Sweet Tooth: Mini Bailey's Chocolate Cheesecakes

Cheesecakes come off as one of those desserts that cost an arm and a leg in a restaurant - but there's really not much to them if you wanted to make them at home!

And of course - there's absolutely nothing wrong with eating a few of these MINI portions!

What's the secret? A muffin pan to bake these - there's the portion control bit...now whether or not you actually stick to eating only one is a whole other story!

I love making mini cheesecakes and have created a variety of different flavours (I'll post them at the bottom) and am always experimenting when given the chance to bake these little delights!

I CAN'T FREAKING ROTATE IT!

So why Bailey's and chocolate? It was a date night treat.
And why the heck not?!

What you need (makes about 14):

• Muffin tin
• Muffin tin liners (silicone are more environmentally friendly but if you're going to a potluck or a bake-sale with these - paper might be more ideal!)
• Room temperature package of cream cheese
• NOTE: I did NOT need vanilla extract because I used vanilla flavoured cream cheese!
• Oreo cookies or similar
• 1/4 Cup of sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 heaping tablespoon of cocoa powder
• Hefty splash of Bailey's
• Flour (possibly you'll need it to thicken the batter if you put too much Bailey's!)
• A couple squares of dark chocolate (melted)
• Optional:
• whipped cream
• strawberries or other fruit for decoration
• crushed almonds

What to do:

1. Pre-heat oven to 175*C.
2. Line muffin tin with 1 muffin liner and 1 Oreo cookie in each spot
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sugar and egg.
4. Add vanilla extract, cocoa powder and Bailey's.
1. There is no measurement for Bailey's.  I'm sorry.  I go based on smell and I try to not make it too boozy-smelling. 
5. If you put too much Bailey's - sprinkle some flour in there so it's thicker and not too wet of a batter.
6. Pour batter into each lined cup of the muffin tin - filling them about 3/4 of the way.
1. They'll puff up a bit when they bake and sink as they cool down.
7. Once cooled down - remove from the pan and chill in the fridge.
8. Let them chill a bit first in the fridge then drizzle the tops with melted chocolate and refrigerate again.
9. Decorate even more before serving with nuts, fruit and whipped cream!
10. Remove wrapper before eating.
11. Enjoy responsibly.

Some other varieties you can try:

• Peanut butter and jelly (put the jelly in the center or directly on your Oreo and then a peanut butter mixture on top!)
• Rocky Road: make a vanilla-based cheesecake flavour and top with mini marshmallows, peanuts, candied cherries and drizzle melted chocolate when they've cooled
• Triple chocolate
• Chocolate mint - use a peppermint liquer or peppermint extract
• Orange chocolate - use an orange liquer or orange extract
• Nutella
• "Reese's PB Cups" - mix up chocolate and peanut butter
• Berries (whatever is in season!)
• Fresh Lemon - use a lemon to get the juice and make sure to remove any seeds!
• Vanilla
• Chocolate
• Other liquer

Experiment and have fun!

Happy Foodie Adventures!
Dominique

Side Dish: Cheesy Garlic Pull-Apart Bread

Who doesn't love garlic bread?  Besides the few that are allergic of course...
And who doesn't love freshly baked bread?  AND CHEESE?! Beside those that have dairy allergies too - that sucks truly...

Anyway - my point is - that I love cheesy garlic pull apart bread and it's wicked easy to make - although mildly time consuming.
And guess what? You can use your bread machine that has been collecting dust since your Aunt Judy dropped it off in fear of making Uncle Bert too heavy with the baked goods from it.

This recipe will be short and sweet.

Here's the recipe I use via Genius Kitchen (which I believe used to be "food.com") to make my Italian bread dough.
Bake according to the recipe and all will be fine.

**If you want it extra garlic-y - and who wouldn't?! Add some garlic powder in the machine too!

Now, here's the recipe part!

