Raspberry Kiss Cheesecake Bars

Are you an Olympic watcher?   I like the Olympics and I like to hear what happened but I can't watch it a lot. Especially live.  If I already know what happened I am okay but I find watching it not knowing so nerve racking and intense. I am a flipper, I go back and forth because I can't watch how things turn out I just like to know the outcome.  For most of us we will have no comprehension of what it is like to compete in something that huge and I just feel for everyone who doesn't get a medal and excited for everyone that does. 

The Olympics definitely are exciting,  I will just watch most of it through the wrap up on the nightly news or see my friends updates on facebook.   

Take the Superbowl for example.  This I can watch because it is just fun even if I barely watch a game all year. Obviously someone has to win and someone has to lose but I always find it so sad for those who don't win.  You see the players sitting on the benches, sometimes tearing up, looking so upset they didn't pull out the win.   That is clearly how sports are supposed to work, I get it, just tough to watch I guess.

Valentine's day is quickly approaching.  Along with Easter, I love desserts around Valentines day because they are often prettier, include fruits and/or are heart shaped.   How can you not love things heart shaped? Heart shape= love=happy.  Since these special Raspberry Kisses came out special for Valentines day I figured I must figure out a way to bake with them for a pre-valentines day treat.  

Frankly, It is hard to go wrong with cheesecake. LOVE!

Almond Joy Cheesecakes

This past weekend I made 120 cupcakes and a mini 6 inch cake for a wedding, and two weeks ago I made a 3 tier lemon coconut cake for a wedding.  So October has been busy.  My next cake with be for my little ones FIRST birthday. What? First birthday already! Where did this year go?  I cannot believe in it less than a month it will be here.  I have sent out the invites but now I need to start planning decorations, food, loot bags.. am I missing anything?

10 Days of Cookies - Day 5 - Candy Cane Cheesecake Bars

Last Wednesday was my annual Mother-Daughter baking day.   My mom, sister, niece, daughter and I got together for some Christmas Baking. This is by far one of my favorite days.  Obviously most of the baking is done by my mom, sister and I.  My niece is very helpful at adding the raisins to the butter tarts and well my little one just slept and looked cute.  Thanks to a great friend, she does her apron ready to go when she can help.

As always we started with our butter tarts but we also baked up three different bars.  It was a very busy day, starting at 11 and ending at 4.  All treats turned out very well. These bars were my sisters idea as she brought over a large tub of cream cheese so our natural choice was to make some cheesecake bars.  She also brought candy cane kisses so I decided to bring them together.   Apparently she doesn't "know" how to make cheesecake so this is what I came up with.

Candy Cane Kiss Cheesecake

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/2 cup oreo crumbs
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 3 1/2  8 oz packages 
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 4 eggs + 1 egg yolk
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 25 candy cane kisses + extra for melting and drizzling

INSTRUCTIONS:

1) Preheat oven to 350F.  Line a 9x13 pan with tinfoil, up all edges. 

2) Combine crumbs and butter in a medium bowl , until crumbs are well moistened.  Press down into pan.  Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.  

3) In your mixer bowl, beat with paddle the cream cheese until smooth.   Add granulated sugar and beat on medium until combined. 

4) Add eggs and yolk, one at a time, beating until each egg is almost combined.   Add in vanilla and sour cream and combine. 

5) Pour cheesecake filling over the crust.   Place the kisses in rows, with a kiss for each square. 

6) Bake at 400 for 10 minutes.  Reduce to 300 and bake for 25 minutes.  Turn off oven and let sit for 15-20 minutes. 

7) Melt the extra kisses and drizzle over the top.  Cut into squares. 

I think I am slowly starting to appreciate mint and chocolate together.  I did give most away to my sister but I did make sure to keep a few for myself and my party.    

MEG's RATING : D-EEEEE-LICOUS!

Caramel Apple Crumble Cheesecake

So apparently I am so out of it.   I didn't even realize it has been over a week since I last posted.  Not that I have done nothing the last week,  I have almost been non stop.    My birthday was Friday, so I spent the day over the border shopping with my sister and her friend.  I managed to pick up some baby clothes, some clothes for me and a playpen.   I have yet to find Biscoff spread,  what aisle does that normally sit in?  Do they sell it at Target?

The rest of the weekend involved multiple family dinners for Thanksgiving, cleaning and finishing up the nursery.  I got all my decals and photos up on the walls so now I just need to add a few small accessories and buy some drapes.  It's all coming together...just a few more weeks until baby.

