Raspberry Cheesecake Brownies



Brownie ingredients:

200g dark chocolate, roughly chopped

200g unsalted butter

250g icing sugar

3 eggs

110g plain flour

Cheesecake ingredients:

400g cream cheese

150g icing sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

Cream topping

300 ml whipping cream

100g icing sugar

150g raspberries, plus extra to decorate

33 x 23 x 5-cm baking tray, lined with greaseproof paper

For the brownie:

Preheat the oven to 170°C.

Put the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water.  Leave until melted and smooth.

Put the butter and sugar in a mixer with a paddle attachment and beat until all the ingredients are well incorporated.

Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well.

Gradually beat in the flour, mixing well after each addition, then turn the mixer up to high speed and beat for a little longer until you get a smooth mixture.

Slowly pour in the melted chocolate and mix thoroughly. Pour into the prepared baking tray and smooth over with a palette knife.

For the cheesecake:

Put the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla extract in a mixer with a paddle attachment and beat on slow speed until smooth and thick. Add one egg at a time, while still mixing. The mixture should be very smooth and creamy.

The mixer can be turned up to a higher speed at the end to make the mix a little lighter and fluffier, but be careful not to overmix, otherwise the cheese will split. Spoon on top of the brownie and smooth over with a palette knife.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30–40 minutes, or until the cheesecake is firm to the touch and light golden around the edges. The centre should still be pale. Leave to cool completely, then cover and refrigerate for 2 hours, or overnight if possible.

For the cream topping:

Put the cream, sugar and raspberries in a freestanding electric mixer with a whisk attachment and beat until firm but not stiff.

Turn the brownie out onto a board and turn the right way up.

Spread the topping evenly over the brownie and decorate with more raspberries.

Baked vanilla cheesecake with raspberries

Cake tin:

20cm sandwich tin 4cm deep with a loose base, greased and lined with baking parchment

For the base:

200g pack shortbread fingers
50g butter, melted

For the filling:

300g Philadelphia Creamy Soft Cheese
350ml Crème fraîche
175g golden caster sugar
25g plain flour
3 large eggs, beaten
1 dessertspoon  Vanilla Extract

For the topping:

200g fresh raspberries
Icing sugar

Method

Preheat the oven to 150ºC, gas mark 3.

Blitz the biscuits into crumbs in a food processor then tip them into a bowl and add the melted butter and give it a thorough mix.

Press the crumbs evenly into the base of the lined tin using the back of a metal spoon to give it a smooth surface.

Make the filling

In a bowl, mix together the cream cheese, caster sugar and flour.

Stir in the crème fraîche, beaten eggs and vanilla.

Pour the mixture over the biscuit base and place it on a baking tray in the lower half of the oven.

Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, by which time the cheesecake will be barely coloured; it should be just set firm on the edge but still slightly wobbly in the centre.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool before placing in the fridge for several hours to firm up.

To serve the cheesecake, arrange the raspberries all over the surface and dust with icing sugar.

Chocolate Cake

Best ever family chocolate cake

Ingredients

50g (2oz) cocoa

6 tbsp boiling water

3 eggs

4 tbsp milk

175g (6oz) self-raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

100g (4oz) softened butter

300g (10oz) natural caster sugar

For the icing and filling

150g (5oz ) Bournville chocolate broken into pieces

150ml (5 fl oz) double cream

3 tbsp apricot jam

The cake

Pre-heat the oven to 180 C.

Grease two 8in (20cm) sandwich tins and line the base with baking parchment.

First measure the cocoa and boiling water into a large bowl, and mix well to make a paste.

Add the remaining ingredients and beat again until combined.

Divide the cake mixture between the prepared tins.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 25-30 mins until well risen and shrinking away from the sides of the tin.

For the icing and filling

Measure the chocolate and cream together in a bowl and stand the bowl over a pan of simmering water for approx 10 minutes until melted - stirring from time to time.

Set aside and allow to become cold and almost set.

When baked, remove the cakes and allow to cool completely.

