Best Ever Eggless Baked Chocolate Cheesecake … Make it for V Day ♥

Best Ever Eggless Baked Chocolate Cheesecake … Make it for V Day. Deep, divine, satisfying and smooth, the clarified butter giving caramel tones to the biscuit crumb makes it even better! It’s simple to bring together and most satisfying to dig into.

This eggless cheesecake is a variation of one I bake often, and often I use whatever bits and bobs of different soft cheeses and ingredients I have on hand. I used a heart shaped dessert ring this time but you could use an 8″ round one as well. If you don’t have the time to pipe the ganache, you could just slather it on top, but it adds the finishing touch to the cheesecake.

It’s that time of the year that I fish out the heart shaped tins; it’s the only time these really make sense to use. Of course you can use them at any other time, birthdays or special days, yet I find new purpose around themes.

Makes me procrastinate less, and do more! Past the 14th of February, and these will head back to the cupboards to disappear under my dozens of baking tins. Yet, I have no complaints. It’s special dates on the calendar that make me think differently, get more creative.

This cheesecake was just that. I’ve had several requests on Instagram for an eggless baked chocolate cheesecake. I make it often enough and it gets over too soon. It’s usually a round taller one I bake in a loose bottom 6″ tin. I took a leap of faith with this mold and was rather pleased and how it turned out.

Looking for that special V Day bake, or just for a really nice Eggless Baked Chocolate Cheesecake? This is for you. It’s quick and simple. Do use clarified butter/ghee for the biscuit base. It honestly gives really nice caramel tones to the bake, making it rather special! The piping on top is optional. You could just pile on the ganache and slather it around if short of time.

Don’t forget to comment here or tag me on Instagram @passionateaboutbaking if you make this, or any other recipe from the blog. I’d love to see it!

Find more EGGLESS recipes or CHEESECAKE recipes here. And CHOCOLATE too♥

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Best Ever Eggless Baked Chocolate Cheesecake

Best Ever Eggless Baked Chocolate Cheesecake … Make it for V Day. Deep, divine, satisfying and smooth, the clarified butter giving caramel tones to the biscuit crumb makes it even better! It's simple to bring together and most satisfying to dig into.
Makes 1 8" heart shaped cheesecake
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword baking, cheesecake, chocolate, dessert, eggless, homemade, simple, sweet, vegetarian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Servings 8 people

Equipment

  • Oven
  • Double boiler
  • Hand blender
  • bowls
  • whisk
  • spatula
  • Piping bag
  • Heart shaped dessert mold

Ingredients

Biscuit base

  • 150 g Marie biscuits/Digestive biscuits
  • 90 g melted clarified butter/ghee

Cheesecake filling

Chocolate mix

  • 100 g cream single/Amul
  • 100 g 70% dark chocolate room temperature, chopped
  • 100 g Cadbury Silk{or milk chocolate} room temperature, chopped
  • 1 tbsp coffee {optional} instant

Cheesecake filling

  • 150 g cream cheese room temperature
  • 200 g mascarpone room temperature
  • 50 g thick yogurt room temperature
  • 15 g cocoa powder
  • 15 g cornstarch
  • 75 g brown sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • A pinch of salt

Ganache

  • 150 g cream Single/Amul, room temperature
  • 75 g 70% dark chocolate finely chopped

Instructions

Biscuit base

  • Preheat the oven to 180C
  • Line a heart shaped mold with a double layer of aluminium foil and place on baking tray.
  • Run the biscuits in a blender to fine crumbs or place in a ziploc and crush.
  • Stir in the melted clarified butter. Press into mold.
  • Bake for 12-15 minutes until light golden brown. Cool while you make the filling.
  • Reduce the oven temperature to 150C

Cheesecake filling

  • Melt the cream with both chocolates over a double boiler {or microwave}, stir until smooth, then stir in the coffee.
  • Place all ingredients for the cheesecake filling in a large bowl and pour over the warm chocolate mix. Beat until smooth using an electric hand beater, or in the bowl of a stand mixer.
  • Top the biscuit base with the filling, smoothen out and pour 1 cup of hot water into base tray.
  • Bake for 1 1/2 hours until slightly firm to touch and slightly puffy and risen. The cheesecake will collapse as it cools. Leave to stand for an hour in the turned off oven until cool, then cover and refrigerate overnight.

