Mini Oreo Cheesecakes

I have a very fuzzy memory of having mini cheesecakes like this when I was a kid. Maybe not Oreo's, but with a Vanilla Wafer or Nilla Wafers as the crust and a raspberry or strawberry topping. Either way when requested to have cheesecake for dessert I obliged.

Cheesecake is great! But, and there is a but, it is super rich and sometimes a bit much to take on as a dessert. Therefore these "cupcake" cheesecakes are a great way to serve it without having to try and cut the perfect slice. Plus, one whole cookie acts as the base and saves loads of time and effort! Gotta love short cuts! 

Since Kraft have taken over Cadbury they have made Oreo Cadbury chocolate bars and at Easter we get Oreo Eggs - since it's that time of year I added these on top as a decoration! If it's not Easter add on a mini Oreo! Remember any sandwich cookie/biscuit would do as a base and the cheesecake flavors are endless! So, be creative and bake your favorite mini cheesecake, but to start this is how I made these! 

Mini Oreo Cheesecakes

makes 15

21 Chocolate Creme Cookies

455g full fat cream cheese

200g sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

4 large eggs, room temp

250ml sour cream

pinch of salt 

Heat the oven to 135C/275F and line a muffin tin with liners and place a whole cookie at the bottom of each liner. Beat the cream cheese until soft before gradually adding the sugar. Once combined add the vanilla and mix. Gently beat the eggs together in a bowl before gradually adding to the cream cheese mixture, scraping down the bowl as needed. Then add the sour cream and salt and beat. Chop up the remaining cookies, which should be 6 cookies, fold into the cream cheese mixture. Using a medium sized ice cream scoop fill the muffin liners with the cheesecake mixture. Bake for 22 minutes rotating the tins half way through baking. Filling will still be a bit wobbly, but should be slightly firm and colored on top. Leave to cool completely before placing in the fridge over night or for a minimum of 4 hours. 

Chocolate Glaze (optional)

170g of chocolate, mix of milk and dark or one or the other, broken up 

140ml double cream 

In a double broiler melt the chocolate, stirring occasionally. When the chocolate is almost melted remove from the heat and slowly add the double cream mixing in quick small circles with a whisk, until the mixture comes together and is smooth and shiny.

To Finish: Top the chilled cheesecakes with a tablespoon of the glaze and gently spread with the back of the spoon. Top with chocolate eggs or cookie or nothing and serve! 

Cookies and Cream is not just an ice cream flavor! These mini cheesecakes are just the right portion size and the cookie gives a nice texture to the creamy cheesecake, great for dessert or afternoon treat! 

* This is NOT a sponsored post. All views and opinions are my own. Please see my contact/policy page above for more information. Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart. 

* I linked this post up with Treat Petite hosted by The Baking Explorer and Cakeyboi 

The Traveling Oreo Brownies

Summer finally arrived and then it went again just like that. Luckily before it went my friend and I made a trip to London to visit the Tate Modern when it was still sunny. It is my favorite museum in all of London, because to me modern art is the most expressive and interesting. Don't get me wrong, my university professor Kyle Crocker taught me to appreciate all art in all it's forms, but I like art that says something even if I don't agree with what it's saying.

I have been to the Tate Modern many times and there is always something new to see! There are always new exhibitions, but the art that has been there since it's opened is different every time I see it. It's like a book or a movie that speaks to you differently at different points in your life.

However, this time there was actually something new to see! The Switch House has been rebuilt with a 10 story tower and loads of more gallery space. As we were exploring this new space we must have looked a bit lost because a security guard stopped us and asked if she could help. She asked if we had been to the 10th floor yet, we hadn't. She instructed us to go up there right away and to come back and tell her what we thought after we'd seen the view.

Of course it was amazing, London always looks amazing from the sky. Here at the Tate the view is free and you can go whenever you want! The Shard and London Eye charge for the view and where the Sky Garden is gorgeous and free you have to plan the trip in advance and book tickets.

To make our trip even more cost effective we packed our own lunches. Neither of us were interested in playing the game of where to eat. It's a game we both despise. So, to accompany us on our day out I made my favorite brownie recipe and added some chocolate creme Oreos to them, because when you are going for chocolate you might as well go all out right?

They were great and added the sugar boost we needed after an an exhausting day of being cultured!

