#68) Creamy Cheesecake

You feel neglected, I understand. No, you're right, I haven't been paying enough attention to you. I have been very distant lately.

Well folks, I have been away so long because I have found that living alone means I am responsible for eating anything and everything that is baked in my apartment, and with a wedding coming up that probably isn't a good idea!

However, I braved that Trans-Labrador highway this weekend to spend Thanksgiving with my man :) and we had a great turkey dinner with some friends. You know what that means, right? I had a perfect excuse to make some dessert!!!

So here it is - the creamiest cheesecake you will ever eat. My end result was very creamy, almost too creamy, but I think I know where I went wrong. First of all, I think I should have baked it a little longer than I did. I took it out after a respectable amount of time, but I did not take into consideration that the seal is gone on fiance's oven... Result - an almost runny centre. But, the guests still ate it and really enjoyed it... So much so that the whole 10" cake is gone! But I think the bakeapple sauce helped :)


Ingredients

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, melted

2 (8-ounce) packs cream cheese, softened (I used light)
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 cups sour cream (I used fat free)
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla

Steps

-Preheat oven to 350º.

-Mix together first three ingredients. Press into bottom of a greased 10" springform pan and up about 1" along the sides. Let sit in fridge while making the filling.

-Beat cream cheese until smooth.

-Add eggs, one at a time.

-Gradually add sugar.

-Stir in sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla.

-Pour into crust-lined pan.

-Place a dish of water on the bottom rack of the oven to stop your cheesecake from drying out and cracking.

-Bake for 1 hour. The middle should be slightly jiggly.

-Let cool in pan for 30 minutes then move to fridge for several hours, overnight if possible.

-Enjoy!

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#67) Indulgent PB Cookies

OMG!!! I have missed you guys soooooo much this summer!!!!!!!

My summer was super crazy this year and I only made it into the kitchen 2 or 3 times :( On the bright, though, I have my Bachelor of Education all done and am officially a certified teacher :D I am all settled into my new apartment and am getting comfortable in my new job.

So you know what that means - I am back and ready to bake :)

You may notice a peanut butter and chocolate theme on my blog that arrives in spurts. Well, let me tell you that those spurts always coincide with a visit with my brother. He has come to help me settle in here and as a small reward I offered to make a new sweet treat, and of course, he demanded a chocolaty and peanut buttery version. And trust me, I am not one to disappoint :p

We had a really hard time naming these, by the way, because there is so much going on: not only do we have my favourite peanut butter cookie so far, but we have the best chocolate icing I have ever made, AND mini caramel Rolos on top!!! (Thank you for the applause! LOL)

So please, stay tuned for more frequent posts now that I have a kitchen again, and try out these cookies because you will never want another plain PB cookie again :)

Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 brown sugar
1 egg
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Steps:

-Preheat oven to 375°F. (I found this a little high and reduced to 350°F)
-Beat together shortening and peanut butter. Add sugars and beat until fluffy.
-Add egg, milk, and vanilla. Combine.
-Sift together dry ingredients. Add to peanut butter mixture.
-Roll into balls and place on ungreased baking sheet.
-Bake for 8-10 minutes.
-Let cool completely.

Chocolate Frosting

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup cocoa
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
2 1/2 tbsp milk
1/2 tsp vanilla

Steps

-Stir cocoa into melted butter.
-Alternately add milk and icing sugar, beating between additions.
-Add more milk if necessary.
-Stir in vanilla.

Assembly

Spread icing on tops of cooled cookies. Add mini rolos. Hide the cookies, because if not they will disappear HaHa!

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#66) Strawberry Almond Brownies

I recently started a Facebook page and I have been using this page to get suggestions from my fans about what to bake next. Strawberries seemed to be the theme this week, so I paired that suggestion with my craving for brownies and these tasty creations were born. Now that they are finished I would have to admit I would change a thing or tow next time around:

I used a little too much cake filling - I should have used just enough to fill the centre, leaving about an inch edge so that the brownie layers could have baked together more.

