Cookies and Cream Cheesecakes

Martha Stewart fans assemble!
I mean if your a cheesecake fan, Oreo fan, or just a dessert foondie, 

YOU HAVE GOT TO BAKE THESE ASAP!!! 

Mini Oreo Baked Cheesecakes! ♥ Are you kidding me! 

This recipe is as simple and delicious as they come, I hope you guys enjoy baking & eating them as much as i did! 

Recipe yields 3 Dozen Standard Muffin size Cheesecakes.

Ingredients

• 3 boxes of Oreo Cookies, 3 dozen whole cookies to be kept aside for cheesecake base, the remaining cookies to be roughly chopped.

• 2 Pounds (roughly 907 g) Cream Cheese, softened

• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

• 1 Cup Sour Cream

• 1 Cup Granulated Sugar

• 4 Large eggs, lightly beaten

• pinch of salt

Method

1. Preheat oven to 135° C or 275° F.
2. Line Standard size muffin pans with cupcake liners. Place 1 whole Oreo cookie at the bottom of each liner. (the Oreo cookie will be your cheesecake base/crust) 
3. Beat Cream cheese at medium speed using an electric mixer. Gradually add the sugar, beating until combined. Beat in the Vanilla.
4. Drizzle in eggs, a bit at a time. Beat in sour cream and salt. Stir in chopped cookies by hand. 
5. Divide batter evenly among cookie-lined cups, filling each one almost to the top. (I use an ice cream scoop so i get even sized cheesecakes) 
6. Bake, rotating the pans halfway through, until filling is set, about 22 minutes.
7. Transfer to wire racks and allow to cool completely. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or up to overnight). Remove from cupcake liner just before serving.

These desserts are best when served really cold! 

You may garnish with fresh whipped cream and crumbled Oreo if desired.

Troublesh0oting

My tips for flop proof Cookies and Cream Cheesecake!

• Let me put this into perspective for you, your going to sink your teeth into a velvet smooth baked cheesecake with cookie crumbs on the top, chunks of Oreo cookie in the center, and then you get a little crunch from the Oreo cookie base, the play on texture and flavor here is just amazing! This is an Oreo Cookie Monsters dream come true!

• Start by keeping aside your 3 Dozen Oreo cookies, Fight the urge to snack on any of them, you want to make sure that these cheesecakes are bursting with Oreo flavor! 

• Once you've kept your 3 Dozen whole Oreo cookies aside, roughly chop the remaining cookies and then using both hands grab up the chopped cookies and place them in a separate bowl from the crumbs that were too small to be picked up. These crumbs are what I used to garnish the tops of my cheesecakes. Its also important that you keep the cookie fines away from your mixture so that the cheesecake doesn't end up grey in color. 

• Make sure you combine all the ingredients thoroughly and when you add the roughly chopped Oreo, mix very gently (by hand) so that you do not break up the pieces too much. Ensure the Oreo is  spread out nicely throughout your mixture before placing equal amounts of filling into your cupcake liners, you want to make sure each cheesecake gets some Oreo pieces in it. Sprinkle your Oreo cookie crumb garnish on the tops of each cheesecake before baking.

• Do not rush the baking time, if your oven is a bit small then bake one tray at a time, ensure you keep an eye on the cheesecakes, when the tops look like they are cracking a little and the mixture is no longer wobbly, you know they are ready. 

• Allow them to cool completely and then refrigerate them for minimum 4 hours, its totally worth it!

I Hope you guys give this a shot! its so simple and delicious you just have too! 
I foresee many "Yum in my tum" moments!

Till my next bake adventure, all my Love ♥ Prish

Back on Track :)

Its been forever since I last posted, well not quiet, but it has been a while and  I have really missed my humble little blog, hopefully you have too! :)

And so life goes, so many things to do yet so little time, I wont even mention how crazy the past few weeks have been, nevertheless, I am making an effort to get back on the blogging bandwagon...

In my absence I have done some blog worthy beauty and baking, for those of you that haven't checked out my Instagram or Facebook post on how to create "fake side bangs with a messy bun" , it is an absolute necessity, you don't want to miss it! If like me you want the fringe but always end up regretting that "at home - scissor happy" moment, this one is definitely for you. 

