“Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie.”
Jim Davis
Pumpkin Custard Pies…perfect little things! I’m not a huge fan of pumpkin but the younger teen really loves this humble veggie in dessert. These pies changed my view on the humble pumpkin; I fell in love with the pies {if I may so myself}!
… & before I forget “Hello October! When did you sneak in?” Can’t believe it’s already nearing the end of the year. Glad to say goodbye to July and September; they were tiresome months. The weather here is still quite warm and muggy, with a spell of retreating monsoons thrown in. We didn’t complain about the petite pumpkin custard pies though!
Smooth, silky, delicious, full of autumn connect and flavours, they turned out really nice! It began with an experiment and turned into custard pies I will make often. I contemplated adding a crust to make a’pie-ish‘ pie, then abandoned the idea. Gluten and grain free seemed more appealing.
In my quest to cut out unnecessary carbs, I kept these simple. I think the depth of flavour came through because of fresh pumpkin puree and condensed milk. The yellow really brightened up my day. I love the local produce this season … pumpkins, water chestnuts, apples, pears all flooding the market. Pineapples too.
If eggless baked yogurt tart could set {Cherry Yogurt Tart, Dark Chocolate Orange Yogurt Eggless Cheesecake, Deep Dark Salted Butter Caramel Eggless Yogurt Cheesecakes}, then I figured the pumpkin pies with eggs would laugh all the way home. They did!
Worked a charm. They were ever so simple to make, that I decided to pretty them up a bit. They taste just as good without the garnish. Yet a little lace collar, a dollop of unsweetened cream, a sprinkle of pure maple flakes and a garnish of pumpkin seeds brittle makes it pretty! Pretty special!
[print_this]Recipe: Pumpkin Custard Pies
Summary: Smooth, silky, delicious, full of autumn connect and flavours, the Pumpkin Custard Pies are a wonderful make ahead dessert option for fall. A simple recipe which comes together in minutes once you have the pumpkin puree done.
Prep Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 1 hour plus cooling time Ingredients:
Preheat oven to 200C. Line the bottoms of 8 X 3″ dessert rings with strong foil, bringing it up over the sides to create a base. Place foil base side down on a cookie tray.
Place all ingredients in bowl of food processor and blend until smooth. {Alternatively, place in a large bowl and use a balloon whisk to get a smooth uniform mixture}
Divide the mixture between the 8 rings.
Bake at 200C for 10 minutes, then decrease oven temperature to 170C and bake for another 25-30 minutes.
Allow to cool in rings. Chill for a few hours or overnight, demold onto serving platters and serve with low fat cream if desired.
“The great thing about cake is it doesn’t feel like work. You forget about work. Kids, adults, they all get the same look in their eye when they’re decorating cakes… that’s the magic right there.”
Duff Goldman
Pastel de Tres Leches or Three Milk Cake … a cake that impressed and how! Love the Daring Baker challenge this time. having missed the earlier two challenges, I went straight into it very early this month. I did think it could turn out soggy, but no! Turned out to be one of the best cakes ever!
Inma of la Galletika was our Sept. 2013 Daring Bakers’ hostess and WOW did she bring us something decadent and delicious! Pastel de Tres Leches or Three Milk Cake, creamy yet airy, super moist but not soggy.. just plain delish!
My earliest memories of Tres leches goes back to a visit to Dallas in 2007. The Pastel de Tres Leches or Three Milk Cake was very popular among the Indian community there. Maybe in many ways it reminded folk of a popular Indian sweet, the milk cake. While visiting some Indian friends there, they were very excited to serve it up.
I was disappointed. It was sadly soggy and not worth all the fuss. Thereafter have seen references on and off to the cake, but it’s never been interesting enough to make one at home. Until now of course! Just the introductory lines were good enough for me to take on the challenge. ‘Decadent & Delicious?’ Yes please! Searched my mind for ideas, searched the net for variations. Not much out there.
