Mini Oreo Cheesecakes

These mini Oreo cheesecakes are made with a delicious mix of cookies and cream, featuring a whole Oreo as the “crust.” I’ve been making these mini Oreo cheesecakes for over a decade now whenever I need a quick and easy treat for a gathering. And I’m telling you — especially when it comes to cheesecake […]

These mini Oreo cheesecakes are made with a delicious mix of cookies and cream, featuring a whole Oreo as the “crust.”

I’ve been making these mini Oreo cheesecakes for over a decade now whenever I need a quick and easy treat for a gathering. And I’m telling you — especially when it comes to cheesecake recipes — it doesn’t get much easier, cuter and tastier than this!

My favorite thing about this mini cheesecake recipe is that there’s no need to spend extra time crumbling, mixing, and pressing down a fancy crust. Simply pop an Oreo in the bottom of each baking cup and you’re good to go! The vanilla cheesecake batter here is also quick and easy to mix with 5 basic ingredients. Then simply bake for about 15 minutes, chill, top with whipped cream and an extra Oreo for garnish, and enjoy, enjoy.

These mini Oreo cheesecakes are the perfect make-ahead dessert for dinner parties, game days, or anytime you’re craving a sweet treat. And while I love making this recipe with classic Oreos, feel free to experiment with whatever Oreo flavors you love best.

Let’s make some Oreo cheesecakes!

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Madeleine Kamman’s White Chocolate-Chartreuse Bavarian

I don’t remember the first time I made this dessert, but I certainly remember being wowed by its flavors, and the creator of it, Madeleine Kamman. (Who I’ll get to in a minute…) I’d been making it for years and it’s a wonderful way to use white chocolate, which pairs remarkably well with dark chocolate, but also goes nicely with everything from berries and lemon,…

I don’t remember the first time I made this dessert, but I certainly remember being wowed by its flavors, and the creator of it, Madeleine Kamman. (Who I’ll get to in a minute…) I’d been making it for years and it’s a wonderful way to use white chocolate, which pairs remarkably well with dark chocolate, but also goes nicely with everything from berries and lemon, and caramelizes beautifully, which can be used in cakes, sorbets, and ice cream. (I learned how to make it at the Valrhona Chocolate School, and it’s become so popular that the company now sells it by the bar.)

What can’t white chocolate do?

Well, it can’t replace chocolate because it’s not chocolate. Milk chocolate technically isn’t chocolate; it’s chocolate with milk added. On a similar note, I’ve only had Home Fries served to me at diners, not at home. And I’m still perplexed that we call it Banana Bread, because some people have told me that Cornbread, if made with a few teaspoons of sugar, isn’t bread, it’s cake. Yes, some insist that white chocolate “…isn’t chocolate!” but herb tea, as it’s commonly called in the U.S., has no tea in it. So if you’ve ever sipped a cup of “chamomile tea” (or even if you haven’t), you are welcome to enjoy white chocolate!

Continue Reading Madeleine Kamman’s White Chocolate-Chartreuse Bavarian...

Mini Bourbon Fudge Pies

Tiny but mighty, these adorable bite-sized pies are small in size but certainly not short on flavor, with a crisp, buttery crust and a rich, fudgy filling that packs a boozy punch. Bourbon and chocolate go together like… well, name any number of ubiquitous food pairings or famous couples and you have your answer. They […]

The post Mini Bourbon Fudge Pies first appeared on Love and Olive Oil.

Tiny but mighty, these adorable bite-sized pies are small in size but certainly not short on flavor, with a crisp, buttery crust and a rich, fudgy filling that packs a boozy punch.

Bourbon and chocolate go together like… well, name any number of ubiquitous food pairings or famous couples and you have your answer. They were meant to be enjoyed together, in my opinion, and a recipe like this, with a deeply chocolate filling spiked with a generous glug of bourbon, is sure to make your Thanksgiving table that much more exciting.

Stack of Mini Bourbon Fudge Pies on a plate, one topped with a swirl of whipped cream, shot of bourbon and bowl of whipped cream in the background

A fudge pie, sometimes called a chocolate chess pie, is little more than sugar, butter, eggs, and chocolate. I’d describe the texture as falling somewhere in between a fudgy, slightly-undercooked brownie, and a chocolate cream pie or baked custard.

