Caramel Easter Egg Cheesecake

An indulgent and decadent Easter cheesecake with a layer of caramel and chunks of caramel Easter eggs baked in, topped with milk chocolate ganache, more caramel and more Easter eggs!

Oh baby.

Easter is upon us. Or as we like to call it in my household, Chocolate Christmas. What I first envisioned when I was dreaming up an Easter recipe was a Cadbury Creme Egg Cheesecake. But bunny help me, I just don't like Creme Eggs! I know they're all the rage and we're all supposed to be whipped up into a mad buying frenzy when January rolls around and the supermarkets start putting out their Easter wares. 

Anything made up of this is gonna be good.

But I just think they're too sweet. And that might sound strange from someone who calls herself Cassie Cakes but it's the truth. So there I was, rolling ideas around, bouncing them off my friends to see what they thought but I just wasn't getting the excitement in my waters. Until I realised, "hold on, this is MY recipe! I can make whatever I like!". And so I give you my Caramel Easter Egg Cheesecake!

Giving the food processor its well deserved glory.

People seem to get upset each year when the Easter eggs start popping up in the shop, as though the Easter bunny got dementia and forgot when he was supposed to come. But personally, I think it's great! How could longer to enjoy delicious, delicious Easter chocolate be a bad thing?

Making caramel the easiest way ever!

Seriously magic.

 I don't want to blow my own horn but this is seriously one of the best cheesecakes - if not THE best cheesecake - I've ever had. TOOT TOOT! What we have here is a classic vanilla baked cheesecake with a layer of dulce de leche (Latin American caramel) and chopped caramel Easter eggs in the center. Then, because too much of a good thing is never enough, a layer of smooth and silky milk chocolate ganache is poured on top followed by lashings of more dulce de leche. Whole caramel Easter eggs are arranged around the outside and boom. Mind blown.

Okay now I think the food processor might be getting a big ego.

It might be a justified ego...look at the smooth, cheesy goodness.

Cheesecake is my jam. I love it. I love the texture and the taste...there's simply nothing else like it in this world. Some people will try and tell you that a cheesecake doesn't have to be baked, that you can make what they call a "set cheesecake" but those people are liars and you don't need that in your life. Team Baked. Team Baked FOR LIFE. 

Those chunks of Easter egg are just amazing when you bite into them in the cheesecake,

Tiny peaks of chocolate hinting through.

I have a big old food processor that I hardly ever use. I love it, it's one of my appliance children but it's definitely the child I leave in the cupboard with it's brother, The Juicer, cos frankly, I can't be bothered washing them up. But this cheesecakes gives you a chance to bring the neglected child out of the cupboard and give it a bit of well deserved glory. Use it to crush the biscuits then after, pop all the cheesecake ingredients in and give them a good processing. If you don't have a food processor, a hand or stand mixer will be more than adequate for the cheesecake mix and there's nothing wrong with bashing some biscuits with a rolling pin.

Oh I've really wanted to say this...you just Jackson Pollock the caramel on top...

...Nigella always says that.

That caramel, that ganache!

Now a note on dulce de leche. It is so easy to make at home but you do need to keep on eye on it. To make, place a whole can of sweetened condensed milk (for this recipe you'll need two) on it's side in a heavy-based saucepan and cover completely with water. Simmer for 2 hours, ensuring the can is always covered with an inch or two of water. If you allow the can to simmer uncovered, it can explode. And that would be a mess to clean up. A delicious mess, but a mess nonetheless. If this sounds too time consuming, you can buy a can of Top 'n' Fill from the supermarket - it's basically exactly the same. I just like doing things the long way. 

I love you, cheesecake.

But oh what a cheesecake. I can't say that this is a quick dessert, but it's not hard, just time consuming. And since you have a whole long weekend coming up, why not give it a go? I give you my word that you'll love it. Unless you don't like deliciousness and then I don't even know why we're friends. 

Ready for its close-up!

Drool. 

I could look at this beauty all day, erryday,

To. Die. For. 

