Red Velvet Cream Cheese Cookies

Here is a fun adaption on the Oreo Cookie recipe I posted. Perfect for Valentines Day or Christmas. 

Cookie Ingredients:

1 Pkg Red Velvet Cake Mix (if you don't have that any moist chocolate cake mix will do)
1/2 cup crisco (translation for aussies.. shortening or a type vegtable oil)
2 Beaten Eggs
Filling Ingredients:
8 0z Cream Cheese
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 tsp Vanilla
Directions:
Heat oven to 350 F.
Combine all the cookie ingredients in a bowl.
Lightly grease a cookie sheet.
Take a small piece of the dough and roll it into a ball. It should be the size of a dime - or $1.00 Aussie dollar.
Do a test batch placing 1 or two balls on the tray. Cook for approximately 10 minutes. Dough should flatten out and deflat upon removing from teh oven as well. Use this time to exactly measure how long your oven requires to cook these cookies.
Place balls on tray and space approximately 2-3 inches apart.
Remove from oven once cooked and allow them to sit and cool before removing from the tray.
Allow cookies to completely cool before adding filling.
Filling Directions:
Soften cream cheese and butter. With an electric mixer whip the cream and butter together, add in Vanilla essence, slowly add the powdered sugar.
Place in fridge while you wait for your cookies to cook and cool.
To Assemble: Fill a large zip lock bag with the end cut or a piping bag and pipe cream cheese onto the top. Add sparkly sprinkles for an extra effect and crunch.

Peachy Cream Cobbler

This is my absolute favorite cobbler recipe. Peaches baked with cream cheese, cake and heavy cream - what could be better on a cold winter night.

Ingredients

2 large cans sliced peaches (or approx 5 cups of your own home-canned peaches)

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 8oz package cream cheese

1 box yellow cake mix

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup butter

1/2 pint heavy whipping cream

Directions

Pre-Heat oven to 350 F.

Spray a 9x11 glass casserole dish with non stick spray.

Beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar together until fully combined

Drain the peaches and pour them into the bottom of the greased dish.

Using a spoon dollop the cream cheese across the peaches.

Pour the cake mix evenly over the top of the peaches and cream cheese. This will completely cover the peaches.

Sprinkle the cinnamon evenly across the cake mix.

Slice the butter into chunks distribute them on top of the cake mix.

pour over the heavy cream.

Place in the oven and cook for 40-60 minutes. Until golden brown on top and cake has cooked.

After removing from the oven allow the cobbler to "set-up" for 10 minutes before serving.

Serve warm with Vanilla icecream.

Aussie Trifle Twist

This is a recipe based on the traditional Australian trifle. Growing up trifle always consisted of Fresh whipped (unsweetened) cream, canned fruit salad, and sponge cake. This adaption is a little more elegant looking than the version I had as a child and tastes super fresh. (no canned fruit!)

So far this recipe has been a big hit.

Sorry there is no picture, I will post one when I make this again

Ingredients

approx 3 Butter/pound cake cut into large cubes

(sponge cake if you can get your hands on it)

For Berry Layer

1 punnet blackberries

1 punnet raspberries

2 large (or 4 small) punnets of Strawberries

1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla essence

For Cream Layers

2 8oz packages cream cheese softened

1 1/2 cups milk

1 pckg cheesecake flavored jello instant pudding

2 Pints Heavy Whipping Cream (1 of those big

1 cup white sugar

Directions

Prepare your berries the night before you want to put this dessert together.

Slice strawberries thinly, place all the berries in a large container, mixing evenly. Sprinkle half the sugar over the top of the berries, mix through.  Pour in 2 cups of cold water or approximately enough to have them almost submerged. Mix gently .  Pour the other half of sugar over the berries and once again mix. You want to make sure every berry recieve the sugary moisture.

Refridgerate overnight, stirring a couple times to keep covering the berries in the sauce you are creating.

For the cream layers you are going to be creating 2 different mixtures. One is just a plain whipped cream (for that good old fashioned traditional trifle flavor) and the other is a cheesecake flavored cream to kick it up a bit.

Split the whipping cream into two seperate bowls. Beat them both until they are completely whipped. Add vanilla into one of the bowls.

In a large mixing bowl combine the pudding and milk.  Beat in the softened cream cheese into the pudding mixture.  Quickly fold it into the cream with no vanilla, until it is completely incorporated.

In your trifle dish (this is usually just a very large circular glass bowl) layer the bottom of your dish with cake. The put a layer of berries, spooning on some of the juices to help moisten the cake. (just be sure to save enough juices for the other layers)

Smooth on a generous layer of cream cheese/pudding mixture.

Put a layer of cake.  Berries & Juice, and then a layer of the plain whipped cream. Another layer of Cake, Berries, continue in this pattern until you reach the top of your bowl.

Place remaining cream cheese mixture into a zip lock back. Cut the end to form a circular shape for piping.

Pipe large circular dobs of the mixture edge to edge around the outer rim of your bowl working your way gradually in until the entire top of the bowl is covered.

Set in the fridge for 2 hours before serving. The pudding in the cream will make this very firm once it settles in the fridge.

Enjoy.

Homemade Oreo Cookies

I love my homemade oreos to be moist and cakey! Cream cheese frosting inside seperates the bikkie slices. YUM YUM.

The great part is for the most part all the ingredients are already in your pantry.

Cookie Ingredients

2 Pkgs Devils Food Cake Mix (if you don't have that any moist chocolate cake mix will do)

1 cup crisco (translation for aussies.. a kind of vegtable oil)

4 Beaten Eggs

Filling Ingredients

8 0z Cream Cheese

2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1 tsp Vanilla

Directions

Heat oven to 350 F.