Go Check it out! Follow me on Instagram @ prishantha1

Anyway. Im working on bringing you more video posts so watch this space! 

I am trying new ways of sharing my ideas with you so there are some very exciting times ahead!

Some things though are best shared the old fashioned way, Like delicious tried and tested recipes!

I would not dare share it if i didn't try it and find it amazing, so  trust me, this next recipe will blow your mind!!! 

 Ultimate Nail Art Hack

I have something really cool and exciting to share today, it is the ultimate nail art hack!   

(It also happens to be a saving grace for those who lack a steady hand!)

There is so much going on with Nail fashion these days, and yes, I call it nail fashion because gone are the days where a solid colour is good enough, these days, over the top nails have become a statement on its own! And the design possibilities are endless!

However, if like me, the thought of the “clean up” afterwards really just puts you off, then ladies I have the answer to your prayers!

Don’t get me wrong I have a pretty steady hand, but it’s almost impossible to get good polish coverage while avoiding painting and flooding your cuticles! But that’s not an issue anymore, thanks to the miracle that is, “Liquid Palisade”

 “Liquid Palisade is a liquid, paint-on barrier that covers and protects fingernail cuticles from polish mishaps. (You peel it off after you polish!) Liquid Palisade provides an easy-to-apply protective barrier that covers the cuticles during nail polish application. It keeps the cuticle free of nail polish color.”

Now, that I have your attention, I may as well mention that Liquid Palisade retails at $22.00 for a 10ml Bottle, that’s R272.14 for a bottle the size of a standard mascara or lip-gloss! I know, that’s completely ridiculous, but don’t close this article just yet! Cheaper versions are available. They go by the names of “mini mani moo” and “peel off”, cheaper, yes but still over the R100.00 mark for a 10ml bottle.

 Have no fear though, because there still is hope! Hope in the form of Liquid Latex! Now, this is what I’m talking about! It works just the same as it more expensive counterparts and it is definitely cheaper! I managed to buy a 500ml bottle for R105!!!

Liquid Latex is the same as kids craft glue, basically, if it’s liquid and drys to form a sort of rubber that can be removed by peeling, it can be used as a liquid palisade alternative! Think of the peel off nail polish our mom’s use to buy us when we were little girls, the type you paint on and peel away when you got bored! It’s the exact same thing!

Okay, so It may not be packaged as pretty as the real stuff, but why waste all that money on barrier glue when you can spend it on nail polish instead! Lol

Now you can get creative and do all sort of funky nail art stuff, like sponging and marble art without the mess. No more accidental removal or damage to your painted nails when trying to clean up the mishaps, because cleaning up now is as simple as peeling it away!

If your going to go searching for it then here are some tips, search by names such as “Liquid tape, Liquid latex, casting rubber”.

The product I purchased is called “Casting Rubber” from a brand called “DALA” ,they can be found on bid or buy in various sizes, alternatively you can check at any craft or stationary shops. I found that mine turns to rubber then slides off when it comes in contact with water, so it is super easy to remove any how you want.

Here are some Pictures I took while doing Ombre Nails. Ombre nails are a type of manicure in which a gradient effect is created with different colours of nail polish so it basically looks like its fading into each other, normally I would not do this because of the clean-up, but now it has become such a pleasure! All you require is a small brush, (I used an old makeup brush with a small tip) and your good to go!!!

ALLERGY ALERT!! IF YOU ARE ALLERGIC TO LATEX, THIS PRODUCT WILL NOT BE SUITABLE FOR YOU...

 

 

Begin by painting the liquid around your nails, ensure your cuticles are completely covered, whether your doing regular polish or nail art work that will be messy, you apply the latex wherever you need coverage.

 

 

 The liquid is fast drying, you see it turn clear as it begins to dry. when the glue is completely dried, your ready to start.

 

 

for Ombre nails, you require different shades of polish and makeup sponges or wedges. Since this is a basic tutorial, I've selected just 2 colours. You could use a regular sponge but I prefer these white makeup wedges as they do not absorb too much polish so there is minimal wastage.  

