Salted caramel and hazelnut ganache tart with toasted marshmallow & raspberries

My 3yo nephew was literally shaking with excitement when I put this tart down in front of him. If that’s not a win, then I don’t know what is 🙂 Here’s how y’all can bake it too.

RECIPE

Serves: 6–8
Time: Around 5 hours

SWEET PASTRY (video tutorial and recipe from Scoff)

• 300g plain flour
• 200g butter
• 100g sugar
• 1 egg

Combine flour, butter and sugar in a food processor. Process until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add yolk and chilled water. Process until dough just comes together.

Turn pastry onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until just smooth. Shape into a disc. Wrap in cling wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Place pan on a baking tray. Line pastry case with baking paper. Fill with ceramic pie weights or uncooked rice. Bake at 180C for 10 minutes. Remove weights and paper. Bake for a further 5 to 10 minutes or until pastry is golden. Allow to cool.

SALTED CARAMEL  (recipe pinched from Donna Hay)

• 1 cup (250ml) single (pouring) cream
• 50g unsalted butter
• 1½ cups (330g) white sugar
• ½ cup (125ml) water
• 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes

To make the salted caramel, Place the cream and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and set aside. Place the sugar and water in a medium saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved. Place a sugar thermometer in the pan increase the heat to high. Bring to the boil and cook for 10–12 minutes, without stirring, or until the temperature reaches 150°C and the mixture is a deep caramel colour. Remove from the heat and working quickly, add the salt and cream and butter mixture and whisk to combine. Return to the heat and cook for a further 2 minutes or until thickened slightly.

Spoon the salted caramel into the tart shell and refrigerate for a 2–3 hours or until set.

DARK CHOCOLATE & NUTELLA GANACHE (recipe pinched from Donna Hay, with some added pizazz)

• 300g dark chocolate, chopped
• 1 cup (125ml) single (pouring) cream
• ½ cup Nutella
• A handful of hazelnuts

To make the dark chocolate ganache, place the chocolate and cream in a small saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring, until melted and smooth. Add Nutella and stir until combined.  Allow to stand for 10 minutes or until thickened slightly. Pour the chocolate mixture over the caramel and refrigerate. All to cool slightly. Roughly chop hazelnuts and sprinkle over the semi-set ganache. Return to the fridge for 1–2 hours or until set.

MARSHMALLOW & RASPBERRIES (recipe from Martha Stewart)

• 2 punnets of raspberries
• 150g egg whites
• 225g caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste
• 1 teaspoon of icing sugar

Place raspberries in uniform rows on top of the set ganache.

In the bowl of a standing mixer, whisk egg whites on medium-high until a ‘bubble bath’ consistency is achieved. While whisking, gradually add sugar.  Whisk on high till the marshmallow is glossy, shiny and stiff. Pipe dollops of marshmallow in the spaces between each of the raspberries, the wreak havoc with the blowtorch. Sprinkle with icing sugar.

Here are some photos of the messy remnants.

  

Chocolate brownie meringue cake with mascarpone cream, berries & raspberry coulis

Aside from the days ending in ‘y’,  there are few occasions where it’s acceptable to eat my own weight in food.* So, huzzah for Christmas and all the wonderful things that come with it! – tonnes of nibbles, great company and (as it turns out) one of the sweetest Secret Santa presents I could have hoped for. I’m sending out a big squeezy hug to you Jess, as a thank you for bestowing upon me my very own Fakery Bakery wooden spoon and tea towel. My heart is still glowing with all the warm fuzzies. ❤

This year, Gary and Andy bravely sacrificed their home to the perils of our group’s festive shenanigans. To distract anyone from asking “who ate all the ham?”**, I brought along this chocolate brownie/meringue hybrid cake. If you’ve read my ‘baking buzzwords’ post, you’ll recognise this as a text-book ‘Superfood’. It’s essentially a brownie, which when half baked, is topped with chocolate meringue and left in the oven to bake to perfection. It’s then wrapped in chocolate and topped with mascarpone cream, natures candy (AKA berries), and raspberry coulis. It all looks a little tricky but it’s actually surprising easy.

