Latte Cheesecake and Wacky Weather

Happy December! I always wondered what Christmastime in a tropical climate was like. Wondered if people decorated their palm trees with C-9 bulbs and tinsel garland while wearing flip flops and tank tops, stopping to take a break to beat the heat with an icy beverage. Then I realized that 2012 would be the year that I got to experience that, only I'm still in Texas! This weather is so strange. It was 80 degrees today and does not feel the least bit like winter. I had lunch with a friend today (hi L!) and went to pick up Hayden at my mom's house, only to find him wearing nothing but a diaper helping Grandma stick candy canes in the ground. It was a sweet image, but nekkid babies playing outside in December??? It's unreal!

Needless to say, I have yet to start  my holiday baking. There has not been a single cookie to grace my Silpat lined sheets but I will get there. In the meantime, I hope you'll enjoy this recipe for Brownie Latte Cheesecake.  I made it last month as part of the Cake Slice Bakers and it was delicious.  Cheesecake is holiday-ish, right? It probably won't be a part of any cookie trays this year but sometimes you need a nice centerpiece dessert and this is it. 

Instead of a typical cookie crumb crust, this cheesecake has a thick, dense, fudgy, chocolate rich base. In contrast, the filling is ultra creamy and light in texture. The flavors of chocolate, espresso, vanilla, and Kahlua compliment each other so well. This is definitely one for sharing and a little sliver goes a long way but that's what makes it ideal for holiday gatherings and celebrations, that and it can be made a couple days in advance. I'll get my act together, paint the windows with a can of fake snow and flip the switch on my fireplace to get me in the butter baking mood. If y'all have any great holiday cookie recipes for me, please share!

Brownie Latte Cheesecake adapted from The Cake Book

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For The Brownie Layer: 

• 4 oz. semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
• 1 Tablespoon instant espresso powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

For The Latte Filling: 

• 1 1/2 pounds (24 oz.) cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons espresso powder, dissolved in 1 Tablespoon hot water
• 2 Tablespoons Kahlua
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup sour cream 
• 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
• 4 large eggs

To make The Brownie Layer: Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 9x3-inch springform pan. Cut an 18-inch square of heavy duty aluminum foil and wrap around the outside of the pan. 

In the top of a double boiler, melt the chocolate with the butter over barely simmering water, stirring occasionally. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl and stir in the espresso powder, vanilla extract and salt. Whisk in the sugar until combined. Whisk in the eggs one at a time, until blended. Stir in the flour until no traces remain. 

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth it into an even layer. Bake the brownie for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached to it. Place the pan on a wire rack and let cool while you make the filling. Leave the oven on. 

To Make The Latte Filling: In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese at medium-low speed until creamy and smooth, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the sugar and beat until blended. Add the vanilla extract, espresso mixture, Kahlua, salt, sour cream and cornstarch and mix until well blended. At low speed, add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. 

Scrape the batter onto the brownie layer and smooth the top. Place the springform pan in a roasting pan or a large baking pan. Pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come about 1 inch up the sides of the springform pan. Bake the cake in the water bath for 70-80 minutes, until the center is set but slightly wobbly (the cheesecake will continue to set up as it cools). Turn the heat off and crack the door, allowing the cake to cool in the oven for about 30 minutes. Remove the cake from the water bath and place on a rack and cool to room temperature. 

Refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 4 hours or overnight before serving. 

Sleeping Beauty

Zebra Stripes and Instagram

Last month, The Cake Slice Bakers made White Chocolate Espresso Icebox Cakes. It had been on my list to make since I got The Cake Book by Tish Boyle last Fall, but last month was such a busy time for me that I just didn't get to it. And then this month, the cake of choice was a lemon roll and that didn't get baked either. It seems the 20th of every month (when we're supposed to share our cakes) comes and goes and I end up cakeless. Well being cakeless is never a good thing, so I decided to make the Icebox Cake- perfect for this hot weather we're having because I didn't even have to turn the oven on!