Tres leches are simple cakes, delicious nonetheless. Me being me, had to go a step further. Fruit had to feature in here somewhere, somehow. I decided to get brave and make a layered Mango Pastel de Tres Leches or Mango Three Milk Cake. Of course I did some important pre planning, some in the head and some on the simmer!
The Pastel de Tres Leches is a cake that is very popular in Central and South America. It is a super moist, light, airy and super delicious sponge cake soaked in the three kinds of milk {evaporated milk, condensed milk, and heavy cream}. Tres Leches is a very light cake {especially if made without butter}, with many air bubbles in its crumb. This distinct texture is why it does not have a soggy consistency, despite being soaked in a mixture of three types of milk.
This recipe slightly adapted from an interview given by one of Mexico’s best Pastry Chefs, Paulina Abascal, to the magazine Revista Secretos de la Pastelería Caserais, produces a super moist yet light Tres Leches. True to the word, this was declared as one of the best cakes we’ve eaten. Light, moist and delightfully flavourful, the mango just added the oomph!
The three milk mixture is a combination of condensed milk {I always have some on hand}, evaporated milk and cream. While the west consumes tonnes of evaporated milk every year, it’s not a popular concept in India. It was time to make some. Evaporated milk is merely normal milk boiled down to reduce its water content. Simple!
Simple enough, and with a little pre planning, a cakewalk! Did the sponges on day 1; made the evaporated milk too. Assembled everything on day two, and we cut the cake on day 3! The cake needs a little while to soak in all the good milk, to get matured in flavours. I layered the sponge with fresh diced mango and whipped low cream {stabilized with gelatin}. You can always used canned fruit, peaches, tropical fruit bits etc.
Since it needed an overnight rest, I was kind of confident that the cream would set. Of course I was thrilled to see that it all came together beautifully when I demolded it the next day! It will behave even better in the winter. I’ve got to make this cake again. I did have left over milk mixture as expected, even after giving the layers a generous soaking.
I was tempted to make an iced milk shake out of it, but then a pound cake came to mind. Since it had been flavoured with lemon extract, I made a Tres Leches Wholewheat Lemon Pound Cake, basically soaked the warm cake in the remaining tres leches concoction. FAB!! Even that was appreciated and how! Will share the recipe soon!
Thank you Imma for offering this delicious challenge. We loved it to bits. I enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed the recent Momofuku’s Crack Pie challenge, maybe more! Thank you as always Lisa ofLa Mia CucinaandIvonne of Cream Puffs in Venicefor hosting this fabkitchen!! Do stop byhere to see what the rest of the Daring Bakers have been soaking up!
[print_this]Recipe: Mango Pastel de Tres Leches or Mango Three Milk Cake
Summary: Three-Milk Cake it is a super moist, light, airy and super delicious sponge cake soaked in the three kinds of milk (evaporated milk, condensed milk, and heavy cream). Tres Leches is a very light cake (especially if made without butter), with many air bubbles in its crumb. This distinct texture is why it does not have a soggy consistency, despite being soaked in a mixture of three types of milk.
Prep Time: 45 minutes Total Time: 1 hour 30mins plus chilling Ingredients:
Vanilla sponge cake
5 large eggs (separated)
125g vanilla sugar
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp lemon extract
140g all-purpose (plain) flour (sifted)
For three milks syrup
1 can (400 gm) sweetened condensed milk
1 can (340 gm) evaporated milk
240g low fat cream {20% fat}
2 teaspoons lemon extract
Topping and filling
400g low fat cream {20% fat)
50g icing sugar
1 tsp gelatin {dissolved in 2 tbsp milk}
1kg mango, peeled diced {to fill and decorate the cake)
Method:
Vanilla Sponge Cake
Preheat oven to 180°C. Prepare 9” (23 cm) round cake pan
Separate the egg whites from the yolks.
Beat the egg whites on medium speed, 3 – 5 minutes.
When soft peaks form slowly add the sugar in small batches.
Whip until stiff peaks form about 5 minutes. Set aside.
In a medium bowl beat egg yolks at medium-high speed for about 5 to 6 minutes, or until the egg yolks become pale colored, creamy and puffy. Stir in vanilla.
