Chocolaty Peach Cheesecake

                            

I mostly avoid using canned fruits but someone gifted me two cans of peaches & I don't like to waste anything so used one of them up in my "mix n match" recipe (took help from my other recipes & few blogs to come up with this version). Result was good, it looked great & tasted yummy. Best is it's an easy recipe.

Ingredients 

For Biscuit Crust

5 Digestive Biscuits

5 Oreo cookies

1 tbsp cocoa powder

2 tbsp sugar syrup (from can)

2 tsp melted butter

For Peach Sauce

4 canned peach halves 

1 tsp Sugar syrup (from can)

1/2 tsp cinnamon powder

For Cheesecake

1 1/2 cup fresh cottage cheese (Without whey)

3/4 cup sugar (according to taste)

Centre cream of Oreo biscuits 

4 peach halves

1/4 tsp vanilla essence 

Method

For Biscuit Crust

Grind the biscuits till coarse. Add cocoa powder, sugar syrup & melted butter &

mix gently.The mixture will resemble dough like.

Grease individual bowls with little butter.

Spread the biscuit mix evenly & gently level the surface using back of spoon.

Refrigerate the bowls for about 15 minutes.

For Peach Sauce

Blend canned peaches & pour in the saucepan.

Stir in sugar syrup & cook over medium heat until thickened.

Remove from heat & mix in cinnamon & keep aside.

For Cheesecake

Put the cottage cheese in a big bowl and using a mixer, churn until it turns slightly fluffy. Or use electric beater.

Add the sugar and churn some more. You will see that the filling has increased in volume.,

Now add in the cream & churn.

Mix 2 peach halves & churn again.

Take out in a bowl & mix the remaining peach halves (after chopping them) in 1/2 of the cream cheese.

Pour the mixture into the cooled crust & using a spatula level the mixture.

Refrigerate for about 15 minutes.

Pour the cooled peach sauce on top of the cream cheese mixture & level it once again.

Place the bowls in the refrigerator to chill overnight.

Ice the remaining cream cheese on top & Serve chilled.

Tips

* I used canned peaches here that were already in sugar syrup, you can easily replace them with fresh peaches - Peal peaches & cook them in sugar. Use as desired. 

* I used sugar syrup from can but you can use powder sugar instead.

* I always make cottage cheese or paneer at home from low fat milk, using curds.

* I used less butter in biscuit crust as syrup helped in binding.

* Do taste cheese cake mixture to adjust sugar.

* This recipe is without gelatine, so it's always better to set in individual cups or bowls. They are easy to serve and looks nice too.

* You can garnish with peach pieces.

* The leftover cream cheese can be used as topping for fruits or as spread on toasts.

Peppermint Cheese Brownie

                                      

Chocolate & Brownie. Those words alone could make anyone happy. But what happens when you add peppermint? Very happy times ahead :) .... so here is the beautiful & yummy recipe.

Ingredients

For Brownie

1 cup plain flour (maida)

2 tsp cocoa powder (preferably unsweetened)

1 1/2 tbsp dark chocolate

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp soda bi-carb

1/2 tsp baking powder

6 tbsp curds (dahi)

5 tbsp milk

5 tbsp melted butter

1/2 cup chopped mint chocolate (optional)

1/2 tsp peppermint essence

For Cream Cheese

3/4 cup fresh cottage cheese

1 cup sugar (according to taste)

1/2 tsp peppermint essence

For Ganache 

1/2 tsp butter

1 tbsp heavy cream

4 tbsp chopped dark chocolate

1/4 tsp peppermint essence

Method

For Brownie

Pre-heat the oven to 180˚ C

Sieve together flour, Cocoa, soda & baking powder.

Melt dark chocolate & butter over double boiler

Add sugar & peppermint essence & mix well. Add curds & mix really well.

Mix chopped mint chocolate with flour so it wont settle down after baking.

Fold milk & flour alternately but end with flour. Make sure there are no lumps.

Pour brownie mixture into a greased & dusted baking pan.

Place in the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

For Cream Cheese

Churn all ingredients in a mixer.

For Ganache

Pour the heavy cream into a small saucepan.

Heat the cream over medium-high heat, & bring it just to a boil. 

Pour the hot cream over the chopped dark chocolate. Add butter & peppermint.

Gently whisk the mixture together until it is smooth & shiny.

Cool & use for your icing.

How to Proceed

Cool brownie & spread cream cheese mixture over brownie.

Refrigerate for an hour.

Cut into 2" x 2" pieces. 

Spread the chocolate ganache on the pieces & return the brownie to refrigerator for setting.

Serve like that or with vanilla ice-cream.  

Tips

* Cool the brownie completely before spreading cheese layer.

* If ganache starts hardening then use double boiler method to melt it.

