Tag Archives: Dessert

Sugar Cookie Cheese(cake) Ball

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Ingredients

  • 16 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 ½ cups sugar cookie mix (dry and heat treated*)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 cup sugar cookies, crushed
  • Festive sprinkles for decorating

Method

  1. Beat together the softened cream cheese and the softened butter until fully incorporated
  2. Add the cookie mix, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract and beat until well combined
  3. Fold in the sugar cookie pieces, and mix until combined
  4. Lay out a piece of cling wrap and scoop the cream cheese mixture onto it
  5. Form a ball, then wrap up the ball in the cling wrap. Use an extra layer of cling wrap to help it keep its shape. (I find a small soup ball helps to act as a mould here)
  6. Freeze for about 2 hours minimum, but preferably overnight
  7. Place the sprinkles in a low shallow baking dish
  8. Take the ball out of the freezer and unwrap. At this point you can use the heat from your hands to smooth out and geta more regular “ball” shape if needed
  9. Roll the ball in the sprinkles making sure you cover as much of it as you can
  10. Place the cheesecake ball on your serving plate and place in the fridge for between 30 minutes to an hour
  11. Serve with additional cookies or graham crackers for scooping
  12. If not serving that day, wrap in new cling wrap and place back in the freezer and then take out an hour before serving to come up to room temperature

*Heat treating the cookie mix

To heat treat the cookie mix, place it in a microwavable bowl and heat in 20 second bursts, stirring well between, until an internal temperature of 165F. Make sure that you stir between bursts to distribute the heat and avoid the mix catching to burn. Allow to cool before using

Crunchy Buckeyes

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Makes 30

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1 ¼ cups smooth peanut butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 ½ cups crisped rice cereal
  • 8oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon coconut oil

Method

  1. Prepare a baking tray by lining with parchment paper
  2. Place the softened butter and the peanut butter in the bowl of a large mixer and beat until soft and well-combined
  3. Add the vanilla and the powdered sugar, and mix until all of the sugar is incorporated
  4. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, fold in the crisped rice and mix until the cereal is just incorporated into the peanut butter
  5. Use a cookie scoop, or small teaspoon, place small balls of the mixture on to the prepared tray and chill for 1 hour
  6. After the hour, using your hands roll the balls until smooth
  7. Return to the prepared tray and freeze for 30 mins until firm
  8. Just before removing the peanut butter balls from the freezer, melt the chocolate and coconut oil together in a small bowl set over hot water. Stir occasionally while melting to ensure it’s evenly mixed
  9. Once the chocolate is melted and completely smooth, take a cocktail stick and stick it into a frozen crunchy buckeye, ensuring the cocktail stick is well inserted and lower it into the chocolate. Be careful not to insert the buckeye all the way, keeping the top imcoated. Roate the buckeye as you tip and allow any excess to drip back into the bowl
  10. Place the dipped candies on to your prepared baking sheet and once they are all dipped, refrigerate them to set the chocolate, for about 15 minutes
  11. Serve and enjoy

Tia Maria Budino w/ Black Garlic crème

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feat. Tia Maria Cold Brew Coffee liqueur

Makes 4-6 (dependent on size of serving glass)

Ingredients

Vanilla Cream Topping

  • 1 cup heavy, or whipping, cream
  • 1 clove black garlic
  • 2 Tablespoon powdered sugar

Tia Maria Budino

  • 6oz semi-sweet chocolate
  • 2oz milk chocolate
  • 1 Tablespoon butter
  • 6 egg yolks, room temperature
  • ¼  cup granulated sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons cocoa
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 cup heavy, or whipping, cream
  • 1 cup milk
  • 5 Tablespoon Tia Maria cold brew coffee liquor
  • 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

To decorate (optional)

Graham crumb, or cocoa, to dust

Method

Black Garlic Crème (ahead of time)

  1. Roughly smash the black garlic to a paste and combine in a small pan with the cream
  2. Heat over a medium heat until just starting to bubble at the edges
  3. Remove from heat and set aside to infuse for minimum 20 minutes
  4. After this time strain through a sieve into a small bowl, discard the debris, and cover with cling wrap
  5. Transfer the bowl with the cream to your refrigerator and chill the cream for minimum 2 hours, preferably overnight if you have the time

Tia Maria Budino

  1. In a large bowl combine the semi-sweet chocolate, milk chocolate and butter. Set aside until needed
  2. In a pan combine the egg yolks, sugar, cocoa powder and salt, whisking to combine. Over a low heat add the cream and milk, whisking to combine and cook for 8-9 minutes, until thickened and smooth. Take care not to overheat the mixture
  3. Remove the egg yolk mixture from the heat and pour over the chocolates/ butter, passing it through a strainer, or sieve, as you do. Let the combined mixture sit for 5 minutes
  4. Once the chocolate has fully melted add the Tia Maria liquor, olive oil and vanilla extract, stirring to combine until smooth and glossy. Set aside
  5. Portion ramekins, or rocks tumbler, with some of the chocolate budino mixture (in the region of 1/2 cup each). Place in the refrigerator to set for at least 90 minutes, preferably a few hours

To finish

  1. Towards the end of budino chilling time remove the infused cream from your refrigerator, combine in a medium bowl with the powdered sugar. Whip to medium peaks. Pipe, or spoon, the whipped cream over the tops of your set budino and dust with graham crumbs, or cocoa, if using
  2. Serve and enjoy!

