May 21, 2008

Coffee and Cream Brownies Recipe

At a Glance
Prep Time : 5min
Cook Time : 25min
Course : Dessert, Snack, Tea Time
Special : Easy, Kosher (Dairy), Non-Alcoholic, Quick, Vegetarian
Type of Prep : Bake, Mix / Beat
Cuisine : U.S. Regional
Occasion : Fall, Family Dinner, Party, Spring, Summer, Winter

 

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Coffee and cream cheese give rich flavor to brownies. The recipe uses a boxed brownie mix to save time, but you would never know it from the end result.
INGREDIENTS:
1 (3 ounces) package cream cheese, softened
2 Tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1/4 cup sugar
4 eggs, divided use
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 Tablespoon flour
2 Tablespoons instant coffee granules
1/4 cup warm water
1 (19.8 ounces) box family size brownie mix
1/2 cup vegetable oil
PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine cream cheese and butter; blend thoroughly. Add sugar and blend until light and fluffy. Beat in 1 egg and vanilla, then stir in flour and mix well.

 

Recipe Feedback:
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Coffee and cream cheese give rich flavor to brownies. The recipe uses a boxed brownie mix to save time, but you would never know it from the end result.
INGREDIENTS:
1 (3 ounces) package cream cheese, softened
2 Tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1/4 cup sugar
4 eggs, divided use
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 Tablespoon flour
2 Tablespoons instant coffee granules
1/4 cup warm water
1 (19.8 ounces) box family size brownie mix
1/2 cup vegetable oil
PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine cream cheese and butter; blend thoroughly. Add sugar and blend until light and fluffy. Beat in 1 egg and vanilla, then stir in flour and mix well.

May 7, 2008

Mascarpone Cheesecake

An elegant cheese cake made with biscotti cookies, pistachios, and mascarpone cheese.

 

Ingredients:
For the crust:
About 12 small or 6 large biscotti (preferably a variety with pistachios) to make approximately 1 1/2 cups finely ground crumbs
1/8 cup sugar
1/4 cup pistachios, toasted
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
For the cheesecake filling:
2-8 ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup honey
2-8 ounce containers mascarpone cheese, room temperature
4 eggs
1 Tablespoon orange zest
2 Tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Method

For the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the crumbled biscotti and the pistachios in the workbowl of a food processor and process until finely ground crumbs form. Grease a 9-inch springform pan with butter or cooking spray. Mix all of the crust ingredients together in a large bowl until well combined. Pour the crumb mixture into the prepared pan and press evenly to form a tightly packed crust--just cover the bottom of the pan, not the sides. Bake the crust in the preheated oven until set and golden, about 10-12 minutes. Cool completely before filling. For the cheesecake filling: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wrap the bottom of the prepared crust pan tightly with aluminum foil to prevent water from seeping into the pan while baking in a water bath. Set aside. Place the cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl. Using the paddle attachment of a mixer, beat the cream cheese, sugar and honey on low speed until the batter is smooth and creamy. Scrape the bowl well to ensure even mixing. Add the mascarpone cheese and mix until just combined; do not overmix of the mascarpone may separate. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Add orange zest, juice, vanilla and salt and mix just to combine. Pour the filling over the crust in the prepared pan. Place the springform pan into a larger pan or deep baking dish. To form a water bathc, add hot water to the large pan--until halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Bake the cheesecake until it is puffed around the edges and the center moves only slightly when the pan is tapped, about 45 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave the cake in the oven with door slightly open for another 30 minutes to cool gradually. Remove the cake from the oven and water bath, and allow to cool completely. Once cooled, chill the cheesecake in the refrigerator for at least four hours, or preferably overnight to ensure easier cutting.

Notes: Optional: top the cheesecake with extra pistachios and a drizzle of honey.
Number of servings: 8-10

Submitted By: chefmoni

May 3, 2008

Cinnamon Raisin Cheesecake Puffs Recipe

At a Glance
Prep Time : 15min
Cook Time : 12min
Course : Cakes, Dessert
Special : Caffeine-Free, Easy, Egg-Free, Kosher (Dairy), Large Quantity, Make Ahead, Non-Alcoholic, Quick, Vegetarian
Type of Prep : Bake, Processor
Cuisine : U.S. Regional
Occasion : Fall, Family Dinner, Party, Spring, Summer, Winter

Here is a great sweet for finger-food parties or brunches. Start with refrigerated canned crescent rolls to whip these tasty cheesecake puffs up in a jiffy.

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup raisins, plumped, divided (see instructions)
8 ounces cream cheese, divided use - reserve 2 ounces for glaze below, at room temperature
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
2 (8-ounce) cans Pillsbury¨ Refrigerated Crescent Dinner Rolls
Powdered sugar for dusting work surface
.
Glaze:
2 ounces cream cheese (from above 8-ounce block), at room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 to 3 teaspoons milk or cream
PREPARATION:
Place raisins in a bowl and cover with hot water. Let sit for about 15 minutes until plumped. Drain, pat dry, and discard liquid.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

 

Lightly grease mini-muffin tins.

Place 6 ounces cream cheese (3/4 of the block), sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, egg, and half of raisins in food processor. Pulse until combined, but raisins are not completely liquified. Pour into bowl and mix in remaining whole raisins.

Work with canned rolls one at a time so dough stays cold as long as possible. Lightly dust work surface with powdered sugar. Remove dough from can and separate into 4 rectangles. For each rectangle, press the triangle seam firmly together and lightly flatten. Cut each rectangle into 6 pieces. You should have 24 squares per can of rolls. Place each square into individual mini-muffin slots in pan. (It's okay if corners hang over the top a little.) Spoon about 1 teaspoon of cream cheese mixture into each dough square. Repeat with second can of rolls.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes at 350 degrees F. until lightly browned. Cool to room temperature. Top with Glaze as follows.

Glaze:
Mix remaining 2 ounces cream cheese, sugar, and cream together until smooth. Spoon into a zip-top baggie, squeeze out the air, and seal the zipper. Snip off a tiny piece of one of the bottom corners of the bag. Squeezing glaze through the hole, pipe decorative swirl on each puff.

Serve at room temperature.

Yield: 48 puffs