I've made an icebox cake before and while it was tasty, this one was so much better because it's frozen. The white chocolate espresso mousse that gets sandwiched between the chocolate wafers is so darn creamy and smooth. It's almost like a giant ice cream sandwich but with a hint of espresso and obviously way better than those fake vanilla novelties you get from the grocery store. Another great thing about this cake is that is can be made up to 2 weeks in advance, so all you need to do is pop it out of the freezer, cut off a slice or three and pop it back in the freezer. The first bit was as good as the last. Are you supposed to feed this kind of sugar laden espresso dessert to an almost one-year old? Probably not, but Hayden loved it! 

Speaking of Hayden, his first birthday is in 8 days! Where does that time go? I am so unprepared and have nothing planned for his big day. NOTHING. There will be cake, that I know. What kind? How big? What color? no clue! We may do something small for him on his actual day then have family over the following weekend for a celebration. I can't believe he has grown up so fast. I just started playing around on Instagram and am addicted already! I'm having so much fun sharing pics of Hayden on there. My Instagram name is Monica_h30 if any of you are insterested!

White Chocolate Espresso Icebox Cake adapted from The Cake Book

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• 1/4 cup water
• 1 1/2 tsps powdered gelatin
• 2 1/4 cups heavy cream, divided
• 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
• 8 oz. high quality white chocolate, finely chopped
• 2 tsps vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp Kahlua or Frangelico liqueur 
• 1 box Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers  (you may not use the entire box)

Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap, letting it extend a few inches over each short end. 

Pour the water into a small heatproof cup. Sprinkle the gelatin over the water and let it soften for 5 minutes. 

In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup of the heavy cream along with the instant espresso powder and bring the cream to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir until espresso dissolves. Remove the pan from the heat and let mixture infuse for 15 minutes. 

Meanwhile put the cup of gelatin in the microwave and heat for 8-10 seconds. Stir until the gelatin granules have completely dissolved. Reheat for 5-10 more seconds if necessary. 

Place the white chocolate in a large bowl. Pour the hot cream  and the hot gelatin over the white chocolate. Let the mixture stand for about 30 seconds to melt the chocolate, then whisk gently until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Whisk in the vanilla extract and the liqueur (if using). Set aside to cool to tepid, about 15 minutes. 

In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the whisk attachment, beat the remaining 1 3/4 cups heavy cream to soft peaks. Gently whisk about one-third of the cream into the cooled white chocolate mixture. Using a rubber spatula gently fold in the remaining whipped cream in tow additions. 

To assemble the cake: Scrape about 1 1/2 cups of the mousse into the lined pan and smooth it into an even layer. Using a small spatula spread a chocolate wafer with about 1 tablespoon of the mousse. Stand the wafer upright in the mousse about 1/4-inch from the short end of the pan, with the coated side of the wafer pressing lightly against the long side of the pan. 

Spread another wafer with the same amount of mousse and position it so that it forms a sandwich with the first wafer. Repeat until you have created a row of wafers and mousse. (I used 15 chocolate wafers per row x 3 rows = 45 chocolate wafers). Make two more rows of sandwiched wafers to fills the pan. Scrape the remaining mousse on top of the wafers, letting it fill all the gaps between the wafers and the sides of the pan, and spread the mousse into an even layer with a spatula. Cover it with plastic wrap, pressing it gently against the mousse. Freeze thee cake for at least 4 hours, or until firm. 

To Serve: Peel off the plastic wrap, invert it onto a platter, slice and serve. 

One Cannot Survive On Sweets Alone

We interrupt this sweet fest to bring you a savory, very tasty meal! No, there's not any a stick of butter and a cup of sugar in this recipe, but it is darn delicious so don't go yet! I've wanted to make Penne with Vodka sauce for years now. I once saw Rachael Ray make it on her show and she said this meal would turn your boyfriend into your husband. Well, I don't know about all that, but this recipe is a keeper and the men in your life will love it. I didn't plan it this way, but it might be a good dish to celebrate Father's Day too. 

Uncle Aaron and Hayden acting silly after nap time

Y'all, I've been crazy busy lately. I know I say that a lot, but this little guy is wearing me out! He's such a little busy body and is into EVERYTHING these days. He grabs and must touch all things around him. He's crawling and rolling all over the place and exploring. He pulled the DVD player out of the entertainment center the other night and as of the 1st, when he turned 9 months old (how is that possible?!) he cut his first tooth and discovered his boy parts. heehee :-) See, I told you he's been busy! He's also been experiencing some separation anxiety and had been ultra clingy which makes night time tough because he's waking up several times a night looking for me, which results in a sleepy baby throughout the day....and a sleepy momma.

