Baking something sweet

Tricolor Geography Cake

For the basic vanilla blend
250g sunflower oil
200g white granulated sugar
4 medium eggs
120g fresh milk
300g self-raising flour, sifted
1 sachet vanilla (8g)
1 teaspoon baking powder
For the cocoa mixture
1.5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa, sifted (15g)
For the red mixture
3 tablespoons raspberries puree

Prepare the tin: Lay greaseproof paper on the base of a round cake tin with a diameter of 20cm, leaving about 1 cm protruding. Grease well with spray or vegetable oil.
Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 180C (fan).
Prepare the basic vanilla mixture: In a large bowl, whisk together the sunflower oil, sugar, milk and eggs until smooth.
Add the flour, vanilla and baking powder and mix well.
Split mixture: Divide the mixture into three bowls (about 350g in each bowl).
In the first bowl, leave the mixture as it is (vanilla).
In the second add the cocoa and mix well.
In the third, add the raspberries puree and mix well.
Formation of circles (zebra effect): Pour 3 tablespoons of the vanilla mixture into the centre of the pan. Then pour 3 tablespoons of the cocoa mixture into the centre of the vanilla circle. Then pour 3 tablespoons of the raspberries mixture into the centre of the cocoa circle.
Repeat until the mixtures are finished, creating concentric circles.
Bake: Bake at 180C for about 35-40 minutes or until a stick comes out clean from the centre of the cake.

Cheesecake Brownies with Cherry Jam and Pistachios

125g chocolate with 60% cocoa
125g unsalted butter
20g unsweetened cocoa, sifted
20g all-purpose flour
1/2 sachet vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
50g white granulated sugar
50g brown sugar
2 eggs
50g unsalted pistachios, coarsely chopped
300g cream cheese
50g white granulated sugar
A pinch of salt
1 egg
1/2 sachet vanilla
175g cherry jam
1 tablespoon hot water
To garnish/serve
50g unsalted pistachios, coarsely chopped
250g cherries, frozen, pitted
1 tablespoon amaretto liqueur
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Ice Cream Balls

Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 175C. Line an 18×18 cm square baking tray with parchment paper.
Jam/fruit preparation: In a small bowl, dilute the cherry jam with 1 tablespoon warm water and mix well. In another bowl, mix the cherries with the amaretto and brown sugar.
Melt the chocolate: Melt the chocolate with the butter in a bain-marie. Once melted, remove from the heat.
Mixing: Add the cocoa, flour, salt, two sugars, eggs, vanilla and pistachios to the mixture. Stir gently until smooth.
Make the base: Pour the mixture into the baking dish and flatten the surface.
First bake: Bake for 15 minutes at 175C.
Cheesecake topping: In a bowl, beat the cream cheese with the sugar, salt, egg and vanilla until smooth and fluffy.
To assemble: Pour the cheesecake mixture onto the half-baked base, then add spoonfuls of the jam to different parts of the surface. Using a thick toothpick or skewer create wavy lines or a marble effect, gently running through the mixture.
Final bake: Lower the oven to 160C and continue to bake for 20 minutes, until the cheesecake layer sets.
Serve: Let cool completely, refrigerate for 1 hour and cut into pieces. Garnish with ice cream, pistachios and the marinated cherries.

Recipes provided by the Lidl food academy. Stasikratous 34, Nicosia 1010. https://www.lidlfoodacademy.com.cy/