Creme Brulee Cheesecake Bars

I haven't been in the kitchen this month! March has just been so pretty outside.

This was a perfect combination of creme brulee with that toasted sugary top and a creamy cheesecake filling. Loved every bit of it. The cookie crust was a great idea too. This recipe was just too simple and too easy that of course I had to do something to cause me frustration. I accidentally poured a box of lemon pudding mix into the sugar cookie mix. After carefully removing it from the mixture, I then snatched another yellow box of pudding mix from the pantry and dumped it in. Another scream. I had grabbed the vanilla box instead of french vanilla which was sitting right next to it. I was quite mad but I just used it. It was still delicious. I added extra vanilla extract to compensate.

Lemon Blueberry Marble Cake

This was a CONGRATULATIONS cake. Mabrook Yusif and Naven! <3 We are beyond excited to welcome a little one into the family.

This cake was a close winner. I would love to make it again because I think I know how to make it better. I was excited about using blueberries and lemon but it was not a crowd pleaser. It reminded everyone of a blueberry muffin. The problem could be solved if the lemon buttercream was sweeter which was unanimously unsweet and very buttery. My fault. But, if I made this again, I would love to do lemon and raspberry. You know it.

Lemon Blueberry Cake Notes:
The cake was soft at room temperature, a bit too dense when chilled. I have finally learned not to put too much milk in cake. They always make you put more than necessary. The batter should be thick - like when you make a boxed cake mix. Don’t water it down too much, it doesn’t need the milk for flavor.

I used 8-10 tablespoons of the blueberry jam for the batter. That's when I could actually taste it. And it was great.

Lemon Buttercream Notes:

I decided to make it into an italian meringue buttercream (only using egg whites) rather than a french buttercream (using the yolks) because I didn't want to get anyone sick. Turns out this cake probably needed that extra richness in the frosting (which the yolks would have provided) because the cake does taste much like a breakfast food rather than decadent dessert.

I overcooked my sugar and water the first time and threw it out to start over. It's important to reach soft ball stage (235 degrees) because any hotter will make the sugar rock hard as it cools. You can test for soft ball stage by tapping a drip drop of it into a bowl of cold water. If you can pick it up and shape into a softened ball, its perfect!

I love love love the texture, but again, it was not sweet at all. I even used one stick less butter just because it came together so fast in my kicthenaid. And it actually did what its supposed to- curdle and separate but then gracefully come back together into a fluffy frosting (credit that to the patience of softball stage).

Blueberry Lemon Jam Notes:

I used frozen blueberries, and began to puree in the blender as instructed. That did not even work. So, I put them in the pan over medium heat, just like I make raspberry sauce. They begin to break down, mash out the juices from them, and strain. Return to heat and add other ingredients. I even added some cornstarch mixed with some cold water just to thicken it slightly so I didn't have to cook it for so long. I wouldn't call this jam, it was sauce. It may look like jam in my pictures, but it was liquidy sauce that just seeps into the cake. I would add 1/4 cup more sugar next time (counteract the breakfast food flavor).

Lemon Blueberry Marble Cake from Sky High

Blueberry Lemon Jam

• 3 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
• ¾ cup sugar (I suggest 1 cup)
• 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1½ tsp grated lemon zest

Puree the blueberries with any juices that have exuded in a blender. Pass the puree through a coarse strainer to remove the skins. (I suggest to skip this altogether, and just strain the skins from pan in next step)

In a heavy medium saucepan, combine the blueberry puree with the sugar, lemon juice, zest and ginger (if using). Bring to a gentle boil over a medium heat, stirring often for 20 minutes, or until the preserves have thickened and are reduced to 1 cup.

To check the proper thickness place a small amount of a saucer and put in the freezer until cold. Drag your finger through it. If a clear path is made through the preserve then it is ready. Let the preserves cool before using. (Can be made up to 5 days in advance).

Lemon Blueberry Marble Cake

• 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 tsp grated lemon zest
• 1½ tsp lemon extract
• 7 egg whites
• 3 cups cake flour
• 4 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 1¼ cups milk (or less, I used ¾ cup)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of three 8 inch round cake pans. Line the bottom of each pan with a round of parchment or waxed paper and butter the paper.