I have been cooking and baking, but haven't really been picking up my camera other than to take pictures of Hayden. I've made this vodka penne a few times now and it goes so fast there's never any leftovers. As you've guessed it, there is vodka in the sauce. I bought a small inexpensive bottle since it's not something I drink, but it's been the perfect size for this recipe. This recipe takes a basic marinara sauce and kicks it up with the addition of the vodka, which adds a smoky robust flavor to it. It's just so full of flavor but you don't really taste the strong aspect of the alcohol- it just blends so nicely. It's slightly spicy and garlicky and just so good. Have I mentioned that already?

Vodka Penne / Penne alla Vodka

adapted from Lidia Bastianich via Picky Cook 

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• 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1 12 oz can tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 6 - 8 garlic cloves - minced
• pinch of red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup vodka plus 2 tablespoons to put in at the end
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3/4 cup Parmesan
• 1 teaspoon all purpose seasoning  ( I used Emeril's Essence)
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1 pound penne - cooked just shy of al dente

In a large pan, heat the olive oil and saute garlic and red pepper flakes until fragrant. Add crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce, all purpose seasoning, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Let simmer for 5 - 6 minutes.

Add the 1/2 cup of vodka and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add cream, butter and Parmesan and stir to combine. Let simmer for a couple minutes. Add the final 2 tablespoons of vodka.

Drain the pasta and add to the sauce. Let cook in sauce for few minutes.

Serve with additional Parmesan.

Serves 6 - 8

The first time I made this recipe, I made it as written, and then the times after that I added cooked and crumbled Italian sausage to it. My husband is a big meat eater so he, of course, loved this addition. However you make it, it will be good. Serve it with a big crisp green salad, some crusty bread and pour yourself a glass of wine and enjoy!

A Birthday Cake For My Hubs!

Between February 17th and March 30th, there are 6 birthdays and an anniversary in my family to celebrate- that's about one a week...and a lot of dessert! For my brother's birthday, I made him peanut butter marbled brownies, for Jack, I made a cherry almond Bundt cake, my FIL got an icebox lemon pie, my sister got a strawberry celebration cake and my hubby got this Tiramisu layer cake. Whew! 5 birthdays down, one more to go!

This cake was the winning cake for The Cake Slice Bakers for the month of January. I was way behind on making it, but it finally got done. I really liked it and it was impressive looking (in my opinion) but it was expensive and I had major issues with the cake part of the recipe, which meant I had to make it twice at 2 in the morning. I've never made a chiffon cake before and it was looking pretty perfect until I added the butter and the batter completely liquefied and deflated my egg whites. I wasn't sure what it was supposed to look like so I forged on and baked it anyway. A few minutes later, a rubbery flat cake emerged from the oven. The second attempt was better though not perfect. If I were to make it again, I'd use a different recipe for the cake part, but the espresso syrup and the mascarpone filling/frosting were delicious.

This cake almost made me cry and I almost scrapped it and tossed it all in the trash. I would have, if I hadn't already used up 18 eggs and promised this cake to my deserving husband! This layer cake version of tiramisu is great for a special occasion and tasted just like the original, but the chiffon had a little lemon zest in it that brightened up the flavor. I really liked that addition, but Mr. H did not. If I ever have a craving for tiramisu again, I'll just stick with the classic version that uses ladyfingers, and if necessary, plop a candle in it. I'm not sharing a recipe today simply because I'm too lazy to type it out and it has so many steps and also because I did a few things differently that the original recipe called for. You can click on over to Anabel's blog for a simplified recipe, if you'd like.

Anyway, for Mr. H's 32nd birthday this year, he requested filet mignon, shrimp, cheddar cheese risotto and roasted asparagus. His wish was my command. While I played in the kitchen, Daddy and Hayden took a little snooze together on the couch. This cake was the perfect ending to a relaxed day with my family. Happy birthday, my love!

