Daring Bakers April Challenge: Cheesecake pops

I was excited by this month's challenge, chosen by our lovely hosts, Deborah of Taste and Tell and Elle of FME, especially because my husband loves NY style cheesecake. But I've only made cheesecake three or four times in the last seven years, it's always seemed a little complicated and time-consuming!

Well, I actually started on the challenge yesterday. Things got off to a great start, the batter looked, and tasted, divine. I took the recipe down by 1/5th as I happened to only have 32 oz of cream cheese. I still got a lot of batter! I filled one 7-inch springform tin almost full, and had more than enough for a mini 4-inch cake with crust for hubby dear.

The white center should have been clue no. 1

The cake appeared done in about an hour, it wasn't jiggling and I let it cool for a while, but i think here is where I made mistake No. 1, I popped it into the fridge while still warm before I headed to work, because I didn't trust the other adult in the house to remember to. Anyway, I come home about 9 hours later, ready to scoop out, and I found that the top and sides were fine, but the center was liquidy! Panic set in. I managed to scoop out the liquidy bit and then make about 12 with the firm parts. I plan to use the liquid part to make individual cakes as shown here. I'm not sure whether this is because I overfilled the pan, whether the water bath somehow retarded the cooking (the parts done were mostly the ones above the water) and of course the genius of refrigerating the cake while still warm.

The scooping needless to say was not easy. As you can see they weren't so smooth!

Anyway, this afternoon I took them out of the freezer and finished them up. My husband needless to say loved it. My 4-year-old liked the chocolate and sprinkles, but wasn't too keen on the cheesecake... she's very fussy.

Well, I think I might try this again, when I have a larger freezer, and my husband has more self-control!

Be sure to check out the really creative and beautiful pops from other, more Daring Bakers!

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Amateurish artwork

One of my friends is leaving town, and as a farewell present I decided to make her some aonla, or amla, achaar (indian gooseberry pickle). The question was what to give it in.

After some searches online, I was torn between these sweet little jars at Crate and Barrel and some canning jars at Sur La Table. Luckily, the nearest locations for both are almost adjacent. After comparing, I settled on the ones above from C&B, because I had concerns about the metallic lids (achar can be very corrosive). And though the C&B jars a tad on the small side, about 4.5 oz, they're so cute!

Then I picked up some metallic pens in gold and silver from Dick Blick, and drew on some Indian block-print style designs. Two of the jars have achaar, and of the other two, one has my mom's guava jelly (to die for!) and some sweet pickled mango.

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Shortbread

I think there can be no one who doesn't like shortbread, so if you feel like indulging... This was just perfect all around. The recipe is damn simple and tastes damn good.

This recipe comes from McDougalls Better Baking Handbook, you will never bake a simpler cookie.

Shortbread

150g (6 oz) plain flour

pinch of salt

50g (2 oz) caster sugar

100g (4 oz) butter

1. Mix the flour, salt and sugar, rub in the butter (I used half part salted and half part unsalted).

Work the mixture to a smooth pliable dough.

2. Divide the dough into two and roll each piece to a 15 cm round and place on a baking sheet. (I used a pizza/pastry roller and directly rolled them out on the baking sheet).

3. Prick all over with a fork.

4. Bake for 35-40 minutes at 160C, 325F.

5. Sprinkle with some extra caster sugar and cut into pieces while still warm.

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Mulberries...

Our mulberry tree is bearing fruit these days :)

Hey if you know any recipe in which I can use 'em, lemme know.

Took these pics with my phone, am more in love with it's camera each day :)

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