Pretty. Simple. Sweet. is where I got this inspiration.  I made some changes due to what I had on hand. Note: I have never been able to make a cheesecake without a crack on the top.

INGREDIENTS

Crust
150g of cookie graham cracker or similar cookie crumbs
2 tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoons melted butter

Filling
16 ounces of cream cheese at room temperature
16 ounces ricotta at room temperature
2 tablespoons cornstarch
4 large eggs + 1 yolk at room temperature
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice + zest of one lemon

DIRECTIONS

 

Watched a masterclass on Cibatta from Paul Hollywood last night and woke up with only one thing on my mind.  Here is his recipe.

INGREDIENTS

500 g of bread flour, plus extra for dusting
10 g salt
10 g instant yeast
40ml olive oil
400 ml tepid water
Fine semolina for dusting

DIRECTIONS

Lightly oil a 2-3 litre square plastic container. (It’s important to use a square tub as it helps shape the dough).

Put the flour, salt and yeast into the bowl of a mixer fitted with a dough hook (don’t put the salt directly on top of the yeast). Add the olive oil and three-quarters of the water and begin mixing on a slow speed. As the dough starts to come together, slowly add the remaining water. Then mix for a further 5-8 minutes on a medium speed until the dough is smooth and stretchy.

Tip the dough into the prepared tub, cover with a tea towel and leave until at least doubled, even trebled in size – 1-2 hours or longer.

Heat your oven to 425°F and line 2 baking trays with baking parchment or silicone paper.

Dust your work surface heavily with flour – add some semolina too. Carefully tip out the dough (it will be very wet) onto the work surface, trying to retain a rough square shape. Rather than knocking it back, handle it gently so you can keep as much air in the dough as possible. Coat the top of the dough with more flour and/or semolina. Cut the dough in half lengthways and divide each half lengthways into 2 strips. You should now have 4 pieces of dough. Stretch each piece of dough lengthways a little and place on prepared baking trays.

Leave the ciabatta dough to rest for a further 10 minutes, then bake for 25 minutes, or until the loaves are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the base. Cool on a wire rack.

The only thing up for debate about banana bread is whether or not to add nuts.  Or chocolate. Or peanut butter.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups thoroughly mashed banana; about 4 or 5 medium bananas.
1/2 cup melted butter
1/4 cup yogurt
1 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup chopped walnuts

Topping

1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the center position. Lightly grease a 9″ x 5″ loaf pan.

In a large bowl, stir together the mashed banana with all of the remaining ingredients except for the nuts. Beat the batter thoroughly, until everything is well combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and beat briefly to incorporate any sticky residue. Stir in the walnuts.

Scoop the batter into the prepared pan. Mix together the sugar and cinnamon topping, and sprinkle over the batter.

Bake the bread for about 60 to 75 minutes, until the bread feels set on the top, and a paring knife (or other thin knife) inserted into the center comes out clean. If you have a digital thermometer, the bread’s temperature at the center should register about 205°F. If the bread appears to be browning too quickly, tent it with aluminum foil for the final 15 to 20 minutes of baking.

Remove the bread from the oven. Cool it in the pan for 15 minutes, then loosen the edges, and turn it out of the pan onto a rack to cool completely.

INGREDIENTS

3 1/4 cups flour
2 sticks (250 g) cold butter
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
4 tablespoons cold water
1/4 teaspoonp salt
2-3 tablespoons powder sugar
16 oz raspberry jam

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350F. Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Sift the flour in a bowl and add the cold chopped butter. Use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the flour until you obtain pea-size crumbles.

Over the crumbles, add water, salt, and vinegar and mix together with your hands until you get a smooth dough.

Roll it on a floured surface to about 1/4 inch thickness and cut circles with a water glass or a round cookie cutter. Place a dollop of jam in the middle and fold the dough in half. Use a fork to press the edges of the cookie together and place it on the cookie sheet. When all cookies are formed, bake them at 350F/180C for about 17-20 mins. Remove from the oven and let them cool on a metal rack.

Dust powder sugar over each cookie.

