Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse cake with Salted Caramel Sauce

Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse cake with Salted Caramel Sauce

Crust
200g / 7oz chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed
45g / 3tbsp butter, melted

Chocolate mousse filling
225g / 8oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
240ml / 1 cup heavy cream, cold, divided
1 tsp vanilla extract

Peanut butter mousse filling
125g / 1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 tsp salt
35g powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
120ml / 1/2 cup heavy cream, cold

Caramel sauce
100g / 1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 tbsp honey or corn syrup
1/4 tsp salt
30ml / 2tbsp water
60ml / 1/4 cup heavy cream
8g / 1/2 tbsp butter

Chocolate sauce

30g / 1oz semisweet chocolate

30ml / 2tbsp heavy cream

1) Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Line a 20cm / 8inch pan with a removable bottom with parchment paper. 

2) To make the crust, mix together finely crushed cookies with melted butter and press down to he bottom of the pan. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.

3) To make chocolate mousse filling, place copped chocolate in a small bowl. Heat 120ml (1/2 cup) of heavy cream until hot enough but not boiling! Pour over chocolate and let sit for 1 minute. After 1 minute, stir to make a smooth ganache. Mix in the vanilla extract. Let cool slightly while you beat the cream. In a cold bowl, add the remaining 120ml of heavy cream and beat until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cooled chocolate mixture. Mix carefully until incorporated. Spread onto the prepared crust. Refrigerate for a couple of hours.

4) To make the peanut butter mousse filling, mix together peanut butter, salt, powdered sugar and vanilla extract in a small bowl. In another bowl, beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Gently mix the heavy cream into the peanut butter mixture. Spread over the chocolate mousse filling. Refrigerate for a couple of hours or until firm.

5) To make the caramel sauce: in a medium saucepan, combine together sugar, honey or corn syrup, salt and water. Bring to boil while stirring. When it starts bubbling, stop stirring and let it turn to a light/medium amber color. At this point it will NOT look like caramel. Especially if your saucepan has a black bottom, you won't be able to see the real color so turn off the heat when it looks just slightly golden, otherwise, it will be dark and bitter. The whole browning process should take no more than 10 minutes. When you reach the desired color, remove from heat and slowly start pouring in the heavy cream. Stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. Stir in the butter. Let cool. Once it has cooled, drizzle over the peanut butter mousse. Refrigerate.

6) To make the chocolate glaze, heat heavy cream until hot but not boiling. Pour over chocolate, let sit for a minute, and stir to make a smooth ganache. Let cool slightly and drizzle over the caramel.

7) Let the cake sit in the fridge overnight or at least for a few hours before slicing and serving.

Recipe by collecting memories

Healthy Pumpkin Honey Greek Yogurt Pie

Healthy Pumpkin Honey Greek Yogurt Pie

Crust:
135g / 1 1/2 cup oats, ground into flour
20g / 2 tbsp ground flax
2/3 tsp cinnamon
20g / 1 tbsp honey
15g / 1 tbsp unrefined coconut oil
2 tbsp / 30ml cold water

Filling:
1kg raw pumpkin (you will get 500g after you cook and puree it*)
285g / 1 cup Greek yogurt
pinch of salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
170g / 1/2 cup honey, melted
1 tbsp / 12g spelt flour

*To make the pumpkin puree, bring a large pot filled with water to boil. Cut the raw pumpkin into chunks (about 5cm/2inch) and cook in water until soft. Let cool. Transfer to a clean kitchen towel. Wrap the pumpkin up into the towel, twist up the ends and squeeze the water out until you have half of the weight you had in the beginning.

1) Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F and line the bottom of a 21 cm / 8 inch springform pan with parchment paper.

2) To make the crust, Mix together ground oats, flax, cinnamon and honey in a medium bowl. Add coconut oil and mix, using your fingers, until the mixture looks crumbly. Add water and mix until it forms a ball. If the dough looks too crumbly and doesn't hold, add more water. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan and place in the fridge while you prepare the filling.

3) To make the filling, mix together all the ingredients until very well combined. Pour onto the crust and bake for about 30 minutes or the pie is set and the center looks firm.

4) Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Transfer to the fridge and let sit overnight (if you have patience). It's much better cold! Serve plain or drizzle some honey/agave/maple syrup or anything you like.