Pour the egg yolks over the egg whites, gently fold until just combined trying not to lose any volume from the mixture.
Fold in the flour little by little in the form of rain. Mix until just combined (over-beating will result in a denser, flatter cake).
Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated moderate oven for 25 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean
Let it cool
Once cool, split the cake in half, flip the top of the cake and place it on a base. Poke using a fork holes all over the cake to better absorb the three milk soaking liquid.
Three milks syrup
In a saucepan add the sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, heavy cream and cinnamon stick, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and continue boiling for 5 minutes. Remove it and let it cool.
Once it is cool, add the rum or any other flavoring you are using
Gradually brush all the milk soaking liquid into all sides of the cake (including the cut surfaces) until all absorbed. Best to rest the cake in the fridge overnight to complete the soaking process.
Topping
Whip the cream, when soft peaks form, add the sugar little by little, continue whipping until stiff peaks form about 2 mins.
Decoration
Layer some whipped cream on the bottom layer and cover with canned or fresh fruit and decorate the top layer with whipped cream and the fresh or canned fruit.
It took just one visit to Guppy by ai. Itleft me bowled over, wanting to return for more. I have an affinity for anything Japanese, yet little connect with Japanese cuisine but for a single trip to Japan 2 years ago. The visit to Guppy awakened my memories of that visit where I accompanied the husband who had a conference in Tokyo.
For me anything Japanese means harmony, balance, art, neatness, fresh appeal, fine aesthetics, colours that soothe, and delicate presentation. Of late, there has been delicious frenzied activity celebrating the return of Guppy by ai, the contemporary Japanese Bar & Kitchen, in a new avatar. It was an invite I couldn’t wouldn’t turn away!!
Guppy by ai under the flagship AD Singh brand has reopened much to the delight of Delhiites! The reviews are out and they are all good. One visit to the eatery and you know what you’ve been missing. From the moment you step in, the ambiance wins you over. The vibrance of the anime inspired interiors greet you. They are peppy, colourful and eye catching!
Clever use of origami, sculpted metal lamps, ceramics that warm your heart. You can spend all day here taking in the magical surroundings. Origami kimonos adorn the walls, neat frames, little pikachus leaping from the menu card, distressed wood beamers that cleverly hide the air conditioning ducts, Kokeshi dolls, metal stacked tiffin boxes, the soothing sound of water flowing … a lot of bric a brac and vintage finds bring out a unique character. Designer Anshu Arora scores a perfect 10 to deliver a seamless and stunning ambiance.
As the interiors impress, Guppy endears itself even more once the food starts flowing in {literally}. Sangeeta and I managed to make it together on the same night, accompanied by our better halves. We were greeted by the gentle, ever friendly and passionate Chef Vaibhav Bhargave, a chef I’ve known for a few years now. I’ve followed him in delight over the years at Olive and he seems to have broken new ground at Guppy.
He explains with passion…the salad bar, fresh ingredients, authentic Japanese condiments, a lavish {and very delicious} vegetarian spread, an equally rocking non vegetarian one, salads to make the heart sing with joy, pot stickers that warm the heart, gentle sauces on the side that excite but don’t overpower. The choice is amazing.
If like me, you have a pretty limited knowledge of Jap cuisine, you are in for a revelation. Raw fish is not my cup of tea, and I associate it largely with Jap food, almost synonymous with sushi and sashami. How wrong could I be? Vaibhav talked us through every dish, the origins etc. And then, with the ever knowledgeable Sangeeta, the place was a treat that night! I was set to conquer Japanese cuisine, fish and all! {My photographs didn’t come out as I messed up the lens, so I’ve borrowed some from Sangeeta and used a few of mine}
The menu is refreshing and exciting. With comfortable seating, we began with the starters or small plates as the menu suggests. A beautifully spiced Edamame Sea Salt/Chilli Garlic awakened our senses, the edamame was taken to delicious levels, chili and garlic being 2 of my favourite flavours. With mocktails on the side, {the liquor license was yet to come through}, we ate our way through fresh, crisp and delicately flavoured salads. First up a Guppy house salad with seasonal vegetables, palm hearts & bamboo shoots in a karashi mustard dressing {sans greens}.
