Rachel shares the recipe for her mouth-watering Cookies and Cream Cheesecake from her show Rachel Allen’s Everyday Kitchen
Ingredients
For the double chocolate chip cookies
makes 20 large cookies
225 g (8oz) butter, softened
325 g (111/2oz) caster sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
225 g (8oz) plain flour
75 g (3oz) cocoa powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/4 tsp salt
175 g (6oz) dark chocolate (55–70% cocoa solids), chopped into small pieces, or dark chocolate chips
For the cheesecake
15 g (1/2oz) cocoa powder, sifted
25 ml (1fl oz) strong coffee, such as espresso
1 tsp vanilla extract
500 g (1lb 2oz) mascarpone
400 ml (14fl oz) double or regular cream
50 g (2oz) icing sugar
50 g (2oz) dark chocolate (55–75% cocoa solids), grated, for sprinkling
9-12 of the double chocolate chip cookies
23cm (9in) diameter spring-form cake tin
Method
Place the butter in a large bowl and beat until very soft. Add the sugar and beat until the mixture is pale and fluffy. Crack in one egg at a time, beating between each addition, then add the vanilla extract. Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt, then add the chocolate pieces/chips and fold in to combine. Alternatively, place all the ingredients except the chocolate pieces/chips in a food processor and whiz briefly until they come together, then fold in the chocolate.
With wet hands, form the dough into balls each the size of a golf ball (or use two soup spoons to scoop up and shape the same amount of dough). Arrange on the prepared baking sheets, placing 6–7 balls of dough on each sheet and leaving space for the cookies to spread.
Bake for 10–14 minutes or until the cookies look slightly cracked on top. (With three baking sheets, you will need to cook them in three batches, or two batches in a fan oven.) Take out of the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes, then remove from the baking sheets using a palette knife or metal fish slice and place on a wire rack to cool down completely.
In a large bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, coffee, vanilla extract, mascarpone, cream and icing sugar for 1–2 minutes or until thick.
Arrange one-third (3–4) of the cookies in the bottom of the cake tin, then spread over one-third of the chocolate cream mixture. Add a second layer of cookies, then another layer of chocolate cream, followed by a final layer of cookies and a final layer of chocolate cream.
Use a spatula to smooth the top layer of chocolate cream, then cover the tin with cling film and place in the fridge to chill for eight hours or overnight.
To remove the cheesecake from the cake tin, run a small, sharp knife around the cheesecake to loosen the edges, then unfasten the clip and lift away the sides of the tin. Using a palette knife or a metal fish slice, loosen the cheesecake from the base of the tin and carefully slide off onto a plate. Sprinkle with the grated chocolate to serve.
Place the flour, powdered sugar and butter in the bowl of a food processor and pulse 8-10 times.
Add the egg and the almond extract and pulse until dough ball just starts to form.
Remove from the bowl and form into a disc. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 10-inch circle and place in a 9-inch tart pan. Flatten crust on the bottom and mold excess crust along the sides of the pan. Poke holes all over with a fork and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
Cool crust completely.
Filling Instructions:
Place the mascarpone cheese, whipping cream and powdered sugar in a bowl. Whip until stiff peaks form. Stir in almond extract.
Spoon mixture over cooled crust and smooth the top.
Arrange the fruit on top of the filling as desired and refrigerate for 2 hours.
When ready to serve, slice into wedges and garnish with fresh mint sprigs, if desired.
The name of this simple dessert comes from the Italian tirami su, meaning ‘pick me up’ (or ‘cheer me up’). Tiramisu has been subjected to many variations over the years, but this is the original recipe and – in my opinion – the best! This is a dessert that actually benefits from being made ahead, allowing the lovely flavours to mingle. As a result, it is perfect for a large gathering.
Serves 8–10
4 large eggs
100g caster sugar
250g mascarpone cheese 2
50ml cream
250ml freshly brewed strong espresso coffee (left to cool completely)
150ml Tia Maria or Kahlúa liqueur
40 sponge fingers
50g bar plain chocolate
2 tsp cocoa powder
Separate the eggs, putting the yolks in one bowl with 80g of the sugar, and the egg whites in another. Using an electric beater, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until pale and creamy, then mix in the mascarpone cheese until well combined. Whip the cream in a separate bowl until soft peaks form, then fold into the egg yolk and mascarpone mixture.
