No Bake Vanilla Cheesecake

Ingredients :

100g digestive biscuits crushed into fine crumbs

50g demerara sugar

50g melted butter

500g full-fat cream cheese

100g icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

200ml double cream

Method :

1. In a mixing bowl, mix together the biscuit crumbs and Demerara sugar. Add in the melted butter and mix well.

2. Put the biscuit mixture into a 20cm Cheesecake tin (Springform pan) lined with baking paper. Press the biscuit crumbs down firmly and evenly. Chill in the refrigerator until set.

3. Beat together the cream cheese, icing sugar and vanilla extract until well mixed.

4. Fold in the double cream, mixing well.

5. Spoon the cream mixture over the chilled biscuit base. Smooth the top of the cheesecake.

6. Chill the cheesecake in the refrigerator for 1 hour until set.

7. To serve, remove from the cake tin and cut into slices.

Red Velvet Cake

Ingredients :

500g plain flour

500g golden caster sugar

2 tbsp cocoa powder

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

½ tsp salt

250g butter, extra for greasing

200g dark chocolate, broken into pieces

2 large egg

200g natural yogurt

400g boiled beetroot

4 tbsp red food colouring

Method :

1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.

2. Starting by greasing and lining 2 x 20cm round tins.

3. Mix half the flour, sugar, cocoa, bicarb and ¼ tsp salt in a large mixing bowl.

4. Gently melt half the butter and chocolate together in a saucepan.

5. Blend one egg and half the yogurt and beetroot in a blender until fairly smooth. Put the kettle on.

6. Put the beetroot mix, melted chocolate mixture into the flour mix and add 150ml boiling water, then stir to combine. Stir in half the food colouring and divide the mixture between the tins. Bake for 25 mins until a skewer poked into the centre comes out clean. Leave the cakes on a wire rack to cool completely.

For the Frosting

Ingredients :

200g full-fat soft cheese, at room temperature

250g butter

400g icing sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

Method :

To make the frosting, briefly beat together the soft cheese and butter, then beat in the icing sugar and vanilla. Use a little to sandwich the cooled cakes together, then swirl the rest all over the sandwiched cakes. Sit the cake somewhere cool to set a little before serving.