Next up was the Chirashi Seafood salad, an assortment of pickled prawn, tuna, salmon, crab and baby greens in goma-ae dressing. I gingery tried the seafood salad on the insistence of my good companions … it was fabulous. Beautifully balanced fresh flavours and not fishy for my discerning palette. I love good fresh salads, and I could see the sweet chef at the live sushi and bar across working diligently to stir up the goodness!
Starters followed the salads. With an emphasis on the extensive vegetarian selection, and non vegetarian options too to spoil us, we were happy campers. Rice Paper Vegetables Roll, Chili Lime Dressed Agedashi Tofu, Exotic Mushroom Gyoza {Gluten-free, crisp bottom steamed pot stickers, served with ponzu soy dipping sauce},Crisp Vegetable Harumaki {exotic vegetable filo rolls, crisp baked in oven and served with yuzu miso}, Prawn Gyoza {Black tiger prawn pot stickers, pan fried, served with ponzu soy sauce, and finally Guppy Signature Pork Belly {slow braised pork belly, glazed with soy honey and served with mustard miso sauce}. I love pot stickers and both the GF mushroom gyoza as well as the prawn gyoza were outstanding, the latter absolutely addictive with ponzu soy sauce. It was interesting to see a gluten free version included. I didn’t eat the pork belly, but those who did found it chewy and tough, a little disappointing for a signature dish!
Photo courtesy Sangeeta Khanna
We were rather full, yet were told that this was just the beginning. We hadn’t even touched the main course. It soon arrived and despite the protesting tummies, it was happy meal time again. We skipped the noodles, rice and carbs of course! Teriyaki Glazed Artichoke & Tofu and Wok Tossed Exotic Teppan Vegetable glazed with sesame soy were the first to arrive. I am not a fan of tofu so I gave that a miss. The wok tossed vegetables were excellent, delicately flavoured, a good bite to them.
The show stopper of course was the baked Black Cod which arrived dramatically, sizzling on a large smooth pebble. The good server did the honours of taking it off it’s menacing perch. I bravely volunteered to taste it as well, and it was the best fish I have ever eaten. The miso marinated cod was light, delicate, cooked just right and hit the ball out of the park! I loved it!
And then there was more but I was far too full. The Grilled Jumbo Prawn served with assorted vegetables and pepper garlic was devoured by the rest of the gang. There was Teriyaki Glazed Artichoke & Tofu too, but most of skipped as the cod gave us a happy feeling.
Dinner ended with their signature dessert … warm carrot cake drizzled with mascarpone. I skipped it as was happily satisfied. What I loved about the meal was the lavish inclusion of vegetarian fare on the menu, as also an interesting medley of fresh salads. All the dishes were delicately flavoured and each stood out separately. With the well designed interiors, it made for a memorable meal, a place I would return to!
Thank you Vaibhav for spoiling us that night, and thank you Guppy by ai for hosting us. I would definitely recommend Guppy to everyone. Step in and experience the ambiance. The magic will touch you. There is something for everyone here, vegetarian and otherwise, including gluten free!
Wholemeal Chocolate Nutella Cookies … felt like snug cookies. Something secure and comforting about them. The idea of course came from developing a comforting bite which felt ‘snug’ … thanks to this fabulous Snugg iphone cover I received in the mail the other day.
I love the Snugg line of products. They spell quality and durability which is what I look for in anything I would pick. I have been using the Snugg iPad cover for a while now, and I love it to bits. The iPad is ‘safer’ in the kitchen than ever before, and stands beautifully while I dash back and forth! Similarly, the iPhone case spells quality. In addition, this premium case sports some fantastic features.
– Reduces Cell Phone Radiation (SAR) by 92% and Hot Spot Radiation (EFI) by 90%!
