Showing posts with label cream cheese. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cream cheese. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Rugelach (TWD)


This week's Tuesdays with Dorie: Baking with Julia was co-hosted by Jessica of My Baking Heart and Margaret of The Urban Hiker.   The chosen recipe was rugelach.  Rugelach are actually Jewish pastries made with sour cream pastry dough.  They are made in the form of a crescent by rolling a triangle of dough around a filling of fruit, nuts, or fruit preserves.  The rugelach made in this recipe is slightly different in that it is made with a cream cheese pastry dough, and the rolled dough and filling is cut into slices before baking.

I've actually made rugelach a few times prior to this - love the stuff!  I love this Barefood Contessa recipe and we actually also made rugelach back in 2008 for TWD.  I'm not a nut person so I didn't put nuts in my filling, but I did put some nuts in the streusel that the pastries were rolled in.  I made apricot lekvar (homemade fruit butter) and filled my rugelach with dried cherries, raisins, and dried apricots.  I did not have any problems with this recipe, except that I did not look at it ahead of time and did not realize how much refrigeration time was required, so I did not finish baking them until very late today!

I have to say that I love this version of rugelach.  The sugar and cinnamon mixture that the pastries get rolled in caramelizes in the oven and gives it a wonderful, crisp texture.  Then you bite into the cream cheese pastry that is so light and flaky, and then you taste the apricot butter and dried fruit bits.  I think I just ate about ten of them in one sitting and my husband asked me to hide them from him because he can't stop eating them!

This recipe is definitely a keeper, and I can't wait to make it again.  Thanks to Jessica and Margaret for hosting; you can find the recipe on their blogs here and here.  Make sure you check here, too, to see how everyone else in our baking group enjoyed these pastries!

Also be sure to leave a comment below... I was visited recently by the Fairy Hobmother and received an unexpected gift... if you leave a comment here you might get a visit from the Fairy Hobmother too ;)

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Carrot Cake with Fresh Orange Cream Cheese Frosting (SMS)



This week's Sweet Melissa Sundays (SMS) recipe was chosen by Julie of A Little Bit of Everything : Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting. I've tried Dorie's carrot cake recipe, but the Pastry Queen's remains my favorite, so I was eager to try another recipe to see how it compared.

Per my usual, I omitted the nuts from this recipe (sorry, don't like nuts). Then I realized that I was running low on sugar, only as I was in the middle of making this cake. So, it ended up having only 1.5 cups of sugar in it instead of the full 2 cups. My mom is always commenting on how dessert are often too sweet and cuts back on the sugar in most recipes anyway, so I wasn't too concerned about it.


Well, my mom was right because I couldn't even tell that the cake was missing a half cup of sugar. The cake itself was extremely moist, though I did miss the pineapple and coconut that it is in my favorite recipe. The cream cheese frosting didn't have a very strong cream cheese taste to it (which I generally love), but instead tasted light and airy (despite containing two sticks of butter in it!) with a strong citrus flavor.

Overall, I enjoyed this cake. It was a very light and refreshing carrot cake and the orange zest really makes it special. My favorite carrot cake is still this one though, so make sure you check it out if you like carrot cakes. If you would like to try this carrot cake recipe, you can find it here. Make sure you check out the Sweet Melissa Sundays Blog Roll to see how everyone enjoyed this cake, which would make a wonderful addition to any Easter table.

* Recipe notes:
- I only added 1.5 cups of sugar and found the cake to be just fine. Not sure if the full 2 cups would make it too sweet?
- Make sure you check out this link to see how you can quickly and easily make parchment rounds to line your cake pans.

- For more tips, click here.

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Classic Red Velvet Cake (SMS)


This week's Sweet Melissa Sundays (SMS) recipe was chosen by Rosy of Rosy Lips and Lavender: Red Velvet Cake. It's basically a cake with a mild chocolate flavor that is colored red with either beets or red food coloring. Melissa adds cinnamon and red wine vinegar to her cake, some non-traditional ingredients to spice up the cake a little bit.

I decided that I didn't really have the time to make a pretty layer cake (my cake decorating skills leave a lot to be desired anyway!), so I went the cupcake route. I did use my molten cake pan to make some extra large cupcakes and sliced one of those cupcakes to make a mini red velvet cake. I made a full recipe which yielded 18 regular sized cupcakes and 4 huge cupcakes.