What you need:

• One Italian loaf - freshly baked and cooled
• Butter
• Garlic powder
• Minced fresh garlic (optional)
• Parsley (fresh or dry) chopped up
• Shredded/grated cheese (I use a pizza mix from the grocery store)
• Parchment paper
• Bread knife (you know - the long zig-zaggy looking one)

What to do:

1. Pre-heat your oven to 150*C.
2. Melt about ½ cup of butter in your microwave or on the stove with the garlic powder (and or fresh).
1. Add your parsley after butter is melted and give it a good stir.  Keep warm so it is still melted.
3. Cut your loaf of bread in a criss-cross fashion. 
   **Don't cut all the way through the loaf or else you'll be making croutons...
1. Cut approximately 4 vertical cuts then turn the loaf and cut in the opposite direction 4-5 times more. (Think like a checker board).
2. The less you cut - the bigger the chunks.  It's up to you how many chunks of bread you want to make and the size of them.
3. Set your loaf onto the parchment paper lined baking sheet.
4. Put your shredded cheese inside the cracks you've created - both horizontally and vertically.
1. YES you will put more cheese on top! Don't fret! The reason why you should stuff the cracks now with cheese is because it's easier and less messy than once you have butter poured in there and you won't burn your fingers this way either with the hot butter.
5. Pour your garlic butter (watch your fingers!) all over the bread - making sure it's well coated inside each crevice and all over the top.
   Don't be ashamed for how much butter you use!  There shouldn't be a massive pool of it on the paper- but you want to ensure the bread is full of flavour.
6. You can brush more butter on and around the loaf if you fancy and then top with shredded cheese.
7. Bake the loaf on the center rack for about 5-10 minutes- until the cheese is melted and your house is smelling so delicious that the vampires won't be coming over anytime soon...
8. Enjoy!

I should've added more cheese.

Be careful as this will be piping hot because the hot melted garlic-y butter and the cheese will be gooey and yummy and so lovely!
And all you have to do is just pull those chunks of cheesy garlicy bread off as you go and enjoy it!!

Serve this up when having a game night with your friends or as a side for a salad (just kidding!) and pasta night!  Also goes well with a nice stew or soup on a chilly day!

It looks fancy with minimal effort.

Add extra garlic butter for dipping -because why the heck not?!

Enjoy...and don't forget to wear your stretchy pants...it's how I roll personally. :)

XO,
Dominique

Sweet Tooth: Chocolate PIZZA!

No you aren't blind and while your glasses might be dirty like mine - I did write "chocolate pizza" in the same subject heading.

I don't know about you but this thing has been making it's way all over social media.

Via Google Search

Even Finland has it...Canada too apparently.
I wanted to try it but had my doubts.  So I decided to make my own.

I was seriously conflicted with whether or not to make an actual pizza dough (the nice fluffy kind) with cocoa powder mixed in and chunks of chocolate so it'd be all nice and gooey when baked...then I looked at the time and realized my BFF Alison was coming over soon - so I'll nix that idea for another time.

I thought quickly and decided I'll go with option 2.

I whipped up a chocolate chip cookie dough, sprayed my hands with cooking spray, spread it on parchment paper then baked it.
Once it was cooled down - I spread Nutella then I placed sliced strawberries, fresh blueberries and chopped dark and milk chocolate chunks.  I took a veggie peeler and shaved some white chocolate all over and sprinkled toasted coconut on it.

BAM.

It wasn't too sweet and a friend of mine said it looked like "tasty diabetes"...Alison confirmed it was delicious...

Please note something crucial here:

I don't like chocolate that much.  I am NOT that woman that needs chocolate monthly or daily...I'm okay without it.  Once in awhile I'll enjoy chocolate with some kind of filling inside - a piece or two.  That's it. I never get chocolate ice-cream because that's boring to me.  I prefer vanilla or some other fancy pants flavour.

So...want to live dangerously with me and make this yourself?

Let's do this!

What you need:

1. Chocolate Chip Cookie dough (use your favourite recipe for chocolate chip -or other favourite cookie  for the base) - or keep reading and wing it like I did:   

• ½ cup of butter softened
• 2 large eggs
• pinch of salt
• splash of vanilla extract
• ½ cup of brown sugar (softened)
• 2 cups of all purpose flour
• ½ tsp of baking soda
• 1 tsp of baking powder
• a heavy shaking of chocolate chips (I used dark ones - but use what you got or like!)

Place ingredients in mixing bowl and mix as you add the ingredients as ordered above.