– Ultra Thin, Lightweight, Sleek Design.
– Durable and Impact Resistant.
With the word snugg in mind I marched ahead with a cookie idea. I attempted to snuggly fit in some Nutella into the heart of my cookie. At the end of my experiment, wasn’t too sure if the Nutella taste came through, but the cookies were a hit alright!
Soft cake like cookies, ‘no longer tiny’ hands sneaking them away from the cookie jar one after another. They seemed to hit the right spot with the kids. With a nice deep chocolate flavour, you could barely tell that these were whole grain cookies!
Maybe it’s the recent almost 100% switchover to healthier eating & whole grains, a sign of evolving tastes. Or maybe that chocolate and wholegrain are good ‘companions’, I have had loads of luck of late. I barely ever use plain flour anymore, unless it’s a special birthday cake, or maybe partly in bread. I’ve had a patch of good luck with 100% wholewheat bread too, so I ain’t complaining!
[print_this]
Recipe: Wholemeal Chocolate Nutella Cookies
Summary: Healthy, wholemeal, deep, dark, soft, cakey chocolate cookies, with a heart of Nutella.
Prep Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 45 minutes plus chilling Ingredients:
For the chocolate cookies
130g wheat flour
85g oats
40g almond meal
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
200g granulated sugar
40g unsweetened cocoa powder
100g unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 eggs
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Filling
50g nutella
Method:
Run all the dry ingredients in bowl of food processor to mix.
Add the wet ingredients and process briefly until a cookie dough comes together.
Divide into 24 balls and chill for half an hour.
Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Flatten each into a disk, then place a scant 1/2 tsp of Nutella into the centre and pull the dough up around it. Gently roll back into a ball, and flatten slightly. Place on cookie sheet. Repeat with rest. {You might need to grease or moisten your palms slightly if the weather is warm}
Leave to chill in freezer while you preheat the oven to 180C.
Bake for approx 25-30 minutes until the cookie feels firm to touch.
Leave on sheet for a minute, drizzle with warm caramel sauce if you like, them remove to cooling tray.
Note: Instead of flattening the disks as in step 5, you could make thumbprint cookies instead. Indent the balls with your thumb and add a scant tsp of Nutella. Bake as above.
“Food is a central activity of mankind and one of the single most significant trademarks of a culture.”
Mark Kurlansky
Life can be strangely coincidental at times, or maybe it is just the trend of the times. My recent amaranth obsession is at an all time high, and then I got an invite for the launch of a very very interesting book Centre of Science and Environment – First Food, A Taste of India’s Biodiversity. The locavore in me jumped to it. What’s not to love about celebrating local produce?
A live wire opening introduction to the book by CSEs petite and very talented Sunita Narain had everyone’s attention. A cause close to my locavore heart, I was thrilled to see how beautifully local and rather unknown ingredients have been woven into the book. A lot of historical cuisine connect runs through the book, emphasising time and again that food is personal, and that everyone has a food story. The book, authored by Sunita Narain & Vibha Varshney, attempts to share India’s rich, diverse and largely unexplored culinary tradition. Paired with vivid food memories and a deep emotional connect, it does a brilliant job!
Sunita Narain is an Indian environmentalist and political activist as well as a major proponent of the Green concept of sustainable development. She has been with the India-based Centre for Science and Environment since 1982. She is currently the director of the Centre and the director of the Society for Environmental Communications and publisher of the fortnightly magazine, Down To Earth. The recipes in First Food have been curated from Down to Earth.
Importantly, it makes the mind think. Think out of the box, as also question how far we will be pushed as a community before we realise that we are losing a whole lot of local food wealth falling prey to imports. To make the environment flourish and to add economic value to local produce, getting to the roots of traditional food is essential.
