Christmas delicacy: Chocolate Bavarian cast Blueberry topped Cheese Cake

I am totally slogging with my blogging career. Career Passion I must say that once used give me the solace in life. I am not getting my mojo back to sit and go through this thoughtful  process where I can pour down my heart out and share the experiences of my life with my readers. It is very hard to get back in  a creative world after a long  gap or break. Everyday I try to take out some time out for my blog, but the hectic schedule of life  makes my brain and mind totally idle to run the intellectual  thought process to work. Anyways after a long time I came for a vacation to a serene place where the chilling  winter  season is kissing the nature all around me. I am sitting under the warm sunlight and roasting my body to get all the warmth to make the chilling cold sooth out the limbs. Lovely colourful vibrant flowers are full bloomed all around me and singing a song of romance that I missed for so many years. The romance with nature that was once my young hood fascination and puff, without whom I used to see my future totally doomed and dead. But life keeps on moving and I am still alive and quite happy with the city life, may be because I hardly get time to think about myself, some time out from the hectic lifestyle. 

Anyways let us not spoil this festive season mood with this mundane talks. Let us cheer to welcome Santa, wish all Merry Christmas and a prosperous Happy New year. At the same time I am also celebrating my 200th posts. And what is the better way to welcome it with some delicious and scrumptious heavenly delicacy!! Enjoy  the  Chocolate Bavarian cast Blueberry topped Cheese Cake which is no doubt  going to be a winner above all dishes.

Ingrdients

Cheese Cake

Cream Cheese: 1 packet (I used Philadelphia -room temperature )

Egg: 2 (room temperature )

Powdered Sugar: 1 cup

Vanilla Essence: 1 tsp

Oreo Biscuit:  Crushed 1 cup

Butter: 1tbsp (Melted)

Blue Berry preserve: 1 cup

Bavarian Cream:

Milk- 1/4 cup

Chocolate: 1 cup

Heavy Cream: 1 cup (Amul cream will also do the tetra pack one)

Gelatin: 1tbsp

Egg yolk- 2

Bottom loose Cake tins/ Spring foam pans:

5" - 1

6" - 1

 Method:

 1. Beat the cream cheese until its soft. Add sugar beat nicely.

2. Add the egg one at time. Blend nicely. Add Vanilla essence.
3. Pre heat the oven at 160 degree Celsius.
4. Mix the oreo and butter nicely and then line on the 5" loose bottomed cake tin. Bake for 3-4 minutes.
5. Pour the mixture in the oreo crust and bake for 30-40 mnts at 150 degree C or till a tooth pick pricked in the cake comes out clean.
6. Take it out and leave it to cool down.
7. Pour the Blue Berry preserve on the top. Put in the refrigerator for at list 1-2 hours.
8. Slowly take the cake out from the cake tin and  put it very carefully in the 6 " pan.

Chocolate Bavarian Cream:

1. Add gelatin to the milk and set aside.
2. Heat the cream and melt the chocolate in it. Remove from the heat and whisk the egg yolks in it until it blends in a smooth texture. Put it again on heat and keep on whisking continuously so that the egg should not curdled up or leaves any lumps. Cook it for 3-4 mnts then remove from the heat.
3. Add the gelatin in the mixture whisk it and then pour it on the top of the cheese cake.  Refrigerate overnight for better result. Then cut and serve and enjoy the festive season.

Wish you all Merry Christmas and a prosperous Happy New year...

This is off to the KFB Christmas Spl Event:

Brownie Bottomed Cheesecake topped with Chocolate Ganach

Cheesecake is one of the most common desserts at my home that my lil one every week demands for. In spite of the exorbitant price of Cream Cheese (the Philadelphia one) I have to indulge in it for my daughter's taste sake. I have so many bookmarked recipes in my folder which offer Cheese cake made out of cottage cheese/ ricotta cheese/ hung card etc, but I am yet to try those. Here somehow the mind got blocked with the assurance that nothing can beat the taste of Philadelphia cream cheese (the only trusted brand available in Kolkata) and the Cheesecake made out of it. This time I had some guests at home and the next day was the last Kolkata Food Blogger's Table meet of this year. So decided to make this dessert on which I got hooked from the new Cook Book gifted by my hubby. I made this in a jiffy along with all the listed dishes that was planned to feast the guests. And no need to say all were too contented after having each dish starting from the starter to the dessert. After coming from the USA I hardly have guest at my home. Most of the time we visit all but don't get much time to invite some and feed rather we take them to the restaurants to save time and energy too. Ah, yes life has become so mechanical here. And that I don't like at all. Due to my work load, the household activities and attending the lil one gobble up all my free times to indulge in this merriment to entertain guest and cook some delicious meal for them. I use to enjoy this so much in my US stay. In every alternate week we used to have party at home and flood of tasty foods. Ah gone were those days. After a long time again I tasted that pleasure to have banquet at home.

