Cookie Dough Cheesecake (UK)

Yesss I have finally perfected a home recipe for the amazing cookie dough cheesecake that I had on holiday at The Cheesecake Factory.  While it's not going to put them out of business anytime soon, this recipe is a fairly straightforward with little chance of failure.

Please note, this recipe is for a 6 inch/15cm tin, double the recipe for a full size cheesecake and adjust your cooking times.

You will need:

Cheesecake Crust:
200g malt biscuits
2 1/2 Tbsp melted butter

Cookie dough filling:
2 Tbsp butter (room temperature)
3 Tbsp granulated sugar
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 Tbsp water
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips/drops

Cheesecake filling:
1/2 cup sugar
300g cream cheese (full fat)
1 cup soured cream
2 small eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 100C.

2. Crush the malt biscuits and combine in a bowl with melted butter.

3. Press mixture into base of springform pan and bake for 5 minutes or until slightly golden.  Set aside.

4. Next, prepare the cookie dough filling by combining butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla using an electric mixer until smooth.  Mix in flour until combined. 

5. Stir chocolate chips into cookie dough and then set aside.

6. For the cheesecake filling, you first need to mix (with an electric mixer) the granulated sugar and cream cheese.  Once smooth, add the soured cream, eggs, and vanilla.  Mix.

7. Bring oven temperature up to 175C while you assemble your cheesecake.

8. Assemble cheesecake by pouring the cheesecake filling into the prepared crust. 

9. Drop round portions in a circle around the cheesecake.  Press to submerge dough if it does not sink, as it will start cooking if it is peaking out.

10. Bake cheesecake at 175C for 30-40 minutes.

11. Allow to cool and then chill for 2-3 hours.  Sprinkle with chocolate chips for decorations if you wish.

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Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Ice Cream (US/UK)

I've come up with an extremely successful peanut butter and chocolate chip ice cream recipe! This relatively simple ice cream recipe actually tastes more like gelato due to the added creaminess from the peanut butter, but I am hesitant to label it as that as I do not wish to incur ire from foodies.

For one batch that fits perfectly in a standard ice cream maker you will need:

1 cup whole milk
1 cup double cream (half and half)
2/3 cups granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
200g (7oz) smooth peanut butter
140g (5oz) dark chocolate (or semi-sweet) chocolate chips

Note: This recipe assumes that you have chilled your ice cream maker or are familiar with how to make freezer ice cream.

1. Combine whole milk, sugar, and vanilla extract in a pan over low heat.  Remove from heat as soon as smooth and set aside to cool.

2. Using an electric mixer, beat the double cream until it becomes aerated and starts to stiffen.

3. In a large bowl (that can easily be poured from), add the peanut butter and milk mixture.  Combine using an electric mixer until smooth.

4. Fold in the cream.

5. Add mixture to ice cream maker and allow to set.  Once the ice cream is semi-frozen, add the chocolate chips and allow them to be folded in.

6. Remove mixture from machine, store in a freezer-safe container, and freeze for at least 1 hour or until ice cream is the correct consistency.

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Tangy-Spicey Sriracha Fish Tacos

This recipe was inspired by the fish tacos I recently tried at Wahaca, and a bottle of Sriracha I managed to get my paws on. As a note, I would say that you can take the time to batter and fry your own fish, but I made these on a Tuesday, that wasn't happening.  So I took the easiest shortcut ever, chopping a battered fish fillet in half for each taco.  As long as you buy a reasonably good quality fish, it doesn't detract from this flavorful taco!

For 8 tacos, you will need:
4 large battered fish fillets (cooked and halved)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded lettuce

Sriracha cream sauce ingredient

You will need:
1/2 cup mayonnaise (light is fine)
2 1/2 Tbsp condensed milk (again, light is fine)
1 3/4 Tbsp Sriracha sauce

Simply whisk all ingredients together and serve drizzle over fish.
Note: This sauce is incredibly addicting, and you will want to put it on everything.

1. Preheat oven to 100C/210F.

2. Assemble your tacos, lettuce, (cooked) fish, and drizzle sauce and sour cream over (this can be done by putting sauces in plastic bags and cutting off the corner, or use a diner-style squeezy bottle).  I decorated my tacos with 3 additional dots of Sriracha, but I'd avoid this if you don't like things too spicy.

3. Line up your tacos on a baking tray with the edges facing upwards.  They will start to crisp up after about 5 minutes, but keep an eye on them as I've noticed they jump from pale and limp to crisp in about 30 seconds!

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