Mint Slice Cheesecake

 

Today was my last day of work before a little break over Christmas and New Years, I'm very much looking forward to relaxing for a short while. In what's become a bit of a tradition for me I made goodies to gift to the people I work with, this year they each got a Mint Slice Cheesecake. I made the cheesecakes directly into containers instead of pans, which might seem a bit odd, but was easy, safe way to transport them.

 

I made 4 smallish/regular sized cheesecakes and 8 mini cupcake sized cheesecakes using a double batch of the mixture in the recipe below. In the instructions I've included directions to make either one full pie sized cheesecake or a bunch of mini ones from a single batch of filling mixture.

The cheesecakes a festive variation on the cookies and cream idea, with a mild minty flavour added to by the mint slice pieces mixed through the filling. I especially enjoyed the single serve cupcake cheesecakes with  the whole mint cookie base. 

Sadly shortly after taking pictures of the mini ones, I dropped them while trying to fit the container in the fridge. So now I have a box of squished messy cheesecakes, I guess I can't be too sad, at least now I have a great excuse not to share them.

Mint Slice Cheesecake

Chocolate Base
250 grams plain chocolate biscuits (cookies)
120 grams butter (melted)
or
12 mint slice biscuits

Cheesecake Filling
2 teaspoons gelatine
2 tablespoons water
375 grams cream cheese (softened)
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/2 cup caster sugar
300 mls thick cream
180 grams white chocolate (melted)
200 grams mint slice biscuits (roughly 1 1/2 packets)

Whipped Cream, chocolate, crushed candy canes and sprinkles to decorate.

To make the base- If you are making mini cupcake sized cheesecakes- simply place one mint slice biscuit into the base of a cupcake paper lined pan.

Alternately for a pie sized cheesecake-  In a food processor, process biscuits until fine crumbs. Add the melted butter and malt and process until combined.

Press the mixture evenly over the base of a pie dish, use the flat bottom of a glass to press evenly.

To make the filling- Roughly chop 200 grams of the mint slice biscuits, a mixture of small and large pieces works well.

In a small heatproof bowl sprinkle the gelatine over the water. Stand the bowl of gelatine mixture over a saucepan of boiling water and stir until the gelatine has melted. Allow to cool for 5 minutes.

With an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, vanilla and sugar until smooth.

Beat in the cream until combined, followed by the white chocolate and gelatine mixture.

Stir through the chopped mint slice biscuits.

Spoon the filling over the prepared base and smooth over the top, refrigerate for at least 3 hours (or overnight) until set.

Decorate as you like. I piped whipped cream around the edge of the cheesecake and topped it with drizzle of dark chocolate and a bunch of sprinkles or candy cane.

Enjoy!!!

White Chocolate Rocky Road Bites

Rocky Road is one of my favourite treats at Christmas time, I've posted quite a number of recipes over the last few years. This years recipe is a bit of a variation on my favourite white rocky road recipe made in bite size form. The mini rocky road bites make a cute gift all packaged up, or a tempting treat each time you pass the fridge.

White Chocolate Strawberry Rocky Road
250 grams pink and white marshmallows
190 grams strawberries and cream lollies
160 grams shortbread
360 grams white chocolate
1/4 cup shredded coconut

To make the Rocky Road- line a mini cupcake pan with papers. Chop the both the strawberry and cream lollies and marshmallows in half. Break or chop the shortbread into small pieces.

Break up the white chocolate into a microwave safe bowl. Microwave the chocolate on medium in 30 second bursts until it is melted and smooth, be careful not to burn the chocolate.

Mix the strawberries, marshmallows, shortbread and coconut together in a medium bowl.

Pour in the melted white chocolate. Mix all of the yumminess together.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared pans. Cover and pop it into the fridge until it is set.

Enjoy!!

Cookies for Santa

Before you start wondering why I'm posting carrot cookies as a Christmas thing, I assure you I have a reason.. promise!

What does your family leave out for Santa Christmas Eve? Milk and cookies? Eggnog and fruitcake? Maybe a cold beer? (Not condoning drinking and slay driving)

We always left out milk and cookies for Santa and carrots for the reindeer, now that I've grown up and learnt a few of Santa's secrets, a beer would probably be welcomed.

Choc Candy Cane Ice Creams

Today I've got the perfect post Christmas day dessert to share with you. Christmas lunch or Christmas dinner means a stretchy pant sized meal for a lot of people, and while we all try to leave room for dessert it doesn't always happen. These petite sized Choc Candy Cane Ice Cream Pops are a sure fix those post feast sweets cravings, especially on a hot Summer day.

The minty flavour in these frosty treats, entirely from the crushed candy canes stirred into the mix, is a lovely refreshing end to big meal. The individual popsicles are the perfect size and as an added bonus save you the extra washing up of ice cream bowls and spoons.

The only thing to consider when making these popsicles is that as it is a no egg recipe the ice cream will soften faster while you are working with it. Ensure your moulds and tools are cold as possible to keep your ice cream from melting too much.