Spread the tops of each cake with apricot jam.

Fill the cakes with half the icing and spread the remainder on top.

Dust with icing sugar.

Fruit Teabread

Loaded with sultanas and apricots. There is no butter in this so it is good for you :)

Start the day before, fruits need to be soaked in hot tea overnight.

Cake tin needed:

A 900g (2 lb) loaf tin

Ingredients:

350g (12 oz) mixed dried fruit

225g (8oz) light muscovado sugar

300ml (1/2 pint) hot Earl Grey tea made using 2 Earl Grey teabagsz

275g (10oz) self raising flour

Zest of 1 lemon

1 large beaten egg

Day before:

Put dried fruits and the sugar into a bowl, stir to mix, then pour over hot tea.

Cover the bowl and leave in a cool place overnight.

Preheat the oven to 150 C.

Line baking tin with baking parchment.

Add the flour, lemon zest and beaten egg to the fruit mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until thoroughly mixed.

Turn the mixture into the prepared tin and gently level the surface.

Bake for 1 ¼ - 1 ½ hours, until well risen and firm to the touch.

Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes.

Turn the teabread out and leave on a wire rack to cool.

Lychee Cupcakes

Delicate lychee flavour

Tins needed:

Bun tray

Ingredients:

225g (8oz) softened butter

225g (8oz) caster sugar

225g (8oz) self raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

4 eggs

1 tin of lychees

For filling:

300ml whipped cream

½ tin chopped up lychees

For buttercream frosting:

125g cold Philadelphia full fat cream cheese

50g softened unsalted butter

300g icing sugar

2 tsp vanilla essence

Drop of pink food colouring

For decoration:
Lychee Jelly Belly sweets

Makes  about 18.

Preheat the oven to 180 C.

Line the bun tray with baking cases.

Place the butter, caster sugar, flour, baking powder and eggs in a large mixing bowl and beat for 2-3 minutes until well combined.

Stir in chopped up lychees drained of any juice.

Spoon the mixture into paper cases.

Bake for 18 minutes until well risen.

Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Cut out middle of cupcakes and fill with chopped up lychees and whipped cream.

Beat the icing sugar and butter together in a mixer with paddle attachment on medium-slow speed until the mixture comes together and is well mixed.

Add vanilla extract.

Add Philadelphia in one go and beat until it is completely incorporated.

Turn the mixer up to medium-­high speed.

Continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy, at least 5 minutes.

Do not overbeat, as it can quickly become runny.

Add drop of pink colour and mix through.

Transfer the frosting to piping bag with star nozzle and decorate the cupcakes when completely cooled.
Add few lychee Jelly Belly sweets on top of each.

Lychee Sponge Cake

Delicate lychee flavour

For the cakes

4 free-range eggs

225g/8oz, caster sugar

225g/8oz self raising flour

225g/8oz butter at room temperature

1tin of lychees, reserve the syrup

For filling

300ml whipping or double cream

½ tin lychees

For icing

250g (9oz) icing sugar, sifted

80g (3oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature

25ml whole milk

A couple of drops of vanilla extract

½ tin lychee cut in halves

Praline

100g/3½oz caster sugar

55g/2oz cashews/almonds

Place a lightly greased sheet of baking paper onto a baking sheet.

Heat the caster sugar in a saucepan over a medium heat without stirring, until the sugar dissolves and liquid turns a deep brown caramel colour.

Add the nuts and pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet.

Allow the caramel to cool and set hard, and then break it up into tiny pieces.

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Grease and line 2 x 20cm/8in sandwich tins.

Break the eggs into a mixing bowl, add the sugar, flour, baking powder and butter.

Mix everything together until well combined.

Be careful not to over-mix – as soon as everything is blended you should stop.

The finished mixture should be of a soft ‘dropping’ consistency – it should fall off a spoon easily.

Add chopped lychees coated in flour so they don’t sink. Mix gently.

Divide the mixture evenly between the tins: this doesn’t need to be exact.

Smooth the surface of the cakes.