Combine all the cookie ingredients in a bowl.

Lightly grease a cookie sheet.

Take a small piece of the dough and roll it into a ball. It should be the size of a dime - or $1.00 Aussie dollar.

Do a test batch placing 1 or two balls on the tray. Cook for approximately 10 minutes. Dough should flatten out and deflat upon removing from teh oven as well. Use this time to exactly measure how long your oven requires to cook these cookies.

Place balls on tray and space approximately 2-3 inches apart.

Remove  from oven once cooked and allow them to sit and cool before removing from the tray.

Allow cookies to completely cool before adding filling.

Filling Directions

Soften cream cheese and butter.  With an electric mixer whip the cream and butter together, add in Vanilla essence, slowly add the powdered sugar.

Place in fridge while you wait for your cokoies to cook and cool.

To Fill: Take 2 evenly sized cookies, gently spread your preferred amount of filling on one side, and press the top cookie.

whualla. Done.

I really like ALOT of cream cheese filling in my cookies but feel free to add more or less to your taste. Cookies will soften with the filling in them giving them moisture.

Chocolate Zuchini Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Adapted from a recipe by Rachelle Hughes

Zucchini you say????? Try this recipe just once and you will see why on earth I made this cake. I tried a piece of zucchini cake with raised eyebrows years ago and was instantly converted. I was given giant zucchini's a week ago and instantly new where it was going... in the cake tin. Give this moist chocolate treat a try.

Ingredients

Cake

1/2 Cup butter (room temperature)
1/2 Cup oil
1 3/4 Cup sugar
2 Eggs
2 C grated zucchini
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 Cups flour
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 Cup buttermilk or sour milk
4 Tbsp Cocoa powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder.
1 Cup milk chocolate chips

Directions

Cream butter, oil and sugar until smooth. Add eggs, vanilla and milk. Add remaining ingredients, except chocolate chips. Mix well and stir in 1/2 of the chocolate chips.
Oil and flour a bundt pan ( you can use a regular spring form baking pan but it will be take longer to bake and not be as consistantly moist all the way through). I sprinkled the remaining choco chips on the bottom of the bundt pan. If using a normal cake pan sprinkle top with remaining choco chips.
Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool before removing from pan. Pour or spread on frosting. Recipe follows.

Frosting

Ingredients

1 8oz packet cream cheese softened

1/4 cup icing sugar (powdered sugar)

1 tsp vanilla essence

Mix all ingredients together until thoroughly combined

If you like you can add a spoonful of jam to this mixture, however I like the plain vanilla cream cheese combination with the chocolate cake.

S'mores Cheesecake with Summer Berries

Two American classics in one dessert: A rich milk chocolate cheesecake sandwiched between a buttery graham cracker crust and a fluffy marshmallow topping. The Berries sauced up will give this just the right balance. Set aside some time.. and it's worth it.

Recipe Courtesy Bon Appetit Magazine June 2008

Ingredients
Crust
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (made from 9 whole crackers finely ground in processor; 1 packet)
3 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
Filling
9 oz high-quality Dark chocolate (such as Lindt or Ghirardelli), chopped
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
3 large eggs
Topping
1 cup sugar
2 large egg whites
3 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon salt
12 large marshmallows, cut into quarters with wet kitchen scissors
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1-pint container fresh Strawberries

1 1-pint container fresh blackberries
Preparation
For Crust :
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Mix crumbs and sugar in medium bowl. Add melted butter; stir until mixture is evenly moistened. Press onto bottom of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Bake until set, about 12 minutes. Remove from oven; cool. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
For Filling :
Stir chocolate in top of double boiler set over barely simmering water until smooth. Remove from over water and cool to lukewarm, stirring occasionally.
Combine cream cheese, sugar, and salt in processor and blend until smooth. With motor running, add whipping cream through feed tube and process just until blended. With motor running, add melted chocolate, then add eggs 1 at a time, blending and scraping down sides after each addition until mixture is smooth. Pour batter over crust in pan.
Bake cake until outer edge is slightly puffed and cake is barely set in center (center will look shiny and move slightly when pan is gently shaken), about 55 minutes. Transfer cake to rack. Run small sharp knife around cake to loosen. Chill uncovered until cold, 8 hours or overnight. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.
For Topping :
Whisk sugar, egg whites, 3 tablespoons water, cream of tartar, and 1/8 teaspoon salt to blend in large metal bowl. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water; whisk constantly until sugar dissolves and mixture thickens and is hot to touch, about 3 minutes. Remove bowl from over water and stir in marshmallows (keep water simmering in saucepan). Let stand until marshmallows soften, about 3 minutes. Set bowl with mixture over simmering water; using handheld electric mixer, beat until stiff shiny peaks form, about 4 minutes. Beat in vanilla.
Scrape topping onto cheesecake. Using spatula, spread topping to edges of cake, swirling decoratively. Let stand until set, about 15 minutes.
Using kitchen torch, lightly brown topping in spots. (Or preheat broiler; place cake at least 4 inches from heat source and broil just until topping is lightly browned in spots, watching closely to avoid burning, about 2 minutes.) Chill cake until cold. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and keep chilled. Remove pan sides. Place cake on platter.
Mix berries in medium bowl with 1 cup water and 4 tbsp sugar, place in fridge and chill until ready to cut cake and serve. Cut cake into wedges. Serve berry mixture alongside.