Liz’s Birthday Baklava Cheesecake

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Baklava Cheesecake

 

 

I was talking about baklava with a friend and he suggested I make a baklava cheesecake. It sounded fabulous, but I didn’t know where to start. I started looking online and ended up with a recipe that was a mix of a couple I’d found. The crust is where the baklava comes in, with layers of buttered phyllo dough and nuts. After the cheesecake filling is baked, it is finished with a  traditional honey syrup. Decadent and actually fun to create.

Since a dear friend’s birthday was coming up, I decided to  make it for her birthday party. So I made it. And I was happy with how it looked. Fingers crossed, they’d like the taste, too. It was a huge success. I was worried about how it would slice. I had placed a piece of parchment paper on the bottom of the springform pan and I was worried it would tear and end up in the slices I was serving. It worked fine, although a small amount of the crust stuck to the parchment. the parchment did not get into the pieces I served. I think the next time I make one I’ll either leave the parchment out and grease the pan or grease the parchment.

The layering of the phyllo was also pretty easy. Once you get your rhythm it goes pretty fast. The goal is to get the sheets evenly distributed in the pan with the extra brought up around the cheesecake after the filling is added. I hope I described it clearly in the directions. This is clearly a dessert for special occasions and for the special people in our lives. Well worth the effort.

So here is the recipe. Happy birthday to Liz.  Special thanks to David for the inspiration and helping me serve it.

 

Baklava Cheesecake

Crust:

20 phyllo sheets

1 c. (2 sticks) melted butter

1 c. pistachios finely chopped or ground

1 c. almonds finely chopped or ground

½ c. brown sugar

2 t. cinnamon

 Filling

1 lb. cream cheese, room temp

1 c. sugar

½ t salt

1 T. vanilla

½ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt, room temp

1 T. lemon juice

zest of a lemon

two large eggs, room temperature

Honey Syrup

½ cup sugar

¼ cup water

¼ cup honey

Pinch of salt

1 t. lemon juice

Topping

2 T. chopped pistachios

Preheat oven to 325 F. Prep a 9 or 10- inch springform pan by lining it with a sheet of parchment paper. You can also lightly spray the pan (bottom only) or spray the  parchment with cooking spray for easier release. I had some issues with a little of the bottom crust sticking to the parchment. Most of the crust came out just fine, but I might not use parchment the next time. Mix together the brown sugar, cinnamon and ground nuts and set them aside. In a bowl, beat together the sugar, vanilla, salt and cream cheese until smooth. Add the sour cream and lemon juice and zest and beat until smooth. Add the eggs and mix in to just combine. Set aside. Make the crust. Melt the butter. Get your prepared pan. Then begin layering the first ten sheets of phyllo: place the first sheet so it mostly covers the bottom of the pan but also comes up and folds over the side of the pan. Brush with butter all over then place the second sheet so it also covers the bottom but only partially covers the top part, covering the first sheet only halfway. Do this with ten sheets for the bottom layer, arranging each a bit over the sheet before covering the whole pan as evenly as possible.  After you have the tenth sheet down, brush with butter and sprinkle on half the nut mixture. Layer 5 more sheet of phyllo on top like you did with the first 10 sheets still brushing each layer with butter and layered a bit over each time to cover the whole pan evenly. Sprinkle remaining nut mixture then repeat the process with another 5 sheets of phyllo. Pour the prepared cheesecake filling into the center of the unbaked phyllo crust. Bring up the sides of the phyllo that were laying over the edge into a ruffled shape If it tears, it’s fine. Don’t cover the whole cheesecake. Just around the edges. You want to see the filling in the middle. .