I'm not sure if it was because I didn't let my cream cheese warm up enough, or if it was because I used the fat free variety, but I could not get my cream cheese frosting to be smooth! So, my frosted cupcakes looked pathetic (which is why you won't see any photos of them here), and my mini red velvet cake looks pretty sad too... but I just couldn't put up a post without any photos so you get the one up top. Luckily the appearance of the frosting had no bearing on the taste of these cupcakes, as they were incredibly moist and delicious. The cream cheese frosting was good, but not my favorite. I prefer this cream cheese frosting, or even better - coconut cream cheese frosting.

I haven't had very many red velvet cakes before, but this recipe is definitely a keeper and I will certainly be making this cake again. This would be a great cake recipe to use for cupcake pops, too, if you wanted to do something more fun. If you would like to try the red velvet cake recipe, you can find it here. Make sure you check out the Sweet Melissa Sundays Blog Roll to see how everyone enjoyed this crimson cake!

* Recipe notes:
- If making cupcakes, bake for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- I only used 1.5 tsp of red food coloring, but add the full 2 tsp (or more) if a more intense red color is desired.
- I made 2/3 of the frosting recipe and that was sufficient to frost all my cupcakes.
- For more tips, click here.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Cherry Fudge Brownie Torte (TWD)


This week's Tuesdays with Dorie (TWD) recipe was chosen by April of short + rose: Cherry Fudge Brownie Torte. It's a fudgey brownie layer full of chocolate and cherries, topped with a creamy mascarpone mousse.

The brownie layer is very rich and dense. It's nicely contrasted with the light and creamy mascarpone mousse. An interesting ingredient in the brownie layer is ground black pepper. It adds a very subtle flavor to this torte but isn't overpowering. I only added one teaspoon of black pepper - I think two teaspoons would probably be too much. The cherries are a wonderful surprise to bite into and keep this dessert from being too basic.


The torte is simple enough to make but yields a very decadent dessert perfect for serving guests. Thanks April, for picking this recipe, I would definitely make it again. If you would like the recipe, you can find it here. Make sure you check out the TWD Blogroll, to see how everyone else enjoyed this fudgey treat.


* Recipes notes:
- I used semisweet chocolate chips instead of chopped chocolate.
- I omitted the kirsch due to my little bun in the oven :) I simply boiled the cherries and water until almost all of the water was evaporated, then added the preserves with a splash of water until it seemed a good consistency.
- For more tips, click here.
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Sunday, October 11, 2009

Sticky Buns (SMS)

This week's Sweet Melissa Sundays (SMS) recipe was chosen by Jen of Not Microwave Safe: Sticky Buns with Toasted Almonds. I love cinnamon rolls and sticky buns and almost chose this recipe when it was my turn to pick, but in the end I chose the Bee Stings instead. So I was delighted to see that someone finally picked this recipe!

Working with yeast really isn't that bad. I remember when I used to be so intimidated by it. This recipe is a bit time consuming, but is not difficult at all. It is split into two days with an overnight refrigeration so you don't feel like you are baking all day. One thing I always do when baking with yeast is I use my oven as a proofing box. I'll preheat the oven for about a minute, just long enough for it to warm up but not to where it starts to get hot. Then I turn the oven off and stick my dough in and let it rise. This ensures that it is always warm enough for my dough to rise regardless of what time of year it is.


I omitted the orange zest from this recipe, just because I didn't have any on hand and didn't want to make a grocery store run just for orange zest... I am sure that the zest would probably add a great subtle flavor to the dough but it also tasted just fine without it.


I also omitted the toasted almonds because I don't like nuts, but you can also cover these with cream cheese frosting if you don't want to top them with sticky sauce. These smelled so good while they were baking in the oven... in fact, that was how I knew to check on them early. The smell of sugar and cinnamon was so strong that I though I'd better check on them - and it was a good thing I did because they were done in HALF the time indicated on the recipe! If I had waited for my timer to go off, these would have been burnt to a crisp!


I would love to try these with cream cheese frosting some time. The dough was really soft and sweet and it's probably just as good as my favorite Cinnabon recipe - though I'll have to try these with the cream cheese frosting before I declare them better than the other recipe :)

Thanks Jen, for choosing this recipe. I will definitely be making this one again. If you would like the recipe, you can find it here. Make sure you visit the SMS Blogroll to see how everyone else enjoyed this sweet, sticky treat!