The recipe I have followed was from my newly owned copy of The Cookie and Biscuit Bible. In this book over 400 delicious, easy-to-make recipes for brownies, bars, muffins and crackers, showed step-by-step in over 1300 glorious photographs. I have adapted the recipe from the Chocolate Cheesecake Brownie and as usual gave some touch of my own. But when S of A Homemaker's Diary and a KFBian tasted this said the name should be appropriate if we title it Brownie Bottomed Cheesecake topped with Chocolate Ganach. I was so happy when I took some of these pieces for the KFBians at the KFB meet all devoured it and made me so happy. So the name it got Brownie Bottomed Cheesecake topped with Chocolate Ganach…..Should we now proceed to the recipe:

Recipe partially adapted from: The Cookie and Biscuit Bible 

Ingredients:

(I have used a square 6 X 6 baking tin pan)

For the Brownie Base:

Semi Sweet Chocolate: 100gm

Butter: 100gm (I used Amul )

Castor Sugar: 3/4 cup

Eggs: 2

Flour: 1/2 cup 

For the Cheese Cake:

(In the recipe only one block of cream cheese has been used. But I have increased it at 2.)

 Cream Cheese: 2  blocks - each one of 8 oz ( I used Philadelphia)

Eggs: 3

Powdered Sugar: 1 & 1/2 cups

Vanilla essence : 1 tsp 

For the Ganach:

Cream: 200gm (I used Amul tetra Pack)

Grated Dark Chocolate : 1 cup

Note: Everything should be in the room temperature.

Method:

1. First line the baking pan with Aluminum foil nicely. Best trick is to first turn the baking pan upside down. Then take the impression of the pan with foil so that when you will take it out it will itself look like a square container. Then fit that structure in the pan which will get fit easily.

2. Make the cheese cake mixture first. Cream the cream cheese and sugar nicely. Add the essence. Beat. Add the eggs one at a time and then beat in to  smooth batter. Reserve.

3. Then make the brownie base. Melt the butter and the chocolate in a microwave or in a double boiler. When the chocolate gets melted take it off the heat and stir the sugar in it nicely. Let it get cool for a while then add the eggs one at a time and beat nicely. Add flour and fold gently.

4. Pre- heat the oven at 160 degree C. I usually pre- heat my Convection oven or OTG at 200 degree C for 5-8mnts and the at the time of baking put the desired temperature and start baking.

5. Take the baking pan. Pour the brownie mixture first. Then slowly pour the Cream cheese mixture. Bake for 40 to 45 mnts (More or less, pls keep on checking until a knife or toothpick pricked comes out clean) at 160 degree C.

6. Take it out of the heat and cool it.

7. Make the Ganach. Heat a pan and pour the cream. When the cream will become warm add the chocolate. Keep on stirring on a low heat until the chocolate melts and mixes in the cream nicely. Let the sauce make semi thick and then pour it on the cheese cake as a top layer. You cake keep little bit cream aside to make some Latte Art on the top.

8. For best result refrigerate overnight and then serve.

Chocolate Cheese Cake

This is the Cake-Baking month for me. I have 4 birthdays from my family. And on each birthday I presented self-made cakes to them as a gift from me. On my Father-In-Law's birthday I prepared Chocolate Cheese Cake. Cheese Cake is one of the most demanded and a must do dish in my kitchen. The lil one almost every day demands to make Cheese Cake. She enjoys Cheese cake more than any other cakes. The gooey pungent taste of the cream cheese melts in mouth and gives a divine feeling. But buying Cream Cheese in India is very pricey when Philadelphia cream cheese is the only option. You have to pay 575 rupees for each bar. But if Britannia cream cheese is available in the market it is within your budget as each tab costs 150 rupees. As a matter of disdain most of the time our Kolkata hyper link markets are running out of stock of Britannia cream cheese. Therefore for family’s taste sake you often have to lose your purse to indulge in this exorbitant dish by buying the Philadelphia one. So whenever I see Britannia Cream Cheese in the stores I buy them in bulk to store for my usage.

 Usually I always prepared white cheese cake with chocolate ganach layer and make the crust  with merry biscuits. This time I made chocolate cheese cake with ganach layer and the crust with oreo biscuits. And I found my daughter and my husband along with my in-laws loved this one much. At the same time I tried the "Latte Art" too. So the recipe goes this way-

Chocolate Cheese Cake

(Measurements according to 7” round baking pan size) 

Ingredients:-

For the Cake:-

Cream Cheese -8oz /1 packet  at room temperature (Philadelphia / Britannia)

      Egg - 2

     Powdered Sugar - 1/2 cup

 Chocolate (cut in to small pieces)  - 1/2 cup (Bakers/Harshly/Morde{available in India})

For the crust-

Oreo Biscuit - 1 packet (127.4g) (Optional -Merry Biscuit)

Butter - 1 /4 cup

For the Ganach-

 Cream - 1 pack (I used Amul's small tetra pack one. Please keep aside  3-4 tb spn for the Latte Art )

Chocolate - 1 and 1/2 cup

 Method:-

The Crust:-

Take a Ziploc bag pour the biscuits and crush them with a rolling pin till dust. Melt the butter and mix it with it nicely. Then take the baking pan. If you are using a Springform pan then just put a butter paper on base according to its size. But if you are using a normal cake pan then cover the whole inner vacant area with an aluminum foil and then grease it nicely with butter. Put the mixture in the pan and then dab it with a spoon evenly to cover the bottom nicely. Put it in the oven and bake it for 5 mnts on 170 Degree C. Take it out and put it aside.