 

 

Apply the nail polish to the sponge, painting the different colours parallel to each other like I've done above. allow the colours to overlap just a little, this will give it a good fading effect. Once your polish is on the sponge start to roll the sponge across your finger from left to right and in the direction you want the nail polish to go. I wanted the darker colour at the base to fade into the lighter colour on the top.  

 

You will notice the colour is a bit light, that is normal, you have to keep applying polish to the sponge and to your nail, until the colour on your nail is dark enough and to your liking, see the difference between the first picture above and the second? the colour is much stronger as you begin to apply the nail polish a few times.

 

 

Eventually you end up with this, a very pretty Ombre effect.

(If you've ever wondered how people do a solid colour with glitter ombre effect, its the exact same principle, the easiest way to achieve the look, is to apply your glitter polish to your sponge and roll over the nail, multiple times, until you get enough glitter on one end and it looks like it starts to fade. Above you see what the glitter effect will look like when you do your first application)  



 And at last, your Ombre nails are complete! All you do is now smooth it over with a protecting layer of Clear nail Polish and of course, peel away the mess!!

The end result looks much more refined, these pictures where taken before I did a final top coat of clear polish

I hope you've found this helpful! Now go get your Ombre on!!!

Enjoy ♥

Review: Dress Link


 

"Online shopping!" Ladies I am sure you'll agree, it is absolute bliss, the convenience, the bargains, the flash sales and best of all, no long queues! The reasons are endless...Clearly I have been living under a rock, I say this because I had no idea that Chinese online shopping sites are a girl's shopping paradise! 

With great shopping sites like Spree, Zando, Kalahari etc. there was never really a need to look any further, until a colleague of mine mentioned how her sister had found her dream wedding gown online, for a fraction of what she would have had to spend here for it! I'm talking R22000.00 VS. R8000.00! After seeing that go down she also decided to purchase her daughter's prom dress from the same Chinese online store.

Now I know what your thinking, I thought it too, taking a chance with the most important gown you'll ever wear in your life and buying it online from a Chinese bargain site it a huge NO NO!!! 

Nevertheless, curiosity got the better of me and I decided to have a look (what's the harm in that right?) .

Many searches and many sites later, I have to say, I was pretty impressed, you can find everything from replica designer gowns from the likes of Elie Saab to stationary! I kid you not, the shopping options are just that vast and it really is bargain shopping like you've never seen before!

I thought it was too good to be true so I did some research on 2 sites in particular, "Sammy dress" and "Dress Link" , after reading so many mixed reviews you really don't know what to believe, so I decided to find out for myself. Basically I thought I'd give it a try and buy a few small items just to see if they would actually arrive! 

I placed an order with DressLink mid January, not long after a courier company sent me tracking  information with a picture of my items being packaged and dispatched, I thought that was so great because it really gives you peace of mind especially when its an international purchase.

2 months down the line my purchase finally arrived and I could not be more excited! I thought I'd share these absolute bargains with you, so here they are,  

Pictures below are of the items as advertised vs. what I received...

I purchased 5 items to the total order value of $16.37 , equivalent to R192.30



Advertised

Metallic Nail Art Tape $2.49 for 30 rolls



These are basically thin strips of metallic tape that can be used to add definition or colour to your nail art, the patterns you can make are limited to your imagination!

 





3D nail art $2.62

Rubber like tubes that have various designs, you shave them with a blade to create 3D nail art! How awesome is that! They come in different themes, fruit, hearts, animals lol... I thought the flowers were pretty. 



108 piece Nail art stickers $2.99

These were advertised as being available in silver or white, they are basically regular adhesive stickers that can go over your nail polish to create pretty and intricate designs.





Elegant pearl hair pins $2.74

They come in packs of 12 and are so elegant, I needed something like this to transform a simple hairdo into something special.





casual lace & chiffon blouse $5.53

The only way I could think of testing out what the quality of the clothing was like was to select something as simple as a blouse, I also needed an idea of what the sizing would be. 

Received

 

 

The Metallic strips are really cool, they stick to your nail with ease and its so simple to clip off any excess tape, just remember to smooth over with some clear nail varnish for extra shine and protection. I was not disappointed, I received exactly what I paid for.

