No Bake Bakes

Hey everyone!

We're back again for another fun semester of baking!

Kicking off 2022, this challenge's theme was 'No Bake Bakes' -- we could create whatever our hearts desired as long as they didn't involve an oven or any other baking method.

Athena's Salted Caramel Cheesecake made us drool and took the crown this week! (Oh, If only smell-o-vision existed ... or taste-o-vision for that matter)

Here are some of the lovely No-bake-bakes:

Athena's Salted Caramel Cheesecake

Juliette's Chocolate Marquise

Ingredients

• 2 eggs

• 80g icing sugar/caster sugar

• 120 g butter, softened (Président is my favourite! Available in Waitrose)

• 150g dark chocolate (If you can afford it, get high quality 70% such as Valrhona)

• Edible primrose and nasturtium leaves, for decoration

• Fresh pomegranate, for decoration

Method

1. Cream the egg yolks and sugar together.

2. Melt the chocolate in a hot water bath. Once melted, add the softened butter to chocolate.

3. When the chocolate and butter are well meddled, add them to the yolk mixture.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites as you would do for a meringue.

5. Gently fold the foamy egg whites into the chocolate mixture.

6. Refrigerate and enjoy!!!

Madeleine’s Leftover-Christmas-Chocolate Rocky Road

Ingredients

• 200g digestive biscuits (Rich Tea can also be used)

• 135g butter or margarine

• 200g dark chocolate (70% cocoa works best)

• 2-3 tbsp golden syrup

• 100g mini marshmallows (chopped regular marshmallows work too)

• icing sugar, to dust

Madeleine got creative with the leftover Christmas chocolate and other snacks kicking around in her cupboards — marshmallows, dairy milk chocolate and chocolate digestives, but here is the original recipe she provided (Feel free to substitute whichever ingredients with any others you have at home like Madeleine did!)

Method

1. Grease and line an 18cm square brownie tin with baking paper.

2. Place 200g digestive biscuits in a freezer bag and bash with a rolling pin or just the side of your fist until they're broken into a mixture of everything between dust and 50p-sized lumps. Set aside.

3. In a large saucepan melt 135g butter or margarine, 200g dark chocolate and 2-3 tbsp golden syrup over a gentle heat stirring constantly until there are no or almost no more lumps of chocolate visible, then remove from the heat. Leave to cool.

4. Take the biscuits, 100g mini marshmallows and up to 100g of additional ingredients (dried fruit, nuts, popcorn, honeycomb), if you like, and stir into the chocolate mixture until everything is completely covered.

5. Tip the mixture into the lined baking tin, and spread it out to the corners. Chill for at least 2 hrs then dust with icing sugar and cut into 12 fingers.

Chloe’s Vegan Peanut Butter Cheesecake

Ingredients

Base Layer

• 250g Digestives

• 70g Vegan Butter

Cheesecake Layer

• 2 cups cashews (soaked until soft

• 1/4 cup maple syrup

• 1/2 cup tinned coconut milk

• A dash of vanilla extract

Peanut Butter and Caramel Layer

• 1 cup tinned coconut milk

• 1/2 cup peanut butter

• 1/2 cup maple syrup

• A dash of vanilla extract

Chocolate ganache

• 200g dark chocolate

• 1 cup tinned coconut milk

Method

Base Layer

1. Crush up the digestives as fine as you can get them and mix with the melted butter.

2. Firmly press the mixture into the bottom of your cake tin/container.

Cheesecake Layer

1. Blend ingredients together until you have a smooth mixture with no lumps.

2. Pour over the base layer and set in freezer for approx. one hour.

Peanut Butter and Caramel Layer

1. Gently heat all of the ingredients together in a saucepan on a low heat.

2. Stir until you reach a creamy consistency.

3. Pour over the Cheesecake layer and set in the freezer for 1-2 hours.

Chocolate Ganache

1. Heat the coconut milk in a pot until it begins to simmer.

2. Remove from heat and stir through the chocolate until you have a thick ganache.

3. Pour over the Peanut Butter layer and put back in the freezer to set completely.

Maebh’s Peanut Butter Fudge

Ingredients

• 125g butter

• 500g dark brown sugar

• 120ml milk

• 250g crunchy peanut butter

• 1 vanilla pod, seeds only

• 300g icing sugar

Method

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat.

2. Stir in the brown sugar and milk, and bring to the boil for 2-3 minutes, without stirring.

3. Remove from the heat, and stir in the peanut butter and vanilla seeds.

4. Place the icing sugar in a large bowl, and pour the hot butter and sugar mixture on top. Using a wooden spoon, beat the mixture until smooth.

5. Pour into a 20cm/8in square baking tray, and set aside to cool slightly, then place in the fridge to

chill completely.

6. Cut the fudge into squares with a sharp knife, turn

out of the tin and store in an airtight container.

Kavita's Oreo Chocolate Mousse Tartlets

Ingredients

• 24 oreos

• 30g unsalted butter, melted (I used a lot more than this -- I just eyeballed it, really)

• 225g good quality chocolate (semi-sweet or bittersweet)

• 1/4 cup hot water

• large pinch of salt

• 2 large egg whites, room temperature

• 1 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar

• 235g (1 cup) double cream, very cold

• Black cocoa powder and regular cocoa powder, to decorate

Method

For the Crust

1. Pulverize the oreos in a food processor or blender and mix together with the melted butter in a small bowl. Divide the mixture evenly between tartlet trays. Press firmly in the bottom and up the side. Place in the freezer to set while making the mousse.

For the Mousse

1. Melt the chocolate either over a double boiler or in short, 15 second, bursts in the microwave, stirring well in between. After the chocolate is completely melted and glossy, add the hot water and immediately begin whisking very quickly until completely incorporated. Add a pinch of salt into the chocolate and mix in.

2. In a clean mixing bowl with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites until foamy. Slowly stream in the sugar while still whisking and whisk to just barely stiff peaks. Check for peaks frequently being careful not to over whip the whites. Gently move the meringue to another bowl and wipe out the mixing bowl so you can make whipped cream.

3. Whip the cold heavy cream to make whipped cream to medium-firm peaks. Again, be careful not to over whip your cream.

4. Make sure your chocolate bowl has cooled down to about room temp before moving on to folding in your whites and cream. Take about 1/3 of the egg whites and whisk them into the chocolate to lighten it and make it easier to fold in the rest. Use a rubber spatula to then fold in the rest of the egg whites in two more portions. Be very gentle not to deflate the whites. You will have some white streaks at this point.

5. Now, fold the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture about 1/3 at a time. Again, being very gently and patient. Keep gently folding until you have a pail chocolate mousse. It will be light and fluffy.

6. Fill the tart shells with the mousse and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before topping.

7. Top the set mousse filled tarts with cocoa powders and enjoy!