* Recipe Notes:
- I added room temperature milk instead of cold milk to make sure that my dough would rise.
- I had to add a little over 1/2 cup of extra flour to get my dough to be not so sticky. So I used the full 2-3/4 cup, and then continued adding 1 tbsp of flour at a time until the dough no longer stuck to the edges of the mixing bowl.
- I did not have pure maple syrup so I used pancake syrup instead (Aunt Jemima's).
- I used salted butter in my sticky sauce and could taste a little bit of the salt in it - this was great because salty and sweet flavors go together very well.
- Use your oven as a proofing box. Preheat the oven for about a minute, just long enough for it to warm up but not to where it starts to get hot. Then turn the oven off and stick your dough in and let it rise. This ensures that it is always warm enough for your dough to rise regardless of what time of year it is.- Start checking on your buns around 20 minutes. They will probably be golden brown and done around 25 to 30 minutes, depending on your oven.
- You can easily freeze these. Prepare the recipe as directed up until the overnight refrigeration step. Then, instead of refrigerating it, wrap it tight and freeze it. When you are ready to bake, remove it from the freezer for the second rise until the dough has doubled in size and then bake.
- For more recipe tips, click here.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Espresso Cheesecake Brownies (TWD)


This week's Tuesdays with Dorie (TWD) recipe was chosen by Melissa of Life in a Peanut Shell: Espresso Cheesecake Brownies. There's a bottom brownie layer, topped with a cheesecake layer with swirled in brownie batter, topped with a sweetened sour cream glaze.

These were pretty simple to make, but do require several long periods of refrigeration - I wanted to eat these straight from the oven! I'll admit I was a bit unsure about this recipe, but it really surprised me. They're definitely not as chocolately as I thought they would be, but this is a great way to satiate a cheesecake craving without having to go through all the trouble of making a cheesecake. I'd probably describe these more as cheesecake bites than I would brownies, probably because the chocolate flavor is pretty subtle.


The sour cream topping was just barely tart and slightly sweet and was an excellent contrast to the cheesecake and brownie layers. I know several people omitted this, but I would really recommend giving it a try. If I make it without the sour cream topping in the future, then I'll probably cut them into bite size pieces, dip them in chocolate, and then freeze them like those Sara Lee cheesecake bites! :)


Thanks Melissa, for picking this recipe. I enjoyed trying something new. If you would like the recipe, you can find it here. Make sure you check out the TWD Blogroll, to see how everyone else enjoyed this creamy, chocolatey treat.

* Recipes notes:
- I used 1 tsp of espresso powder instead of 1.5 tsp and felt this had plenty of coffee flavor!
- I baked my brownies in a dark pan and they were done right at 35 minutes.
- Wrapped well, these will keep in the freezer for 2 months (without the glaze).
- For tips, click here.

Friday, January 30, 2009

Super Bowl Appetizers

With the Super Bowl coming up this weekend, I know that many are on the lookout for great appetizers and finger foods that they can serve up for the big game. Last year, I was able to feature a variety of recipes leading up to the big weekend. Unfortunately, time was not on my side this year, and I was unable to try out any new recipes.

Regardless, I'd still like to feature some great appetizer recipes. I hope that you'll give some of them a try and enjoy them during the big game this weekend! Not sure which one to try? I have to say that the most popular recipe (out of all the recipes, not just appetizer recipes) on my blog to date is the Sweet and Sour Meatballs recipe; the second most popular recipe is the Chicken Satay with Peanut Dipping Sauce.

Buffalo Chicken Dip (aka Crack Dip)


Sun Dried Tomato Dip












Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Berry Surprise Cake (TWD)


This week's Tuesdays with Dorie (TWD) recipe was chosen by Mary Ann of Meet Me in the Kitchen: Berry Surprise Cake. It's a génoise (whole egg sponge cake) that is hollowed out, then filled with berries enveloped in a cream cheese and heavy cream mixture, and then the entire cake is finished off with some whipped cream. Sounds delightful, doesn't it?

That's what I thought when I saw this week's pick. Unfortunately I can't say that I am a huge fan of this cake. The recipe, unlike most others in the book, was not very straightforward. Usually Dorie gives very detailed descriptions and instructions in her recipes, making everything easy to follow. I had several problems along the way with this particular recipe.


After checking out the Problems & Questions post for this recipe, I knew that it was going to be fickle. There were many complaints about the cake not rising, the middle of the cake sinking, and the filling not being sweet enough.