Caramel Easter Egg Cheesecake

Prep time: 140 mins 

Cooking time: 60 mins

Total time:  3 hr 20 mins 

Servings: 14

Dulce de Leche
2 x 395g sweetened condensed milk

Baked Caramel Easter Egg Cheesecake
125g butter + extra, melted
250g packet butternut biscuits
750g cream cheese, softened
300ml sour cream
100g caster sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 x 125g Cadbury caramel Easter eggs

Milk Chocolate Ganache
300g milk chocolate
300ml thickened cream

Dulce de Leche

1. Place both cans on their side in a heavy bottomed pan
2. Cover with water, until there is two inches of water covering the cans
3. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 2 hours, topping up with water regularly. DO NOT LEAVE UNATTENDED.
4. Carefully remove from water and allow to cool before opening.
5. Once cooled, decant into a bowl and vigorously beat with a fork to make smooth. Set aside until required. 

 Baked Cheesecake

1. Preheat oven to 160°C
2. Melt butter and use a pastry brush to brush the base and sides of a 24cm spring-form pan with melted butter. Set remaining butter aside til required.
3. In the bowl of a food processor, process butternut biscuits until fine. Alternately, place biscuits into a freezer bag and crush with a rolling pin until fine.
4. Add the melted butter to the biscuits and pulse until the biscuits begin to pull away from the sides.
5. Press the biscuits firmly into the base of the prepared pan then refrigerate until required.
6. Wipe out the food processor bowl then place remaining ingredients into the bowl and process until smooth. 
7. Pour half the cheesecake mix into the biscuit base then return to the refrigerator. 
8. Set aside 14 of the caramel Easter eggs, then roughly chop the remaining eggs.
9. Spoon 3/4 of the dulce de leche mix onto the cheesecake, then top with chopped Easter eggs.
10. Pour the remaining cheesecake mix on top, covering any lumps with the mix.
11. Bake for one hour, then turn the oven off and allow to cool with the door shut for 10 mins.
12. Leave the cheesecake in the over, after the 10 mins have elapsed, with the door ajar until cooled. 
13. Refrigerate until cool. 

Milk Chocolate Ganache 

1. Melt the chocolate in a large microwave proof bowl in the microwave in 30 second intervals.
2. Once melted, add cream and stir to combine until smooth.
3. Allow to cool slightly. Ganache should be pourable but not hot.

Assembly

1. Remove the cooled cheesecake from the refrigerator.
2. Pour the ganache over the top of the cheesecake until completely covered.
3. With a spoon, drip the remaining dulce de leche over the top of the cheesecake,
4. Arrange the reserved 14 Easter eggs around the outside of the cheesecake.
5. Serve and enjoy! 

REVIEW: Statler & Waldorf

The Statler & Waldorf

Okay. So what's the deal with hipsters, right? With their moustaches and beards and tattoos and bikes and coffee, food trucks, gourmet burgers, pop up everything, craft beers, Ray Bans, skinny jeans, indie bands, pulled pork, artisanal and organic everything...wait...so hipsters are just people into good food, good music and fashion? Yeah, they are. And guess what. You're probably a hipster too. Oh no? You're not? You're really, really not? You just appreciate good beer and are growing a moustache for Movember even though it's March and goodness, who doesn't love pulled pork?

Also Statler & Waldorf

What I'm saying is, there is no such thing as a hipster. We're just using this loose, umbrella term to cast dispersions on anyone who might seem a bit cool or has particular interest. Chill out, relax, you're cool too! We're all hipsters and we're all not hipsters! Put aside that term, stuff labels. Enjoy good food! And here is my segue to my review. You see, in reading about Statler &Waldorf, a newish gastopub on Caxton Street, the word 'hipster' kept popping up. And yes, Statler & Waldorf is rather cool with a working fireplace and extensive seasonal menu, not the mention the craft beers. But it's also very comfortable and casual.

Named after the classic cranky characters from The Muppets, Statler & Waldorf has been open since late 2013. A gastropub is nothing new, they were huge when I lived in London years ago but the term seems to be uncommon in Brisbane. It simply means a pub that has good food! So we choose Statler & Waldorf for lunch on a recent Saturday. The interior of Statler & Waldorf  is great, with a giant portrait of the namesakes hanging over the fireplace, a large bar and plentiful seating both in and out. And in a Brisbane summer, inside is mercifully air conditioned.

Look at that crispy skin! Drool.

We jumped straight to mains and first up was a daily special, the Roast Whole Spatchcock with Mushroom Ragu & Truffle Mustard. At $32, it was tied for the most expensive item on the menu but when it came out, I could see why. Actually, I could smell why. It smelt spectacular. With whole mushrooms, crispy skin and a delicious truffle mustard on top, I had serious ordering envy. It was cooked really well and the flavours were divine. I could have easily stolen it.