I made a fugde/pecan pie mashup a few years ago, and it’s always been one of my favorite recipes, perfect for those who think Thanksgiving should include a little more chocolate.

Anyway, I wanted to revisit that recipe and give it a bit of a new twist. I may have also received a not-so-subtle hint to maybe, pretty please bring something chocolatey and boozy to ceramics class next week (please and thank you). And I’m certainly not one to ignore a request like that. As it turns out, bourbon provided the perfect medium for such a mission.

Of course, I’m no stranger to baking with booze, and these little guys are no exception. And we’re not talking a measly teaspoon or two of bourbon here (I mean, if you’re going to be stingy you might as well just use vanilla). No, you certainly won’t miss the boozy kick when you pop one of these morsels in your mouth.

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Banana Split

Are you ready for the ULTIMATE ice cream dessert? The king of all ice cream sundaes? I sure hope so because today we are making Banana Splits. I love ordering a banana split when we go out for ice cream, but banana splits are easy to make at home and S…

Are you ready for the ULTIMATE ice cream dessert? The king of all ice cream sundaes? I sure hope so because today we are making Banana Splits. I love ordering a banana split when we go out for ice cream, but banana splits are easy to make at home and SO fun, especially during the…

The post Banana Split appeared first on Two Peas & Their Pod.

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Mousse Cakes

There are few things as perfect as a simple chocolate dipped strawberry, and these impressive little entremet cakes transform that classic pairing into a chocolate covered dome of delight, with a luscious strawberry mousse and rich chocolate brownie core. Featuring a cloud-like strawberry mousse and a square of fudgy chocolate brownie, all covered with a […]

The post Chocolate Covered Strawberry Mousse Cakes first appeared on Love and Olive Oil.

There are few things as perfect as a simple chocolate dipped strawberry, and these impressive little entremet cakes transform that classic pairing into a chocolate covered dome of delight, with a luscious strawberry mousse and rich chocolate brownie core.

Featuring a cloud-like strawberry mousse and a square of fudgy chocolate brownie, all covered with a glossy chocolate ganache glaze, these little mousse cakes are as stunning as they are delicious. While entremet-style desserts do require a bit of effort and planning, the work is easily manageable when split over a few days.

Three domes covered in ganache, on a white plate, pink background

My blueberry mousse cake recipe is surprisingly popular given its complexity; and I’m giddy with delight every time I’m tagged in a photo by someone who’s made them.

This recipe is a similar entremet-style dessert, but with different components: a rich chocolate brownie instead of the almond sponge, a light strawberry Bavarian mousse (distinctive in its use of egg yolks in the base), and then a chocolate ganache coating instead of the mirror glaze.

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Raspberry Puff Pastry Tart

I’m a big fan of this puff pastry tart; it’s flaky crust and creamy center hit all the right notes. The raspberries add a burst of freshness, and are the perfect partner to the pastry cream topping. It’s a wonderful balance of flavors…

Raspberry Puff Pastry Tart

I’m a big fan of this puff pastry tart; it’s flaky crust and creamy center hit all the right notes. The raspberries add a burst of freshness, and are the perfect partner to the pastry cream topping. It’s a wonderful balance of flavors and textures, and would be delightful for Mother’s Day or Brunch.  You can make my homemade rough puff pastry, or use store-bought, whichever you prefer! Both will result in a delicious dessert.  Here’s my cheater method for this raspberry tart: Simply use one sheet of store-bought puff pastry (look for a puff pastry that has real butter in it for best results) + and this easy cream cheese filling. To make the cream cheese filling: In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip 4 oz  [113 g] room temperature cream cheese, 4 tablespoons of granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt on medium-high until light and fluffy (1 to 2 minutes). Reduce the speed to low and add 1 cup [240 g] of  heavy cream in a slow, steady stream. Once the cream is incorporated, scrape down the mixer bowl, then increase the speed to medium-high […]

The post Raspberry Puff Pastry Tart appeared first on The Vanilla Bean Blog.