Bake the cheesecake on a sheet pan to capture potential spills. Mine didn’t leak, but play it safe. Bake until the cheesecake only jiggles a bit in the center, for about 60-70 minutes. While the cheesecake is baking, make the syrup: in a small pot set the water, sugar and honey (and a pinch of salt if you are like me and can’t help yourself) to cook on medium low heat. Stir so the sugar dissolves then cook it for about 5-7 minutes, until it is slightly thickened (but still pourable). Off the heat, add  lemon juice. On a personal note here, for some reason I used the smallest sauce pan I own and the syrup boiled over. I had just cleaned the stove top to make it more upsetting. Don’t be like me. Use a small saucepan, but at least a 1 quart capacity.  When the cheesecake comes out of the oven, pour the syrup over the cheesecake around the sides rather than the center of the cheesecake. Add the chopped pistachios to the top of the pie. Let cool and then chill in the fridge overnight. Store in the fridge, serve cold. Serves 10 easily.

 

Sliced baklava cheesecake

layering the crust

ready to bake

right out of the oven

 

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Halloween Quesadillas

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Halloween Quesadillas

OK, maybe I’m taking the whole Halloween theme too far. I was making quesadillas the other day, and realized that the ingredients were black, orange and green. Thought the combination would be perfect for a Halloween party.

Quesadillas are a fun party food already, and by using black olives, orange sweet peppers, green chilies, onions and cheddar cheese,  they fit in well with the color scheme for Halloween. They taste great, too, which is always the most important thing in the end.

Of course other ingredients can be used. I have used nopales and green enchilada sauce.

I pan fried these, but you can also bake them in the oven. They can be made ahead, and warmed up before serving. Serve with a nice blood- red salsa. Ok, I’ll stop now. Boo!!!

Halloween Quesadillas

Large flour tortillas

oil

sliced or shredded cheese

sliced black olives

chopped orange sweet peppers

chopped sweet onion

diced green chilies, fresh or canned or diced jalepenos

Mix olives with veggies and set aside. Place tortilla on work surface and spread one half with some of the veggie mixture. Top with some of the cheese and fold over. Press slightly. Repeat with remaining ingredients.  Heat oil in skillet and cook quesadillas over medium heat until golden on both sides and heated through. Remove to cutting board and cut into wedges before serving. Serve on a platter with sour cream and salsa, if desired.

Note: If you would rather bake the quesadillas assemble as directed above. Place on a baking sheet and brush with a little oil. Bake in a preheated  425 degree oven until golden, about 15 minutes

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My Favorite Pear Cake

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My Favorite Pear Cake

This may be one of my favorite pear desserts ever  I combined ripe pears with pecans and cinnamon sugar to create this moist and flavorful cake. I had Bartlett pears, but use whatever pears you have on hand. They should be ripe, but still firm. In the recipe directions I say to have the pears peeled and sliced, and ready to go in the cake. I actually made the batter first, then prepped the fruit. Mostly because I was distracted and forgot. It worked out just fine. The upside was that the pears did not have a chance to discolor, and I didn’t have to put them in lemon water until ready to use.

The cake is wonderful served all on its own, but I also enjoy topping it with a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream.

My Favorite Pear Cake

1 c. oil- I like to use olive oil or avocado oil

4 eggs

1 t. vanilla

1/3 c. orange or lemon juice

3 c. flour

2 c. sugar

3 t. baking powder

¼ t. salt

3-4 pears, peeled, cored and sliced

½ c. sugar

1 T. cinnamon

¾ c. toasted pecan halves or pieces, optional

Grease a 9×13 inch pan. Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Combine oil with eggs, vanilla and juice until well blended. In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients and add to egg mixture. Beat together until batter is smooth. Batter will be thick. Combine the ½ cup sugar with the cinnamon. Set aside. Place ½ of batter in prepared pan. Arrange pear slices on batter and sprinkle on ½ of the cinnamon mixture. Pour on remaining batter and top with the pecans, if using. Sprinkle with remaining sugar mixture. Bake 50- 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in cake comes out clean. Cool before slicing. Serves 10-12.

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Pear and Oatmeal Muffins

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Pear and Oatmeal Muffins

Fall is pear season. While apples seem to get more attention, pears are a wonderful, versatile fruit.