I had read that some of the issues with the cake not rising was from over mixing the batter in the final steps when folding in the flour - so I was extra careful folding the flour in. I also saw that the cake sinking could be avoided by being more careful with the eggs. Dorie calls them "divas" because apparently they are very hard to work with. Dorie simply states to heat them until "just warm to the touch," but I read a tip from Lauren that you could more objectively do this by measuring their temperature. So I watched mine closely on the stove and made sure to pull them off when they reached 110F. Not entirely sure where that number comes from, but that's what Lauren suggested and that's what I did ;)


The next part I had a problem with was in beating the warmed egg and sugar mixture until it "triples in volume and forms a ribbon that holds its shape for about 10 seconds when the beater is lifted." Well, I'm not a very experienced baker and I had no idea what this meant. A ribbon? I've never beaten eggs until they looked like a ribbon before so I had no idea what I was looking for. A quick search on google and I found this excerpt from Carole Bloom's The Essential Baker:

Holding a ribbon: this is the stage that refers to the consistency of batter or mixture - usually eggs and sugar - beaten or whipped until it is very thick and pale colored. Whip the mixture with an electric stand mixer using the wire whip attachment or a hand-held mixer on medium to medium-high speed for about 5 minutes. To tell if the mixture is thick enough, dip a rubber spatula into it and lift it up. Let the mixture drip from the spatula into the bowl. The mixture should very slowly fall back on itself in a ribbon-like manner and hold its shape for a few seconds before dissolving back in the bowl.

It would have helped to know that I needed to beat the eggs until they were very pale, almost white. Dorie usually includes information like this in her recipes - not sure why this was left out? I also found that after beating them for 5 minutes on medium speed, my eggs were getting nowhere. So I increased the speed to medium high and that seemed to do the trick. I found that it took eight minutes (not five) on my KitchenAid Mixer (at speed 8) to get to the ribbon stage.



The next problem I ran across was really my fault. I only have a 9-inch springform pan and the recipe calls for an 8-inch. Most of the time, I can get away with using my 9-inch without any modifications to the recipe. I should have known when I heard that others had trouble getting their cakes to rise that I wouldn't be able to do that with this recipe. So the first time I made this cake, I made the recipe as is. I ended up with a thick pancake basically. Surprisingly, I did not have any issues with my cake sinking in the middle with this one (another common complaint I heard from everyone else) - mine domed a little actually.



Realizing that there was no way I would be able to use this cake as a "nest" for the berries and cream, I set out to try again, this time doubling the recipe to ensure that I had an adequate "nest." (Yes, I could have just crumbled up the cake at this point and made a trifle, but I wanted to try to make the cake like Dorie intended.) Well, I definitely had enough cake the second go around. This time, about 15 minutes into baking, I started to smell that awful burning smell and instantly thought "Oh no!" ...I ran to the oven to discover that - yes - it had risen all the way to the top of my pan and had started overflowing onto the bottom of my oven. Grrrrr . (No one likes to clean this up.) While this cake rose quite a bit more than the first one, it also sank in the middle. Not sure why, though Dorie says that it's normal for it to sink a little bit.


Between these two attempts, I ended up with enough cake to assemble my Berry Surprise Cake. I hollowed out the larger cake and then sliced the smaller cake, evening out the top, and used it as the "lid" on my cake.

Assembling the cake wasn't very difficult. I'm a bit challenged in the cake decorating department, though. So instead of attempting a perfectly smooth, frosted cake, I decided to go for the more "rustic" look with swirls.



Due to complaints that the filling was not sweet enough, I doubled the amount of sugar in it. While this may have made the filling sweeter, it did not change the overpowering flavor of cream cheese in the mixture. I love cream cheese and I love cheesecake, but this filling tasted more or less like straight cream cheese in the middle of the cake. Not something that I enjoyed very much.

I think a lot of people tried various fillings, having difficulty finding fresh berries that were in season. That is the only part of this recipe where I did not have any problems. I found 12 ounce packages of fresh blackberries at Sam's Club for $3.28. Though I think I probably would have enjoyed the berries more just dipping them into a bowl of whipped cream :)



So, while I probably won't be making this cake again, I'm still happy I attempted it because I still learned some things. That's why I joined Tuesdays with Dorie right? If nothing else, I learned a new technique - how to beat a mixture until it holds a ribbon. *Update: I took the cake to work today and everyone there loved it, though one person wasn't a big fan of the génoise. I guess some people just like this cake and others don't.

Thanks Mary Ann, for choosing this cake. While I struggled with it and it wasn't my favorite cake, I'm glad I learned something new. If you would like the recipe, you can find it here. Make sure you visit the TWD Blog Roll to see how everyone else enjoyed this cake.

