Cheesecake Brownies

*Also available made-to-order at $20 (25 bitesize pieces) or $30 (50 bitesize pieces) 

Let's get real now. Why force yourself to choose between a cheesecake and a brownie, when you can do this? :)

For those gluten-free foodies out there, the cherry on the cake is that this recipe contains so little flour (and so much cheese and chocolate and all that good stuff), that you can easily use cornstarch/ground almonds instead without impacting the decadent intensity.

Do it. You won't regret it (though your waistline might).

Cheesecake Brownies

Makes one 13" x 9” pan

*Some tips: 
-Take your eggs and cream cheese out of the fridge in advance to reach room temperature. Hard cream cheese is a real pain to beat!

-Melt your chocolate, then while it's cooling whisk your cheese mix together, then go back and beat the chocolate when it's cold. That saves time, and you don't have to wash your whisk in between (traces of cream cheese in the chocolate won't matter).

-Brownies are a lot more forgiving than cakes so don't stress if you use a bit more or less of anything.

Preheat the oven to 350F/180C. Make the two separate batters.

• The chocolate mix

In a dry bowl (water makes chocolate seize), melt together while stirring until glossy:

150g butter

1 1/2 cups (240g) semi-sweet chocolate chunks

*I melt by microwave: 15-20 second intervals several times, stirring well in between. DO NOT OVERHEAT- stop microwaving as soon as you have only small chunks left and just keep stirring until they dissolve. If you prefer the traditional bain-marie method, place the bowl over a pot of simmering water and stir until dissolved.

Allow to cool completely. You can get started on your cheese mix while waiting.

Beat together for 2 mins until frothy, then stir into chocolate butter mix:

2 eggs, at room temperature
3/4 cup (150g) sugar
Few drops vanilla extract

2 small drops coffee essence or diluted instant coffee (this is just to enhance the cocoa flavor, not to make it taste of coffee. If you don't have any on hand you can omit it.)

Fold in:

2 tbsp flour (or cornstarch/ground almonds for gluten-free)

1 cup (160g) semi-sweet chocolate chunks

• The cheese mix

Stick this all in a bowl and beat together with an electric whisk until smooth:

2 packs (1 lb oz/454g) cream cheese, softened to room temperature*

1/2 cup (about 100g) sugar

2 eggs, at room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 tbsp flour (or cornstarch)

Pinch of salt

*In the UK cream cheese is called full-fat soft cheese, and tends to come in 300g packs. I usually just chuck the whole lot in.

Line the pan with baking/wax/greaseproof paper (if using a Pyrex baking dish, you can skip this step). Dollop the chocolate and cheese mixes randomly, and swirl with the edge of spatula to make a marbled effect.

Swirly-whirly :)
(This picture depicts a small 9" pan, half this recipe)

Bake for 35 minutes or until set at 350F/180C. Let cool in the pan totally, then refrigerate until chilled to intensify the flavors. Slice with a sharp knife only when completely cold.

Exercise self control.

White Chocolate and Almond Fudge

A lot of fuss surrounds the making of good non-grainy fudge, but I've learnt that as long as you adhere to a few guidelines it really isn't hard to produce a smooth and creamy result that can be adapted endlessly into different flavours. Fudge is essentially milk and butter cooked with a TRUCKLOAD of sugar- once you've perfected this blueprint you have free reign to add any variety of chocolate, nuts, dried fruit and flavourings you see fit.

So what are these basic rules? It's simple:

Rule 1: Make sure your sugar is completely dissolved- large crystals mean a yucky sand-like texture.

Rule 2: Know WHEN TO STIR and when NOT TO STIR.

Rule 3: Follow the timings- a clock/watch is useful.

Rule 4: DON'T SKIP the soft-ball stage test- you do not need a candy thermometer (I don't own one), just a glass of ice water.

The following recipe provides detailed step-by-step instructions that I experimented with a couple of years back until I was happy; carry them out exactly and you should be well on your way to candyland.

White Chocolate and Almond Fudge

Makes one 10" x 8" tray

Combine the following in a heavy pot and stir very gently over low heat for about 15 mins (the longer the better) until sugar is completely dissolved: 

350g sugar

175ml evaporated milk (NOT condensed milk)

25g (slight less than 2 tbsp) butter

In the meantime, while the syrup is heating:

1) Chop up 300g white chocolate and a large handful of toasted almonds.

2) Line a 10" x 8" pan with greaseproof baking paper.

3) Get some ice-cold water ready on standby (I place a few small glasses of cold tap water in the freezer)

Increase heat to medium and bring the milky syrup to a moderate boil. DO NOT STIR. Let it boil for about 10-15 mins undisturbed until it reaches soft-ball stage. 