Pears will ripen off the tree and are often picked unripe and allowed to ripen after harvest. Unlike a lot of other fruits, pears do not suffer from being picked before they are ripe. As they ripen, pears become very sweet.

I like to pick out both ripe and unripe pears at the local market. That way, I’ll have ripe pears over a longer period of time.

I had some ripe pears and wanted to do something with them. Since I had a friend coming for over breakfast, I thought muffins. It’s always nice to have an easy breakfast option on hand.

I started with a basic muffin recipe, and added some diced pears, cinnamon, orange zest, nutmeg  and a cinnamon sugar topping, to make them special. And yes, you could substitute apples for the pears!!!

I was really happy with how they turned out. Not overly sweet, moist and tender.  Here is the recipe.

Pear and Oatmeal Muffins

1 ½ c. flour
1 c. rolled oats
1 T. grated orange peel
2 t. baking powder
1 t. cinnamon
½ t.  each nutmeg and salt
½ t. baking soda
1 egg, beaten
1/3 c. honey
1/3 c. oil
¼ c. orange juice
1½ cups of peeled, diced pears – 2 or 3 pears should do it
2 T. melted butter, optional
cinnamon sugar, optional

Combine flour with the dry ingredients. Set aside. Combine egg with the honey, oil and juice. Add egg mixture to flour mixture and stir until flour is just moistened. Fold in pears. Batter will be thick. Divide batter among 12 greased muffin cups. Bake in a preheated 375- degree oven for 20-25 minutes. While the muffins are warm, dip tops in melted butter and then dip in the cinnamon sugar, if you like. They are tasty, with or without the cinnamon sugar topping, but I like to add this last step. Makes 12.

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Swedish Limpa Bread

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Swedish Limpa Bread

There is nothing better than the smell of fresh baked bread. This Swedish rye bread is a favorite of mine. It has a soft texture and makes great sandwiches. It also makes the house smell wonderful as it bakes.

The flavor in enhanced by a combination of caraway seeds and a little orange zest. It even makes wonderful French toast. My brother-in-law always said it was just like the bread his Swedish mother made.

It is not like rye breads you might traditionally think of. Limpa is lighter in color and texture. It makes really great French toast, too.

I shape mine in two round loaves, but you can also bake this bread in loaf pans, if you prefer. If you want to use it for sandwiches, the loaf pans are probably a good idea. You can also shape the dough into dinner rolls, if you like. You will get 2-3 dozen rolls out of this recipe, depending on how big you make your rolls.

Swedish Limpa

 6 ½ c. flour

2 c. rye flour

¼ c. brown sugar

2 t. salt

2-t. caraway seeds

2 t. grated orange peel

2 pkt. Active dry yeast

2 T. butter, softened

2 2/3 c. hot water (125-130 degrees)

Set aside 1-cup flour. Mix remaining flours and other dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add butter and water to flour mixture and stir to blend. Mix in enough additional flour to make a soft dough. Knead on a floured surface until smooth about 8-10 minutes. Place dough in oiled bowl turning to oil top. Cover and let rest in a draft free area until doubled, about 30 –40 minutes. Punch down. Divide dough in half and form into 2 balls. Place on greased baking sheet and cover until doubled in bulk, about 30 –40 minutes. Bake in a preheated 400-degree oven for 30 minutes or until bread sounds hollow when tapped lightly. Makes 2 loaves.

Note: you can also divide the dough and place in 2 (9×5-inch) greased loaf pans.

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Flaming Ghost Cake

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Flaming Ghost Cake

I have posted this recipe before, but thought it might be a good time to post it again. This one is fun for Halloween. You start with a baked 9×13-inch cake. Frost it with chocolate frosting and then use white frosting to draw a ghost on the cake.

You can make all sorts of images- cats, bats, pumpkins. When ready to serve the cake, the eyes are set on fire. Fun effect. Kids and grown-ups both will get a kick out of it.

Just be sure to have proper adult supervision for the kids. The picture doesn’t do it justice. Very cool blue flames. Don’t forget to turn down the lights!