Ganache

  • Melt the cream with chocolate over a double boiler. Whisk until smooth. Rest at room temperature, whisking on and off, until it is pipeable. Pipe rosettes over the cheesecake.

Notes

Note: The cheesecake tastes best if allowed to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
The coffee is optional but it enhances the depth and taste of the chocolate.

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Best Ever Eggless Baked Chocolate Cheesecake ... Make it for V Day ♥

White Chocolate Cheesecake with balsamic strawberries

“All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.”
Charles M. Schulz

White Chocolate Cheesecake with balsamic  strawberry topping, music to this bakers ears. I’m not one for cheesy baking on V Day; possibly the last one who’ll bake for the day. Yet, I am a sucker for good recipes that catch my eye, and this one certainly did. A white chocolate cheesecake with ingredients as many as the fingers on my hand would tempt any baker or cheesecake lover. It certainly tempted me!

The minute I saw BetterButters fun video, part of their V Day series, to get men into the kitchen to bake something simple for their loved ones, they had me in the loop. If the first frame lists 5 simple ingredients, 4 of which are already there, then what’s to stop this rabid baker? Not much!! All it took was a trip to the local grocery store, grab some cream cheese, also some thyme that happened to be there, and I was set. I always have strawberries at home since they are so much in season these days.

It’s a simple recipe, S I M P L E. Make sure you see the video twice. First to enjoy the ease, and next, if you are like me, to jot down the steps. Else grab someone a willing soul, asking them to play the video as you go along. One thing I always do is follow the main recipe as is the first time. This was super fun, and I am going to bake this again soon. You know the other thing what I loved about the recipe? The natural quintessential cheesecake sink in the centre that holds the delicious filling.

A few things I might change. Maybe make the white chocolate cheesecake with quark the next time around. I am not a huge fan of Britannia Cream Cheese as the slight saltiness creeps through and takes away somewhat the joy and beauty of white chocolate. Talking about white chocolate, make sure you use good quality white chocolate. With as little as 5 ingredients in the cheesecake, each one counts in the end.

This is a great great recipe for beginners, for bakers, for cheesecake lovers and especially for people like me who need a springboard for creativity. I have already begun dreaming of what else I can do with this. For now, enjoy it as it is, a beautiful White Chocolate Cheesecake with balsamic  strawberry topping. You could even do a light jelly topping that BetterButter did, but try this recipe you must! You can download the BetterButter app here – https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=in.betterbutter.android

Recipe: White Chocolate Cheesecake

Summary: White Chocolate Cheesecake with balsamic strawberry topping  is a great  recipe for beginners, for bakers, for cheesecake lovers and especially for people like me who need a springboard for creativity. You could even do a light jelly topping that Better Butter did, but try this recipe you must! Makes a 7″ cheesecake

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:

  • White Chocolate Cheesecake
  • 200g white chocolate, melted {I used white baking chocolate}
  • 200g Cream Cheese {Britannia}
  • 4 eggs, separated
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 vanilla bean, scraped
  • 1/2 tsp strawberry extract
  • Topping
  • 150g strawberries, quartered
  • 40g brown sugar
  • 1-2 tbsp water
  • 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 vanilla bean shell
  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • Garnish
  • Fresh strawberries, thyme

Method:

  1. White Chocolate Cheesecake
  2. Preheat the oven to 180C. Line a 7″ dessert ring or a loose bottomed baking tin.
  3. Place egg whites with a pinch of salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk until stiff peaks form
  4. In the meantime, place the melted white chocolate, egg yolks and cream cheese in a large bowl and whisk until smooth. Add vanilla and strawberry extract and whisk again.
  5. Add 1-2 tbsp of the beaten whites to loosen the mixture, then gently fold the rest in. I turned the chocolate mix into the bowl of the KitchenAid stand mixer as it is a large very convenient bowl to mix in.
  6. Transfer batter to prepared tin and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 150C and bake for a further15 minutes. Finally, reduce the temperature to 120C and bake for another 15-20 minutes.
  7. Allow to cool completely in tin, then chill for a few hours or overnight. Gently demold and place on serving platter.
  8. Top with strawberry topping, and scatter fresh thyme over.
  9. Topping
  10. Place all ingredients in a heavy bottom non-reactive saucepan. Simmer gently until thick and jam like. Taste and adjust sweetness if required. Cool. {Can be made a day or so in advance}