• Cooking spray (just a bit for your hands)
• Nutella (or any knock off store brand will do!)
• Dark chocolate cut in small chunks
• Milk chocolate cut in small chunks
• white chocolate 
• fresh berries or fruit of your preference (bananas, kiwi and others could work well for this!)
• toasted coconut (optional)
• veggie peeler for the white chocolate

Before baking

What to do:

1. Pre-heat your oven to 175C and make your cookie dough.    
2. Spritz your hands lightly with cooking spray to prevent sticking to the dough and spread your dough evenly along your lined baking sheet.
3. Once your oven is ready - bake it until golden brown.  About 15 minutes.
4. Let it cool a bit and spread your Nutella evenly all over the giant cookie.
5. Top with mixed chocolate chunks, berries and/or fruit.
6. Using your veggie peeler - shave white chocolate on top.
1. Add toasted coconut too if you like.
7. Cut and enjoy!

The final product!

This is totally flexible with flavours - you can make the cookie base your favourite cookie - a standard single batch recipe should be fine and just stretch it thin enough and evenly to cover your pan.

Other topping ideas I have:

• nuts
• peanut butter sauce
• chocolate sauce
• caramel sauce 
• jam/jelly or marmalade
• various sliced fruit
• other berry combinations
• granola/museli
• mini marshmallows
• crushed cookie crumbs
• candy

I hope you enjoy making this as I did!! It was so easy and delicious!  Definitely something different for your next potluck or baby shower and it's eye catching too!
Let me know if you make it!  I would love to see pictures!

XO,
Dominique

Sweet Tooth: Sea Salt Caramel Sauce

I love caramel sauce - I'm even willing to say more than I love chocolate sauce.  There's just something about caramel sauce that brings the salty and sweet together like no other...well - other than Reese's Peanut Butter Cups - but they're hard to find in Finland and crazy expensive anyway!

This recipe I obtained from cooking school and I love it.  So. Much.
It's to the point that I try not to make it unless super special occasions (like Christmas) so I can avoid the temptation.
I guess if I forget how much I love this stuff - I won't be chugging it...

So! What can one use a jar of SS Caramel sauce on?

• fruit dip (apples, pears, bananas etc.)
• dip for marshmallows (bump up your s'more game!)
• drizzle on ice-cream
• drizzle on desserts that need caramel - like apple pie, baked and stuffed apples, Brie & Pear tart, apple strudel - the list goes on.
• drizzle on cake for decoration
• eat it with a spoon without shame

Anyway, I thought that making my own caramel sauce would be tricky but guess what? It isn't.

What you need:

• 3dl whipping cream 
• ** It's possible to use milk instead of whipping cream but it may take longer to thicken or not be as thick. I've personally used cream.**
• 3 dl brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• pinch of sea salt
• sauce pan (I use a non-stick one just in case)
• whisk
• clean mason jar with a lid for storage

What to do:

1. Mix everything but sea salt into the sauce pan and bring to a boil (bubbly) until thickened.  
1. If your butter is cold & hard - put that first.
2. Make sure you stir regularly so it doesn't burn.
2. Sprinkle with sea salt and stir a bit more.
3. Once it's thickened - take the saucer off the burner and pour into your jar carefully.  Allow it to cool before putting the lid on it and store in the fridge.

I can't say how long it'll last because it just doesn't last more than 3 days in my home! I use it for everything...mostly to eat it with a spoon without shame. :P

If it doesn't seem super thick right away - let it cool and it should thicken a bit more.

XO,
Dominique

Sweet Tooth: Brie & Pear Tart

I love fancy looking desserts and trying my own interpretation of them!

Something that I always saw was brie stuffed filo pastry and for me - it didn't really scream "OMG amazing!"  That being said - I have yet to make one myself...but if we are just talking looks and possibly the idea of how it might taste - I'm not sold on it yet.

So last Christmas I decided to whip up a dessert for my at the time boyfriend's family and despite it looking crazy fancy - it wasn't.  It was so simple and easy to do.

Sadly, I only have photos of the final result!

What you need:

• Filo pastry thawed
• A lot of melted butter
• ½ a large pear thinly sliced
• Brie cut in chunks
• Toasted pecans (or slivered almonds or walnuts could work too)
• Homemade sea salt caramel sauce 
• Vanilla ice-cream - I made a no-churn vanilla maple ice-cream actually!
• Ground cinnamon and nutmeg
• Brown sugar

What to do:

1. Pre-heat oven to 175*C.
2. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Taking one sheet of filo pastry at a time - lay it on the baking paper and brush melted butter all over and then add another sheet.  Do this repeatedly with the whole package.
1. If you do this while it's still a little frozen it will crack and that's annoying.
2. Whatever isn't being used as you're brushing butter - should be covered with a damp towel to avoid drying out (which can also lead to cracking). Damp - not soaked because then you'll have stuck together sheets that will be a pain to separate and then that leads to holes and you get my drift....
4. Brush melted butter generously on the final top layer and then sprinkle brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.
5. Spread the toasted nuts, brie and pear slices evenly.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes- middle rack.  Be sure to check on it regularly to prevent burning.
7. Serve warm with ice-cream and sea salt caramel sauce.

