Strawberry & Banana Oatmeal Bake

Recently I am quite obsessed with healthy food. I'm constantly thinking of ideas to bake something healthier. I started using more applesauce, bananas, honey as natural sweeteners, reduce sugar and butter amounts in my baked goods. Actually I just created a recipe of a totally healthy cake which doesn't contain any butter or oil and just a small amount of sugar and flour. I hope I will post the recipe soon. However, now about this oatmeal bake. It is one of these healthy breakfast which inspired me to bake more and more from oats, honey, berries and fruits. This oatmeal bake has become one of my favourite breakfast. To be honest, I ate it all the same day I made it. Terrible. But it's not that bad as it sounds! Because I definitely consider it guilt-free. What is more, it reminds me of summer so much! I don't remember when I last baked with strawberries. When their smell started coming out of the oven, it really felt like spring is almost here! And really, time will pass so quickly and we will indulge in warm sunshine and summer breeze again. Can't wait!

Strawberry & Banana Oatmeal Bake
1 cup quick cooking oats
1 tbsp brown sugar + 2 tbsp honey (or add a little more if you like it sweeter)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 tbsp grated orange zest
1/4 teaspoon spice (I used cinnamon, cloves, cardamon)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sliced strawberries
A handful of black currants (optional)
1 cup milk
1 egg
1 tbsp butter, melted
1/2 ripe banana, peeled, cut in slices 
(I also added a handful of black currants)

1) Preheat oven to 190°C. Lightly oil the baking dish.

2) In a large bowl, mix together the oats, sugar, baking powder, orange zest, spice, salt and half the strawberries. In another bowl, whisk together the milk, egg and butter.

3) Add the oat mixture to prepared baking dish. Pour the milk mixture on top and put the remaining strawberries and bananas on everything.

4) Bake 25 to 35 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the milk mixture has set. You may sprinkle some brown sugar on top when almost fully baked and put into the oven for an additional minute. I reccomend serving with maple syrup, honey or any other syrup of choice.

Dulce De Leche Cheesecake

Dulce de leche is probably one of the best things in the world. I remember my mother making waffles with layers of dulce de leche or sweetened condensed milk when I was little. It used to be a perfect dessert for me. But now as I grew up I like to make things more complicated. For example, dulce de leche cheesecake. We all know that condensed milk makes all things better. (Ahh, I mean creamier). So the result was heavenly! The only thing I would change, is that I would use more dulce de leche for the top. 

Dulce de Leche Cheesecake

1 pie crust
500g cream cheese, at room temperature
2,5 tbsp flour
2 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk
1 cup (350g) dulce de leche
50g dulce de leche (for topping)

1. Prepare the pie crust according to the directions.

2. Preheat the oven to 150°C. Wrap the outside of a 9-inch springform pan with foil.

4. Using a mixer, beat the cream cheese until softened, 2 minutes. Beat in the flour on low speed. Beat in the eggs and egg yolk, 1 at a time, on medium speed. Mix in 1 cup dulce de leche.

5. Pour the batter into the crust. Loosely cover the pan with foil, set in a roasting pan and pour in enough boiling water to reach a depth of 2cm. Bake the cheesecake until set, about 55 minutes*.

6. Transfer the cake to a rack; let rest for 15 minutes. Spread the remaining 50g** dulce de leche over the warm cake.

7. Refrigerate until ready to serve, then remove the springform and slice the cheesecake.

*My cheesecake baked almost 2 hours! I guess it depends on the oven. I was a little bit scared to overbake it but I baked it until the center was just set and the result was good.

**You may use more dulce de leche. I used 50 grams because I only had one can which contained 400g so I only had 50 grams remaining.

Enjoy!!

Baked Potato Chips with Avocado Garlic Dip

These homemade potato chips are a healthier version of your favourite chips because they're oven baked, not fried. It took time for me to cut them into thin slices because I don't have any magical cutter but it was worth that. Served with avocado dip they are a great appetizer. Really, this avocado dip made all the difference. Isn't it amazing that a dip can be healthy without any mayonnaise or other components and still be so creamy and delicious? Since I tried avocado with pasta, I realized that it can be used in so many ways like sauces and dressings and substitute that unhealthy stuff we are used to eating. Can't wait to try other recipes with avocado!

Avocado Dip
1 medium ripe avocado
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tbsp lemon or lime juice
1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
1 tsp dried or fresh basil
1/4 tsp ground cumin
pinch salt and pepper

Combine all the ingredients and process in your food processor until smooth. Or use a mixer and blend everything.

