Do you like having picnics at the park? I didn’t when I lived in the Philippines, mainly because of the heat. When I moved to Australia, there are so many beautiful green spaces that it was just unacceptable not to have picnics! Don’t you agree?

Centennial park is such a great location, it has unlimited parking, a bicycle rental, a few playgrounds, BBQs, picnic tables, plenty of trees, a number of well-maintained gardens, coffee kiosks, and public toilets scattered around. It’s a great place to host a picnic. So I did just that, and it was a lovely sunny day perfect for a gathering with friends.

The food was simple and stress-free. I prepared salmon, green beans, chicken and pesto, plus a variety of desserts. The standout dessert was my version of Better than Sex Cake. Which I called Better than Anything because there were young children present and I didn’t want to be the bad aunt!

To be honest, I don’t get why anyone would say anything is better than sex, but this cake is better than any bundt I’ve made or had! So should I call it Better than Any Bundt? Hmm.. Yeah, I’m sticking with it! Better than Any Bundt!

The recipe is pretty easy, there are a couple of components, like the Chantilly cream, salted caramel and crushed flake bars. Read the notes section for substitutes and vegan option! Now here are some photos from our picnic!

Difficulty: Easy

Better than Any Bundt

Makes 1 x 10-cup bundt

Ingredients

    Chocolate Cake
    • Caramel sauce
    • Chantilly cream

Instructions

0/10 Instructions
    For the cake:
  • Preheat oven to 170C. Grease a 10-cup bundt pan with softened butter diligently then dust with cocoa powder.
  • In a large bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and bi-carb soda. Mix in salt and sugar. Make a well in the center.
  • Add the eggs, yogurt/sour cream, oil and vanilla and mix until smooth. Whisk in the boiling coffee. The batter will be runny, so don't worry.
  • Pour the batter in the pan and bake for 65 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and cover with a plate. Leave for 10 minutes.
  • Remove plate and gently pull the sides of the cake away from the pan. Invert the cake onto a cooling rack and it should slide out easily. Cool completely.
    • Make the caramel
  • Place sugar in a heavy-based sauce pan. Leave it on medium heat until it melts and starts to colour.
  • Once sugar turns amber quickly whisk in the diced butter. If it separates, remove from heat and keep whisking. Once it comes back together return to the burner and cook for 1 minute.
  • Turn heat off then add the cream slowly. It will sputter so be careful. Then add the salt and cool down.
    • Make the Chantilly cream
  • With a cold and cold whisk, whisk the cold cream until stiff but doesn't look grainy. Whisk in the vanilla until incorporated. Set aside in the fridge.
    • Assembly
  • Once the cake is completely cool, pour the cooled down caramel sauce in the middle of the bun then cover with the whip cream. Drizzle remaining caramel sauce on top with the chunks of flake bars.

Notes

  1. You can use other chocolate that you like, I've tried Malteser and Twix
  2. Sour cream and yogurt work well in this cake, although I like the result with yogurt better.
  3. For a vegan version: replace the cream with plant-based cream for the Chantilly cream and the caramel, replace the butter with Nuttelex, the flake bars with vegan chocolate bars and use my vegan chocolate cake recipe here.
  4. For tips on preventing your bundt cake from sticking, please read this post.

Tags

#beautiful cake recipes  #better than sex bundt  #better than sex cake  #better than sex cake recipe  #bundt cake  #bundt cake recipes  #cake  #chocolate  #chocolate cake  #chocolate recipes  
I’ve been craving for chocolate cake, and I wanted to make one that wouldn’t make me feel as guilty as my normal recipe but still taste as great. My chocolate bundt cake recipe is soft and fluffy, with intense chocolate flavor, can be made in one bowl and to top it all off it’s low fat and vegan! Definitely best in class ????

If you don’t have any dietary restrictions, feel free to use large eggs and buttermilk and omit the vinegar. I used chickpea flour instead of eggs and oat milk instead of buttermilk. If you don’t have a bundt pan, you can bake this pan in a 23x33cm brownie pan too, just need to reduce baking time to 35 minutes! Is there anything not to love yet?!?!

The recipe below has notes and written as detailed as possible to help you get the best result. As usual, bundt cake baking best practices are recommended to prevent getting your cake stuck in the pan. Grease your pan well and dust with flour, or in this case cocoa powder because flour leaves white spots on the cake. If you’re not fussed about the white spots, please feel free to use flour as normal. Finally, use a plate to cover the pan for 10 minutes after removing it from the oven. Invert onto a cooling rack and cool completely before starting the glaze. The glaze was made from Valrhona Amatika, which is a vegan chocolate. The glaze is the same glaze I used for my sachertorte recipe. I made a sugar syrup then poured that into the chocolate. I then mixed it until it cools and thickens slightly then drizzle on top of cake. Let it set slightly before finishing with the chocolate shavings. Then you’re ready to serve.

