Chocolate Cheesecake Slice (GF, TMX)

Happy birthday MUM!!

made this today for mum's birthday :) original recipe here

unfortunately even though the skewer came out clean and the slice looked clean, only the outside pieces were cooked and the middle 6-8 pieces were definitely not. in fact when i removed all the pieces around them to put in a container to take to mum's the top half slid off the bottom half of some of the pieces lol the picture above shows the slice on the rack upside down - it's so sloppy in the middle i can't even turn it over!!!

at least what i gave mum was cooked fine :)

so, i doubled the recipe and put it in a quite large tray, but it still came out quite thick, probably 4cm thick. I think next time i would double the cream cheese part (as it was quite thin) and cook 150% of the chocolate part. I'll put the quantities in the recipe for 100%, 150% and 200% ;D

this slice was perfect for gluten free baking, you'd never know it was!

MARBLED CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE SLICE
185g (280g, 370g) butter, cubed
25g (40g, 50g) cocoa
220g (330g, 440g) sugar
2 (3, 4) eggs
160g (240g, 320g) plain gluten free flour
250g (380g, 500g) cream cheese, softened
75g (110g, 150g) sugar, extra
5g (10g, 15g) vanilla
1 (1, 2) egg, extra

Melt butter with cocoa, 90'c, speed 2 for 3 or so minutes

add sugar and turn onto speed 3, add eggs through lid one by one

Add flour, and mix for 10 seconds on speed 4-5. scrape down sides of bowl and mix for another 10 seconds speed 4-5

Pour mixture into lined lamington tin.

Clean bowl with water (20 seconds speed 8) and empty out.

Add cream cheese, vanilla and extra sugar and extra egg. Mix speed 3 til the cream cheese is no longer a solid lump and then turn up to speed 4 and mix for around 20-30 secs

Pour over chocolate mixture, swirl through with knife for marbled effect.

Bake in 180C oven 40 (or so) mins, cool in tin, cut when cold

---- Sent from my 3 mobile

Quick & YUM Rocket Dip (GF, TMX)

we were heading out to a Coeliac Society afternoon tea and needed to take something to share but i don't have much in my pantry or fridge at the moment! (shopping trip is due but am waiting til after school holidays end ;))

i didn't have everything i needed to make the herb dip in the Every day thermomix book so i ended up with this:

2-4 cloves garlic, peeled
handful rocket
125g cream cheese
125g natural or greek yoghurt *

chop the garlic & rocket on speed 6 for 10 seconds
add the cream cheese and yoghurt & mix on speed 4 for 10 seconds, stop, scrape down and repeat.


* this makes quite a runny dip - if you have time try straining your yoghurt for a few hours to thicken

Just to make Damian jealous...

hehhehe


it was Geoff's birthday today so I decided to make him this cheesecake (and yes, that is the infamous cauliflower tagine i've been waiting for!) unfortunately violet crumbles and crunchie bars aren't gluten free (not many lollies are, surprisingly) so i had to use shaved chocolate as the decoration - next time i would use a combo of dark and white shaved.

Chocolate Cheesecake - gluten free version
as always please check ingredients to ensure brands are still gluten free

Ingredients
270g chocolate gluten free biscuits (or we used a mix of freedom chocolate ones and arnotts rice cookies)
55g butter
125g block milk chocolate (we used Cadbury
60g caster sugar
2 tsp vanilla bean paste or essence
750g cream cheese
5 eggs
160g sour cream
2 tbsp Dutch process cocoa mixed with a little warm water
small block of white and small block of dark chocolate
gluten free heart sprinkles

Method
Place biscuits and 40g butter into TM bowl and mill for 10 seconds on speed 7.
Press into large spring form pan and bake in 160°C oven for 10 minutes. Set aside.
In clean TM bowl chop chocolate with remaining 15g butter for 5 seconds on speed 4. Melt for 4 minutes at 37°C on speed soft.
Add sugar, essence and cream cheese and beat for 30 seconds on speed 8.
Add remaining ingredients and blend for 1 minute on speed 9.
Wrap a double layer of foil around the outside of the springform pan.
Pour cheesecake mix into spring form pan and place in a water bath in 160°C oven.
Cook for 1 hour or until set in centre.
Cool.
cover with peelings of chocolate and sprinkles sprinkled over lol



to be honest i wasn't that excited by this cheesecake, but i am not a chocolate cheesecake lover anyway! i think the honeycomb would have made it more interesting, or some baileys or other liqueur and / or berries would have made it more interesting.

