Frozen Banoffee Cheesecake

Banoffee Cheesecake

300 grams plain biscuits (or chocolate)
75 grams butter, melted
75 grams margerine, melted

250 grams cream cheese
250 mL cream
1 can caramel (375 mL)
5 large bananas

First of all, prepare the biscuit base by crushing the biscuits up into fine crumbs and combining them with the melted butter and margerine. Press the mixture into a round springform cake tin (I would estimate mine to be about 20 cm diameter) and place the base in the freezer until later.

Next you need two large bowls. In one, beat the cream until it is thick and stiff peaks have formed. In the second, beat the cream cheese until it is smooth. Add the caramel to the cream cheese mixture, keeping aside just a small part, and beat well, until it is fully combined. Finally, add the cream and beat that in too. Take the base from the freezer and pile the caramel cheesecake filling into it.

The banana part of this banoffee pie features both sliced bananas and banana puree. For the puree, take three of the bananas, peel them and place them in a small bowl. Use a hand blender (or if you have a real blender or a food processor, use that) to liquify them.

Spoon the banana puree onto the cheesecake filling and swirl it around a bit with a fork, but don't mix it into a homogenous mixture.

Slice the remaining two bananas and arrange them over the top of the cheesecake filling. Then take the last of the caramel and heat it in the microwave until it is slightly runny. If you can, drizzle it over the top of the bananas. If it is still too cohesive for that, place it into a small plastic bag, snip a hole and squeeze the caramel over the banana.

Finally, for a frozen cheesecake, freeze the entire thing over night. The next day, take the cheesecake from the freezer about 15 minutes before you intend to serve it and carefully remove the tin. Set it on a plate to soften a little.

Chocolate covered cookie dough balls

Chocolate Covered Cookie Dough Balls

150 grams butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup soft brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 1/4 cup plain flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup chocolate chips
200 grams dak chocolate
50 grams coconut oil

Combine the dry ingredients (but not the chocolate chips) in a large bowl until they are well mixed.

Melt the butter and pour it into the dry ingredients. Mix until everything there are not pockets of flour left in the dough.

Add the chocolate chips and mix into the dough (you might need to use your hands for that part). Then roll the dough into small balls and set aside.

In another small bowl, combine the chocolate and the coconut oil. Melt in the microwave (incrementally, so as not to burn the chocolate) until the mixture can be stirred into a smooth liquid.

One by one, dip the cookie dough balls in the melted chocolate, rolling around with a spoon to cover them completely. Place the balls on a sheet of baking paper, add sprinkles if you like, then leave them to harden.
 

Avocado Banana Bread

Avocado Banana Bread

adapted from Semi-homemade Mom

1 medium ripe avocado
2 over-ripe bananas
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups plain flour
1/4 cup cooking oil
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Turn the oven on to 200 degrees celsius and line a loaf tin with baking paper, or grease it with butter.

Cut the avocado in half, remove the stone and scoop the flesh out of the skin. Place the avocado in a blender or a large bowl along with the banana and blend well (using a hand blender if you don't have a real blender). Continue to blend until there are no lumps.

Add the remaining ingredients, bit by bit or all at once, and mix well, with a large spoon or an electric mixer, until the mixture is smooth and evenly combined. It will be quick thick.

Spoon the bread mixture into the loaf pan and bake for about 50 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.

Take the bread from the oven and let it cool for about 10 minutes, then tip it out of the tin and let it cool for awhile longer before you cut into it. In fact, I thought that this was better cold the next day than warm straight out of the oven.

Chocolate Fudge Sauce

Chocolate Fudge Sauce

1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 cup soft light brown sugar
50 grams butter
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence

Place the cocoa and the sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and mix until there are no lumps.

Add the butter, milk and vanilla. Turn on the heat and bring to the boil, stirring constantly until the sugar has dissolved.

Let the sauce boil for two minutes without stirring, then remove from the heat and let it cool.