Using spotlessly clean beaters, whisk the egg whites with 20g of sugar until soft peaks form, then fold this into the mascarpone cream. Spoon a third of this mixture into a suitable dish that is at least 2cm deep. Pour the coffee into a shallow dish and stir in the Tia Maria or Kahlúa. Dip in enough of the sponge fingers to make an even layer on top of the mascarpone mixture. Only dip the sponge fingers in as you go along, so they don’t soak for too long and become difficult to handle.
Cover the layer of soaked sponge fingers with another third of the mascarpone mixture, then grate most of the chocolate bar on top using the coarse side of a grater. Add another layer with the rest of the soaked sponge fingers, then spoon over the remaining mascarpone mixture and spread evenly with a back of a spoon. Cover with cling film and chill overnight to allow the flavours to develop and the dessert to settle. To serve, give the tiramisu a good dusting of cocoa powder, then grate over the rest of the chocolate. Place in the middle of the table so that everyone can help themselves.
SERVE AFTER … A go-to dessert if you like spoiling your guests after a long Italian-inspired meal. Tiramisu is ideal for the warmer months since it can be made well in advance and kept in the fridge until needed.
Pavlova Wreath with Exotic Fruit
Cakes are always the sweet option of choice for birthdays and anniversaries. However, I would like to introduce to you the Pavlova Wreath – it is very pretty and easy to make, and it delivers an incredible flavour. As always, feel free to use your own favourite combination of flavours to personalise it. Be sure to produce it with a flourish for that ‘ta-da’ moment!
Serves 10–12
For the meringue
5 egg whites
250g caster sugar
50g icing sugar
2 tsp cornflour
For the raspberry sauce
200g raspberries
2 tbsp icing sugar
1 tbsp lime juice
2 tsp cornflour or arrowroot
For the crème Chantilly
200ml cream (well chilled)
1 tsp vanilla extract
40g icing sugar
To decorate
200g raspberries
400g tin lychees, well drained and cut in half
2 passion fruit, halved and seeds scooped out
Preheat the oven to 140°C (275°F/Gas Mark 1). Put the egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer. Turn on to a medium speed and whisk until they begin to go frothy and hold their shape a little. Mix the caster and icing sugar together, then add about one third to the eggs in a steady stream, whisking all the time on medium to high. The mixture will now begin to thicken a little.
Make sure that all the sugar has dissolved before you add any more. Add the next third and repeat the process, whisking it all up well. Then add the final third of the sugar. Whisk on high now, since the egg mixture will be much more stable. Keep whisking until you reach the stiff-peak stage. Add the cornflour and fold in with a spoon. Draw a 25cm circle on a piece of parchment paper and use it to line a large baking sheet, then draw a 10cm circle in the middle. This is your stencil. Put dollops of the meringue mixture on to the wreath stencil, keeping it within the edges.
Bake for 55–60 minutes until the meringue has just a little colour. Remove it from the oven and leave to cool. Meanwhile, make the raspberry sauce. Blitz the raspberries in a food processor with the icing sugar and lime juice, then pass through a sieve into a small pan using a plastic spatula. Mix the cornflour or arrowroot with one tablespoon of water until smooth, then add this to the raspberries. Bring to the boil over medium to high heat, then simmer gently for a few minutes until thickened, stirring occasionally.
Set aside to cool. For the crème Chantilly, whisk up the cream, vanilla and sugar in a bowl until it is just beginning to hold soft peaks. Cover with cling film and chill until needed. Carefully slide your Pavlova wreath on to a large, flat serving plate. Place dollops of the crème Chantilly around the top of the wreath, then drizzle over some of the raspberry sauce; the rest can be served in a jug at the table. Decorate the wreath with the raspberries, lychees and passion fruit pulp. Serve straight away.
I am never quite sure if I should be calling this a cake or a tart but in any event, it is delicious and quite easy to make.
Ingredients
I am never quite sure if I should be calling this a cake or a tart but in any event, it is delicious and quite easy to make.
The origins of the recipe are from Tuscany in Italy but I like to use highly perfumed Irish dessert apples when in season. Look out for some lesser known but very delicious Irish dessert apples such as Irish Peach and Ardcairn Russet.
