Japanese Souffle Cheesecake

Recipe from Alex Goh's Fantastic Cheesecakes
Makes one 9" cake

160g cream cheese
25g butter
120ml milk
40g flour
30g corn flour
4 eggs, separated
100g caster sugar
pinch of salt

1. Grease and line the bottom a 9" pan and wrap the outside of the pans with foil. (I omitted the greasing and lining since I was using a springform pan)


2. Place cream cheese, butter and milk in a double boiler (bain-marie) and stir until melted and thick. Remove and set aside.


3. Add in flour and corn flour to the above mixture, followed by egg yolks and mix well.


4. Whisk egg whites until foamy then add in sugar gradually then whisk until soft peaks.


5. Add 1/3 of egg whites into the yolk/flour mixture, followed by the rest of the whites. Fold in gently.


6. Pour mixture into pans and bake in a water bath in a preheated oven of 160C for 45-50 mins until the top is golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.


7. Cool completely before refrigerating.

Chicken Pie

Recipe from Donna Hay's Modern Classics Book 1
Makes a 91/2 inch pie or 3 8-inch pies
Serves 6


1 quantity (350g) shortcrust pastry (recipe here)
375g puff pastry

1 tablespoon oil
2 leeks, chopped
1kg chicken thigh fillets, cut into 2cm cubes
3 cups chicken stock
3/4 cup dry white wine
250g small button mushrooms, halved
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons cornflour
1/4 cup water
sea salt and cracked pepper
1 egg, lightly beaten

1) To make the filling, cook the oil and leek in a saucepan over medium high heat for 3 minutes or until soft. Add the chicken, stock and wine. Simmer, uncovered for 45 minutes or until tender.

2) Add the mushrooms and parsley to the pan and cook for 5 minutes. Blend the cornflour and water to a smooth paste, add to the pan and cook, stirring for 5 minutes or until the mixture thickens and returns to a mixture.

3) Add the salt and pepper. Set aside to cool.

4) Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

5) Roll out the shortcrust pastry on a lightly floured surface to 3mm thick and line the base of a deep 24cm pie tin. Spoon in the cooled filling.

6)  Roll out the puff pastry to 3-4 mm thick. Cut a shape from the middle of the pastry as an air hole. Place the pastry top on the pie. (I use the shortcrust pastry to cover the top of the pies)

7) Trim and press the edges to seal and brush the top with a little egg.

8) Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 40 minutes or until golden and crisp.

Basic Shortcrust Pastry

Recipe from Donna Hay's Modern Classic Book 1

250g (2 cups) plain flour
145g (5oz) cold butter
2 - 3 tablespoons iced water

1. Process the butter and flour in a food processor until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. (I use rubbing-in method with my fingers)

2. While the motor is running, add enough iced water to form a smooth dough. (Add water gradually according to the consistency)

3. Knead very lightly then wrap the dough in plastuic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. When ready to use, roll out on a lightly floured surface until 3mm (1/8 inch) thick. Makes 350g (12 oz), which will line up to a 25cm (10 inch) pie dish or tart tin.

To bake blind to produce a crisp tart shell ready to be filled with wet ingredients, top the pastry-lined tart tin or tins with a piece of non-stick baking paper that extends past the edges of the tin. Fill with pastry weights or uncooked rice or beans. Place on a baking tray and bake in a preheated 180 degrees Celsius oven for 10 minutes. Remove the weights and paper and bake for a further 5 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown.

Vanilla Sponge Cake

Makes one 8" cake. Half quantities for 6".

55g water
50g vegetable oil
20g caster sugar
4 egg yolks
80g cake flour (I substituted with 64g plain flour and 16g cornflour, mixed well)
2g baking powder (I did not bother weighing, I used 1/2 tsp)
1 tsp vanilla paste

4 egg whites
65g caster sugar
Pinch of cream of tartar


1. Preheat oven to 180 degree celsius (I found it worked better at 170 for me) and line bottom of tin with greaseproof paper.

2. Separate egg whites and egg yolks into 2 mixing bowls

3. Sift flour and baking powder together.

4. In another bowl, beat egg yolks and vanilla paste with the sugar (20g) until sugar dissolves. Slowly mix in the oil and water, stirring till well mixed.

5. Stir in flour gently till the mixture is well mixed.

Egg white portion
6. In a clean and dry bowl, whisk egg whites till frothy and add in cream of tartar. Whisk till almost soft peak.

7. Add sugar gradually and whisk till firm peaks.

8. Fold 1/3 of meringue into the egg yolk mixture. Then pour the lightened egg yolk mixture into the remaining egg white and gently fold till well-incorporated.

9. Pour the batter into the cake tin. Smoothen the surface and gently tap the tin on the tabletop to release the air bubbles inside.

10. Bake on the middle shelf for about 35-40 minutes. Cake is done when inserted skewer comes out clean.
(Try not to open the oven door during the first 20 min otherwise the cake will deflate. If cake top browns, cover with aluminium foil)

11. Remove cake from the oven and immediately leave it inverted on cooling rack till it is cool.

12. When cake is cooled, frost the cake and sandwich layers with whipped non-dairy whipping cream. Decorate as you wish. Keep refrigerated.

Cheesecake-Marbled Brownie

Makes 1 8" square pan

Recipe from Epicurious

For brownie batter

113g (1 stick or 1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

56g (2 ounce) unsweetened chocolate, chopped

200g (1 cup) sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

83g (2/3 cup) all-purpose flour

Pinch of salt

For cheesecake batter

226g (8 ounces) cream cheese, well softened

66g (1/3 cup) sugar

1 large egg yolk

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Make brownie batter:

1. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius. 

2. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan.

3. Heat butter and chocolate in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, whisking occasionally, just until melted. 

4. Remove from heat and whisk in sugar, eggs, vanilla, and a pinch of salt until well combined. Whisk in flour until just combined and spread in baking pan.

5. In another bowl, whisk together cheesecake batter ingredients until smooth. Dollop over brownie batter, then swirl in with a knife or spatula.

6. Bake until edges are slightly puffed and center is just set, about 35 minutes.

7. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Read my blog post here.