Showing posts with label in a jar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label in a jar. Show all posts

Sunday, November 4, 2012

Totally tastes better than thin s'more cheesecakes


So a while back I noticed the local supermarkets all stopped selling the chocolates I like to eat.

Like some type of chocolate deprivation conspiracy, they slowly started disappearing off the shelves.


I know y'all are saying with the amount of stuff I bake what are you even doing buying chocolates. But that is beside the point.

I told my friend expecting her to be full of sympathy. "I know" she said in a consoling voice, the shop I used to buy the chocolates I like from stopped selling them and now I have to buy them at a different supermarket and they cost a dollar more.


That is totally NOT the same, having to pay a dollar more compared to NEVER again having your favorite chocolate.....

Not even close to the same :)

Anyway......lacking consolation from my friend I turned to these s'more cheesecakes.


* In the interest of being honest and responsible lots of things taste better than thin, but in our household we mostly eat a healthy diet with lots of vegetables, fruit, dairy etc to balance out the sweet treats I make. The kids also have an active lifestyle with many activities including swimming, tennis, dancing and basketball.

They actually taste better than my favorite chocolates, but sadly they do not come individually wrapped already made.

In Australia S'mores are not really well known. Probably because we do not have graham crackers readily available which is one of many life mysteries I have never really understood.

Anyway luckily if you can not find graham crakers you can whip up your own pretty easily. CLICK HERE for a link to Martha Stewart's graham cracker recipe. I actually used my own recipe which is not listed below and cut them quite thin so they were like delicious little spoons.

Oh and there is a happy ending to the chocolate story, I found a shop not far from my house that sells the chocolates I love. I'm a regular shopper there now.


I picked my mini glass pot's up at Sharnel Dollar Designs, but they do not have them presently. Try Sweet Style CLICK HERE.

Tastes Better than Thin S'more Cheesecakes (makes 14 using small jar)
Imperial conversions approximate

625g (21oz) cream cheese at room temperature
1 x 395g (14oz) tin sweetened condensed milk
3 large eggs at room temperature
300g  (10 1/2 oz) milk chocolate melted and cooled to room temperature
100g (3 1/2 oz) dark chocolate
80g (2 7/8 oz) cream
4 egg whites
260g (9 oz)caster (superfine) sugar
Graham Crackers to serve

Preheat oven to 140C (285 F)

In a large bowl beat the cream cheese using an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. If the cream cheese is still lumpy it will show up later when you mix in the chocolate, so take the time now to make sure it is mixed well. Add the condensed milk and mix until well combined. Reduce speed to low and add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition until just combined.



Add the chocolate and mix at low speed until combined.

Spoon or pipe mixture into jars.

I baked my cakes in a tin which I poured boiling water into. It results in the cheesecake texture being a bit creamier. You can either do as I did and use the hot water/baking tin method, or bake the cheesecake jars directly on a baking tray.



Alternatively you can bake the cheesecake mixture in muffin tins lined with paper cases.


Bake for around 15-17minutes.


Melt the dark chocolate with the cream in the microwave at medium low heat for bursts of 45 seconds until it is smooth.

Divide the mixture between the cheesecakes spooning into the top of the jars.

(If you are making the cheesecakes in muffin cases instead of jars just reserve the chocolate sauce to pour over cakes when serving)


Make the marshmallow frosting.


Pop the egg whites and sugar into a large clean metal bowl from a stand mixer and stir together until just mixed, the sugar will start to melt into the whites.

Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water until the mixture reaches 60C ( 140F) making sure to stir frequently to stop the egg whites from cooking.

Place the bowl back on the mixer and beat on high speed until the meringue is thick and glossy and forms stiff peaks.



Spoon or pipe the marshmallow frosting onto the top of the cheesecakes and place into the grill to toast. Be careful to ensure the tips do not catch fire. It's a good idea to check where the heating elements are and make sure the frosting is not directly below them.

Of course if you have a little kitchen torch you can use that to toast all around the marshmallow frosting.


Serve with graham crackers.


Recipe by Linda Vandermeer

Linda Vandermeer is a mum, wife, blogger and author of the cookbook ' Sweets on a Stick': More than 150 kid friendly recipes for cakes, candies, cookies and pies on the go!. Published in the US the book is available at most online book stores:




Or here at fishpond (Aus/NZ)

Sweets on a Stick: More Than 150 Kid-Friendly Recipes for Cakes, Candies, Cookies, and Pies on the Go!

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Strawberry and Cream Cheesecakes in a Jar


Strawberries are so plentiful and cheap around here at the moment and everyone has those buy 3 punnets for $5 deals so our fridge is full of them.

That is not a complaint.

I love fruit. Mostly we just wash and eat it fresh here.

Seriously I did not fish around to find these strawberries, they were the top 2 in the punnet.

But I couldn't resist making up these strawberry and cream cheesecakes in a jar. The great thing about making cheesecakes in a jar, apart from y'know obviously they look lovely, is that you can spoon on heaps of strawberries and puree some up as sauce and it stays put as you scoop around eating.

If it doesn't happen to be strawberry season for you at the moment - just pop any fresh fruit in the top and it will be just as awesomely delicious.


I have used recycled jam jars, which actually took me a while to collect up, but you can use whatever you may have sitting around. In the past I found drinking glasses or even clean unused glass tea light holders from Ikea work.

Oh and if your a bit of a fan of upcycling and recycling you should check out the latest edition of 'Tickle the Imagination' online magazine.


I have a super yummy recipe for Blueberry jarcakes with cream cheese frosting in the lasted edition.


......hmmmm that styling looks familiar. Nope I didn't do it the same day (I don't have that many jars), although it was about a week apart. I needed to use the jars quick as my friend was collecting used jars to use at a party as drink glasses. Yup another fab recycling idea right there.

This photo is really Bubble and (a) Sweet

Now if only I could come up with an idea for recyling all those plastic fruit punnets I would be set.

and YAY for Bubble and Sweet, we were featured as one of Parenting.com's fav Halloween pintrest ideas for my Double Trouble Witch Brew Cauldron Cake pops. Thanks Parenting.com you can check out all their other creepily delicious favorites HERE.



anyway shameless self promotion over.....back to the cheesecakes.




Strawberries and Cream Cheesecakes in a Jar makes 6
You will need 6 clean 250ml jam jars or similar. If you do not have jars available you can use cupcake papers and bake in a muffin tray. Imperial conversion is approximate.

500g (17oz) cream cheese at room temperature
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 egg at room temperature
1/4 cup cream
1 tsp vanilla
1 250g (8 1/2 oz) punnet strawberries
Extra whipped cream for serving

Preheat oven to 140 C (280 F).

Beat the cream cheese and sugar using a mixer at medium speed until smooth and lump free, add the cream and mix until combined.


Reduce speed to low and add the eggs and vanilla and mix until just combined.

Spoon mixture into jars, place on a tray and pop in the oven.

Bake for 25 minutes.

Allow to cool to room temperature and the pop into the fridge to chill for a couple of hours.

Just prior to serving puree about half the strawberries. Chop the remaining strawberries into small pieces. Evenly divide the strawberries and puree between the jars. Top with some whipped cream, decorate with sprinkles if desired and serve with a spoon.