Flaming Ghost Cake

1 prepared 9×13- inch cake, any flavor – recipe follows

2 c. chocolate frosting, I prefer homemade – recipe follows

1 c. vanilla frosting, I prefer homemade- recipe follows

3 oz. semi sweet chocolate, optional

2 empty eggshell halves, washed well and dried

2 sugar cubes

Lemon extract

Frost cake with chocolate frosting, then spread vanilla frosting in the shape of a ghost. Melt chocolate in a small plastic bag. When chocolate is melted snip off the corner of the bag and use to outline ghost. Place eggshell halves in cake, round side down where the ghost’s eyes would be. Soak sugar cubes in lemon extract and place in eggshells. When ready to serve light sugar cubes and turn off the lights. Serve 12-16.

Variations: You can use the flaming eyes effect on cat shapes, pumpkins or even bats. Practice drawing the shape on paper before frosting the cake. If you bake a larger round cake the whole thing can be the pumpkin. Just frost it with orange tinted frosting.

Chocolate Beet Cake

2 cups all-purpose flour

1½ teaspoons soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup cocoa powder

3 large eggs, beaten

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons oil

1½ cups grated cooked beets

2 teaspoons vanilla

Powdered sugar, optional, or cream cheese frosting- recipe below

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine flour, soda, salt, sugar and cocoa in a bowl; set aside. In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs and oil. Beat in vanilla and continue beating until well blended. Slowly beat in dry ingredients until well mixed; stir in beets. Pour into a greased and floured 9×13-inch baking pan. Bake at 350° for 25 to 35 minutes, or until cake bounces back when touched lightly with finger. Cool in pan on a rack. Frost cooled cake, or dust with powdered sugar.

Chocolate Boiled Frosting- Ermine

5 Tablespoons flour

⅓ cup cocoa powder

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup milk or half and half

1 cup butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a medium saucepan, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, and sugar. Add milk, a little at a time. Whisk after each addition to avoid lumps. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture becomes a thick paste. It is important that you get it nice and thick at this point. It should be thicker than a pudding. Cool and then chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. The mixture should be very thick at this point. Once the cocoa base you made is chilled, cream the butter in your mixer until smooth. Scoop the cocoa mixture into butter and add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.  Whip on high speed for 7-10 minutes or until light and airy.

Frost your cake or cupcakes.

Notes: If your frosting is too soft, chill it for a bit and then whip it again.

If it is still too soft, add a little powdered sugar to stiffen it up. T You might need to cook your boiled milk mixture longer next time.

This recipe makes about 3½ cups of frosting which is enough to lightly frost a 2 layer 9 inch cake. It will also generously frost a 9×13 inch cake, 18-24 cupcakes, or an angel food cake. Recipe can be doubled.

Boiled Milk Frosting (Ermine)

5 T. flour

1 c. milk

1 c. granulated sugar

2 t. vanilla

½ t. salt

1 c. butter, cubed, softened at room temperature about 30 minutes

In small saucepan whisk together the flour, milk and sugar.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and gets bubbly. Cook over low heat another minute. Remove from heat and cool completely before finishing. I like to put the flour mixture in a bowl and putting in the fridge until cooled down, but not cold. Once flour mixture is cooled to room temperature beat in the vanilla, salt and butter with electric mixer until frosting is creamy and smooth.

Note: If you leave the base in the fridge too long and it gets cold, let it sit at room temperature 30 minutes before beating in the butter. If you are tinting the frosting, you can add color after the butter is fully incorporated.

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Phyllo Cheese Rolls

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Phyllo Cheese Rolls

 

If you are looking for a fun and easy appetizer, these phyllo rolls are a great choice. We made them in class recently. Once you get the rolling part down, they can  be made pretty quickly. The end result is a fun snack or appetizer that is crisp on the outside and cheesy in the middle. We called them phyllo “cigars” after rolling. They are smaller than a real cigar,  but the shape is similar. One of the ladies in class asked about using a cheese other than feta- she isn’t a fan. Yes, you can substitute almost any other cheese. I think mozzarella with some Parmesan cheese would be great. Smoked Gouda also comes to mind as a fun option. You could also play around with different herbs. Perhaps basil and oregano with mozzarella.

