Happy Holidays!  Oh boy, it’s that time again.  I made this chocolate cheese cake as a finishing touch to our thanksgiving meal, very decadent, needless to say!

Because everyone loves cheesecake, I was anxious to try this particular recipe, it’s defintitely not your typical cheesecake.  The crust is a chocolate shortbread, with a cream cheese filling combining lemon zest, chocolate chips, and raisins, (the recipe did not call for it, but I marinted my raisins in rum for a couple of hours).  The topping is made with a smooth dark chocolate.  Thank you to my mother’s friend Vini for sharing this wonderful cheesecake!  Please enjoy!

For more cheesecake recipes, click here.

Crust:

• ¾ cup flour
• 3 tbsp. cocoa powder
• ½ cup wheat flour
• ¼ cup sugar
• ½ cup unsalted butter-softened

Filling:

• 1-8 oz. package cream cheese
• ½ cup plain yogurt
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 6 tbsp. sugar
• Freshly grated zest of one lemon
• ½ cup raisins
• 3 tbsp. chocolate chips

Topping:

• 3 oz. unsweetened chocolate-chopped into small pieces
• 2 tbsp. corn syrup
• 3 tbsp. butter

For the crust:

Sift flour and cocoa into a mixing bowl.  Stir in wheat flour and sugar.  With fingertips, work butter into the flour mixture until it makes a firm dough.  Press dough into the base of an 8-inch spring form pan.  Prick all over with a fork.  Bake in a preheated 300 degree oven for 15 minutes.  Remove from oven but leave oven on.

For the filling:

In a large bowl beat cream cheese with the yogurt, eggs and sugar until evenly mixed.  Stir in lemon zest, raisins and chocolate chips.  Smooth cream cheese mixture over chocolate short bread base and bake 35-45 minutes until filling is just set.  Cool over a wire rack.

For the topping:

Combine chocolate, syrup and butter in a heat proof bowl.  Set over sauce pan of simmering water, heat gently, stirring occasionally until melted.  Pour topping over cheese cake and let set.  Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.  Remove sides of pan and carefully slide onto a serving plate.

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Randy’s source for this coffee cake was a 2005 Sunset magazine, (a reader entry).  The  picture is compliments of Randy.  Please enjoy!

For more coffee cake recipes, click here.

• 1 cup fresh blueberries, rinsed, or frozen blueberries
• ¼ cup apple juice
• 1 tsp. Cornstarch
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup (1/4 lb.) cold butter, cut into chunks
• ½ tsp. Baking powder
• >½ tsp. Baking soda
• ¼ tsp. Salt
• 1 tsp. Grated lemon peel
• ¾ cup plain low-fat yogurt
• 1 tsp. Vanilla
• 2 large eggs
• 6 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 tsp. Lemon juice
• ½ cup sliced almond

In a 1 to 2 quart pan over medium heat, bring blueberries and apple juice to a boil.  Lower heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until blueberries have released their juices, about 3 minutes.  In a small bowl, blend cornstarch and 2 tsp. water.  Add to blueberry mixture: stir until it simmers and thickens, about 1 minute.  Let cool to room temperature.

In a bowl or food processor, mix or whirl flour and ¾ cup sugar.  Add butter to flour mixture.  Cut in with a pastry blender or pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Reserve ½ cup; pour remaining  into a large bowl.  Stir in baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon peel.

In a large bowl mix yogurt, vanilla, and 1 egg until blended; stir into flour-baking powder mixture until incorporated.  Spread batter in a buttered 9-inch round cake pan with a removable rim.

In a bowl or food processor (no need to wash from step 2), beat with an electric mixer on high speed or whirl cream cheese, remaining ¼ cup sugar, remaining egg, and lemon juice until smooth.  Spread over batter in pan, leaving a ½-inch border bare.  Gently spread blueberry mixture over cream cheese mixture, leaving some visible.  Stir almonds into reserved flour mixture and sprinkle over cake, concentrating most around edge of batter.

