Welcome back, cold! Almost-Indian Lentils Soup

these last days, the only thing i need is some warmth. and coziness. mh, and especially after the brownies blowout... we're in urgency of some serious healthier stuff here!
and actually i feel that my craving for sweet is weaker and weaker, so i guess i will be posting more about salted stuff in future. when i finish with blogging all the behind schedule cakes, of course!
so, yes, a lentils soup: it is supposed to be an indian-style recipe, but my indian flatmate (oh, yes, i have a very competent food critics team in my apartment, eheh) didn't find many similarities with hers. but at least she liked it :)

Almost-Indian Lentils Soup
(enough for two or three)

boil a can of lentils (250gr) with its water with a glass of plain tomato sauce, a chopped onion, 200ml of coconut milk, salt&pepper, fresh chili pepper (as much as you like) a little spoon of cumin and another little spoon of coriander. cook for 20 minutes, adding water if needed.

The birthday gift for who you love: Cheesecake-Brownies

Cheesecake and Brownies together... if you're diabetic, do not read further. what-a-sweet experience! i have to say this was one of my most successful tries in my baking history :)

a cake which is in fact a brownie but features a cheesecake soft decoration is just The Sweet Gift and will guarantee a wow-effect at first-sight (and first-taste). what is more, you'll have fun spreading the cheesecake topping!

so, happy birthday rosa and giulia, and thank you for welcoming me in your house every time i pass by with sexynerd.

i also tried a mono-portion version, which was an unsuccessful attempt to limit my greed to one portion/day. oh, my...

the recipe is taken from il cavoletto. i have been waiting for an occasion to bake it for weeks, since baking it all for myself yould have been a very dangerous attempt of sugary intoxication. even now, after i kept only one-third-dose for myself, i feel weird.... sugary addicted by now?? ...but i just can't help it, maybe i need help?!? :)

Cheesecake+Brownie
(makes... oh, it's never enough)

mix 150gr of ricotta cheese and 150gr of philadelphia cheese in one bowl. add two spoons of white caster sugar and whisk until you don't feel the sugar anymore. add a spoon of flour, 1 egg and 3/4 drops of vanilla extract. in a separate bowl, whisk 5 large eggs with 350gr of sugar for a few minutes, until the sugar is melted. then melt 250gr of dark chocolate with 200gr of butter and add it to the eggs&sugar mixture [oh, my...]. add few drops of vanilla extract, a pinch of salt and 150gr of flour. well mix.
put the brownie-batter in a baking tin (cover with cooking-paper) and flatten it. then let spoons of the cheese-batter fall on the brownie. be artistic and draw some abstract patterns with a knife. i exagerated a bit, and the two batters mixed, creating some light-brownie areas. you should try to focus on the contrast of color of the 2 batters.

so have fun!

And from the archive... Blueberry Muffins

here they are... what can i say about blueberry muffins that was not said in history! they are a classic, and you know you will never get it wrong with a classic. sometimes i bake them just for their perfume; and they are a good gift for your boss, too :)

i think this recipe is one of those you should frame and keep with yourself forever; this is what i will do. cream, vanilla and blueberries. i'm in love!

Blueberry Muffins
(makes 15)

whisk 120gr of butter at room temperature with 100gr of white caster sugar until the butter becomes of a lighter colour. in another bowl, wisk 1 big egg (or 2 small) with 1,5dl of cream, vanilla seeds and a pinch of salt. add to the butter bowl. add 250gr of flour and the baking powder. mix until creamy, and then add 150gr of blueberries. bake in the oven 180degrees for 20 minutes, or until golden.

oh, my, they're so soft and comfy and fragrant...

A mid-week treat: Banoffee Cupcakes

today the events of dull weather, b-friend not going to work and banoffee cuppy treat just MADE me stay at home in my cozy pj. but i'm going to study, anyway, and i won't feel too guilty about skipping lectures. oh, i love being a master student!

Banoffee Cupcakes
(adapted from Susannah Blake's book, makes 10)

beat 60gr of butter (room temperature) and 70gr of cane sugar together until the batter gets lighter. then add an egg and a mashed banana. when creamy, add 120gr of flour, the baking powder and 50gr of thinly chopped toffee candies. bake in preheated oven at 180degrees for 20 min.
for the topping: make a cream with 150gr of ricotta cheese and 2 tablespoons of icing sugar. decorate with a sliced banana and toffee candies.

ps- the original recipe requires the use of cream and dulce de leche as decoration, but i preferred a "lighter" version since i usually have cupcakes for breakfast.