In a mixer, cream together the butter, sugar, lemon zest and lemon extract until light and fluffy. Gradually add the egg whites 2 or 3 at a time, beating well between additions and stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Combine the flour, baking powder and salt, whisk gently to blend. In 2 or 3 alternating additions, beat the dry ingredients and milk into the butter mixture, scraping down the sides of the bowl several times. Beat on medium-high speed for about 1 minute to smooth out any lumps and aerate the batter.

Scoop 1 cup of the batter into a small bowl. Divide the remaining batter equally among the 3 prepared pans, smoothing the tops with a spatula. This gives you a smooth surface to work with. Add 2½ tbsp (I used 8-10 tbsp) of the lemon blueberry jam to the reserved batter and blend well. Drizzle heaping teaspoons of this blueberry mixture over the batter in the pans. Use a skewer to swirl the blueberry mixture in short strokes to drag it down through the lemon batter without mixing it in.

Bake for about 25 minutes or until a cake tester or skewer stuck in the center comes out clean and the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan. Let the layers cool for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack, peeling off the paper and leaving to cool completely.

Lemon Buttercream

• 1 cup sugar
• ¼ cup water
• 2 eggs
• 3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tbsp finely grated lemon zest

In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Bring to the boil over a medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Continue to boil without stirring, occasionally washing down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush until the syrup reaches the soft-ball stage, 238 (I take it off the heat at 235) degrees F on a candy thermometer. Immediately remove from the heat.

In a large mixer bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the eggs briefly. Slowly add the hot syrup in a thin stream, pouring it down the sides of the bowl; be careful to avoid hitting the beaters or the syrup may splatter. When all the syrup has been added, raise the speed to medium-high and beat until the mixture is very fluffy and cooled to body temperature. This can take 15-20 minutes.

Reduce the mixer speed to medium-low and gradually add the softened butter 2 to 3 tablespoons at a time, beating well between additions. As you’re adding the last few tablespoons of butter, the frosting will appear to break, then suddenly come together like whipped butter.

Beat in the lemon juice and zest (if using), and the frosting is ready to use.

Rolo Pretzel Pecan Chocolate Turtles

Sweet Peggy has brought these to the office and even gave me some for my birthday last month. My sister LOVES them so she bought the stuff and made it herself! They weren’t as good as yours Peggy, because we didn’t take the time to toast the pecans in butter like you do. That really adds extra flavor. We over baked them too, the rolos should be softened but not melted so they can set back up again.

Don't use a dark metal sheet pan, they cook things more. Also, heat the oven to 250 degrees, and cook the chocolate for only about 3 minutes. It should hold its shape when it comes out but then should sink in when you press the pecan into it.

Here's a good way to toast pecans in the oven. Don't over toast! As soon as you smell them, they are done.

Sticky Toffee Pudding with Dates

I used the same recipe again. I don't usually make things twice so quickly, but I was short on time and  needed something that could be served immediately. And making this is so easy and quick, and it was a dessert we could serve warm with tea. I didn't take time for photos - I snapped a few pictures before the last pieces were scooped off the pan.

Since it tasted like an arabic dessert, I added 3/4 cup pitted medjool dates this time. It came out great! I also reduced the brown sugar in the sauce to 3/4 cup, and made sure it came to a full boil (read that from another recipe). I also added 1/4 cup maple syrup. I don't think it changed the texture too much, but it did taste better.

Most importantly, I gradually beat in the flour. Last time I incorporated the flour into the batter in probably about 4 portions, beating it quickly. I'm sensitive to that raw flour taste so maybe that's why it came out better. I took more time to beat in the flour in about 8 smaller portions.

Sticky Toffee Pudding

I found this recipe from snooping on Zignat's pinterest. I wish Haagen-Dazs still sold this because it was incredibly good.

