Death brownies and cheesecake
Oct. 3rd, 2005 09:25 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shapeofthingsWhen I first entered the brave new world of share housing, I used to bake most every other weekend. Nothing exciting, but there were most always fresh choc-chip cookies to share with my housemates. Over the last few years my baking has really tailed off. Especially since I discovered speculaas at my local supermarket. Lately, however, the urge to bake has returned, and I've been muffining it up and keeping quite healthy. This weekend, however, I opted for baked indulgence, making hazelnut and pistachio brownies on Friday evening and a baked New York cheesecake on Saturday night. Oh how I need to start running...
Baked New York Cheesecake
* Process 250g plain sweet biscuits to a fine crumb (you really want a food processor - this took forever by hand, In fact, you really want a food processor for the whole recipie, unless you have an Alex handy).
* Melt 125g of butter and mix into crumbed biscuits. Re-process mix until well combined.
* Press biscuit mix into the base and sides of a foil-lined 22cm springform tin and refrigerate for 30 mins.
* Beat together 750g cream cheese and 1 cup castor sugar until smooth.
* Gradually beat in 3 eggs, 3/4 cup sour cream, 2 tsp finely grated lemon rind and 1/4 cup lemon juice
* Ensure mix is smooth (a hand blender works a treat for the processor-less), and pour into tin over biscuit base.
* Bake in a moderately slow (160C) oven for 1 hr or until just set in centre. Allow to cool in oven with door ajar.
* Refrigerate overnight, serve with fresh fruit.
My cheesecake base stayed crusty for 2 days, though it was very crumbly. My tin was quite a bit taller than the height it filled to with cheese mix, so I had a surrounding rim of base that was lacking in structural integrity.
Death Brownies
I have never followed the recipie completely with these, as my arteries start clogging at the very thought. I'll put my modifications in brackets - perfect if you're not a massive sweet tooth, but a true cocoa fiend.
* Melt a little butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add 250g chopped dark chocolate and melt (I use 200g).
* Beat 80g butter, 1 cup (200g) brown sugar and 2 tsp vanilla essence unitl light and fluffy (60g butter, 150g sugar, vanilla extract).
* Beat in 2 eggs, then 1/2 cup (75g) flour (I use 1 full cup of flour).
* Stir in melted chocolate mix and 1/2 cup coarsely chopped roast hazelnuts (plus 1/2 cup roast pistachios).
* Spread mix into greased 19cm square cake tin, bake in a moderate (180C) oven for 45 mins.
* Cool in tin, then turn slice out to cut
The recipie calls for icing, but you'd have to be mad to ice these! I just dust them with a little icing sugar before serving. If anyone makes them following the recipie properly, please let me know how they turn out!
It's out of focus, sadly, but I really liked the composition.
Baked New York Cheesecake
* Process 250g plain sweet biscuits to a fine crumb (you really want a food processor - this took forever by hand, In fact, you really want a food processor for the whole recipie, unless you have an Alex handy).
* Melt 125g of butter and mix into crumbed biscuits. Re-process mix until well combined.
* Press biscuit mix into the base and sides of a foil-lined 22cm springform tin and refrigerate for 30 mins.
* Beat together 750g cream cheese and 1 cup castor sugar until smooth.
* Gradually beat in 3 eggs, 3/4 cup sour cream, 2 tsp finely grated lemon rind and 1/4 cup lemon juice
* Ensure mix is smooth (a hand blender works a treat for the processor-less), and pour into tin over biscuit base.
* Bake in a moderately slow (160C) oven for 1 hr or until just set in centre. Allow to cool in oven with door ajar.
* Refrigerate overnight, serve with fresh fruit.
My cheesecake base stayed crusty for 2 days, though it was very crumbly. My tin was quite a bit taller than the height it filled to with cheese mix, so I had a surrounding rim of base that was lacking in structural integrity.
Death Brownies
I have never followed the recipie completely with these, as my arteries start clogging at the very thought. I'll put my modifications in brackets - perfect if you're not a massive sweet tooth, but a true cocoa fiend.
* Melt a little butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add 250g chopped dark chocolate and melt (I use 200g).
* Beat 80g butter, 1 cup (200g) brown sugar and 2 tsp vanilla essence unitl light and fluffy (60g butter, 150g sugar, vanilla extract).
* Beat in 2 eggs, then 1/2 cup (75g) flour (I use 1 full cup of flour).
* Stir in melted chocolate mix and 1/2 cup coarsely chopped roast hazelnuts (plus 1/2 cup roast pistachios).
* Spread mix into greased 19cm square cake tin, bake in a moderate (180C) oven for 45 mins.
* Cool in tin, then turn slice out to cut
The recipie calls for icing, but you'd have to be mad to ice these! I just dust them with a little icing sugar before serving. If anyone makes them following the recipie properly, please let me know how they turn out!
It's out of focus, sadly, but I really liked the composition.