All in all, I rate this Christmas 11/10. I hope your Christmas was wonderful too! xx

*Pro tip: Impress friends by eating your cake with no hands. Just your face. Really, the people love it. THEY LOVE IT.
** I once ate an entire ham all on my own. I ate it over the course of a week, but nevertheless, people don’t forget.

 

RECIPE

Serves: 20 elves
Time: Around 4 hours

CHOCOLATE MERINGUE CAKE (recipe pinched from Donna Hay)

• 360g dark chocolate, chopped
• 270g unsalted butter, chopped
• 3 eggs
• 6 eggs, extra, separated
• 3/4 cup (90g) brown sugar
• 1 1/2teaspoon vanilla extract
• 75g plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder, sifted
• 60g almond meal (ground almonds)
• 330g caster (superfine) sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon white vinegar
• 4.5 teaspoons cornflour (cornstarch), sifted
• 37g Dutch cocoa, sifted, plus extra, for dusting

Preheat oven to 160ºC (325ºF). Lightly grease a 24cm-round springform cake tin, line the base with non-stick baking paper and set aside. Place the chocolate and butter in a medium saucepan over low heat and stir occasionally until melted and smooth. Allow to cool slightly. Place the eggs, extra egg yolks, brown sugar and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer and whisk for 3–4 minutes or until pale and thick. Add the chocolate mixture, flour, baking powder and almond meal and fold gently to combine. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 35–40 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside. Increase the oven temperature to 180°C (350°F). Place the extra egg whites in the clean bowl of an electric mixer and whisk on high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar, whisking until dissolved. Add the vinegar and whisk for a further 2–3 minutes or until the meringue is thick and glossy. Fold through the cornflour and cocoa and spoon the mixture onto the partially cooked cake. Spread evenly and return the cake to the oven for 20–25 minutes or until the meringue is golden and crisp. Allow the cake to stand at room temperature for 15–20 minutes before gently running a small knife around the edge and removing the ring. Allow the cake to cool at room temperature and refrigerate for 2 hours before decorating.

Note: This cake is supposed to look rustic and uneven – don’t be alarmed if it cracks or collapses a little.

CHOCOLATE SHELL (thanks to SnapGuide)

• 1 cup chocolate melts

Temper chocolate. Measure a piece of parchment paper that goes all the way around the cake. Make any design you’d like on the paper. Wrap it around the cake, and place in the fridge for 15 minutes. Carefully peel of paper and admire your masterpiece.

MASCARPONE CREAM (kudos to food.com)

• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1 cup mascarpone cheese
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
• 6 tablespoons caster sugar

Using an electric mixer, whip marscarpone with cream and sugar until thick like firmly whipped cream. Add vanilla. Cover and chill until needed, up to 2 days. (Remove from fridge and bring to room temperature just before serving, optional).

RASPBERRY COULIS (Martha Stewart)

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 500 raspberries (frozen is fine)

Combine sugar, berries, and 1/2 cup water in a saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium low; cook until sugar is dissolved, about 8 minutes. Use a pastry brush dipped in water to brush down any sugar crystals on the side of the pan. Remove from heat; cool completely. Place mixture in the jar of a blender; puree until smooth. Pass through a fine-mesh colander, and discard solids.

EXTRA FRILLY BITS

• Fresh berries
• Icing sugar (for dusting)

Naked chocolate, whiskey and maple soaked fig cake

Chocolate! Whiskey! Maple! Figs! With their tasty powers combined… they create The Naked Chocolate, Whiskey & Maple Soaked Fig Layer Cake. That is, four of my husband’s all-time favourite snacks brought together to create one intoxicatingly glorious birthday cake.

I’ve never been a big fan of whiskey (except for its part in making irish cream), however I think this cake may have finally won me over. Not only does it give the cake great flavour, but the more I eat the more impressed I become with my own baking prowess; a perception which is, of course, directly proportionate to my increasingly tipsy state. Trust me when I say, the left over batter and sauce from this cake was sampled thoroughly… for quality control purposes. Yes, yes that sounds right.

Now, here’s the recipe. Don’t balls it up 🙂

RECIPE

Serves: 20 people
Time: 5 hours, 17 minutes, 12 seconds, 3 micro-seconds
Basic order:
Up to one week prior
1. Make sauce and keep in fridge until needed.
Up to a few days prior
1. Make cake and let cool overnight.
2. Gladwrap and keep in fridge until needed.
Day of
1. Assemble and frost.
2. Shovel all the deliciousness into your cake hole.
3. Regret nothing!

