Black Sesame Paste

8oz bag of black sesame seed

Method-Sesame preparation:
1. Rinse and wash lightly the black sesame seed in water. Use a small wire mesh scope to scope out the sesame. Remove as much of the water as possible.
2. Put the sesame in a flying pan to cook. Stirring it constantly, until the sesame is very dry and crispy.
3. Use a food processor to blend the sesame until it is like powder.
4. Store in a plastic container for future use.

Ingredients-per 8oz bowl of sesame paste:
3 to 4 cubes of rock sugar to taste
1 tbsp to 1-1/2 tbsp of corn starch (depending on how thick you like it).
2 tbsp of sesame powder
8 oz water

Directions:
1. Boil 7/8 of the 8 oz water with the sugar.
2. In a separate bowl, mix in the sesame powder and the corn starch. Stir in the remaining 1/8 of the 8 oz cold water. Mix well.
3. When the sugar is all melted and the water is boiling, pour in the sesame mixture, stirring quickly and constantly.
4. Keep stirring until smooth and in a paste testure, and the corn starch is cooked.

Chewy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups quick-cooking oats
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
  
• 1 cup semisweet or dark chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until just blended. Mix in the quick oats, walnuts, and chocolate chips.
   
3. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to an hour. This will prevent spreading.
   
4. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.
5. Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Apple Tart

Preparation time: 30 minutes + chilling

Total cooking time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Serves 6-8

2 cooking apples3 tablespoons sugar

1 egg

1/3 cup cream

1 tablespoon Calvados or Kirsch

1 Sift the flour into a bowl, then, using just your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Make a well in the center and add almost all the water. Using a knife, mix to a dough, adding more water if necessary. Gather together and turn out a sheet of baking paper. Press together gently until smooth, wrap and chill for 15 minutes. Roll out to fit a 9 inch loose-bottomed, flatted flan tin. Line the tin with the pastry, trimming any excess. Chill for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to moderately hot 375 degrees F/Gas 5.

2 Line the pastry with a sheet of crumpled baking paper and fill with baking beads or rice. Bake for 10 minutes, remove the paper and beads and bake for 15 minutes, until cooked on the base and golden around the edge; cool.

3 Peel, core and thinly slice the apples. Arrange in the pastry shell with the slices overlapping, sprinkle with 2 tablespoons sugar and bake for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together the egg, remaining sugar and the cream. Stir in the liqueur, then pour carefully over the apples. Bake for 35 minutes, or until the cream mixture has set and is puffed and golden (it will sink down as it cools). Serve hot or at room temperature. Whipped cream topping, optional.

Crepes with Sugar, Lemon & Cream

Preparation time : 10 minutes + standing
Total cooking time: 25 minutes
Makes about 14 crepes

1 cup plain flour
1 egg
1 and 1/4 cups milk
30 g (1 oz) unsalted butter, melted
sugar, lemon juice and thick (double) cream, for serving


1 Sift the flour and a pinch of salt into a large bowl and make a well in the center. Gradually whisk in the combined egg and milk until the batter is smooth and free of lumps. Cover and set aside for 30 minutes.

2 Transfer the batter to a jug for easy pouring. Heat a small crepe or non-stick frying pan and brush lightly with melted butter. Pour a little batter into the pan, swirling to thinly cover the base, and pour any excess back into the jug. If the batter is too thick, add 2-3 teaspoons milk. Cook for about 20 seconds, or until the edges just begin to curl, then toss or turn over and lightly brown the other side. Transfer to a plate and cover with a tea towel while cooking the remaining batter, greasing the pan when necessary. Stack the crepes between greaseproof paper to prevent them sticking together.

3 Sprinkle the crepes with sugar and a little lemon juice and fold into quarters. Put two or three on each plate and top with cream.

Supreme Strawberry Cheesecake

To make cheesecake, follow the recipe for New York Cheesecake

1 pint strawberries, cleaned and stemmed
1/3 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla


Cut about 1/3 of the strawberries in half. In a saucepan over medium high heat, combine strawberries, sugar and vanilla. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. In a blender, puree about 1/3 of sauce, then mix back into remainder. Store in refrigerator. Top the New York Cheesecake with the strawberry sauce.

* Recipe courtesy of Ray N.

New York Cheesecake

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Total cooking time: 1 hour
Serves: 12

15 graham crackers, crushed
2 tablespoons butter, melted
4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
1 and 1/2 cups white sugar
3/4 cup milk
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup all-purpose flour


1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9 inch springform pan.

2 In a medium bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs with melted butter. Press onto bottom of springform pan.

3 In a large bowl, mix cream cheese with sugar until smooth. Blend in milk, and then mix in the eggs one at a time, mixing just enough to incorporate. Mix in sour cream, vanilla and flour until smooth. Pour filling into prepared crust.

4 Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Turn the oven off, and let cake cool in oven with the door closed for 5 to 6 hours; this prevents cracking. Chill in refrigerator until serving.

* Recipe courtesy of Ray N.

Creme Brulee

Preparation time: 30 minutes + standing + chilling
Total cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves: 6

3 cups cream
2 vanilla beans
8 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
3 teaspoons sugar


1 Gently heat the cream and vanilla beans in a large, heavy-based pan until almost boiling. Remove from the heat and set aside to infuse for 30 minutes. Remove the vanilla beans.

2 Beat or whisk the egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl until thick and pale. Add the cream, then pour into a clean pan over low heat and stir until the mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of a wooden spoon. Do not boil or you will curdle the mixture. Remove from the heat and divide among six ramekins. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight.

3 Just before serving, preheat the grill to very hot. Sprinkle a layer of sugar about 1/2 inch thick over the surface of the brulees. To do this, put the ramekins on a sheet of baking paper and sift the sugar over--you can pour the dry sugar off the baking paper back into your container.

4 Place the ramekins in a large baking dish and pack ice around the sides to prevent the custards being heated. Place under the grill until the sugar caramelizes into an even sheet. Keep watching or you may burn the caramel. The sugar needs to caramelize quickly so that the custard doesn't have time to melt. If your grill does not get particularly hot (restaurants use special hot grills called salamanders) you might want to invest in a mini blowtorch which also does the job well. Play the flame evenly over the surface. Do not put too much sugar on or the crust will be too thick to break with a spoon.

5 Chill the creme brulee until you serve them but not for longer than an hour or the crust will soften. This dessert can be garnished with fresh fruit such as blueberries.

Baked Custard

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Total cooking time: 35 minutes
Serves 4

3 eggs
1/2 cup soft brown sugar
1 and 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup cream
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
ground nutmeg, to dust


1 Preheat the oven to moderate 180 degrees C (350 degrees F/Gas 4). Brush a 1 litre ovenproof dish with melted butter.

2 Whisk the eggs, sugar, milk, cream and vanilla essence in a bowl for 1 minute. Pour into the dish and place the dish in a shallow baking dish. Pour enough boiling water into the baking dish to come halfway up the side of the ovenproof dish. Place on the oven shelf, sprinkle the top of the custard with nutmeg and bake for 15 minutes.

3 Reduce the heat to warm 160 degrees (315 degrees F/Gas 2-3) and bake for another 20 minutes, or until the custard is set. It should no longer be liquid but should wobble slightly when the dish is shaken lightly. Remove the dish from the water bath immediately. Serve warm or cold.