Bake at 350 degrees until center of cake barely jiggles when pan is gently shaken and top of cake is golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes.  Let cool on rack for 15 minutes, then remove pan rim.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves:10

Total time: 90 minutes (not including baking)

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My neighbor Joe has has a recipe for a “to die for” cheesecake that his Nonna made for many, many years.  Of course I asked Joe if he wouldn’t mind sharing.  We finally got together and each made our own cheesecake.  It was a

The foundation as Joe called it, is a light buttery graham cracker crust topped with a smooth and creamy filling of cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and whole eggs.  Then topped with a thin layer of sour cream mixed with sugar.  Simply devine!   Thanks Joe for sharing this fabulous cheesecake.  Please enjoy!

For more cheesecake recipes, click here.

• 12 graham crackers
• 1 T sugar
• 3 T butter, melted
• 3 8oz. packages Philadelphia cream cheese, softened
• 1 C sugar
• 1 t Vanilla
• 3 eggs
• 1 16oz. carton sour cream
• 1 T sugar
• Spring form pan

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make the crust with graham crackers: about 12 pieces to make ½ C crumbs, crushed with a rolling pin until very fine.  Now add: 1 T sugar, gently mix.  Add 3 T melted butter, gently mix.  Working with your hands, press into a spring form pan.  Press to cover the bottom only.  In a large bowl cream 3 packages of Philadelphia cream cheese.  Beat with electric beaters; be sure the cheese is soft.  Add 1 C sugar plus 1 t vanilla extract; add 3 eggs one at a time, beat for 5 minutes.  Pour into pan over crumbs evenly.  Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.  Take out of oven.  In another bowl beat 1 carton, 16 oz. sour cream with 1 T sugar, mix well and pour over cake – it’s ok if cake is hot.  Spread evenly on top of cake with spatula.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.  Cake will look soft.  Allow to cool completely before refrigerating, (best if over night).

C=Cup, T=Tablespoon, t=teaspoon  Serves: 12-16  Total time: 1.5 hours

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During the christmas holiday every year, for my husband and his brother, christmas would not be christmas without his mother’s wonderful cookies!!  Today I am sharing with you “Snowball Cookies”, which is just one of the many types that she makes, not to mention that this particular cookie happens to be on of my favorites.  These snowball cookies melt in your mouth with absolute joy!  

Did you know that cookies were actually created by accident.  Cookies mean “little cakes in dutch”, they were used as a test, before baking a large cake.  These little test cakes were called “Koekje” (dutch grammar), pronounced “cookies“.  To learn more about the history of the cookie click here.  In this recipe you have the option of using vanilla or brandy extract, it just depends on your likeness.  Although brandy extract is made with alcohol, it is such as a small amount that the finished product is virtually non-alcoholic.  If you do not have the 2 tsp. of brandy extract you can substitute (1 tbsp. brandy extract for 5 tbsp. brandy).  Check out the Cook’s Thesauras, to learn more about extracts and flavoring oil’s.  My source for these fabulous melt in your mouth snowball cookie’s, Regi, my wondeful mother in-law of Shady Cove, Oregon.  Please enjoy!

For different types of snowball cookies check out cooks.com.

• 1 lb. butter
• 4 1/2 cups sifted flour
• 2 tsp. vanilla or brandy extract
• 1 cup sifted powdered sugar
• 2 cups chopped walnuts

Cream butter and sugar until well blended.  Add flour 1 cup at at time and mix well.  Add walnuts and extract.  Shape into round balls with your hands (about 1 1/2 inches around).  Bake 15 to 18 minutes at 350 degrees.

Remove from oven and roll in sifted powdered sugar while still hot.   Cool and roll again in powdered sugar when cold.

Cookies will note brown when baked.

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What a fun halloween party-cookoff….6 chocolate desserts, 5 different chilis…..and lot’s of scary costumes.  Well guess what, I was so proud to call mom so she could let Veni know that her Dark Chocolate Cheesecake won 1st place.  Very very cool!  I did learn however that this was not Veni’s recipe it came from www.dianasdesserts.com, a website dedicated to home bakers.  If you haven’t seen her website definitely check it out, it’s amazing!  Please enjoy.