I've never made Sticky Toffee Pudding before, but it was very easy and my kind of baking. Anything with heavy cream, butter, and brown sugar can win me over. I liked the caramel, but next time I may research some ways to make it more flavorful, maybe by adding maple syrup.

In the last minute of baking, you add the caramel and bubble it with the broiler. Most of it flooded to the edges of the pan, which turned out to be the more tasty part.

When it starts cooling, the caramel seeps into the dessert. After tasting a piece of the middle, I decided to add alittle more caramel to the center and broil it again for a minute, so that it can taste like the edges.

I made the whipped cream, but it tastes much better with vanilla ice cream when the sticky toffee pudding is warm (picture at top). I wanted to try this cold, but it didnt last that long. My parents liked this. My mom said it tastes like basbousa and the pecans on top taste like baklava.  

Chocolate Mousse Raspberry Cheesecake

I hadn't made something pretty in a while.

I just tried Cheesecake Factory's Chocolate Raspberry Truffle cheesecake and I'd say this is a pretty good replica! I didn't make the chocolate ganache though. Homemade mousse and raspberry sauce is decadent enough!

I have good recipes for chocolate cheesecake but I wanted to stick to my rule of always making something new. I made Taste of Home's Fabulous Fudge Cheesecake. I knew it looked familiar, and when digging out my cluttered recipe binder, I found it's the same exact recipe as my Hershey's Fudge Truffle Cheesecake. Oh well, not new, but not broken. Still the perfect chocolate cheesecake, as long as you don't over bake.

Though they annoy me, I made the Neelys' chocolate mousse. It was smooth and kept it's shape nice, even when sitting out of the fridge for a couple of hours. The only thing I did different is to strain the egg yolks before adding the chocolate. Next time I would use higher quality chocolate. I used Nestle semi-sweet chocolate chips. The flavor needs improvement so use the best chocolate you can find. I would try Lindt milk chocolate or maybe Godiva. I topped the mousse dollops with chocolate covered pomegranates. 

Knock you Naked Dark Chocolate Brownies

We tried making these for you Farheen, but failed to remember that unlike other brownies, they need to completely cool before you can eat them.

When they came out of the oven we thought they were still under baked because after cooling for 10 minutes, they were still gooey, so we put it back in the oven. When they came out again, they were still runny, and I couldn't cut a piece without it squishing all over the place, so we just left them at home.

When they were cooled, we could see they were baked. It was just that gooey caramel and the chocolate chips that were hot and messy.

So this recipe needs to cool before you can handle and serve them.

This time we tried it with a box of chocolate fudge cake from duncan hines, but the chocolate flavor tasted a bit like oreos. I would go with a different box next time. The german chocolate is wonderful but just wanted to try it slightly different.

I had said that the next time we try it, I wanted to add salt to the caramel. Of course I forgot and the salt didn't make it in.    

My dad is still out of town with our camera so I took these pictures with my phone. They came out horrible! I don't have a smartphone.

Anyways, thank you for the fun night Farheen!



Knock You Naked Dark Chocolate Caramel Brownies

Ingredients
1 box (18.5 Ounce) Dark Chocolate or Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix (I Used Duncan Hines)
1 cup Finely Chopped Pecans
1/3 cup Evaporated Milk
1/2 cup Evaporated Milk (additional)
1/2 cup Butter, Melted
60 whole Caramels, Unwrapped
1/3 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1/4 cup Powdered Sugar

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix together cake mix, chopped pecans, 1/3 cup evaporated milk, and melted butter. Stir together until totally combined. Mixture will be very thick.

Press half the mixture into a well-greased 9 x 9 inch square baking pan. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven and set aside.

In a double boiler (or a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of boiling water) melt caramels with additional 1/2 cup evaporated milk. When melted and combined, pour over brownie base. Sprinkle chocolate chips as evenly as you can over the caramel.

Turn out remaining brownie dough on work surface. Use your hands to press it into a large square a little smaller than the pan. Use a spatula to remove it from the surface, then set it on top of the caramel and chocolate chips.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from pan and allow to cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for several hours. When ready to serve, generously sift powdered sugar over the surface of the brownies. Cut into either nine or twelve helpings, and carefully remove from the pan.

