Chocolate, Coffee & Macadamia Ice Cream Cake {Weekend Cookbook}

As Christmas in Australia can be really hot, the traditional desserts often don’t suit our climate. Most of us turn to the good old Aussie Pav which is nice (and we almost always have one) but it gets a bit boring. 

Last Christmas I decided to mix things up a bit and make an Ice Cream Cake. It was a recipe that a girl I used to work with would make for us. Whenever there was a lunch or celebration we would look to Emma to make her famous ice cream cake. She put different things in to this recipe but it was similar. 

My favourite layer is the coffee layer (even though I don’t actually drink coffee very often).

If you are looking for Christmas Dessert Inspiration. I highly recommend this cake.

Chocolate, Coffee and Macadamia Ice Cream Cake

Our Christmas Desserts from 2011

2 litres of vanilla ice cream

1 litre of good quality chocolate ice cream

½ cup of macadamia nuts

½ cup of good quality white chocolate (buttons or broken up into small pieces)

¼ - ½  cup of made up coffee (instant/plunger/machine)

1. Line a spring form tin with baking paper (base and sides).

2. Divide vanilla ice cream into two portions. Return one to the freezer and allow the second portion to soften.

3. Once softened, mix through the nuts and the chocolate and spoon ice cream into prepared tin, cover and freeze for 2 hours.

4. Soften the remaining vanilla ice cream, then add the coffee (made up coffee not the granules or grounds). Mix through more coffee for a stronger coffee flavour (it is ok if you have to taste it lots of times to ensure the coffee flavour is just right...just make sure there is enough left for the cake). Spoon coffee layer over the nut and chocolate layer and freeze for 2 hours.

5. Soften the chocolate ice cream and spoon into the tin, cover and freeze.

6. Remove ice cream cake from the tin just before serving.

What are you cooking for dessert this Christmas?

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Chocolate & Salted Caramel Whoopie Pies {Weekend Cookbook}

I came across this recipe in a newspaper lift out while I was on holidays in Victoria. I had never before attempted a Whoopie Pie and honestly until about a year ago I had never even heard of them. They are an American treat but we won't hold that against it (joke!).

Mine were a bit doughy as I added more flour than this recipe because it was hard to roll the balls. I think I would just do blobs next time. These also tasted great with ice cream instead of cream.

Whoopie Pies (makes 20 pies)

Chocolate Outer

1 3/4 cup plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Salted caramel (to serve)
Stir (teaspoon or more to taste, of salt flakes through a can of top and fill)

whipped cream  or ice cream (to serve)

1.Preheat oven to 190 degrees. Line a baking tray with baking paper. 

2.In a bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and cocoa and set aside. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, then add sugars and beat again until light and fluffy. Add egg, mix well and then add buttermilk, vanilla and flour mixture and beat to form a smooth dough.

3.Roll (or blob) 1 tsp balls of dough and place on a baking tray about 4cm apart, pressing down with two fingers to form slightly rounded mounds. 

4.Bake 10-12 minutes, until slightly firm to the touch. Cool on a wire rack. When cool fill with salted caramel and whipped cream.






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Quick Mini Cheesecakes {Weekend Cookbook}

This is a recipe I stole from my hubby’s single man recipe book. He made it as an apricot cheesecake, but since I don’t like the gelatine layer I made it into a delicious plain cheesecake.

Apart from the setting time, it is a really quick cheesecake to make and since you don’t need to cook it there is almost no chance of it failing.

I often cook it as a whole cake but for this recipe I made little cheesecakes because we had them for a finger food party.

Quick  Mini Cheesecakes

(makes about 40  mini cheesecakes)

I made mine rustic looking but a piping them may be nicer.

Base:

½ pack of sweet biscuits, crushed (I used scotch finger)

3 tablespoons of butter melted

Filling:

250g of Philly cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup of caster sugar

300 ml of thickened cream

2 tablespoons of lemon juice

1.   Crush the biscuits in a small food processer then add the melted butter, making sure that the base stays a little bit crumbly. Push small spoons of biscuit mix into mini muffin cases.

2.   Using an electric mixer, mix the cream cheese and sugar and add the lemon juice.

3.   In a separate bowl, whip the cream until firm peaks form.

4.   Fold in the cream to the cheese mixture and fill the muffin cases. I just used a spoon but it would look nice if you used a piping bag.

5.   Allow to set in the fridge, then enjoy.

What have you been cooking this week?

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Weekend Cookbook: Lemon Explosion Cupcakes {Guest Post}

I can't remember how I found Honey, You Baked!, but it is one of my favourite food blogs and I just love the title. Recently I asked them to guest post for the Weekend Cookbook and I am very excited about this yummy recipe. If you want to follow Honey, You Baked! or know more about the girls, read their bio at the bottom of this post.

