Nigella Lawson’s Chocolate Cheesecake recipe

 

 
Retweeted
 

This is not a drill! is Chocolate Cheesecake

Ingredients

Makes: 10-12 slices

Metric Cups

For the Base

  • 125 grams digestive biscuits
  • 60 grams butter
  • 1 tablespoon cocoa powder

For the Filling

  • 175 grams dark chocolate (chopped small)
  • 500 grams cream cheese
  • 150 grams caster sugar
  • 1 tablespoon custard powder
  • 3 large eggs
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • 150 millilitres sour cream (or just use a 142ml pot)
  • ½ teaspoon cocoa powder (dissolved in 1 tablespoon hot water)

For the Glaze (Optional)

  • 75 grams dark chocolate (finely chopped)
  • 125 millilitres double cream
  • 1 teaspoon golden syrup

Method

  1. To make the base, process the biscuits to make rough crumbs and then add the butter and cocoa.
  2. Process again until it makes damp, clumping crumbs and then tip them into a 23cm / 9 inch springform tin. Press the biscuit crumbs into the bottom of the tin to make an even base and put into the freezer while you make the filling.
  3. Preheat the oven to gas mark 4/180ºC/160°C Fan/350ºF. Put a kettle on to boil. Melt the chocolate either in a microwave or double boiler, and set aside to cool slightly.
  4. Beat the cream cheese to soften it, and then add the sugar and custard powder, beating again to combine. Beat in the whole eggs and then the yolks, and the sour cream. Finally add the cocoa dissolved in hot water and the melted chocolate, and mix to a smooth batter.
  5. Take the springform tin out of the freezer and line the outside of the tin with a good layer of clingfilm, and then another layer of strong foil over that. This will protect it from the water bath.
  6. Sit the springform tin in a roasting pan and pour in the cheesecake filling. Fill the roasting pan with just-boiled water to come about halfway up the cake tin, and bake in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour. The top of the cheesecake should be set, but the underneath should still have a wobble to it.
  7. Peel away the foil and clingfilm wrapping and sit the cheesecake in its tin on a rack to cool. Put in the fridge once it’s no longer hot, and leave to set, covered with clingfilm, overnight. Let it lose its chill before unspringing the cheesecake to serve.
  8. To make the chocolate glaze, very gently melt the chopped chocolate, cream and syrup. When the chocolate has nearly melted, take off the heat and whisk it to a smooth sauce. Let it cool a little, and then Jackson Pollock it over the chocolate cheesecake on its serving plate. Use the remaining glaze as an accompanying sauce.

Meringues with blackberries,raspberries,strawberries @bordbia

meringues_with_summer_fruits2

Serves 10

Ingredients

  • 8 egg whites
  • 500g caster sugar
  • 1 teasp. white wine vinegar
  • 1 teasp. vanilla extract.

Summer Fruits & Cream Filling

Summer Fruits

  • 400g strawberries
  • 200g raspberries
  • 200g blueberries
  • 200g blackberries
  • 250g caster sugar
  • Juice of 1 lemon

Cream Filling

  • 500g mascarpone cheese
  • 250g Compsey Greek-style yoghurt
  • Grated rind of one lemon

To Cook

For the meringues

Set the oven to 100ºC and line 2 baking sheets with parchment.  Combine the egg whites, sugar, vinegar and vanilla extract.  In the electric mixer, with the whisk attachment, beat the whites into stiff shiny peaks.  Using a piping bag, pie mounds of meringue 7cm in diameter and 7 cm high onto the baking sheets.  Bake for about 2 hours.  Cool to room temperature.

Summer Fruits

Prepare the fruit and add half the berries to a medium saucepan, add the sugar and lemon juice and simmer gently for 5 minutes.  Process the fruit mixture.  Set aside.

Cream Filling

Whisk the mascarpone, yoghurt and lemon rind together.

To serve

Tap the centre of each meringue to form a nest.  Warm the coulis in a saucepan.  Turn off the heat and add the remaining whole berries.  Spoon the cream filling into the centre of each meringue, followed by several spoonfuls of the fruit.

Granny’s Apple Cake with Odlums Coconut Flour

Grannys-Apple-Cake

CategoryOur Top Picks

Cook Time40-50 mins

What you need:

  • 115g/4oz Odlums Coconut Flour
  • 175g/6oz Butter or Margarine
  • 175g/6oz Shamrock Golden Caster Sugar
  • 3 Eggs
  • 4 tbsp of water
  • 1 level teaspoon Goodall’s Cinnamon (optional)
  • 3 Apples (peeled & cored)

How to:

  1. Preheat oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas 5. Grease and base line a 900g/2lb loaf tin.
  2. Beat butter/margarine, sugar and water together. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
  3. Stir in the flour and cinnamon, if used.
  4. Roughly chop 2½ apples and stir into the mixture, then transfer to the prepared loaf tin.
  5. Slice the remaining half apple into thin circles and arrange on top of mixture.
  6. Bake for 40-50 minutes approx. Allow to stand in tin for about 5 minutes, then turn onto a wire tray to cool.
  7. To finish, dust with sieved icing sugar. Enjoy!