If you make this recipe, tag me using @mrs.fancypants.recipes on social media or use #mrsfancypantsrecipes or #mrsfancypantsbakes so I can see them! If you have other questions or comments, please feel free to use the comments section below. Now time to get your whisk out and give this recipe a try! I promise you won’t regret it. Happy baking!!!

 
Difficulty: Medium

Best Chocolate Cake

Makes 1 x 10-cup bundt

or

1 x 33x23cm brownie pan

Ingredients

    For the cake:
    • For the glaze and decoration

Instructions

0/8 Instructions
  • Preheat oven to 170C. Mix the milk with vinegar and let stand for 15 minutes. Grease bundt pan with oil and dust with cocoa powder. If not using a bundt, see notes.
  • In a large bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and bi-carb soda. Mix in salt and sugar. Make a well in the center.
  • Add the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla and mix until smooth. Whisk in the boiling coffee. The batter will be runny, so don't worry.
  • Pour the batter in the pan and bake for 65 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and cover with a plate. Leave for 10 minutes.
  • Remove plate and gently pull the sides of the cake away from the pan. Invert the cake onto a cooling rack and it should slide out easily. Cool completely.
  • Make the glaze only when your cake has cooled. In a small sauce pan, mix together water and sugar. Bring to the boil, and keep boiling for 3 minutes. Take off from heat and let cool until the bubbling subsides.
  • Slowly pour the sugar syrup on the chocolate and mix with a wooden spoon until glossy. Keep stirring until the mix thickens and cools slightly. If it becomes too thick add 1 teaspoon of hot water at a time until your desired consistency.
  • Drizzle the glaze on top of the cake and leave until the glaze stops dripping. Sprinkle with shaved chocolate and serve.

Notes

  1. If you have no dietary restrictions, you can use buttermilk and omit the vinegar.
  2. Any vinegar will do.
  3. 2 chickpea eggs is 2 tbsp chickpea flour mixed with 2 tbsp water. If you're not after a vegan recipe, you can use 2 large eggs instead.
  4. Any oil will do, just keep in mind that strong flavored oils will lend a hint of its flavor to the cake.
  5. If you're using a rectangular pan, simply grease the pan and line with baking paper. Bake for 35 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

Tags

#bundt cake  #bundt cake recipes  #chocolate cake  #chocolate recipes  #dairy free cake  #dairy free recipe  #vegan cake  #vegan dessert  #vegan recipe  

These days so much of our way of life is influenced by what we see on social media. Take food trends for instance, bakeries get a cult following from people posting their products and rating it as “lit” or whatever the new word for cool is. I’m sure the younger generation can’t imagine what life must have been life before Facebook or Instagram or Tik Tok, but the recipe I’m sharing with you today pre-dates social media. It became famous all over the world that they kept the recipe in a vault–or so the story goes.

My recipe has been adapted from the recipe published on Hotel Sacher’s website, Hotel Sacher is a world famous hotel in Austria. It was built by Eduard Sacher, the son of pastry chef Franz Sacher who developed the cake recipe. The cake is made of a generous helping of apricot jam sandwiched between two sponge cakes and covered with a shiny chocolate glaze. There are plenty of recipes out there, most of them have almond meal, but I’m a stickler for tradition, so I went straight to the source and worked on that recipe.

I tried the sachertorte at Hotel Sacher in Salzburg. Pictured above is Mirabell garden in Salzburg.

The sponge cake is a chocolate genoise, meaning the recipe does not use a chemical leavener. Egg whites are used to give the cake height, so it’s important to gently fold them in. The generous apricot jam helps moisten this otherwise dry chocolate cake, and the chocolate glaze also protects it from further drying out. A word of caution, cool down the cake before even starting the glaze. The glaze sets quickly and will form a skin if left out too long, so it’s best to make it when the cake is ready to be glazed. You don’t need fancy piping techniques, just an offset spatula. Oh and try not to move the cake until the glaze is completely set, otherwise you will get cracks, just like mine below. The glaze should set in a couple of hours in room temperature or an hour if chilled.

Again, this is a very basic recipe, quite easy to follow and make at home, so please, if you are just starting off baking cakes, give this one a try. The cake is traditionally served with a big helping of whipped cream, but my recipe calls for white chocolate chantilly cream. However, vanilla ice cream also pairs well with this cake. Or just have it as is with coffee is great too.

