Celebrating Our Way

It's a bit of a tradition in our home.... when we celebrate a special day, to make this decadent chocolate cheesecake! This time it's the special man in our family who is turning a year older and wiser and our little one was very eager to "help". She did a great job of breaking the chocolate (yes a whole block in this recipe) into squares for melting.... and we only lost half a cup of brown rice flour on the kitchen floor this time! So good was the mix that the beaters didn't even make it off the mix master this time!

Want the recipe? Here it is. But first please let me warn you, depite the gluten free bit, there is nothing healthy about this one!... except how good it makes you feel eating it!

Gluten Free Chocolate Cheesecake

Base is a chocolate slice recipe:

1 cup all purpose plain gluten free flour (I used Orgram's brand from the health food section)

1/2 cup brown rice flour

3 tspns gluten free baking powder

1-2 tblspns cocoa

1/4 cup coconut

1/2 cup castor (Less is fine)

6 good tblspns butter (melted)

1 egg

Throw the whole lot into a bowl and mix well. Press into a springform tin, lining the base and sides. Bake at 165-170 degrees (fanforced) until it starts to crisp at the edges. Set aside to cool.

(This makes a great choc slice on it's own if pressed into a regular biscuit tray. Keep it thin if you like it crunchy or thick for a softer texture. You might also have a bit of mix left over for a couple of little cookies - delicious with the whipped cream we'll be preparing too!)

Cheesecake filling:

2 x 250g blocks of Phily cheese

1/2 cup castor sugar (again less is fine)

about 200g of melted chocolate (more is fine)

11/2 cups thickened cream

Beat cream cheese. Add sugar and melted chocolate. Whip the cream and stir in til mixed through well. Pour over cooled base. Refrigerate.

Insert celebration candles, sing, shout hooray, clap and enjoy! Serve with extra whipped cream.

[Variation: If you're not worried about the gluten free bit, you can make your crust the traditional and easier way by crushing a packet of choc biscuits and adding enough melted butter to hold the mix together when pressed into your springform tin. Refrigerate.]

Hope your family loves this one as much as ours does!

xx

A Brilliant Sewer!

My little one sat beside me as I finished off a dress project I started for her a few weeks ago now. It was one of those projects that sat, draped over my machine between spurts of progress. I started out with this cute print that I got for a bargain - $3 per metre I think it was.... And I only bought a metre of each colour. I tried hunting for a pattern but that's another story...and another day with my little companion.

So now finally, a patternless project is complete.... but I must share the whisperings of my fellow little sewer as she worked....

"I'm a brilliant sewer Mummy..... I'm a brilliant cook AND a brilliant sewer!
...You just put this pin in here and then poke it through there....see Mummy!
.....I'm a bit fussy with putting on things with pins though.... cos I don't like it how they spike you.... that hurts!"

And I have to say, this clumsy Mama sewer needs lots of pins.... and my handy work leaves much room for improvement... =) But it still looks cute on the brilliant sewer! Don't you think?