Buttered Rum Cheesecake

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feat. Tre Stelle Natural Cream Cheese

Makes 9” cheesecake, serving 10-12

Ingredients

Crumb Base

  • 6oz Gingersnap cookies (apx 10-12)
  • ½ cup pecans
  • 4 Tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • Pinch salt

Cheesecake Filling

  • 5 packs Tre Stelle® Natural Cream Cheese, original, room temperature
  • 1 1/3 and 1/3 cup sugar, divided
  • ¼ cup cornstrach
  • 2 whole eggs
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 ½ teaspoons Rum extract
  • ¾ cup whipping, or heavy, cream
  • 1 cup Butterscotch flavour chips
  • 1 Tablespoon All-purpose flour

Ganache Topping

  • 200g Blonde chocolate, chopped into small pieces
  • 65ml whipping, or heavy, cream
  • 1 Tablespoon rum (light or dark- to your preference)

To decorate (optional)

  • Whipped cream
  • Edible glitter
  • Edible glitter stars

Method

Crumb Base

  1. Reheat oven to 350 degrees F
  2. Wrap the external of a 9” springform pan tightly with aluminium foil
  3. Lightly grease or spray the sides of a spring form pan
  4. In food processor, combine the gingersnap cookies and pecans and process to a crumb. Transfer to a bowl
  5. Add in them melted butter, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, and salt. Stir until well combined
  6. Tip into your prepared springform pan and using a spoon spread the crumb mixture to give an even layer to the bottom of the pan
  7. Bake in your preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove and allow to cool fully.  Leave your oven running while you prepare the cheesecake filling

Cheesecake Filling

  1. In a medium bowl, toss together the butterscotch chips and the All-purpose flour until the chisp are well coated. Set aside until needed later
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer combine 2 packs of Tre Stelle® Natural Cream Cheese, 1/3 cup sugar and the cornstarch. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes until well combined
  3. Add in the remaining packs of Tre Stelle® Natural Cream Cheese and beat until combined
  4. Add in the remaining sugar and rum extract and beat on medium-high speed until well combined
  5. Add in the eggs and the egg yolk one by one, beating well between each addition until fully incorporated
  6. Finally, add in to whipping (heavy) cream, mixing on slow until just combined
  7. Fold in your prepared butterscotch chips and gently pour the cheesecake mixture on to the crumb base in the springform pan
  8. Place the cheesecake-filled springform pan into a larger, high-sided dish (a casserole or roasting pan works well) and fill to a height of 1” up the sides of the springform pan with water. Carefully transfer the filled pan to your preheated oven, taking care not to spill, or get any of the water into the cheesecake pan
  9. Bake for between 70-80 minutes, until the cheesecake top is lightly browned and slightly jiggles in the centre
  10. Turn the oven off but do not remove the cheesecake. Leave to cool fully in the oven. (I use a wooden spoon to keep the oven door slightly ajar to help the cooking process)
  11. Once fully cooled to room temperature, cover the top of the cheesecake with clingwrap and chill overnight in the refrigerator

Ganache Topping

  1. Place your blonde chocolate pieces into a medium bowl
  2. Heat the cream in a small pan over a medium heat until just simmering (you’ll see small bubbles forming at the edge with the pan
  3. Remove and carefully pour the warmed cream over the chocolate pieces, then add the tablespoon of rum
  4. Set aside for 5 minutes to melt
  5. After this time, slowly stir to emulsify the mixture. If there are some larger pieces of chocolate which are not melting, a quick blast in the microwave (10 seconds, no more) will help you out
  6. Continue stirring util the mixture is fully combined, smooth and shiny
  7. Leave to cool for 5 minutes then spread on top of your cheesecake to form a finishing layer

Decorate (Optional)

  1. If you choose to decorate the cheesecake, you can finish it with some whipped cream and dust with edible glitter and stars for that perfect seasonal touch!
  2. Slice and enjoy!

Spiced Plum & Almond Cake

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Serves 10-12

Ingredients

Spiced Plums

  • 1 ½ cups sugar
  • 1 piece star anise
  • 1 cinnamon stick, broke in half
  • 2-3 pieces of unwaxed lemon peel
  • ¾ cup water
  • 6 small red plums, halved and pitted

Cake

  • 1 and ½ cups ground almonds, divided
  • 1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 Tablespoons sliced almonds

Method

Spiced Plums

  1. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, star anise, cinnamon stick, lemon peel, water and bring  to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and add the plums, ensuring they are submerged in the hot liquer. Let rest for 20 minutes. After this time drain, reserving ½ cup of the cooled syrup

Cake

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Prepare with butter or baking spray the sides of an 8-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper
  2. In a bowl, combine 1 cup of the ground almonds, all the all-purpose flour and baking powder. Whisk to combine and set aside until needed
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth. At low speed or with a wooden spoon, stir in the dry ingredients. Set aside ½ cup of the batter. Transfer the remaining batter into the prepared pan and arrange the infused plums, cut side down, on the surface
  4. Stir the remaining ½ cup of ground almonds into the reserved batter. Spoon into a pastry bag fitted with a pastry tip. Pipe the mixture in the spaces between the plums and sprinkle with the almond slices. Place the pan on a baking sheet.
  5. Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then remove. Lightly brush the top of the cake with the plum infusing syrup from earlier (gently reheated for ease of brushing)
  6. Slice, serve and enjoy!