Granny’s Apple Cake with Coconut Flour

Odlums Chocolate Centred Cupcakes

Kerrygold Chocolate Hazelnut Eclairs

Chocolate_Eclairs-5_hi_res

Ingredients:

  • For the choux pastry:
  • ½ stick of Kerrygold Unsalted Butter
  • ½ cup of water
  • ¾ cup of plain flour, sifted
  • 3 large free range eggs
  • For the crème patisserie:
  • 6 large free range egg yolks
  • ⅔ cup of sugar
  • ⅓ cup of cornflour
  • 2 cups of milk
  • 1 vanilla pod
  • ½ stick of Kerrygold Unsalted Butter
  • For the chocolate glaze:
  • ⅔ cup of good quality dark chocolate
  • ¼ cup of cream
  • ½ stick of Kerrygold Unsalted Butter
  • ½ cup of roasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 425˚F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the butter and water in a saucepan and bring to a steady boil until the butter is melted. Remove from the heat and add the flour, beating with a wooden spoon until a dough comes together. Place back over the heat and beat the dough in the saucepan for about 40 seconds. Remove from the heat and set aside.
  2. Beat the eggs in a small bowl. Add the eggs little at a time, beat thoroughly with a wooden spoon until the egg is completely incorporated after each addition. You are looking to have a consistency that will hold its shape when piped. It should be smooth, shiny and just about fall from the spoon. You might not use all the egg.
  3. Using a spatula, scoop the dough into a large piping bag fitted with a large round piping nozzle and pipe 10cm lines on the lined baking sheets, leaving about 4cm in between each line to allow for spreading. Brush each one with a little leftover beaten egg.
  4. Place in the oven, reducing the heat to 375˚F for approximately 25 minutes until they have risen and are golden and crisp. Transfer to a wire rack and use a sharp pointed knife to pierce three holes on the underside of the buns. Allow to cool completely before filling.
  5. For the crème pâtissière, split the vanilla pod in half and scrape out the seeds. Add this to a medium saucepan with the milk and place over a medium high heat. Bring to the boil and then turn off the heat. Scoop out the vanilla pod.
  6. While the milk is coming to the boil, place the sugar, cornflour and egg yolks in a large mixing bowl and beat with a whisk until thick and pale.
  7. Pour the hot milk into the bowl, whisking quickly and continuously until it is smooth and incorporated. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and place over a medium heat beating continuously until it has thickened.
  8. Transfer the crème pâtissière to a cold bowl, create a flat surface with the back of a spatula and wipe the top with little butter (this will prevent a skin forming). Cover directly with cling film and allow to cool completely.
  • 9   For the chocolate glaze, melt the dark chocolate in a bowl set over a saucepan of hot water. When the chocolate has melted remove the bowl from the heat and gently stir through the cream. Fold in the butter until you have a shiny, spreadable chocolate glaze.
  • 10  To assemble the eclairs, fill a piping bag, fitted with a small round nozzle, with the crème pâtissière and pipe into the holes on the underside of the choux buns. Spread the chocolate glaze over the top of each eclair and sprinkle with the roasted hazelnuts. Serve straight away or the eclairs will keep for 1 or 2 days in the fridge.

CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT ECLAIRS

Terrine of Vanilla Ice cream with Meringue & Blackberry Sauce @BordBia

terrine-of-vanilla-ice-cream-with-merringue-and-cranberry-sauce

This dessert is really timeless – meringue and ice cream have been part of country house cuisine for hundreds of years and it would not have been out of place at the finest tables in Ireland at any time since ice houses were introduced in the 17th century

Serves Makes two small terrines, each serving four.

Ingredients

  • 6 egg whites
  • 150g (6 oz) caster sugar
  • 150g (6 oz) icing sugar, sifted

Ice Cream

  • 500ml (scant pint) milk
  • 60g (2½ oz) granulated sugar
  • 1 vanilla bean
  • 6 egg yolks
  • 60g (2½ oz) caster sugar
  • Gelatine – 2g leaf (1 level teasp.) granulated -soaked in a little cold water

Marinated Blackberries

  • 450g (1 lb) blackberries
  • 250g (9 oz) sugar
  • 125ml (5 fl oz) water

To Cook

First make the meringues:

Preheat a very cool oven, Gas Mark ½, 125°C (250°F). Butter and flour a large baking sheet. Whisk the egg whites until stiff, add the caster sugar slowly, whisking until completely dissolved, then lightly fold in the icing sugar. Pipe the mixture into small circular shapes and bake in the low oven for about 1½ hours to dry out without colouring. Cool and store in an airtight container.

Next make ice cream:

Heat the milk with the granulated sugar and split vanilla pod (scrape seeds into the milk). When just boiling, remove from the heat, cover and leave 10 minutes to infuse. Meanwhile beat the egg yolks with the caster sugar until the sugar has completely dissolved and the mixture is creamy. Bring the milk infusion back to the boil, add to the yolk mixture, keep whisking and return to the rinsed saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking all the time, to thicken a little – be very careful not to overcook – then strain through a very fine sieve. Whisk softened gelatine into the mixture and allow to cool, whisking occasionally. When cold, churn the mixture in an ice cream maker until thick.

To marinate the blackberries:

Sort through the blackberries, removing any stems; wash and drain. Put sugar and water into a pan and heat to dissolve, then bring up to the boil. Allow to cool, then add the blackberries.

To assemble the terrine:

Line two small loaf tins, 18cm x 6.5cm (7″ x 2½”) with overlapping clingfilm. Break up the meringues and fill the bottom of each tin, add ice cream, then some of the marinated blackberries. Cover with another layer of ice cream, close with overlapping clingfilm and freeze.

Serving Suggestions

Liquidise the marinated blackberries and strain to make a sauce. Pour a little onto large dinner plates, slice the ice cream terrine and lay on top of the blackberry sauce.

http://www.bordbia.ie/consumer/recipes/fruit/pages/terrineoficecream.aspx