Serves 8
10g butter melted for greasing the parchment paper
4 dessert apples
Finely grated zest of 2 lemons
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
250g caster sugar
2 eggs
150ml cream
110g butter melted and cooled
125g whole almonds, blanched, peeled and ground to a fine powder in a food processer or ground almonds
110g plain flour sieved
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder sieved
100g of apricot jam
1 tablespoon lemon juice, warmed and sieved
2 tablespoons of chopped sweet geranium leaves ( optional)
Method
Preheat the oven to 180c / 350 f / gas 4
Line a 28cm flan ring with a removable base with a disc of parchment paper. The paper should in one piece cover the base and sides of the tin and come up 1cm above the edge of the tin. Brush the paper with a little melted butter.
Peel, core and quarter the apples and slice into c 3mm slices. Mix with the lemon zest. Whisk the vanilla, sugar, and eggs to a thick and light consistency similar to a batter. Whisk in the cream and cooled melted butter. Fold in the almonds, flour and baking powder. Add ¾ of the sliced apples, being careful not to break the apple slices.
Pour the mixture into the prepared flan ring and gently smooth over the surface. Scatter the remaining apples over the surface and sprinkle with 1 dessertspoon of caster sugar.
Place in the preheated oven and cook for 20 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 160c etc and cook for a further 40 minutes by which time the tart will feel gently set. It may be necessary to cover the tart during the cooking with a sheet of parchment paper if the tart is getting too dark.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. While the tart is still warm, Paint the surfaced with the warm sieved apricot jam to achieve a glossy glaze and if using the chopped geranium, sprinkle on immediately after glazing the tart.
This is one of my favourite cakes at this time of the year. It’s a much needed burst of sunshine. Deliciously light, and moist due to the natural Irish yogurt. You can make a gluten free version by simply using gluten free breadcrumbs. You can substitute the pistachios with hazelnuts, roast the hazelnuts before you add them to the cake, it enhances their flavour. It will last for one week, but not sure you will have any left for to test me on that!
To serve:
Decorate with 50g roughly chopped pistachios and the zest of one lemon on top. Serve with a dollop of natural Irish yogurt
Ingredients checklist
50gslightly stale white breadcrumbs
100galmonds, ground
100gpistachios
1tspbaking powder
4eggs
150gcaster sugar
125mlsunflower oil
200mlnatural Irish yogurt
zest of 1 orange
zest of 1 lemon
Ingredients checklist for the citrus syrup
juice of 1 orange
juice of 1 lemon
1star anise
1cinnamon stick
Instructions
Pre-heat the oven to 190°C / Gas 5.
Grease a 20.5cm (8in) round and 5cm (2in) deep tin and then lightly dust with flour.
In a large bowl mix together the breadcrumbs, almonds, pistachios and baking powder.
In a separate bowl whisk the eggs with the caster sugar. Continue to whisk while pouring in the vegetable oil, followed by the natural Irish yogurt.
Next stir the liquid pour into the dry ingredients and mix well. Add the orange and lemon zest.
Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin and into the pre-heated oven.
Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the cake is golden brown. To ensure cake is done, insert a skewer into the center – if it’s ready, the skewer should come out clean. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before turning out onto a plate.
Meanwhile, make the citrus syrup. Put all of the ingredients into a saucepan and bring gently to the boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved completely. Simmer for 10 minutes or until thick.
While the cake is still warm, pierce it several times with a skewer, then spoon the hot syrup over the cake, allowing it to run into the holes. Leave to cool. Spoon any excess syrup back over the cake every now and then until it is all soaked up.
Sprinkle chopped pistachios on top, and the zest of one orange. Serve with natural Irish yogurt
Put the tofu, ground star anise, vanilla seeds, treacle and agave syrup into a large bowl and blend with a hand blender until silky smooth.
Melt the chocolate in a heatproof glass bowl sat over a saucepan of simmering water, being careful not to let the bowl touch the water. Fold into the tofu. Spoon the mixture between 4 glasses and refrigerate until set.
To make the honeycomb, line a baking tray with baking paper. Put the sugar, glucose and golden syrup into a deep saucepan and heat until it reaches 145C. (This should take about 5 minutes). Quickly whisk in the bicarbonate of soda. Be careful as the mixture will bubble up very suddenly. Quickly pour onto the lined baking tray. Set aside to cool and harden.
