Here is the recipe for the apple caramel cheeesecake I talked about yesterday. Use the sponge cake crust recipe I just posted for this cheesecake.
APPLE CARAMEL CHEESECAKE
for the apple filling:
3 large firm, crisp red-skinned apples *
1/2 cup apple cider or apple juice
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
for the cheesecake:
three 8-ounce packages cream cheese (use only full fat), at room temperature
1 1/3 cups sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 eggs
2/3 cup heavy or whipping cream
for the apple caramel topping:
2 large firm, crisp red-skinned apples*
juice of 1 large lemon
1 cup caramel or butterscotch ice cream topping
1. Preheat the voen to 350 degrees F. Generously butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Wrap the outside with aluminum foil, covering the bottom and extending all the way up the sides. Make and bake the cake crust and leave it in the pan. Keep the oven on.
2. To make the filling, peel and core the apple for the filling into 1/2-inch, bite-size pieces. Combine the cider, cornstarch, sugar, and cinnamon in a small saucepan and whisk until completely dissolved. While stirring constantly, bring to a full boil over medium heat and continue to boil until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the apples. Set aside to cool while you make the cake.
3. Put one package of the cream cheese, 1/3 cup of the sugar, and the cornstarch in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low until creamy, about 3 minutes, scraping the bowl down several times. Blend in the remaining cream cheese, one package at a time, scraping down the bowl after each one. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat in the remaining 1 cup sugar, then the vanilla. Blend in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after adding each one. Beat in the cream just until completely blended. Be careful not to overmix! Gently spoon the batter on top of the crust, then spoon the apple mixture over the batter, gently spreading it almost to the edge of the pan, completely covering the cake.
4. Place the cake in a large shallow pan containing hot water that comes about 1 inch up the sides of the springform. Bake until the edges are light golden brown and the top is slightly golden tan, about 1 1/4 hours. Remove the cheesecake from the water bath, transfer to a wire rack, and let cool for 2 hours. Leave the cake in the pan, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until completely cold, preferably overnight or at least 4 hours. Transfer the cake to the freezer for 1 hour.
5. For the prettiest cake, decorate within a few hours before serving, so the apples stay fresh and crisp. To make the topping, core the apples and thinly slice them or cut them into bite-size pieces (leave the peel on if you like). Toss the apples with lemon juice (this keeps them from turning brown). Release and remove the sides of the springform, leaving the cake on the bottom of the pan. Place on a serving plate. Top the cake with the apples (wipe them with a paper towel first).
6.Warm the caramel ice cream topping (don't let it boil), the drizzle it from the tip of a small spoon in stripes across the top of the cake, all around the edges. and some down the sides. Return the cake to the freezer until the caramel has set, 30 minutes. Refrigerate the cake until ready to serve. Slice with a sharp straight-edge knife, not a serrated one. Cover any leftover cake and refrigerate. Do not freeze this cake.
*Gala, Jonathan or McIntosh apples work best for this recipe.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Sponge Cake Crust (for cheesecakes)
On yesterday's blog I mentioned that I made an apple caramel cheesecake. It turned out really well, except the few little oopsies. Here is the recipe for the sponge cake crust. I may be referring back to this recipe again in the future for other cheesecakes, but I'll make note of that when the time arises.
SPONGE CAKE CRUST (for cheesecakes)
1/3 cup sifted cake flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
2 eggs, separated
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 drops pure lemon extract
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and generously butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan (preferably a nonstick one). Wrap the outside with aluminum foil, covering the bottom and extending all the way up the sides.
2. In a small bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together.
3. Beat the egg yolks in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed for 3 minutes. With the mixer running, slowly add 2 tablespoons of the sugar and beat until thick light yellow ribbons form, about 5 minutes more. Beat in the extracts.
4. Sift the flour mixture over the batter and stir it in by hand, just until no more white flecks appear. Now, blend in the melted butter.
5. Now, wash the mixing bowl and beaters well. Put the egg whites and cream of tartar into the bowl and beat with the mixer on high until frothy. Gradually add the remaining sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form (the whites will stand up and look glossy, not dry). Fold about one-third of the whites into the batter, then the remaining whites. Don't worry if you sill see a few white specks, as they'll disappear during baking.
6. Gently spread out the batter over the bottom of the pan, and bake just until set and golden (not wet or sticky), about 10 minutes. Touch the cake gently in the center. If it springs back, it's done. Watch carefully and don't let the top brown. Leave the crust in the pan and place on a wire rack to cool. Leave the oven on while you prepare the batter.
SPONGE CAKE CRUST (for cheesecakes)
1/3 cup sifted cake flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
2 eggs, separated
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 drops pure lemon extract
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and generously butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan (preferably a nonstick one). Wrap the outside with aluminum foil, covering the bottom and extending all the way up the sides.
