Tofu Cheesecake with home made berries jam / Home made berries jam

I have started my apple cider detoxing two nights ago. Definitely a good excuse to do that as I had been over eating during the New Year period. With the Lunar New Year approaching, I really need to detox to make room for Lunar New Year goodies. hahaha....

Whenever I go to IMH, there is this super duper weighing machine that I never failed to check it out and watching my weight increasing steadily is not very fun especially my kids will constantly tease me.

So for tonight's dessert, I make a non bake Tofu Cheesecake with home made berries jam.

I really love the Home Made Berries Jam along with this tofu cheesecake. It definitely adds some flavour to it.

My son who doesn't really like wobbly or creamy dessert didn't reject this. As for my girl, she naturally had her second helpings. I really have to watch this little one. She goes for quantity and not quality. As my hubby's saying with regards to food, what comes what dies. So I am very lucky to have two not fussy eaters at home for this moment.

Am glad that hubby had a taste of it before he goes off.

What you need:

233g strawberries
171g blueberries
120g sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice

Method:

Boil the berries, sugar and lemon juice at medium fire.

Once boil turn to low fire.

Stir constantly all the time. When it starts to boil and bubble form, scoop away the bubbles.

Keep boiling at low fire till the mixture become thickens.

The mixture will be a little runny when hot but will set after it cool off.

Pour the hot jam into sterilised jars. Secure tight leave cool then keep in the fridge.

Notes: need to use a wooden spoon to stir.

Banana Cheese Cake

I don't have the luxury of attending classes as and when I feel like it. I need to make sure that hubby's travel schedule doesn't clashed with the date that I committed to and someone must be babysitting my kids for I don't trust my helper. She has no maternal instinct in her.

I am blessed to have friends who understand my position and are really good to me by sharing their wonderful recipes with me. Thus, that explains why sometime I cannot publish those recipes. I cannot betray their trust.

When I found out a baking school nearby and classes are in the afternoon, I was overjoyed as it falls on days that my son is having his tuition.

It also helps that son's tutor is responsible and I feel at ease leaving them at home during that time. She is committed and I have trust in her that she will fulfil her responsibility wholeheartedly.

It was a nightmare locating the school. I left the address at home and there isn't a way to find a phonebook nearby. I made two calls hoping that they are at their desk so that they can log online for me but no luck.

I was desperate as I was going to be late. Luckily, I found a bakery and the lady was kind enough to direct me.

After registering myself, I settled down and was relatively surprised that there were only 3 students and yet the teacher didn't cancel the class. The teacher is very experience. Perhaps too experience for me as I struggled to follow her instruction. I didn't even realise that I missed a step for one of the recipe till the next day.

I brought home some cake samples that the teacher gave us and it turned out that my kids and hubby liked them.

Personally I still find it a little too sweet.

What I learnt must put into practise right? So today, after fulfilling my cupcake commitment, I baked Banana Cheese Cake.

With the reduced sugar, it fits perfectly with a cup of tea or coffee. Yeah... this is what I call a good afternoon break.

Note: I won't be sharing this recipe as the teacher is still teaching this.

Pic missing




This morning, we were doing grocery shopping as a family. Actually I love doing grocery as a family because I have extra help in managing the bags. Secondly, the family gets to pick their own favourites. Thirdly, the tasks are divided so we spent half the time in the supermarket which is great. On our way home, my dear boy said he wanted to help me cook dinner. I was shocked and yet happy. Finally he is a grown up boy. With my supervision, these are what he presented on the dinner table. Perhaps food done by own effort tasted better as he was the first to finish dinner. LOLz.

  Definitely not bad for a first timer in the kitchen. Well done son and keep it up. While the kids had son's cooking. We had this ....

  Remember I told you that my neighbour is from Penang and she said she knows how to cook Penang Prawn Noodle. Well today she gave us a huge bowl of Penang Prawn Noodles! It was so good that I just have to ask how she does it. Do remember to check out this little blog of mine as I hope to attempt this soon. It was simply irresistable. I feel so lucky ....

