~ No Bake Nutella Cheesecakes ~

Ingredients:

For the Crust

12 Oreo Cookies, crushed into crumbs
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the Filling

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup Nutella
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 (8 ounce) tub frozen whipped topping, thawed

For the Garnish

whipped topping, optional
chocolate shavings, optional
toasted, chopped hazelnuts, optional

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the Oreo cookie crumbs and melted butter. Evenly divide the crumbs between your individual serving dishes and press into the bottoms of the dishes to form a crust layer.

2. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and Nutella until smooth. Add vanilla and mix to combine. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the whipped topping until well blended and no streaks remain.

3. Evenly pipe or spoon the filling into individual serving dishes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
4. If desired, garnish with additional whipped topping, chocolate shavings, and/or toasted, chopped hazelnuts.

~Cheesecake~

5 minute - 4 ingredients

No Bake Cheesecake

I love to make the creamiest, fabulous easy cheesecakes and enjoy them. So if you want this easy recipe to be your "specialty"  here you go.

Ingredients-
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
1 8ounce tub of cool whip
1/3 cup of lemon or lime juice
1 8 ounce package of cream cheese.

Most important part of this recipe, is to leave the cream cheese out for a couple hours at room temperature. The cream cheese will become soft and smooth. The importance of this is to create a smooth texture. Not doing so, will create horrible lumps of cream cheese that will ruin the flavor of this pie.

After your cream cheese is softened enough, I like to see if it will spread easily with a plastic spatula. In a mixing bowl, mix all before mentioned ingredients. Please note: the lemon/lime juice must come last. The reaction of the citrus juice will start to harden your mixture almost immediately.

On the low speed of you hand mixer, blend well. Around 2 minutes of so is plenty, just make sure all ingredients are incorporated. Immediately pour mixture into a waiting graham crust or for those of us that can't have the gluten, I opt for muffin cups. Refrigerate for an hour to and hour and a half and viola.

Add-ons-Make it your own!

To make this recipe your own, there are several things you can add.
Oreo cookie crust. Incorporate a few of the cookies in to the batter, crushed of course. Top with a few whole or halved cookies as well.

Fresh strawberries, with or without glaze. I like to cut the strawberries up in to quarters and place in a zip-lock bag. Gently whacking the bag of berries on the counter a few times to start releasing the juices. A half an hour later, you have a no fuss, no extra sugar strawberry topping and glaze. Although a little vanilla in bag wouldn't hurt anything.

Key lime juice instead of regular. This will give you a tart cheesecake, more like a key lime bar if you lessen the cool whip content. About half is needed for recipe, although the more that is used, the lighter and fluffier the taste and texture will be.

Banana Caramel

Some may say I’m a bit obsessed with desserts… and I’m sure they’re right.  A few weeks ago I was laying in bed late at night, dreaming up the creation I have for you today.  Mind you, it’s nothing all that ground breaking… but it sure is delicious!  A layer of rich pastry cream, fresh bananas, whipped cream, caramel sauce (optional - you can use any sauce), and a cracker crust (i used Muesli). 

Each element is pretty tasty on it’s own, but when layered together they create a pretty amazing dessert!

Banana Caramel Cream Dessert

Ingredients~

Vanilla Custard (recipe below)

Bananas (I used two bananas for 6 small dessert servings)

Good quality caramel sauce, or dulce de leche or any sauce of your choice

Fresh whipped cream (I used 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream and 1 Tablespoon powdered sugar)

Cracker crumble (recipe below)

Vanilla Pastry Cream

3 cups whole milk

1/2 tin condensed Milk (sweet as per your taste)

1 tblspn Custard Powder - dissolve in cold milk

1 tspn vanilla essence

1 tblspn butter

Directions:

In a medium bowl,  pour in milk & condensed milk and boil, while whisking add the custard powder to the hot milk stirring all the time, to make a smooth mixture.  Cook over medium heat, stirring almost constantly, until the mixture thickens and boils.   

Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla.  Set aside to cool.  When the pan has cooled, place in the refrigerator to fully cool. 

Cracker Crumbles - Muesli or even corn flakes

1 1/2 cups cracker crumbs 

1/3 cup butter, melted

1 Tablespoon sugar

Directions:

Crush crackers in a large ziplock type bag.  Pour crumbs, sugar and melted butter into a bowl and , stir until fully combined.  Pour into a 9″x13″ casserole dish and press into a even layer.  Bake at 350*F for 10-12 minutes, until light brown.  Allow to cool.

Dessert assembly~

(pictured below as well)

1.  Spoon about 2 tablespoons graham cracker crumble into individual serving dishes.  Use a small glass to press the crumble into a firm layer (as pictured below).

2.  Add a layer of custard cream into each dish. 

3.  Add a few slices of banana.

4.  Top bananas with a layer of whipped cream.

5.  Add some cracker crumble and a drizzle of caramel (scoop caramel or dulce de leche into a small ziplock bag and snip off the end for easy application).

Repeat layers 2-5

Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 3 hours.  Top with a slice of fresh banana just before serving.

Note:  I used 6 small dessert dishes.   If you make 6 desserts, you will have custard cream and cracker crumble left over.  If you want to make more desserts, or one large trifle dish, you will have enough custard cream and cracker crumble for 10-12 individual desserts.  For a large trifle, or more than 6 individual desserts I would double the amount of whipped cream listed above.

Recipe Source- Final recipe by Glorious Treats.

Alterations:  The recipes posted above are what I used, if you’d like to experiment with substitutions, such as using prepared pudding mix in place of the pastry cream, or cool whip in place of the whipped cream, feel free, but I can not attest to the results.

Press graham cracker crumble into individual dishes.

Add a layer of pastry cream and bananas.

Top bananas with whipped cream, graham cracker crumble and caramel.  Repeat layers.

Enjoy!

Strawberries Fool & Pie

So,when I got strawberries in the grocery store, I just bought a packet to just eat them sometime in evening, however they were destined to be treated better …I love this fruit…its sweet, like a candy, but at the same time slightly tangy, and sour. they have a grainy but smooth taste….
In fact I can say I am having experiences like strawberries this year… Hmm quite a good metaphor!

So here come my quick Strawberry and Cream Recipe ~ Lets say STRAWBERRY FOOL

I took 1 cup heavy whipping cream - fresh cream,1/3 cup sugar,
then I took some fresh strawberries, washed them, remove the stems, and put them in the food processor to crush them,

Whipped cream until it looks like whipped cream,
Mixed in sugar,
~   Add the crushed strawberries and whip just a little till

all combined and slightly thicker.

~   Divide between pretty glasses and chill till needed.

~ And finally I put a big spoon of dessert in my mouth…hmmmmmm it was heaven… who cares about diet yaar...

~Another good recipe for Strawberry Pie~

Serves 8

1 1/2 cup whole hazelnuts (I have used Nutella spread) (Optional - use Digestive Biscuits)

2 cups whole milk

1 cup Idle Milk

¼ tsp Vannilla Essence

6 extra-large egg yolks

3 tablespoons cornstarch, sifted

1/2 cup sugar

Pinch of salt

4 oz bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

3 tablespoons butter

1.      Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the hazelnuts (if you are using hazelnut than this applies to you) on a baking sheet and toast for 10 minutes. Let cool. When cool, put in a clean towel and rub vigorously to remove skins (you can also just use your fingers). It's okay if some skin is left on -- you're going to strain later.

2.      Chop the cooled hazelnuts to a coarse crumb in a food processor (or crumbed Biscuits).  I bake the biscuit layer slightly

3.      Make the hazelnut-infused cream: Put the milk and Idle Milk in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add vanilla to the milk. Add the hazelnuts (or any nuts you fancy otherwise ignore this portion) and heat to scalding over medium-low heat. Remove from the heat and set aside to infuse for 20 minutes.