WHISKEY CHOCOLATE CAKE (Recipe ‘borrowed’ from Epicurious)

• 2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process) plus 3 tablespoons for dusting pan
• 3 cups brewed coffee
• 1 cup American whiskey
• 550g unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 4 cups sugar
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 165°C. Butter two cake pans well, then dust with 3 tablespoons cocoa powder, knocking out excess.

Heat coffee, whiskey, butter, and remaining cup of cocoa powder in a saucepan over moderate heat, whisking  until butter is melted. Remove from heat, then add sugar and whisk until dissolved (about 1 minute). Transfer mixture to a large bowl and cool for 5 minutes.

While chocolate mixture cools, combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.  Lightly whisk the eggs and vanilla (in a separate bowl), then whisk into cooled chocolate mixture until combined well. Add flour mixture and whisk until just combined (batter will be thin and bubbly). Pour batter into bundt pan and bake until a wooden pick or skewer inserted in centre comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes.

Cool cake completely in pan on a rack, about 2 hours. Loosen cake from pan using tip of a dinner knife, then invert rack over pan and turn cake out onto rack.

Note: This cake improves in flavour if made at least 1 day ahead and kept, in a cake keeper or wrapped well in plastic wrap, at cool room temperature. It can be made up to 5 days ahead and chilled. Bring to room temperature before serving.

 

MAPLE, FIG & WHISKEY SAUCE (My own recipe. Go me!)

• 1 cups dark brown sugar
• 150ml maple Syrup (the real stuff)
• 150g unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 300ml thickened cream
• 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup of whiskey
• 350g dried figs (note: these will be separated out and used for the buttercream and filling between cake layers)

Combine sugar, maple syrup, butter, figs, cream, vanilla and salt in a saucepan and bring to boil. Reduce to a simmer and allow to bubble away until thick and golden, stirring occasionally. Don’t worry if a couple of figs burst, as this will only add to the overall flavour. Allow sauce to cool before adding whiskey. Remove figs from sauce and place in bowl for use in frosting and assembly. Refrigerate until needed.

Optional: To give the sauce a richer, closer-to-whiskey colour,  spoon a small amount of sauce into a bowl and mix in a smidge of burgundy colouring. Return sauce to the saucepan and mix to combine.

FIG CHEESECAKE FROSTING (Recipe ‘borrowed’ from Martha Stewart, with some major tweaks)

• 5 large egg whites
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 450g unsalted butter, cut into cubes (room temperature)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3 cups icing sugar
• 250g cream cheese (room temperature)
• Figs (some of the less-than-pretty ones from your sauce making venture), finely chopped

Combine egg whites, sugar, and salt in the heatproof bowl of a standing mixer set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk constantly by hand until mixture is warm to the touch and sugar has dissolved (the mixture should feel completely smooth when rubbed between your fingertips).

Attach the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Starting on low and gradually increasing to medium-high speed, whisk until stiff (but not dry) peaks form. Continue mixing until the mixture is fluffy and glossy, and completely cool (test by touching the bottom of the bowl), about 10 minutes.

With mixer on medium-low speed, add the butter and cream cheese a few tablespoons at a time, mixing well after each addition. Once all butter and cream cheese has been added, whisk in vanilla. Switch to the paddle attachment, and continue beating on low speed until all air bubbles are eliminated, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl with a flexible spatula, add the finely chopped figs and continue beating until the frosting is completely smooth. Keep frosting at room temperature if using the same day.

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

Ensure frosting and sauce are at room temperature.

Divide each of the cakes in two to create four layers. Place the first layer on a cake base and on a turn table. Spread a layer of the frosting on to the first layer, then pipe a round of frosting around the edge  – this will ensure the filling doesn’t escape. Then, scatter a handful of chopped figs and drizzle some of the sauce.  Place the second layer on top, pressing it down slightly to secure it in place. Repeat till all four layers are done. Ice the top of the cake, and then run a spatula around the outside of the cake to create the naked effect. Smear dollops of the sauce onto the cake and run the spatula around the cake once more.

