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I am addicted to cooking and baking. I love to find and make delicious recipes. Sometimes I create my own and I post them here. Other times I find a recipe and adapt it. I have posted those recipes here as well. Enjoy.

Saturday, October 12, 2013

WHITE CHOCOLATE PUMPKIN SPICE CHEESECAKE




Crust: 
12 oz. crushed gingersnap cookies (using a food processor ) (or just crush them by putting them in a ziplock bag and using a rolling pin to crush them.)

½ cup butter, melted
Filling:
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1/8 cup cold water
¼ cup boiling water
½ cup sugar, I use extra fine baker’s sugar
1 (8 oz package) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
9 oz. white chocolate baking bar, melted (divided)
1 cup whipping cream, whipped
½  teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla powder, or vanilla paste
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Pumpkin Pie Swirl:
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/8 cup Extra Fine Baker’s Sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla powder, or vanilla paste
3 oz. white chocolate (take 3 oz. of the melted white chocolate from the filling white chocolate)
4 Tablespoons Filling Mixture
Whipping cream, pumpkin pie spice for garnish (optional Mexican Cinnamon Chocolate Shavings and Pumpkin Spice M&Ms)

Directions:
In small bowl, combine crust ingredients; mix well.  Press in bottom of 8-inch springform pan.  Set aside
In small saucepan, pour gelatin over cold water; let stand 1 minute.  Add boiling water and sugar; stir over medium heat until mixture is hot and gelatin and sugar are dissolved.
In a small bowl Combine pumpkin puree, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla.  Mix well.  Set aside.
In a heavy saucepan or double boiler, melt white chocolate on low heat, stirring constantly until it is almost completely melted.  Remove from heat and continue stirring.  It will finish melting as you stir it.
Add 3 oz. of the melted white chocolate to the pumpkin mixture.  Mix well and set aside.
In large bowl, beat cream cheese and sour cream until creamy.  Gradually add  the remaining 6 oz. of the melted baking bar, gelatin mixture , whipping cream, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla.  Beat until smooth.  Remove 4 Tablespoons of the filling mixture and add to the pumpkin mixture.  Pour into crust lined pan. 
Mix the filling mixture into the pumpkin mixture.  Mix well.
Spoon about 7 - 8 teaspoons full of the pumpkin mixture onto the top of the cheesecake in a circular pattern.  Using a knife in a circular motion, gently swirl the pumpkin mixture into the cheesecake.
Cover; refrigerate 8 hours or until firm. 

Just before serving, run knife around edge of pan to loosen cheesecake.  Carefully remove sides of pan. Garnish with whipping cream and shake some pumpkin pie spice on the whipping cream.   If desired add some Mexican Cinnamon Chocolate shavings and some pumpkin Spice M&Ms for garnish. Store in refrigerator.  
Ingredients

Gingersnap Cookie Crumbs

Cookie Crumbs in Springform Pan

Adding Melted Butter to Crumbs

Crust

Pumpkin and Spice

Melting White Chocolate

Melted White Chocolate

Gelatin Mixture

Adding White Chocolate, Gelatin Mixture and Vanilla to Cream Cheese Mixture


Adding Whipping Cream

Adding White Chocolate and Filling Mixture to Pumpkin Spice Mixture

Filling Mixture

Filling

Dollops of Pumpkin Spice Mixture

Swirling Pumpkin Spice Mixture in circular motions

Continuing to Swirl

Ready to Chill and Set

Set

Whipping Cream Garnish

Whipping Cream and Mexican Cinnamon Chocolate Garnish

Pumpkin Spice M&M's added

Slice Out




Friday, September 20, 2013

TUXEDO WAVES FRENCH SILK CHOCOLATES PIE (Impressionistic Pie)




Crust:
1 refrigerated pie crust (from 15 oz. package)

Dark Chocolate Filling:
3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, cut into pieces
¾ cup butter, softened (do not use margarine) - I used Kerry Gold Irish Butter
1 cup baker’s extra fine sugar (if available)
½ teaspoon vanilla
¾ cup refrigerated fat free egg product

White Chocolate Waves:
3 oz. white chocolate, cut into pieces
¼ cup butter, softened - I used Kerry Gold Irish Butter
2 Tablespoons refrigerated fat free egg product

Topping:
½ cup sweetened whipped cream
Chocolate Curls, if desired
White Chocolate Curls, if desired

Heat oven to 450 degrees F.  Prepare pie crust as directed on package for one crust baked shell using 9-inch pie pan.  Bake at 450 for 9 to 11 minutes or until light golden brown.  Cool 30 minutes or until completely cooled.

Melt chocolate in small saucepan over low heat; cool.  In small bowl, beat  ¾ cup butter until fluffy.  Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy.  Add cooled chocolate and vanilla; blend well.

Melt white chocolate in a small pan over low heat; cool.  In a small bowl  beat ¼ cup butter until fluffy.  Add cooled white chocolate and blend well.  Add egg product and beat well..at least 3 minutes.  Set aside.

Add egg product to the dark chocolate mixture, ¼ cup of  egg product at a time, beating at high speed 2 minutes after each addition.  Beat until mixture is smooth and fluffy.  Pour into cooled baked shell. 

With a teaspoon, drop dollops of white chocolate mixture in a circular pattern on top of the chocolate filling.  Using a knife, spiral the white chocolate mixture through the chocolate filling.  Then, using a flat spatula, smooth the top over.  Then, drop a few more smaller dollops of the vanilla mixture and using the spatula, make wave a wave like pattern with the white chocolate.


Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.  Top with whipped cream and chocolate curls.  Store in refrigerator.  
Ingredients

Melted Chocolate

Melted White Chocolate

Crust

Fluffy Butter

Adding Chocolate and Vanilla

Adding the Egg

Chocolate Mixture

White Chocolate Mixture

Chocolate Filling in Pie Plate

Chocolate with Globs of White Chocolate, ready to swirl

Waves of White Chocolate, ready to Set

Slice Out