Sesame cottony Cheesecake/Marbled Ricotta Cheesecake brownie

This morning, I received a sms from a dear friend, A wishing me a Good Friend's Day. I never know such day existed till now. Nevertheless, it is the thought that she has been thinking about me that filled me with sweetness. Friends whom I have known since kindergarten days and still keep in touch constantly. They always tell me, "hey it is just a phone call away". There are also friends that I have known via the cyberworld.

Through my blog, I have befriended many that sincerely touches my heart too. People like L whom I have not even met sent me two Wilton books. It is not the material stuff but the sincerity behind it that touches me whole heartedly. I have blogged about how friendship that went sour and how hurt I was before but lately my faith in cyber friendship has been renewed and strengthened by some really nice people that I met not too long ago. Like the saying goes "God is fair, he takes away the bad and blessed you with the good".

How true this saying. I am truly blessed to get to know nice people lately especially K and A whom I befriended not too long ago, who so unconditionally share their "assets" that I just wanted to document it to remember how sweet these people have been to me. I am getting senile and would love to read about this just in case one day I really lost my memory.

 K who knows that I am into cupcake craze was so generous in sharing her numerous cupcake related recipe books. What touches me is that those books were a birthday present from her dear sister to her.

It should be precious to her too. Just imagine, I don't even have a date due for these books. She trusted me so much as to hang on to them till I am fully satisfied in reading or perhaps even try out the recipes when I wanted to. A is another kind soul who shared with me her recipes that she acquired through her numerous years of learning from schools.

Knowing that I cannot attend any classes due to my commitment to my kids, she shared with me those "paid" recipes unconditionally. I am really thankful as she has no negative thoughts about me in whatever ways. C, who is now into baking craze bought so many accessories and books too. Comments like "don't buy just get it from me".

Such thoughts really touches my heart. P just sms to tell me that she got some cookies cutters which I believe she asked her sister in law to buy them for me. Am I being materialistic just because these friends shared their "assets"? No, because they were already very nice to me when I first know them. Their unbias opinion of me was what touches me and allows me to "disarm" my fences to allow them to enter into my heart. For the past two days I have been feeling under the weather.

Perhaps it is the change in weather or perhaps I got the bug from my son. Now that I am feeling better, I wanted to use up the 4 blocks of cream cheease that K gave me. I decided to re-attempt Food Lover's Journey Black Sesames Cottony Cheesecake again.

Partly this cake brought back sweet memories as it is one of the few cakes that I first started blogging. In fact, I actually done it last weekend, but due to the noise level in the kitchen (with my kids fussing around me).

I forgotten to add in the flour till my cake was in the oven and I was washing up. Too late, the whole cake went from oven into the bin. Didn't want to waste my electricity bill and knowing that the outcome will be disasterous.

 So here I am again, Black Sesame Cottony Cheesecake that I have done. It wasn't as tall as I wanted, guess I lost touch with this cake but nevertheless, it is a really light cake that I love.

  What you need:

 250g cream cheese
50g unsalted butter
100ml cream (35% milk fat)
60g cake flour 20g cornflour
6 egg yolks
1 tbsp lemon juice
¼ tsp salt
1 tbp black sesame powder

6 egg whites
¼ tsp cream of tartar
140g castor sugar
2-3 tbsp of fresh milk

 Method 

Preheat oven to 160 °C. Line and grease a 8” spring form cake pan.

 Melt cream cheese and butter over a double boiler. Whisk to combine. Set aside to cool.

Add the cream and whisk to combine.

 Sift the cake flour and corn flour to the cheese mixture.

 Add in egg yolk, lemon juice, sesame powder and salt.

Gently whisk to thoroughly combine all the ingredients. At this stage, if your mixture is a bit too stiff, add in 1-2 tbsp of milk.