Chocolate wafer crust:

• 1 ¼ cups chocolate wafer cookie crumbs
• 5 tbsp. butter, melted

Filling:

• 12 ounce bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 2-8 oz. packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• ¼ tsp. salt
• ½ cup fresh brewed hot coffee
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

Topping:

• Cool Whip “Extra Creamy”
• ½ cup chocolate wafer cookie crumbs

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Tightly wrap the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil.

For your crust:

In a small bowl mix together cookie crumbs with melted butter.  Press mixture into bottom of springform pan.  Refrigerate while you prepare cheesecake filling.

For your filling:

Place your chopped chocolate in microwave safe bowl.  Microwave on medium power for 1-2 minutes.  Shake your bowl allowing un-melted and melted chocolate to combine.  Microwave for 30 seconds more or until chocolate in softened.  Stir until smooth, set aside and cool.

In a large bowl beat softened cream cheese until creamy.  Gradually add sugar and beat until blended.  Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.  Dissolve salt in hot coffee.  At a low speed add coffee and beat until combined.  Beat in vanilla and melted chocolate until blended well.  Pour mixture over crust.  Place cheesecake in roasting pan.  Cover springform pan half way up with boiling water.  Bake 60 to 70 minutes or until center in firm.  Turn oven off, prop open oven door and allow cheesecake to cool in oven for 1 hour.  Remove from roasting pan.  Cool on wire rack.  When cheesecake is completely cooled, cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate over night.

To serve:

Remove side of springform pan.  Place your cheesecake on cake plate.  Spread cool whip 1-inch thick over top of cheesecake.  Sprinkle with chocolate cookie crumbs.  Cut into small wedges and serve.

Serves: due to the richness, you can generate between 12 – 20 slices

Total time: prep, cooking and cooling = about 4 hours

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Pomegranate molasses, also called pomegranate syrup, has a nicely balanced sweet and sour flavor.  A popular ingredient in the middle east, that can be found in most Eastern markets and various Asian markets.  Mom found it at Draeger’s, a gourmet food and wine grocery store.  The brand we purchased was called “Sadaf”, click here to learn more about this tasty syrup.  Veni’s source for this recipe was the New York Times….Please enjoy! 

For more recipes that include pomegranate molasses, click here.

• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing pan
• 1 ½ cups flour, plus more for dusting pan
• 1 ½ tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ cup milk
• 3 tbsp. pomegranate molasses, plus 1 tsp
• ¾ cup granulated sugar, plus 4 tsp
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup confectioners sugar
• 6 tbsp. light cream
• ¾ cup roughly chopped walnuts

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter a 9-inch square baking pan, dust lightly with flour and knock out excess flour.

In one bowl stir together 1 ½ cups sifted flour, baking powder and salt.  In a separate bowl, combine milk and 2 tbsp. pomegranate molasses.  In a large bowl, cream together stick of butter and ¾ cup of granulated sugar with an electric mixer, until light and fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time, beating after each until well combined.

Add flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with milk mixture.  Begin and end with flour, and mix after each addition until just combined.

Pour batter into pan and bake until top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 35-45 minutes.  Cool for about 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges, turn cake out onto a rack, and then turn right side up again. Whisk together confectioners sugar, cream, and 1 tbsp. pomegranate molasses.  Brush glaze over cake, letting it drip down the sides.

In a small, preferably non-stick skillet over medium heat, combine nuts, 1 tsp. pomegranate molasses and 4 tsp. sugar.  Stir constantly and watch carefully until sugar melts and coats nuts, about 3 minutes.  Sprinkle nuts evenly over cake.

Time: about 1 hour

Serves: 8

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For more appetizer recipes with nuts, click here.