Also, they taste very rich, as in like dark chocolate, and most of the people I share my treats with like milk chocolate more so I should have stuck to white sugar and upped it a little, I think. But if you prefer dark chocolate, like me, they are great!

So please give them a try and let me know what you think! And if you want to join my Facebook page just click the badge in the sidebar :)

Strawberry Cake Filling

Ingredients

2 cups strawberries, cut into halves
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch

1/3 cup chocolate chips

Steps

-Boil strawberries, water, and sugar until most half the water has evaporated. Reduce to low heat.
-Mix together cornstarch with enough water to make a runny paste. Add to strawberry mixture, constantly stirring, until strawberry mixture begins to thicken.
-Continue to cook for 5 minutes over low heat. Let cool slightly.


Brownies

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1/3 cup cocoa
1/2 cup whole wheat flour (white will be fine)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/3 cup almonds, chopped

Steps

-Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 8x8 inch pan.
-Mix together butter, sugar, and vanilla.
-Add eggs, one at a time. Beat well after each addition.
-Add cocoa. Beat until blended.
-Add flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Beat well.
-Stir in half of almonds. Reserve rest for later.

Assembly

-Pour half brownie mixture into prepared pan.
-cover with cake filling (I would suggest using just enough filling to cover the brownies within one inch of the edge).
-Sprinkle chocolate chips over top.
-Cover with remaining brownie batter.
-Sprinkle remaining almonds over top.
-Bake for 25-30 minutes. Let cool completely.

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#65) Gooey Pecan Cake

This cake was made because my two besties are coming for supper today - my maid of honour and a high school friend, who is her bf :) Although we are all looking forward to the BBQ, this dessert will be the highlight of the meal, I think. The chocolate cake is spiced up with some cinnamon, and the pecan topping is gooey and sweet enough to cut the cinnamony taste. Looking forward to sharing this one!!!

Pecan Topping

Ingredients

3 tbsp butter (not margarine)
3 tbsp margarine
1 cup packed brown sugar
3 tbsp water
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 cup pecan halves

Steps

-Melt butter and margarine in a medium saucepan.
-Add brown sugar and water. Bring to a boil and keep boiling for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mixture will be smooth.
-Add chopped pecans to mixture. Add remaining pecans. Set aside.

Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
1 1/4 cups flour
3/4 cup cocoa
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup sour cream

Steps

-Grease a 10-inch springform pan. To prevent leakage wrap the outside of the pan with aluminum foil. (I had some issues with leakage, so I would caution you to place to pan on a foil-lined cookie sheet before putting it in the oven. There is nothing worse than burnt sugar in the bottom of the oven!)

-Place a tine can filled with dried beans in the centre. I also lined this with foil and sprayed it.

-Preheat oven to 350°F.

-Beat butter with sugar and vanilla.

-Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.

-Combine dry ingredients. Add to egg mixture alternately with sour cream (3 additions dry, 2 additions sour cream).

-Add pecan topping to bottom of greased pan. Pour batter over top and spread out.

-Bake for 50 - 60 minutes. Let cool in pan for 30 minutes. Turn out onto cake pan, replacing any nuts stuck to the pan.

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#64) German Chocolate Chewies

I know, I know... The topping on these suckers looks less than appetizing, BUT it sure does taste good!

These little things were made as a treat for a cousin of mind who has a sweet tooth just as big as mine :) They are quite similar to one of my favorite cakes, German Chocolate Cake, but the bite-sized version is even better. The brownie cookie is great on its own, with a chewy texture and chocolately flavour, but the gooey crunchy topping adds a great new twist!

Brownie Cookies

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2/3 cup shortening
1 tbsp water
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 cups chocolate chips (I used semi-sweet and milk)

Steps

-Preheat oven to 375°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
-Beat together brown sugar, shortening, water, and vanilla. Add eggs. Beat well.
-Combine flour, cocoa, salt, and baking soda. Add to shortening mixture. Stir in chocolate chips.
-Drop by rounded tablespoonful and bake for 7-9 minutes.
-Cool completely.

