Strawberry Cheesecake-Stuffed Pound Cake

INGREDIENTS

Serves 10

1 store-bought pound cake
1 block (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
½ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 cup strawberries, diced


PREPARATION

1. Cut the center out of the pound cake, leaving a half-inch border on the bottom and along each side.
2. In a medium bowl, use a hand mixer to beat together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and lemon zest until the mixture is smooth.
3. Add the strawberries and beat until the mixture has turned a light pink color but there are still nice strawberry chunks.
4. Pour the cream cheese mixture into the hollowed-out pound cake shell.*
5. Using the removed pieces of pound cake, crumble bits of cake on top of the cheesecake mixture to form a thick layer of crumbs.
6. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours.
7. Slice into 10 half-inch slices and serve.
8. Enjoy!

*Be careful when filling the pound cake and when transferring to the refrigerator. Cutting the border too thin may cause the sides to spread too far once the cheesecake mixture is added. You can simply place the pound cake on a plate or tray before filling to make the transfer to the refrigerator easier. Use something to prop up the sides in case they’ve bowed out too much, to prevent breaking. Once the filling has set in the fridge, it will hold its shape.

Upside-Down Banana Bread

INGREDIENTS

Servings: 6-8
4-5 ripe bananas
3 eggs
½ cup oil
½ cup granulated sugar
1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
2 cups flour
½ cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
2-3 bananas, sliced
Vanilla ice cream


PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C.
In a large bowl, mash the ripe bananas.
Add the eggs, oil, sugar, and cinnamon, mixing until evenly incorporated.
Add the flour and mix until the batter has no large pockets of flour. Set aside.
In a pot over low heat, melt the butter, then mix in the brown sugar until dissolved.
Bring up the heat to medium, cooking until the mixture starts bubbling.
Remove the caramel from heat and pour into a greased 9×9 baking pan.
Lay the banana slices evenly on top of the caramel.
Spread the banana bread batter on top.
Bake 40-50 minutes.
Cool until the bottom is barely warm and use a knife to loosen the edges from the pan.
Place a plate upside-down on top of the pan, then invert the pan, flipping the banana bread onto the plate.
Slice, then serve with vanilla ice cream.

Mini Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler With Buttermilk Cream Cheese Biscuits

INGREDIENTS

Servings: 12 mini cobblers
3 cups strawberries, chopped
3 cups rhubarb, thinly sliced
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
½ lemon, juiced
½ tsp cinnamon
3 cups flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
¾ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
4 ounces cream cheese, cold and cubed
4 tablespoon butter, cold and cubed
Other equipment needed:
12 jam jars


PREPARATION

1. Preheat oven to 450˚F (230˚C).
2. In a medium mixing bowl combine strawberries, rhubarb, sugar, flour, slurry of cornstarch and lemon juice, and cinnamon. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. Add cream cheese and butter and cut it into the dry ingredients until it reaches a “sandy” consistency but large pieces of cream cheese and butter remain.
5. Add buttermilk and mix together with a wooden spoon until the dough start to come together.
6. Flip out onto a floured surface and knead the dough until it comes together.
7. Roll the dough out and fold it in on itself, repeat this process several times (this will help create flakey layers of the biscuit)
8. Roll the dough out once more and using a jam jar, cut out 12 individual biscuits.
9. Place 12 jam jars into a large roasting tray.
10. Fill each jar about halfway with the strawberry rhubarb filling.
11. Top each jar with a biscuit and brush with additional buttermilk and coarse sugar
12. Pour 2-3 cups of water into the baking tray to create a water bath, coming roughly halfway up the side of the jam jars.
13. Bake in a preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until the biscuits are browned and cooked through.
12. Remove from oven, and allow to cool slightly before serving. Enjoy!

Chilli Key Lime Pie

Servings: 4-6

INGREDIENTS 
150g melted butter, plus extra for greasing
350g digestive biscuits
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, plus more for topping
3 egg yolks
1 lime for zesting, plus extra for topping
400ml condensed milk
150ml lime juice (6-8 limes juiced)
2 jalapeño chillies (seeded and finely chopped)
300ml whipping cream


PREPARATION 
1. Preheat oven to 170°C
2. Crush the digestives in a food storage bag with a rolling pin and pour crumbs into a large bowl. Add cayenne pepper and melted butter and stir to combine.
3. Transfer into a greased springform pan and press down to form an even layer. Push up against the sides to create a crust. Bake for 10-15 minutes until lightly browned then allow crust to cool.
4. Whisk together three egg yolks and the zest of one lime. Add the condensed milk and lime juice and mix.
5. Add the jalapeño chillies and mix one more time.
6. Pour into cooled biscuit base and cook for 10-15 minutes or until the filling has a slight jiggle.
7. Cool and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.
8. Carefully remove the outer piece the springform pan. Spread the whipped cream on top evenly, then sprinkle cayenne pepper and lime zest over the cream.
9. ENJOY!

Pesto Mozzarella Cheese Balls

RECIPE: 

2 cans refrigerated biscuits (7.5 oz each)
4 oz Mozzarella cheese cut into 20 equal cubes
8 oz jar of basil pesto.
4 Tbsp. melted butter
2 cloves of garlic

1. Cut biscuit dough in half. Flatten dough, spread a teaspoon of pesto in the center of the dough, place a Mozzarella cube on top, pinch the sides around the cheese so the pesto and cheese are completely encased by the dough.

2. Place stuffed dough balls in a cast iron pan.

3. Crush garlic and mix with melted butter. Brush the garlic butter over each ball.

4. Bake for 20 minutes at 400˚F / 200˚C or until the dough is golden brown. Serve warm.