This week also involved my yearly addiction to check out Cirque du Solieli.   This years show was called Amaluna.   This was the 6th Cirque show I have seen.  I find them hard to pass up when they are in town.  The shows are always so creative and unique and the performers are quite simply amazing.  I can't even imagine the training they must go through.   Just crazy.  Unfortunately this one was not my favorite or close to it. . Given my wide comparison range I just felt the acts in this one, although still impressive were not a big as I have seen at others.  The clowns were also more annoying than funny.   I think my favorite so far was either La Nouba, (Disney World) or Mystere (Las Vegas).   I highly recommend both if you are ever in either of these places, although Vegas as several others that I hear are quite cool.   Anyone have any favorite cirques they would recommend?

With all the family dinners that were going on this weekend I did manage to get some baking done.   One great one and one fail.  The great one would be this post, the fail would be a bubble bread loaf that rose beautifully and then somehow just died in the oven.  Frustrating!


Apple Crumble Caramel Cheesecake

INGREDIENTS:

Crust

• 2 cups vanilla wafer or graham cracker crumbs
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup butter, melted

Cheesecake

• 4 large apples
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2-3 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 - 8oz packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• Your favorite caramel sauce

Crumble

• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 brown sugar
• 1/2 cup quick oats
• 1/4 cup rolled oats
• 1 tsp cinnamon 
• 1/3 cup butter,  cool but slightly softened

INSTRUCTIONS:

1) Preheat oven to 350F.   Combine crumbs and cinnamon in a medium bowl.  Add melted butter and mix to combine and coat the crumbs.  Press into a 9 inch springform pan, lined with parchment.  Bake for 10 minutes.  Set aside and let cool.
2) Peel and core the apples. Chop into slices.  Toss with lemon juice.  In a medium saute pan, on medium heat at butter.  Once melted add apples, brown sugar and cinnamon and cook for about 5-8 minutes until apples sofften but are not mush.   Remove from heat and set aside.

3) Make the crumble :   In a large bowl combine all the crumble ingredients except the butter.  Mix together.  Then cut in the butter with your hands.  The mixture will darken and be slightly combined and clumped together in small pieces.

4) In a food processor, add cream cheese (in chunks) and granulated sugar.  Process until almost smooth, chunks are broken down.   Add eggs, sour cream and vanilla and process until well combined. Scraping down the sides as needed.
5) Preheat the oven to 375F. Grease the sides of the pan with butter, 3/4 of the way up.  Take 2/3 of the apples and put on top of the crust.   Drizzle with caramel sauce.  Top with 1/4 cup of crumble.
6) Cover the apples with the cheesecake mixture and smooth out.
7) Bake the cheesecake on the middle rack for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 300F and bake for 35-40 minutes.  Turn off the oven and let the cheesecake sit for 20 minutes in the oven.  It is okay if the cheesecake cracks, it get completely covered.  Remove from oven to cool further.
8)  Preheat the oven to 400F. When the cheesecake has come back to room temperature.  Top with remaining apples in the center, drizzle with more caramel sauce and cover with the crumble.  Bake for 15-20 minutes until the crumble has started browning.
9) Let cool before slicing.  Drizzle with more caramel sauce when serving.

I honestly was a little worried about how this would turn out but I was so pleasantly surprised.   Even my Dad thought it was quite good and he is a hard dessert person to impress.   The process to get this done can be a little lengthy but well worth it.

MEG's RATING : D-EEEEE-LICIOUS.

Check out Sweet Bella Roos link up party for other "Pin" worthy recipes.

Crispy Crunch Cheesecake Bars

This weekend we finally went to my husbands family cottage.  We try to go at least once, sometimes twice a month once the weather starts to get warmer.   We never made it up in May this year and we're very anxious to finally get up there.  We were both in need of some relaxing sit and do nothing cottage time.   His brother, sister in law and their two kids also came up so we had a full house but it was a fun house.   They are 8 and almost 6 so there energy is always high.  I always find myself in an interesting situation.  I love going to the cottage, I love being up north and enjoying the fresh air but I HATE bugs.  Especially since bugs that bite seem to love me.  They are attracted to my dark hair and sweet blood (probably worse now since I seem to be pumping more of it these days) .   Along with my crazy fear of bees I am often just an idiot running around waving my arms.  How do I even relax?  Luckily I was able to go in and out of the sun room to avoid any excessive bites.   I spent most of the weekend reading the gigantic "Baby Book", which at this point it is way too much information.  I imagine in the next two years though I will be referencing this book a lot.  

Since I always have to bake some treat for a cottage weekend I tend to go with items that travel easy like bars or cookies.   I also usually do a peanut butter dessert but I had a craving to do something with crispy crunch and they were sitting in my freezer for a week or so.   They were just begging to get used up.