German Topping

Ingredients

1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup white sugar
1/8 cup shortening
1/8 cup butter
2 egg yolks
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Steps

-Combine evaporated milk, sugar, shortening, butter, and egg yolks in a saucepan. Stir over medium heat until thickened.
-Remove from heat. Add vanilla, coconut, and pecans. Cool completely.
-Frost cookies.

*Makes 3 dozen cookies.

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#63) Caramel Cocoa Cakes

OMG! These things are amazing! Not to toot my own horn, but wow! I came home to visit the fam yesterday so of course my brother was immediately asking for Peanut Butter Balls, but you know me, I always want to try something new :) So he said if I could get caramel inside a chocolate cupcake he would love me... He obviously doesn't realize just how easy this is! :) And what goes best with chocolate cupcakes then chocolate ganache???

Cocoa Cupcakes

Ingredients

1/2 cup cocoa
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup warm water
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 tbsp oil
1 tsp vanilla

Steps

-Preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin tins with papers.
-Sift together cocoa, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
-Add eggs, warm water, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Mix until smooth.
-Divide into muffin tins (about 18).
-Bake for 20 minutes, rotating halfway through baking time.

Caramel

Ingredients

1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup water
6 tbsp butter
1/2 cup evaporated milk

Steps

-Bring sugar and water to a boil over medium heat. Whisk until crystals are dissolved.
-Boil syrup until an amber colour begins to take form.
-Add butter. Whisk.
-Remove from heat and count to five. Add milk slowly, whisking.
-Let cool for at least one hour.

Ganache

Ingredients

1 cup chocolate
3/4 cup heaving whipping cream
2 tbsp butter

Steps

-Put chocolate in steel bowl.
-Heat cream and butter over medium heat.
-Pour hot cream mixture over chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes.
-Stir until smooth.

Assembly

-Using a serrated knife at an angel, cut a cone out of the top of each cooled cupcake.
-Fill the hole with cool caramel and ganache.
-Replace cone.
-Top with ganache.

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#62) Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

Hey everyone!!! I made it home to my parents' for a quick weekend visit, so of course, the first thing I done was whip up a chocolate and peanut butter treat for my brother. I was having a super bad craving for peanut butter cookies so I figured the best way to make brother happy was to squeeze some chocolate in the middle - GOOD IDEA :) The cookies are surprisingly chewy and the ganache, my first attempt, is addictive. I had some extra ganache left over so my dad is using it as a dip for the sandwiches because he said we didn't put enough in the middle LOL. Let me know what you think!

I head back to my summer living accommodations later today so I probably won't be back for a while, but keep me in mind later the summer :)

Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups + 2 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
Pinch of cloves
1 stick butter, room temp
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 tbsp molasses
2 eggs
1/4 cup sugar, for rolling

Steps

-Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
-Sift together flour, baking soda, and cloves.
-Cream butter. Beat in penaut butter. Add sugar and molasses. Beat for 1 minute.
-Add eggs and beat until incorporated.
-Add dry ingredients and stir until combined. The dough with be somewhat "mushy" but you can still mold it in your hands.
-Roll 1/2 tbsp measures of the dough into balls, roll in sugar and place on baking sheet.
-Criss-cross with a fork.
-Bake for 8-9 minutes. Let cool completely.

Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients

3/4 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp butter
1 cup + 2 tbsp chocolate, chopped (I used milk chocolate, but I think dark would have been a better match)

Steps

-Put chocolate in a steel bowl.
-Bring cream and butter to a boil. Pour over chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes.
-Stir until smooth.
-Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Sandwich Assembly

-Put ganache in a piping bag and pipe a swirl in the back of a cookie (they should be matched by size) and press the second cookie in top.
-Refrigerate until firm.

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