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BEST CHEESECAKE EVER

October 23, 2008 — Leave a comment

So, it’s actually called: Lemon Cheese Cake with Blueberry Compote. But, it should be noted that the best cheesecakes are baked.

Filling:

4 pkgs. cream cheese – softened

1 3/4 c. sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

1/4 c. fresh lemon juice

2 Tlbs. grated lemon zest

3/4 c. heavy whipping cream

6 eggs 

Crust:

2 pkgs. graham crackers ground up fine

1 1/2 sticks of real butter- melted 

Topping:

fresh blueberries

1/2 c. sugar

2 Tlbs. water

2 Tlbs. fresh lemon juice 

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 350.  Grind the graham crackers to a very fine consistency in a blender or food processor. Melt butter and mix together to make a crust.  Press in a 10 inch spring form pan on bottom and sides of pan.  Set aside. 

Beat cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Slowly add cream, mix well.  Add vanilla, lemon juice and zest.  Add eggs one at a time beating well after each egg.  Pour filling into crust and place in a water bath and bake for 1 hour and 5 minutes.  Make sure the water is half way up the sides of the spring form pan. The recipe says to bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, but both of mine were done in 1 hours and 5 minutes. You can experiment.  It may be my oven.  When you take the cheesecake out of the over, place it immediately in the fridge uncovered.  Let cool for at least 4 hours before serving. 

Wash the blueberries and place in pan with heavy bottom.  Add all other ingredients and cook until the berries start to produce juice and begin to boil.  Take a potato masher and mash 1/2 of the berries and cook until the sauce starts to thicken.  Remove from heat, cool completely and refrigerate.   Bring to room temperature or serve over cheese cake or serve it cold.   

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Mascarpone-filled Chocolate French Toast

October 23, 2008 — Leave a comment

Banana-mascarpone filling:  

2 small bananas  

1 (16-ounce) tub mascarpone (see Note)  

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed  

1 loaf chocolate pan bread or stale chocolate quick bread (see Note)  

10 large eggs  

1/4 cup milk  

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract  

Vegetable oil for frying  

Banana creme brulee sauce:  

1 quart heavy cream  

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter  

1/2 cup brown sugar  

1 small banana  

6 to 8 small bananas, sliced  

3/4 cup bittersweet chocolate shavings  

For filling: Break bananas into pieces and place in blender; puree until smooth. Transfer puree to a bowl and add mascarpone and brown sugar. Beat with an electric mixer until fluffy.  

Cut loaf of chocolate bread in half horizontally.  

Spread mascarpone filling on bottom half; replace top half, wrap in plastic and refrigerate until filling is stiff, at least 4 or up to 24 hours.  

Preheat oven to 200 degrees.  

Slice loaf vertically; set aside.  Whisk together eggs, milk and vanilla extract in a large bowl. Brush a large skillet with vegetable oil and turn heat to medium. Place a slice of bread into egg mixture and soak for up to a minute. Fry, turning once, until both sides are golden brown. Reserve toast on a baking sheet in warm oven while repeating dipping and frying procedure with remaining slices.  

 

For sauce: combine cream, butter and brown sugar in a large saucepan, and bring to a boil. Turn off heat. Process banana in a blender or food processor until smooth; whisk gradually into cream mixture until smooth and thickened. (The sauce recipe may be halved.)  

To serve: divide hot creme brulee sauce among plates, and place a slice of french toast on each plate. Garnish with sliced bananas and chocolate shavings.  

Note: Use the bittersweet chocolate boule available at Red Hen Bakery, 1623 N. Milwaukee, (773) 342-6823, or make a loaf of a favorite chocolate quick bread recipe. For a non-chocolate version, use a firm white sandwich boule.  

 *Cream cheese may be substituted for mascarpone.  

**(Adapted from Room 12) 

MAKES 12 TO 16 SERVINGS  

 Nutrition facts per serving (with 1/4 cup sauce): 741 calories, 49 g fat, 27 g saturated fat, 296 mg cholesterol, 66 g carbohydrates, 13 g protein, 380 mg sodium, 3 g fiber

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Homemade Buttermilk Syrup

October 23, 2008 — Leave a comment

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. baking soda 

Mix together butter, sugar and buttermilk in a sauce pan.  Bring to a boil for 1-2 minutes. Stir in vanilla and baking soda.  Hint:  baking soda will cause to boil over, use a bigger pan.  Let boil for about 15-30 seconds, while stirring continually.  Serve immediately, syrup will be frothy.  Store in refrigerator, but it is not as good the second time. 

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Cinnamon Ice Cream

October 23, 2008 — Leave a comment

3 cups whole milk 

1 1/4 cups sugar 

1 cup whipping cream 

5 cinnamon sticks 

1/8 teaspoon salt 

12 large egg yolks

Combine milk, 1 cup sugar, cream, cinnamon sticks, and salt in heavy large saucepan. Bring almost to simmer over medium-high heat. Whisk egg yolks and 1/4 cup sugar in large bowl. Gradually whisk in hot milk mixture. Return custard to saucepan and stir constantly over low heat until custard thickens, about 4 minutes (do not boil). Transfer custard to large bowl set over another large bowl of ice water; let cool 30 minutes, stirring often. Cover and chill custard overnight.

Strain custard. Process in ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer ice cream to container; cover and freeze.

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Spiced Sweet Potato Cake with Brown Sugar Icing

October 23, 2008 — Leave a comment

Cake 

4 eight-ounce red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams)

Nonstick vegetable oil spray 

2 + 3/4 cups all purpose flour 

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 

1 + 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger 

1 teaspoon baking powder 

1 teaspoon baking soda 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

2 cups sugar 

1 cup vegetable oil 

4 large eggs 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Icing 

1 cup powdered sugar 

3/4 cup (packed) dark brown sugar 

1/2 cup whipping cream 

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter 

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

METHOD:

For cake: Pierce sweet potatoes with fork. Microwave on high until very tender, about 8 minutes per side. Cool, peel and mash sweet potatoes.

Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 325°F. Spray 12-cup Bundt pan with nonstick spray, then generously butter pan. Sift flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking powder, baking soda and salt into medium bowl. Measure enough mashed sweet potatoes to equal 2 cups. Transfer to large bowl. Add sugar and oil to sweet potatoes; using electric mixer, beat until smooth. Add eggs 2 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture; beat just until blended. Beat in vanilla. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake cake until tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 1 hour 5 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack 15 minutes. Using small knife, cut around sides of pan and center tube to loosen cake. Turn out onto rack; cool completely.

For icing: Sift powdered sugar into medium bowl. Stir brown sugar, whipping cream and butter in medium saucepan over medium-low heat until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to boil. Boil 3 minutes, occasionally stirring and swirling pan. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour brown sugar mixture over powdered sugar. Whisk icing until smooth and lightened in color, about 1 minute. Cool icing until lukewarm and icing falls in heavy ribbon from spoon, whisking often, about 15 minutes. Spoon icing thickly over top of cake, allowing icing to drip down sides of cake. Let stand until icing is firm, at least 1 hour. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and let stand at room temperature.) 

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