Crispy Crunch Cheesecake Bars

INGREDIENTS:

• 20 fudgeeo's
• 1/4 cup of melted butter
• 12 oz (1 block and a half) of light cream cheese. 
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tbsp agave syrup
• 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
• 1 tbsp unbleached all purpose flour
• 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cup chopped crispy crunch bars 
• 1 cup semi sweet and bittersweet chocolate chips (a mix of what you prefer)
• 1/4 cup 18% cream

INSTRUCTIONS:

1) Preheat the oven to 325F. 

2) Run fudgeeos through a food processor to get them to a fine grind.  Pour in melted butter while pulsing to slowly bring together.   Press this mixture in to a 8 in square pan lined with parchment. 

3) Add cream cheese, sugar and agave to a food processor,   Run until well combined and smooth.  

  4) Add egg, yolk, flour and vanilla.   Run until completely blended and smooth.

5) Remove the blade and stir in 1 cup of the chopped crispy crunch.  Pour on top of the cookie crust.     Tapping out an air bubbles by banging pan slightly on the counter.  Bake for 18-20 minutes until center is just about set. 

6) Let cool for 15 minutes, then place in the refrigerator to cool for another 15 minutes.    

7) Melt the chocolate chips and cream over a double boiler.   Spread over the cooled cheesecake and top with the remaining crispy crunch.   Let chocolate cool and set before slicing.

Crunchy and creamy all in one.    Little squares are best for these bars they will definitely satisfy your sweet tooth.

MEG's RATING: D-EEEEE-LICIOUS!!

Cherry Cheesecake Ice Cream (Eggless)

Last summer I made a lot of ice cream.  A LOT!   Once I got the first taste of homemade ice cream I was hooked.   It seemed like I was making it every two weeks last summer.   Aside from all the fruit flavoured ones my husband was pretty spoiled.   I guess me too.    Now that the hot weather is coming back so is my urge for homemade ice cream.     There has been a small yet very happy and quite exciting wrench thrown into my ice cream plans this summer.   The books tell me I am supposed to avoid raw eggs if you are pregnant.

Oh that's right I haven't mentioned it yet.  Baby #1 is on it's way!!  It has been a long time coming, going through many twists and turns along the way.   I think I have given more vials of blood in the last two years than my age.  Life may not always work out the way you plan but it does have its way of working it self out sooner or later.  Hubby and I are getting more as the weeks go on.  Although as my belly grows I see more fear on his face, as he realizes there is actually a baby coming in 5 months.    I haven't taken any belly pics yet but maybe I will start and do some tracking.  I love the Cracker and Carrots set up, so I might steal that from her and start doing some recording.  There will be lots to plan, buy and learn in the next few months.  For now I will continue to adjust my diet for things I am not supposed to eat anymore.

I have been obsessed with cherries lately and just had to incorporate these in a dessert somehow.  There will be a few more cherries to come I suspect.


Cherry Cheesecake Ice Cream (Eggless)
(loosely adapted from several recipes)

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups pitted cherries
• 8 ounces softened cream cheese
• 1/3 cup + 3 tbsp agave
• 1/3 cup skim milk
• 3/4 cup 18% cream 
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs

INSTRUCTIONS:
1) Place cherries in a medium sauce pan with 3 tbsp agave and 1/2 cup water.   Bring to a boil for a 2 minutes, remove from heat and let sit to cool.

2) Place cream cheese, agave, milk, lemon juice and salt in a food processor and run until smooth.

3) Add in cooled cherries and pulse a few times.

4) Add in cream while continuing to pulse about 5 more times.  Cream will be just incorporated.
5) Place in a bowl and refrigerate to chill for a few hours or overnight, the mixture should even thicken a bit in the fridge.
6) Run through your ice cream maker for 20-25 minutes.  The ice cream will come off the sides.  Freeze for a few hours to set up more.    Sprinkle with graham crackers when serving.

Oh MY! This ice cream really does have a cheesecake feel and flavour to it.  The graham cracker crumbs give it that additional cheesecake kick.   This ice cream does get quite hard overnight so let sit 10-15 minutes and it softens to a great creamy consistency.

MEG's RATING : D-EEEEE-LICIOUS!

Baby got hungry when I was making photos......so I took a few bites.

Rolo Brownie Cheesecake

I am playing post catch up now.  I have several holiday desserts I didn't have time to post because of parties, work and cookies, that took longer than expected.  Now their are 5 posts half done, waiting for me to get the photos ready or write in the recipes.