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Joanne | Mrs.FancyPants (@mrs.fancypants.recipes)

Finally, like I said, if you’re looking for a super moist chocolate cake, this is not the recipe for it. But this is delicious and easy to make with no frosting involved. Below is a photo of the original sachertorte that I had in Salzburg, and next to it is my homemade version, finished in 2 hours. I enjoy it by itself with coffee, and I didn’t find it too dry at all. Let me know what you think if you give this recipe a try. If you post photos, feel free to use #mrsfancypantsrecipes or tag @mrs.fancypants.recipes, this helps me see your creations and gives me feedback on what recipes I should post. If you also have any questions, comment below and I’ll make sure to respond. That’s it for my sachertorte recipe. Again, if you’re after a simple, delicious and quick cake recipe, don’t wait any longer. Preheat your ovens and bake away! Happy baking!

 
Difficulty: Easy

Sachertorte

Makes 1 x 24cm cake

Ingredients

    For the cake:
    • For the glaze:
    • For the white chocolate cream

Instructions

0/12 Instructions
  • Place milk, chocolate and sugar in a small heatproof bowl and place on top of a pot with simmering water, making sure the water doesn't touch the bottom your bowl. Once chocolate is melted, take the bowl of the heat then mix in the cream. Chill for at least 2 hours.
  • Preheat oven to 170C. Greases and line a 24cm cake pan.
  • In a medium bowl, make a meringue by whisking the egg whites and sugar together on medium until glossy. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of your stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add yolks one at a time mixing after each addition. Add warm melted chocolate. Fold in flour then fold in meringue.
  • Pour batter into the cake pan and bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs.
  • Remove from oven and let cool completely. Remove from the pan and cut in half so that you have a sandwich. Place the halves on a cooling rack, cut part facing up.
  • Warm the apricot jam until smooth. Using a palette knife or brush, spread the jam onto the cut side of each layer of the cake. Put the cake back together like before, the jam should be in between the cake sandwiches. Place the cake on a rack and put a tray underneath the rack. Set aside.
  • In a small sauce pan, mix together water and sugar. Bring to the boil, and keep boiling for 5 minutes. Take off from heat and let cool for 2 minutes until the bubbling subsides.
  • Slowly pour the sugar syrup on the chocolate and mix with a wooden spoon until glossy. Keep stirring until the mix thickens and cools slightly. If it becomes too thick just use an offset spatula to spread it.
  • Cover the whole cake with the glaze, use an offset spatula if the glaze is too thick. Leave the cake to set until the chocolate glaze is hard. If you move or touch the cake at this stage it will crack. You can place the rack in the fridge of you want it to set faster.
  • When you're ready to serve, whisk the white chocolate cream until stiff. Place in a piping bag with a large star nozzle.
  • Dip the blade of a knife in hot water and cut cake slices. Pipe the white chocolate cream on the side.

Tags

#beautiful cake recipes  #cake recipes  #Sacher cake  #sachertorte  #sachertorte recipe  #Valrhona recipes  

Chocolate tart is probably one of my favorite desserts to serve. It never gets old, it’s a crowd pleaser and goes well with anything from fresh berries, berry puree, vanilla ice cream, salted caramel, and the list goes on. Be forewarned though, this dessert was made for the chocolate lovers, and this is not extremely popular with kids. I recommend using Valrhona Guanaja 70% or an equivalent high quality dark chocolate, this is not the dessert to skimp on your chocolate, use your cheaper chocolate for chocolate chip cookies or brownies, but for this, I can’t emphasise it enough, USE HIGH QUALITY CHOCOLATE. Why? Because there’s no sugar in the filling, so the chocolate flavour is intense and if it’s not the great kind, it will just be bitter and not pleasant at all.

My recipe was adapted from the late Joel Robuchon’s Tarte au Chocolat recipe. I added a few of my own tweaks and I think mine has richer flavours compared to the original. I wrote this recipe as simple to follow as possible, and I give you the option to make everything from scratch or to get store-bought pastry for the shell. I also have some optional ingredients like brown butter and raspberry puree, depending on how special you want the tart to be. The addition of these two things makes this tart next level, I promise. So if you can, I suggest you go all out. Otherwise, without the optional ingredients, the tart is still amazing with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or even by itself.

I cool my tart down in the oven with the door left ajar. I leave it in there for an hour to two hours and by then the chocolate sets. Note thought, I live in Sydney, Australia and I don’t know if this would work the same in warm places, if the tart still looks super soft after 2 hours, refrigerate it until it sets. This process of cooling down the tart slowly, prevents cracking. I recommend serving the tart on the same day, but you can make it ahead a day before and keep it at room temperature, again, if you live in warmer climate, best to refrigerate. If you need a visual guide, you can watch the video below on how to make this chocolate tart. Don’t forget to like and follow!