That somewhat explains First Food, an interesting title in itself. Thought provoking too. To understand the vast economic system that runs behind each fruit, flower, leaf and grain, the book does a good job in bringing together a rich resource of information; food stories, environmental issues, intriguing trivia and of course interesting recipes.For me, it is also the ingredients that inspire. I love cooking with beet greens {thanks to Sangeeta’s vast knowledge}, and with turnip greens too {thanks to my mother who used to do it; still does}. Fermented pineapple kanji and beetroot kanji are on top of my list, thanks again to Sangeeta. These days, it’s popped amaranth in cakes and brownies, whole grain in cookies and so much more!
At the launch that night other than the very talented Sunita Narain, we had Prof Pushpesh Pant {a noted food critic and historian} and Vinod Dua {a food critic and one of the best known names in indian media} regale the rapt audience with their tales. The professor had the audience in splits “When Sunita first told me about the book I thought it was priced too high. Then when I read it, I discovered that it was priceless!“
Vinod Dua, the great orator and entertainer that he is, took to food centric quotes, prose and couplets, both Indian and foreign. Beginning with one my favourite food quotes by George Bernard Shaw, “There is no sincerer love than the love of food.“, he went on to read some best loved ones much to the delight of the audience!
It was a short and crisp launch ceremony, followed by a live food demonstration by master chef Manish Mehrotra of Indian Accent fame, and then dinner, all made from recipes in the book. It was impossible to get within hearing distance of this very popular chef, so we had to make do with queueing up for the dinner which was served alongside. The chefs special touch was discernible…
It was a vegetarian spread, as is the cookbook, and the food was mind blowing good! There was so much flavour, so much inspiration there that day. The bajre ki khichdi, the gahat ki dal, ker sangri ka paneer, til ke aloo, chaulai ka saag, drumstick leaves curry all delicious. There were accompaniments galore too. Savoury pancakes, stuffed parathas, chutneys, raita … plenty of flavour and plenty of old world charm. You’ll find all the recipes in the book!
I came home rather inspired. Early the next morning, I bought fresh amaranth greens or chaulai ka saag {also lal saag as it’s commonly referred to here} as it’s in season. Stirred up some chaulai ka saag, some chaulai ka raita, aloo chaulai ki sabzi and karonde ka khatta meetha achaar; most recipes from the book, others just inspired. Made mixed grain puris on the side {makki ka aata, chakki ka aata and besan}. Oh so satisfying and all wiped clean!
Here’s a quick recipe of Amaranth greens / Chaulai ka saag from the book. The books a great buy for recipes ideas and inspiration, a good feel narrative that takes you back to your roots. From herbs, flowers, leaves, fermented foods to summer coolers, it packs a pretty punch! I also like that the listed ingredients are short & sweet.
[print_this]Recipe: Chaulai ka saag {amaranth greens}
Summary: A quick, healthy and delicious stir fry that offers a highly nutritious side to an Indian meal.
Prep Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 30 minutes Ingredients:
500g chaulai {amaranth} leaves
2-3 whole red chilies
1 tsp cumin seeds
2-3 cloves garlic
a pinch of asafoetida
salt to taste
2 tbsps vegetable oil {I used clarified butter}
Method:
Wash the leaves and chop finely.
Heat oil in a deep pan. Toss in red chillies and cumin seeds. Add garlic and asafoetida. Stir.
dd the chopped greens and salt to taste.
Cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes. Let the water dry.
“If you really want to make a friend, go to someone’s house and eat with him…… the people who give you their food, give you their heart.” Cesar Chavez
Deep Dark Salted Butter Caramel Eggless Yogurt Cheesecakes … an attempt to create memories on demand! “Make me some memories!“, she commanded as she passed the bag around for a lucky dip at her farewell dinner. There is only one who could do fun and creative stuff like this. Ruchira!
I was suspicious; thought I might pick out a crab or something. The girl has a keen sense of humour. As usual, she surprised me. I was the privileged first to dip into the bag and I got a beautiful white platter with eye catching black artwork on it. I had seen it and admired it on her blog not a long time ago.
Thats what makes her special. Ruchira is different. She has a knack to make everyone happy, never rubs anyone the wrong way, is always in the middle of happening stuff, and is always ready with good advice.
