Vanilla Cheescake - Totally Healthy..Absolutely Delicious!

This cheesecake Literally ROCKED my world!!

For the longest time now, I have fancied cheesecakes.. Baked cheesecakes of course.. 

none of that 'No Bake' nonsense..

Baked cheesecakes are an enigma for me..

Over the years i have scouted the internet, trying to find that perfect recipe to bake my cheesecake..

Nothing excited me...

And frankly i was overwhelmed...

All cheesecakes involved the use of cream cheese.. Super expensive & not easily available everywhere...

Also, where is the fun in using a store bought ready made product & directly using it for baking?

Baking is an art.. And as much a possible, I prefer DIY food ingredients for all my cooking.. 

So the biggest challenge here was to find a substitute for cream cheese that would give the final product the same texture, feel & taste of a cheesecake..

I found that recipe!!! :) :) :)

Here goes................................

For the Crust:

Blend Together

100 gms or 1/2 cup of any sweet cookies

Two Table spoons of Molten Butter

One table spoon of powered sugar

This is how your blended cookie crumbs should look like

Grease a 6 inch spring pie pan with any cooking oil

(Quick tip - 

- Cooking oil will help release the cookie crumb base from the pie pan with ease..

- If you line the pan with butter instead, it will get absorbed in the cookie crumb base & will not release as easily from the spring pan..)

Hard press the cookie crumbs on the base & sides of the pan.

(Quick Note: 

- Cheesecakes don't usually have cookie crumbs on the side, but i like the taste of crunchy cookies with my creamy pie..

- Also it helps release the cake with ease...

- If you don't want to line the sides with cookie crumbs, remember to line the pan with butter paper)

Important:

Refrigerate this base till you get your filling ready

Pre heat your oven to 165 degrees Celsius while you are getting your filling ready

For the Filling:

Weigh 250 gms of Hung curd

(Side Note:
- I tied the curd in a muslin cloth over a sieve in the refrigerator for 48 hours!!

- That is how long it will take for all the water to drain out & give you that soft, thick & cheesy texture..

- That is the texture you want for your cheesecake.. anything thinner than that and you will have a runny & leaky cheesecake)

Beat 1 whole egg

While beating, slowly add in 1/2 cup of powdered sugar

Add in 1/2 a tea spoon of vanilla extract

Add in the curd & give it a final mix

This is the consistency, color & texture you want

Prepare the cake for baking:

Scoop out the filling & spread it on the cookie crumb base 

Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius

Ready!!

(Important Note: 
- Do not release the cake from the tin till it cools down completely..
- Once it cools down, refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving..

Just look at how Creamy & gooey that looks!!!

Crunchy & light on the outside.... gooey & dense on the inside.... 

So lovely :) :) :)

 

I topped this with home made Strawberry coulis :)

Absolutely DELICIOUS!!!!

Banana Bread... Or it is a cake??  Lets find out ;)

Banana, to me, is a super food!!

Healthy...

Filling...

Versatile...

And a fabulous substitute for potatoes (in Samosas, kachoris..) 

& even eggs (baked goods)

This innocent looking fruit compliments a variety of items.. 

As a filling for savory bakes...

with chocolate fondue ;) 

lovely & light Banana nut muffins...

And as a gorgeous topping with strawberries & cream on waffles & pancakes!!

I experiment with Bananas big time..

Fritters, Ice creams, Stews, Toppings... You name it..

But this below recipe is my all time favorite :)

Preparation time is less than 10 minutes.. Baking requires no supervision...

Plus, the end product can be enjoyed as a cake or bread.. or both :)

Want a peek??

Get a hold of these simple ingredients around your house:

4 over ripe Bananas

1 & 1/2 cups of all purpose flour

1 tea spoon of baking soda

1/2 tea spoon of baking powder

1/2 cup of powdered sugar

2/3 cup of cooking oil

1 tea spoon of vanilla essence
A pinch of salt

Optional - dried fruits, chocolate etc

Method:

With an electric beater, blend the over ripe bananas to a smooth puree

Add Sugar

Vanilla essence

Cooking oil

Give the batter a quick mix with an electric beater to get a soft & fluffy mixture

Sieve in the flour, soda, baking powder & salt

Fold in with a spoon

Add in from your choice of optional ingredients.. I added chocolate chunks & dried cranberries

Grease a cake tin or loaf tin with some cooking oil

Pour the batter & level with a greased spoon

Bake in a pre heated oven / micro wave - convection mode, at 180 degrees C for 1 hour

 Turn off the oven and let it continue to cook in the heat for another 15 minutes.

Stick a knife in & check for any uncooked batter.

Flip the tin on a cooling rack & wait for the banana cake / bread to fall on the rack

Voila!!!

Slice up & enjoy this with some hot tea

or toast it on a pan with some butter & throw on slice of cheese ;) DIVINE!!!

Enjoy this super soggy & gooey treat.........

Cakes!! fluffy.. Spongy.. Light & so so so creamy :)

Pesto - sans all the bells & whistles.....

Two things always stopped me from ever making Pesto at home...

1. Pine nuts were an essential ingredient - Expensive & / or not easily available everywhere...

2. Pesto tastes best with spaghetti pasta & i aint no fan of the "noodle" community..

Then one day a friend amazed me by using some very basic & easily available ingredients to make some finger licking Pesto...

I was hooked :)

I recently made a batch & used it with everything except pasta..

The outcome... obviously exceeded all expectations... 

Try this one.. its supremely easy & super Yummy :)

You will need:

Mint Leaves

Roasted Walnuts (I found some Pecans at home!!)

Cashews

Cloves of Garlic or Store bought Garlic paste

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Method:

1. Blend all the above ingredients into a smooth paste
2. Add salt & black pepper as per your liking
3. Balance the flavor with just a little bit of granulated sugar & blend again
4. Add two big table spoons of Olive oil to give it that buttery finish

Its simply Divine!!!

I made bruschettas & wraps using this pesto as the base..  Oh so light & yummy!!

Enjoy!!

Eggs... Gone Spanish

Eggs make me happy :)

Eggs make all of us happy!!!!

So many mornings, I have literally woken up to the the thought of eggs..

All I wana do is jump into the kitchen and whip some some lovely eggs and a hot cuppa Tea :)

Spanish eggs excite me..

Cuz they are difficult to make.. 

You can almost NEVER toss them the other way and give it a Pie like finish........

I have got it right 1 out of 3 times..

Here's another honest effort :)

Stuff you will need:

• Eggs
• Onions
• Bell Peppers
• Tomatoes
• Potatoes
• Mint Leaves
• Coriander Leaves
• Vegetable Oil 
• Butter
• Dried Herbs - Thyme, Basil, Rosemary, Oregano
• Chili flakes

Step 1: Chop up the Veggies

Step 2: Saute the Veggies

• In a hot frying pan....

Add four tea spoons of oil & one big dollop of Butter

Saute the Onions

Add salt, dried herbs & chili flakes

Saute Bell Peppers

Saute Tomatoes

Toss in the chopped mint leaves & coriander

Step 3: Add the eggs

Break open & beat the eggs

Pour the eggs over the veggies

Step 4: Cover with a lid & let the eggs cook from one side

Flip it over & let it cook from the other side

Once cooked from both sides, gently take it off the pan so as to not lose its shape

Serve Hot.. With some crispy buttered Toast & Tea :)