Oreo Cheesecake

This is a no-bake version that uses yoghurt and Oreo biscuits.  A wonderful way to refresh the biscuit quota of emergency stock in the Swallow's household.

OREO CHEESECAKE (serves 6 - 8)

Oreo Cheesecake

Ingredients

2 packets Oreo chocolate creme biscuits (137 g each)
500 g cream cheese, at room temperature
150 g fine sugar
150 g plain yoghurt
Juice of 1 small green lime
3 tsp gelatine
1/4 cup boiling-hot water

Method

1. Remove the cream from the Oreo biscuits and set it aside.
2. Break up 12 single pieces of the biscuits into small pieces and set them aside.
3. Place the remaining biscuits into a gallon-sized Ziploc bag and seal the bag.  Using a rolling pin, crush the biscuits into fine crumbs.  Pour the crumbs into a bowl.  Add the Oreo cream, which was set aside earlier, to the biscuit crumbs and mix well.  Pour and press the biscuit mixture into a springform pan.  Chill the biscuit mixture in the refrigerator.
4. Mix the gelatine with the boiling-hot water.  Set aside.
5. Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese for about 5 minutes.  Add the sugar and continue beating the mixture until it is light and fluffy, about another 5 minutes.
6. Add yoghurt and beat the mixture again for another 2 minutes.
7. Add the lime juice and gelatine mixture (from step 4).  Mix well.
8. Using a spatula, mix one half of the broken pieces of Oreo biscuits (from step 2) into the cream cheese mixture.
9. Remove the biscuit base from the refrigerator.  Pour the cream cheese mixture onto the biscuit base.  Sprinkle the other half of the broken pieces of Oreo biscuits (from step 2) onto the cream cheese mixture.  Chill the cheesecake in the refrigerator overnight or for at least 6 hours.
10. Serve cold.

Notes

This can be a parent-child project.  Young ones may enjoy crushing the biscuits, and licking the mixing bowl!

Marble Cupcakes

Blueberry cupcakes proved to be a one-hit with the Swallow's mate.  In fact, he requested for more blueberries in the cakes!  However, her young ones were not as keen on them.

Knowing the young ones were more in favour of something chocolatey, but not having any chocolate chips in the house at the moment, the Swallow decided to improvise.  Mixing a little cocoa powder to a portion of the batter, then alternating the original mixture with the cocoa mixture created an effect known as 'marble', which is also a widely-used effect found in cakes sold in the cake shops.

MARBLE CUPCAKES (makes 12 cupcakes)

Marble Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 125g butter, at room temperature
• 150g sugar
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 200g plain flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 60 ml milk
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.
2. Using a hand mixer, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
3. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt together.
5. To the butter mixture, add the flour mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl when necessary.
6. Set aside half of the batter.  Add the cocoa powder to this portion.  Mix well.
7. Fill the muffin cups evenly, starting with a little original batter then alternating with the cocoa mixture.
8. Bake for about 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean.
9. Remove from oven and let it cool on a wire rack.

Notes

• Baking time and temperature may vary for different oven models.
• Do not over bake or the cupcakes will be dry. Check them a couple of minutes before the end of baking time.

Blueberry Cupcakes

In the late 80's, Blueberry Cake was a popular choice whenever the Swallow wanted to buy birthday cakes for her friends and loved ones.  When there was an offer for blueberries at a nearby supermarket, the Swallow could not resist buying a box of the blueberries.  The Swallow does not have the ability to produce a Blueberry Cake like the ones sold in cake shops, but she managed to improvise a little to produce some Blueberry cupcakes.

This recipe is good for those who those who likes to use ready mix flour.

BLUEBERRY CUPCAKES (makes about 24 cupcakes)

Blueberry Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 125g fresh blueberries
• 500g Optima ready mix flour
• 5 eggs, at room temperature
• 50g butter, at room temperature
• 100ml water

Method

1. Preheat oven to 175 degrees Celsius. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.
2. Beat the butter with a hand whisk.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time.  After each addition, mix it well with the butter.
4. Add the flour and mix well.
5. Add the water and mix well.
6. Add the blueberries and mix well.
7. Fill liners to a level about 3mm from the top.
8. Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Notes

• Baking time and temperature may vary for different oven models.