Optional: I also added a couple of teaspoons of straight whiskey between each layer to give a little extra kick.

Funfetti ‘hot air balloon’ layer cake

I’m gasp just gasp a little bit gasp INCREDIBLY excited. No, no, it’s not a sugar high*. My hussy (why do people shorten it to hubby?) and I just bought an amazing apartment AND booked a getaway to France. Oh oiu oiu! Magnifique! Croissant!

*…this time.

Now. Serious face. Focus! It’s blog writing time.

I’ve been oogling the funfetti cakes of Pinterest for some time now, so when my beautiful colleague Kim’s office ‘baby shower / farewell / don’t leave us / barricade the exits!!’ celebrations came up, I pounced. As it turns out, there are many things pregnant ladies can’t eat. Sadly this meant no gooey marshmallow (shock, horror!), but I’m ok again now.

So, without further adieu… I present! The pregnant-lady-friendly baby shower ‘hot air balloon’ cake.

WARNING: You have approximately two minutes before the lantern goes up in flames. But it sure is pretty in the meantime! And no, it won’t up and fly away.

RECIPE

Serves: 20 people
Fakery level: Easy peasy lemon squeazy
Time: Around 5 hours (including oven time, cleaning and fending off toddler)
Basic order:
Night prior
1. Bake two vanilla sprinkle cakes.
Day of
2. Trim off yucky brown outside layer of cake
3. Make buttercream
4. Set 2/3 of buttercream aside. Mix sprinkles into remaining buttercream.
5. Spread plain buttercream on top of one cake, then cover with mini marshmallows and sprinkles.
6. Place second cake on top.
7. Crumb coat cake. Place in fridge for 15 minutes to firm up slightly.
8. Ice top of the cake with plain buttercream
9. Pipe two rounds of sprinkle buttercream around the base of the cake. Pipe plain buttercream rounds until you reach the height of the cake.
10. Using a long metal spatula, press the icing into the cake while moving around the circumference. Here a nifty step-by-step tutorial for making the icing lovely and smooth.
11. Pipe two rounds of buttercream dollops around the outside edge of the cake top. Cover the centre space with sprinkles. This technique will help create a smooth ombre effect.
12. Smooth out the icing.
13. Now to make your cake topper! Using a knife, cut an ice cream cone into two pieces. Place tea light inside cone top. Pearce the edges with two toothpicks on opposites side of the cones rim. Place the paper lantern on top.
14. Bask in your triumphant cake victory! *the crowd roars*

VANILLA SPRINKLE CAKE (base recipe thieved from here)

• Melted butter, to grease
• 450g (3 cups) self-raising flour
• 150g (1 cup) plain flour
• 440g (2 cups) caster sugar
• 300g butter, cubed, at room temperature
• 310ml (1 1/4 cups) milk
• 6 eggs, at room temperature
• 3 teaspoons vanilla essence
• Oodles of sprinkles

Preheat oven to 140°C. Position a rack on the second lowest shelf of the oven. Brush a round 25cm (base measurement) cake pan with the melted butter to lightly grease (see Notes tab for instructions for other tin sizes). Line base and sides with non-stick baking paper.

Place the self-raising flour, plain flour, sugar, butter, milk, eggs and vanilla essence in a large mixing bowl. Use an electric beater to beat on low speed for 30 seconds or until just combined. Increase the speed to high and beat for 1-2 minutes or until the mixture is thick and all the butter is incorporated. Mix in sprinkles. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with the back of a spoon.

Bake in preheated oven for 2 1/2 hours or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and set aside for 10 minutes. Turn onto a wire rack for 2 hours or until completely cool.

Once cool, trim off the ugly brown outside layer. For structural integrity purposes, start with the top/bottom and finish with the outside edges.

BUTTERCREAM (recipe thieved from here)

• 1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened
• 3 – 4 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• pinch salt
• 2-3 tablespoons milk, heavy cream, or half-and-half

Place softened butter into the bowl of a stand mixer that has been fitted with the paddle attachment. Turn the mixer on a medium setting and cream the butter until it is smooth and has lightened in color, about 3 minutes.

Add confectioner’s sugar, ½ a cup at a time. After each cup has been incorporated, turn the mixer onto the highest speed setting and for about 10 seconds to lighten the frosting.

