Lemon Cheesecake

Recipe and Photos by Yasmin

Today I felt like being distracted from my assignments and exams so I decided to bake a cheesecake, just because I could! Then I discovered halfway through that I did have an occasion; a friend was coming over! So it all worked out in the end! It was my best cheesecake yet! It is presented a little differently with the base, but it still tastes delicious; the best part about this base is that you don't need a cheesecake tin! Enjoy!

Ingredients:
For Pastry:

• 100g chilled butter
• 1 1/2 cups plain flour
• Zest of half a lemon
• 50g icing sugar
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2 tblsp chilled water

For filling:

• Zest of half a lemon
• 300g cream cheese, softened
• 2/3 cup caster sugar
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten (room temperature)
• 3-4 tblsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• fresh fruit, to decorate

Method:
For pastry: Using a food processor, pulse butter and flour until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add lemon zest and icing sugar, pulse for 1 minute. Combine the egg and water in a separate container. With motor running, slowly pour water mixture into the food processor. The mixture should stick together making dough. Remove. Roll into a ball in glad wrap. Chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven 220'C. Prepare an oven proof dish. On a flowered board, roll out pastry to fit the cooking dish. Blind-bake for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and reduce temperature 180'C.

For filling: Beat zest of half a lemon, cream cheese and sugar together in a food processor. With motor running, slowly pour in the eggs, lemon juice and vanilla. Check that the consistency is smooth and not too liquidly. Pour mixture into blind baked base. Bake for 20-25 minutes until lightly brown on top. Refrigerate and decorate with berries. Serve with ice-cream.

Mish's Muffin Recipe

Recipe from Mish
Photos by Yasmin

This is a different way to make delicious blueberry muffins. Very moist and truely yummy for lunches or snacks. Bonus, it is healthy too!

Ingredients:

• 3 cups self raising flour
• 1 cup castor sugar
• 1 cup canola oil
• 1 cup milk
• 3 eggs
•  1 tsp vanilla
• 2 x 75g packets of frozen blueberries

Method:
Combine all dry ingredients and berries. Combine oil, milk, eggs and vanilla in a separate bowl and mix well. Pour oil mixture into the dry mixture and stir 12-15 times. Do not over mix. Muffin mixture should still have some dry flour.

Bake in oven at 170'C fan forced for 30-35 minutes. Makes 1 1/2 dozen.

Orange and Blueberry Muffins

Recipe from Favourite Muffins, Slices and Cakes
Images by Yasmin
(makes approx. 12-16)

The smell of this muffin in the oven began a frenzy around my house. Everyone was asking what I was baking, but due to the sweet sent on oranges, they had already half guessed; Orange and Blueberry Muffins. Only recently have I begun to expand my selection of recipes to muffins. This was because my mother had always warned me when we ate coffee and cake together in the shops that the selection of cakes and muffins can often be dry; something she couldn't stand. For this reason I tended to stray away from muffins because I knew she didn't particularly like them. Now that I am a more confident cook I am happy to spend the whole weekend baking muffins, cakes and slices to my hearts content and not worry about over-cooking. I really enjoyed this muffin and am soon going to make a classic dessert in muffin form; Sticky Date Muffins! My stomach is already rumbling!!!

Ingredients:

• 1 orange
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 125g butter, chopped
• 1 egg
• 185g plain flour
• 170g caster sugar
• 1 tsp bi-carb soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 125g frozen or fresh berries

Method:

Preheat oven to 200'C fan-forced. Peel the rind from the orange, remove all pith, and cut the rind into small pieces. Remove membrane and seeds from orange and cut the orange into segments. Place orange rind and segments, orange juice, butter and egg in a food processor and process until well combined (mixture will curdle). Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Sift together flour, sugar, bi-crab soda, baking powder and salt, add to orange mixture and lightly mix. Batter should be lumpy. Fold in the berries. Divide batter between 12-16 greased muffin tin, filling 2/3 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes at 180'C fan-forced until cooked and golden. Cool on wire racks. Serve.

Blueberry Custard Loaf

Recipe from Coles
Image by Melita Baker

The first time I took a bit of this mouth watering dessert, it was Christmas. While we still had the traditional Christmas pudding this second option immediately became a favourite among friends and family. My cousin prepared this dessert and simply explained it as a blueberry ice cream loaf. What forms the ice cream effect is the frozen cream and custard, a beautiful blend. Personally, custard is one of the many things that I do not like, but I was encouraged to try this dessert and I strongly recommend everybody try this dessert. The custard and cream mix and set well, complementing each other perfectly. As a fussy eater, I can honestly say that I could not specifically taste the custard - the flavour of the blueberries and cream is stronger. NOTE: For greater ease in preparation time, this dessert can be made up to one week in advance.

Ingredients:

• 250g Unibic Sponge Finger Savoiardi Biscuits
• 2 tblsp Orange Juice
• 500g Premium Style Custard
• 300ml Thickened Cream, whipped
• 2 x 125g punnets blueberries

Method:
Line an 11c x 24cm (base measurement) loaf pan with baking paper, allowing the long edges to overhang by 5cm. Arrange half the sponge fingers, crossways, over base of prepared pan, trimming edges so they fit snugly. Drizzle with orange juice. Gently combine custard and cream. Pour half the custard mixture over the sponge biscuits. Top with another layer of biscuits. Scatter over half the blueberries and pour over remaining custard mixture. Scatter over remaining blueberries. Place in freezer overnight to set. Remove from freezer 10 mins before serving. Use baking paper to lift custard loaf out of pan. Cut into slices and serve.