Crepes

Crepes are such a special treat and are easy to make at home. You don’t have to fly to France to enjoy the best crepes in the world, you can make them in your own kitchen! This crepe recipe is EASY! If you haven’t had crepes before, they ar…

Crepes are such a special treat and are easy to make at home. You don’t have to fly to France to enjoy the best crepes in the world, you can make them in your own kitchen! This crepe recipe is EASY! If you haven’t had crepes before, they are basically ultra-thin pancakes that can be…

Monstera Cake Roll with Pandan Whipped Cream & Kaya

Hello, springtime! This springy, spongy, stenciled cake roll is filled with a layer of rich kaya (coconut jam) and fluffy pandan whipped cream. If your piping skills aren’t up to snuff, stencils make for gorgeous prints and patterns with minimal effort… like screen printing, but with cake batter. This monstera leaf design is achieved with […]

The post Monstera Cake Roll with Pandan Whipped Cream & Kaya first appeared on Love and Olive Oil.

Hello, springtime! This springy, spongy, stenciled cake roll is filled with a layer of rich kaya (coconut jam) and fluffy pandan whipped cream.

If your piping skills aren’t up to snuff, stencils make for gorgeous prints and patterns with minimal effort… like screen printing, but with cake batter. This monstera leaf design is achieved with 3 different colors of green batter for a water-color like effect, on a pale pink background that’s perfectly on trend.

Pink cake roll with stenciled monstera leaf design, sliced to show the spiral of green pandan whipped cream filling

This recipe is the product of months of dreaming and weeks of testing. It’s something I’ve been planning for quite a long time (I actually bought the monstera stencil before the wood-grain stencil from my holiday cake roll), but ended up waiting until spring when the design would better match the weather.

The idea for the design popped into my brain and has remained pretty much unchanged (and the fact that the final result matches my vision so closely… well, I’m pleased as punch).

But that still left me with the question of… what do I fill it with?

I knew I wanted something green, to match the monstera leaf design. And I also wanted something a bit different than my usual green-go-to’s (aka matcha and pistachio). The perfect solution came in the form of Pandan: a grass-like leaf native to Southeast Asia which is often used in flavoring sweets and desserts.

I also added a thin layer of Kaya, a coconut-egg jam popular in Southeast Asia (especially Malaysia and Singapore), to give it an extra kick of flavor and sweetness and again, to make it a little bit different from my previous cake roll recipes. The punch of coconut is a perfect pairing for the subtle vanilla notes of the pandan. I simply adore this combination and couldn’t be more delighted with how the final product turned out (although, I’d maybe be slightly more delighted if it didn’t take me 5 rolls to get it just right…)

Two slices of Monstera Stenciled Roll Cake on rectangular plate

As is the case with this recipe, I am often inspired by Asian ingredients, flavors, and techniques, and I try my best to show my appreciation for the origins and cultural histories of these amazing and diverse foods. I truly believe we can all enjoy these unique recipes and ingredients, while still appreciating the cultures from which they hail and without laying claim to them as our own (there is a fine line between appropriation and appreciation, and I try very much to fall under the later with my recipes).

I simply didn’t feel comfortable posting a recipe like this one, inspired by Japanese techniques and Southeast Asian flavors, without addressing the increasing violence and hateful rhetoric directed towards Asian Americans in this country. Sadly, it is nothing new: Asian-Americans have been discriminated against in this country since before it was a country, even. This Twitter thread is rather eye-opening; did you learn about any of this in history class? Because I sure didn’t.

Talk is good and all (the more we can create awareness about what’s happening, the better), but I’m committed to putting my money where my mouth is, as they say. So I’ve committed to donating 100% of the ad revenue from this post to the AAPI Community Fund, which aims to address the urgent issues that face the AAPI community as well as broader, systemic problems through grants issued to trusted AAPI organizations working to rectify the racial inequalities in our society.

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Valentine’s Day Breakfast Board

This post is sponsored by Kroger. We never get dressed up and go out on Valentine’s Day, but we do like to celebrate at home. I will always support a day that celebrates love, flowers, and chocolate. Count me IN! This year, we are going to celebr…

This post is sponsored by Kroger. We never get dressed up and go out on Valentine’s Day, but we do like to celebrate at home. I will always support a day that celebrates love, flowers, and chocolate. Count me IN! This year, we are going to celebrate with a fun Valentine’s Day Breakfast Board. The…

The post Valentine’s Day Breakfast Board appeared first on Two Peas & Their Pod.