Place the tins on the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 25 minutes.

The cakes are done when they’re golden-brown and coming away from the edge of the tins.

Remove them from the oven and set aside to cool in their tins for five minutes. Then run a palette or rounded butter knife around the inside edge of the tin and carefully turn the cakes out onto a cooling rack.

To take your cakes out of the tins without leaving a wire rack mark on the top, put the clean tea towel over the tin, put your hand onto the tea towel and turn the tin upside-down.

The cake should come out onto your hand and the tea towel, remove baking parchment, then you can turn it from your hand onto the wire rack.

Set aside to cool completely.

To assemble the cake, place one cake upside down onto a plate and spread it with whipped cream.

Place handful of chopped lychees on top of cream.

Top with the second cake, top-side up.

Spread butter cream on top and sides.

Decorate with praline and lychees.

Chocolate and Orange Cupcakes

Tins needed:

Bun tray

Ingredients:

225g (8oz) softened butter

225g (8oz) caster sugar

225g (8oz) self raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

4 eggs

2 tbsp cocoa powder

Zest of 1 orange

100g (3 ½ oz chocolate chips)

For icing:

175g (6oz) plain chocolate

100g (3 ½ oz white chocolate)

Makes  about 18.

Preheat the oven to 180 C.

Line the bun tray with baking cases.

Place the butter, caster sugar, flour, baking powder, eggs, orange zest and cocoa powder in a large mixing bowl and beat for 2-3 minutes until well combined.

Stir in the chocolate chips.

Spoon the mixture into paper cases.

Bake for 18 minutes until well risen.

Transfer to wire rack to cool.

Melt the chocolate separately in a bowl over a pan of simmering water.

Spoon over the top of the cooled cupcakes.

Decorate as required.

Carrot and Walnut Cupcakes 2

Cake tins needed

2 x 12-hole cupcake tray lined with paper cases

For the cake

2 cups granulated sugar

2½ cups plain flour

1⅓ cups vegetable oil

3 extra-large eggs

1 tsp pure vanilla essence

1 tbsp plain flour (to toss walnuts and sultanas in)

2 tsps ground cinnamon

2 tsps bicarbonate of soda

1½ tsps salt

1 cup sultanas

1 cup chopped walnuts

450g grated carrots

For the frosting

125g cold Philadelphia full fat cream cheese

50g softened unsalted butter

300g icing sugar

6tsp vanilla essence

50g chopped walnuts

Method

Preheat the oven to 170°C.

For the cake

Beat the sugar, oil, and eggs together in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light yellow.
Add the vanilla.

In another bowl, sift together 2 1/2 cups flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.

Toss the raisins and walnuts with 1 tablespoon flour - this will stop raisins sinking to the bottom.
Fold in the carrots.

Add to the batter and mix well.

Divide the batter between 24 cupcake cases.
Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Allow the cakes to cool for 5  minutes in the trays and then transfer to a wire rack.

For the frosting

Beat the icing sugar and butter together in a mixer with paddle attachment on medium-slow speed until the mixture comes together and is well mixed.

Add vanilla extract.

Add Philadelphia in one go and beat until it is completely incorporated.

Turn the mixer up to medium-­high speed.

Continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy, at least 5 minutes.

Do not overbeat, as it can quickly become runny.

Fold in chopped walnuts.

Transfer the frosting to piping bag with star nozzle and decorate the cupcake when completely cooled.

Raspberry Victoria Sandwich

Light sponge perfect with nice cup of tea.

For the cakes

4 free-range eggs

225g/8oz, golden caster sugar plus a little extra for dusting the finished cake

225g/8oz self raising flour

225g/8oz butter at room temperature, plus a little extra to grease the tins

For filling

5 table spoons raspberry jelly

For decorating top

100g freeze dried raspberries

1 tbsp sifted icing sugar

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Grease and line 2 x 20cm/8in sandwich tins.

Break the eggs into a mixing bowl, add the sugar, flour, baking powder and butter.

Mix everything together until well combined.

