Week One: Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies

Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies

The Evaluation

4.5/5 stars: Taste. Really yummy fresh from the oven! I'm sure tomorrow they will be just as nice :)

5/5 stars: Ease of recipe. Nothing tricky here!

4/5 stars: Presentation. I let mine brown on top just a little too much, but still rather pretty!

4/5 stars: Time. The prep time isn't bad at all, maybe 20-25 mins, and while it's 30 mins in the oven (mine were 35 so I'd suggest either foil for the last five or seeing how they are at 30) that isn't bad at all. 

4.5/5 stars: Overall success. What they might lack in presentation, they make up for in taste and they are amazing with strawberries and cream or on their own!

Original Recipe

http://sweetpeaskitchen.com/2011/02/red-velvet-cheesecake-brownies/

Mostly I stuck to the recipe for once. I converted the measurements and decided to serve with strawberries and an option of cream. 

Recipe

Ing.

110g butter

80g dark chocolate

200g sugar

2 large eggs (mine were medium/ average sized as I usually go easy on the eggs)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 tsp red food colouring

85g flour

Cheesecake Mix

230g cream cheese

65g sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 medium egg

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350F or 180C. 

2. Butter the sides of an 8 inch baking tray or the next closest size. You want something with a medium depth. I didn't bother with baking paper but if yours isn't non-stick be sure to use some and butter that as well.

3. Melt the butter and chocolate for the brownie mix in a heatproof bowl or a small saucepan. Stir as it melts and then set to one side to cool. 

4. Whisk the sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and red food colouring together in a bowl. You want to get it really smooth so keep going a little while after the ingredients are fully blended. Then stir in the chocolate mix. 

5. Add the flour to the mixture and fold in carefully until it's smooth and you can't see any of the flour. 

6. Pour into the tin, then you're ready to start the cheesecake mix!

7. Whisk the sugar and egg together, then add the cream cheese and vanilla extract and whisk again. If you're using an electric mixer, you can put it all in at once. 

8. Distribute the mix evenly over the top of the brownie mixture. Then get a knife or a spoon and swirl it a little, digging into the brownie mixture so you get a nice pattern of red swirls. 

9. Bake for 30-35 minutes. You can check if it's done by putting a fork in and that should come out clean. If it's looking done but the centre's still not solid, cover with foil and bake for another 5 mins.

10. Let them cool a little, then cut up and serve with your choice of toppings!

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This was a really good transition back into baking and blogging! It's easy, there's hardly any washing up to do (and who doesn't love that?) and you get a tasty, ready to eat dessert at the end! I have to admit Luke and I couldn't wait for Claire to come home so we've already scoffed three between us, but I'm sure I can appease my sister with a tasty cheesecake brownie! 

I have enough ingredients to go another round and am debating making a few for work. Or I might put them to use for other goodies. Next up: Pineapple Upside Down Cake!

Year Two: Everything In-Between

Hello!

It's been a long time since I've checked back here and the year has been crazy long. I've done a lot of things; graduated university, started a job, acquired a second beautiful nephew. 

Of course, all you guys care about is the baking and it's time I started up again! But while I think of something to bake, why don't I share a few of the ones I did over the last year...

Mini Cheesecakes

Evaluation

5/5 stars: Taste.

4/5 stars: Ease of Recipe.

4.5/5 stars: Presentation. The first batch were a little untidy as I took them out too soon but the second were gorgeous.
3/5 stars: Time. It's worth it, but be aware you've got to leave them in the freezer overnight if you really want them to set and decoration is fiddly and therefore takes time.
5/5 stars: Overall success. I've made them about three times now and they always go down wonderfully!

Original Recipe

http://www.finedinings.com/mini_cheesecake_recipe.htm

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I changed the recipe a lot. Mostly because it was American measurements. I didn't use the nuts, I used caster sugar instead of granulated, I used lemon/ lime juice in the citrus ones. Just a tiny bit of each. I used ginger nut biscuits as the base of the citrus ones to give them that extra kick. I didn't use corn starch. I used fresh fruit. This is basically one of those recipes you have to rip to shreds to get something good out of. But when you have, it's excellent. 