Lemon Explosion Cupcakes

Firstly, I need to give a BIG thankyou to Lisa for letting me guest blog.  We will have to get her over to Honey, You Baked! Sometime soon!!

Now there is not much in my life that can compare to a great cupcake.  They always cheer me up and the utter scrumptiousness of something seemingly so simple never fails to amaze me.  Today I thought I would share a recipe for one of those cupcakes.  Hold on to your hats! Your tastebuds will dance and sing!!

Lemon Explosion Cupcakes

                                                                                                                            

YOU WILL NEED:

For the cakes:

175g unsalted butter – softened

175g white sugar

3 eggs

A splash of vanilla extract

175g SR Flour

Rind and juice of 2 x good size lemons (rind finely chopped)

1/2 cup (or so) of milk

Cupcake moulds and papers

2 x soup spoons

For the Filling:

Cream Cheese

4 x Tablespoons sifted Icing Sugar

Juice of 1 x large lemon

1 x piping bag and round nozzle

Small sharp knife

For the Top:

Icing Sugar to dust

THE HOW TO:

• Preheat your oven to 180Deg C and get your cupcake trays and papers all ready

• Cream your butter & sugar in an electric mixer till light and fluffy

• Add vanilla, then eggs one at a time

• Add your flour, rind and lemon juice and milk and mix up well.

• Using the soup spoons, ladle the mixture into your papers.  You need them about 3/4 full.

• Bake for approx 20mins until lightly golden.

• Whip up your cream cheese, lemon juice & icing sugar until smooth and well combined.

• Place some of the mixture into a piping bag with round nozzle.

• Once the cakes have cooled, you can have a bit of fun with your presentation.  I’ve made Butterfly Cakes (always a hit with the kids), Cupcake Sandwiches and Filled Cupcakes (both fabulous as you can pop them in a container without fear of the icing sticking to the lid!). 

• For the Butterfly Cakes – Use the sharp knife and cut out a little cone shape of cake from the middle.  Cut this cone in half.  Fill with cream cheese mixture and then re-attach your “wings”.

• For the Cupcake Sandwiches – Slice your cakes through horizontally just under the mound section.  Dollop on some mixture and replace the top.

• For the Filled Cupcakes – grab your piping bag and stick the nozzle down into the cupcake and give a squirt of mixture.  You may have a little escaping out the top, which is easily wiped off. 

• Once all your cakes are done, give a liberal dusting over the tops with icing sugar.

Glorious little morsels – just waiting for the perfect occasion.  Afternoon Tea, Mothers Day or indeed ANY day!

About Honey, You Baked!

HYB is Danni & Mel, two friends and mummies, who used to work, cook and play together in Sydney. Now Mel has moved home to Tasmania and the girls spend time blogging about Baking, Making, Books, Babies and just about everything else in between! Drop us a line we would love to hear from you!!

www.honeyyoubaked.com

www.facebook.com/HoneyYouBaked

www.twitter.com/honeyyoubaked

About Danni (That’s me in the blue!)

I’m a SAHM mum from Sydney with two beautiful girls (6 and 16mnths) and a hard working hubby.  As well as HYB with my blog buddy Mel, I spend my time running after my family, my dog, growing my own veggies, sewing & crafting and expanding my small cake business (read: organisational freak lives here!).

What have you been cooking this week?

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Weekend Cookbook: A Dessert Feast

Last Friday night my friend Sami and I hosted a dessert and Tupperware Party. We both love baking and Tupperware so we decided to combine our two loves in an extravagant dessert night.

There were around 26 women packed into my house (lucky we have moved to a bigger house) and they got to sample at least nine different sweet treats while they perused the Tupperware catalogue.

I think that Sami made the prettiest and tastiest treats. Out of the five desserts that I created my favourite was the Chocolate and Hazelnut Torte.

Here is the recipe if you want to give it a try for yourself. It is surprisingly easy. It is just getting the meringue right which can sometime be a bit tricky.

Chocolate and Hazelnut Torte



Meringue Layer:
6 egg whites
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups caster sugar
300g hazelnuts, chopped
300g dark chocolate

Filling:
250ml thickened cream
250g mascarpone
2 tbs icing sugar

Glaze:
100g of dark chocolate
80ml of thickened cream
20g butter

1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees. Using a pencil, draw a circle around a bread plate on three sheets of baking paper and grease each sheet. Turn the paper pencil side down on a tray. This circle is your guide for spreading the meringue mixture.

2. To make the meringue, place egg whites, salt and a few spoonfuls of sugar into the bowl of electric mixer. Whisk until  soft peaks appear. Reduce speed to medium and a the rest of the sugar one spoonful at a time. Then increase speed to high again for 5 mins until you have a lovely glossy and thick meringue.

