Vanilla Cheesecake

This recipe is dedicated to the cream cheese lovers..This rich yet light cheesecake is guaranteed to be the centre of attention and an attention grabber I should say :) Selamat mencuba!!

Ingredients
60g unsalted butter (SCS or Golden Churn)
225g digestive biscuits (finely crushed)
1 tbsp brown sugar
675g full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature (yes Ladies..we need to be on threadmill at least 4 hrs after consuming this :-)
4 eggs (separated)
200g caster sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
500ml soured cream
kiwi fruit slices and some strawberries to garnish

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180c. Lightly grease or line the base of the tin with baking parchment. If u have a pie dish, its better. Easier for you to lift up the cheesecake once its done

2. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Add the biscuit crumbs and brown sugar and stir until blended. Press the crumbs firmly over the base of the tin.

3. Combine the cream cheese, egg yolks, 150g caster sugar and the vanilla in a bowl and beat until blended. In a separate clean, dry glass or metal bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff. Fold the egg whites into the cream cheese mixture. Pur the mixture into the tin and smooth the top.

4. Place the tin in the oven and bake for 45 mins. Remove the tin from the oven and leave it to stand for 10 mins or until it sinks back into the tin.

5. Meanwhile, combine the soured cream and remaining sugar in a bowl and beat until the sugar has dissolved. Pour on top of the cheesecake and smooth the surface. Increase the oven tempretaure to 240c, return the cheesecake to the oven and continue baking for a further 5 mins. Leave to cool completely on a wire rack, then cover and chill for at least 6 hours. When ready to serve, garnish with slices of kiwi fruit, strawberries and dust it with some icing sugar for a more angelic look...

Insyaallah, I will try to make mini cheesecakes individually wrapped in its own muffin case. That will be my next project. Meanwhile, dont forget to try this one before moving on to the individual cheesecake :)

***Victoria Sponge Cake***

This English classic is my all time favourite. Bila rasa nak makan kek ni, I would go to Tea Pot Deli at SACC Mall. Now, nampak gayanya...there's no reason for me to spend couple of bucks just to get a slice of it. Just buy the ingredients..and make my own cake at the comfort of my home :) Here, Im sharing with you the recipe of the cake. Cuba tau jgn tak cuba...its worth the effort! You can never go wrong with this simple cake! Its always a hit...

Ingredients
175g unsalted butter (I make a point to use good range of butter such as SCS or Golden Churn)
175g  caster sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
175g self-raising flour
6-8 tbsp raspberry jam (again, I will use a good brand, if not the jam will be too runny and watery)
150ml double cream
icing sugar, to dust
Secret ingredient: Buttermilk (this will make the cake very soft and fluffy..gebu) just put about 3 tbsp

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 190c. Lightly grease and line the bottom of the tins with baking parcment.
2. Beat the butter and sugar together with a wooden spoon (I use electric hand whisk) until pale and fluffy. It is important to beat it well at this stage to incorporate as much air as possible which helps prevent the egg from curdling.
3. Add the eggs a little at a time, beating well after each addition. If the mixture begins to curdle, beat in 1-2 tbsp of the flour. Sift the flour, and fold into the egg mixture using a large metal spoon or spatula. Add in 2-3 tbsp of buutermilk and fold it in gently.
4. Divide the mixture evenly between the prepared tins, and spread evenly to level the tops. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until pale golden and springy to the touch. Allow the cakes to cool in the tins for 5 mins, before turning it to a wire track. Peel off the baking parchment and allow it to cool completely.
5. When the cakes are cool, place one upside down on a serving plate, and spread with the respberry jam. Lightly whip the cream, until just holding its shape and spread over the jam. Top with the remaining cake and dust lightly with icing sugar before serving.

Walla!!!! Enjoy your cake freshly made from your wonderful kitchen....

***Whats in store?***

Alhamdulillah, I get good response from friends wanting to know the recipes of the cakes I posted in FB. Insyaallah, I will try to post the recipes which I have tried and tasted. So far so good..I get positive results after each baking. I may be bias, but I always prefer to get English recipe books..from my point of view, their recipes can be count on and easier to follow. There's one thing Ive been meaning to do..that is to enrol in a baking class. I need to improvise my baking techniques and work on my skills on cake decoration. Kalau ada rezeki, maybe I will be joining Bagus baking class in seksyen 13 Shah Alam. Apart from baking, teringin jugak nak belajar buat roti. It woud be splendid if I can bake my own breads and wake up to the fresh aroma of it...ahhh! Heaven! It is healthy too, as you can throw in any nutritious ingredients in it. So what's in store for this weekend? Red velvet cake and cupcakes. Tried once tapi tak menjadi. We'll see, if its ok..definitely will put it up for viewing and sharing :-) xxooo

***My naughty little helper***

**Cheeky face to keep me company in the kitchen**

**Suri, noor of my life**