Soft-ball test: Drop a tiny amount of the syrup into one of your prepared glasses of ice water- it should form a soft ball that you can roll between your fingers. If it dissipates immediately or forms a mass at the bottom of the glass, it isn't ready and you should continue letting it boil. Test again after a few minutes with a new glass of ice water. Make sure to use fresh ice water for each test.

Once it's at soft-ball stage, remove from heat and let cool for 10 mins- DO NOT STIR during this time.

Add in the chopped chocolate, chopped nuts and 1 tsp vanilla extract. STIR SLOWLY until the chocolate completely dissolves- the mixture should start to stiffen immediately, and is ready to be poured into tin when it completely loses its gloss, turns thick and makes a squelchy snapping noise when you stir.

Pour quickly into the lined pan and smoothen the top. Allow to cool completely until set, then cut into bitesize pieces. 

Voila- your very own batch of smooth, creamy, luxurious homemade fudge!:)

Dark Chocolate Banana Fudge Cake

Moist and dense with a deliciously crusty top, this easy-peasy fudgey concoction features not only the classic pairing of chocolate and banana, but the added rustic bite of roughly chopped nuts.

If you prefer making it in brownie form, feel free to double the recipe and use a larger rectangular pan. Yummy served slightly warm on its own, or with a scoop of ice cream.

Dark Chocolate and Banana Fudge Cake

Makes a small 8" round cake

Melt together and let cool:

100g dark chocolate, chopped

100g butter

150g sugar

*I do this by microwaving at 20 second intervals, stirring in between- feel free to use the more traditional bain-marie/double boiler method if you prefer.

Stir in:

2 small eggs (or 1 large egg), beaten

1 ripe banana, mashed

A handful of nuts, roughly chopped (I like walnuts/pecans but use whatever you like)

Sift and fold in:

50g self-raising flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tbsp cocoa powder

Pour into an 8" round cake tin lined with greaseproof paper and bake at 160C fan-assisted (180C without) for about 30 mins or until firm.

Let cool until slightly warm before slicing.

Homemade Nutella (Hazelnut Chocolate Spread)

SAM TAN'S KITCHEN HAS MOVED! Please visit the new website/online store at www.samtanskitchen.com. You can also follow Sam on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Thank you!

YES, Nutella made in your home, presumably by you, to the delight and wonderment of everyone who lives with you and gets to sample it :)

This instantly shot straight to the top of my Recipes to Test list when I saw several versions of it popping up on sites like Foodgawker. My first attempt turned out a little grainy (in future more thorough blending is required), but taste-wise it was absolutely spot-on.

Blend then spread as desired, or be piggy like me and eat it with a spoon :)

Homemade Nutella (Hazelnut Chocolate Spread)

150g hazelnuts- Roast at 200º C for 10-15 mins until very fragrant, then rub vigorously with a cloth towel to remove as much of the skins as possible. Blitz in a small spice mill/blade grinder/blender until it forms a very smooth peanut butter-like paste.

Add and continue blending until smooth:

100g milk chocolate, melted and cooled

2 tbsp cocoa powder

1/2 cup icing sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

A few drops of vegetable oil

Store in a jar at room temperature. Slather on everything!

Malteser Gateau

*Also available under Baked Goods to Order at £30 per cake*

I made this as a bit of an experiment last night for Arivind's 27th birthday today- judging from the fact that the entire cake was demolished in less than 12 hours (between 3 people, although for the most part by him), I'd gather the experiment was quite a success :)

The recipe below produces a very soft and moist bittersweet cocoa sponge that doesn't taste remarkable on its own, but pairs deliciously with the sweet-salty malt buttercream frosting to create an irresistible mouthful. On another occasion I may experiment further to try bringing out a stronger malt flavour in the sponge- for today though, it's already sitting happily in our tummies regardless :)

Malteser Gateau

Makes one double-layer 8" cake

Cocoa Sponge:

Whisk together until smooth:

2/3 cup Horlicks, dissolved in 2/3 cup milk

2/3 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

Sift in and fold until well-combined:

1½ cups plain flour

½ cup sugar (or more if you prefer it sweeter)

½ cup cocoa

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

Add in and whisk until creamy:

150ml (about 2/3 cup) sour cream

1 tsp vanilla

Divide the batter equally into two lined 8" round sandwich cake pans and bake at 175C (about 160 C fan-assisted) for 20-25 mins until firm to touch. Let cool thoroughly before frosting.

Frosting:

Combine in a large bowl and whip on high with an electric whisk for 3 mins until light and fluffy:

200g butter, softened

1½ cups icing sugar
½ cup Horlicks

½ cup milk, room temperature

1 tsp cocoa powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

If the cakes have risen to a domed shape, slice the tops off with a large thin knife to create a level surface. Place one layer of the sponge on a cake board/large dinner plate and spread about 1/3 of the frosting evenly across with a thin spatula. Top with the second layer of sponge, uneven sliced side down (so that the top of the cake is smooth and easier to coat) then spread the rest of the frosting evenly across the top and sides.

