Microwave Watalappam/Watalappan (Coconut Custard Pudding)

This is a Sri Lankan dessert which is fairly easy to make. Ideally it should be made using coconut milk hence the name coconut custard but it works well with normal milk

Ingredients (Serves 2)

90 grams palm sugar
20ml water
1 cinnamon stick broken
5 crushed cardamom pods
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 eggs
125ml milk (Ideally coconut milk)
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
Chopped roasted cashews


Method

1. Add palm sugar, water, cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg to a microwave safe dish or cup
2. Microwave for 90 seconds on medium-high in 30 second bursts. stirring in between to ensure the sugar has melted
3. Beat eggs and milk together
4. Add palm sugar mix to eggs
5. Add vanilla
6. Strain mixture into a microwave safe dish.
7. Microwave on high for about 3-4 minutes until pudding is set completely. 
8. Chill for 2 hours
9. Serve with roasted cashews.

Marble Cheesecake

This is a relatively easy recipe but very yummy. Adapted from this recipe.

Ingredients
1 packet Tim Tams
100g butter
500g cream cheese
2/3 cups caster sugar
3 eggs
75g white chocolate
100g dark chocolate

Method

1. Crush or process tim tams into crumbs.
2. Melt butter and mix with biscuit crumbs.
3. Line a 23 cm square baking tray with baking paper. 
4. Spread biscuit mix evenly into tray.
5. Refrigerate biscuit base for at least 10min. 
6. Melt white and dark chocolate and allow to cool
7. Preheat oven at 180C (160C fan-forced)
8. Beat cream cheese and sugar until soft.
9. Beat in eggs
10. Pour half the cheese mix into a new bowl and mix in the melted dark chocolate
11. Mix in melted white chocolate into the other half
12. Alternately spoon white and dark chocolate cheese cake mix into baking tray.
13. Gently create a spiral pattern with a a small spoon or skewer
14. Bake at 180C (160 fan-forced) for about 25 minutes until the centre is just set. Cheese cake should be wobbly but should be set when touched.
15. Cool in tin for at least 1 hour
16. Cool in fridge overnight
17. Cut into slices and serve. 

Microwave Caramel Pudding

This is a yummy, quick dessert.

Ingredients (Serves 2)
2 tablespoon sugar
1 cup milk
1 egg
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Method
1. Place 1 tablespoon sugar, with a splash of water in 2 cups/ramekins.
2. Microwave each cup until sugar syrup turns amber colour. (See note)
3. Beat egg, milk, sugar and vanilla.
4. Pour pudding mix into each cup
5. Microwave on medium heat until set. (Takes about 60-90 seconds)
6. Cool for 20 minutes.
7. Serve warm or put in the fridge, for a chilled dessert later.

Notes

• The first time, requires a bit of patience to work out the right timings for your own microwave.
• Making the caramel can be tricky. Microwave in bursts of 30 seconds. Once sugar starts changing colour microwave in bursts of 5-10 seconds. 
• You can also put all the sugar in one cup and make the caramel in that cup and then divide it. This is often easier as the sugar won't burn as quickly.
• To tell if the pudding is set, run a knife or a spoon down the edge of the pudding, if it is still runny microwave it again. Its normal to have some condensed water around the edges but if it looks milky then the pudding has not set completely.

Microwave Coffee Pudding

This is a super simple microwave recipe, for coffee lovers.

Ingredients (Serves 2)
Shot of coffee
1 cup of milk
1 egg
3 teaspoons sugar or more to taste

Method
1. Microwave milk for 1 minute and mix in sugar
2. Beat egg and then mix in milk
3. Mix in coffee
4. Pour into ramekins, or small glasses and microwave for about 2 minutes on medium setting.
5. Stop microwaving once pudding is set and starts bubbling on top.
6. Let it cool for at least 20 minutes.
7. Serve warm or put in the fridge to have it chilled later.

Notes

• The microwave time is variable just watch carefully to make sure it is set. Skewer should come out clean when it is set. You may have a bit of condensed liquid around the edges, which makes the pudding look as though it has not set. If the liquid is watery it is set if it is milky then you need to microwave it for a bit longer.