Zombie Thesis Cake!

 

Hello Thinkers,
Ever wondered what a cheescake crossed with a thesis, crossed with a Zombie would look like? Well wonder no longer! In a combo last seen in MJ's Thriller, a classic cheescake (below) came together with sculptable buttercream: http://thedecoratedcookie.com/2012/05/guest-post-sculptable-frosting-by-cheryl-of-sew-can-do/

And produced... The Zombie Thesis Cake! Made for a friend who was leaving!
All of it is Gluten Free! Muwahahahaaaaaaah!

Happy baking, Fozzie.

Fudgey Fozzie!

Hello Thinkers,
Sorry for the radio silence (again). I have been busy being away not home, data collecting across the land and taking on a job which also meant travelling - just call me Gypsy! But for those who have tried it, the mere fact that this post title has FUDGE in it will set the salivation glands to high! Yesterday I made fudge! Nummy, nummy, nummy, fudge. At a get together I asked everyone what nuts they wanted in it and in the end I decided that I would do half with the hazelnuts that I got on my travels at Brydone Whole Foods Store which is just south of Alma and in the former Brydone Church Hall. This half is mine, all mine. The other half I have left plain free of nuts and slightly boring thats the half I am taking in tomorrow. This is Nigella's recipe, its pretty awesome and easy to do.

Prepared tin/glass container lined with baking paper or tin foil (I ran out of BP so I used foil)
1 block of chocolate (Dark Ghana) minus 2 rows
1/2- 3/4 can of condensed milk
a blob of butter (I take the nick out of the corner)
a cup of any nuts you want - I've used hazelnuts (roasted) salted cashews, pistachios and almonds (but not all at once)

Method:
Melt chocolate, butter and condensed milk together in a pan over a low heat. Stir constantly otherwise it catches and thats just nasty. If you have a candy thermometer keep going till it hits soft ball if not keep stiring till it starts to provide resistance and clumps together - this can be tricky but I made this fudge forever without a thermometer (till my besty gave me one as a pressie) and you will know, trust me! Then take of heat and add nuts
Pour onto prepared container should be able to be manipulated but not runny. Don't spread too thin make at least inch thick. Smooth over top and allow to set. I usually let it set over night. Then cut and enjoy!

Till next time, happy thinking,
Fozzie.

An oldy but a goody

Cheesecake. Everyone loves cheesecake (lactose intolerant people aside, so sorry). This is the most easy peasy lemon squeesy baked NY style cheescake ever - now for lovers of biscut crust this is not the recipe for you - however if you are Gluten Free then it surely is!
Found in Jo Segar's recipe book it has become a staple in my family, especially around christmas time - gosh its almost upon us!

250g Cream Cheese
250g Ricotta
250g Sour cream
1 Tbsp Lemon juice (or the juice of a whole lemon - really lifes too short to measure it!)
1/4 cup of cornflour
1 cup of caster sugar

Preheat oven 160C degrees
Grease and line a 20cm springform

Put all of the ingredients in a food whiz - blend until smooth and no cream cheese lumps!
Pour into springform

Bake at 160 for hour or until golden and set - can still have a jiggle
Leave to cool in tin on a wire rack.

Serve with whipped cream and strawberries. Enjoy!  Sorry no photos -it disappeared into the bellies of the postgrads before 10:30! Keep thinking foodies,

With happiness always, Fozzie!

Baking, baking, baking...

Hello fellow thinkers.
So there has been some radio silence, but fear not I have been baking. I have baked at least once a month - but I have also tempered this with a lot of research, writing, reading. So for now, I will give you a brief rundown on what those Postgrads have been sampling.

The beauty of a box cake!
Most recently, I went purple and really experimental - probably more mental than experience! I turned a betty crocker vanilla cake into a boysenberry vanilla loaf cake by adding a tin of boysenberries and a squeeze of lemon instead of the water/milk then baked it in a loaf tin till it came away at the sides. It made for a dense moist and very purple loaf-cake. Before that I found dump cake on Pinterest - many hours of my evenings has been spent on this addictive social medium. Which turned a betty crocker chocolate cake mix into a brownie/pudding cake with the addition of chocolate mousse, chocolate chips and milk.
And then there was my from scratch birthday cake which was a little cake, a little cheesecake and a whole lot of nummy. I promise I will put up the actual recipes laters - although the box cake ones are pretty self explanatory.

Till then keep thinking,
Fozzie

One more day...

So August has rolled around and I (and my twin brother) have these last few hours of being one year younger than ourselves tomorrow. Firstly Happy Birthday to my beloved brother Matthew, you may be on the other side of a very large island in warm beautiful weather, while we are in the middle of pea soup, but you are not far from my thoughts everyday! Love yous I do! And as I sit he eating a packet of Cheezels for afternoon tea inbetween transcribing for Kermie, I am planning what to bake when I get home for the morning tea celebrations tomorrow. There will be cake (maybe) there will be cream (for sure) but how it all turns out, well who knows!
Be sure to check back for the birthday bash!
Happy thinking,

Fozzie
P.S. no this is not the cake, yes I know it was Kermie's! Just tempting you all with deliciousness!

MathKiwi's Banana Bread

So last week or so, MathKiwi our postgrad rep for the floor came to work with beautful banana bread it was so popular that pictured is the last piece with associated crumbs!

MATHKIWI'S QUICK BANANA BREAD
Preheat oven to 150
Sift together:
1 3/4 flour (half of which can be wholemeal)
2 1/4 t baking powder
1/2 t salt

Cream:
1/2 cup of butter
2/3 cup of sugar
3/4 t of lemon rind

Beat in
2 eggs
1 1/4 cup of ripe banana pulp - MathKiwi states that they should be BLACK!

Add sifted ingredients in about 3 parts to the sugar mixture. Beat batter after each addition until smooth.
Fold in:
1/2 cup walnuts
1/4 cup of dried apricots
1/4 cup of wheat germ

Place batter in loaf tin. Bake for an hour or until done (assuming springs back and golden)

Cool before slicing and enjoy

NZ Boston Buns Gluten Free!!! (Photos)