Will I have time this weekend to finish them all? Pah, of course not. This weekend includes working on a Baptism cake for Sunday, which we also have to attend. My hubby is the Godfather.  He is very excited and happy.  A little one he can attempt to impart his wisdom on.   We also have a birthday party to go Saturday, which I may try to bake some treats for.  So again more posts to pile up.

This cheesecake was for a holiday party all the way back to early December. Ooops, super late.  It also used Halloween candy I scored after Halloween and threw in the freezer.   I actually wanted to use snickers but I left them in the trunk of my car,  which happened to be at the Auto shop getting an oil change that night.  So there will be a snickers cheesecake coming eventually, that craving didn't go away.


Rolo Brownie Cheesecake


INGREDIENTS:


Brownie Base

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 4 oz (115g) dark chocolate ( at least 50%)
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 cup unbleached all purpose flour

Cheesecake 

• 2 1/2 cups cream cheese
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
• 1 - 1 1/2 cup chopped rolos.
• 2-3 oz chocolate for drizzling. 

INSTRUCTIONS:

1) Preheat the oven to 350F.  Line a 9 inch spring-form pan with parchment. 

Make the Brownie

2) Using a double boiler , melt together the chocolate and butter, stirring until smooth. 

3) Remove from heat and mix in sugar until just combined.

4) Add eggs and milk, mix to combinel. 

5) Fold in flour until just blended.

6) Pour onto prepared parchment.  Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.  Remove from oven, reduce temp to 325F.

Make the Cheesecake:

7) Combine the cream cheese and sugar in a food processor and run until smooth.  Add eggs and vanilla and process until combined.  

8) Pour the cheesecake into a large bowl, stir in sour cream and crushed rolos. You can also place some rolos on the brownie base before adding the cheesecake. 

9) Pour cheesecake on top of brownie.  Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until cheesecake is almost set.  Run a knife around the edge to remove cheesecake from the side of the pan.   Let cool completely, chill several hours or overnight before slicing.  Drizzle with melted chocolate. 

Cheesecake has got to be one of my favorite desserts.  I love how if done properly it can just melt in your mouth.   The rolos didn't hurt either.   I was worried the brownie would have been dry with all that baking but it wasn't at all.  It was well protected by the sweet, creamy cheesecake.

 MEG's RATING: D-EEEE-LICIOUS

MY MINI PAN GIVEAWAY WINNER IS.....  LISA from SWEET AS SUGAR COOKIES!    She has a great blog.  Can't wait to see what you make Lisa!  I will be in touch to get your info.

Pumpkin Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake

Can you believe it is 5 weeks to Christmas?  For my American friends only 4 days to Thanksgiving and 5 days to shop shop shopping? I won't be making it to the U.S for any black Friday shopping but the hubby plans to do some online cyber Monday shopping.  Once the deliver happens we will eventually be making a trip down to pick up his electronic goodies.  I hope to do a little more shopping for me on this trip as well.

It seems like all my weekends until Christmas are already jammed packed with parties, dinners and baking.  I can't wait for every bit of it.  I still have to get my decorations up. It tends to be a full day production as I do have quite a few decorations These decoration include two trees, including my big beautiful 9 foot tree that I love and my every expanding Christmas village. Can you tell I am excited?   This weekend,  I went to the Seasons Christmas Show in efforts to expand my decorations a little bit more.  I walked up and down the aisles admiring the beautiful decorations and gifts, while sneaking a few bite size treats from some dessert booths.  I kept myself under control and only left with a cute Santa cookie jar and some beautiful candle holders.  A sigh of relief for my hubby.

My first Christmas dinner party is this upcoming weekend.  I have put myself down for desserts.  Cheesecake maybe?  Here is my own creation of chocolate and pumpkin together in one of my favorite desserts.

INGREDIENTS:

Crust

• 2 ½ cups (380 grams) gingersnaps crumbs 
• 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp unsalted butter , melted 
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Cheesecake 

• 3 – 250 gram packages cream cheese (regular or light) 
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar 
• 3 large eggs 
• 1 tbsp vanilla 
• 3/4 cup pumpkin 
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg 
• 1 tsp cinnamon 
• 1 tbsp flour 
• 1/2 cup (100g) dark chocolate, chopped 

 INSTRUCTIONS:

1) Preheat oven to 350F. Place a piece of parchment over the bottom of the pan, hanging over the sides. Snap in the sides and lock into place with the excess parchment hanging through. 

2) Combine crumbs, cinnamon and melted butter in a medium bowl. Stir together until crumbs are moistened. Press into the spring form pan, using a flat measuring cup to press down tight. 