* You can omit cream in ganache & just melt butter & half dark chocolate on double boiler. When it's melted, remove from boiler & add remaining dark chocolate & mix well.

* If you have any mint candy, chop that & sprinkle on ganache before it sets.

Cherry Almond Brownie

                          

Cherries are in season & I wanted to use them in baking. So here is another brownie flavour with loads of cherries :)

Ingredients

For Brownie

1 cup plain flour (maida)

2 tsp cocoa powder (preferably unsweetened)

1 1/2 tbsp dark chocolate

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp soda bi-carb

1/2 tsp baking powder

6 tbsp curds (dahi)

5 tbsp milk

5 tbsp melted butter

1/2 cup (1/4 + 1/4) chopped almonds

1/2 tsp almond essence

For Cherries

1/2 cups pitted & halved fresh sweet cherries 

1/2 tbsp white/brown granulated sugar

1 tsp finely grated lemon zest (optional)

1/2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

Method 

For Cherries

Mix together everything & keep aside for an hr.

For Brownie

Pre-heat the oven to 180˚ C

Sieve together flour, Cocoa, soda & baking powder.

Melt dark chocolate & butter over double boiler

Add sugar & almond essence & mix well. Add curds & mix really well.

Add cherry mixture & mix well.

Mix half of the chopped almonds with flour so it wont settle down after baking.

Fold milk & flour alternately but end with flour. Make sure there are no lumps.

Pour brownie mixture into a greased & dusted baking pan.

Sprinkle remaining almonds.

Place in the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes.

Drizzle chocolate sauce & serve.

Tips

* Cool the brownie completely cutting.

* As usual don't beat the batter, just fold it.

* Dried cherries can be used instead of fresh ones when not available.

* You can eat them as they are or with ice-cream or drizzle chocolate sauce (as I did) or you can also make Cherry Sauce & drizzle over warm brownies before serving.

Cherry Sauce

1/2 cups pitted & halved fresh sweet cherries 

1/2 tbsp white/brown granulated sugar

1/2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tbsp cornflour 

1/4 + 1/4 cup water

Bring cherries, sugar & 1/4 cup water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring often. 

Stir 1/4 cup water & cornstarch in a small bowl until smooth & stir into the boiling cherry mixture. 

Return to a boil, stirring constantly; cook until thickened, about 1 minute. 

Remove from heat & stir in lemon juice.

Cheddar & Jalapeño Biscuits

                             

These tender biscuits with a cheesy richness will be hit with everyone. Just forget about calories for this one & indulge ;) (do workout later on :D)

This recipe Yields about 20 biscuits, depending on the size.

Ingredients 

1 1/3 cups maida

1/4 cup polenta or fine milled corn meal (makai flour)

2 tbsp sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp red chilli powder (more or less to taste)

1 1/4 + 1/4 cup packed  shredded sharp cheddar cheese

2 tbsp diced fresh jalapeños (more or less to taste)

3/4 cup + 2 tbsp heavy cream (200ml), plus extra for brushing

2 tsp mixed dried herbs to sprinkle

Method

Preheat oven to 220°C. 

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, corn meal, salt, sugar, red chilli powder & baking powder. 

Stir in 1 1/4 cups of the grated cheddar cheese & the diced jalapeños.

Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture & pour the cream.

Gently bring together the ingredients with your hands.

If you need to add a bit more cream then do so a tiny trickle at a time. 

You just want everything to get wet enough so that the dough will be sticky and clumpy.

Turn the dough out onto a surface lightly dusted with flour. 

Knead the dough just a few times - maybe only three or four pushes. You just want it to come together. (Over-kneading will result in firmer, denser biscuits.)

Form the dough into a disc about 3/4-inch to an inch thick. 

Use a biscuit cutter (or a small cup or bowl) to cut round biscuit shapes out of the disk. 

Combine the leftover dough & keep forming small round biscuit shapes until the dough is used up.

Place biscuits on a parchment lined baking sheet, with at least an inch or two between the biscuits. 

Brush the tops of the biscuits with a little more cream. 

Top the biscuits with a sprinkle of the remaining cheese & mixed herbs.

Bake at 220°C  for 11-12 minutes or until golden & the cheese is nicely melted.

Serve with any dip or as a side dish with your soups or enjoy just like that.

Tips

* If jalapeño is too mild, include the seeds, if hot, use just the flesh.

* Sieve cornmeal along with maida to get fine consistency.

* You can add chopped chives along with jalapeño.

* I found the salt & sugar little towards higher side in original recipe so reduced a little, as cheese too contains salt. You can adjust according to taste.

* Keep the biscuits in airtight box after they cool down completely or they will loose their crispness. (It happened with mine, but I baked them again for 5 minutes & they got their crispness back).