Strawberry Jelly Hearts Cheese Cake

 Strawberry Jelly Hearts Cheese Cake

Hello, today's the New Year Eve 2012. We're experiencing wet weather whole day today. I am having a strong feeling that tomorrow will be bright and sunny to welcome the first day of 2013! 

Today, I've decided to revive my blog which had been left inactive for the longest time I could remember.

Well, along with my other new year resolutions, on my list is to build up my blog on "Mum's Cooking Today". Here, I hope to share my recipes with good friends who like to experiment good home cook food.
So, I will copy my cooking album from my facebook and d my best to publish all the recipes here.

So, for the first recipe, I would like to add my children's favorite "Strawberry Jelly Hearts Cheesecake".

I hope all of you will like my blog and leave me your comments & feedback :)

Recipe for Strawberry Jelly Hearts Cheese Cake
(adapted  from Elaine Ow, a Munch Ministry member)

Ingredients

*Base – make an area of 64 sq inch
200g digestive biscuits (About 13.5pcs)
90g butter (melted into liquid)

*Fillings
1 box Philadelphia cream cheese
50g sugar
2 tsp gelatine
½ cup hot water
1 tsp vanilla essence
One punnet of strawberry (cut into halves)

*Topping
1 packet of Jell-O (Raspberry Flavour)
250ml water
150ml cold water/ Ice cubes
2 tsp gelatine

Prep and Cooking Instructions

1) Process biscuits till fine crumb (I place biscuits into a ziplock bag and crush it with a glass, by supporting it with think towel on the table).
2) Melt butter and mix well. Press the crumbs mixture into the tray (8 by 8 by 3 inch tray) and chill till harden.

3) Mix 2 tsp Gelatine + ½ cup hot water and melt it into a solution.
4) Cream the cheese till creamy. Add vanilla essence, sugar and gelatine solution to it. Cream well.
5) Pour cheese mixture onto pan and chill in freezer for about 8 minutes till almost hardened. Add strawberry (Lay 6 by 5). Arrange neatly. Set in the freezer at least 4 hrs.

6) Mix Jell-O powder with 2 cups boiling water and stir to dissolve mixture. Add 1 1/2 cup cold/ice water to mixture.
7) Pour the cooled jelly onto cheese and set in the fridge till firm.

Cut into small square pieces and serve cold.

Add halved strawberries on top the layer of cheese 

Viola! Strawberry  Jelly Hearts Cheese Cake!

Pizza Dough

Happy New Year Everyone! 

Today is a hot and sunny day, much to what I have believed it should be because it signifies a new beginning for 2013! The children are excited and sad at the same time. Tomorrow, they will start a new school year again!

As for me, I attempted to make pizza from scratch today. For the very first time, I made a pizza dough, knead it and set aside for it to rise. However, it didn't rise as much as I expected. Nevertheless, all of us enjoyed the oven hot homemade pizza! 

After lunch, I watched a video by Susan's Cooking School and read her FAQ on the making of the pizza dough. I discovered that the reason why my dough didn't rise as much could be due to a few reasons: poor quality yeast which I purchased. It is better for me to use bread flour than plain flour as it has higher protein.I should also stretch the dough to fit into my tray instead of rolling it (that probably flatten out the air in the dough and make my pizza crust hard than fluffy). Hmm...I am determined for my second attempt soon :)

Recipe for Pizza Dough (from Taste.com.au)

• • Ingredients
  
  
  • 375ml (1 1/2 cups) warm water
  • 2 tsp (7g/1 sachet) dried yeast
  • Pinch of caster sugar
  • 600g (4 cups) plain flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 60ml (1/4 cup) olive oil, plus extra for brushing

• Method

1. Step 1
   Combine the water, yeast and sugar in a small bowl. Set aside for 5 minutes or until foamy. Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the yeast mixture and oil. Use a round-bladed knife in a cutting motion to mix until the mixture is combined. Use your hands to bring the dough together in the bowl.
2. Step 2
   Brush a bowl lightly with oil. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place in the prepared bowl and turn to coat in oil. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draught-free place to rise for 30 minutes or until dough doubles in size.
   
   

 Step 3         When it is time to bake, roll out the dough to

                    fit into your lightly greased tray.

 Step 4         Spread on some pizza sauce (mixed with a
                    little of the syrup from the canned pineapples)
                    and any toppings you like. Drizzle a little olive
                    oil and bake at 240C for 10 mins, or until the 
                    cheese starts bubbling and the edges turn 
                    nicely crisp.

Homemade pizza smothered with fresh mushrooms, pineapple cubes,  ham, turkey shreds, 
green pepper and mozzarella cheese! Yummy!