Candy Cane Ice Cream
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup Sweetened Condensed milk
1 cup thickened cream
1/4 cup sugar
6 regular sized candy canes (crushed)
a few drops red food colouring

100 grams dark chocolate
sprinkles

To make the Ice Cream- add the milk, condensed milk, cream, colouring and sugar into a large mixing bowl, stir until the sugar has dissolved. Cover the mixture and chill in the fridge until very cold.

Pour the chilled mixture into your ice cream maker and freeze according to your machines instructions.
While the ice cream is churning place your popsicle moulds into the freezer to ensure everything is cold as possible.

Once the ice cream is at soft serve consistency, quickly stir through the candy cane pieces,

Spoon the ice cream into popsicle moulds and insert pop sticks. Freeze for at least 2 hours.

Melt the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl 30 seconds at a time, stirring between bursts, until smooth.

Covering the ice cream pops needs to be done quickly so the ice cream doesn't melt. To remove the pops from the moulds quickly dip the outside of the mould into a cup of warm water, careful not to get water on the ice cream.

Take one ice cream pops from the freezer at a time, use a spoon to drizzle chocolate over the ice cream and sprinkle with sprinkles. Lay the choc coated ice creams in a container lined with baking paper. Return to the freezer until you are ready to enjoy them.

Slice and bake cookies

This is one of those great time saver recipes, one recipe that make two kinds of cookies, or really as many combinations as you like. I made half mms cookies and half cranberry pistachio, but the recipe would divide well into four for maybe a choc chip version and some cinnamon cookies, so many possibilities. Plus make the cookie dough a day ahead  and it can sit in your fridge ready to slice and bake cookies as you need them. There's nothing that says Christmas more than the smell of baked goods wafting from a house, prepare the dough ahead of time and cut and bake fresh cookies for your friends.

For the Cookies (makes 40)
250 grams butter (softened)

1 1/4 cups icing sugar 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/3 cups plain flour

1/2 cup cornflour

2 tablespoons milk

150 grams red and green mms
red and green sanding sugar

1/4 cups dried cranberries (chopped)

1/4 cup pistachios (chopped)

To make the cookies- preheat oven to 160 degrees c.

Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. 

Stir in flours in two parts, followed but the milk until dough comes together. 

Turn the mixture out onto a lightly floured surface and divide in half.

Add the mms to one half of the mix and kneed lightly until the dough is smooth.

Spread a mixture or red and green sanding sugar onto a tray and roll the mms log of cookie dough to coat.

Kneed the cranberries and pistachios into the second half of dough.

Roll each half of dough into a 25 cm long log and wrap in cling wrap. Chill the dough in the fridge for at least an hour, until firm.

Cut each length of dough in to 1cm thick disks and lay flat on a lined baking tray about 3cms apart.

Bake the cookies for roughly 20 minutes. Cool cookies on wire racks.

Parcel Presents

My gift shopping is almost all done, now for the fun part. Wrapping!! It might be strange but I really like wrapping presents. I enjoy having a bit of a theme, this year i'm keeping it simple with red polka dots and brown paper.

Brown craft paper always makes me think mail parcels, so why not dress my gifts up as some. A few printed random stamps, a little red and white twine and some cute labels- like these fun printables from eatdrinkchic- are all you need to make you pressies look like cute packages.

Eggnog Cake

I'm running a day behind, due to an Ikea bed putting together emergency last night, but will make up for it with two posts tomorrow. Consider this Eggnog Cake post day 13 of the advent calendar Christmas posts.

 I love love LOVE this recipe and not just because I love eggnog. The cake turned out so lovely and fluffy, with yummy hints of vanilla and nutmeg and a subtle eggnog flavour.

The coconut white chocolate tree toppers were fun and pretty way to decorate the cake, click back to day twelves post for a how to guide on make them.

For the Eggnog Cake

1 cup eggnog (1/2 cup + 1/2 cup)

3 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

280 grams butter (softened)

2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1teaspoon ground nutmeg

To make the cake- preheat oven to 180 degrees c.  Butter and flour two 8 inch round cake tins.

In a medium bowl combine the 1/2 cup eggnog, eggs and vanilla and whisk lightly.

In your mixer bowl add flour, sugar, nutmeg and baking powder and mix on low to combine.

Add the remaining half of the eggnog and the butter to the flour mixture and beat for 2 minutes on mid speed. 

Pour in the egg mixture a third at a time beat for 20 seconds after each addition, scraping down the sides of the bowl as you go. The mixture should be light and fluffy.

Divide the mix between the two cake pans and level out. Bake the cakes for 35-40 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. 

Allow to cool in tins for 10 minutes before turning out into wire racks to cool completely.

For the Eggnog Buttercream

250 grams butter

4 cups icing sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 tablespoons eggnog

To make the Eggnog Buttercream- beat the butter in your mixer bowl pale and smooth.

Add the remaining ingredients to the butter and beat the frosting until light and fluffy. Add a little more icing sugar or eggnog to get to a spreadable consistency. 

To decorate the cake- trim the raised tops off of the cakes to get two even layers.

Spread a thick layer of frosting over the cut top of the first cake layer. 

 Sandwich on the second layer of cake.

Cover the top and sides of the cake with frosting, using your knife to create swirls of buttercream. 

Top the cake with coconut ice cream cone Christmas trees and a little extra coconut and cachous if you like.

 Enjoy!!