This photo is focusing on the co-star, not the leading lady but the tart doesn't mind, she confidant enough to pull this off.

For the vegetarians amongst us, the Caramelised Onion, Artichoke & Roast Garlic Tart with Parsley Sauce ($20) was ordered. It was nice to see a vegetarian option that wasn't gnocchi. The tart was nice and complimented by both diners but I didn't see any parsley sauce and the tart seemed a little dry without it.

You're alright, salad but don't try and come to me as a main meal.

Next was the Beets & Apple Salad with Baby Spinach, Goat Cheese & Fregola. It was the least expensive thing on the menu at $16 so that could be why it was a little small but I would have been disappointed if it was my main. But, I also wouldn't have ordered it cos I'm a hungry, hungry hippo. There were a generous amount of beetroot and the goats cheese was lovely, it could have been beefed up with a bit more fregola. For a light option or side dish or a person who isn't always ravenous.

Them some nice sausages. I'm not making any puns, I'm bigger than that...that's what he said! *ba boom tish!*

Back to meaty fare with the Billy's Pork Sausages with Lemon & Olive Oil Mash, Cider & Pink Peppercorn Sauce ($23). The mash was great, lovely and smooth with great flavour from the olive oil. The sausages were huge too, so I think this dish was quite good value. The pink peppercorn sauce looked to be more of a salsa and the pairing was described as unusual but not bad.

This is a pie! ohhh yeah!

The next dish was another one from the specials board, the Pork & Porcini Pie with Crispy Quinoa & Almond Salad ($22). This was another good value meal, the pie was huge. The meat was of a good quality, not fatty as some pie meat can be and the gravy in the pie was delicious, as was the pastry. This was a winner all round!

Bugs are weird looking.

Mr. Cakes ordered the Corned Brisket & Moreton Bay Bug with Horseradish Slaw & Pernod Butter ($32). The brisket was really tender and just fell apart. The slightly saltiness was fantastic. The Moreton bay bug tasted good, but the texture was slightly off, not firm-ish like they usually are. The surprise star of the dish was the coleslaw! The heat of the horseradish was perfect and it balanced well with the meat.

Maybe the sunflowers has some sort of invisible cloaks. Tiny little seed cloaks.

I ordered the Salt Baked Salmon with Watercress, Grapefruit Curd & Sunflower Seeds ($26). The salmon was amazing, flaky and a little pink inside which I love. The grapefruit curd was a little bit citrusy which went so well with both the salmon and watercress. I didn't spot any sunflower seeds though but I didn't miss them either. There was no skin with the salmon, which is what I would have expected with salmon that was salt baked but it did keep the meal lighter.

Maybe I love chips so much as they're just a vehicle for salt...

We also got a number of serves of the Beer Battered Chips with Aioli and Sweet Potato Wedges with Organic Raita, both $10. The sweet potato wedges really delicious. They were in the style I've noticed a lot of sweet potato chips are lately with ridges the length of the chip, is there some sort of sweet potato chip fashion trend?  Not that this is a bad thing! The regular chips were amazing. A good chip, sweet potato or otherwise is a thing of beauty!

The moth attacked from those curtains - dive bombed me! I went to ground and retreated and sent someone else up to get me a drink...you win this one, moth.

The menu at Statler &Waldorf was a great example of gastropub fare, with new takes on old classics, using organic and local produce where they can. I did get attacked by a MASSIVE MOTH, much to the amusement of everyone in the bar but I won't hold that against them. I swear, that moth came straight for me. They know how much I hate them.

Food: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Price: 3/5
Atmosphere: 4/5
 

REVIEW: Southern Attitude

Mmmm steaks. Nice ring, mysterious menu holder.

On a particularly warm Saturday night, we decided to go down to Southern Attitude on Oxford Street for dinner. Southern Attitude is fairly new, opening in 2014. The restaurant is the north of the border sister to the Mexican restaurant next door, La Quinta. We've been to La Quinta many times and always had good experiences, except for once when we made a booking and yet didn't get a table. At the time, I remember being reminded of a Seinfeld episode - "You know how to take the reservation, you just don't know how to hold the reservation. And that's really the most important part of the reservation".

Delicious apple pie cocktail. Get in my mouth!