it was not my day for cooking though, as i burnt the crust a little by having to go to the shop after putting it in the oven (mind you, the trip meant having to put the kids in our little car, without them all being properly restrained like they are in the big car, but g had taken that to put petrol in - usually we never need to go out when we're home alone with the kids on a weekend!!) i had only bought 250g of cream cheese and needed 3 times that!

i have made cheesecake 2-3 times in my life and have to admit i am no cheesecake chef :(

Links - Sweets (cakes, slices, pancakes etc) #3

first lot of links
second lot of links

apple pancakes

big batch banana trail mix bread

buttermilk sweet potato pie

chocolate almond bars

chocolate cheesecake brownies

chocolate cream pie (aka chocolate bavarian pie)

pumpkin pie with pecan crumble topping

sweetened condensed milk cake

buttermilk lemon bars

lemon cupcakes filled with lemon curd

lemon torte

sweet potato muffins

Mandarin cranberry bread

apple fig & walnut bread

chewy chunky blondies

lime yoghurt cake

snickerdoodle blondies

ginger cherry chocolate chip bars

and some more "New Ideas" - dips

and from another New Idea magazine

creamy tomato & bacon dip
fry 2 rashers bacon, finely chopped, until crisp. drain and add mccormick lemon, basil & thyme seasoning
put in bowl and add sour cream, finely chopped semi dried tomatoes, finely chopped gherkins and finely chopped basil.
refridgerate
serve with crudites

beetroot & hummus dip
mix hummus (damn, i didn't realise this used bought hommus), can of baby beets (drained), garlic, cumin and lemon juice in food processor
season and refridgerate
serve with asparagus spears, toasted naan bread wedges & slice sausages

corn & chilli dip
in food processor mix cream cheese and half a can corn (drained) til smooth
in bowl mix in remaining corn, sweet chilli sauce, lime zest, lime juice and a long red chilli, finely sliced. season and refridgerate
serve with lime wedges, rice crackers and grissini sticks

today's dips

i had planned to make beetroot dip, carrot dip and tzatziki.

i couldn't do the carrot as i forgot and put the last of my carrots in our spag bol sauce! (it's usually half vegies) so i did a white bean and feta dip after discovering the last of a block of feta in my fridge

1 tin butter beans, drained
some feta
some cream cheese (or sour cream perhaps)
a little olive oil
enough water to give the consistency you're after
fresh parsley
sprinkle of paprika

mash all ingredients until smooth or mix in thermomix (i forget, i think i did about 2o seconds on speed 4 or 6)

i also used jeff's tzatziki recipe (link later) and did my usual beetroot, though draining the yoghurt meant i didn't have enough lol

Raspberry Cream Cheese Brownies

250g butter, chopped
100g (1 cup) cocoa powder
220g (1 cup) caster sugar
240g (3/4 cup) raspberry jam
4 eggs, beaten lightly
1 tspn vanilla
185g (1 1/4 cups) plain flour
1/4 tspn bicarb (baking) soda

SWIRL TOPPING
250g cream cheese
75g (1/3 cup) caster sugar
1 egg
1/2 tspn vanilla
135g (1 cup) frozen or fresh raspberries

1. preheat oven to 160'c. grease a lamington pan
2. meltbutter. whisk in cocoa and cook til bubbling. remove from heat and whisk in sugar and jam. add eggs and vanilla, stir until smooth. fold in combine flour and soda. spread into pan.
3. swirl topping: beat cream cheese, sugar, egg and vanilla until smooth. fold in raspberries.
4. spoon swirl topping over chocolate mix. using a spoon or knife swirl to give marble effect
5. bake 35 mins. cool in oven with door ajar

suitable to freeze
AWW April 2006

review: made these to give to mum for mothers day. LOVE the idea of the raspberries in it and the jam too but wasn't keen on this recipe. i have another similar recipe (that is supposed to be a slice, this was really nothing like brownies) which is a much nicer recipe and i think i might try it with the berries. even the girls weren't keen on it.