2. In a small bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together.
3. Beat the egg yolks in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed for 3 minutes. With the mixer running, slowly add 2 tablespoons of the sugar and beat until thick light yellow ribbons form, about 5 minutes more. Beat in the extracts.
4. Sift the flour mixture over the batter and stir it in by hand, just until no more white flecks appear. Now, blend in the melted butter.
5. Now, wash the mixing bowl and beaters well. Put the egg whites and cream of tartar into the bowl and beat with the mixer on high until frothy. Gradually add the remaining sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form (the whites will stand up and look glossy, not dry). Fold about one-third of the whites into the batter, then the remaining whites. Don't worry if you sill see a few white specks, as they'll disappear during baking.
6. Gently spread out the batter over the bottom of the pan, and bake just until set and golden (not wet or sticky), about 10 minutes. Touch the cake gently in the center. If it springs back, it's done. Watch carefully and don't let the top brown. Leave the crust in the pan and place on a wire rack to cool. Leave the oven on while you prepare the batter.
Grandma's Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
HAPPY HALLOWEEN everyone!!! Enjoy this day of scaring and gorging yourselves on candy...
So, I thought there would be an easier way to sharing recipes but I guess I'll just have to type out all of the recipes. DARN!!!! So, here is the recipe for my grandmother's oatmeal raisin cookies:
1 cup seedless raisins
1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
3 beaten eggs
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon cloves
2 cups quick-cooking oatmeal
4-6 tablespoons raisin liquid
1/2 cup chopped dates (optional)
1 cup broken pecans OR walnuts
Cook raisins in boiling water to cover 5 minutes. Drain, reserving 6 tablespoons juice. Thoroughly cream shortening and sugar; add eggs and beat until smooth. Sift flour with salt, soda, and spices; mix with oatmeal and add to creamed mixture alternating with raisin liquid. Add dates, raisins, and nuts. Drop on greased cookie sheets and bake in moderately high oven (400 degrees F) for 10 to 12 minutes. Makes 4 dozen cookies.
So, I thought there would be an easier way to sharing recipes but I guess I'll just have to type out all of the recipes. DARN!!!! So, here is the recipe for my grandmother's oatmeal raisin cookies:
1 cup seedless raisins
1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
3 beaten eggs
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon cloves
2 cups quick-cooking oatmeal
4-6 tablespoons raisin liquid
1/2 cup chopped dates (optional)
1 cup broken pecans OR walnuts
Cook raisins in boiling water to cover 5 minutes. Drain, reserving 6 tablespoons juice. Thoroughly cream shortening and sugar; add eggs and beat until smooth. Sift flour with salt, soda, and spices; mix with oatmeal and add to creamed mixture alternating with raisin liquid. Add dates, raisins, and nuts. Drop on greased cookie sheets and bake in moderately high oven (400 degrees F) for 10 to 12 minutes. Makes 4 dozen cookies.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
First Food Post: Apple Caramel Cheesecake & Grandma's Oatmeal Cookies
So this is my first official blog about food. I like to refer to my cooking...experiences as "food episodes." Why? I don't know; maybe because something ALMOST ALWAYS seems to go wrong when I make something in the kitchen. I emphasize "almost" because it's not a complete guarantee but a likely occurence...
First food episode report: Apple Caramel Cheesecake! Sounds delicious, doesn't it? Well, I hope it was because I didn't have a chance to try it because it was a commissioned piece from a coworker (the same one who came up with the name of my blog! Thanks Matt!). Why did he want it? Why did he want this flavor? I don't know...
Remember how I said that almost always something happens that ruins the perfection of the food episode? Well, to no fail, I had a few bumbs along the rode to apple caramel cheesecake perfection. First, I was ready to but the sponge cake crust in the oven when I realized that I had forgotten to mix in the melted unsalted butter. To fix that, I literally mixed the butter into the cake/crust after I had already poured it into the springform pan.
Secondly, when the cheesecake was ready to come out of the oven, I had a hard time determining if it was done or not. Now, the recipe book I was using (I did not get this recipe off of a non-Lia approved website, none of which are created equal) said that the edges should be a dark golden brown and the center a light golden brown. Well, there was an apple pie filling in the center of the top of the cheesecake so it was pretty much impossible to see the center of the cheesecake beyond all of the apples. So, I had to use the shake test. Cheesecakes, when properly prepared, should wiggle slightly in the center when gently shaken to test for doneness. Well, the center did wiggle a little bit but I couldn't tell if it meant the cheesecake was done. I ended up putting the cake back in the oven for 7 minutes more. Even now, when I look back, I probably should have put that thing back in the oven for a few more minutes.