To make the apricots, heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the apricots and star anise and cook until the apricots start to caramelise. Sprinkle over a pinch of sugar and leave to cool.
To serve, sprinkle the toasted almonds on top of the mousse and serve with the apricots and peices of honeycomb.
Granulated Sugar (depending on sweetness of apples)
How to:
Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4. Lightly grease an ovenproof dish about 28cms x 18cms (11″ x 7″).
Cream together the butter or margarine and icing sugar until light and fluffy.
Beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the lemon rind.
Sieve flour and baking powder. Add the flour to the batter, alternately with the milk.
Spread half the mixture into prepared dish, layer half the apples over this and top with remaining mixture. Arrange the apple slices on top. Sprinkle with sugar if wished and finally sprinkle over the flaked almonds.
Bake for about 40 minutes until well risen and firm to the touch.
A sticky Greek cake that tastes a little like the much more complicated Greek dessert Baklava
Thanks to Angela for this simple cake recipe that kids just love.
Ingredients
1 cup of plain flour
1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon of orange zest
3/4 cup of butter
3/4 cup of white sugar
3 eggs
3/4 cup of milk
1 cup of chopped walnuts
1 cup of Haughton Honey
1 cup of white sugar
3/4 cup of water
1 teaspoon of lemon juice
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 175c/350F. Grease and lightly flour a 9″ square cake tin. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and orange rind. Set this to one side.
In a large bowl mix together the butter and the sugar with a whisk until light and fluffy. Then blend in the eggs one at a time. Gently blend in the flour mixture prepared earlier with the milk and stir in the walnuts.
Pour the batter in to the prepared tin. Place in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool for 15 minutes and then cut the cake into diamond shapes before pouring the honey syrup over. Decorate with lemon zest if you wish.
To make the honey syrup combine the honey, 1 cup of white sugar and 3/4 cup of water. Bring slowly to a gentle simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and continue cooking for a further 2 minutes. Keep warm before pouring on to the cake.
Notes for the cook: if you have a fan-assisted oven then reduce the specified temperature in the recipe by about 15% ~ 1 teaspoon = 5ml and 1 tablespoon = 15ml ~ some ingredients are measured in cups and some equivalents are; 150g, 6oz (1/2 cup) = 120ml, 4fl oz
A quirky combination. The end result? A scrumptious cake for all to enjoy. Ingredients 4 stalks of lemongrass, base and tops trimmed, outer leaves removed but reserved for the syrup (see below) 250 g (9oz) caster sugar 4 eggs 200 g (7oz) butter, softened, plus extra for greasing 125 g (41/2 oz) desiccated coconut 125 g (41/2 oz) plain flour, plus extra for dusting 2 tsp baking powder greek yoghurt or creme fraiche, to serve for the syrup reserved trimmings and outer leaves of the lemongrass (see above) 75 g (3oz) caster sugar 23cm (9in) diameter cake tin with 6cm Method Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F/Gas 3). Butter the sides of the cake tin and dust with flour, then line the base with a disc of baking parchment. Slice the lemongrass stalks quite thinly into rounds about 3mm (1?8in) thick, then place in a food processor with the caster sugar and whiz for 1–2 minutes or until the lemongrass is finely puréed and very aromatic. Add the eggs, butter and coconut and whiz again until combined, then sift the flour and baking powder together and add to the machine, whizzing very briefly just until the ingredients come together. Tip the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 40–45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. While the cake is cooking, make the syrup. Roughly chop the lemongrass trimmings, place in a saucepan with the sugar and 75ml (3fl oz) of water and set over a high heat. Stir the mixture until the sugar is dissolved, then bring to the boil and boil for 2 minutes before removing from the heat and leaving to infuse. When the cake has finished baking, take it out of the oven and let it sit in the tin for 10 minutes. Loosen around the edges using a small, sharp knife and carefully remove the cake from the tin before transferring to a serving plate. Reheat the syrup, then pierce holes all over the cake with a skewer and pour the hot syrup through a sieve onto the cake, moving the pan and sieve around as you pour so that the syrup covers the top of the cake. Allow the cake to cool down completely. Serve with a dollop of natural Greek yoghurt or crème fraiche.
Foodaware 