Piece of cake

If you’ve got a yen to bake and a craving for sweet-treats, try out a few of these simple recipes for cakes and pies.

Berry Slab Pie

FOR THE PIE
INGREDIENTS

• 1.15 kg Fresh mixed berries
• l 1 ¼ cups Granulated sugar
• ¼ cup Cornstarch
• 1 tbsp Lemon juice
• ¼ tsp Salt
• 2 tbsp Heavy cream
• ¼ cup Sugar
• Slab pie crust

METHOD

• Preheat oven to 180°C.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out a larger piece of dough to an 18-by-13 inch rectangle and cut out a 15-by-10 inch sheet using a rimmed baking sheet.
• Chill while assembling filling.
• In a large bowl, stir berries, granulated sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and salt. Spread mixture over chilled pie sheet.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out remaining pieces of dough to a 16-by-11 inch rectangle and drape over filling.
• Fold edges of bottom dough over top dough and pinch edges to seal.
• Prick top dough all over with a fork. Brush entire surface with cream and sprinkle with sugar.
• Bake until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling till about 40-45 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let pie cool down till it’s warm to the touch.
• Serve warm or at room temperature.

FOR CRUST:
INGREDIENTS:

• 2 ½ cups All-purpose flour
• 1 ½ tsp Coarse salt
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 250 gm Cold, unsalted butter cut into small pieces
• 6 to 8 tbsp Ice water

METHOD:

• Process flour, salt, and sugar into a food processor until combined and add butter.
• Process until mixture resembles coarse meal for about 10 seconds.
• Add ice water in a slow, steady stream until dough comes together.
• Turn dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap. Flatten and shape into a rectangle and wrap it in plastic. Refrigerate at least one hour.

Red Velvet Pan Cookie
INGREDIENTS

• 6 tbsp Softened butter
• ½ cup Sugar
• ¼ cup Brown sugar
• 1 Egg
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 1 cup Flour
• 2 tbsp Cocoa powder
• ½ tsp Baking soda
• 1 tbsp Red food colouring or beetroot juice
• ½ tsp Kosher salt
• ½ cup Mini white chocolate chips, more for sprinkling
• ½ cup Chocolate, more for sprinkling
• Vanilla ice cream (optional)
• Chocolate syrup (optional)

METHOD:

• Preheat oven to 190°C.
• Grease a 10-inch cast iron skillet with cooking spray.
• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars with a hand mixer till light and fluffy.
• Beat in egg and vanilla.
• Add flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, food colouring and salt. Mixed until just combined.
• Fold in chocolate chips.
• Spread dough into skillet in an even layer.
• Top with more chocolate chips, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Serve with vanilla ice cream scoops.

Blueberry Cheesecake
INGREDIENTS

• 250 gm Plain sweet biscuits
• 125 gm Melted butter
• 3 tsp Gelatine powder
• ¼ cup Boiling water
• 500 gm Cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup Caster sugar
• 1 tsp Vanilla bean paste
• 300 ml Thickened cream, whipped
• 300 gm Fresh blueberries
• Icing sugar mixture, to serve

METHOD:

• Grease a 6cm-deep, 20 cm round spring form pan.
• Process biscuits until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs and add butter. Process until just combined.
• Press Mixture over base and side of prepared pan. Refrigerate for 20 minutes or until firm.
• Sprinkle gelatine over boiling water in a heatproof jug.
• Whisk with a fork until gelatine is dissolved and set aside to cool for 15 minutes.
• Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth.
• Gradually beat in gelatine mixture until combined.
• Fold in whipped cream and blueberries. Pour mixture into prepared pan.
• Smooth the top with a spatula.
• Sprinkle remaining blueberries over the cheesecake. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Transfer the cheesecake from the pan to a plate and dust with icing sugar.