Recipe by collecting memories

White Onion Garlic Pizza

White Onion Garlic Pizza 

Crust
125g / 1 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp instant yeast
80ml / 1/3 cup warm water
oil, to coat

Topping
2 tbsp oil
8 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium onions (150g / 5.2oz) , thinly sliced
pinch salt

5 slices your favorite cheese (100g / 3.5oz)
pinch of smoked paprika
pinch of dried oregano

1) In a medium bowl, combine together flour, salt,baking powder and instant yeast. Add water and mix with a spoon. Start kneading the dough. Knead until very smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Form the dough into the ball and place in an oiled bowl. Make sure the whole dough is coated with oil. Cover with a plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place while you prepare the topping.

2) Preheat oven to 200C / 400F (grill function) and line a baking tray with parchment paper.

3) In a saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil. Add onions, garlic ans salt and fry until softened and golden brown.

4) Transfer the pizza dough to a surface and shape the dough into a disk, pressing down with your fingertips. If it sticks to the surface, sprinkle some flour to prevent it from sticking, however, I did not need to do that.

5) Transfer the dough onto the baking tray. Arrange cheese and onion mixture on top of it. You may first put cheese or onions. I've tried both options and both worked really well. If you put cheese on top, it browns nicely and onions remain soft covered with cheese. If you choose to put onions over the cheese, they may become slightly crunchy. Dust with smoked paprika and dried oregano.

6) Bake until nicely brown on top. Baking time is up to you. If you like a softer dough, it will only take a few minutes.

Recipe by collecting memories

Pineapple Coconut Upside Down Cake

Pineapple Coconut Upside Down Cake 

90g / 1 cup quick cooking oats
35g desiccated coconut
125g / 1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
150g / 3/4 cup white sugar
2 large eggs
160ml / 2/3 cup pineapple juice from a can
25g / 1/8 cup unrefined coconut oil, melted
50g / 1/4 cup soft dark brown sugar
9 pineapple rings from a can

1) Preheat oven to 180C / 350F. Prepare a 20 x 20 cm / 8 x 8 inch silicone baking dish or line a metal baking dish with parchment paper.

2) In a small bowl, combine together oats, coconut, flour, baking powder, salt and white sugar. Set aside.

3) In a large bowl, beat eggs. Add pineapple juice and melted coconut oil and stir to combine. 

4) Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir to combine. 

5) Sprinkle the bottom of the baking dish with dark brown sugar. Arrange pineapple rings on top of it. Pour the batter into the baking dish and bake in oven for 30-35 minutes or until the toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

6) Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Invert cake and let cool completely before slicing and serving.

Recipe by collecting memories

Cheesy Carrot Lasagne

Cheesy Carrot Lasagne

2 tbsp oil
3  (300g) onions, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
4  (470g) carrots, shredded
1 tsp salt
1 can  (400g) chopped tomatoes with juice
180g / 2/3 cup greek yogurt
200g / 6oz your favorite cheese, shredded
250g / 9oz no-boil lasagne noodles

1) Preheat oven to 200C / 400F. Line a 20x20cm / 8x8inch baking dish with parchment paper or prepare a silicone baking dish.

2) In a medium saucepan, heat oil and add onions and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned. Add shredded carrots and salt. Stir-fry until carrots soften a little bit. Remove from heat and set aside.

3) Cover the bottom of the baking dish with 1/2 of chopped tomatoes (with juice). Top with 1/4 of the noodles. Top noodles with 1/3 of the carrot mixture and sprinkle 1/3 of cheese. Top with 1/4 of noodles, remaining chopped tomatoes and another 1/3 of the carrot mixture. Top with 1/3 of cheese. Spread 1/2 of Greek yogurt and top with 1/4 of noodles. Top with remaining 1/3 of the carrot mixture and remaining noodles. Top with remaining Greek yogurt and cheese.*

*You don't have to follow all these steps. This is what I did but you can arrange your lasagne the way you like it.

4) Cover with foil and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to 180C / 350F and continue baking, covered, for another 20 minutes. Uncover and bake for additional 10 minutes until the top is golden brown.

5) Let cool for a few minutes, slice and serve!

Recipe by collecting memories