MK Awards 2013

 *Visit MK's website if you haven't voted yet.

Backpacks: The Swiss Alps are calling

Sanqvist is a divine Swedish bag brand that was founded in 2004 by Anton Sandqvist when he made the first bag on an old industrial sewing machine. They make all types of bags but these backpacks really caught my eye. They make me want to go on an expedition, or somewhere I can boast one of these beauties on my back.

Visit their site to see the other types of bags and to make any sinful purchases (they don't come cheap). 

Special Guests- Fresh White Supergas (New track)

Brothers Shane and Craig Durrant, one half of Desmond and The Tutus, have embarked on a little rap project called Special Guests. Here's their first track, Fresh White Supergas (however you pronounce that). What fun.

Superhero minimalist posters

"This is a personal project playing around with two colour tone portraits of DC and Marvel characters," says Australian illustrator/designer Michael Turner about his superhero minimalist posters on Behance.

Click here to see his series on super villains. 

Dear Mr. President

On my mental list of bands with the coolest names, Fitz and The Tantrums features pretty high up, right there next to Desmond and The Tutus and Bombay Show Pig. The six-piece band from the US have enough soul in to make you groove like no one's watching, and just enough funk to not give a damn.

 

Download Fitz and The Tantrums' EP:
 

Finally, it's back!

Nigella's Chocolate Hazelnut Cheesecake

In my mind, there is only one type of cheesecake, and that's baked. Fridge cheesecake is simply not a thing, never mind a cake. It's a tart of some sort, and that's final. That is why it is with great reluctance that I call what I made this afternoon Chocolate Hazelnut Cheesecake. But if Nigella insists, as she does in her new cookbook Nigellissima, then I guess I have to oblige.

And so, I present to you what is easily the most calorie-laden, but wonderfully indulgent dessert. For those of you who have undertaken New Year's resolutions to lose weight, look the other way.

***

 

250g digestive biscuits (I used trusty ol' Tennis Biscuits)
75g soft unsalted butter
1x400g jar of Nutella of equivalent chocolate hazelnut spread, at room temperature
100g chopped toasted hazelnuts
500g cream cheese, at room temperature
60g icing sugar, sifted

Break the biscuits into the bowl of a food processor, then add the butter and a tablespoon of Nutella. Blitz until the mixture starts to clump. Add 25g of the toasted hazelnuts and continue to pulse until you have an almost sandy mixture.

Press into the base of the dish you are using with either your hands or the back of a spoon. Place in the fridge to chill while you get on with the filling.

Beat together the cream cheese and icing sugar until smooth and soft, then scrape the rest of the Nutella out of the jar and into the cream cheese mixture and continue beating until combined.

Smooth the Nutella mixture over the biscuit base and scatter the remaining chopped hazelnuts in top to cover. Put the tin in the fridge for at least four hours or overnight.

Final verdict: It's a ridiculously quick and easy dessert to make. It's also incredibly rich, so I advise you have a sliver at a time.

Enjoy!