Decorate as desired and keep refrigerated- if you use chopped Maltesers as I did, please note that they become soft and chewy once the malt centre has been exposed for too long so serve the cake immediately if you want the crunch. Otherwise just let them turn gooey- it's still pretty and delicious :)

Enjoy!

Oreo Chunk Cheese Truffles

*Also available under To Order: Celebration Cakes and Baked Goods at $20 for a rectangular silver gift box containing 36 truffles

Thank you God of Amazing Things You Would Never Have Known Existed If It Weren't For the Internet for blessing me with this discovery. Three ingredients, no time at all, ridiculously delicious result. Try. It. Now!

Oreo Chunk Cheese Truffles

*makes about 18 pcs

Crush 1 tube Oreos (154g/14 cookies) into rough crumbs like above,

by pounding in a large bowl with the bottom of a pint glass.

Most recipes I've found use a food processor, but I find manual crushing much better for achieving those gorgeous large chunks that are so delicious to bite into.

Set aside 1 tbsp of crumbs for sprinkling later. Add roughly 2 tbsp full-fat soft cheese (aka cream cheese outside the UK) to the rest of the crumbs. Stir/pound until well-combined and a pliable dark dough is formed.

Roll into little balls and refrigerate/freeze briefly (just to harden for easy dipping).

You can also freeze them to be used another day.

Alternatively, succumb to temptation and eat some right here right now.

You'll end up with less truffles that way, but ah well.

Melt about 200g chocolate of your choice (our personal favourite is white) by microwaving on full heat for 20 second intervals, repeating and stirring in between each interval until melted. Be careful not to blitz for too long, otherwise your chocolate will burn.

Using two small teaspoons, drop each ball into the glossy chocolate and roll them around if necessary to fully coat. Lift it out with the two spoons, letting excess chocolate drip off, and place on a baking sheet lined with foil or baking paper. Use the spoons to make a pretty swirl or patch up exposed bits if necessary. Sprinkle with a touch of Oreo crumb and let cool.

Bite in and savour the goodness.

Cocoa Fleck Ice Cream

Just like my other Brown Bread Ice Cream, this recipe does not require an ice cream maker, repeated churning nor any cooking of the ingredients into a custard before freezing. Simply whisk, combine, freeze and ta-daa!: easy-peasy smooth and creamy gourmet-quality chocolate ice cream :)

Whilst it doesn't show up well in the picture because I ran out of chocolate and therefore put way too little this time round, the word "fleck" in the title refers to the finely grated dark chocolate I add into the mixture (my attempt at recreating something visually similar to Haagen Dazs Belgian Chocolate). The recipe below gives you the correct amount to use- by all means increase or decrease it as preferred, or use chocolate chips, brownie chunks, crushed biscuits or whatever else you fancy instead.

Cocoa Fleck Ice Cream

Makes a 1 litre tub

2 egg whites- whisk until stiff.

2 egg yolks- combine with 1 tsp vanilla extract (or 1 tsp dark rum for a more adult version). Fold into egg whites. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk together until floppy (be careful not to overbeat until too stiff):

300ml double cream

85g icing sugar and 2 heaped tbsp cocoa powder, sifted together

100g melted dark chocolate, cooled

Fold together double cream mix, egg white mix and 100g finely grated dark chocolate (or other toppings of choice). Pour into a 1-litre container and freeze for at least 4 hours. Move to refrigerator for 20 mins before serving to soften slightly.

Chunky Chocolate Brownies

*Also available for purchase ready made To Order

Adapted from Mary Berry's excellent Ultimate Cake Book, these decadent chunk-filled goodies are the single most popular item in my baking repertoire. Some people like warm gooey brownies, but I personally prefer dense ones like these which get a lot more intense and chocolatey when left to go cold and stored in a container overnight. More like indulgent slabs of pure chocolate than cake if you will :)

Chunky Chocolate Brownies

Melt together and let cool:

350g (12oz) dark chocolate (I generally use those with cocoa content around the 50%-60% mark)

225g (8oz) butter

Whisk together until pale and frothy, and beat into chocolate mixture:

3 eggs, beaten

225g (8oz) sugar (I use half white half brown usually)

A few drops coffee essence (or 2 tsp instant coffee, diluted in 2 tbsp water)

1 tsp vanilla extract

Fold in:

3 tbsp self-raising flour

225g (8oz) dark chocolate, chopped into chunks

Pour into a lined 12"x 9" shallow baking tray.

Bake at 190 C (0r 170C fan-assisted) for about 45 mins until firm to touch with a dull crust. Leave to cool in tin.

Cut only when completely cold and store in a container (chocolate flavour intensifies if left overnight).