Be careful not to over-mix – as soon as everything is blended you should stop.

The finished mixture should be of a soft ‘dropping’ consistency – it should fall off a spoon easily.

Divide the mixture evenly between the tins: this doesn’t need to be exact.

Smooth the surface of the cakes.

Place the tins on the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 25 minutes.

The cakes are done when they’re golden-brown and coming away from the edge of the tins.

Remove them from the oven and set aside to cool in their tins for five minutes. Then run a palette or rounded butter knife around the inside edge of the tin and carefully turn the cakes out onto a cooling rack.

To take your cakes out of the tins without leaving a wire rack mark on the top, put the clean tea towel over the tin, put your hand onto the tea towel and turn the tin upside-down.

The cake should come out onto your hand and the tea towel – then you can turn it from your hand onto the wire rack.

Set aside to cool completely.

To assemble the cake, place one cake upside down onto a plate and spread it with plenty of jam.

Top with the second cake, top-side up.

Sprinkle over the icing sugar.

Decorate with freeze dried raspberries.

Almond and Orange Cake

Deliciously moist and fragrant cake - butter and flour free.



Cake tin needed

20cm (8in) deep cake tin

Ingredients

200g (7oz) peeled carrots

4 large eggs, separated

few drops of vanilla extract

1 orange

150g (5 ½ oz) caster sugar

1 tbsp orange juice or orange liqueur

150g (5 ½ oz) ground almonds

Raspberries, to garnish

Icing sugar, for dusting

Preheat the oven to 160 C.

Line the cake tin with baking parchment.

Cook the carrots in a little water until tender, then drain, cool slightly, and blend to a puree with the orange juice or orange liqueur.

Whisk the egg yolks in a large bowl with the vanilla and grated orange.

Gradually add the sugar, whisking until it becomes thick and pale.

Fold in the carrot puree and ground almonds.

In a clean, dry bowl , whisk the egg whites until stiff, then fold them into the yolk mixture.

Pour into the prepared cake tin and bake for 1 hour, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool completely.

Pile on the raspberries and sift icing sugar over the top to serve.

Serve with whipped cream.

Jubilee Strawberry, Blueberry and Cream Victoria Sandwich

Strawberry, Blueberry and Cream Victoria Sandwich for Diamond Jubilee.

For the cakes

4 free-range eggs

225g/8oz, caster sugar plus a little extra for dusting the finished cake

225g/8oz self raising flour225g/8oz butter at room temperature, plus a little extra to grease the tins

For filling

5 table spoons strawberry jam

100g fresh strawberries

300ml whipping or double cream

For decorating top

100g fresh strawberries

100g fresh blueberries

2tbsp freeze dried strawberries

1 tbsp sifted icing sugar

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Grease and line 2 x 20cm/8in sandwich tins.

Break the eggs into a mixing bowl, add the sugar, flour, baking powder and butter.

Mix everything together until well combined.

Be careful not to over-mix – as soon as everything is blended you should stop.

The finished mixture should be of a soft ‘dropping’ consistency – it should fall off a spoon easily.

Divide the mixture evenly between the tins: this doesn’t need to be exact.

Smooth the surface of the cakes.

Place the tins on the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 25 minutes.

The cakes are done when they’re golden-brown and coming away from the edge of the tins.

Remove them from the oven and set aside to cool in their tins for five minutes. Then run a palette or rounded butter knife around the inside edge of the tin and carefully turn the cakes out onto a cooling rack.

To take your cakes out of the tins without leaving a wire rack mark on the top, put the clean tea towel over the tin, put your hand onto the tea towel and turn the tin upside-down.

The cake should come out onto your hand and the tea towel – then you can turn it from your hand onto the wire rack.

Set aside to cool completely.

To assemble the cake, place one cake upside down onto a plate and spread it with plenty of jam.

Pipe or spread over whipped cream and add strawberries.

Top with the second cake, top-side up.

Sprinkle over the caster sugar.

Decorate with fresh and freeze dried strawberries and blueberries.