YUM! sunday cooking

had to duck to lincraft to get a zipper for emelia's princess dress which is my main project this weekend, so i didn't get home til noon. finally cooked up those two caulis into soup which the kids have devoured - it is soooo good!

slight variation on the usual due to lack of ingredients and time:

onion, stock powder and water, about 1-2 garlic cloves crushed, 2 whole caulis cut into florets (large), 1 apple - cook til falling apart
add in some chive cream cheese and buttermilk and blend

serve with homemade garlic bread - yum~


we are also making jam drops as i bought a packet of raspberry tartlets the other day and ryan was addicted but no way i'm buying them all the time. used this recipe but had to add quite a bit more flour (but forgot to weigh it).

SANTA FE CHICKEN STEW

another from my paper stash - as yet untested

1 tbsp vege oil
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 tspn garlic powder
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 x 28oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 x 15oz can pinto beans, drained
1 x 14oz can kernel corn, drained
1 x 4oz can diced green chillies, drained
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 tspn cornstarch
1 1/4 lb cooked, shredded chicken
sour cream (garnish)
shredded cheddar cheese (garnish)

1. in dutch oven or large pot, heat oil. add onion and saute 2-3 mins
2. add taco seasonings, tomatoes, beans, corn & chillis, mix well
3. in small bowl gradually blend broth into cornstarch using a wire whisk, stir into stew
4. stir in cooked chicken. bring to a boil, stirring frequently
5. reduce heat to low, simmer uncovered 30 mins, stirring occasionally (simmer longer for thicker stew)
6. garnish each serving with sour cream and cheddar cheese if desired.

here is the 'brazen-ification' of this recipe, this is what i will do when i make it.

SANTA FE CHICKEN STEW, brazen style (Thermomix)

1 onion, peeled & quartered
1 clove garlic, peeled
a little olive oil
taco spices - about 1 tbsp cumin, 1 tbpn ground coriander, 1 tspn cumin seeds, 1 tspn oregano, 1/2 tspn paprika
800g 0r 2x 400g can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 x 400g can mexi beans, undrained
1 x 400g can kernel corn, drained
jalapeno green chillies (to taste), drained & diced
1 cup cold chicken stock
1/2 tspn cornflour
600g cooked, shredded chicken (that's about 1 double breast)
sour cream (garnish)
shredded cheddar cheese (garnish)

1. chop onion and garlic for around 5-8 seconds on speed 6. add oil and taco seasonings, and cook 2-3 mins on temp 90, speed 1
   
2. add chicken stock and cornflour and mix for approx 20 seconds on reverse speed 4 until blended
   
3. add tomatoes, beans, corn & chillis, and cooked chicken. cook for 20 minutes on ??60-80, reverse speed 3-4 ???? (will need to test this)
   
4. garnish each serving with sour cream and cheddar cheese if desired. would also be nice to serve with black olives, corn chips or cornbread
   

OR.... SLOW COOKER VERSION
I would also do this in the slow cooker. i would double if not triple the recipe. i would leave the chicken breasts whole and shred them after cooking. i would not put in teh chicken stock - i would use chicken stock powder and add maybe 1 cup of water, and then only add more if needed. it would probably need cooking for around 8 hours.

i will definitely have to try this one soon!

CARROT CAKE (Thermomix)

BRAZEN'S THERMOMIX CARROT CAKE

2 cups roughly diced carrot

2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup oil (I use grapeseed)
2/3 cup applesauce (make in thermo)
3 eggs
1/2 tspn salt
1 1/3 tspn baking soda (bicarb)
1 1/3 tspn baking powder
1 1/3 tspn cinnamon or mixed spice
1 1/3 cups plain flour

1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

place carrot in thermomix, chop on speed 6 for approx 5-10 seconds. remove.

place butterfly in thermo.
combine sugar and oil on speed 4 for approx 10-15 seconds. scrape sides down, add applesauce and mix on speed 4 for another 10-15 seconds.
reduce speed to 2 and add eggs one at a time through top and beat till smooth.
add dry ingredients and mix on speed 2 for around 10-15 seconds.
add in carrots and mix on speed 2 for 5-10 seconds.

pour into a greased cake tin and bake in a mod. slow over 160-180'c (325-350'F) for 1 hour.

