Yup, you read right, a No Bake Chocolate Cheesecake with an Oreo Crust. It’s not just the title that’s a mouthful, this dessert is one delicious mouthful after another. A rich and creamy mouthful. The chocolate filling is deliciously chocolatey and has the taste and texture of a rich chocolate mousse.
I made this dessert for Eid and when it was served, there was a barely a sound, everyone was savouring each bite. Eid day is a hard one to get right with dessert. Usually, everyone is full from the days’ overindulgence, but this dessert still went down a treat at the end of the day.
The creamy, moussey, chocolatey goodness of the filling is encased in an oreo crust. They work beautifully together. I also topped this one with strawberries and Ferrero Rocher (I was attempting to use up the supply of Ferrero Rochers that were received as Eid gifts), but you can top it with anything you like. You could keep it simple and just serve as is, or top with a bit of cream. Raspberries would also work great with this, nuts would work too. The options are endless.
Line an 8-inch/21cm springform pan with baking paper.
Process the Oreos until they’re a fine crumb.
Melt butter and add into the Oreo crumbs.
Mix well and pour into the springform pan.
Press the crumbs up and into the sides and flatten the bottom. I use a flat-bottomed glass to flatten the base.
Set aside in the fridge.
Filling
Place the dark chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and heat at 20 seconds increments, mixing each time you check it. Continue until it is completely melted.
Set aside to cool while you prepare your other ingredients.
Beat cream cheese and sugar together until smooth.
Mix cocoa powder with hot water until there are no lumps. Set aside to cool.
Once the cream cheese mixture is smooth, add in your melted chocolate and briskly mix until combined.
Add in your cocoa and mix well.
Whip your cream until soft peaks.
Fold half your cream into the cream cheese mixture, once combined fold in the remaining half.
Spoon your mixture into your prepared base and set aside in the fridge for a minimum 2 hours.
This can be made a day ahead.
Serve as is, with more cream or toppings of your choosing.
So you know that time close to the end of Ramadan when you have way too many dates lying around? Yeah me neither, we usually get through all our dates. Well, if you do, or you stock up and have some to spare then this date and oat cookie is perfect for you.
These cookies are fairly simple to make. You beat up the softened butter with sugar and eggs then mix in your dry ingredients and then the dates, almonds, oats and chia. If you’re an ‘eat a cookie by itself’ kinda person then these are perfect, if you’re a ‘dunk a cookie’ kinda person then even better. These cookies work both ways on their own or dunked. The crunch of the almonds work perfectly with the sweet chewiness of the dates and the oats make it feel wholesome and filling.
I’m taking these cookies to Eid Eats 2018, a virtual Eid potluck hosted by my food blogging buddies Asiya (of Chocolate and Chillies), Sarah (of Flour and Spice Blog) and Henna (of Chai and Churros). Go on over to their blogs to check out what others are bringing.
Ever since I created my Chocolate Cookie Masjid I’ve been wanting to create a vanilla version. I had decided that when the time came, I would design (or have designed) a new template so that it would be an all new cookie masjid version.
Recently, my friend Zayneb over at zedandq.com launched ‘The Play Masjid’, a wooden play masjid for kids. Zed&Q is a company which creates products aiming to inspire and educate minds through faith. Founders Zayneb and Sidqie have a passion for making learning fun, which brought their idea of The Play Masjid to life. When I saw it, I just knew I wanted to recreate it as a cookie. Zayneb kindly created the cookie template for me.
After much recipe testing, creating and design revisions, the Vanilla Cookie Masjid was born. This one is a little trickier than the Chocolate Cookie Masjid, but hopefully, with all my tricks and tips, it should be achievable. If you’d like to try something a little easier, then do give the Chocolate Cookie Masjid a try.
Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of a mixer and beat until light and fluffy.
Add in your egg and vanilla and beat till combined.
Combine your flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.
Turn your mixer off and add you flour mixture.
Beat slowly at first to incorporate the flour, then higher until it forms a dough.
