Personal cheesecakes

I was talking to a friend recently, and he mentioned that cheesecake used to be his favorite dessert.  While I know he has a sweet tooth, and loves a pastry in the morning, I've never known him to order dessert, so I filed away this little tidbit of information.  And now I can put it to good use. 

This New Year's Eve my friend and I planned a low key evening in, cooking dinner and watching the ball drop.  The perfect opportunity to bring some cheesecakes!  The only issue was that I didn't remember if he mentioned that he liked a regular graham cracker crust or a chocolate crust.  Not a problem, I mused, I'd just make personal cheesecakes and I'd make a few with each type of crust.  Added benefit?  I didn't have to go buy a new springform pan, since I own a 9" and the recipe called for a 7".  I didn't even know 7" was a standard springform size.  But I digress.

Just over a year ago I went to a "New York" themed party and needed a New York-y dessert.  The hostess wanted me to make black and white cookies, but I hadn't made them before and was hesitant to make them for a party (it was before I made them for a black-and-white themed New Year's Eve Party last year).  Rifling through my mind for other New York inspired desserts, I settled on mini cheesecakes (baked in a mini muffin tin) with their own little crusts.

 

Since I was making personal (aka baked in a regular cupcake tin) cheesecakes, I figured I could experiment with flavors.  Maybe add some mini chocolate chips to some, some heath bar to another, and I even stuck a mini rolo into the centers of a few...so I divided the extra cheesecake filling and added a few different mix-ins.  Just for fun.  Truth be told, they weren't as pretty as the plain cheesecakes.  And maybe I didn't add enough of the mix-ins, but I didn't think they tasted much different either.  But it didn't really matter...I packed away a few of the plain ones for New Year's Eve, and the rest for my doormen.  The not-to-pretty ones were tasted and then tossed.  I didn't need to be picking at cheesecakes....too many calories for something I don't even love that much.

Heath Bar Cheesecakes

Now, there is actually an interesting story behind this cheesecake recipe.  A while ago my parents, aunt, and sister went out for dim dum (Chinese passed dumpings and small plates) in Westchester, and were talking to another lady in line.  Somehow their conversation lead them to - of all things - cheesecake.  She and my mother exchanged email addresses, and she forwarded my mom this recipe shortly after they met.  When I was looking for a cheesecake recipe, my mom forwarded it on to me.

Shari's Cheesecake (Shari is the lady from the dim sum line)
This made just over 30 full sized cupacake cheesecakes.  I had leftover crust mixture, but I did make a full batch of each crust recipe, and that may have been too much.  My baking time was about 25-28 minutes.  As you can tell, mine didn't get golden brown, but they were cooked through (bonus points if you can find the toothpick holes in one of the cheesecakes from testing it's doneness.).

Ingredients:

For the crust
(if you're making "mini" or "personal" cheesecakes, you will need extra crust mixture....I doubled it last time....or you can make a mixture of graham crusts and chocolate crusts, and follow the link/recipe beneath for the chocolate crust)

1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup melted butter (I used unsalted, as I always do with baking)
1/6 cup sugar

For the filling

1 lb 14 oz cream cheese (3 and 3/4 8 oz packages of cream cheese)
7/8 cup sugar
2 Tbsp corn starch
2 eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
3/4 tsp vanilla

Mix-ins: With the leftover cheesecake filling, I decided to experiment with some mix-ins.  I used some mini chocolate chips, and some leftover health bar pieces from those chocolate covered pretzels.

Directions:

Grease a 7" springform pan (or in my case, line a regular sized (or mini) muffin tin with paper or foil liners).

Make the crust

Mix the crust ingredients together.
Press the crust into the springform pan.
Bake a 400 degrees until brown, being careful not to burn it.

Make the filling

Mix the sugar and cornstarch together.
Add the cream cheese and blend well.
Add the eggs and blend well.
Add the cream, a little at a time, and blend.
Add vanilla and blend.

* Pour the cream cheese mixture into the well greased springform plan on top of the crust.
Cover the pan with foil.
Place the pan in a water bath -- Fill a lined baking sheet with water, and place the filled springform pan on the tray.
Bake at 450 for 40-45 minutes until golden brown.

Shari's directions:  When done, open the oven about 3-4 inches so the oven cools, leaving the cake there for about 20 minutes.  It is supposed to stop the top from cracking.  (I skipped this step, and they turned out OK)

No-Bake Chocolate Crust (from Martha Stewart)

Ingredients:

7 ounces chocolate wafer cookies
3 Tbsp sugar
6 to 8 Tbsp unsalted butter

Directions:

Place cookies in a food processor and process until finely ground.
Combine cookie crumbs and sugar in a bowl.
Add 6 tablespoons butter, and mix well until crumb mixture holds together. (If needed, add remaining 2 tablespoons butter.)
Transfer cookie mixture to bottoms of lined cupcake tins, and pat out evenly to make the crust.
Place in freezer while proceeding.