Chocolate Creme Oreo Brownies

100g dark chocolate, broken up
200g milk chocolate, broken up
250g salted butter
400g light muscovado sugar
4 large eggs
140g plain flour
50g cocoa powder
1 pkg (154g) chocolate creme Oreos

Preheat oven to 180C/gas4 and line a 9in square pan/tin with parchment paper. Line approximately 9 Oreos on the bottom. I didn't want mine touching so spaced them out a bit. But line them up however you want! Crush the remaining Oreos until they are crumbs of varying sizes.
Very gently melt both chocolates with the butter and sugar in a medium saucepan. Just before the chocolate is completely melted, take off the heat and gently stir until it’s completely melted.
Then add the eggs one at a time to the melted chocolate mixture. Sift the flour and cocoa powder into the pan and stir until just combined. Stir in about half of the Oreo crumbs.
Gently pour the mixture over the Oreos and sprinkle the rest of the crumbs over the top before baking in the pre-heated oven for 40-45 minutes.
I suggest baking them until more firm if you are taking them on a picnic, less if you want a gooey brownie.

Oh, and we did see the security guard again in another gallery and we told her how very impressed we were with the view! The piece of art that spoke to me this visit: Ibrahim El-Salahi 'Reborn Sounds of Childhood Dreams I' 1961–5

Tate Modern: Bankside, London, SE, United Kingdom

notes: this post is not sponsored in anyway by either the Tate Modren nor Oreo people for more information please see my contact/policy page! Recipe is adapted from Bakes & Cakes Magazine Summer 2013 (BBC Good Food Mag).
Other brownies I made using variations of this recipe: Snicker Stuffed Brownies, Twix Brownies, and Chocolate Chip Brownies!

No-Bake Chocolate Cherry Tart {Valentine's Day Dessert}

This weekend couples all over the world will be celebrating the ultimate day of love and romance, Valentine’s Day. (This Saturday if you didn't already know!)

Basically it started because of a guy named St. Valentine and apparently he married couples that were refused by the church. He was jailed for it, but while in jail he “healed” the jailer’s daughter. Before he was executed he gave her a card and signed “Your Valentine” as a way of saying goodbye. It wasn't until the High Middle Ages that the day became associated with “romantic love.” Courtly love was very popular then and it’s them we have to blame for the mushy over the top lovey dovey crap we see today.

By that last statement you may think that I am a bit of a cynic or something, but I do love the idea of a holiday that celebrates love. As Frozen has taught us love saves and heals us and that I think is worth celebrating!

Another thing that ‘heals’ people is chocolate. Chocolate is associated with many things and during this love holiday it’s a popular choice of gift and celebratory treat!

Why not wow your loved ones with this amazing No-Bake Chocolate Cherry Tart!

It’s easy and delicious and rich. All the things you want in a Valentine’s Day dessert. Chocolate pairs very well with most fruits and especially with red berries like strawberries, raspberries, and cherries.

Cherries can be a bit tricky because of their pits, but if you have a cherry pitter tool it makes pitting the cherries easy peasy lemon squeezy. OXO Good Grips sent me a cherry pitter to try out, along with a 3-piece Berry Bowl &Colander Set that came in handy when rinsing the cherries before placing them in creamy chocolaty ganche and I used my OXO Good Grips small silicone spatula when mixing my ganache. 

Wait no longer here’s how I made this rich Chocolate Cherry Tart!

No-Bake Chocolate Cherry Tart

419g of chocolate cream filled Oreo Cookies

100g butter, melted

200g dark chocolate, broken up

200g double cream

30-35 cherries, pitted and rinsed

Gently butter a 9 in or 22 cm tart tin and set aside. Place the chocolate biscuits (3 (UK) packages minus four cookies (to eat)) in a food processor and pulse until they look like breadcrumbs. Add the butter and pulse a couple more times until the crumbs and butter combine. Pour into the tin and press down and up the sides of the tin, try to even it out as best you can. I just used my hands it was the easiest way to get it pushed down.

Place in the fridge to cool while you pit the cherries and make the ganache. Pit the cherries according to the instructions of the pitter tool. In a heat proof bowl place both the broken up chocolate and double cream and set on top of a simmering pan of water. Gently stir with a spatula while it’s melting. Once it becomes a smooth shiny ganache pour into the tart tin and then add the cherries. Place in the fridge until ready to serve.

notes: In association with OXO, for further information see my contact/policy page and also check them out they have some great kitchen tools! Recipe is adapted from mowielicious blog. Also I did a short spontaneous video and I uploaded it here. It’s un-cut and I didn't know what I was trying to say half the time, but I thought I’d post it anyway! Let me know what you think!!