Add vanilla and a pinch of salt and combine until well-incorporated.

Add milk, heavy cream or half-and-half until the frosting has reached the preferred consistency. For a firmer frosting, add more confectioner’s sugar, a ¼ cup at a time. For a softer frosting, add more milk or cream, a tablespoon at a time.

Set 2/3 of buttercream aside. Mix sprinkles into remaining buttercream.

CAKE TOPPER

• 1 paper lantern
• 1 ice cream cone
• 2 toothpicks
• 1 tea light candle

Using a knife, cut an ice cream cone into two pieces. Place tea light inside cone top. Pearce the edges with two toothpicks on opposites side of the cones rim. Place the paper lantern on top.

 

Fudgey chocolate, raspberry & toasted marshmallow layer cake

Here’s a moorish little number I whipped up for my colleague birthday. It’s fair to say that I’ve take my office-cake-making-responsibilities very seriously…

Building the layers

The final ‘ermaaaagaaawd’ result

RECIPE

Serves: 20 people (or one hungry hungry hippo)
Time: Around 5 hours (including oven time and cleaning… so much cleaning!)
Basic order:
Night prior
1. Bake cakes.
2. While cakes are baking, make chocolate fudge.
3. Once cakes are baked, used the cakes tins to press down on and flatten the top of each cake.
4. Allow both cake and fudge to cool overnight.
Day of
5. Divide each of the cakes in two to create four layers.
6. Make raspberry buttercream.
7. Assemble layers (with buttercream, raspberries and chocolate fudge between each layer).
8. Lightly ice top and sides of cake, place in fridge for 15 minutes to firm up.
9. Coat it once more with the remaining frosting.
10. Cover top of cake with chocolate fudge and allow it drizzle naturally down the sides.
11. Make meringue.
12. Pipe dollops of marshmallow onto the top of the cake. Blow torch them (while laughing hysterically*).

*Optional, but encouraged.

CHOCOLATE CAKE (recipe more-or-less pinched from Donna Hay)

• 500g butter
• 2 2/3 cups (470g) brown sugar
• 6 eggs
• 4 cups (600g) plain (all-purpose) flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 2/3 cup (70g) cocoa powder
• 2 cup (500ml) natural pot set yoghurt
• 500g dark chocolate, melted

Preheat oven to 160°C (325°F). Grease two 22cm cake tins. Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until light and creamy. Add the eggs and beat well. Sift the flour, baking powder and cocoa over the butter mixture, add the yoghurt and chocolate, and mix until just combined.

Pour the mixture into the tin and bake for 55 minutes to 1 hour or until just set. Cool in the tin.

CHOCOLATE FUDGE SAUCE (recipe more-or-less pinched from browneyedbaker.com)

• 250mls (1 cup) thin cream
• 100g (1/2 cup, firmly packed) brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons golden syrup
• 20g (1 tablespoon) butter
• 200g good-quality dark cooking chocolate, chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste

Combine the cream, brown sugar, golden syrup and butter in a medium saucepan. Stir over medium-high heat until boiling. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes (until sugar begins to caramelise). Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate until melted. Add the vanilla bean paste and use a hand whisk to mix until smooth.

RASPBERRY BUTTERCREAM FROSTING (recipe more-or-less pinched from Martha Stewart)

• 3/4 cup frozen raspberries (plus extra to scatter between the layers)
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

In a small bowl, squish the (defrosted) berries with a fork until juicy.

In another bowl, beat butter on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to medium and add confectioners’ sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl as needed.

MARSHMALLOW (recipe more-or-less pinched from Martha Stewart)

• 150g egg whites
• 225g caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste

In the bowl of a standing mixer, whisk egg whites on medium-high until a ‘bubble bath’ consistency is achieved. While whisking, gradually add sugar.  Whisk on high till the marshmallow is glossy, shiny and stiff. Use immediately.

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

Divide each of the cakes in two to create four layers.

Place the first layer on a cake base and on a turn table. Spread a layer of the frosting on, then scatter some raspberries and drizzle some of the cool chocolate fudge sauce over it. Place the second layer on top, pressing it down slightly to secure it in place. Repeat till all four layers are done and sides have been lightly covered in frosting. Place it in the freezer for about 15 minutes for it to firm up.