Go back to the previous recipe and follow from the *

Chubby Hubby truffles

Chocolate + pretzels + peanut butter = delish.  I thought that that went without saying.  Case in point:

See, a few days ago I went grocery shopping for the ingredients for these.  I bought a bunch of other things, but among the goodies I bought were pretzels to make these truffles.  Of course I used those pretzels to make the 4 flavors of chocolate covered pretzels and the chocolate pretzel treats before I even sat down to make these.  Luckily I had enough pretzels leftover from those two treats in order to make these truffles!

 

Chubby Hubby Truffles

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups pretzel pieces
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
Pinch of salt
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 cup milk or semisweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon vegetable shortening
(I chose to use CandiQuik chocolate coating instead of the chocolate chips and shortening)

Extra peanut butter and crushed pretzels for decoration

Directions:

Put the pretzels into a resealable plastic bag and crush into very small bits (a rolling pin works great for this) - I found this part confusing.  I wasn't sure if it was 1.5 cups of pretzel pieces, or 1.5 cups of crushed pretzels....my filling mixture was a bit dry and I wonder if it's because I used the 1.5 cups of crushed pretzels

In a small bowl, combine the peanut butter, butter, brown sugar and salt.
Stir until all of the ingredients are completely blended and smooth.
Add the pretzel bits to the peanut butter mixture and mix thoroughly.
Add the powdered sugar and mix until completely combined.
Line a small baking sheet with wax paper.
Using a small cookie scoop, or about 2 teaspoons worth of peanut butter mixture, gently shape into a ball with your fingertips.
Place the ball on the wax paper-lined cookie sheet and repeat with the remaining peanut butter mixture.
Place the baking sheet into the refrigerator and chill for at least 30 minutes.

When ready to dip the truffles, microwave the chocolate chips and vegetable shortening together in a small bowl in 30-second increments, stirring after each, until completely melted and smooth.

Working one at a time, dip one peanut butter-pretzel ball into the melted chocolate and use a fork to roll it around, making sure that it is completely coated with chocolate.
Let any extra chocolate drip off and place back on the wax paper-lined sheet.
Repeat with all of the peanut butter-pretzel balls.

Return the baking sheet to the refrigerator and again chill for at least 30 minutes.
Garnish with a drizzle of melted peanut butter and crushed pretzels, if desired (I desired.)
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Chocolate chip cookie dough fudge

I've taken the butter out of the fridge to make this fudge a ton of times, but then time got away from me and I end up putting it back in the fridge...only to take it out another night.  But with the holidays coming up, gifts to make, and a free night, I decided I was making this fudge tonight. 

It was actually pretty easy.  And although I've only made fudge once before (this Oreo fudge), I was surprised to find that this one wasn't too sweet...and it tasted JUST like cookie dough! 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Fudge

Ingredients:

For cookie dough:

1/3 cup (5 1/3 tablespoons) butter, softened to room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons half-and-half, cream or milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

For fudge base:

1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup (5 1/3 tablespoons) butter
pinch of salt
1/3 cup half-and-half, milk or cream
4-5 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips (for topping the fudge)

Directions:

Line an 8×8-inch or 9X9-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil and set aside.

For the cookie dough:
In a medium bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer) combine the butter and sugars and beat with a handheld mixer (or use a stand mixer) on medium speed until light and fluffy.
Mix in the vanilla, salt, and half-and-half.
Add the flour and mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
Fold in 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips. Set aside.

For the fudge base:
Combine the brown sugar, butter, salt, and half-and-half in a medium saucepan.
Stir over medium-low heat until the butter is melted and the brown sugar is dissolved.
The mixture should be smooth and combined.
Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
Gradually stir in the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until the mixture is smooth and thick (The original recipe said it used close to the 5 cup amount, but I used 4 cups). The mixture should be very thick.
Let this mixture cool completely before proceeding!  *This is imporant.  Mine was just above room temperature, and some of the chocolate chips melted and it looks a little streaky*

Add the cookie dough to the fudge base and stir to combine.
Spread the fudge into the prepared baking pan and press into an even layer.
Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 chocolate chips on top of the fudge and lightly press them into the batter.
Chill until set, about 3-4 hours, before cutting into pieces.

The fudge can be made ahead and stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Chocolate pretzel treats

I've seen these little pretzel-Hershey's kiss-M&M treats floating around the Pinterest world for a while.  Hershey's kisses or hugs, different colored M&M's - I've seen them all.  They looked cute but a little tedious (imagine needing 50 Hershey's kisses for a recipe....and having to unwrap them all....).  But with leftover pretzels from two other holiday recipes, I bought a bag of kisses.  I already had some white chocolate peppermint M&M's in the kitchen, so it seemed like a good idea to use those.  Plus, they were white and red, so perfectly festive for the upcoming holidays!

 

They're actually pretty insanely easy to make. Line a baking sheet with some parchment paper. Place the pretzels flat and not overlapping. Place an unwrapped Hershey's kiss in the center of each pretzel. Place in the oven at low heat (250- 275F) for a few minutes, until kisses are soft but still hold their shape (mine were in for about 2 and a half minutes). Remove from the oven and press an M&M into the top of each Hershey's kiss. Place the tray in the oven until the kisses have hardened. Place them in a bowl, or wrap them to give as gifts.

