Coffee Caviar and Nutella Cheesecake for Blogoversary!,

Yay it's my blog's 1st birthday! Wow...it's been one year since I started this little project of mine and boy I really enjoyed each and every moment of it. Baking, for me, is really relaxing and therapeutic. And even though I have not been an active blogger for past month or so, That doesn't mean I wasn't baking!!

I made these Angry Bird's cupcakes for Ira's 2nd birthday (thank you Zoe for a superb "how to" post)

I made these "Bread Potlis"on a cold (very rare for Mumbai) evening...perfect with a hot cuppa

Also made these cute cupcakes

Plus I have also started conducting baking workshops....

During the year, I have discovered that I feel challenged by trying to make food from scratch, like learning to make bread, making my own pastry dough, learning to make macarons when everybody is so afraid to try the recipe.
My Pistachio Macarons

For the bloggoversary, I wanted to do something special, something unique and to share something delicious with you guys. And what better than a dessert caviar to do just that. This recipe from Sprinkle Bakes has been bookmarked for ages but couldn't actually got around to make it. But then m glad that I did not coz this is the perfect time for making and sharing this recipe.

Made this caviar and cake for a beautiful couple's 2nd wedding anniversary and, glad to report that, they really loved it!

Coffee Caviar
Ingredients:
2-3 cups vegetable oil

2 - 1/4 oz. packages powdered gelatin (or 4 teaspoons)

3 tablespoons cold water

3 fluid oz. hot liquid (1/4 cup plus 3 tbsp) i.e. hot coffee, or other liquid heated on the stove-top or in microwave

Ice

1/4 cup salt for water bath

Method:

Place oil in a 9x13-inch metal pan (or similar size) and store in refrigerator overnight. The oil must be very cold for the gelatin to set properly. In a medium bowl mix the gelatin and water until thoroughly combined and no lumps of gelatin remain. Let stand while you prepare the hot liquid.

Warm 3 oz. liquid on the stove-top or in a microwave until very hot but not boiling. Pour liquid over set gelatin mixture and stir until gelatin is melted. This may take a few minutes and you can break up the gelatin with a spoon for quicker dissolve.


When gelatin is completely melted transfer liquid to a squeeze bottle. You can also leave the mixture in the bowl and use a medicine dropper or syringe to draw the liquid for dropping. Let the mixture stand for a few minutes, if it's too hot the gelatin will not set properly and the "caviar" will be misshapen. It should be just barely warm - almost room temperature. While you wait for your mixture to cool, prepare the oil for the ice bath. Transfer chilled oil to a 1 quart (1 litre) container (preferably metal because it will aid cooling, but glass will work too).  Prepare the ice bath. Make sure the bowl you are using for the ice bath is larger than the container holding the oil.  Fill bowl with ice and then add water until the bowl is two-thirds filled. Add 1/4 cup salt and stir until mixed. Rest the container of oil inside the water bath. Begin dropping gelatin mixture into the cold oil, 1-3 drips at a time.


The amount of drips will vary according to the viscosity of the oil and type of dropper you use. You'll know the correct amount when the mixture forms a ball that rests on the surface for a moment then sinks to the bottom. When half the mixture has been used, wait for 3-5 minutes then scoop the caviar into a mesh sieve to drain. Place caviar in an air-tight container or a canning jar with a screw-tight lid. Resume dropping the gelatin mixture into the cold oil until all of the mixture is used. When finished, place caviar in a canning jar or in an air-tight container with a little of the oil poured over top. This may sound weird or gross, but it keeps the caviar moist for up to a week.

Nutella Cheesecake
Adapted from Zoe Bakes

Ingredients:

Chocolate Crust:
30 chocolate wafer cookies (1 1/4 cups ground in food processor) – or 15 oreos
4 tablespoons butter, melted
Cheesecake:
400 grams nutella

2 1/2 pounds (1 kg) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup (225 grams)sugar
1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
5 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Chocolate Ganache:
1 pound (450 grams) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 cups (500 ml) heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Method:
To make the crust: Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. In a food processor break up the cookies until they are a powder, then add the butter and process until the cookies are wet.  Pat the crumbs into the bottom of a Round Cake Pan, 9 Inch x 3 Inch, lined with a parchment circle. Bake the crust for about 10 minutes.

Lower oven temperature to 160 degrees Celsius.

To mix the cheesecake:  
In a medium size bowl, put in the softened nutella and add the cream cheese and mix on a low speed until it is well blended with the nutella. Scrape the bowl often. Add the sugar, cream and then the eggs, mixing well after each. Add the vanilla.
Fill the prepared cake pan with the cheesecake mixture.

Bake in a waterbath for about 1 hour or until the cheesecake has set on top. It should no longer appear liquidy when the pan is gently shaken. Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool in the water-bath. This brings the temp down slower and prevents deep cracks.

Refrigerate the cheesecake for several hours or overnight. Unmold the cheesecake by heating it over a flame on the stove for a few seconds, run a thin blade around the pan and then invert it onto a flat surface covered with plastic wrap. Invert the cheesecake onto a cardboard round that fits the bottom exactly. If the cardboard is too big it will show when you pour the ganache over the cake.

To make the ganache:
In a medium sized pot heat the cream until just steaming, but not boiling. Turn off the heat and add the chocolate and butter. shake the pot to make sure all the chocolate is submerged in the hot cream and allow to sit for about 3 minutes. Gently stir the ganache until it is completely smooth. Do not whip any air into it or the surface of your cake will not be smooth.
Place the cake on a cooling rack, set above a cookie sheet which is covered in parchment. This will catch any extra ganache.

Allow the ganache to thicken for about 10 to 15 minutes. If the ganache is too thin it will just pour off the cake without coating well. It should be just above room temperature.

 Start in the center and pour the ganache over the cake, then move to the outer edge and make sure the entire cake is covered.

Very gently shimmy the cooling rack so that the top surface of the cake smooths out. let the cake sit until the ganache is set up. This can take about 30+ minutes.

Enjoy!!