I absolutely loved it and the great thing about this kind of dessert with filo pastry is that it's so flexible and forgiving! My filo sheets were still a bit frozen and they cracked all over.  I just slapped some more melted butter and kept going.

Besides - it all gets chewed up anyway!

This was a nice light alternative to a cake or pie which can be pretty heavy and it was well received by everyone!  It looked super fancy but it wasn't - at all! :D  But don't tell your guests that!

I would definitely recommend bringing this to your next potluck!

XO,
Dominique

Healthy Snacks: Carrot/Orange/Ginger/Oats Muffins (aka COGO)

The good thing about the word "muffin" is that you're thinking one of two things.
You are thinking, "That sounds healthy!" or you're like me and looking at that adorable pudge hanging over your waistband and thinking "Yeah sounds like muffin top!"

Either way is acceptable and my muffin top is very visible with my pajama pants and I don't give a crap!

Now, I don't know about you but I have picky eaters for children. V-Man used to only eat Chiquita bananas, M-Girl isn't too bad and A-Man is the worst picky eater ever.  He's not just a picky AF eater but he is also the jerk-wad kid that has to make a HUGE flipping deal over how much the food disgusts him and it's yucky and so on - to the point that nobody else wants to eat it either...
If I could consume the amount of fatty carbs as he does and still maintain a 6-pack like he does - I would be living the dream!
Sadly, I do NOT have a 6-pack - never mind a 4-pack or even a 2-pack...rocking the keg style honestly!

So I whipped these up a couple weeks ago with the assumption that A-Man was going to be disgusted and not eat them because Heaven forbid - they have a vegetable in it.

But you know what totally worked?!

I told him that a muffin is just a naked cupcake.  A muffin is the same thing as a cupcake but without the frosting and decorations.
He believed me.  Of course I believe it too and the fact that they're "muffins" means they're healthier and I can totally trick myself into thinking it's socially acceptable to devour three of them in one sitting as opposed to just one and calling it quits...

But anyway - to the muffin making!
*I apologize that the measurements are very "wing it" because that's how I really cook and bake.
** 1 cup is a Moomin coffee mug - so 0,4dl size if you want to be specific

What you need:

• 2 cups of grated/shredded carrots
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup each of: (make sure you sift the flours!)
• All-purpose flour
• oat flour
• oats
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp of baking soda
• ½ cup of melted butter
• ~1 cup of orange juice
• Lots of cinnamon
• Grated fresh ginger (to taste)
• Lots of honey
• Less than 1/4 cup of brown sugar
• Optional: raisins and shredded coconut
• I added the shredded coconut but didn't have raisins at home.
• Other option could be nuts
• Muffin pan
• Muffin liners (silicone or paper)
• Mixer (hand mixer or stand one)
• ************ It is also possible to do this with a silicone spatula or spoon instead!

What to do:

1. Pre-heat oven to 200*C (400*F) and line your muffin tin with paper or silicone liners.
2. Mix together the eggs and melted butter.
3. Add the brown sugar, flours and oats.
4. Mix in the cinnamon, baking powder and soda and then add the carrots, orange juice and honey.  
5. Grate some ginger into the mix (and any other optional ingredients you might want to add!) and scoop mixture (it should be goopy and wet) into muffin tin.
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes - be sure to keep an eye on them so they don't burn and a tooth pick (or chopstick) should come out clean when inserted into the center.
7. Enjoy responsibly. :D
1. Some do so with tea, coffee or a glass of milk and some have them buttered too!
2. Some enjoy after a work-out.
3. Some have them for breakfast or as part of their packed lunch.
4. Some just stuff their faces with them and pop their kids mouths with them too for some peace and quiet for 5-minutes.

These were gone within a day! I was floored!  I will try to make them on the weekends and maybe do something bad ass like use zucchini too!

Just remember one thing out of all of this:

"A muffin is just a naked cupcake..."

Enjoy!
XO,
Dominique