The combination of pineapple, raisins, and walnuts make it a very tasty, indeed.

INGREDIENTS

I have a basic muffin recipe and then I just add whatever flavors I have in my cupboard.

INGREDIENTS
2 cups flour
2/3 cups sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts (save a tablespoon to sprinkle on top)
1/2 cup white chocolate chips + 1/4 cup for melting
1 egg
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup melted butter, cooled

DIRECTIONS
Melt butter and put aside. In a large bowl sift together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt.

In a separate bowl, stir together the egg, milk, vanilla, citrus juices, and melted butter until well combined.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir with a spoon or rubber spatula until just combined. The batter will be lumpy. Do not over-mix or the muffins will become tough. Refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with muffin liners or spray with nonstick spray.

Divide the batter evenly between the 12 muffin cups using small ice cream scoop.

Bake at 425 F for about 10 minutes, lower oven to 350 and bake for additional 15-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs.

Melt the 1/4 cup of white chocolate in a double boiler or microwave and then drizzle on top of muffins.  Sprinkle with reserved macadamia nuts.

Since it is National Coffee Day, I made one of my favorite desserts…with coffee, of course. Thanks to Splendid Table for the inspiration.

INGREDIENTS

Cake
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon powdered espresso
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup white sugar
1 large egg
2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
3/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces and softened

Topping
18 tablespoons butter, melted
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups cake flour
Powdered sugar
1 tablespoon powdered espresso

Directions

Start with the cake. In bowl of stand mixer fitted with dough hook, combine flour, powdered espresso, milk, sugar, egg, yeast, and salt. Takes about 2 minutes for dough to come together on low speed.

Keep the mixer running, add butter 1 piece at a time, waiting until each piece is fully incorporated before adding next. Increase speed to medium-high and continue to mix until dough forms stretchy, web-like strands on sides of bowl. Will take about 6 minutes and dough will be sticky.

Using greased rubber spatula, transfer dough to prepared dish. Using your floured hands, press dough into even layer to edges of dish. Cover dish tightly and let dough rise at room temperature until slightly puffy, about 1 hour.

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350°F. Grease 13 by 9-inch baking dish.

For the topping: Ten minutes before dough has finished rising, whisk melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, espresso powder, and salt together in bowl. Add flour and stir with rubber spatula or wooden spoon until mixture forms thick, cohesive dough; let sit for 10 minutes to allow flour to hydrate.

If dough has pulled away from sides of dish after rising, gently pat it back into place using your floured fingers. Break topping mixture into rough 1/2-inch pieces using your fingers and scatter in even layer over dough in dish.

Bake until crumbs are golden brown, wooden skewer inserted in center of cake comes out clean, and cake portion registers about 215°F in center, about 35 minutes. Transfer dish to wire rack and let cake cool completely. Using spatula, transfer cake to cutting board; cut cake into 12 squares. Dust squares with confectioners’ sugar and serve.

Smitten Kitchen supplied this decadent treat.

INSTRUCTIONS

Cake
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa, any variety
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups coffee
1 tablespoon cider vinegar or white vinegar

Glaze
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon light corn syrup (for shine)
A pinch or two of flaky sea salt

DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of 9-inch round cake pan with a fitted round of parchment paper and coat the bottoms and sides with nonstick cooking spray.

Whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt and granulated sugar in the bottom of a large mixing bowl. Add brown sugar and olive oil, and whisk to combine. Add water and vinegar and whisk until smooth.

Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the top is springy and a tester inserted in the center comes out with just a few sticky crumbs (but not wet or loose batter). Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then cut around it with a knife to ensure it is loosened and flip it out onto a cooling rack to cool the rest of the way.

Make glaze: Combine chocolate, cocoa powder, olive oil, corn syrup, and salt in a medium bowl and microwave to melt, in 15 to 30 second increments, stirring between each until just melted. Whisk until smooth. Pour over completely cooled cake and use spatula to gently nudge it down the sides.

Cake keeps: At room temperature for 2 to 3 days and up to a week in the fridge. On day 4 in the fridge, ours was as moist as day one, basically a miracle.