3.Chop the chocolate and the hazelnuts and mix into the meringue mixture. Spread a third of the mixture evenly onto each of the baking paper circles (on a tray). Bake for 45 minutes or until firm and lightly golden. Leave to cool on the trays.

Best not to use the very bottom of the oven...

because this can happen..but nothing that some scraping couldn't save

4. Make the filling by beating the thickened cream and mascarpone until soft peaks form (make sure they are there or this will happen). Sift in the icing sugar and beat again until it is smooth and has stiff peaks.

Filling fail on the right :(

5. When you are ready to assemble, make the glaze by combining the chocolate, cream and butter in a pyrex bowl over simmering water. Stir until melted and combined then remove and cool slightly.

6. To assemble, place one meringue layer on a serving plate, spread half the filling, then place your second meringue layer on the top , then the remaining filling and top with your prettiest meringue layer. Finally drizzle with glaze and enjoy!




What have you been cooking this week?

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Weekend Cookbook: Salted Caramel Chocolate Slice

I think I first found my love of sweet and salty together when some American friends gave me chocolate covered pretzels. I was hooked at first bite and was having them sent over to me for a while.

This slice brings back those memories for me. It is a delicious combination of salty sweet caramel and chocolate. The almonds also give it a delicious texture.

I have adapted this recipe from one I have been using in the Kate Bracks Cookbook “The Sweet Life”. It is one of five recipes I am cooking for a Dessert Night I am hosting tonight. I will roll those out for you in the coming weeks.

 Salted Caramel Chocolate Slice

Base:
½ cup SR flour
½ cup almond meal
½ cup brown sugar
60g butter, melted
Filling:
2 cans of condensed milk
60g butter
1/3 cup golden syrup
1 ½ teaspoons of sea salt flakes
50g slivered almonds
Topping:
125g dark chocolate, chopped
30g butter
½ sea salt flakes
1 tablespoon of flaked almonds

1.     Preheat oven to 175 degrees. Grease and line a slice tin with baking paper (or use the Tupperware one and you won’t need paper.

2.     To make the base place all the dry ingredients in a small food processer and blitz to combine. Add the melted butter and blitz until all combined. Press into the tin with the back of a spoon (get some little people to help). Bake for 15 mins and then set aside to cool.

3.     Combine the condensed milk, butter and golden syrup in a saucepan and stir over a low heat until the butter has melted. Increase the heat so that you see bubble every now and then. Make sure you stir constantly for about 7-8 minutes. You should see the mixture thicken. Add the salt and then almonds and pour over the cooled base and pop it back in the oven for 10 mins.

4.     After the filling has cooled a little make the topping by putting the chocolate and butter into a bowl and melting in 30 second bursts in the microwave until it is all melted and combined. Pour over the filling and sprinkle with almonds and salt.

5.     Once it is cooled keep in the fridge until set and cut into small squares.

What have you been cooking this week?

 Weekend Cookbook Guidelines
1. Link up a recipe that you have posted recently.
2. Link up by clicking on the link below and pasting your post URL (not your blog's URL)
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Weekend Cookbook: Super Easy Chocolate Cake

On Monday my CWA group is baking cakes for the Big Cake Bake to raise funds for the Red Cross.

I was wondering what I should bake and then thought of my old faithful cake friend...the Super Easy Chocolate Cake.

It is made with buttermilk which I also use in my scones so whenever I make scones I also make this cake with the leftover buttermilk. 

It is moist and tasty and best of all quick and easy.  I often don't bother with icing as it is yummy on its own but a basic chocolate icing or chocolate cream cheese icing works well.

Super Easy Chocolate Cake

I won't be winning any CWA prizes for this one but it will taste amazing

1 1/3 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 cup caster sugar
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
125g butter, melted, cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla essence

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Lightly grease a 6cm-deep, 20cm round cake pan. Line base with baking paper.
2. Sift flour, bicarbonate of soda and cocoa powder into a bowl. Add sugar. 






3.  In a separate jug combine buttermilk, eggs, melted butter and vanilla. Make a well in centre of flour mixture. Pour in buttermilk mixture. Beat on low speed until combined. Increase speed to high. Beat for 3 to 4 minutes or until thick and creamy.  



This was a double quantity

4. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. 
   
   
   What have you been cooking this week?
   
   
     
   
   
   Weekend Cookbook Guidelines
   1. Link up a recipe that you have posted recently.
   2. Link up by clicking on the link below and pasting your post URL (not your blog's URL)
   3. Share some love by checking out the other links and leave a comment. 
   4.If you make other blogger's recipe take a photo and post it in their facebook page (or yours and tag them). 
   5. Add the Weekend Cookbook button to your post/blog (it is on my sidebar).