Blueberry Cheese Cake

This is the my second attempt baking this cheesecake after my first success. I've been baking lately but could never find the time to blog and post my baking adventure. Personally I feel baking cheese cake is the easiest since its so versatile and even if you make any mistakes, the cake wouldn't turn out inedible. Here's my recommended recipe for those who need a quick and easy way to bake a cheese cake. 

My first attempt - looking nice and I'm so thrilled

Second Attempt - Still looking good, hehe

INGREDIENTS

120g digestive or marie biscuits

75g butter, melted

750g cream cheese

210g sour cream

150g granulated sugar

1 tsp vanilla essence

250g blueberry fillings

1 tsp lemon juice, optional

3 eggs

METHOD

1. Crush the biscuits into crumbs, finely or coarsely depending on your likings. I prefer a more rough texture, so that I can taste the biscuits. Pour in the butter and mix well.

2. Press the crumbs into a 8 inch spring pan as the base and set aside.

3. In bowl of an electric mixer, mix cream cheese with sugar until smooth. 

4. Then mix in the eggs one at a time, mixing just enough to incorporate. 

5. Finally mix in the sour cream, vanilla essence and lemon juice until smooth. 

6. Pour the cream cheese filling into the prepared crust. Drop some blueberry fillings randomly on top of the cheese cake, and swirl using a fork.

Note: If you want some blueberry fillings in the cake, you may fill half of the cream cheese and spread some blueberry in between before filling the remaining cream cheese.

7. Bake the cheesecake in a preheated 165 Celsius oven using the water bath method for 60 minutes. Let the cake cool slightly in oven with the door ajar for about 15 minutes to prevent cracking. The top layer will appear slightly brownish, just perfect.

8. Chill in refrigerator for at least 4 hours before serving. 

Apple Crumble Cake

I've always wanted to try baking an apple crumble cake. When I have some red apples sitting in the fridge for too long, this recipe comes across my mind. Hmm, Granny smith apples? For newbie like me, I don't have the slightest idea why it's named like that in the recipe. Well, that name refers to no other than green apples. I think many recipes call for green apple instead of the red one because it's more crunchy and the slight sourness of the fruit can bring the extra flavor in the end-baked products. But mine turned out not bad after all, even using red apples ;-)

INGREDIENTS

Part A - Apple topping

20g butter

100g granulated sugar

3 green apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2 inch thick wedges. ( I used Fuji red apples)

Part B - Crumb topping

115g butter, melted

100g brown sugar

150g granulated sugar

1 tsp cinnamon powder

110g plain flour

1 cup walnut, toasted

Part C - Cake

80g butter

150g granulated sugar
2 eggs, grade A 

110g cake flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp table salt

1 tsp cinnamon powder

1/2 tsp ginger powder

METHOD

1. Start by completing part A and B first before moving to part C.

2. For part A, melt the butter over medium-heat fire on a medium size pan. Add in the sugar and continue cooking until the sugar is dissolved and fragrant. Finally add in the apple and continue to cook until the apples have softened slightly. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

3. Part B is the easiest. Whisk together flour, both sugars, walnut, cinnamon powder and salt in a medium bowl. Add melted butter and using your fingers, mix together to form large crumbs.  Set aside for use later.
4. For Part C, making the cake. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, ginger powder, cinnamon powder and salt. Then cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy for about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the eggs and mix until well combined. Finally using a spatula, fold in the flour mixture and mix slowly until well combined. Do not overmix, else the cake will have  a rough texture.
5. Pour the cake mixture into a 8 inch spring pan and spread evenly. Take the apple slices and layer them over the top of the cake, overlapping them slightly so that they're in one thin layer covering the entire surface of the cake.
6. Finally, sprinkle all the crumbs onto the cake as toppings. Bake the cake in a pre-heated oven at 170 Celsius for about 60 minutes or until skewer comes out clean.

7. Remove from oven and let cool completely before serving.