4.      In the meantime, whisk the egg yolks, cornstarch, sugar and salt together in a large bowl until thick and pale yellow.

5.      In a small saucepan, melt the chocolate and butter over low heat, stirring until smooth. Set aside to cool.

6.      Strain the milk-hazelnut mixture into the egg yolk mixture, half a cup at a time, whisking after each addition until you've added about a cup and a half. Then strain and whisk in the rest of the milk. Return to the saucepan over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the custard is thick and starts to bubble, about 3 minutes.

7.      Strain the thickened custard into a clean bowl. Stir in the melted chocolate-butter mixture.

8.      Optional, but highly recommended: Scrape the entire pudding into a blender or food processor and process for about 30 seconds, until silky-smooth. I learned this from Dorie Greenspan's pudding recipes, and it really gives the pudding a wonderful lightness.

9.      Spoon the pudding into small ramekins or dessert cups, cover with plastic wrap and chill, overnight if possible. DO NOT eat it unchilled -- right after you make it the flavors will not have blended and will taste a little off.

If you don't want to waste those delicious cream-cooked nuts, chop them up with graham crakers in the food processor, press into a square baking dish and bake at 350 for about 15 minutes. When the crust is cool, pour the pudding over and top with whip cream!!! Nutella Pudding Pie!

Spoon full of Yummies

Let your mouth drip with water slurrrrpppp yummies

fondue and teas with some extras.

Nutella Pudding

This yummy recipe I came across Food52.  It was posted by Aarathi and won best pudding contest finalist!  She surely deserves as now am going to try this and see how it turns out.

 

 

Serves 8

1 1/2 cup whole hazelnuts (I have used Nutella spread) (Optional - use Digestive Biscuits)
2 cups whole milk
1 cup Idle Milk & 1/2 cup cream
¼ tsp Vannilla Essence
6 extra-large egg yolks
3 tablespoons cornstarch, sifted
1/2 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
4 oz bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons butter

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the hazelnuts (if you are using hazelnut than this applies to you) on a baking sheet and toast for 10 minutes. Let cool. When cool, put in a clean towel and rub vigorously to remove skins (you can also just use your fingers). It's okay if some skin is left on -- you're going to strain later.

2. Chop the cooled hazelnuts to a coarse crumb in a food processor (or crumbed Biscuits)

3. Make the hazelnut-infused cream: Put the milk and Idle Milk in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add vanilla to the milk. Add the hazelnuts (or any nuts you fancy otherwise ignore this portion) and heat to scalding over medium-low heat. Remove from the heat and set aside to infuse for 20 minutes.

4. In the meantime, whisk the egg yolks, cornstarch, sugar and salt together in a large bowl until thick and pale yellow.

5. In a small saucepan, melt the chocolate and butter over low heat, stirring until smooth. Set aside to cool.

6. Strain the milk-hazelnut mixture into the egg yolk mixture, half a cup at a time, whisking after each addition until you've added about a cup and a half. Then strain and whisk in the rest of the milk. Return to the saucepan over medium heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the custard is thick and starts to bubble, about 3 minutes.

7. Strain the thickened custard into a clean bowl. Stir in the melted chocolate-butter mixture.

8. Optional, but highly recommended: Scrape the entire pudding into a blender or food processor and process for about 30 seconds, until silky-smooth. I learned this from Dorie Greenspan's pudding recipes, and it really gives the pudding a wonderful lightness.

9. Spoon the pudding into small ramekins or dessert cups, cover with plastic wrap and chill, overnight if possible. DO NOT eat it unchilled -- right after you make it the flavors will not have blended and will taste a little off.

If you don't want to waste those delicious cream-cooked nuts, chop them up with graham crakers in the food processor, press into a square baking dish and bake at 350 for about 15 minutes. When the crust is cool, pour the pudding over and top with whip cream!!! Nutella Pudding Pie!