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!

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!

Nutella Nanaimo Bars

Superbowl and National Nutella Day all in one day.     This might be the biggest day of indulgence yet!

I am going out to a bar for the Superbowl.  Do I care who wins, not really.  I like football, but I don't watch it often.   I just randomly follow my team and pay attention if they do well.   Since my team is not in the Superbowl, it is just a fun evening out.   Today also happens to be the day before my Sister's birthday so it's a chance to spend the evening with her and some friends and family.

I was trying to think of a recipe I would make with Nutella, that at least I haven't seen before.    I have been flipping through my cookbooks for some random ideas of what could be spun to use Nutella. I was eyeing a peanut butter Nanaimo recipe for the last few months and thought how about Nutella instead of peanut butter?  Let's just see...

Nutella Nanaimo Bars
(Adapted from Anna Olson- Back to Baking)

INGREDIENTS:


Base

• 2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder, sifted
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Filling

• 3 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup icing sugar, sifted
• 1/2 cup Nutella
• 1 tbsp heavy cream
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Topping

• 5 oz dark chocolate (72%)
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter

INSTRUCTIONS:

1) Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 8 inch square pan with parchment and spray with non-stick spray. 

2) Make the base : In a large bowl combine cookie crumbs, sugar, cocoa and coconut and mix together. 

3) Stir in the melted butter, egg and vanilla, mix all together until damp. 

4)  Press the crumbs flat into the prepared pan and bake for 15 minutes.    Let cool while preparing the filling.

5) Make the filling :  In a medium bowl , add butter and icing sugar and beat together to form a thick paste.  Add the Nutella, cream and vanilla and beat until smooth.    

6) Using an offset spatula spread the filling on to the crust.  Cover with plastic wrap, directly on the filling pressing flat and let chill until firm.  

7) When firm make the topping.   Melt chocolate and butter over a double boiler.   When completely melted let cool slightly and spread over the filling layer.    Chill again to completely set.   Slice in to bars and store in the refrigerator. 

Dreamy.    Next time I might add some finely chopped hazelnuts to the base and increase the Nutella layer to be a bit thicker, just to kick up the Nutella a bit more. 

P.S - How are Nutella and Nanaimo not considered words spelled correctly?

MEG's RATING : D-EEEE-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

Peanut Butter and Oreo - A match made in the freezer.

Now I know I just did a peanut butter ice cream a few weeks back but we were going to Brad's parents for dinner and I wanted them to try how wonderful it really is. There have been a lot of cookies out there in the blog world that are peanut butter cookies with oeros stuffed inside.   Since this seems to be such a popular combination I decided to piggy back on that and add a whole bunch of crushed Oreo cookies into the ice cream.   I used my same great recipe base and decided to step it up notch adding more cocoa and more peanut butter.      

Peanut Butter Oreo Ice Cream

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 tbsp cornstarch
• 3 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup skim milk
• 2 cups half and half
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 8 oreo cookies, crushed

INSTRUCTIONS:

1) Add egg yolk and vanilla extract in a medium bowl and whisk together. Set aside
2) Combine sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder, and salt in a sauce pan and whisk together.
3) Slowly stir in peanut butter, milk and cream, heat over medium-high heat whisking constantly until milk begins to boil and the liquid begins to thicken.
4) Temper in the hot liquid into the egg yolk, by pouring a small amount into the egg yolk, whisk as you pour to combine and prevent the egg yolk from cooking. Once combined add in the rest of the mixture, whisking all together.

5) Run the mixture through a sieve or sifter to remove any lumps. Cover the mixture with saran wrap, directly on the liquid to prevent a film from forming. Let the mixture chill for several hours

6) Follow your ice cream maker instructions for final freezing - mine is 20-30 minutes. Add the mini peanut butter cups at the end of this stage depending on your instructions. This is the last 10 minutes for me.
7) Once it has completed its cycle in your machine, transfer it to a container for storage in the freezer. The ice cream is best frozen for a few hours.

It is as good as it sounds.  The family was impressed and my ice cream love continues.    My mother in law actually got her own ice cream maker attachment for her birthday. This treat turned out to be a nice little preview of what she can now do.   The family has put in their summer cottage ice cream requests. 

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