 
Difficulty: Easy

Baked Chocolate Tart

1 x 25-28 cm tart

   

Ingredients

    For the tart:
    • To serve:
    • Optional raspberry puree:

Instructions

0/14 Instructions
    Make the tart:
  • Follow the recipe for the shortcrust pastry (see notes for my recipe or the packet instructions if you bought your pastry). The tart shell should already be blind baked and should just be cooling down.
  • Preheat oven to 120C.
  • Start making the filling. Chop chocolate and brown butter (if using) into small pieces and place in a medium bowl.
  • In a small sauce pan, bring the cream, milk and vanilla to the boil then pour on top of chocolate.
  • Let sit for a minute then start stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon or mariz (rubber spatula) until smooth.
  • Add eggs one at a time whisking until combined.
  • Pour the mixture into the tart shell and bake for 45 minutes. The centre of the tart will still be wobbly.
  • Turn the oven off and leave the door slightly ajar. Let the tart cool down in the oven for 1-2 hours until it's set. At this stage it shouldn't wobble at all.
    • Optional raspberry puree:
  • Bloom gelatin by sprinkling it on top of the water. Set aside.
  • Bring all other ingredients the boil. Blend until smooth, being careful with the hot liquid.
  • Add the gelatin, mix and strain. Refrigerate until set.
  • Blend to a smooth puree and serve alongside tart.
    • To serve:
  • Slice tart with a hot sharp knife with a thin blade. This will ensure you have sharp edges. Wipe knife after each stroke for a clean cut.
  • Serve chocolate tart slice by itself or with vanilla ice cream and raspberry puree or fresh raspberries (if using any).

Notes

  1. You can either use store-bought shortcrust pastry or use my simple sweet shortcrust pastry recipe.
  2. Brown butter adds a nice nutty flavour to the tart, but it's optional. You can watch how to make brown butter here.

Who doesn’t love a good chocolate cake? But I understand that sometimes, dietary restrictions prevent us from enjoying the well-loved classic chocolate sponge cake with chocolate filling, so here is a gluten-free & lactose-free option! My dairy-free, flourless chocolate cake is made from Valrhona Guanaja 70% but you can use any good quality baking chocolate like Callebaut 811 which is also lactose-free. Most baking dark chocolates are dairy-free, but if in doubt, just check the label. A good thing to note when checking ingredients, is that cocoa butter is a lactose-free product.

Another dairy-free ingredient is Nuttelex buttery, which I used in place of butter. Nuttelex is a vegan, lactose-free butter alternative here in Australia, but if you don’t have Nuttelex in your local store, you can use any dairy-free margarine or coconut oil. I prefer using coconut oil because it tastes great, but of course your cake will have a hint of coconut. So for this recipe, I decided to use Nuttelex buttery.

Image courtesy of Nuttelex.com. Click photo for more information.

I love this chocolate cake because it’s easy to whip up and to decorate. It’s great to take to pot lucks and also a nice grown-up birthday cake. I love serving this with raspberry or coconut sorbet, and when I have time, I make my own using Gelato Messina’s recipe, which I will share here when I find extra time. It’s a great recipe and works so well! If you can have dairy, feel free to pair this with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, and it’s absolutely delicious too. There’s only one thing you could do to mess up this super easy cake, and that is too leave it in the oven for too long. The last thing you want is to dry this out, so make sure you set a timer and check on the cake 10 minutes before it’s meant to be done, especially if you’re oven runs hot. Cool down on the kitchen bench for 15 minutes then transfer to the fridge to set completely for at least an hour.

If you try this recipe, let me know how you went by leaving a comment below or tagging me on social media. I’m always excited to see your work and always keen to answer any questions.

Happy new year everyone and thank you for all your support last year, cheers to the future of Mrs.Fancypants!

 
Difficulty: Easy

Dairy-free Flourless Chocolate Cake

Makes 1 x 20cm cake

Ingredients

    • Toppings:

Instructions

0/5 Instructions
  • Preheat oven to 170C. Grease and line a 20cm cake tin with baking paper.
  • Melt the chocolate and butter together and whisk until smooth. Set aside to cool down. Meanwhile, in the bowl of your stand mixer or with a hand mixer, whip egg whites and sugar together until stiff peaks.
  • When the chocolate is cooled down to room temperature, add the egg yolks one by one, incorporating well before each addition. Sift the cocoa powder and mix until smooth.
  • Carefully fold in the meringue in 3 additions into the cake batter. Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake for 30 minutes. The cake should feel set but still soft in the centre. When you shake it, it should jiggle a little in the centre. Do not over bake or the cake will dry out.
  • Cool down on a rack for 15 minutes then move to the fridge for 1 hour to completely set. To serve, take out of the cake pan and peel off the baking paper. Sprinkle cocoa powder on top and decorate with berries and edible flowers, if using. Serve with a scoop of coconut or raspberry sorbet.