Lastly, when the cheesecake was all done, including the caramel and second layer of apple topping, I had to remove the cheesecake from the springform pan to a plate so I could deliver it to my coworker. Using my "handy" long metal spatula I attempted to move the cheesecake. Well, as one might expect, it didn't work as well as I thought. I got the cheesecake onto the plate, avoiding the ultimate disaster: dropping it to the floor. The problem I had was that the cheesecake caved a little on the sides. A minor setback but overall a successful episode.
My second topic/episode for this post: GRANDMAS' OATMEAL COOKIES!!!!! This recipe belonged to my maternal grandmother, Edith Warner Powers, who subsequently gave them to my mom (her daughter), Maurine. My mom and her two brothers go ape over these cookies! Both of my uncles will be visiting the Milwaukee area this coming week so my mom put me to work making a batch of the morsels. By the grace of God, nothing catastrophic happened! Wooopie!! It was an afternoon well spent!
Well, my friends, I will sign out for now. If another food episdoe occurs, with some degree of success, I"ll make sure to blog about it! So for now: MANGIA!!!!!
First food episode report: Apple Caramel Cheesecake! Sounds delicious, doesn't it? Well, I hope it was because I didn't have a chance to try it because it was a commissioned piece from a coworker (the same one who came up with the name of my blog! Thanks Matt!). Why did he want it? Why did he want this flavor? I don't know...
Remember how I said that almost always something happens that ruins the perfection of the food episode? Well, to no fail, I had a few bumbs along the rode to apple caramel cheesecake perfection. First, I was ready to but the sponge cake crust in the oven when I realized that I had forgotten to mix in the melted unsalted butter. To fix that, I literally mixed the butter into the cake/crust after I had already poured it into the springform pan.
Secondly, when the cheesecake was ready to come out of the oven, I had a hard time determining if it was done or not. Now, the recipe book I was using (I did not get this recipe off of a non-Lia approved website, none of which are created equal) said that the edges should be a dark golden brown and the center a light golden brown. Well, there was an apple pie filling in the center of the top of the cheesecake so it was pretty much impossible to see the center of the cheesecake beyond all of the apples. So, I had to use the shake test. Cheesecakes, when properly prepared, should wiggle slightly in the center when gently shaken to test for doneness. Well, the center did wiggle a little bit but I couldn't tell if it meant the cheesecake was done. I ended up putting the cake back in the oven for 7 minutes more. Even now, when I look back, I probably should have put that thing back in the oven for a few more minutes.
Lastly, when the cheesecake was all done, including the caramel and second layer of apple topping, I had to remove the cheesecake from the springform pan to a plate so I could deliver it to my coworker. Using my "handy" long metal spatula I attempted to move the cheesecake. Well, as one might expect, it didn't work as well as I thought. I got the cheesecake onto the plate, avoiding the ultimate disaster: dropping it to the floor. The problem I had was that the cheesecake caved a little on the sides. A minor setback but overall a successful episode.
 |
| Me with a sample of the cookies (I'm still trying to figure out how my camera on my laptop works...) |
Well, my friends, I will sign out for now. If another food episdoe occurs, with some degree of success, I"ll make sure to blog about it! So for now: MANGIA!!!!!
Welcome to Foodgetaboutit!
Good Afternoon Visitors!
My name is Lia and I live in Wauwatosa (Milwaukee), WI and this is my first blogging experience. So, I'm basically a blogging virgin. The only other experience I've had with blogs is my best friend's, Jessica, blog. I'm jumping in head first into the 21st century, almost 12 years late...
As you can tell by the title, my blog will be centering on food with some life experiences interjected every so often. I love to cook and bake so it seemed logical that I would write about my culinary "skills" and episodes. I have a tendency for mishaps (mainly "accidentally" making the oven smoke...) in the kitchen, but most end up pretty well.
I hope to continue on with this blog for as long as possible...or until I "foodgetaboutit". With that I say WELCOME and I hope you enjoy my page/blog!
Lia
My name is Lia and I live in Wauwatosa (Milwaukee), WI and this is my first blogging experience. So, I'm basically a blogging virgin. The only other experience I've had with blogs is my best friend's, Jessica, blog. I'm jumping in head first into the 21st century, almost 12 years late...
As you can tell by the title, my blog will be centering on food with some life experiences interjected every so often. I love to cook and bake so it seemed logical that I would write about my culinary "skills" and episodes. I have a tendency for mishaps (mainly "accidentally" making the oven smoke...) in the kitchen, but most end up pretty well.
I hope to continue on with this blog for as long as possible...or until I "foodgetaboutit". With that I say WELCOME and I hope you enjoy my page/blog!
Lia
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