* Recipe notes:
- I've documented most of my tips above. Aside from what was already
mentioned, I would recommend making 1.25-1.5x the amount of topping if you use a 9-inch springform pan. Otherwise, you might not have enough to frost your cake.
- For more tips, click here.

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Tall and Creamy Cheesecake (TWD)


This week's Tuesdays with Dorie (TWD) recipe was chosen by Anne of Anne Strawberry: Tall and Creamy Cheesecake. It's smooth, velvety, and rich... basically your classic cheesecake recipe.


You can adapt this recipe several ways to suit your taste. You can flavor it with fruits, nuts, extracts, or chocolate. The recipe calls for 1-1/3 cups heavy cream or sour cream, or a combination of the two. If you prefer a milder cheesecake, use all heavy cream. For a tangier cheesecake, use all sour cream. I used 1 cup of sour cream and 1/3 cup heavy cream, mostly just because I didn't want to purchase a huge tub of sour cream and the next size down was 8 ounces.



I had every intention of doing something creative and fun with this recipe, but with the holidays and our travel plans, I was happy just to get it done. This was probably the nicest looking cheesecake I've ever made. I was elated when I pulled it from the oven and there wasn't a single crack on top! Though I'm not sure why it browned so much - I know that Dorie says it's supposed to brown, but the one pictured in her book is pristine and white, without the faintest hint of browning. Regardless, it did not affect the taste and I considered it to be a success :)


As pretty as it was, I still thought it looked a bit too naked, so I decided to whip up a batch of caramel sauce to drizzle on top.


This cheesecake is everything Dorie promises it to be. It is super smooth and velvety. It's fairly dense, but not quite New York cheesecake dense. It is rich without being too heavy. Just look at how creamy it is!


What's the secret to cutting the perfect slice? I've never had much luck using a knife that's been run through hot water, though that's also what Dorie recommends. I find that I'm able to get much better looking slices if I use dental floss :)


Thanks Anne, for choosing this cheesecake. I loved it and will use it as my go-to cheesecake recipe from now on. If you would like the recipe for the cheesecake, you can find it here. If you're interested in the caramel sauce recipe, you can find it here (along with a pumpkin cheesecake recipe). Make sure you visit the TWD Blog Roll to see how everyone else enjoyed this creamy treat.

* Recipe notes:
- Be very careful when double wrapping your springform pan in aluminum foil. If you inadvertently poke any holes in it, you'll end up with a water logged crust.
- Don't worry if you can't get your water bath half way up the sides of the springform pan. Even an inch of water will help.
- This cheesecake puffs up significantly in the oven, but deflates after it is cooled.
- If you're going to use dental floss to slice your cheesecake, make sure you use the non-flavored kind ;) You'll also want to wipe off any bits that stick to the floss after each run through the cake.
- Wrapped well, the cheesecake will keep for about 1 week in the refrigerator or 2 months in the freezer. If you're freezing it, defrost it in the refrigerator overnight when you are ready to eat.
- For more recipe tips, click here.


Friday, November 21, 2008

Sweet and Savory Bites


I've been really busy lately, so this post is going to be short and sweet. These Caramelized Onion-Cranberry-Cream Cheese Bites make wonderful appetizers. The great thing about these is that you can make everything ahead of time, and then just assemble right before serving.

If you really want to caramelize your onions, you'll need to cook them at lower heat for about an hour. In a pinch, the 15-18 minute sauté at medium heat will do, though.

If you enjoy caramelized onions, you'll have to try these this holiday season!



Caramelized Onion-Cranberry-Cream Cheese Bites
from Southern Living

1 tablespoon butter
2 cups thinly sliced sweet onions
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar (I used Garlic & Pepper Balsamic Vinegar)
1/2 cup fresh or frozen cranberries (thawed), coarsely chopped (I used dried cranberries)
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind
16 whole grain crackers
1/3-less-fat cream cheese (I used fat free)
Garnish: fresh cilantro or parsley leaves


Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add onions, and sauté 15 to 18 minutes or until golden and tender. Stir in vinegar, cranberries, sugar, salt, and orange rind; cook, stirring occasionally, 2 to 4 minutes or until liquid is reduced to about 2 Tbsp.

Spread 16 whole grain crackers each with 1-1/2 tsp. 1/3-less-fat cream cheese; top each with 1 Tbsp. Caramelized Onion-Cranberry Compote. Garnish with fresh cilantro or parsley leaves.

Yield: 16 servings (serving size: 1 cracker)