The Cake:

   Pre-heat the oven in 170 degree C. Beat the cream cheese until soft. Add sugar and mix all together nicely. Add egg one by one and beat till all the ingredients and nicely get mixed and turned in to a creamy texture. Melt the chocolate. You can melt it in the Micro wave. It takes 15-20 secs. But pls keep on checking in every 5 secs so that the chocolate should get over heated. Cool it little bit. Then pour in the cream cheese mixture slowly and at same time keep on beating.  Pour the mixture in the already made crust and bake for 20-30 mnts or till a tooth pick pricked in the cake comes out clean. Take it out and leave it to cool down.

Chocolate ganache:-

Heat a pan and pour the cream. When the cream will become warm add the chocolate. Keep on stirring on a low heat until the chocolate melts and mixes in the cream nicely. Let the sauce make semi thick and then pour it on the cheese cake as a top layer.

The Latte Art:

It is quite easy.  Pour small small drops with the left over cream on all over the cake. Take a toothpick. With a very soft touch just keep on moving each cream drop with a forward and backward move to bring it an impression of a flower. You will see the chocolate colour and the white colour are slowly blending together and forming beautiful designs. For best reference view Youtube.com.

 Refrigerate the Cake over night to set. If you are baking the cake in a normal cake pan, then in a very slow process pull the aluminium foil out. Release the cake from the foil. Then serve and enjoy.

Chocolate Ganache Topped Cheese Cake

 Another hearty healthy feast has gone. But the festive spirit is not yet flamed off. Rather it is getting energized to welcome a brand new year. Christmas is the indication to wind up a year and to welcome another year. But wrapping and unwrapping gifts are all not done yet.  It's still to welcome a bunch of new gifts and grand party with your near dear one to toss the glasses in celebration of the new year .

 For us (my husband and me, daughter is too small to feel), the festive scenario is quite different. From past three years we end a year in packing and start a year in packing and moving to another land. We hardly feel the enjoyment of the new year. We hardly feel the spirit of shopping, buying gifts, et al. As for us, we keep on trashing things and weighing the suitcases to avoid the over weightage fine. Last two times we spent a huge bulk of money in giving fines as we are bound to make the suitcases over weight. This time we are determined not to spend any extra buck in fine. So we are just keeping on trashing all our favourite and unfavourite things with a  loaded heart every day. Our house is not getting decorated to welcome a new year. But We are taking off all the decorations to completely clean our house before we leave.  May be some of you will think that it’s a great fun to spend each year in a new land. But its not a boon to us at all. Mainly when you have a lil kid at home. We always keep crossed our fingers in the anxiety how our baby and her health will react after reaching to a new country. But this is what we call Life. A challenge that we have to accept every time.

 Any way, Now let me come to the recipe which today I would like to share. This is one of the most favourite desserts of my family which I am bound to make every week. Very easy to make and the taste is truly divine. I adapted the simple Cheese Cake recipe from Cooks.com and then added my twist with a layered Chocolate ganache on the top which gave the taste of the tangy cheese cake a sweeter version. Each bite melts down in your mouth and give an ultimate satifaction of a chocolaty creamy penchant.

Ingredients:-

For the Cheese Cake-

1.Cream Cheese- 8oz /1 packet (room temperature)

2. Eggs-2

3. Sugar-1/2 cup

4. Vanilla essence- 1/2 teaspoon

5. Ready made pie crust

For chocolate ganache-

1. Heavy cream- 1 cup

2. Milk chocolate- 1 &1/4 cup(grated or morsels)

Method:-

Cheese Cake:-

1. Pre heat the oven in 350 degree F.

2. Beat the cream cheese until soft. Add sugar and vanilla essence and mix all together nicely. Add egg one by one and beat till all the ingredients and nicely get mixed and turned in to a creamy texture.

3. Pour the mixture in the pie crust and bake for 40 mnts or till a tooth pick pricked in the cake comes out clean.

4. Take it out and leave it to cool down.

Chocolate ganache:-

1. Heat a pan and pour the cream. When the cream will become warm add the chocolate. Keep on stirring on a low heat until the chocolate melts and mixes in the cream nicely. Let the sauce make semi thick and then pour it on the cheese cake as a top layer.

2. Refrigerate the Cake over night to set. Decorate as you wish and serve.

Note:-

1.I got small bowls of ready made pie crust which are perfect for the party treats.

2. I am not sure whether cheese cake is available in India or not. But I was searching in the net and I came out with these tip. If we blend the cottage cheese, after straining of the water, till it turns in to a creamy texture, it can become a good substitute of cream cheese. I have not tried this tip yet. But will try it once I am back in India. One more thing to remember if your are using lemon to make cottage cheese then don't forget to rinse it thoroughly under cold water to get rid of the smell of the lemon.