3) Bake for 10-12 minutes, until crust is lightly golden. Remove and increase oven to 400F.
4) Melt the dark chocolate over a double boiler until smooth. Set aside to cool.
5) Add the cream cheese to your food processor. Process until almost smooth. Add sugar and process until combined. 

6) Add eggs and vanilla and process until the mixture is fluid and lump free. 

7) Take out 1/3 off the filling and place in a medium bowl. Stir in the melted, cooled chocolate. Place this filling in a piping bag with a 1/4 – 1/2 inch hole. 

8) Add the pumpkin, nutmeg, cinnamon and flour to the mixture remaining in the processor and combine for 10-15 seconds, to blend in the pumpkin through the mixture.
9) Pour the pumpkin mixture onto the crust. Tap pan to flatten. Starting at the outside, place the tip of the chocolate piping bag directly into the pumpkin filling and swirl through the cheesecake in a circular motion moving inward, piping the chocolate into the pumpkin. Run a knife through making several lines to get the pulled effect. 

10) Cover the bottom and up the sides of the pan with tinfoil to protect from water. Place the cheesecake in a water bath and bake for 10 minutes at 400F. Then reduce heat to 300 and bake for 30 minutes. Top should be just about set. Turn off oven and leave cheesecake in oven for 15 minutes. Remove and let cool completely on wire rack. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

This is a beautiful combination of pumpkin and chocolate. The cheesecake was smooth and creamy with rich swirls of chocolate decadence.   I was so happy with the way this turned out.  Even my sister who doesn't really like pumpkin desserts liked this cheesecake.

MEG's RATING: D-EEEEE-LICIOUS!

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I finally caved and made the cheesecakes

It's is nice to get back into blogging after my vacation hiatus.  I am also trying to catch up all the wonderful things I missed out there in the blogging world.  I had to go back and make a lot of bookmarks.
Remember when I made the No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake a few weeks back to ward off my friend Jeff and his constant harassment for the mini cheesecakes.  Well,  It didn't work.  He still kept asking and asking and asking.   Since I happen to be such a nice person I didn't want to disappoint him.  I baked them for his birthday last year so I decided I would the same this year.  I am a rather big cheesecake fan myself.  If done well cheesecake is creamy,  silky and smooth with so many possible variations.   I decided to do a blackberry cheesecake and a chocolate peanut butter cheesecake.  Both equally tempting and delicious.   To throw him off that morning, we hid the cheesecakes until we all cornered him at his desk and sang Happy Birthday.  A little embarrassment is what you get after months of pestering.    Do you think that will keep him quite for 12 months. Probably not.  :-)

Mini Cheesecakes

INGREDIENTS:

Blackberry Base:

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup butter melted
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar

Oreo Base

• 1 1/2 cups Oreo crumbs
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar

Filling:

• 20 oz (2 1/2 packages) cream cheese, softened
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sour cream

Extras:

• 2 oz bittersweet chocolate
• 3 tbsp peanut butter
• 3/4 cup blackberries
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 6 mini peanut butter cups

INSTRUCTIONS:

1) Preheat the oven to 350F. 

2) Combine the graham crackers, sugar and butter in a bowl with a spatula.  Moistening all the crumbs.  Press 1/4 cup of the mixture into a mini cheesecake pan.   Repeat with the Oreo crumbs in another pan.  You should have 6 of each. 

3) Bake for 10 minutes and let cool. 

4) Melt the chocolate and peanut butter in a small boil over a double boiler.  Set aside to cool. Combine the blackberries, sugar and 1/4 cup water in a small sauce pan.  Heat over medium heat until berries are broken down and thickened. 

5) Put the softened cream cheese into a food processor and run until smooth. 

6) Add sugar, vanilla and eggs, process until creamy, add sour cream and run once more to combine.

7) Separate the mixture into two equal portions.   Add the peanut butter chocolate mixture to one half and half the blackberry mixture to the other portion.   Split the mixture equally between the 12 cups, with the blackberry mixture on the graham crackers and the peanut butter chocolate on the Oreo crumbs.   I added a mini peanut butter cup to the Oreo crust before adding the filling.

8) Preheat the oven to 400F. Place the cheesecakes in the oven and reduce to 300F

9) Bake for 20-22 minutes.  The middle of the cheesecakes will be just set.

These are a great dessert for individuals,  allowing people to have some options.   I increased the recipe slightly for the filling from what I actually used as I found it wasn't quite enough filling.  If you want these even taller, increase to a full 21oz of cream cheese, use 3 eggs and increase sugar to 3/4 cup.

MEG's RATING: D-EEEEE-LICIOUS!

Chocolate peanut butter cheesecakes

Blackberry cheesecakes