Fortunately that didn't happen when we visited, although our request for an outside table went unfulfilled. We were seated at a booth inside and it was warm, but seemed bearable. The ordering system is the same as at La Quinta, you place a small flag atop your table number to get attention and it works really well. We ordered a few drinks, some soft drinks, a Pabst Blue Ribbon, of course and Sweet Apple Pie cocktail which was tequila, butterscotch schnapps, apple cider, lemon juice and cinnamon sugar for $13. The Sweet Apple Pie was delicious. Could easily have had a few more.


Wings are always a good idea.

After drinks, we ordered starters to share. First up we got a serving of 8 wings in Original with Blue Cheese Dip and Celery ($18). These were pretty good, and I liked the full wing being served. The flavour was good with a tasty mix of spices, and so was the texture. Often wings are drowned in sauce and they lose the crispiness of the fried batter but this was not the case with these wings.


Oh crab cakes. What would Mr. Krab say?

Next we got a serve of Crab Cakes ($9). There was a definite taste of crab in the crab cakes but the size was a little disappointing. They were okay. Finally, we got the Baked Chili Cheese Fries for $10, which was a generous serving of chips with beef chili, sour cream and shallots. Personally, I wasn't a huge fan of these fries - they were very meaty, which for most people would be a good thing but I'm a bit meh about these kind of chips. They're too much! But they all got eaten, and they're very much up Mr. Cakes' ally.

They look good. And they were good, for those who like them. Totally making perfect sense.

The mains came out before we'd finished the entrees. There was a slight feeling of being rushed, the restaurant by this time was getting busier and maybe it was because of the bodies in the room or the hot food in front of us but I was starting to feel the heat now. We made room on the table for the mains. First, there was the Kentucky Pulled Pork Sliders served with Rocket, Apple Cider Slaw and Chipotle Aioli for $14 with a serve of Blackened Corn for an extra $4. The sliders tasted really good and the meat wasn't fatty. The bread wasn't the greatest and I didn't think the corn was worth the extra $4, it looked a bit sad.


Mmm less than impressive. That little sauce drip is though.

Next were two Smoked Double Bacon Cheeseburgers ($14), each with a Wagyu Patty, Smoked Bacon, Cheese, Pickles, BBQ Sauce and Ranch dressing with Onion Rings and Fries ($4 each). The burger was good, the meat had a bit of a taco seasoning flavour to it, which was a little odd but not horrible. The chips were a lot better without the chili on top but the onion rings weren't cut up properly so some bits of onion were a bit thick.


So much fried goodness.

Finally, for my main, I ordered the Chicken Fried Chicken which was Southern Fried Breaded Chicken Breast with SA Seasoning, Fried and Served with Maple and Mustard White Gravy. It came with two sides, I choose Coleslaw and Sweet Potato chips. What came out was not what I expected. Instead of a whole bit of chicken breast, a flattened, breaded schnitzel type chicken breast was served. It wasn't terrible, but with the thoughts of my mothers southern fried chicken in my mind, I can't say that I wasn't a little disappointed. However, the chicken was good and the sweet potato chips were really good.


See what I mean about the chicken? It was good! Just not what I expected.

By this time though, it was sweltering. I literally had sweat dripping down my legs. I wolfed down my meal and escaped to the night outside, leaving Mr. Cakes to settle the bill with our dining companions.

PBR. Of course.

Southern Attitude was okay, I didn't hate it but I don't think I'll be rushing back. Southern Attitude do have a take away option so I think if I do eat there again, I will be eating it at home in the comfort of my air conditioning and with puppycakes at my feet.

Food: 3/5
Service: 3/5
Price: 2/5
Atmosphere: 2/5

Cassie Cakes Goes to the Alliance Française French Film Festival



The Alliance Française French Film Festival 2015!

Last Friday, my lovely friend and I attended the Alliance Française French Film Festival at Palace Centro on James street, New Farm. The French Film festival has been running for 26 years and yet somehow, this is the first time I've attended. The film festival is the largest and most successful cultural events that Alliance Française runs and was created to strengthen ties between Australia and France, as well as increase awareness of French arts and cinema.


The red carpet - that red and white polka dress is cute!

The night we attended was the opening night gala and as such, there was lots of champagne flowing, a red carpet and a wonderful after party to continue the festivities after.

The crowds start to gather.

We got there nice and early and enjoyed our glass of champagne then snagged a seat to watch the crowds assemble. And assemble they did. Pretty soon the upper and lower foyers were packed with people, with more than a few very chic, Parisian inspired outfits.


Look at all that champagne! I could do some damage here...