They can be constructed ahead of time then fried when ready to serve. I did fry some once and saved a few to reheat in the oven after. They were still pretty good. Before you ask- I don’t have an air fryer but they should be doable that way. I would give them a spritz of oil first though, to help crisp the crust.

It was a busy class and I wish I had gotten a better picture of them. They really are delicious.

So here is the recipe. Enjoy!!

 

Phyllo Cheese Rolls

2 cups feta cheese, crumbled

¼ cup chopped parsley

10 phyllo sheets, thawed

1 tablespoon water, to brush the phyllo sheets

½ cup oil to fry the rolls

In a bowl, combine the crumbled feta cheese and chopped parsley. Mix them together until they are well combined. Lay one phyllo sheet flat on a clean surface. Cut the sheet into 4 equal strips. Cover the remaining phyllo sheets with a damp towel to keep them from drying out while you’re working.  Place about a tablespoon of the feta and parsley mixture at one end of a strip. Fold the end over the filling, then fold in the sides and start rolling up the strip towards the other end, like a cigar. Repeat with the remaining phyllo strips.  Once you reach the end of each strip, use a bit of water to brush the end and then press it onto the roll to seal it. Repeat this process until all your filling is used.

Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add a few rolls at a time, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Fry them until they’re golden brown on all sides, which should take about 2-3 minutes. Once the rolls are fried, remove them from the oil using a slotted spoon and transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate to drain any excess oil. Continue frying the remaining rolls. Once all the rolls are fried and drained, they’re ready to be served. Enjoy them while they’re hot and crispy!

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Pear Sweet and Sour Sauce

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Pear Sweet and Sour Sauce

I love sweet and sour sauce. I have made many versions over the years and have used different fruits in them. I decided to try to make sweet and sour sauce with a ripe pear. It worked out wonderfully. Even better than I expected, actually. The sweetness of the pear was a great addition to the sauce. It came out a rich, mahogany color and is full of flavor. I will make a double batch the next time. I have already enjoyed it with egg rolls. Thinking of making sweet and sour chicken next.

I try to be as exact in measuring as I can. I had a pretty big Bartlett pear, but use 2 small pears, if that is what you have. Any pear will work in this recipe- just be sure it is ripe. As the sauce cooks the pear pretty much falls apart and disappears into the sauce.  I also used Sriracha sauce, which is hot, but not as hot as some other hot sauces. Depending on the brand of hot sauce you are using, you might want to add less. Then again, heat is a matter of personal preference. Spice it up according to your own taste. That is one of the perks of making it yourself.

When I make a sweet and sour sauce- I use Clear Gel, instead of traditional corn starch. It is modified cornstarch (non-waxy) and when you reheat the sauce, it will stay thick. Regular cornstarch will often thin out when reheated. Clear Gel is used in pie fillings and a lot of frozen foods and condiments. Often listed on the label as modified food starch. It looks just like regular cornstarch.  I buy mine online or when I am in stores in Amish communities.

So here is the recipe for a sweet and sour sauce I will surely make again. Planning on making some to freeze, too.

Pear Sweet and Sour Sauce

1 large pear, (about 8 oz.)  peeled and diced fine

½ c. cider vinegar

½ c. sugar

3 T. soy sauce

1 T. minced garlic

1 T. Sriracha sauce- or other hot sauce- add to suit your taste

2 t. grated ginger

3 T. water

2 T. cornstarch or Clear Gel*

2 t. sesame oil

In medium saucepan, combine all ingredients, except the water, cornstarch and sesame oil . Simmer mixture, covered about 5-7 minutes, or until pear becomes tender. Stir occasionally. Combine cornstarch with water and stir until smooth. Pour slowly into simmering pear sauce, stirring to prevent sticking. Sauce with thicken. Stir in sesame oil. Makes about 2 cups.   Keeps in fridge for weeks.