Form your dough into a bowl and place into cling wrap and place in the fridge to chill for 1 hour.
Cut out your template and leave it aside.
Roll out your dough to 1cm thickness and place the template above. Cut out the dough following the edges of the template. Repeat for both templates.
Pre-heat oven to 170c.
Place in the fridge again to chill for a further 15 minutes.
When the oven is heated, place the cookie pieces inside.
Bake for 15 minutes.
Remove from the oven and recut the gap in the cookie, make sure that this is wider than 1cm.
Turn the oven off.
Place the cookies back in the oven with the door slightly ajar. This will ensure that the cookie does not brown further, but will harden enough to handle.
When the oven is cool, remove your cookies.
Decorate
Assembly
Place enough icing on the bottom of the cookie door piece to attach to your board/plate.
Hold this in place while it sets. Place glasses along the walls for extra support.
Pipe icing into the gap of the second cookie and slide it onto the first. Do this slowly and carefully.
If your cookie cracks, pipe icing into it and reattach the pieces.
Pipe icing onto the cookie pieces where they meet each other and the plate. Clean up any icing drips and edges.
When ready to eat, break pieces off and enjoy!
Notes
Tips and tricks:
-To avoid your cookie getting too dark, follow the baking instructions in the recipe (remove after 15 minutes, recut, and let harden in the oven while off with the door slightly ajar)
-To ensure you have enough space in the cutouts to fit the pieces together, make sure you recut them as soon as you remove from the oven. The pieces will cut easily if they are still hot.
-If your cookie cracks or breaks, don’t be concerned, stick it back together with some extra icing. Wait for it to set before working with it.
-Make sure you place the cookies together carefully, sliding one down over the other slowly.
I didn’t think I’d be able to get up any more posts before Eid, but as it turns out I had something to offer at the very last minute.
I made mini sticky date cakes for friends and family this year. They were really well received, so I thought they would make a nice addition to our Eid breakfast as muffins. It’s a great way to use up all those excess dates after Ramadan and make something really yummy in the process.
This recipe is based on the Mini Sticky Date Cakes I made for Eid gifts. I adapted the recipe a little to work better as muffins. A little extra flour creates a sturdier cake, perfect as a muffin. I mixed some of the left-over butterscotch icing from the mini cakes into some cream cheese and topped these babies with it. I have to say it is the perfect accompaniment.
This is also my contribution for Eid Eats 2016. Eid Eats is an annual event run by my blogger friends My Ninja Naan, Flour and Spice Blog and Chocolate and Chillies. Head on over to check out their blogs and what everyone else contributed to the event.
Pre heat oven to 175c and prepare your pans. Grease your muffin pans, or line with cases.
Pit your dates and roughly chop them, measure out 1½ cups after chopping.
Place you dates, water and bicarb soda in a food processor. Make sure all the dates are covered. Leave to steep for 10 minutes.
While waiting for the dates, beat sugar and butter in a mixer on a medium speed until thick and creamy.
Process date mixture and add to the butter and sugar. Beat till the dates are mixed through.
Add in eggs and mix till incorporated.
Add in flour and beat until just combined.
Pour mixture into muffin pans, approx ⅓ cup or until they almost reach the top. Place in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes. Your muffins will be ready when a skewer pierced through comes out clean.
Leave to cool completely in the muffin pan then remove. Serve as is or top with cream cheese butterscotch icing.
I don’t know why I do it to myself, but every year I decide to make something homemade for Eid gifts. This year has been especially tough, with all of us being sick at one time or another throughout the month. And for one week we were all sick at the same time.
I don’t know why, there’s just something about a home baked treat and despite the craziness, illness, and all the general busyness that is Ramadan I still wanted to make something. I found super cute mini round paper baking pans at Aldi – they actually had these in their store a little while ago. I was lucky to find the last few floating around their store. They make the perfect size for a gift. I wish I had found more cases and was having a better run, I would have liked to gift these to more people. But I kept it simple and easy and only ended up gifting them to family and close friends.