Notes

  • Nuttelex Buttery is actually margarine but I use this brand because the taste is not like other margarines. You can also opt for coconut oil and other dairy-free butter substitutes.
  • Pure cocoa powder (dutch processed or not) should be gluten-free
  • Make sure the 70% chocolate is dairy-free, I used Valrhona Guanaja 70% but there are plenty of good quality baking chocolate that are dairy-free too, like Ghirardelli & Callebaut.

These are my favorite cookies ever, the chunky chocolate in every bite and the soft vanilla dough is just divine. the dough can be rolled to make a slab or portioned into 12 balls. This is the same cookie dough base as my M&M cookies but I use chopped dark baking chocolate like Valrhona Guanaja 70% or something similar. If you have kids, you might want to use semi-sweet or milk chocolate just so it’s not too bitter. I find using white chocolate makes this too sweet for my liking, but you can also give that a try.

The cookie dough can be put together in less than 15 minutes, then chilling time is an 1 hour plus baking time of 12-15 minutes. If you’ve never made cookies before, watch the short video below as a guide. I find that a lot of beginners need a little bit of guidance when it comes to cookie baking, so make sure you follow the recipe to the T if you’re making this for the first time. Good luck & happy baking!

https://www.instagram.com/tv/CJFpoR-BkEg/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 
Difficulty: Easy Prep Time: 15 Mins Cook Time: 18 Mins Total Time: 33 Mins

Chunky Chocolate Cookies

Makes 12

  I like to use chunks of dark chocolate for this recipe, and I prefer Valrhona Guanaja 70% but it’s not accessible to everyone. You can use any good quality chocolate, and if you have kids, use semi-sweet chocolate instead to give it a tad more sweetness.    

Ingredients

Instructions

0/5 Instructions
  • In the bowl of your stand mixer, cream butter & sugar together on high until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, sift together dry ingredients.
  • Add egg and vanilla, mix until incorporated then bring the mixer down to low. Gradually spoon the dry ingredients into the batter, then add the chocolate chunks. Cover the dough and chill for at least 1 hour up to 1 day. (See notes)
  • Preheat oven to 170C. Divide the dough into 12 equal size balls (around 65-70g if you’re using a scale). Roll each portion into a ball then place cookies on a tray lined with baking paper.
  • Bake cookies at 170C for 15-18 mins. The edges will be light brown and the centre will be soft, pop out of the oven and let cool for 5 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack and cool down completely in the fridge. (See notes)

Notes

  1. One reason for cookies spreading is if you over-cream your cookies. On the video above, you will be able to see the process clearly.
  2. This dough needs to be chilled otherwise the cookies will spread. You can make these cookies ahead and chill for 1 day. If you leave it in the fridge for more than one day, the cookies will not rise in the oven.
  3. This recipe is also freezer friendly. To freeze, follow the recipe up to stuffing the cookies with marshmallows then pop the balls on a plate lined with baking paper and freeze for 1 hour. Once the balls are frozen on the outside, they can be placed in freezer bags.
  4. To bake cookie dough from the freezer, take the dough out and place them on a tray line with baking paper, then preheat oven to 170C. The preheating time allows the cookie dough to thaw a little. When the oven is ready bake the cookies for 14 mins. Then cool as instructed.
  5. I like to let the cookies cool down and set in the fridge instead of room temperature. It takes less time and the cookies retain their softness in the centre.

 

I love a good cheesecake, and a lot of people I know do too. The only problem is, they say they get disappointed each time they order a cheesecake for dessert. To be honest, I agree… The cheesecake game is not strong in Sydney, however, I am hoping to change that! My cheesecakes are my most requested dishes to bring to family and friends’ events. I am not joking when I say that since I started selling cakes online, my cheesecakes combined make up 75% of the online orders, not including bespoke events and custom cakes. So if you’re not the bake it from scratch type, check out my kitchen to see my different cheesecakes by clicking the button above or order this cheesecake below!

 
 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Joanne | Mrs.FancyPants (@mrs.fancypants.recipes)

This recipe is perfect for summer because it doesn’t require an oven, it is also quite easy to make, but it’s essential to use good quality chocolate. I didn’t use any gelatine in this recipe, so the ganache helps set your cheesecake. The recipe is basically mix and chill. Chilling is at least 4 hours to give it ample time to set. This is definitely not gluten-free or dairy-free but since there are no eggs, this is safe for pregnant women.