• 3 tbsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp. ground cumin
• Pinch of clove
• 1 large egg white
• ½ lb. walnut halves (1/2 cup)
• ½ lb. pecan halves (1/2 cup)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly oil a four sided pan, I like to use a 9×11 aluminum disposable pan.  Pour spices, along with ¾ tsp. salt into a small bowl.  Mix completely with a spoon.  Whisk egg whites in a separate bowl until frothy, stir in nuts, coating completely.  Add the spices, stirring again to coat completely.  Spread mixture evenly into your pan.  Bake stirring once or twice until dry and well toasted, about 30 minutes (depending on your oven it may take longer).  Loosen nuts from pan then cool completely.  These nuts will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.

Makes: 4 cups

Total time: 60 minutes

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For more lemon dessert recipes, from PastryWiz.com, click here.

For the crust:

• 4 egg whites
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ tsp. cream of tartar

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Beat egg whites until foamy, then beat in the cream of tartar and gradually stir in the sugar.  When stiff enough to hold shape, spread in a lightly buttered 9 inch pie plate.  Bake about 40 minutes, and cool while you make your filling.

For the filling:

• 4 egg yolks
• ½ cup sugar
• 3 tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 tsp. lemon rind finely grated
• 2 cups of cream whipped

Beat egg yolks until thick and lemon colored.  Beat in sugar, lemon juice and rind.  Cook in a double broiler until thick.   Remove from heat and cool completely.  Fold in 1 cup of your whipped cream.  Pour into your cooled meringue shell, and spread evenly the remaining 1 cup of whipped cream.  Chill for 24 hours in the refrigerator before serving.  Serve with more whipped cream, if desired.

Serves: 4

Total time: 30 minutes

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For more shortbread bar recipes, click here.

 Crust:

• 1 cup macadamia nuts, toasted and salted
• ¼ cup of sugar
• 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 1 ½ sticks unsalted butter, plus 1 tbsp. cut into ½ ” pieces

Filling:

• 2 cups plus 2 tbsp. sugar
• 5 large eggs
• ¾ cup fresh lime juice, from about 8 limes
• 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tbsp. finely grated lime peel
• ¾ cup sweetened flaked coconut

Crust:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, make sure rack is in center of oven.  Blend nuts and sugar in processor until nuts are finely ground.  Add flour and salt; blend 5 seconds.  Add butter and process until well blended.  Press dough onto bottom of 13x9x2 pan (I like to use the throw-away aluminum).  Bake crust until golden, about 30 minutes.  Set aside to cool completely.  Leave oven temp at 350 degrees.

Filling:

Whisk sugar and eggs in large bowl until well blended.  Whisk in lime juice, then flour and lime peel.  Pour filling over crust in pan.  Bake lime bars 25 minutes.  Depending on your oven, filling may not be fully set, that’s ok.  Remove from oven and sprinkle the coconut over your lime bars, evenly.  Bake an additional 10 minutes, until filling is set and coconut is slightly browned.  Cool bars, and chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours, before serving.  Best if made a day ahead, and chilled over night.  Cut around pan sides to loosen bars; cut into 24 pieces

Makes 24 bars

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• 2 medium baskets, fresh strawberries
• 1-8 oz. package cream cheese
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• ½  cup whipping cream
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 1 tbsp. vanilla
• Sliced almonds

Pour ¼ cup whipped cream into a metal bowl, and place in refrigerator to chill while you are preparing your strawberry mousse.

Wash one basket strawberries, trim off ends, and cut in half.  Cut cream cheese into small cubes.  In a food processor, combine strawberries, cream cheese, and powdered sugar.  Blend until smooth, and there are no strawberry chunks.  Pour into a bowl and set aside.  Remove your whipped cream from the refrigerator and beat with an electric beater until stiff and firm.  Add sugar and vanilla, continue beating for one minute.  Taste and adjust accordingly.  Spoon mousse into tall dessert cups, and chill at least 4 hours, or overnight.

Prior to serving, prepare the remaining ¼ cup whipped cream (chilling the same as above).  Set aside. Wash second basket of strawberries, trim off ends, and slice about ¼ inch thickness.  Layer your strawberry mousse cups with sliced strawberries, whipped cream, and almonds.  Repeat your layers, until finished.  Serve immediately or place back into refrigerator until ready to serve.

Serves: 4

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