Let’s talk about these cakes, they’re sticky date cakes. I mean come on, it’s Ramadan, what better way to finish than with date cakes. They’re sticky, they’re moist, they’re delicious, they’re full of flavour and they’re drenched in butterscotch sauce.
I wrapped them in a cellophane bag and added a simple Eid Mubarak Tag, you can download yours here free.
Pre heat oven to 160c and prepare your pans. I used 10 x 12cm paper liners. This would also fit into 2 20cm pans.
Pit your dates and roughly chop them, measure out 3 cups after chopping Place you dates, water and bicarb soda in a food processor. Make sure all the dates are covered. Leave to steep for 10 minutes.
While waiting for the dates, beat sugar and butter in a mixer on a medium speed until thick and creamy.
Process date mixture and add to the butter and sugar. Beat till the dates are mixed through.
Add in eggs and vanilla and mix till incorporated.
Add in flour and beat until just combined.
Pour ¾ cup of your mixture into the prepared pans. Place in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes. Your cakes will be ready when a skewer pierced through comes out clean.
Butterscotch Sauce
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine your sugar, cream and butter. Stir occasionally until the sugar is dissolved. Turn to high heat and let mixture come to the boil. Once boiled set aside to cool.
Pierce holes through the cakes and pour over the sauce. Best served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Can you believe another month has passed? I can’t believe I’m writing my May post (and it’s already June!). This time, I thought I’d combine some of my Ramadan favourites with my May ones as I’m sure you’re all still on the lookout for ideas for your kids or to make things easier during the month, so here they are. As usual, I’ve included affiliate links where necessary.
Books:
These always features heavily don’t they? Well here are my May and Ramadan book picks.
Noor Kids, I have good memories of this series, having purchased them two Ramadans ago for the kids. They were a great surprise, the books are fun and relatable and my now 5-year-old has enjoyed them ever since. He’s even trying to read them himself, Alhumdulillah. Their books cover a range of topics, there’s even the new ‘First time Fasting’, which I will have to get my hands on.
There are so many great options for Ramadan books these days. Our Ramadan books are all laid out on our Ramadan table waiting to be read.
It’s Ramadan Curious George and Owl and Cat: Ramadan is… are the sweetest new Ramadan books I’ve come across. One with a cheeky little monkey and the other with the cutest owl and cat. Definite must haves in the Ramadan library.
Ramadan activities and learning resources:
I was a bit worried this year, I’m usually so prepared, but it’s been so busy lately I haven’t had a chance to do much. Eventually, I did get a banner up and put some books out. It’s not much, but Ramadan is about making things fun and I plan to do that through the month with these posts, books, and printables to help along the way.
Bismillah Babies have just released Ramadan books (pictured: top right corner). One is an activity book and the other a journal. I had a chance to check them out and they are both great, filled with stories of Ramadan Around the World, fun activities, recipes and more. There has been an amazing effort put into these books, I’m sure they’ll be loved by so many kids.
Food fun:
When the kids get board I’m definitely going to pull out these cutters for them to use with play dough or maybe even let them cut cookies. If I have some time I’d love to make cookies for my kids’ friends, it might make a perfect/Ramadan gift.
Ramadan planning and goals:
Every year I tell myself to prepare, to plan better, to get things in order before Ramadan but that never happens. The year goes by and we’re back at the same point again. However, I’m not going to let that get me down. I’m going to do my best to prepare the best I can for the rest of the time I have. I’m going to print my meal planner printable so I can get on top of the food. I want to spend as little time as possible in the kitchen. This year I’ve also decided to start a few things, I’m going to be writing myself a few goals to achieve this month, as well as a dua and gratitude journal in shaa Allah.
If you’re like me and you’re extremely forgetful, be sure to print the trackers in my Missed Fasts Post so you keep count of exactly how many you miss so you can make them up after.
Those are my picks for May and Ramadan. What are yours?