I love this with seasonal fruit, but you can have it by itself. I you make this, let me know what you think via the comments section below. This is a crowd-pleaser without being too challenging to make, all you need to do is to make sure your ingredients are room temperature! Aside from that, you can keep your ovens off and smile at the fact that there is no chance that this cheesecake would crack. Good luck!

 
Difficulty: Medium

White Chocolate Cheesecake

makes 1 x 20cm (8’ springform)

Ingredients

    For the crust
    • For the filling

Instructions

0/5 Instructions
    First melt the chocolate:
  • Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl. In a small pot, bring cream to the boil then pour on top of the chocolate. Let it stand for a minute then whisk until smooth. Set aside to cool down.
    • Now make the crust:
  • In a large bowl, mix digestive biscuit crumbs and brown butter until it resembles wet sand. Take a 20cm (8in) round springform pan and press crumbs into the bottom and all the way up the sides with the back of a measuring cup. Chill until filling is done.*
    • For the filling:
  • In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, or a large mixing bowl with a handheld mixer, whisk cream cheese on medium speed until fluffy then add yogurt and vanilla then whisk for 1 minute. Turn up mixer to high speed then add sugar a spoonful at a time and mix until smooth.
  • Turn mixer down add the melted chocolate and cream. Then whisk on high until smooth. Pour filling into prepared pan, then with a hot offset spatula or spoon, flatten the top. Chill to set for at least 4 hours.
    • To serve:
  • Top with fresh mango slices, berries, passionfruit pulp, caramelised pineapple, the list is endless. Use a hot knife to cut a slice and wipe it after each time you cut into the cheesecake to get a clean slice.

Notes

  • Graham crackers is not readily available in Australian supermarkets, so I have now adjusted to using digestive biscuits and Oreo cookies for my cheesecake crusts. I use the Oreo cream too, so there’s no wastage. If you don’t like a chocolate crust or if chocolate doesn’t go with your filling, you may use golden Oreos instead, or digestive biscuits are really good. When using Oreos for the recipe, reduce the brown butter to 80g because the cream helps hold the crust together.
  • Measurement of brown butter is based on yield after unsalted butter has been cooked. Please watch this video on how to make brown butter or beurre noisette.
  • If yogurt is unavailable, you may substitute sour cream. I prefer yogurt because it’s texture is lighter than sour cream and cream cheese. 
  • Pressing the crumbs all the way up the springform pan takes practice and patience, so don’t give up on it too easily if you love having good cheesecake to crust ratio. Just take your time and you’ll get the hang of it. If you do not want the crust all the way around the sides of your cheesecake, use only 1/2 of the crust recipe above. This should be enough to cover the bottom plus a few spoonfuls extra for snacking.

 

Oh I love holiday posts, and I’m lucky that I’m in Sydney so I feel like I have more time to post my holiday baking because even if it’s now the 1st of November here, it’s still Halloween in the US! So bookmark this for next year, guys, because these are so good, you’s want to individually wrap them for trick or treat!

When you make these you’ll need your gingerbread man cutout. I like getting multi uses out of cookie cutters, to get the most out of my tools, and so I try to come up with creative things to use them for. Besides, Christmas is just around the corner, and it’s good to get these cutters out now.

Click on the photos to shop for the products. Most products ship internationally.

Mrs.Fancypants earns a small commission from affiliate links, when you buy the products above. If you’re in Australia, feel free to check the availability on advertised sites.

I was inspired to make these cookies because I was looking at Halloween movies to watch and saw The Mummy series, and remembered how we used to love the original version as kids. We found Brandon Fraser so funny, too bad they stuffed up the remake.

The Mummy isn’t a horror movie though, so I quickly passed it and settled on Insidious: The Final Key. Now this one, it’s definitely spine tingling. Or at least for screwy-cats like me. I have a love-hate relationship with horror movies, I’m the person who will shriek in the cinema and cover her eyes half the time. How about you? Do you like horror movies? Which ones do you like best?

I get a lot of questions about stand mixers, and these are my recommendations. It comes with a caveat though, I only recommend you get one if you bake a lot because they are not cheap. Otherwise, a hand mixer is the more practical option.

Click on the photos to shop for the products. Most products ship internationally.

Mrs.Fancypants earns a small commission from affiliate links, when you buy the products above. If you’re in Australia, feel free to check the availability on advertised sites.

Again, bookmark this for next year, and also get your Gingerbread man cutouts ready for Christmas! Because I have plenty of treat recipe coming your way. Happy Halloween! Don’t get spooked!