• Recipe: Classic Tiramisu (Cooks Illustrated)
• Recipe: Tiramisu Cake (Oven Delights)
• Recipe: Tiramisu Cake (Apple & Spice)

A Heavenly Cake for A Heavenly Birthday

A few weeks ago was, my sweet boy, Jack's Heavenly birthday. He would have been 5 years old on February 21st. It's hard to imagine a 5 year old running amok around this house, especially after having Hayden. I've always wondered what I was missing out on by not having him here and now I know. Even though he and his older brother, Sam, are not here in person, I still make a point to make their birthdays special. This year, in his memory, I made him this cherry almond cake.

Cherries and almonds are a perfect pair, add a little amaretto in there and you have a match made in Heaven, no pun intended. This is not really a cake suited for a small child, but we surely enjoyed it. The bright red cherries add a nice pop of color against the spongy white cake, making it visually appealing. I basically followed the recipe but I opted to add a little vanilla and almond extracts to punch up the flavor. I also added a glaze and more maraschino cherries and whole almonds for garnish.

Hayden with his Poppa visiting Jack at the cemetery for the first time. Happy birthday Jack- we love you!

This cake was was really light and almost spongy but it was moist and tender at the same time. It was a nice contrast from a heavily frosted layer cake. It would be perfect at a luncheon, tea time with the ladies or for a light dessert after a leisurely brunch. You could certainly omit the Amaretto and replace it with milk or water, just be sure to add a little more almond extract. It's that sweet aromatic nuttiness that makes this cake so pleasing. If you make this cake, I hope you enjoy it and I sincerely hope that you'll spare a moment and think of Jack.

Cherry Almond Cake adapted from Bundt Classics
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• 1 box white or vanilla cake mix
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup Amaretto (almond liqueur)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 4 eggs
• 1- 10 oz. jar maraschino cherries, drained and chopped
• Maraschino cherries, patted dry and almonds, for garnish (optional)

Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour a Bundt pan and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, mix all cake ingredients except cherries. Mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. Increase speed to medium high and mix for another 3 minutes. Stir in cherries by hand, spoon batter into prepared pan.

Bake for 50-55 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes, then remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

Once cool, drizzle with glaze (recipe below) and garnish with more cherries and almonds, if desired.

Vanilla-Almond Glaze from Monica h

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1-2 Tablespoons milk, or more if needed

In a medium bowl, add sugar, vanilla and almond extracts. Stir or whisk until smooth. Gradually add milk until desired consistency is achieved. Drizzle over cooled cake.

Irish Cream Cake and My Little Helper

I didn't intend to be away from the blog for this long, but it's been a couple weeks since I shared a recipe with you guys. Luckily, Hayden stepped in and did a guest post for me about his new favorite foods. Thanks Boo Bear! I'd love to say I was on vacation but it has just been a busy couple of weeks for us. Today, though, I was able to get back in the kitchen and bake up this delicious cake.

Usually Hayden sits in his swing, exersaucer or the high chair and plays when I'm in the kitchen but today he wanted to help. With him in one arm, I picked up the baking powder tin and he put his hands around it while I measured out the needed 1/4 teaspoon. When it came time to pull out the mixer he held on to the handle and when I poured out the booze, he immediately tried to put it into his mouth. That's my boy!

I've made this cake before and was wanting to make it again for St. Patrick's Day. The only thing I did differently this time was to omit the Guittard Cappuccino Chips. I have a surplus of them because I bought out the supply from World Market a couple years ago when they were discontinued, but I realize you all don't have them hiding out in your pantry so regular chocolate chips can be subbed. This cake is tender and moist, but slightly dense at the same time. And it's boozy from the addition of Bailey's Irish Cream in the cake and the glaze. It's been awhile since I've eaten it but it's just as good as I remember. If you're not into baking dozens of leprechaun topped green frosted cupcakes for the 17th, maybe you'll try this "adult" cake instead. And before you start feeling too guilty, it only has 5 tablespoons of butter in it and that includes the glaze. It's practically low fat!