 Around 7pm, we made our way into one of three cinemas showing the evening movie. After we listened to a short speech about the festivals history and a little information about Alliance Française, it was time for the screening. 

The French have comically large lips, don't you know.

First, we watched the premiere of the new Peugeot ad which doesn't sound very exciting but it was because it had a very sexy French actor in it - the identity of whom I cannot find but I would like to know!
 

Ahh idyllic French life!

Then it was time for the main attraction - Gemma Bovery! The movie starred Gemma Aterton as the titular character and Fabrice Luchini as the meddling, well-intentioned village baker Martin. As Gemma's life starts to mirror that of the famous fictional Madame Bovary, Martin gets more and more entwined. It was a lovely drama-comedy and utterly enchanting. I'm planning my move to Normandy and I'm not joking.
 


A cow in a beret? Of course, the French cow. Duh.



After we attended the cocktail party and while the food was not amazing, it was an open bar so swings and roundabouts. And the staff at Palace were so helpful - and attractive.
 


The pretty tree at the cocktail party.

The Alliance Française French Film Festival is showing 49 films and documentaries, screening at Palace Barracks and Palace Centro Cinemas, as well as around the country, from 13 March - 1 April. More details are available at the Palace Cinemas website.

REVIEW: High Tea at Lab



The heritage Treasury Hotel.

I am back from my holiday in Thailand and ready to share with you our experience at The Lab Bar & Restaurant at the Treasury Casino. I have been to high tea before with my mother and sister and had a lovely time. The dainty sandwiches, the pretty pastries, frilly doilies - the whole experience is traditional and wonderfully feminine. So I was a little surprised, delightfully so, when the masculine and hairy Mr. Cakes expressed his desire to accompany me to high tea! He explained it, tiny sweets and scones...why wouldn't he like it?! 


Champagne and tea and everything nice!



We both got dressed up and made our way in to the city. The Lab Bar & Restaurant is situated in the Treasury Hotel, away from the main casino building itself. The history and architecture really makes the experience special, the polished timber bar that dominates the room is beautiful and really makes you want to have a drink.

 

The vintage bar...very well stocked.

The high tea is available on the weekends from 2 - 3:30pm for $45 per person.We started off with a glass of champagne Chandon NV Sparkling Brut for $12.50 then choose our tea from the La Masion Du Thé (which means the house of tea, thank you less-than-basic-French-skills) selection. The tea choice is bottomless so if you could drink $45 worth of tea, you'd certainly be getting your money's worth.


Look how handsome Mr. Cakes looks in his blue shirt. Trust me, the rest of his is very handsome too.

After we were served our tea, the tower of afternoon delicacies were presented. I really liked all the decorative charger plates and crockery. It made the setting feel particularly fancy. Traditionally, one should eat the high tea from to top plate down, starting with the scones on the top tier then savoury items then sweet pasties. On the top tier for our high tea, we had 2 scones each, one plain and one sultana scone as well as a petit quiche and frittata each.

The scones and quiches and frittatas - oh my!



The scones are now dressed up and ready for eating!

We were given individual pots of jam for the scones along with a serving cream. The scones were really nice, perhaps not as good as Mr. Cakes'...have I not told you how good Mr. Cakes' scones are? They're amazing. He must have had lessons from Margaret Fulton. The quiche and frittata were okay, they were a little underwhelming.

Nice and appropriately moist.

The next tier was the savoury level which in this case, were finger sandwiches. There were chicken salad, tomato and cheese, roast beef, egg salad and lastly salmon. They were all fresh and moreish. And they were all the right level of not-wet until Mr. Cakes dropped one in the water, which was adorable and hilarious.


The sandwich going for a swim.



The final layer was the sweets. We had opera cake, which was my favourite, glazed fruit tarts, mini lemon meringue tarts, a macaron (yes, one 'o' in macaron) each and lastly, an adorable cream puff in the shape of a swan. Unfortunately the cutest of the desserts was the least impressive. The puff wasn't very crisp so the texture was a little stale. None of the desserts blew me away, although the presentation was lovely.

The ornate swan cream puff and friends.

The high tea at Lab was nice however although I've not been to that many high teas, this ranked No. 2 in the two I have been to. It was nice though and we had a lovely time. The best thing about it though was watching Mr.Cakes try to use the dainty serving-ware. Absolutely adorable.

Food: 3/5
Service: 3.5/5
Price: 3/5
Atmosphere: 4/5