Nutella Cheesecake

Nutella Cheesecake
Makes 1 cake | Prep Time: 20 mins | Bake Time: None (refrigerate for at least 4 hours)
Recipe Source: Nigella Lawson
Contributor: CP Choong

Ingredients:

10 oz graham crackers (digestive biscuits)
5 tablespoons soft unsalted butter
1 13-oz jar Nutella (at room temperature)
¾ cup chopped toasted hazelnuts
1 lb cream cheese (at room temperature)
½ cup confectioners’ sugar (sifted)

Method:

Break the graham crackers (digestives) into the bowl of a processor, add the butter and 15 ml or 1 tablespoon of Nutella, and blitz until it starts to clump. Add 25g/3 tablespoons of the hazelnuts and continue to pulse until you have a damp, sandy mixture.

Tip into a 23 cm/9-inch round springform and press into the base either using your hands or the back of a spoon. Place in the fridge to chill.

Beat the cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar until smooth and then add the remaining Nutella to the cream cheese mixture, and continue beating until combined.

Take the springform out of the fridge and carefully smooth the Nutella mixture over the base. Scatter the remaining chopped hazelnuts on top to cover and place the tin in the fridge for at least four hours or overnight. Serve straight from the fridge for best results.

Mini Lemon Cheesecake

Mini Lemon Cheesecake Recipe
Adapted from: Cuisine Paradise
Make 12 | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Bake Time: 22 minutes

Ingredients:

Crust:

3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (7 graham crackers)
1 tablespoon brown sugar, packed
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon lemon zest
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons lemon juice

Toppings:

Blueberry
Raspberry
Lemon slices

Method:

In a bowl, add in the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar and butter. Mix well. Divide the crumbs and press into bottom of the 12 soufflé baking cups. Refrigerate the crust.

Preheat the oven at 350°F.

Attach the metal blade to your food processor. Pulse the cream cheese until smooth. Scrap the side of the bowl with a spatula as needed. Add in the sugar and pulse again until smooth. Next, add the sour cream and lemon zest and pulse until smooth.

Add 1 egg at a time and pulse until combined. Lastly, add the vanilla extract and lemon juice. Scrap down the side and give it a few more pulses until smooth.

Remove the baking cups from the refrigerator. Place them in a muffin pan. Scoop the filling mixture into the baking cups.

Bake them for 20-22 minutes or until the centers are firm. Remove the cupcakes from the muffin pan to cool completely on a cooling rack.

Chill the cupcakes in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight. Garnish with the fruit toppings before serving.

Cook’s Note:

I used the 3.25 oz soufflé paper baking cups.

Steamed Moist Chocolate Cake

Steamed Moist Chocolate Cake

Makes 1 cake | Prep Time: 15 mins | Bake Time: 45 mins
Adapted from Cooking Crave
Contributor: CP Choong

Ingredients:

180g (6.3 oz) Butter
200g (7 oz) Castor sugar
200g (7 oz) Full cream evaporated milk
2 Eggs, slightly beaten with fork
100g (3.5 oz) Plain flour / All purpose flour
50g (1.7 oz) Cocoa powder
1/2 tsp Baking powder
1/2 tsp Baking soda
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract / 1 tsp Vanilla essence
2 tablespoons Rum (optional)

Chocolate Fudge Topping

200g (7 oz) Condensed milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract / 1 tsp vanilla essence
2 Tbsp corn oil
20g (0.7 oz) Cocoa powder, sieved
1 pinch of salt

Method:

Combine castor sugar, evaporated milk, vanilla extract/essence and butter in a saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved and butter is melted, remove from heat and keep warm.

Add beaten eggs into the slightly cold evaporated milk mixture and stir till well mix.

Sieve the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda into a large mixing bowl, then pour the eggs mixture over the flour and stir till well mix ( cake batter should be runny)

Heat up steamer.

Lined and greased an 8 or 9 inch round baking pan.

Pour the batter into the lined pan and place the pan into the steamer and cover the top of the pan loosely with a piece of aluminium foil.

Cover the steamer and steam over medium heat for 45 mins.

Cool the cake in pan before turning out for further decoration.

To make Chocolate Fudge Topping:

Combine the sieved cocoa powder, condensed milk and oil.

Stir over low heat till thicken.

Add in salt and vanilla extract or essence.

Cool the chocolate topping a little before spreading on the cake.

Refrigerated before serving it.

Cook’s Note:

You may substitute the fudge topping with ganache, icing sugar, frosting etc.

Raisin Butter Cake

Raisin Butter Cake Recipe
Makes 3 mini loaves
Adapted from Food-4Tots

Ingredients:

2 and 1/3 stick (250g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
7 oz (200g) plain flour/all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
7 oz (200g) castor sugar
4 eggs
½ tsp salt
4 tablespoons fresh milk
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1/4 cup raisins + 1 tablespoon all purpose flour (mix together)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Lightly grease the pan with some butter.
3. Mix the flour and the baking powder together and sieve. Add in salt and mix well. Set aside.
4. Use an electronic beater to mix butter and sugar until well combined or pale yellow in color. (Note: Sugar has not dissolved yet).
5. Add in the first egg. Beat well after each addition of egg until creamy.
6. Scrape down the sides for even mixing.
7. Add in vanilla essence and mix well.
8. Fold in the flour into the mixture and mix well.
9. Finally, add in the milk and fold in the raisins. Mix well.
10. Pour the mixture into the greased baking pan. Shake it lightly to distribute cake mixture evenly.
11. Bake until golden brown and cooked, about 40 minutes. Use a cake tester to test if it’s cooked.
12. Remove it from the oven and let cool on the wire rack for another 5 minutes. Serve warm.