Gems from the Interwebs

White Chocolate and Raspberry Cheesecake

May be stretching the definition of baking as it’s more dessert and doesn’t require any oven time, but tastes good :) I don’t normally like cheesecake, but the overloading of chocolate in this one compensates for the cream-cheese taste.

(serves 12)

400g white chocolate

400g-500g digestives

200g butter

1 tsp ground ginger

200g cream cheese

200ml double cream

250ml crème fraiche

100g raspberries

1. Grease the bottom of a suitable dish - I used a silicone one for ease of pressing out
2. Melt butter and crush digestives, then mix together with the ginger to make a biscuit base, pressing into the base of a tin
3. Whisk cream, crème fraiche and philidelphia
4. Break-up and melt white chocolate
5. Quickly stir into cream mix then spoon onto biscuit base
6. Leave in fridge at least 1 hour; preferably overnight
7. Decorate with raspberries.

11am

Triple Chocolate and Cranberry (or Raisin) Cookies

227g butter

150g demerara sugar

70g musvocado sugar

100g white sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla

320g flour

8tbsp cocoa powder

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

100g dark chocolate chunks

100g white chocolate chunks

1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins

1. Beat the butter and sugars until smooth
2. Beat in the egg and vanilla
3. Mix the flour, cocoa, and bicarbonate of soda, then stir into the main mixture
4. Stir in chocolate and dried fruit
5. Bake 11 minutes at 190oC on ungreased trays until edges begin to set
6. Cool 2 mins on wire rack then remove from trays and cool completely.

12am

A school friend (hey, Pamela!) always brought this in as a pre-holiday treat… delicious :)

Mars Bar Cake

3 Mars Bars

3 tbsp golden syrup

112g butter

Rice Krispies

Chocolate to cover

1. Melt mars bars, syrup and butter in a pan until combined; don’t let it bubble. 
2. Stir in enough rice krispies to use up the melted liquid.  
3. Pour into a greased tray and cover with melted chocolate.

10am

Ginger Molasses Cookies

essentially, these taste like Christmas.

Makes about 35.

340g plain flour

2 tsp of bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp ground ginger

1½ tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp ground allspice

½ tsp ground cloves

170g unsalted butter, softened

90g soft dark sugar

110g granulated sugar, plus 50g for rolling cookies

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

110g treacle

1. Preheat oven to 190oC and line two baking sheets with parchment paper
2. Combine the dry ingredients (flour, bicarbonate of soda, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves) in a bowl  
3. Beat the butter until light and fluffy, add in the brown sugar and 110g granulated sugar and continue mixing until well combined. 
4. Add in the egg, vanilla and treacle and beat at medium speed for 30 seconds. 
5. Add in the dry ingredients and beat until just combined. 
6. Place remaining 50g of granulated sugar in bowl. Scoop out dough in about 1 tbsp scoops, and roll into a ball, then roll the ball in the granulated sugar and place on the prepared cookie sheets about 1 or 1 1/2 inches apart.  
7. Bake in the oven for 11-12 minutes until cracked.  
8. Let them cool for 5 minutes on the tray and then remove to wire rack.

12pm