Pear Crunch Pie

I don't know why Maryam likes The Chew. That show is so awkward. Clinton shared this pie and Maryam began to nag.

We tried it. We won't be trying it again. 

The pear filling was really tasty and I added even more delicious pears on top, but I didn't like the crust at all. 

I know the crust is supposed to be crunchy, but I didn't like it because it didn't taste like sugary-crunch goodness. It just tasted like you did something wrong, like you don't know how to make a crust. Sandy, gritty, ate it on the beach crust. 

The plain pears on top combined with whipped cream just doesn't go together. Something's missing. Maybe I can use the pear filling for a cake one day.

I know its not that great when I ignore it in the fridge for two days. That's the last time we try something Maryam wants.

Pear Crunch Pie
Adapted from: Clinton Kelly

Crust
1 stick of butter
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 cup flour
1/2 cup sweetened coconut

Directions
Combine all ingredients and bake at 350°F on cookie sheet until golden brown (about 40-45 minutes).  Check frequently to prevent edges from burning.  Allow to cool then press into a pie plate, covering the bottom and sides evenly.  Crust should be crumbly when complete.

Pear filling
1/2 light brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
hearty pinch of salt
3/4 cup pear juice (not pear nectar)
3/4 cup whole milk
2 Eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons butters
Canned pears

Directions
Combine the first 5 ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil.  In large bowl, beat 2 eggs.  Add heated mixture to eggs, little by little to temper the eggs. Once eggs are tempered, transfer mixture back to saucepan.  Add 2 tablespoons of butter and ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract and return to a boil (approximately 1 minute). Pour warm mixture into prepared pie shell and chill in the refrigerator.

Whipped Cream
8 ounces heavy cream
2 teaspoons confectioners’ sugar
dash of vanilla extract

Directions
Before serving, whip heavy cream with a teaspoon of confectioner's sugar until medium stiff peaks form. Whip in the vanilla extract. Dollop onto sliced pie when ready to serve. Top with 6 pear slices and dust with cinnamon.

Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies

I made Zignat's wonderful toffee cookie recipe, with a few changes according to what I had in the pantry at the time. I kept over baking each batch until finally getting the last few cookies right. They taste much better alittle under done when cooled. 

Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
3/4 cup oats
1 tsp of baking soda
1/2 tsp of salt
1/2 cup of butter (1 stick)
1/2 cup margarine (apparently this is important if you want them to be more chewy than crisp)
3/4 cups of sugar 
3/4 cups packed dark brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 c. Heath toffee bits
3/4 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cups Hershey's milk chocolate bar, cut into chunks
1/2 cup butterscotch chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 375. Combine first four ingredients into small bowl and set aside.

Combine both sugars, butter, margarine, and vanilla in another bowl until blended. Add in eggs and beat well. Add in flour mixture alittle at a time until it's all combined. Add in last four ingredients until just combined. Drop dough onto the cookie sheets and bake 8-10 minutes until the cookies are lightly brown.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls

Fun fact: these candies are also known as buckeyes. But I wanted them to look like truffles. They came out soft and melt-in-your-mouth good.

I was going to go with this recipe at first but then decided with Cook's Country because I like how they shared their trial and error story, which is more detailed in my cookbook than on their website.

I liked their idea of adding white chocolate to the peanut butter because it does firm up nicely. Whenever I make chocolate covered strawberries, white chocolate sets up faster and harder than semi-sweet. So with that in mind, I combined one ounce of white chocolate chips to one cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips and one teapsoon of shortening over a double broiler for coating the candies.

Keep your eye on melting chocolate, stirring occasionally. Take it off the heat as soon as most of it is melted and stir until smooth. Let it cool for at least ten minutes and becomes eaiser to coat the candies. 

I halved the recipe and got 40 candies (1 1/4 inch in size).

Congrats Geoffrey Zakarian! #NextIronChef

Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls
Adapted from: Cook's Country

Directions
2 1

Directions

Preheat ove