* If you use a type of cornstarch called Clear Gel, you can reheat the sauce without it becoming runny. Clear Gel, also called modified food starch, or modified cornstarch, is available online and at some specialty food stores. I find it in Amish communities.

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Pan de Muertos – Mexican Bread of the Dead

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Pan de Muertos

Halloween isn’t the only holiday next week. Many people will be celebrating Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). It is a holiday to remember and honor loved ones who have passed. It traditionally runs from October 31 to November 2.

Pan de Muertos is a traditional bread made for this holiday. This is a version of that bread that is flavored with anise (or fennel) and orange. It is glazed, after baking, with an orange sauce, then sprinkled with a little extra sugar. I like to use rock sugar, which, as the name implies, is a large sugar that looks like small rocks.

I shaped the dough into a round shape, with a knob of dough on the top.  You can also mold the bread into different shapes like angels or animals.

The bread itself is so tasty. It is a rich dough with a lovely fragrance and texture.

Here is the recipe.

Pan de Muertos (Mexican Bread of the Dead)

1/4 c. each butter, milk and water

3 c. all-purpose flour

1 1/2 t. active dry yeast (half a packet)

1/2 t. salt

2 t. anise seed or fennel seed

1/3 c. sugar

2 eggs, beaten

2 t. orange zest

Glaze:

1/4 c. each sugar and orange juice

1 T. orange zest

Topping:

2 T. sugar, I used rock sugar

Heat together butter, water and milk until the butter melts. Cool to warm. In a large bowl combine 1cup of the flour, yeast, salt, anise seed and 1/3 c. sugar. Beat in the milk mixture then add the eggs and orange zest and beat until well combined. Stir in 1/2 cup of flour and continue adding more flour until the dough is soft. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Place the dough into a lightly greased bowl cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1- 2 hours. Punch the dough down and shape it into a large round loaf with a round knob on top. Place dough onto a baking sheet, loosely cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until just about doubled in size. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for about 35 to 45 minutes. Cool on rack 5 minutes then brush with glaze. To make glaze: In a small saucepan combine the 1/4 cup sugar, orange juice and orange zest. Bring to a boil over medium heat and boil for 2 minutes. Brush over top of bread while still warm. Sprinkle glazed bread with 2 T. sugar.

Ready to bake

Eat plain, or lightly toasted with butter

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Pumpkin Fritters

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Pumpkin Fritters

These tasty fritters are a fun fall dessert. This is a great recipe when you have a little cooked pumpkin or winter squash to use up. The recipe only uses a cup of cooked pumpkin or winter squash.

It is a pretty simple recipe. I started with cooked butternut squash puree. I added eggs, flour, baking powder and a few other ingredients, then fried them up in oil, and ended up with a really good fritter. Crispy on the outside, soft and tender on the inside. I drained them on paper towels and then rolled them in cinnamon sugar while still warm. You could roll them in powdered sugar or dip them in a powdered sugar glaze. I think I might make a maple glaze for the next batch.

Pumpkin Fritters

1 c. cooked, mashed pumpkin or winter squash

2 eggs

2 T. brown sugar

2 t. baking powder

1 t. cinnamon

1/2 t. baking soda

1/2 t. nutmeg

1/2 t. salt

1 1/2 c. flour

oil for frying

cinnamon sugar for rolling- powdered sugar would work, too

In mixing bowl combine all ingredients, except the flour and beat until smooth. Stir in flour. Batter will be thick. Heat oil to 350 degrees.* There should be enough oil in the pan top be at least 1 inch deep- or deeper. To save oil I used a smallish pan and cooked 3-4 fritters at a time. Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls into hot oil and cook, turning once until golden brown on both sides. This will take about 3 minutes.  Drain on paper towels then roll in cinnamon sugar while warm. Makes 24-30. Best served warm.

* Fun way to know when your oil has hit 350 degrees. Place an un-popped popcorn kernel in the oil. Popcorn pops at 350 degrees.

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