When I’m not developing recipes for others, writing blogs or cooking for the lovely Mr G, this is wha

Baker & Foodie Content Creator

Hi.

My name is Lee, welcome to my pages. I hope we can have fun together?

When I’m not developing recipes for others, writing guest blogs, writing my own blog, or even trying to learn how to paint, I’m usually spending time with the amazing Mr G (my husband) or with my lovely daughter or my lovely son (very proud mum).

What is this all about? Great question. This site is about real cooking and baking, real recipes and real mistakes.

No filters here, (although i’d love to find a filter that can take ten years worth of laugh lines away. Just me, whats happening, and whatever cameras or phone i have to hand .

There are many things that get under my bonnet and wiggle around, one of those is food waste. If i buy ingredients specifically for a recipe, and i only need a small amount of the ingredients, i want to be able to use the rest up and not have to throw them away. My mum used to say , “Waste not Want not” is that still a saying ?

For me, waste is not just about using up all the ingredients. What about leftover food? If i’m able , i hope to give ideas as to how to use up any leftovers too.

Be Brave

Cooking isn’t hard , neither is baking, its all about being brave and being ok with making mistakes

Baked Salted Caramel & Pecan Cheesecake

Baked Salted Caramel & Pecan Cheesecake

Lee Majhen-Todd

Baked Salted Caramel & Pecan Cheesecake

Ready to eat

Ready to eat

Cheesecake is something I’d would never order for dessert if I were eating out, but for some reason it’s always a go to dish (in some form or another) to make when I’m feeding the many.

This one is a particular favourite of mine.

I’ve a super sweet tooth, to the point where I can eat a tin of condensed milk, with a spoon and then ask for another one – No judgement here.

 My point here, is that the caramel on the top is the thing that is the attraction to me and that’s why I add some to the cheesecake mix too.

 For me, where there is a soft dessert, there always has to be a crunch to get the mouth feel right.

Pecans are perfect for this.

 Not a nut that will break your teeth at first contact, and not too soft to disintegrate during cooking.

It’s like the please everyone nut, if you’re a nut lover.

 If nuts aren’t the thing for you, not problem, just leave them out.

 What I do recommend is to keep the sea salt, there is something about sea salt and caramel that’s a winner for most people.

 Having said that, the lovely Mr G is not so much of a fan.

I’m not saying that he doesn’t like it if offered, but not something he would ask to be added if it was left off a sweet dish by mistake.

 Which side of the fence do you fall on with the salted caramel debate?

 Go on, give it a go!

Enjoy your sweet life

 Baked Salted Caramel & Pecan Cheesecake

What You Need

Press the crumb and butter mix down firmly

Press the crumb and butter mix down firmly

 Base

  • 75g melted butter

  • 1 pack – 300g – Biscuits of choice – See Tip Box

Ready for the oven

Ready for the oven

Filing & Topping

  • 800g Full Fat cream Cheese

  • 1 Tin – 397g Dulce de leche – See Tip Box

  • 1 Tsp Vanilla

  • 150g Golden Castor Sugar

  • 2 Tbsp Plain Flour

  • 3 Large Eggs

  • 50g Pecans – Roughly Chopped

  • Extra pecans to decorate

  • 1 Teaspoon Sea Salt

Spread the caramel right to the edges

Spread the caramel right to the edges

  • How It’s Done

  • Heat the oven to 180 c – See Tip Box

  • Prepare a springform loose bottomed baking tin (23cm) by cutting out a circle of non-stick parchment to fit the inside of the tin.

  • Crush the biscuit in a food processor until they resemble fine breadcrumbs– See Tip Box

  • Transfer the crumbs to a bowl, add the melted butter, mix well until all the butter has been absorbed by the biscuit crumbs,

  • Press the mix, firmly, into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared springform tin.

  • Place the tin on an oven tray and bake in the hot oven for 10 minuets.

  • Meanwhile, prepare the filling.

  • Add all of the cream cheese to the bowl of an electric mixer.

  • Add 4 Tablespoons of the caramel sauce to the bowl, plus the vanilla, sugar and four. Beat until you have a smooth mixture

  • Add and beat in the eggs until you have a thick smooth custard consistency.

  • Add the chopped pecans and mix again

  • Tip the mixture into the tin and smooth it over the biscuit base.

  • Place the tin onto an oven proof tray and bake in the 180c oven for 10 minutes.

  • Reduce the heat to 140c and cook for a further 25-30 minutes making sure the centre still has a little bit of a wobble.

  • Turn off the heat to the oven, leave the door of the oven open and leave the cheesecake in the oven to cool completely. – See Tip Box

  • When you’re ready to eat the cheesecake, run a thin blade around the inside edge of the tin to loosen it.

  • Remove it from the tin and spoon over the remaining dulce de leche.

  • Sprinkle the sea salt over the dulce de leche.

  • Decorate with extra pecans if you’d like 

 Tip Box

  • Biscuits – 1) I used oats biscuits for this recipe, but if you prefer digestives that’s great too. I’d stay away from filled biscuits as the fat content makes the bottoms too hard.

2) If you don’t have a food processor, place the biscuits in a freezer bag, and hit them gently until they resemble fine breadcrumbs.

  • Dulce de leche – It’s up to you if you’d like to make a caramel yourself, I took the quick road with this recipe

  • Oven – All ovens vary so adjust cooking times accordingly.

  • Once cooked – Leaving the cheesecake in the oven to cool completely is supposed to stop any cracking on the top. Trust me when I say, this doesn’t always prevent it.

I like my biscuit base to come up the sides

I like my biscuit base to come up the sides

Wild Garlic Hummus

Wild Garlic Hummus
Wild Garlic Butter - Compound Butter

Wild Garlic Butter - Compound Butter
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