 
Difficulty: Easy

Mummified Sugar Cookies

Makes 18-20 cookies

Prep Time: 20 mins

Chill Time: 1 hour

Bake time: 12-15 minutes

Ingredients

    For the sugar cookies:
    • For the ganache:

Instructions

0/6 Instructions
  • Start by making the ganache for mummy wrapping. Place white chocolate, cream, and butter in a medium microwaveable bowl and melt together for 30 second increments. Stir after each 30 seconds so as to prevent the chocolate from seizing. Set aside to cool down.
  • Make the cookie dough: In the bowl of your stand mixer, cream butter & sugar together on high until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, sift together dry ingredients.
  • Add egg and vanilla, turn mixer down then add milk. Gradually spoon the dry ingredients into the batter. Divide into 2 and flatten into discs to make rolling easier later. Cover the dough and chill for at least 1 hour or up to 1 day.
  • Preheat oven to 170C. Sprinkle flour on your work bench then roll dough out to 3-5mm thickness. Using a gingerbread man cut out, cut out 18-20 cookies. Save the trimmings then roll them altogether so the dough doesn't get too floury.
  • Place cookie on a baking tray lined with baking paper and bake for 12-15 minutes or until the sides are light brown and cookie feels set on top but still soft. Cool down for 10 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack to cool down completely.
  • To assemble: Place the ganache in a piping bag. Pipe the ganache on the cookie to make it look like mummy wrapping. Then using your black writing gel, dot the eyes/eye of the mummies. Leave to set in the fridge for 1 hour then serve.

I have been craving for chocolate baked goods lately. Like my flourless chocolate cake, which I haven’t uploaded here yet and my gooey brownies. I’ve also been meaning to revisit my double chocolate muffin recipe and make it the ultimate chocoholic’s breakfast treat. This little concoction is so that I can have an indulgent chocolate-y start to my day without raising anybody’s eyebrow, especially my husband’s. Haha. You see, my husband gives me that judgemental look each time I reach for cake for breakfast and claims “that’s not breakfast” but if I make a super chocolate-y muffin, then it’s still breakfast, so he can’t protest anymore! That was my motivation in making this sinful chocolate-y muffin, I keep telling myself, if it’s a muffin, it counts as breakfast.

So I amped up the chocolate and used buttermilk instead of milk. Which makes this very moist inside. I do think that anything with cocoa powder dries up quicker than those without, so I increased the liquid in this recipe as well. I use full fat everything when I bake, because fat gives a more moist end result. I also opted for brown sugar because again, moisture.

Click on the photos to shop for the products. Most products ship internationally.

Mrs.Fancypants earns a small commission from affiliate links, when you buy the products above. If you’re in Australia, feel free to check the availability on advertised sites.

Now I can’t really finish a whole cafe-style muffin, but they look gorgeous, and I’m sure there are people who’d love to make these at home, therefore I tested this recipe three ways multiple times and everything came out consistent. So this recipe will yield 4 cafe style muffins, 6 standard muffins and 12 small (cupcake size, you’ll see the photos) muffins.

Let’s talk about what chocolate to use. Make sure you use dutch processed cocoa powder. Not only does it give your muffins a darker, better colour, it also doesn’t have a metallic aftertaste. With the chopped chocolate, you can use any good quality chocolate. I tested my recipe with Valrhona and Callebaut, with the same result, but you can use whatever is available to you. I do find that milk chocolate is really good for this with a sprinkling of dark and white chocolate. Follow the chopped chocolate ratio and you won’t regret it. Oh and if you see some photos with white chocolate drizzling, the drizzling was just me getting carried away, it’s not actually in the recipe!

Click on the photos to shop for the products. Most products ship internationally.

Mrs.Fancypants earns a small commission from affiliate links, when you buy the products above. If you’re in Australia, feel free to check the availability on advertised sites.

Now moving on to the correct way to measure your ingredients. If you don’t have a scale, I also provide an approximate conversion to cups, and I do test it. However, measuring flour and cocoa powder this way often results to drier goods, because the baker doesn’t measure correctly. When I use cups and spoons, I sift the flour and cocoa powder prior to measuring then spoon and level. Similarly, brown butter tends to be a problem when it comes to measurement as well. When the recipe calls for 100g of brown butter, it means, you measure the brown butter after it has browned and not when you put butter in the pot. These tips will prevent a dry chocolate muffin.

Feel free to try my breakfast of champion chocoholics and let me know how you liked it in the comments below or tag me on IG when you post photos!