Please note: Since I'm doing a few of these I'll just post original recipes and note changes I made for each, but if you do want to make any of them e-mail me at contactheatherwarren@gmail.com and I'll get it for you! I have a paper copy of most of them and don't mind typing them up if there's interest.

Halloween Buns

Evaluation

4/5 stars: Taste. The ghost ones were more like a 3.5 as they were just too much icing but the bn mixture was moist and tasty and the chocolates on top of the others made them very yummy.

5/5 stars: Ease of Recipe.

4/5 stars: Presentation. We got lazy! We were already tired and there was a limited time to decorate, but they still turned out pretty cool and spooky.
4.5/5 stars: Time. Depends how long you want to spend decorating. The buns are quick and easy, the decorating a little less quick but still less than an hour to make them all.
5/5 stars: Overall success. Great fun!

Original Recipe

A very basic bun recipe and then we used a few sites as inspiration for the decor and used fondant icing. 

Christmas Chelsea Buns

Evaluation

4.5/5 stars: Taste. A little bit less filling next time but other than that, awesome!

4/5 stars: Ease of Recipe.

5/5 stars: Presentation. Look how beautiful and golden brown they are!

3.5/5 stars: Time. You need to leave the bread to rise so it does take a long time, but you've got to be prepared for that if you want home made bread.

5/5 stars: Overall success. These were a really great thing to make and a good way to eat through some of that leftover turkey. I'm not going to lie though, we had to make a new pack of stuffing as we did not have enough left over and you've got to have plenty of cranberry jelly in the house.

Original Recipe

 http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/turkey_stuffing_and_77957

Add in some fresh cranberries as they make them taste and look so much better! Use a little less turkey and don't worry so much about the rolling. We didn't stretch ours as much as he suggested and they came out fine. Also, keep a good eye on them in the final stages. You don't want to over-cook them.

Fudge Cake Take Two

The Evaluation

4.5/5 stars: Taste. (Sarah suggested 5 but I'm docking it .5 for being a tiny bit dry.)
5/5 stars: Ease of recipe.
4/5 stars: Presentation. Basic but yummy looking.
3/5 stars: Time. Had to put foil on it in the oven as it went over the estimated cook time and I didn't want it to burn. But. Not too lengthy I suppose.
4.5/5 stars: Overall success. Much better than the last one!

 Recipe: 

 Ing.

225g self raising flour
225g butter
225g caster sugar
4 medium eggs
4 tablespoons cocoa powder (used green and blacks, same as with the truffles and would strongly recommend it!)
2 tablespoons boiling water (or more depending on consistency of cocoa powder. See method)

Cake Covering

150g chocolate
50g butter
1 tablespoon milk
Cute elephant shapes!

Method

1. Mix cocoa powder and boiling water together. Should result in a thick liquid.
2. This is one of those recipes where you can pour everything else in. But keep the eggs and flour back until the end, then add them in alternating doses and whisk well!
3. Bake at gas mark 4 for 25- 30 mins. But if it's not cooked after that, cover the top with foil and put it in for a further 10-15 mins.
4. Melt the chocolate for the cake covering and mix with the butter and milk. Decorate!
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Remember the tardis fudge cake that did not go well? Okay so apparently I was harsh when marking its taste because my little sister says it was only the large amount of icing that was at fault. And when I asked what type of cake she wanted for her birthday, she said fudge. So here's take two, dad and Sarah's birthday cake. It turned out pretty well :)

Chocolate Truffles

The Evaluation

5/5 stars: Taste.
5/5 stars: Ease of recipe.
4.5/5 stars: Presentation.They were a little tricky to roll after a while as your hands got all sticky, but then we realised we just needed to re-wash our hands every now and then.
4/5 stars: Time. The prep. time isn't lengthy at all but you do have to leave the mixture in the frigde to solidify and then again, the truffles taste way better if they've been in the fridge for another hour after decoration.
5/5 stars: Overall success. Will defineately make these again!

