Blackberry Ripple Cheesecake Icecream

This is my all time favourite ice cream, it combines my love of cheesecake and all things berry and is the perfect creamy frozen treat for summer. The Tefal Cuisine Companion prepares the coulis and mixes the ice cream to perfection. I've used frozen blackberries but other frozen berries can be used if preferred.

Ingredients 

250 gms frozen Blackberries
200 gms Sugar
20 gms Water
250 gms chilled Cream Cheese
395 gms Condensed Milk
300 mls Thickened Cream
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Bean Paste with seeds

Blackberry Coulis

Insert Ultrablade. Stopper out.
Add blackberries, sugar and water.
Sp3:120deg:18mins
Push mixture through fine mesh sieve placed over small bowl to remove seeds and set aside stirring from time to time whilst making cheesecake ice cream.

Wash and dry CC bowl, wipe lid with dampened paper towel.

Cheesecake Icecream 

Insert Kneading Blade. Stopper out.
Add cream cheese
Sp10:1min or until smooth scraping bowl with spatula as required.
Add condensed milk and vanilla bean paste.
Sp10:1min 15sec or until smooth scraping bowl and around Blade with spatula every 15 seconds.
Insert Whisk. Stopper out.
Add cream.
Sp7:1min 30sec or until thickened. Time will depend on how fresh your cream is. Start checking after 1 minute.
Empty mixture into freezer safe ice cream container.
Stir blackberry coulis and place dollops of sauce over ice cream mixture. (I only used 3/4 of the sauce).
Swirl through ice cream with blunt knife and freeze for 24 hours.

Raspberry Chambord Jelly Chocolates

These Chambord and raspberry jelly filled chocolates would make a lovely home made gift for someone special. They are quick and easy to make in the Tefal Cuisine Companion, most of the time taken is waiting for things to set. It is important to use a good quality chocolate with a high cocoa butter content to get the best results. Makes 45.

Note: Freeze your chocolate moulds overnight.
Note: I used 45% cocoa chocolate. 70% cocoa would work well too and make them a little less sweet.
Note: Tempered chocolate starts to set at room temperature so you must work quickly. You can gently reheat your chocolate if needed.
Things you will need: 3 (15 hole) silicone chocolate moulds, large plate, large metal spatula and 2 small squeeze sauce bottles or small jugs with a lip for pouring.

Chambord Raspberry Filling

4 Gelatine Leaves
200 gms frozen Raspberries
85 gms Water
85 gms  Chambord Liqueur
60 gms Caster Sugar

Place gelatine leaves in water to soak.

Insert Ultrablade. Stopper out.
Add frozen raspberries, water, Chambord and caster sugar
Sp3:70deg:2mins or until sugar has dissolved.
Sp3:95deg:3min 30sec.
Squeeze excess water from gelatine leaves and add to bowl with raspberry mixture.
Sp4:50sec.
Strain mixture to remove seeds through fine mesh sieve into heatproof jug.
Leave until room temperature. Do not refrigerate.

Tempered Chocolate 

400 gms good quality Chocolate broken into squares divided 

Insert Stirring Blade. Stopper out.

Add 280 gms chocolate.

Sp3:60deg:4 to 5 mins or until melted.

Add remainder 120 gms chocolate.

Sp5:2min 30sec only. Remove any chocolate that hasn't melted.
Have a large plate ready to catch the excess chocolate and a large metal spatula
Pour the tempered chocolate into a small squeeze bottle or small jug with a pouring lip and slightly overfill each hole in your chilled mould.
Once filled hold the mould about 15cm over the large plate, turn upside down for 20 seconds to let the excess chocolate pour out. Turn upright and run a metal spatula over the top of the mould to remove any excess chocolate sitting on the top. Place the excess chocolate back into the squeeze bottle. Repeat with remaining moulds.
Refrigerate the filled moulds until chocolate has set.

The remaining chocolate can now be poured into microwave safe bowl to be melted on gentle heat if necessary to pour over the top of the chocolates after filling has set.

Pour room temperature raspberry filling into squeeze bottle and fill chocolate shells to within 2mm of the top. Refrigerate until set.
Once filling is set, gently melt the remaining chocolate on very low setting in microwave if necessary and pour into squeeze bottle and slightly overfill each filled chocolate. Run a large metal spatula over the top to remove excess chocolate. Refrigerate until set.

Remove chocolates from silicone moulds by gently popping them out.

Creme de Menthe Cheesecake Slice

I love using liqueurs in my cooking and I particularly like mint flavours. This Creme de Menthe cheesecake slice has a Tim Tam biscuit base and a Creme de Menthe jelly topping. The Tefal Cuisine Companion has helped me prepare the biscuit base and the cheesecake filling. The jelly topping can also be made in the Cuisine Companion but I found it easier to mix the ingredients in a glass bowl. I've used Tim Tam biscuits but you can substitute with any biscuit you desire.

