OK that's enough of all that healthy eating! Anyway my grandfather always said that "a little of what you fancy does you good"!!
Brownieville Boy #1, had some friends coming over to spend the night and taste the delights of the local night-life, so I reckoned that the food should be good just in case the nightlife wasn't! What's the first thing you think to bake for four (male) burly college students ...... cupcakes of course!!!!
As you know I have been doing some baking from the gorgeous Eric Lanlard's Home Bake (why do I feel compelled to mention how handsome he is every time I write his name??????), having been lucky enough to have been sent a review copy by the publishers. I followed his recipe for vanilla cupcakes, with a cream cheese vanilla icing - and they didn't offend any macho sensibilities!!!!!
I also made the chocolate cheesecake - changing some of the cheeses (using up all those pre-Christmas purchases!), this was truly a revelation - probably one of the best desserts that have come out of my kitchen! It would have been perfection served with a raspberry coulis and some Barbados Cream or ice-cream.
Here is a rundown of some of the other delights from the book!
This is the Apple Crumble Sponge - perfect when you don't want something too elaborate. I served this with three other desserts - perfect for the non-chocoholics amongst us. (not me obviously!!)
The vanilla cupcakes were well received, although I didn't think they were quite as good as the Hummingbird ones.
These Blondies with Peanut Butter were delicious, this is all that was left after I left them out to cool and then popped out to the shops for some milk!
Wholemeal courgette and seed muffins - despite overcooking these dreadfully (it's your fault - I lost track of time reading everyone's blogs!!) these were tasty, and would be perfect for a virtuous lunch time treat.
These are the Double Chocolate Marshmallow Muffins (I can't find any photos of the finished article - sorry) - bit too sweet for my taste, but this didn't bother Brownieville Boy #2!
Eric's Roasted Banana Muffins were out of this world - so intensely Bananay (!) Roasting the bananas added a real depth of flavour.
The Chocolate and Orange Chocolate Cake was well received, although didn't reach the dizzy heights of praise that Nigella's did!!
I have blogged about these addictive Malteser Squares before - I'm just glad that there are none of these beauties in the house now as they would spell the death knell for any healthy eating aspirations!!!
The cheesecake was delicious rich and chocolaty without being excessively sweet. I have to 'fess up I only had a small portion - honestly!
Chocolate Cheesecake
adapted from Eirc Lanlard's Home Bake
Base
125g/4.5oz melted butter
250g/9oz chocolate bourbon biscuits (chocolate digestives will work too)
Filling
100g medium fat cream cheese
250g mascarpone cheese
250g ricotta cheese
75g golden caster sugar
3 large eggs
40g coco powder, sifted
100g good quality dark chocolate melted
Preheat oven to 180 C
Prepare a 20cm/8" springform cake tin by greasing with butter and lining the bottom with parchment paper.
Prepare the base by crushing the biscuits and adding the melted butter.
Press evenly into the prepared tin.
Refrigerate for a half an hour.
Prepare the filling by placing the cheeses and sugar into a food processor, blend until smooth.
Add the eggs and give mixture a whizz.
Next add the cocoa and blend again.
Finally add the melted chocolate (which you have allowed to cool a bit) and whizz until fully combined.
Pour the mixture onto the base in the tin.
Smooth the surface and place in the preheated oven - it's really important to place the tin on a baking sheet as there will be leakage!!
Bake for 50-60 minutes, until the centre has a slight wobble.
Cool in the turned off oven for 1 hour.
Take out of the oven and cool, then chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours.
Enjoy!
45 comments:
I gots to get me that book. I want to try all those recipirs
lordy... that's a lot of baking... good to know that the health kick it well and truly over... was wondering who would be the first to buckle!... I'm on strict instructions not to bake anythings sweet until February!... I may have to do some secret baking tho... x
Oh my, that chocolate cheesecake looks like it might beat all other chocolate desserts. Are you sure you just had the one piece?
Here I am all shamed face for I own a copy of this book and I have to admit to a casual flick through. Obviously I have been missing out - that cheesecake looks glorious!
gosh..that IS alot of baking..i am thinking either a blueberry crisp or a blueberry streusel coffeecake today
happy to visit today, my friend
kary
OMG, my mouth is watering looking at that chocolate cheesecake! Will give it a try for Valentine's Day!
Eric Lanlard - I remember watching his TV prog called Glamour Puds on C4. He seems to be a wiz at baking. But mamma mia, that cheesecake looks lethal (in a death by chocolate sorta way)!
Enjoying it so far cupcakegirl!