 

The 3D nail art is so unique! I've never seen this type of 3D art before so it got me quiet curious about it, again, I am super happy with it and its so simple to use, you just slice to however thick you want the art to be and add nail glue to attach it to your nail! really cute ♥

 

 

So the only thing I can say they got wrong with the order is that they sent me the white sticker nail art instead of silver, but that's really not a biggie, its very pretty and the designs are as advertised, I cant wait to start using these!

 

 

These are so feminine and elegant, I've seen them here before in SA, but they aren't as common as they use to be and even when you do find them they can be a bit pricey, they go so well with loose tousled curls or give a messy bun such a special touch.

 

Last but not least, this for me was the deal breaker! The top is white lace with a chiffon collar, the back of the top has a pretty ribbon and bow detail, all for R60! and the picture online was in no way misleading.  I bought this just to see the quality and fit. its cute & feminine, can be worn casual or formal! I Love it, the fit is great and the quality is also really good.  

 

Some Advice 

Please ensure that you make secure online payments and beware of the clothes you buy in terms of size, there are sizing charts available but Chinese people are really tiny lol. The top I bought is an XL, it is a comfortable fit, I recommend using the sizing chart for some guidance. Most of the reviews you see will give negative comments when it comes to sizing of the clothes, but really, you cannot expect an American or South African large to be the same as a large in China!

 

The downside to buying online is of course the waiting period and you may have to pay customs when you receive your goods from the post office (I had to pay R90) . But in comparison to the huge savings its not even an issue. Dress link also gives you a discount on your purchase when you buy from them and every purchase earns you " loyalty points" so to speak.

 

You may find the same item on different sites but for different prices, cheaper isn't always better. The norm goes that you will get the same product in varying qualities so bear that in mind when shopping.

 

So ladies, this brings me to the end of my review on Dress Link 

The fashion on these sites are jaw dropping! Your spoiled for choice so please go check it out and I hope that your shopping experience will be a good one.

 

                                                                                                                                                  Prish ♥

Creamy Custard Profiteroles drizzled with Toffee sauce

I decided to bake up some Profiteroles, most of you must already know about these little heavenly puffs, but for the benefit of those who don't; 

Profiteroles are made from Choux pastry and you would use the same pastry if you were making eclairs. Choux is a very light and airy pastry that virtually anyone can make because it is not as fussy as other pastries and requires no real pastry making skills, that's whats so great about it, it is truly an amateur bakers dream come true! They go perfectly with cream or custard fillings, but one could always get creative and add ice cream or whatever you please. 

So here it is, the tried and tested Profiterole recipe + Troubleshooting... Enjoy ♥

Ingredients

Choux Pastry

• 125 ml water

• 60 g butter

• 125 ml (70 g) cake flour

• 1 ml salt

• 2 extra-large eggs

Custard Filling

• 500 ml milk

• 80 ml (65 g) sugar

• 45 ml custard powder

• 15 ml butter or margarine

• 3 ml vanilla or lemon essence 

• 125 ml fresh cream 

Toffee Sauce

• 4 x 55 g Bar One chocolate bars, coarsely chopped

• 60 ml milk

Method

For the Pastry:

1. Heat water and butter in a small, heavy based saucepan until the butter has completely melted, thereafter bring mixture to the boil.
2. Once mixture begins to boil, turn off the heat immediately. With one hand add flour and salt while stirring quickly with the other until a ball forms in the middle and the dough comes away from the sides of the saucepan, this process happens fairly fast, less than a minute. 
3. Remove from heat and allow to cool for approximately 5 minutes,
4. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition until the dough is smooth and glossy.
5. Place heaped teaspoonfuls onto a greased baking tray or pipe out rounds roughly 3 to 4 cm wide. 
6. Bake in a preheated oven at 200° C for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 180° C and continue baking for 15 minutes. 
7. Once baked the puffs should be golden and crisp, remove from oven,pierce to release steam and allow to cool completely on a cooling rack. 

For the filling:

1. Heat milk in a medium heavy based saucepan. 
2. Combine the sugar and custard powder and add some of the heated milk to it, mix well.
3. Add to the hot milk in the saucepan and boil until it starts to thicken, stirring continuously.
4. Remove from heat and add butter and essence. Mix well and set aside to cool completely.
5. Once custard is cooled, whip cream to soft peak stage and gently fold into cooled custard mixture.
6. Using a piping bag or metal spoon fill each puff with the custard cream. 