Note: I used the Mini Bowl to crush the biscuits but you can use the Kneading Blade inserted in the Cuisine Companion to pulse the biscuits until finely crushed then add melted butter and select Speed 6 until combined.

Biscuit Base

Line a 30 x 20 cm slice tin with baking paper extending the paper over the long sides of tin to help remove slice when ready.

330 gms Tim Tam Biscuits or biscuits of choice

50 gms Butter Melted

Place half the biscuits in Mini Bowl and pulse until crushed . Remove crushed biscuits to separate bowl, repeat with remaining biscuits and add melted butter stirring with metal spoon until combined.

Press the biscuit mixture into prepared tin and refrigerate.

Cheesecake Mixture

70 gms Creme de Menthe
10 gms gelatine powder
250 gms cream cheese
395gm condensed milk
300 mls thickened cream
1/4 teaspoon peppermint essence or to taste (optional)

Pour Creme de Menthe into a small heatproof bowl, microwave on medium high until boiling (this will only take a few seconds) remove from microwave and start stirring vigorously with fork, add gelatine quickly and keep stirring until gelatine dissolves. Set aside stirring regularly until cooled to room temperature. If the mixture starts to thicken, microwave for a few seconds on low setting until liquid and stir until room temperature again.

Insert Kneading Blade
Add cream cheese, Speed 11 until smooth, scraping down sides with spatula every 10 seconds.
Add condensed milk, Speed 10 until fully combined, scraping down sides and around blade with spatula every 10 seconds.
Insert Whisk.
Add cream.
Speed 7 for 1 min 30 sec or until mixture thickens, scraping down sides of bowl with spatula every 20 seconds.
Add combined Creme de Menthe and gelatine mixture.
Speed 6 for 15 seconds.
Taste and add peppermint essence if using,
Speed 6 for 5 seconds
Remove whisk, give a light stir with spatula and pour onto biscuit base.
Refrigerate until set.

Jelly Layer

285 gms Boiling Water

25 gms Caster Sugar 

15 gms Gelatine 

130 gms Creme de Menthe 

Place boiling water into heatproof bowl. Add sugar and stir with metal spoon until dissolved.

Stir water and dissolved sugar vigorously with fork, add gelatine and continue to stir until combined.

Strain mixture through fine wire mesh sieve into heatproof jug or bowl. Add Creme de Menthe and stir to combine. Refrigerate 45 minutes or until jelly thickens slightly and pour over cheesecake layer.

Refrigerate 2-3 hours until set.

Decorate as desired.

Savoury Soda Bread

I love a savoury bread and I especially love a bread that requires no proving or kneading and can be ready within an hour to serve with a homemade soup for lunch or served warm spread with butter for afternoon tea. This bread has cheese and spring onions added to the dough but anything can be added,  for example olives, cooked bacon, jalapeños or herbs and spices. The Tefal Cuisine Companion mixes all the ingredients in under 2 minutes and baking only takes 30 minutes. I have used
wholemeal  and plain flour but all plain flour or bread flour can be used.

Makes 1 small cob.

Preheat oven 220 degrees. Line a baking sheet with baking paper.

Ingredients 

100 gms Wholemeal Flour

175 gms Plain Flour

3 gms Salt

7 gms Baking Powder

45 gms Butter softened and diced 

200 gms Buttermilk 

5 gms Sugar 

60 gms Spring Onions or brown onion chopped finely

45 gms Cheddar cheese grated

Extra Buttermilk for brushing on top of dough before baking

Method

Insert Kneading Blade. Stopper out.

Add all ingredients in order listed except extra buttermilk.

Pastry P1: 1 min 30 sec or until mixture starts to form a ball. Scrape bowl with spatula as required.

Remove dough from bowl and shape into a cob by rolling dough between your hands.

Place on paper lined baking tray and flatten to 5 cm high.

Brush top with extra buttermilk.

Place in preheated oven and reduce temperature to 210 degrees.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until dark golden and cooked through.

Place on wire cooling rack until warm.

Serve spread with butter if desired.

Creme de Menthe Liqueur Truffles

These Liqueur Truffles are coated in tempered chocolate and are a delightful home made gift for someone special or a treat for yourself. Both the truffle mixture and tempered chocolate are easily made in the Tefal Cuisine Companion and you can use any liqueur you desire. I have used Creme de Menthe today but have used different liqueurs in the past, I have even soaked glacé cherries and Morello cherries in Brandy, drained them thoroughly and encased them in the truffle mixture before coating in tempered chocolate.