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Chef Talk | A day in the kitchen of Corporate Pastry Chef Bungla, the Hyatt Regency, Delhi …behind the scenes for Valentines Day

“Recipes don’t work unless you use your heart!”
Dylan Jones

It isn’t everyday that you get to shadow a corporate pastry chef at a hotel, so I was in for a pleasant time. The Hyatt invited me to spend ‘A day in the kitchen of Corporate Pastry Chef Bungla‘ … a behind the scenes of the chefs at work! I’ve met the ever so sweet, down to earth and very humble Chef Bungla before, and was more than happy to peep into his happening kitchen.

More so since it was close to the red letter day of love, Valentines Day. I knew the creative chef would be painting his kitchen red, and I wasn’t disappointed. In fact I was overwhelmed. Overwhelmed at his creativity, the ease which which he churns out the best of goodies to ‘feed’ Sidewalk. It was a virtual Charlie’s Chocolate Factory in there behind the steely cold kitchen doors.

In the kitchen at 7am every morning, a well oiled schedule and a well choreographed team, he is at his creative best. It’s pin drop silence in here. Everyone on his team knows what to do, and they go about doing it professionally and perfectly.

A candid moment sometimes comes by with an old hand carrying a vintage willow basket that catches the eye. I want to grab it and make a beeline for the door. Oh yes, the envy for old rustic things! I try to ‘capture‘ the man and his basket and the whole kitchen peeps in to see what caught my eye! Then they get back to their routine…

A giant Isfahan macaron is being prepared under the chefs watchful gaze. Handpicked red strawberries, each chosen of the same size, tops neatly sliced off, then hulled and filled with cream. With clockwork precision, the team works around the huge white marble counter tops as I smile seeing deft hands gently pulling trademark Hyatt red ribbons to complete the V Day look. Ribbons are such a feminine thing in my humble opinion… here you see how male dominated the kitchen is! The chef gives his look of approval, then does the honours. A sprinkle of slivered pistachios, a dusting of red rose petals… and we are all set for V day! This is just one of the surprises that they are creating. My favourite of course is the English Mix Berry Cake topped with colourful fruits, decorated for V Day. So European, and to my delight, one of the most popular cakes that comes out of the kitchen.

The other very popular one and a huge V Day favourite is his luscious Red Velvet Cake. You can tell that V day is around the corner as strawberries paint the kitchen red. Strawberries in white chocolate lay in neat rows on the counter. Not just those. There’s beautiful raspberry mousse for two as well! So much love in the air, what’s not to love a kitchen like his!

What’s also not to love about a kitchen that has huge loads of bread dough being kneaded, sourdough the all time call. Chef Bungla treats each loaf as his baby, proudly tells me that no yeast is ever used. All bread is baked using sourdough, the culture over a 100 years old! He walks me through the ‘bread basket’ pointing to the slightly bubbled crust one some loaves. This is a sign of good bread he says.

Having honed his skills mostly in Europe, Chef Bungla is one well traveled chef. He’s been in the Hyatt since 1982, and has mastered every baking and patisserie technique in his time here. To my absolute amazement, ten years ago he even worked under the God of macarons, Pierre Hermes! Yet he is so humble, so nonchalant, so passionate about the bakery.

We talk about heart shaped chocolate truffles, macarons, choux pastry, profiteroles, recipe development, European trends, Japanese bakeries, panna cotta sans gelatin {you should have seen the twinkle in his eye}, bagels {sourdough again}. He relies on his authenticity, techniques, tradition and finally his intuition to invent his creations. The passion shines through, his humility endearing.

He accompanies me to Sidewalk, and as I take pictures of his creations, you can sense his pride. Take a shot of this one quick he says. Cakes get sold very fast here. After 4pm we don’t bake. Only the days’ bakes reach the counters, never anything from the the previous day. Sure enough, a patron stops by at Sidewalk and orders 7 cakes. Goodbye beautiful cakes, all boxed and expertly packed on their way to delight someones taste buds!