For the sauce:

1. Place chocolate pieces and milk in a heavy based saucepan and melt over medium heat. Stir constantly until chocolate is melted and sauce is smooth. Pour over puffs and serve immediately. 

Troublesh0oting

My tips for flop proof profiteroles

• Choux pastry is meant to be light and airy. The pastry dough contains a fair amount of water and this creates steam in the oven, it aids the pastry in getting the desired puffed look once baked, for that reason, DO NOT OVER BOIL YOUR MIXTURE! it is important to salvage as much of the moisture in the pastry dough as possible. 

• Do not add the eggs to the dough too soon after removing the dough from the heat, or you will end up with scrambled eggs!

• You may use a greased sheet pan, silicone mats or parchment paper to bake the pastry.

• I prefer piping the pastry out but spooning the mixture works just as well, it wont be as perfectly formed, but that's perfectly okay!

• Do not over bake the pastry, it drys out and crumbles.

• Do not forget to pierce each puff to release steam and prevent sogginess once removed from the oven. 

• make a small incision in each puff and pipe the custard in,its so much simpler than struggling with a spoon!  

• I tried the toffee sauce over the top and it was magnificent, my only regret is that once cooled the chocolate becomes a bit chewy and tends to get stuck in your teeth so you will have to eat them immediately if you want them at their best.

• I recommend topping the profiteroles with a chocolate ganache instead. Its just as delish and wont turn chewy the next day (if the profiteroles survive that long! lol)

• Finally remember that if you have a thermo-fan (convection) oven, the temperature is usually reduced by 10° C and/or the baking time is adjusted. 

That's a wrap! I hope you enjoy them, please feel free to post comments and let me know how they turn out! 

Ciao! 

Bakes

I have to say that my all time favorite baker has to be my mom ♥
Growing up there were 3 recipes of hers that got the most popularity in our kitchen

The first: Moist chocolate cake with a whipped cream and strawberry jam filling,the jam soaks into the sponge turning it into the most sweet and sensational cake, the top was covered in more cream and encrusted with chocolate flakes... just amazing
The second: Milk tart, simple but so delicious, nothing beats a warm cinnamon milk tart on a cold day! Whenever mom made her special milk tart there would be wars raging on between my older brother and myself, for who gets to eat up all the left over milk custard in the pot! 
The third: Moms famous custard and cream, chocolate coated eclairs, angels dance on your tongue with every bite!

Maybe one day I will share them with you... 

(I say this because i am still waiting for her to share the secret recipes with me! Trust me, no other recipes I have tried can compare!)

I have since taken over as the baker and recently our home underwent some major renovations, we now have our dream kitchen!!

This is where the magic happens

Mind you this picture was taken before we accessorized, it now has red bar stools and red accessories, its simply perfect! I can say with all honesty, this kitchen is my inspiration behind starting this blog!

"I want to start a blog!"

I can hardy believe those were the words coming out of my mouth, I never imagined I would want to, but here it is, "Beauty, Bakes & Blah" ♥

This is the part I dreaded the most, the first post, its actually more nerve wrecking than trying to come up with a clever blog name that is both unique and to the point

(which is actually really difficult given the millions of blogs in existence).

*Breathe - don't sweat the small stuff*

Lets start with some Blah!

 





My name is Prishantha and I am 22, I grew up in Durban and don't think id ever have the heart to leave this beautiful, sunny city.

 





 In a family of 5, I am the middle child of 3 kids and the only daughter, yay me!

 

I studied Civil Engineering at DUT, graduated last September and currently work for a Civil Engineering Consulting Company.

 

 

 

I am a major DIY freak and really creative (if I may say so myself) I love experimenting with new hairstyles, makeup looks and you can always find me buried in a book, watching a good movie or in the kitchen, baking, cooking and eating!

 

Enough about me! lets get down to the Blog!

 

I love trying anything new at least once and cannot wait to share all my creations with you, both old and new, made up or the tried and tested!

 

That being said, let the blogging adventures begin, I sincerely hope you find something in here that tickles your fancy! Till next time...

 Prish ♥