Coat it once more with the remaining frosting and smooth it out using a spatula. Drizzle some of the remaining fudge sauce on the edge of the cake so it drips down naturally on its own. If you fudge is too thick, pop it in the microwave for 10 seconds at a time until slightly runny.

Make the marshmallow at this stage and pipe rounds of it on top. Blow torch them.

Baking buzz words

To ‘talk the walk’, you’re going to need these essential baking terms:

Frosting [fros-ting, or fraw-sting (if you’re from Boston)]: 1. Sugar and fat. 2. Delicious.
Salted frosting [salt-ed fraw-sting]: 1. Trifecta of sugar, fat and salt. 2. Extra delicious. Combine with cakey carbs to achieve euphoria.
Martha Stewart [Mar-tha Stew-art]: 1. Formidable. 2. Deity, mentor and inspiration.
Sharing [share-ing]: 1. Is caring. 2. Often achieved by coercion.
Decorating [dec-or-eat-ing]:  A verb best known for its 2:1 repeat ratio (ie. 2 for me, 1 for the cake, repeat).
Superfood [soo-per-food]: The product of  two already-awesome foods joining forces. (ie. Cronut, cheesecake brownie)
Moist [moist]: A term that makes people cringe, except when spoken in the context of cake.
Cacao [cack-cow!]: 1.Tasty bean dust. 2. A rather amusing safe word.

Macarons

This. THIS guide right here (by Tartelette Blog) taught me just about everything I know about the wizardry of macarons, and is by far the best resource I’ve come across.

After making a few basic macarons, I dared attempt these beautiful marbled macarons. Here’s how to create the same effect:
1. Separate a small amount of batter into a glass and gently folded in the pink colour.
2. Dab a small amount of pink batter on to the piped macarons (before they form a shell).
3. Insert a metal skewer into the pink dab. Without lifting the skewer, draw three circles in ascending size. Upon completing the third circle, draw a line back through the middle of all three.

Now… go forth and conquer the macaron!

Sammy’s construction site cake

I had so much fun coming up with this construction site cake for my nephew Sam’s 3rd birthday. Milo, malteasers, covered in toys… And, as if it wasn’t already cool enough(!), I snuck some gummy worms between layers for the him to go digging for.

Sammy’s construction site birthday cake

Amy’s giant doughnut cake

Sandwich two bundt cakes together, slather in icing, sprinkle with liquorice bullets… and voilà! One giant doughnut cake and a very happy Amy.

Tiramasu baked cheesecake

Espresso baked cheesecake with mascarpone cream and ladyfingers — this deliciousness is my take on the classic Italian dessert tiramisu. OOOM nom nom nom nom…

RECIPE

Serves: 20 people
Time: Around 3 hours

ESPRESSO BAKED CHEESECAKE (Recipe pinched from Taste)

250g Granita biscuits
170g butter, melted
500g cream cheese
3/4 cup (175g) caster sugar
3 eggs
2 tablespoons Kahlua (coffee liqueur)
300g sour cream
Coffee and chicory essence
300ml double cream

Preheat oven to 160°C. Process 250g Granita biscuits in a food processor until fine crumbs form. Add 170g butter, melted and process until combined. Press the crumbs 2/3 of the way up the sides and over the base of a 22cm springform pan. Pop into the fridge until required.

Use an electric beater to beat 500g cream cheese and 3/4 cup (175g) caster sugar until smooth. Beat in 3 eggs and 2 tablespoons Kahlua (coffee liqueur). Beat in 300g sour cream. Pour into biscuit crust and bake for 1 hour. Turn off the oven and leave the door ajar for 1 hour, to cool slightly. Put into the fridge overnight to chill.

MASCARPONE CREAM (recipe pinched from Food)

1 cup whipping cream
1 cup mascarpone cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
6 tablespoons sugar

Using an electric mixer, whip marscarpone with cream and sugar until thick like firmly whipped cream. Add vanilla. Cover and chill.

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

1 tablespoon cocoa
10 sponge fingers (for decoration)
Ribbon (for decoration

Cut sponge fingers in half and place around the edge of the cheesecake. Pipe dollops of the mascarpone cream onto the cake and use a sifter dust top with cocoa. Tie ribbon around. Stand back and admire your handiwork.