Original Recipe: 
http://www.joyofbaking.com/ChocolateTruffles.html
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The recipe is great, there's even a video you can watch to see how it's done and everything is so easy. Many thanks to my younger sister Sarah and best friend Hannah for helping decorate (and eat) these! We rolled them in white chocolate, cocoa powder and milk chocolate, sometimes just the one per truffle, other times all three for a fun mix of flavours. Try them!

Assorted Cookies

The Evaluation

4.5/5 stars: Taste. The smartie cookies were probably my least favourite and the oatmeal and raisin my best but different people liked different ones and everyone agreed that they were all great so yay!
5/5 stars: Ease of recipe.
5/5 stars: Presentation.
5/5 stars: Time.
5/5 stars: Really quick and easy to make and very tasty.

Original Recipe: A basic cookie recipe from one of my books and then I tinkered for each type of cookie. For the cherry and white chocolate ones, I just chopped up some of each and threw it in. For the oatmeal and raisin, I replaced some of the flour with oatmeal and added a handful of raisins. For the triple chocolate chip I used cocoa powder instead of some of the flour and added three types of chopped chocolate. Then I also did a couple of normal chocolate chip as well.
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This was at the beginning of August and I made them for my work crew as it was the last week working at the factory. If you want the basic cookie recipe I used, just ask and I'll type it up but it's also easy enough to find around the web. Yes, I know I'm being a bit lazy but shhh. I'll start typing out the recipes again next week :)

The Birthday Cakes

Cake One: Mum's Cake

The Evaluation

3.5/5 stars: Taste.A little sickly - too much butter-cream.
5/5 stars: Ease of recipe.
3/5 stars: Presentation.Not the best photo but not the best presentation either.
4/5 stars: Time. Not too lengthy.
3.5/5 stars: Overall success. It was good cake but could have been better.

Original Recipe: I just used a simple chocolate sponge base and then chocolate buttercream and sprinkles to decorate.

Cake Two: Claire's Cake

Credit goes to Claire Warren for the decoration! If you scroll down you'll see a photo of her placing the buttons. Also, you should check out her blog! http://modelingandtexturingprogress.blogspot.com/

The Evaluation

4/5 stars: Taste.The vanilla sugar was a little too strong, ordinary caster would have been better.
5/5 stars: Ease of recipe.
5/5 stars: Presentation.
5/5 stars: Time.
4.5/5 stars: Overall success. A pretty tasty cake and thanks to my sister it looks very nice as well :D

Original Recipe: I used a simple sponge and replaced half the caster sugar with vanilla sugar, then giant buttons and vanilla icing to decorate.

Cake Three: Mark's Cake

 

It's upside down but you get the idea. 

The Evaluation

2.5/5 stars: Taste.This may be biased as I don't really like fudge cake, but I think it was quite poor even by normal standard.
2/5 stars: Ease of recipe.The original recipe was easy enough to follow but it produced a crumbly fudge cake which made the decorating really difficult!
2.5/5 stars: Presentation. Better luck next time xD
2.5/5 stars: Time. It took longer than I'd have liked.
2.5/5 stars: Overall success.

Original Recipe: http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/chocolate-fudge-cake-168
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 Alright so it's been far too long since I posted on here! These were baked at the end of June and I've not really much more to say. It was a bit crazy making three at once and there were varied levels of success. The tardis cake obviously being quite a fail but never mind! The vanilla cake was the easy favourite, though the chocolate one did get some support and it was lovely in small doses!

Week 3: Beef Hot Pot

The Evaluation

4/5 stars: Taste. Very tasty!
4.5/5 stars: Ease of recipe. Pretty basic, nothing too difficult here.
5/5 stars: Presentation.
2/5 stars: Time. Rather lengthy.
4.5/5 stars: Overall success.

Original Recipe:
Hot Pot: http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/9099/lancashire-hotpot 


Dumplings: http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/other-recipes/dumplings


To be honest, I didn't change much from the recipes and I'm too lazy to post this! Basically I used beef instead of lamb and I put the dumplings in and cooked over the hob for twenty mins before putting it in the oven. I seasoned the dumplings with mixed herbs and a little grated cheddar. Other than that, see the recipes above! Also I made two from the amount of ingrediants listed which was great as it was all gone very quickly! But if you want less, you can safely half it.