grease a tray with olive oil. When dough is proved, re-mix and place on tray. If desired, sprinkle with flaky salt, chopped fresh herbs, parmesan cheese and/or olives. Leave to rise again for another 10 minutes, bake in oven  until golden brown on top, so when pierced with knife, the knife comes out clean.

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Mum’s Cereal Recipe

February 21, 2010 at 11:11 am · Filed under Uncategorized

BREAKFAST CEREAL

500G  ROLLED OATS

250G  RICE FLAKES

(60G    PSYLLIUM HUSK)   Optional

100G  ALMONDS

170G  CRAISINS

125G  PEPITAS

125G  SUNFLOWER KERNELS

85G    PUFFED RICE

100g  SULTANAS

MIX TOGETHER AND SERVE WITH MILK

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Maple Roasted Sweet Potato

February 21, 2010 at 11:09 am · Filed under side dishes

The best way to eat sweet potato !

MAPLE ROASTED KUMARA

4 small sweet potatoes

¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup maple syrup

Preheat oven to 140C

Cut sweet potato into large chunks

In a dish lined with baking paper, combine sweet potato with oil and syrup

Roast uncovered for 40 mins. Increase temperature to 200C and roast a further 30 mins (decrease cooking time if you use smaller pieces of sweet potato)

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Spanish Rice

February 21, 2010 at 11:08 am · Filed under rice

Spanish Rice is a nice alternative to plain rice or fried rice. It is traditionally served with Mexican food but I have used it with many other main dishes as well.

Spanish rice

2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1 1/2 cups uncooked rice
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup chunky salsa

First sautee the onion in the oil. Then add the rice. When it starts to brown, add the broth and salsa. Reduce heat, cover and simmer about 20 minutes of until all the broth is gone.

Optional – add green pepper and/or  corn

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Tom Kha Gai (Thai Coconut Chicken Soup)

February 21, 2010 at 11:05 am · Filed under soup

My husband and I actually were given this recipe at a cooking class in Thailand. I always order this when we have Thai food and its so easy to make at home as well.

TOM KHA GAI

MILD COCONUT MILK SOUP WITH CHICKEN, GALANGAl, MUSHROOMS AND HERBS

INGREDIENTS

Chicken, sliced   100   gr.  3.5oz

Straw Mushroom   20   gr.   3/4oz

Shallot, whole   10   gr.   1/3 oz

Galangal, sliced   10   gr.   1/3 oz

Lemongrass, stalk   10   gr.   1/3oz

Fresh Turmeric   5   gr.   1/6oz

Chili, crushed   5   gr.   1/6oz

Chicken Stock   100   gr.   3.5oz

Coconut Milk   100   gr.   3.5oz

Lemon Juice   2   tsp.

Fish Sauce   2   tsp.

Kaffir Lime Leaves   5   gr.

Coriander Leaves

METHOD

1. Heat the chicken stock until boil, then add coconut milk until boil again, it takes about 3 minutes.

2. Add the straw mushroom, lemon grass, shallot, gaiangal and fresh turmeric.

3. When the stock boils, add the chicken.

4. When the stock comes to a boil again, remove the pot from the heat and then stir in lemon juice, fish sauce, chili, kaffir lime leaves and top with coriander leaves.

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Potato and Bacon Soup

February 21, 2010 at 11:04 am · Filed under soup

This is so good. It’s filling enough to be a meal …

POTATO SOUP

Onion

Bacon

2 tablespoons butter

4 medium potatoes

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup milk

1 cup cheese

Saute onion and bacon in pan with butter until soft. Add potatoes and broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and simmer for 15 mins or until potatoes are cooked. Stir in milk and cheese and heat gently. Puree if desired.

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Thai Style Pumpkin Soup

February 21, 2010 at 11:03 am · Filed under soup

I don’t particularly like soup and especially not pumpkin soup but this is delicious. It’s worth the extra effort to make the pesto as t really sets off the flavour of the soup.

Thai Style Pumpkin Soup

2 bunches coriander/cilantro

zest and juice of 1 lemon

2 garlic cloves

1/3 cup olive oil

1 chopped onion

2 teaspoons grated ginger

1 tablespoon red curry paste

1 butternut pumpkin

2 cups vegie stock

200ml/6oz coconut milk

To make coriander pesto – process coriander, lemon zest, lemon juice  and garlic in food processor. Slowly add 3 tablespoons of olive oil. If needed add warm water to get right consistency

Heat remaining oil (1 tablespoon) in a large pan over medium heat. Add onion and stir for 1 minute. Add ginger and curry paste and stir for 1 minute. Add pumpkin and stock, bring to the boil and then for 15 mins or until pumpkin is cooked. Cool slightly then blend until smooth. Add coconut milk  and warm though.

Serve topped with a spoonful of pesto.

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