Oh Dom - how you could you doubt me, most of the baking was pre-Christmas!!!!
toc - I promise!!!!!!
Chele, thanks. Think the book is worth another look!
Kary, looking forward to seeing which you decide, both sound delicious.
OBCS - it would be perfect for Valentines Day, with some strawberries maybe!
I thought I was all set for this afternoon. Just watching the football game and enjoying my diet tzatziki. That cheesecake is making me very nervous. I will literally pace around my house thinking about it. This is not a joke!! I will really be pacing. I'm with Ocean Breezes this will be a knock out for Valentine's Day. How many days is it until Valentine's Day???
Oh yum, you are torturing me here! How I would love a slice of that cheesecake just now. You have been so, so busy!
Wow! Everyone here would love to live in your house!
SSC - lethal in a good way:-}}}
FBMKW, pacing is good - think of it as exercise!!
Jacqueline, sorry about that, when you have been so accommodating to our resolutions.
PDNFTA, not this evening - I've gone on strike until someone empties the dishwasher!!!
this is exactly what I want!!
I am drooling at that cheesecake! Absolutely decadent.
Brownieville Boy and crew are some lucky dudes!
All recipes look so divine but my favourite is Chocolate and Orange Chocolate Cake!!
What a great roundup of recipes! You've been doing a lot of baking. I'll have to check the cookbook out as it sounds wonderful.
Look amazing I want an slice please! gloria
I hope that baking was spread out over a few weeks at least! it all looks wonderful, but those roasted banana muffins sound amazing. I once made a roasted banana ice cream, and it was divine.
:)
Oh my goodness, I love cheesecake and a chocolate cheesecake would be heaven! I will save this recipe!
BTW, thank you for your sweet comment on my biscotti. When you visited I had forgotten to add the recipe!
wow I want to come over to your house :-)
Oh that cheesecake looks delicious! I love cheesecake and chocolate, so this is a must try for me.
Wow...you almost cook everything listed in your cookbook! This cheesecake look so sinfully delicious. Must bookmark this for my future bake :D
What a lovely selection! That cheesecake looks divine and I like the sound of the banana muffins too
You have just completely sold this book to me!! Everything looks amazing :)
Wow it all looks delicious. I got given his book for Christmas but not baked anything form it yet. The peanut butter blondies sound divine!
Healthy eating is so difficult! I want to try everything on your post!
Yum yum. In general I prefer fruity cheesecakes but that one might just convert me.
That cheesecake looks like heaven on a plate!
I reckon that a lot of what you fancy does you better...
The cheesecake looks heavenly delicious. I will sure check the cookbook out!
Oh Brownie Girl! i haven't visited in quite some time, but I feel like you 'caught me up' in this post! I love the look of the chocolate cheesecake! And I am intrigued by those Malteser Caramel Squares! I have never heard of Eric Lanlard, but after investigating, I'm with you. he IS handsome and his cakes are pretty gorgeous too!
I think there will be a Google search spike for Eric Lanlard images after your blog. The courgette muffins and malteser squares deserve further investigation. The cheesecake looks divine.
Cor, that all looks amazing! I must try the chocolate cheesecake & get that book.
Everything looks so amazing! I am knew to your blog and loving the adventure!
Susan www.ugogrrl.com
everything looks so delicious!! I really need to make that cheesecake!!
Fabulous BG - judging by the amount of comments you've got Im not the only one whose fed up with my new year healthy eating!I shall try not to drool on the keyboard x
mmmm, my mouth is watering at the look of all those treats!
Hi dear.. roasted banana cupcakes! That just sounds totally outrageous... and he is handsome! I am off to catch a glimpse! Love the post and as always I adore that you do such wonderful research on cook books! xoxo megan
totally agree that 'a little bit of somethign fancy will do you good'...but only a little bit :P im not sure if i can control myself if i have a slice of that heavenly choc cheesecake...really!
Chocolate...AND cheesecake..my two faves! Looks wonderful!
Looks SOOO incredible! Thanks for sharing :)
That cheesecake looks to die for. I must get around to making a baked cheesecake one day. Love the idea of those burly lads eating cupcakes.
Hmmm? A small portion of that chocolate Cheesecake you say? Sounds fishy to me. I feel like there's no possible way I could be in its presence without wanting to gorge myself on the entire thing! LOOKS AWESOME - ALL OF IT!
Wow, you have been busy! I would fancy a bit of each, please.
Yum.... yum... and more yum.
Crumbs, that's a lot of cake! You've been really busy! I'd really like to try those malteser squares.
I have that book but have only made the banana cake so far. Eric made my wedding cake :-) - there's a picture of both in my post back in December.
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