Glazed Irish Cream Cake previously seen HERE
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For the Cake:

• 2/3 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/8 tsp. baking soda
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/4 cup Bailey's Irish Cream
• 1/8 cup milk

For the Glaze:

• 2 Tbsp. butter, softened
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 Tbsp. Bailey's Irish Cream
• 1 tsp. milk or half-n-half, or more if needed
• Guittard Cappuccino Chips or chocolate chips for garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 8-inch pan with non-stick spray and set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, followed by vanilla extract. Mix in half of the flour mixture, followed by the Irish cream and milk, then the remaining flour mixture and mix til well blended. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake for approximately 24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack until completely cool. Turn out cooled cake onto a platter and make the glaze.

To make the glaze, add all the ingredients in a small bowl and mix until smooth and pourable. Add more milk a half teaspoon at a time if needed. Garnish the cake with Cappuccino chips or chocolate chips before the glaze sets up, if desired.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

"Sugar, Sugar" Book Review and Giveaway (CLOSED)

I was contacted a couple months ago and asked if I'd like to receive a complimentary copy of a new dessert cookbook called Sugar, Sugar: Every Recipe Has A Story by Kimberly Reiner and Jenna Sanz-Agero. Well I love sugar so I said yes!

I was excited to get my hands on this book because it reminded me of a modern version of my favorite community cookbook. The book is broken up into 7 chapters- the first telling you about the book and the "sugar momma" authors and how the book came about, and then came the recipes categorized by type of dessert- Cakes, Tarts and Pies, Cookies, Bars, Confections and Recipe Legacies. You see, each recipe is contributed by someone else, much like a community cookbook. Because the recipes are submitted by other people, they are not all from scratch, some of them contain shortcut ingredients, such as boxed cake mix and canned pie filling. But this book is more than just a collection of recipes because each entry also has a short story accompanying it. The stories were funny, sweet and sentimental. Some were about the celebrations in which they were served, some were about the people and hands that made them. The one constant is that this books bring life to the recipes.

Another thing I liked about this book was that the authors leave you "Sugar Momma Tips" about the recipes, like how to turn these bars back into a pie, or how to how to make the recipe your own by swapping out ingredients. They also give you tips on how to speed up the recipe if you're pressed for time. On top of all that, there is a section for note taking, so you can jot down comments or changes you made to the recipe, much like grandma would have done in her own handwriting on a recipe card.

When it came down to deciding what to make for this review, I decided on a caramel cake. As you can see, that is not what I have here. I found the cake to be cloyingly sweet and just couldn't eat it. I tried to pass it off onto others and they all said the same thing. It had great buttery caramel flavor, just way too much sugar. But then again, it comes from a book where the word "sugar" appears twice in the title. I turned to these Kentucky Pie Bars, because we love Derby Pie and I liked that these could be made in bar form with a graham cracker crust. These were just like the pie I make and not too sweet. They were like a cross between a magic cookie bar and Derby Pie. I would definitely make these bars again, but I would add more Bourbon to the filling (I added the lesser amount) and add a bit more butter to the crust to help bind it together since I found them to be a little crumbly. I also have my mind set on making the cover recipe as well as a pie and another bar cookie recipe, so stay tuned.

Kentucky Derby Pie Bars slightly adapted from Sugar, Sugar

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Graham Cracker Crust:

• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

Filling:

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted and cooled
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3-4 Tablespoons Bourbon, optional
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish (or use non-stick cooking spray).

To make the crust: Place the graham crackers and the melted butter in a medium bowl and mix together until the crumbs are thoroughly moistened. Press mixture firmly and evenly on the bottom of the baking dish and set aside.

To make the filling: Place the sugar and butter in a large bowl. With an electric mixer, beat mixture on medium speed until well combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low and the eggs ones at a time, add the vanilla and Bourbon, if using. Gradually add the flour until just combined. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to fold in the pecans and chocolate chips. Pour the filling on top of the crust and spread it evenly.

Bake for 33-38 minutes, until the bars begin to turn a light golden brown. Remove from the oven and let them cool before cutting. Or eat them while still warm and gooey.

Now for the giveaway. The publishers and I want you to have your very own copy of Sugar, Sugar: Every Recipe Has A Story. To enter, all you have to do is leave a comment on this post. For a second entry and in the spirit of this book, leave a seperate comment telling me a brief story about one of your favorite recipes. That's it!

I'll pick a winner in a couple days and the folks at Andrews McNeel Publishing will send a book straight out to that individual. Good luck and happy story telling!