(frosting yet to be thermo'd, will edit this later!)
cream cheese frosting:
250g / 8 oz cream cheese
3 tbspns butter
1 cup icing sugar
1 tspn vanilla

mix together and spread on cook cake.

JULIE'S CARROT CAKE

this recipe was given to me by a friend in the US and was the cake my mum made for our wedding it is a very light and 'fluffy' carrot cake, not like your traditional heavy ones.

1 cup sugar
1 cup oil
3 eggs
1/2 tspn salt
1 1/3 tspn baking soda (bicarb)
1 1/3 tspn baking powder
1 1/3 tspn cinnamon
1 1/3 cups plain flour
2 cups grated carrot
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

combine sugar and oil with a beater. add eggs one at a time and beat till smooth. add dry ingredients and beat. fold in carrots.

pour into a greased cake tin and bake in a mod. slow over 160-180'c (325-350'F) for 1 hour.

cream cheese frosting:
250g / 8 oz cream cheese
3 tbspns butter
1 cup icing sugar
1 tspn vanilla

mix together and spread on cook cake.

I'm just about to have a go at this one in the thermomix. on the stove is some cauli and bacon soup and in the slow cooker is a beef and vegie casserole with a splash of red wine.

after the carrot cake i'm going to make some sort of apple cake and maybe something else for snacks in teh freezer.

last night's dinner was delicious home made burgers and i even took pics! but i haven't uploaded them yet - trying to spend less time on the puter today so will post that later ...

Favourite slices

Some favourite slice recipes... mmmm yum!

MARBLED CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE SLICE
185g butter
1/4 cup cocoa
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup plain flour
250g cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar, extra
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg, extra

Melt butter with cocoa. Remove from heat, add sugar, whisk in eggs. Stir in sifted flour, beat until smooth. Pour mixture into lined lamington tin (16 x 26cm). Beat cheese, vanilla and extra sugar together, stir in extra egg. Pour over chocolate mixture, swirl through with knife for marbled effect. Bake in 180C oven 40 mins, cool in tin, cut when cold (bet you can't wait that long though!). I don't swirl too much, just till I get a few choc stripes through the cheesecake mixture. There should be 2 distinct layers: choc cake on the bottom and cheesecake on the top. If you swirl too much, the two mixtures will blend together and you'll lose the desired effect.

**this slice is sooooo yummy! i have only made it once or twice as i'm sure it's not on the healthy list LOL


Chocolate Fudge Slice
4 oz butter (120g or 1/2 cup)
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
2 Tab Cocoa
1 cup SR flour
1/2 cup coconut
vanilla

Melt butter, add sugar and egg, add vanilla and cocoa, then flour and coconut. Spread into greased, shallow tin, cook in moderate oven 25 min. Ice with Chocolate icing while hot (I just mix icing sugar, cocoa to the right "colour", a dash of vanilla, a couple of Tab of melted butter, and milk to consistency for the icing).

** this one is so quick and simple to make and everyone loves it


Passionfruit slice

makes 16

1 cup SR flour
1 cup desicated coconut
1/2 cup caster sugar
125gm melted butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence

topping
395g can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 passionfruit pulp ( I just use the tin pulp, about half the can)

pre heat oven at 180c
grease 3cm deep 20x30cm lamington tray
combine the flour, coconut, sugar, van ess. & butter in a bowl. Mix well and press inot tin.
Bake for 15 mins or until golden.

Make topping
reduce oven temp. to 140c mix topping ingredients together. Pour over base and bake for a further 10 minutes, or until golden around edges.

Allow to cool completely in pan before cutting into squares.

** one of my faves, i only make this one to take to morning teas as it's too rich to keep here where i would eat it all! LOL

all of these recipes from here