white chocolate raspberry cheesecake

 

the goods:

 

1 store-bought pre-made oreo crust (save the lid)

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 and 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/3 cup cold water

1 and 1/2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries

12 ounces cream cheese (1 and 1/2 packages), softened

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 egg white

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 and 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 cup white chocolate chips

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a small saucepan, whisk together 1 tablespoon sugar and cornstarch until well blended. Stir in cold water and add raspberries. Cook over medium heat whisking frequently, until mixture reaches a boil. Allow mixture to gently boil about 5 minutes whisking constantly and reducing temperature slightly if necessary to reduce splattering, until sauce is thickened. Remove from heat and force sauce through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl to remove seeds. Set aside. 

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together cream cheese and 1/3 cup granulated sugar until fluffy, about 1 minute. Mix in egg and egg white. Add vanilla and lemon juice. Set mixture aside. Melt white chocolate with cream in a bowl set over a pot with 1-inch of simmering water in it until melted and smooth. Add melted chocolate to cream cheese mixture and blend until smooth. 

Pour 2/3 cup cheesecake mixture into oreo crust and spread over bottom. Drizzle or spoon 2 tablespoons raspberry sauce over top. Slowly ladle remaining cheesecake mixture over the drizzled raspberry sauce, covering all the raspberry sauce (you don't want any red showing). Swirl cheesecake with a toothpick. Carefully jiggle the pan to even out the top. Now, fill a clean medicine syringe with raspberry sauce and begin to drop small circles in a swirl pattern over cheesecake. Take a toothpick and beginning at the center or very outer circle, run the toothpick through the center of each circle to create a heart (don't lift the toothpick until you finish the last heart). 

I baked my cheesecake for 40 minutes and it cracked, so I would probably bake it for 30-35 minutes or until just set, then turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake in there for 5 minutes more. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Cover with the saved lid and refrigerate until fully set, about 6 hours. Serve with remaining raspberry sauce.

chocolate covered strawberries

 

the goods:

 

24 ounces good-quality semisweet chocolate chips

6 ounces white chocolate chips

12 to 16 large strawberries

Melt both chocolates in separate glass bowls set over saucepans of simmering water. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Making sure that strawberries are completely dry, hold a strawberry by its leaves and gently dip and turn it in the chocolate to coat. Lay it on its side on the parchment. Repeat with remaining strawberries.  Let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to set slightly. Take the melted white chocolate and place it in a pastry bag or plastic storage bag with a small hole cut in the corner, and drizzle stripes over the chocolate. Store in the fridge to set completely.

New York mini cheesecakes

 

the goods:

 

2 and 1/3 cup graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled

3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar

4 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

Pulse graham crackers and flour in a food processor until blended. With processor running, slowly pour butter in until crust pulls together. Line muffin cups with paper liners. Press graham cracker mixture firmly into liners. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. 

 

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat cream cheese on high speed until fluffy. Gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs and yolks 1 at a time, beating after each addition. Add cream, lemon zest, and vanilla; beat on low speed until smooth. Spoon mixture evenly into prepared muffin cups. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until set (not jiggly). 

Transfer pans from oven to wire rack; cool 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans; cool completely on wire rack. Cover and chill at least 4 hours. Serve with desired toppings. 

(my little sous chef couldn't resist a taste...) 

white chocolate cranberry oatmeal cookies

meet my latest addiction!

 

the goods:

 

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 and 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 and 1/3 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup dried cranberries

heaping 1/2 cup white chocolate chips

 

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add egg, and vanilla, and mix until combined. Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, flour, and oats and mix until combined. Finish with cranberries and white chocolate chips and stir until just incorporated. Scoop tablespoonfuls 2-inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake for 10 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool.

pumpkin caramel kiss cookies

 

the goods:

 

3 and 2/3 cups flour

1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 large egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

cinnamon sugar to coat the cookies (1/4 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon)

bag of Hershey Caramel Kisses

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together the butter and shortening. Add sugar and brown sugar and beat well. Add the egg, salt, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and pumpkin puree. Mix until combined. Gradually add the flour while mixer is on low until all the flour is incorporated. Scoop out by the tablespoonful, and roll into a ball. Coat in cinnamon sugar and place 2-inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Gently flatten the cookies with the bottom of a glass. Bake 10 minutes. While still hot from the oven, place a kiss in the center of each cookie pressing down slightly. Let cool on baking sheet. 

pumpkin cream cheese muffins

 

the goods:

 

filling:

8 ounce cream cheese, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

 

muffins:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

4 large eggs

2 cups sugar

2 cups pumpkin puree

1 and 1/4 cups vegetable oil

 

topping:

1/2 cup sugar

5 tablespoons flour

1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

4 tablespoons sold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

 

Prepare the filling: combine the cream cheese and powdered sugar in a medium bowl and mix well until blended and smooth. Transfer mixture to a piece of plastic wrap and shape into a log about 1.5-inches in diameter. Smooth the plastic tightly around the log and reinforce with a piece of foil. Transfer to the freezer and chill until slightly firm, 2 hours.

Make the muffins: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 muffin pans with paper liners. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and baking soda; whisk to blend. In the bowl of an electric mixer combine the eggs, sugar, pumpkin puree, and oil. Mix on medium-low speed until blended. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add in the dry ingredients, mixing just until incorporated.

Make the topping: combine the sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a small bowl; whisk to blend. Add the butter pieces and pinch with your fingers until the mixture resembles wet sand. Transfer to the refrigerator until ready to use.

Assemble the muffins: fill each muffin cup with a small amount of batter (I used my 1-tablespoon cookie scooper), just enough to cover the bottom. Slice the log of cream cheese into 24 equal pieces. Place a piece of cream cheese into each muffin cup. Divide the remaining muffin batter among the cups to completely cover the cream cheese.. Sprinkle a small amount of crumb topping over each.

Bake 20-25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

pumpkin cheesecake snickerdoodles

 

the goods:

 

3 and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

3/4 cup pumpkin puree

1 large egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

 

filling:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

 

cinnamon-sugar coating:

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

dash of allspice

 

 

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together. Set aside. In an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugars on medium-high speed until fluffy. Blend in pumpkin puree, beat in egg and then add vanilla. Slowly add dry ingredients on low speed just until combined. Cover and chill dough for an hour.

Make the cream cheese filling by blending the cream cheese with the sugar and vanilla until combined. Chill for an hour.

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a small bowl combine the sugar and spices for the coating and set aside.

To make the cookies, take a tablespoon of batter, flatten it like a pancake between your palms. Place a teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture in the center. Form another tablespoon of batter into a little pancake and place on top of the cream cheese. Pinch the edges together sealing in the cream cheese and roll into a ball. Roll in the cinnamon-sugar coating and place on prepared baking sheets 2-inches apart. Repeat until all the dough is gone.

 

Flatten cookies with the bottom of a heavy glass and bake for 10 minutes or until the tops start to crack. Let cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.