Note: I used 45% cocoa chocolate for the truffles and coating.
Note: To dip truffle balls in chocolate I used a fork and scraped any chocolate clinging under the fork with a small metal spatula before sliding the coated truffle off the fork with the spatula onto paper lined baking tray. Any excess chocolate attached to the truffles I broke off when set.
Note: Tempered chocolate starts to set at room temperature so you must work quickly when dipping the Truffles in the chocolate. You can gently reheat your chocolate if needed.

Truffle Mixture

300 gms Chocolate broken into squares 

180 gms Thickened cream 

50 gms Creme de Menthe or to taste

Insert Stirring Blade. Stopper out.

Add chocolate.

Sp3:60deg:4 to 5 min or until chocolate has melted.

Start Sp8:30sec. adding cream then Creme de Menthe through hole in lid.

Remove blade and stir mixture through with spatula.

Place in a small bowl and refrigerate until firm.

When firm roll into balls and place on paper lined baking tray. 

I weighed my truffle balls and got 22 at 20 gms each.

Refrigerate until firm.

Tempered Chocolate 

400 gms Chocolate broken into squares divided 

Insert Stirring Blade. Stopper out.

Add 280 gms chocolate.

Sp3:60deg:4 to 5 mins or until melted.

Add remainder 120 gms chocolate.

Sp5:2min 30sec only

Remove any unmelted chocolate squares and place melted chocolate in heatproof bowl.

Dip Truffles in chocolate and place on paper lined baking tray to set.

Lime, Chocolate and Chilli Cheesecake

Recently I had some limes and a packet of Tim Tams to use up so I made a creamy lime cheesecake with a Tim Tam biscuit base. I added a hint of chilli to the biscuit base and the result was a lime, chocolate and chilli cheesecake that has been a great success with my neighbours and family. The Tefal Cuisine Companion crushed the biscuits and mixed the cheesecake mixture to a beautiful smooth and creamy texture.

20 cm Springform Pan

200 gms Tim Tam Biscuits

30 gms Butter melted

Pinch Cayenne Pepper or to taste

1/4 cup Boiling Water

10 gms Gelatine Powder 

250 gms Cream Cheese chilled and diced

395 gms Condensed Milk 

85 gms Lime Juice strained (about 3-4 small limes)

600 mls Thickened Cream
10 drops Green Liquid Food Colouring (optional)

Biscuit Layer

Insert Kneading Blade. Stopper in.

Add Biscuits.

Sp12:1min 30sec or until crushed.

Place crushed biscuits into glass or plastic mixing bowl.

Stir in cayenne pepper.

Add melted butter and stir through biscuits until well combined and moist.

Press mixture into the base of springform pan and refrigerate.

Rinse Kneading Blade and CC bowl in cold water and dry thoroughly with paper towelling.

Cheesecake Layer

Pour boiling water into small heatproof bowl, start stirring vigorously with fork, add gelatine quickly and keep stirring until gelatine dissolves. Set aside stirring occasionally until cooled to room temperature.

Insert Kneading Blade
Add cream cheese, Speed 11 until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl with spatula every 15 seconds.
Add condensed milk, Speed 10 until fully combined, scraping down sides of bowl and around blade with spatula every 15 seconds.
Insert Whisk.
Add lime juice, cream and green liquid food colouring.
Speed 7 for 1 to 2 mins or until mixture thickens. Scrape down sides with spatula every 20 seconds.
Start Speed 6 for 15 seconds whilst pouring gelatine mixture through hole in lid.
Remove whisk, give a light stir with spatula and pour onto biscuit base.
Refrigerate until set.
Decorate as desired.

Butter Cake

This recipe produces a light, delicate and fluffy buttercake unlike some buttercakes which can be dense and a bit dry. I think it's a cross between a sponge and a buttercake which lends itself to being filled with cream and topped with buttercream or ganache, made into a multi layered cake or just left plain.

Note: I've used eggs from an 800 gm carton of 12 eggs.
Note: If making lamingtons use 5 eggs, 250 gms Butter, 250 gms Caster Sugar, 250 gms Self Raising Flour and 1 & 1/4 tspns Baking Powder

Pre heat oven 160 deg fan forced. Grease and paper line 20cm round baking tin or swiss roll tin if making a multi layered cake or lamingtons.

4 Eggs
200 gms Butter softened and diced
200 gms Caster Sugar
200 gms Self Raising Flour
5 gms Baking Powder

Insert Kneading Blade
Add eggs
Sp5:10sec
Add all other ingredients in order listed
Sp6:15sec to combine ingredients
Sp11:1min 30 or until mixture is smooth, scraping bowl with spatula as required

Spoon mixture into baking tin and smooth surface with spatula.

Bake 25-30 mins or until done when tested. I baked in a Swiss roll tin for 28 minutes. A cake tin will take a little bit longer.

Cool on wire rack.

Decorate as desired.