We stop by the Café for a bit. It’s buzzing with activity. At the heart of the cafe is the dessert bar, like a candy shop! It’s close to 3pm and there is a heightened sense of activity around it. The chef hovers around, a keen eye, a quick look over, then we head back for Sidewalk where a guest is waiting for him.

After a happy animated chat, he calls the kitchen below to hurry up and get ‘the cake for the lady from South Africa’. With a huge grin across his face he tells me that she has been a guest at the hotel for years, and the Orange Almond GF Cake is her favourite. She knows him by name, he knows what she’ll ask for… and he always obliges. In all this, I am the very fortunate onlooker who benefits. I get served a slice as well. I have to say, this is the best cake ever! Simple, flavourful, decadent. My type of cake. No frosting, no unnerving sweetness… just good good flavours. It’s one I like to bake myself, but being served by the chef himself, makes it the best ever!

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No Bake | Buttermilk Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta with Balsamic Strawberries … lighter & gluten free | dessert for someone you l♥v

“If music be the food of love, play on.”
Shakespeare

Buttermilk Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta with Balsamic Strawberries … dessert for someone you l♥v, or dessert for someone who loves dessert! Panna cotta, or cooked cream, is one of the quickest Italian desserts you can make. Minimum fuss, quick to make, do ahead and divinely delicious, a winner every single time.

The tempting option of going a teeny bit healthy on a cream dessert, yet keeping it indulgent, is perhaps worth the bait! I’ve done a Berries & Buttermilk Puddng in the past, so the idea of a buttermilk panna cotta was going to be worth every delicious spoonful! Delightful tangy undertones, a gentle wobbly set cream, smooth vanilla overtures…what more can you ask for? Pretty darned good as it is, you can take it a step higher with luscious red strawberries as topping. Use any seasonal berries for that matter, or fruit like figs too. A salted butter caramel sauce would be really nice as well.

If you have the time, gently simmer strawberries to make a balsamic strawberry topping. And if time is not your friend that day, simply macerate the berries in castor sugar and a dash of lime juice, or maybe just toss them in honey. It adds a nice sweet touch to the fruit while making it shiny and attractive to top the panna cotta.

The colour contrast weaves a magic spell. What’s not to love about red and white? And what’s not to love about strawberries and cream. AND what’s not to love about make ahead, fuss free dessert? Go on, take the plunge! Spoil those you love on V Day with this gorgeous Buttermilk Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta with Balsamic Strawberries.

Oh yes, and make sure you get them to do the dishes! Share some love!!

[print_this]Recipe: Buttermilk Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta with Balsamic Strawberries  

Summary: Delightful tangy undertones, a gentle wobbly set cream, smooth, vanilla overtures…what more could you ask for in a Buttermilk Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta with Balsamic. This must be the quickest make ahead dessert ever! It’s a great Valentines Day dessert too.

Serves 6

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:

  • Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta
  • 1 tbsp + 1/4 tsp gelatin
  • 2 tbsp warm water
  • 300ml low fat cream
  • 150g vanilla sugar {or Castor sugar}
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla bean powder
  • 1 vanilla bean pod, scraped
  • 450ml cultured buttermilk
  • Balsamic Strawberries
  • 200g strawberries, chopped
  • 30g brown sugar
  • 15ml balsamic vinegar
  • 15ml honey

Method:

  1. Panna Cotta
  2. Put the warm water in a small bowl and sprinkle the geltain over. Leave to soften for 10 minutes.
  3. Put the cream,sugar,  scraped vanilla bean and pod in a heavy bottom saucepan and simmer gently for 5-7 minutes. Do not allow to come to a rolling boil. Stir often.
  4. Take off heat and stir in the buttermilk and softened gelatin. Whisk to blend well, then strain and pour into serving goblets or ramekins.
  5. Chill for 5-6 hours, better overnight.
  6. Top with balsamic strawberries, garnish with fresh mint and serve.
  7. Balsamic strawberries
  8. Gently simmer brown sugar, honey and balsamic vinegar in a small pan until the sugar has melted and is thick and syrupy. 
  9. Take off heat and add lime juice. Mix in the chopped strawberries. Leave to macerate for 10-15 minutes.
  10. If the strawberries leave a lot of liquid, strain the liquid out, and reduce over medium heat. Mix back into the strawberries and then chill until required.

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