Cheesecake

My husband loves a plain NY cheesecake; forget the berries, fruit drizzle, whipped cream etc…literally plain cheesecake.  For his birthday I wanted to make him just that.  This time I baked it using the water bath method and mission accomplished!  Such a delicious outcome!  The Water helps almost steam the mixture which in turn yields a creamy and decadent cheesecake. 

 

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 Packages cream cheese
• 3 Eggs
• 1½ Cups sugar
• 2 Tsp vanilla extract
• 1 Tsp nutmeg
• ½ Cup sour cream
• 1 Tsp lemon juice (fresh squeezed)
• 1 Tsp lemon zest (optional)

 

CRUST:

• 2 cups graham crackers
• 4 Tbsp butter
• 1 Tbsp sugar (add more or less depending on your taste)

 

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 325-350 degrees. Make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature.  If you’re using a springform pan, cover the outside bottom with foil.  This will help avoid water getting into it when you’re baking it. 

To prepare your crust; take your graham crackers and place them in a gallon size plastic bag.  Using a rolling pin, roll over the crackers until they are the consistency of powder.  Add the crumbs to your spring pan.  Melt the butter and pour over the crumbs.  Mix together and begin pressing the crumbs down to form your crust. Sprinkle a light dusting of sugar over the crumbs or you can incorporate into the crumb mixture.

    

Bake the crust for about 10 minutes.  Then set aside. 

To your mixing bowl add the cream cheese mix on a low speed.  Add sugar and beat on a low speed until smooth.  Scrape the bowl and add the sour cream, vanilla and lemon juice and the eggs, one at a time.    

      

Add the cream cheese to the springform pan.  Place a dish cloth on the bottom of the baking dish and place the springform pan on top of the towel.  Set the baking dish in the oven and pour hot tap water into the baking dish, being careful not to get water in your cheesecake. 

 

Bake until the center is firm, but wiggles like jello when you tap the sides.  Once it cools it’ll firm up, depending on your over could take about 1hr 15min. 

Remove the springform pan from the baking dish and allow the cheesecake to come to room temperature.  Gently remove the outer part of the springform pan and place on a platter with a cover.  Place the cheesecake in the fridge overnight.  The cheesecake will be ready to eat after an hour or two in the fridge. 

  

Tasty Tips:  the towel in the baking dish helps the water from evaporating.  Feel free to top this delicious cheesecake with macerated berries, fresh fruit, whipped cream or anything your heart desires.  On this particular occasion I used the wedding topper from his groom’s cake 🙂  

Cream Cheese and Pineapple Habanero Dip

This is possibly the easiest appetizer/dip you’ll ever make.  There are literally two ingredients (not including the crackers) and you’re done! 

INGREDIENTS:  

• 1 pkg cream cheese, 1/3 less fat
• 1 cup roasted pineapple & habanero sauce (from Costco)
• 1 pkg crackers

DIRECTIONS:

Allow the cream cheese to come to room temperature. Pour the sauce over cream cheese and serve with crackers.  You can also spread the cream cheese on a platter and top with the sauce. 

Side Note:  I like the Costco brand sauce, but any sweet & spicy sauce/jelly will work for this appetizer.

Sweet Potato Cupcakes

I had the pleasure of tasting sweet potato cupcakes on my first visit to Washington, DC last year (the picture below was my first sweet potato cupcake).  The food truck was Cupcake Joy (www.cupcakejoy.com) and WOW what I had been missing out on!  They were the perfect combination of flavor and not at all what I had in mind; although I’m not sure what I was expecting.  One of the gals in my training class decided to research a recipe and recreate that delectable treat.  The recipe she found was from the Food Network website.  As I tend to do, I tweaked an ingredient here and there but mainly followed the recipe, given that it was the first time I was making these.  I made these delicious cupcakes for Thanksgiving last year and our guests couldn’t get enough.  You must make these delectable treats this fall, you will not be disappointed!

 

INGREDIENTS:

• One 16-ounce can sweet potatoes
• 2 cups cake flour (or all-purpose flour)
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon fresh nutmeg
• 1 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting, recipe follows
• Candied Pecans, recipe follows

 DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cupcake pan with paper liners, this recipe makes 18 but I made 12 regular sized cupcakes and mini cupcakes with the remaining batter. 

Make the sweet potato puree by processing the sweet potatoes in a food processor. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder and soda, salt, ginger and nutmeg.  

In a large bowl, whisk together the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar and eggs. Add the dry ingredients. Whisk in the sweet potato puree. Fill each cupcake in the prepared pan three-quarters full of batter.

Bake until the tops spring back when touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool.

Assembly: Frost the cupcakes with the Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting. Sprinkle with the Candied Pecans.

 

BROWN SUGAR CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

• One 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
• 3 sticks butter, at room temperature (original recipe calls for 3 but I used 2)
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 6 cups powdered sugar (sifted)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese until creamy. Add the butter and beat until well incorporated. Add the light brown sugar and beat until fluffy. Add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, beating until well incorporated. Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined.

CANDIED PECANS:

• Nonstick cooking spray, for greasing
• 1 egg white
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 pound chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

Beat the egg white in a bowl until frothy; whisk 4 teaspoons water and the vanilla extract into the egg. Stir the sugar, cinnamon and salt into the egg mixture. Add the chopped pecans, stir to coat completely. Spread the pecans onto the baking sheet. Bake the pecans, stirring about every 20 minutes, until the coating forms a glaze, about 1 hour. Allow to cool on the baking sheet.  Pay attention while you’re baking from personal experience they can go from done to burned, in an instant.

Sweet Tips: Feel free to use a regular cream cheese or vanilla frosting.  For your topping add a sprinkle of nutmeg, or utilize crystalized/candied ginger.  The pecans added a nice crunch, but you can modify as you like.  This recipe would make a wonderful bundt cake for Thanksgiving or any fall occassion, you can also make mini bundt cakes as favors for your party guests.  Remember recipes are a guide; allow your imagination to flow!

Original recipe courtesy of The Food Network: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sweet-potato-cupcakes-brown-sugar-cream-cheese-frosting-candied-pecans-recipe/index.html