4 medium potatoes, thinly sliced
1 tsp sweet paprika
2 tbsp olive oil
pinch salt

1) Preheat oven to 190C. Line two baking trays with parchment paper.
2) Mix oil, paprika flakes and salt in a bowl. Add potatoes and toss to cover both sides. Place the potato slices on parchment paper and bake until dark golden brown and crispy. Serve with avocado dip.

Coffee Meringues

Meringues! One of a thousand sweets that I'm in love with. Light, airy and melt in your mouth. And of course, coffee flavoured! I probably have to try putting coffee in everything I bake. These meringues came out as good as I expected. And what I like most, they are super easy to make and such a small amount of ingredients make so much meringues! Sounds good, doesn't it?

3  large egg whites

1/2  tsp  cream of tartar (I used vinegar)

170g/3/4  cup  sugar

1/2  tsp  vanilla

1 1/2  tbsp instant espresso powder

1. In a bowl, with an electric mixer on high speed, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until thick and foamy. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until mixture holds stiff peaks. Beat in vanilla and espresso powder.

2. Spoon meringue in 3-5cm wide mounds, about 2,5cm apart, onto parchment-lined baking sheets. 

3. Bake in a 93°C preheated oven until meringues are light brown. 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. Turn off heat and leave meringues in closed oven for 1 hour.

Coconut Chocolate Brownie bottom Cake

Happy holidays!! I have a perfect cake recipe for the New Year's Eve. I hope you didn't eat too much chocolate during the holidays and still want to make this rich and heavenly cake. It consists of three layers: chewy brownie, creamy coconut cream and chocolate mousse. For the brownie layer, you may use the recipe of your favourite brownie. I used my favourite one and I halved the ingredients. And for the mousse, I used 52% and 30% chocolate because I don't really like bittersweet so it's all up to you. For the topping, you may use anything you like, for example, whipped cream but I thought the cake itself is rich enough and no more creamy things are needed. The recipe may look difficult and time consuming but it really isn't! I needed about 1-1,5 hours to make it except the chilling time. 
So get ready and bake this cake for the last day of 2012. I wish you a happy New Year!!
 
Brownie Layer Ingredients: 
70g unsalted butter  

135g sugar 

40g unsweetened cocoa powde

1/4 tsp salt 

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 large egg

35g all-purpose flour

1)  Preheat oven to 160C.

2)  Combine the butter, cocoa, sugar, and salt in a medium heatproof bowl. Set the bowl in a wide skillet of barely simmering water. Stir the butter cocoa mixture from time to time until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth and hot enough that you want to remove your finger quickly after dipping it in to test. Remove the bowl from the skillet and set aside briefly until the mixture is only warm, not hot.

3)  Stir in the vanilla extract. Add the egg, stirring quickly. When the batter looks shiny, thick, and well mixed, add the flour and stir until you cannot see it any longer. Spread the batter evenly in the 23cm springform pan.

4)  Bake until a tester inserted into the center comes out just slightly moist with batter, 15 to 25 minutes. Let the brownies cool completely.

Coconut Cream Filling Ingredients:
360ml/1 1/2 cup half-and-half 
360ml/1 1/2 cup coconut milk
2 eggs
170g/3/4 cup white sugar
50g cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
75g/3/4 cup flaked coconut
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1) Combine the half-and-half, coconut milk, sugar and salt in a medium pot. Set over medium-low heat.

2) In a small bowl, lighyly beat the eggs and mix with cornstarch.

3) When the milk mixture boils, reduce the heat to the lowest and slowly add the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Keep whisking until the mixture thickens.

4) Once the mixture is thickened, add coconut and vanilla extracts and the coconut and stir. Pour this filling over your brownie layer and put in the fridge to chill until firm, about 2 hours.

Chocolate Mousse Layer Ingredients:
57g/2 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
57g/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
240ml/1 cup chilled whipping cream
2 tablespoons icing sugar

Sugar sprinkles or grated white chocolate for topping (optional)

1) Place the bittersweet and semisweet chips in a medium bowl. Bring 1/3 cup cream to boil in heavy small saucepan or in a microwave. Pour it over the chocolate and let it sit for 2 minutes before gently whisking it to a smooth ganache. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.

2) In a chilled bowl, beat 2/3 cups cold whipping cream and icing sugar in to stiff peaks, adding vanilla extract halfway through. Gradually fold the cream into the chocolate mixture and pour the mousse onto set coconut filling. Chill until set, about 6 hours or overnight.

3) Sprinkle with sugar sprinkles, white chocolate or whatever you like and serve.