The mixture should be similar to your normal cake mixture.

 Whisk egg white with cream of tartar until foamy.

 Add sugar, tablespoon by tablespoon. Whisk until soft peak forms (don’t whip the egg white too stiff, the cake will be likely to crack).

 Add 1/3 of the eggwhite to the cheese mixture to lighten it. Then, gently but thoroughly fold the eggwhite to the cheese mixture. Be careful not to destroy all the air bubbles in the eggwhite.

 Gently pour into the prepared pan.

Using foil, wrap the outside of the pan.

Put the cake pan into a roasting pan.

Add boiling water to half-way of the cake pan.

 Bake in the oven for 1 hour 10 min or until the cake is set. Cool in pan. 


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 Few weeks back, as our usual habit of ringing each other when we do our grocery shopping. H called asking me if I wanted anything, the thought of ricotta cheese came to my mind.

As this is not easily available in any supermarket, I got H to get me a tub without even knowing how I am going to use it. So while doing my weekly read on my favourite bloggers list, I saw Tartelette's attempt on Marbled Ricotta Cheesecake Brownies. It sounded so delicious and best of all, I get to use my ricotta cheese, cream cheese and some leftover sour cream. Bravo!


  As what she said, it is hard to resist these ones. Wanted to dedicate these to all my friends who stood by me when I was at my lowest and believe in me and never doubted my integrity and sincerity. Happy Good Friend's Day!

 What you need:

 Cheesecake Batter:

250g ricotta cheese
150g cream cheese, room temperature
¼ cup castor sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
120g sour cream
2 tbsp all purpose flour

 Brownie Batter:

200g butter
300g bitter sweet chocolate
6 eggs
200g castor sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
150g plain flour
pinch of salt

 Method

 Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line and greased a 13 X 9” pan with foil

 In a bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the cheesecake batter. Set aside. 

For the brownie:

melt the butter and the chocolate together in a saucepan over low heat. Let cool a little.

 In a bowl, mix together the eggs, sugar and vanilla until pale.

 Add the chocolate/butter and mix until combined.

 Add the flour and salt.

 Pour in the chocolate batter.

Dot the cream cheese batter over it and with a toothpick or the tip of a knife swirl the batters around.

 Bake for 25-35 minutes. I took about 45 mins.

Cream Cheese Brownie

Was getting really restless after a week of immobility. Decided to try out a new recipe (the chance to finish up the remaining cream cheese). Managed to get this done just before my sister and her family dropped by. After our beef noodle dinner from Eminent Food Centre which was very good, we try out a slice of the Cream Cheese Brownie, after our dessert.

 Verdict: good but not moist enough. I am wondering what went wrong.

 

Japanese Cheese Cake

Was in baking mood today. Decided to try out a long overdue recipe that was given by one of the forumer at one of the forum I visited (one of my favourite cheesecakes). This is my first attempt for such cakes.

Was told that this Japanese Cottony Cheese Cake is pretty similar to those available in Fiesta. And true enough it turned out just like that.

Verdict: Cottony, not too sweet or heavy. Yummy.

What you need

250g Philadephia cream cheese
50g butter
100ml fresh milk

60g superfine flour (top or cake flour)
20g cornflour
6 egg yolks
1 tbsp lemon juice
¼ tsp salt

6 egg whites
¼ tsp cream of tartar
140g fine granulated sugar


Methods

Melt cream cheese, butter and milk in a double boiler. Cool the mixture.

Fold in the flours, egg yolks, lemon juice and mix well.

Whisk egg white with cream of tartar until foamy. Add in the sugar and whisk until soft peaks form.

Pour into a 8” round cake pan (lightly grease and line the bottom and sides of the pan with greaseproof paper).

Bake cheese cake in a water bath for 1 hrs 10 mins or until set or golden brown at 160 degree celsius. Water should touched either 1/2 or 3/4 of the baking tin (with batter).