Oreo Cheesecake

Hello Everyone!

With Easter having just past us by, you may be a bit fed up with those never-ending chocolate eggs (no!? Well, a change may be what you're pining for). Although this is still chocolate, it is a change as it's Oreo biscuits and a creamy cheesecake filling- and who doesn't love Oreo's!? 

I have made this recipe a number of times before, and I can honestly say that for me, it took a fair few tries to get this 'perfect' and how it should be. Problems I've had have been; the biscuit base didn't stick together (too crumbly/fell apart), and the filling didn't set (it was more like melted ice cream). So I hope that this works for you, unlike my first few attempts- also there is no 'baking in the oven' involved.

Ingredients:
*1 packet of Oreo's (about 14 biscuits)
* 1/4 cup of Butter (or add as you go)
* 1 tub of Philadelphia Cream Cheese
* 1/2 cup of Sugar
* 1 tsp Vanilla Essence
* 1 tub of Whipped/Whipping Cream

Method:
1. Separate the Oreo biscuits (the two biscuit halves and the white cream centre), put cream in one bowl to use later.

2. With the biscuit halves crush them into crumbs, either mechanically or manually, and set to one side.

3. Melt the butter in a saucepan over a low heat. 

4. Pour the melted butter over the cookie crumbs to stick it together. If they don't form a 'buttery biscuit base' then you could add more butter until you get the correct consistency. Transfer the biscuit crumb mixture into the round baking tray and flatten to fit the tin. Place the tray in the fridge to partly set whilst making the filling.
5. Beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla essence together in a mixing bowl, until well blended. For this you could mix it by hand or with an electric whisk or mixer.

6. Stir in the whipped cream to the creamy mixture- if you buy 'whipping cream' then you will have to beat it, until whipped (you could use a whisk or spoon and mix by hand-which will take a long time, or use an electric whisk or mixer). 

7. Pour in the cookie crumbs and the cream whites to the mixture and stir/whisk together until a smooth creamy consistency.

8. Pour the cheesecake mixture into the baking tray with the biscuit base and evenly spread over the top. 

9. Place in the fridge for a few hours or over night to set properly.

10. To serve, either cut into the cheesecake with a knife and serve. If you use a baking tray, like mine, with a removable bottom which will make the cheesecake look more presentable.

I hope that you enjoy making this really simple and quick cheesecake recipe, if you don't get it right the first time, don't worry its hard to get anything 'perfect' without attempting it multiple times. Trust me this happens to me many-a-time. 
I'd be interested to see how your cheesecake's turn out, if you choose to make it, post pictures or links! :D

Chocolate and Vanilla Marble Loaf

Hello Everyone!

As you all probably know by now, by reading some of my other blog posts (if you have that is... ;)..) that I am a huge fan of cooking. Anytime I have a day off or no work do of an evening I will buy some ingredients to bake a cake, or cook dinner some nights. Although I do cook quite often, I still get really nervous letting other people try what I cooked..what if they don't like it? what if I make them ill? All extremes, I know!

So, this week I decided I wanted to make a cake loaf and I settled with the idea of baking a chocolate and vanilla marble loaf- the marble aspect of it didn't turn out as I had hoped, but it was still yummy nonetheless.

Ingredients:
* 225g Butter
* 225g Caster Sugar
* 275g Self-raising Flour
* 2 tsp Baking Powder
* 4 Eggs (medium/large preferably)
* 2 tbsp Milk
* ½ tsp Vanilla Essence
* 1½ tbsp Cocoa Powder
* 2 tbsp Hot/Warm Water

Pre-Heat the oven at 160c/ Gas Mark 3

Method:
1. Put the butter, sugar, flour, baking powder, eggs, milk and vanilla essence into a mixing bowl and mix/ stir together until it is well blended and you get a thick consistency.

 

2. Pour half of this mixture into another mixing bowl. Place one bowl to the side and leave until your pour into the baking tin.

3. In a jug or bowl pour the hot water and into this add the cocoa powder. Mix the two together until smooth and then add to one of the bowls. Stir in the chocolate mix until you get a chocolatey mixture.

4. Spoon in the chocolate and vanilla mixtures into the greased baking tin randomly, until the two bowls are empty. To achieve a marble effect, add spoonfuls of the different mixtures in a variety of places and quantities, whilst baking in the oven they will combine together.
5. Place the tin in the pre-heated oven for 50 minutes to an hour, depending on how long the cake takes to rise.

6. Once the cake is fully cooked (if you're wary you can stick a knife into the cake a remove it to see if the cake is sticky inside- cook for longer if this is the case) remove it from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for a while. After a few minutes you can turn the cake out onto a cooling rack.

7. When you feel it is cool enough, you may eat it.

Have fun baking this! It's such a simple cake to make and adapt to suit what you like about a cake

Recipe: Chocolate Drops

Hello Everyone!

Last week I decided to do some baking. I love baking, I genuinely think opening my own bakery would be brill! The only thing I don't like is the waiting around for it to cook in the oven, it just always takes too long! :( 20-30 minutes seems like hours to wait.

This time I chose to bake some chocolate cookie type things, called Chocolate Drops (I call them chocolate poo's, you'll see why later). The recipe for them is from my mum, I think it may have been past down to her from someone in my family. Chocolate Drops are so yummy and amazing, you'll never want to put them down. If I ever feel a random impulse to bake, the ingredients are also those you're more likely to find in your cupboards.

Ingredients: (Makes 18-20)
* 100g Butter
* 50g Caster Sugar
* 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Essence
* 90g Plain Flour
* 15g Cocoa Powder

Pre-Heat the oven at 190c/ Gas Mark 5

Method:
1. Cream together the butter, sugar and vanilla essence until light and fluffy.
2. Sift the flour and cocoa powder into the mix and stir together.

3. With a spoon drop 18-20  teaspoons of mixture on a greased baking tray, making sure they're well apart. (if you want them to be bigger, then you'll end up with less drops)

4.Bake in the oven at 190c (Gas Mark 5) for 17 minutes.
5. When thoroughly cooked, remove from the oven and leave them on a cooling rack for 1-2 minutes. 

6. After they have cooled, it is now time for the best part... eating them.

This is such a simple and quick recipe to make, even those not confident with cooking can make these. You should try making them to understand my love for them.