How could it be difficult to create memories for someone so special. That she has left the country to follow her better half to a foreign posting left a lot of us with sad feelings. Yet, we know that wherever she goes , she will leave an indelible mark. She is uber talented, a walking food encyclopedia, the heart of a gathering, someone who has the lone capability of pulling everyone, including sworn enemies in …
Just baking these little Deep Dark Salted Butter Caramel Eggless Yogurt Cheesecakes made me happy. I had memories attached to every little ingredient, a connect at ever step. She loves steamed yogurt. So I thought I’d bake something I’ve baked a lot of of late … a yogurt tart.
It had to have caramel in it; thats her fave ingredient. For inspiration I turned to Smitten Kitchen. Ruchira loves Smitten Kitchen. With a passion. A deep passion. I do too, but nothing to beat hers. That recipe of Deep, Dark Salted Butter Caramel Sauce is a winner. So is the post. It places you in the lap of Paris, within sniffing distance of Le Beurre Bordier, a French salted butter.
The sniffs were very virtual of course, so in went a local salted butter. The caramel was allowed to get deep & dark as instructed; the end result finger licking good. I could see memories being woven. It was sugar high time as I licked the bowl clean after pouring the caramel into a jug. Then came the filling. I love condensed milk. More sweet. Next, the bittersweet ganache. More YUM! Must have been the breakfast I had skipped {tch tch}, but it left me sweetly satisfied!
These are indulgent little desserts. I think one can easily be shared between two. They are rich, deeply flavoured and oh so satisfying. Even better, they’re a great make ahead baked vegetarian dessert option. Sinfully good! As I recently said, I’ve been using a load of tinned condensed milk of late!
Other baked eggless yogurt cakes you might like: Dark Chocolate Orange Yogurt Eggless Cheesecake Cherry Yogurt Tart
[print_this]Recipe: Deep Dark Salted Butter Caramel Eggless Yogurt Cheesecakes
Summary: These Deep Dark Salted Butter Caramel Eggless Yogurt Cheesecakes are indulgent little desserts. They are rich, deeply flavoured and oh so satisfying. Even better, they’re a great make ahead baked vegetarian dessert option. Sinfully good!
Prep Time: 25 minutesTotal Time: 25 minutes plus chillingIngredients:
Biscuit base
200g digestive biscuits, crushed
100g melted butter
Bittersweet chocolate ganache
100g bittersweet chocolate {85%}, broken
100g low fat cream
2 tsbsp honey
Deep dark salted butter caramel sauce
200g granulated sugar
70g salted butter
60g low fat cream
Yogurt Filling
350g hung yogurt, thick
150g regular yogurt
1 tin condensed milk
Method:
Biscuit base
Preheat oven to 180C. Grease 4 X 3″ loose bottomed tartlet tins.
Mix the melted butter and the crushed biscuits. Turn into the bottom of the prepared tins and press to form base.
Bake for 10 minutes. Remove to rack. Cool.
Bittersweet chocolate ganache
Place chocolate and cream in a heatproof bowl and microwave for 1 minute. Stir well until smooth. Stir in honey.
Deep dark salted butter caramel sauce
Place the sugar in a deep heavy bottom saucepan and melt over medium low heat until dark amber. Swirl around if needed.
Add the cream and butter together. Be careful as it will splutter at first before it comes together. Stir to combine. Pour into a jug once warm else store in a jar. You might need to heat it gently before serving as it tends to harden in the fridge. {Can be made ahead}
Yogurt Filling
Place both yogurts and condensed milk in a large bowl and whisk until smooth.
Assemble for final bake
Preheat the oven to 180C.
Divide the bittersweet chocolate ganache between the tins, and smoothen over the biscuit base. Chill for 5 minutes.
Repeat with the caramel sauce, chill again. Finally pour over the yogurt filling.
Bake for just 10 minutes.
Take out of the oven, allow to cool. Then chill in the fridge for a couple of hours, or overnight.
Top with a drizzle of caramel sauce, whole buttered almonds and chocolate scrolls.