 
Difficulty: Easy Prep Time: 10 Mins Cook Time: 35 Mins Total Time: 45 Mins

Ultimate Chocolate Muffins

Makes 4 cafe style, 6 standard, 12 small

Ingredients

Instructions

0/3 Instructions
  • Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Line muffin tin with paper cases.
  • In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients. In a separate bowl mix wet ingredients until smooth. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and stir in wet ingredients just until combined. DO NOT OVER MIX.
  • Fold in the chocolate chips into the batter. DO NOT OVER MIX. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake for 25-30 minutes depending on which size you're making or until toothpick comes out clean. See notes.

Notes

  1. When using brown butter, measure the brown butter after it has browned not before.
  2. Here are the baking times in my oven:
    • 4 cafe style muffins - 35 minutes
    • 6 standard muffins - 30 minutes
    • 12 small muffins - 23-25 minutes

 

I never considered sharing my brownie recipe earlier because I thought it’s one of those made-to-your-preference kind of food. That’s why, if you google “best brownie recipe” so many results come up, because bakers have their own brownie recipe cut-out to their taste. Gooey or cake-y, dark chocolate or milk chocolate, melted chocolate or cocoa powder, frosting or no frosting, and the list goes on. Different ratios, resulting to different textures and density. So I am proceeding with caution. I am not claiming that these are the best brownies ever, but these are definitely not for the faint-hearted. It’s a chocolate-lovers dream, every bite is an indulgence, so I only make this maybe twice a year and make sure I share the love!

Anyway, I made this today because I wanted to make a dairy-free & gluten-free version but I want them to taste the same. To begin my experiment, I needed a control and a variable which means I need to make both versions for my blind taste-test. I was scared of suffering from brownie overload so I divided the normal version into nuts, plain (because my husband has a nut allergy) and dulce de leche (obviously not dairy-free) and the DF/GF version into nuts and plain.

I use dark chocolate, because if you read the recipe, you will notice how much sugar is in it. Almost half a kilo for a batch! To balance out the sweetness, I use 70% dark chocolate and to get that dark colour, I make sure I use dutch processed cocoa powder.

Click on the photos to shop for the products. Most products ship internationally.

Mrs.Fancypants earns a small commission from affiliate links, when you buy the products above. If you’re in Australia, feel free to check the availability on advertised sites.

 

Also, my recipe is easy, you don’t need a mixer and no melting of chocolate involved. Just need 2 bowls and a whisk to make the batter. Make sure everything is room temperature for easy mixing, especially since you’re not using a mixer.

I use the brownie pan on the left below, but I’ve seen new pans that divide the brownies equally, or have markers to guide you when you portion, like the one on the right. I’ve never tried any pf the new ones though, so if you have, please let me know if they’re good and which brand you use in the comments below.

Click on the photos to shop for the products. Most products ship internationally.

Mrs.Fancypants earns a small commission from affiliate links, when you buy the products above. If you’re in Australia, feel free to check the availability on advertised sites.

Like I mentioned, these are very rich brownies, so cut them on the small side. I did end up with a successful dairy-free and gluten-free version that you can find here, if you’re interested. And if you do make the recipe, feel free to leave a comment below and to tag me on the photos! I love seeing what you make and what recipes you like.

 
Difficulty: Easy Prep Time: 20 Mins Cook Time: 30 Mins Total Time: 50 Mins

Rich & Gooey Brownies

Makes 18 slices

Ingredients

Instructions

0/5 Instructions
  • Preheat oven to 180C no fan or 160C with fan. Grease & line a 33 x 23 x 5 cm (9 x 13 x 2 in) with baking paper.
  • In a medium bowl, sift flour, cocoa and salt together. Set aside. In a large bowl whisk together sugars, butter and vanilla. Add eggs one at a time, fully incorporating each time.
  • Fold in flour mixture until you only see a few flour streaks. Fold in 2/3 of the chocolate and half the nuts until everything is just combined. Do not overmix.
  • Pour into prepared pan. Tap on the bench once to spread the batter. Sprinkle the rest of chocolate and nuts on top. Bake on the middle shelf for 28 minutes for super gooey brownies. Check around 25 minutes just in case your oven is too hot and the brownies are done. The brownie should form a shiny crust on top and still feels soft in the centre.
  • If you like your brownies more firm and set, add 5 minute increments until a total of 35 minutes baking time only. The brownies will get firmer as they cool down. Cool down completely then cut with a hot, sharp knife into 18 squares. Wipe the knife clean after each stroke for sharp edges.

Notes

  • If you're feeling a little adventurous like me, drop a few teaspoons of dulce de leche in the batter before putting in the oven then sprinkle with some flake salt when you take it out.