Choc mug pudding

This recipe has become popular in our house, becuase they can make it themselves!  It's from the Taste web site.  It's not gourmet, but it satisfies that need for something quick, warm and chocolatey.

Preparation Time: 2 minutes

Cooking Time: 2 minutes

Additional Time: 1 minute (Cooling)

Serves: 1

Ingredients:

• 1 Tablespoon Butter
• 1 Tablespoon Almond or Hazelnut meal
• 1 Tablespoon Gluten free cornflour
• 1 Tablespoon Natvia Sweetner
• 1 Tablespoon Coco powder
• 1 Tablespoon Dark chocolate chips
• 1 Tablespoon Light Sour Cream
• 1 Tablespoon Chilli Infused olive oil

Put your butter in the mug and microwave it for about 40 seconds, or until pretty much melted. Add everything else. Stir to incorporate well. Microwave for 100 seconds at 70% power. Leave it to cool for a couple of seconds... or not. I have an annoying tendency to burn my mouth out every time I make this. If you’re sniffly, cold and lonely – give this a shot, it’ll fix all your problems.

PS: I think my microwave has survived tonights episode!!??

Red velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

This was my first "red velvet" recipe.  I decreased the red colouring, and halved the icing (to preservethe coronary arteries!)  They're goood!

Red Velvet Cupcakes
2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour*
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 oz. red food coloring (two bottles)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers.
2. Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl; set aside.  In a small bowl, mix food coloring and cocoa powder to form a thin paste without lumps; set aside.
3. In a large bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about three minutes.  Beat in eggs, one at a time, then beat in vanilla and the red cocoa paste, scraping down the bowl with a spatula as you go.  Add one third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, beat well, then beat in half of the buttermilk. Beat in another third of flour mixture, then second half of buttermilk. End with the last third of the flour mixture, beat until well combined, making sure to scrape down the bowl with a spatula.
4. In a small bowl, mix vinegar and baking soda.  Yes, it will fizz!  Add vinegar mixture to the cake batter and stir well to combine. Using an ice cream scoop, fill cupcake cups with cake batter (they should be 2/3 – 3/4 full).  You may not fill all the cups, I ended up with 20 cupcakes.  Place muffin tins on the middle rack of a preheated 350 degree oven.  Bake for approximately 20-22 minutes, rotating pans halfway through. Cupcakes are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Check early and don’t overbake!
5. Cool the cupcakes in their tins on a wire rack for 10 minutes then remove and allow to cool completely before frosting.  Frost cupcakes with cream cheese icing (recipe below) and decorate with red sprinkles if desired.

Cream Cheese Frosting
16 oz. cream cheese (2 packages), softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter (one stick), softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
pinch of salt

With an electric mixer, blend together cream cheese and butter until smooth.  Turn mixer to low speed and blend in powdered sugar, salt and vanilla extract.  Turn mixer on high and beat until light and fluffy. Use immediately or refrigerate, covered, until ready to use.  If refrigerated, the frosting will need to be brought to room temperature before using (after frosting softens up, beat with mixer until smooth).

Pantry Muesli bars

Found a great foundation muesli bar at best recipes.com, and did my usual tinkering and think the result was great!  You can make it healthier with substituting or minimising the butter and using oil.  I loved that I could raid my pantry and use what was at hand.

100g butter
1/2 cup plain flour
2/3 cup brown sugar
11/2 cups rolled oats (you could supplement with rice bubbles)
1 cup dried fruit - I used cranberries
1/2 cup choc bits (I omitted)
1/2 cup nuts - I used walnuts
1/2 cup seeds - I used pepitas and sunflower seeds
2 tbspn sesame seeds
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tbspn peanut butter (generous)
11/2 tbspn honey
1/2 cup coconut

1. Line rectangular baking dish with baking paper. Preheat oven to 150 degrees
2. Melt together peanut butter, butter, honey and brown sugar in saucepan
3. Mix all other ingredients in a bowl and pour over butter/sugar mixture.
4. Mix well and tip into baking dish and flatten firmly with metal spoon
5. Bake for 40 mins and leave to cool before cutting into squares or rectangles.

Caramel Cheesecake

I had long wanted to conquer the condensed milk caramel thing, and needed to take a special cake for a work celebration, so went looking for a caramel cheescake.  Found a good one at Taste.com http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/16031/baked+caramel+cheesecake which of course I adapted to include the condensed mild caramel.

For the caramel:

Boil an unopened can of condensed milk for 2 hours (making sure that you top up the water so the can is always emersed) and voila!  ...... Caramel.

For the cheescake:

1 x 250g packet of ANZAC or granita biscuits
125 g butter, melted
2 x 250g pkts cream cheese (you can use fat reduced) softened
1 x 300ml carton sour cream (or normal cream if that's what you have)
150g plain yoghurt (low fat is good)
1/2 cup caster sugar
3 eggs
1 can condensed milk caramel (cooled)

Method:
1. Crush biscuits to a fine crumb, add melted butter and pack firmly into the bottom of a springform pan. Chill for 30 mins

2. Preheat oven to 160 degrees. Pulse cream cheese, eggs, sugar, yoghurt, cream in a food processor to combine.

3. Pour 1/2 the cream mixture over the biscuit base. Spoon caramel over (globs are fine) then top with remaining cream mixture

4. Bake for 1 hour and 10 mins or until set. Turn off oven, and leave cheesecake in oven with door ajar for 2 hours until cooled (this will ensure that the cheesecake does not split).

5. Chill in fridge for 4 hours or overnight