 

Festive chocolate covered pretzels

I saw a post on Pinterest the other day about chocolate covered pretzels in different flavors.  I thought they'd make a cute gift idea.  Then the following day someone brought a tray of chocolate covered pretzels to the office as a gift.  They disappeared in about 5 minutes flat, so I - in my health care, evidence-based research mind - deduced that chocolate covered pretzels are a great gift!  I set out to make them in a few flavors, as I had a 4 section gift box that I wanted to put them in.

First up were the vanilla CandiQuik dipped pretzel snaps sprinkled with crushed candy canes.  I made those with leftovers from the Candy Cane Oreo Pops - I just dipped the pretzels partially in the CandiQuik and then sprinkled little crushed candy cane pieces on them when the coating was still wet. 

Next up were pretzels dipped in mik chocolate and sprinkled with pieces of Health Bar.  I admittedly got the idea for Heath Bar on the pretzels from the original blog, so when I was at Target buying some other baking ingredients, I grabbed up a bag of Heath Bar pieces specifically for the purpose of making these.

Next were semisweet chocolate dipped pretzels decorated with nonpareils.  I of course didn't have holiday colored nonpareils, so I went with plain white ones.

Lastly, I made some white chocolate dipped pretzels drizzled with semisweet chocolate.

Check out how pretty they look all packaged up.  What a sweet gift!

Chocolate Covered Pretzels
Check out the original recipe for her "advanced" directions, which involve melting the chocolate with butter in a double boiler.  I find you can skip that step.

Ingredients:

Chocolate, melted - different flavors (white, milk, semisweet)
Pretzels - any shape, although I'm partial to the snaps and mini twists
Decorations - sprinkles, nonpariels, crushed candy canes, candy pieces

Directions:

Melt chocolate
Dip pretzels
Place pretzels on a wax paper-lined cookie sheet
Sprinkle decorations onto wet chocolate

When cookie sheet is covered with pretzels, place in the fridge.
Let cool/harden.
Package pretzels as you'd like....or keep them all for yourself!

Candy cane Oreo pops

I don't often impulse shop, but a week or so ago I impulse bought a package of Candy Cane Oreos. 

I'm not really sure why.  I don't like Oreos.  But regardless, I bought them.  Then I got home and wondered what I was going to do with them.  Oreo pops, I mused, would be the best.  And with the holidays coming up, I decided I'd decorate them with crushed candy canes.  (Click here for the original Oreo Pops post.)

They looked so pretty before I even dipped them!

Candy Cane Oreo Pops

Ingredients:

Candy Cane Oreos (or any type of Oreo)
CandiQuik Vanilla coating
Lollipop sticks
Candy canes, crushed (I usually use a hammer, but this time I used a can of soup and it worked wonderfully)

Cellophane lollipop bags
Baker's twine

Carrot cake

How did you spend your Saturday?  I spent it....wait for it....waiting in line.  But not just any line.  I was waiting in line for an "audition" for a reality baking show!  Holding a cake, which after 3+ hours was VERY heavy.

I was told to bring my best dessert to the trials, but what I didn't read was there there would only be two taste testers....but I brought an entire two-layer carrot cake...with homemade cream cheese icing. 

I didn't make the first cut, but I'm OK with that.  Despite the fact that I didn't want to actually end up on the show, I wanted the expeirence of having tried out.  I also learned something important -- I'm not nearly dramatic enough to be on a reality show!  But I did make a delicious cake, and I'm sharing it with you!

Triple Layer Carrot Cake (I made mine two layers this time)
Adapted from several different carrot cake recipes, and prefected (in my humble opinion) by me.

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar
1.5 cups vegetable oil
4 large eggs
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp ground nutmeg
3/4 tsp ground ginger
3 cups freshly grated peeled carrots (I prefer to hand grate mine, but a food processor would work, too.  Don't use bagged, pre-shredded carrots).
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raisins

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°F.
Lightly grease three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides.
Line bottom of pans with waxed paper.
Lightly grease waxed paper.

Using electric mixer, beat sugar and vegetable oil in bowl until combined.
Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg into sugar and oil mixture.
Stir in carrots, chopped walnutes and raisins.
Pour batter into prepared pans, dividing equally.
Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean and cakes begin to pull away from sides of pans, about 45 minutes.

Cool in pans on racks 15 minutes.
Turn out cakes onto racks and cool completely.
Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap tightly in plastic and store at room temperature.

Cream Cheese Icing
(From epicurious, a long time ago, and committed to memory....and the original is nowhere to be found on the website now)

Ingredients:

3 8oz packages of cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 stick butter, room temperature
3-4 cups of powdered sugar
Vanilla to taste

Directions:

Blend cream cheese and butter.
Add vanilla to taste.
Add powdered sugar.  I add about 1/2 cup at a time until desired sweetness and consistency.  I usually end up with about 3 cups of powdered sugar.