Here be Dragons….
INGREDIENTS
For the crust:
1 1/2 cups finely ground Maria cookies, vanilla wafers or graham crackers
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for greasing the panFor the cream cheese filling:
1 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
1 14-ounce can La Lechera sweetened condensed milk
3 large eggs, at room temperatureFor the dulce de leche topping:
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 14-ounce can La Lechera dulce de leche
1 cup chopped pecans
Although this comes from a US magazine, I’ve seen the idea on other websites. This one has more layers and does not use a cake mix. The photo (from Southern Living) also makes this cake look really good. I made one very much like it, with 3 layers.
1. Prepare Cheesecake Layers: Preheat oven to 300°. Line bottom and sides of 2 disposable cake pans with aluminum foil, allowing 2 to 3 inches to extend over sides; lightly grease foil.
2. Microwave white chocolate morsels in a microwave-safe bowl according to package directions; cool 10 minutes.
3. Beat cream cheese and melted chocolate at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add 1 cup sugar, beating well. Add 2 eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears after each addition. Stir in 1 Tbsp. vanilla. Pour into prepared pans.
4. Bake at 300° for 30 to 35 minutes or until almost set. Turn oven off. Let cheesecakes stand in oven, with door closed, 30 minutes. Remove from oven to wire racks; cool completely (about 1 1/2 hours). Cover and chill 8 hours, or freeze 24 hours to 2 days.
5. Prepare Red Velvet Layers: Preheat oven to 350°. Beat 1 cup butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy. Gradually add 2 1/2 cups sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add 6 eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
6. Stir together flour and next 2 ingredients; add to butter mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in 2 tsp. vanilla; stir in food coloring. Spoon batter into 3 greased and floured 8-inch disposable cake pans.
7. Bake at 350° for 20 to 24 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks; cool completely (about 1 hour).
8. Prepare Frosting: Whisk together chocolate and 1/2 cup boiling water until chocolate melts. Cool 20 minutes; chill 30 minutes.
9. Beat 1 cup butter and chilled chocolate mixture at low speed until blended. Beat at medium speed 1 minute. Increase speed to high; beat 2 to 3 minutes or until fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar and salt, beating at low speed until blended. Increase speed to high; beat 1 to 2 minutes or until smooth and fluffy.
10. Assemble Cake: Place 1 layer Red Velvet on a serving platter. Top with 1 layer Cheesecake. Repeat with remaining layers of Red Velvet and Cheesecake, alternating and ending with Red Velvet on top. Spread top and sides of cake with White Chocolate Frosting. Store in refrigerator.
Source: Red Velvet-White Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe | MyRecipes.com
Lofty Buttermilk Pancakes
Makes 18 to 20 3-inch pancakes. Serves 4 to 6
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 large eggs, separated
2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup milk
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Canola or peanut oil for frying
Heat the oven to 225°F and prepare a large baking sheet by setting a cooling rack inside. Place both in the oven.
Whisk the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together in a large bowl. In a separate smaller bowl, whisk the egg yolks, buttermilk, and milk. Add the melted, cooled butter and whisk until well combined.
Pour the yolk and milk mixture into the flour mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until barely combined. Add the egg whites and stir just until a thick batter is formed. Set aside for 5 minutes.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, film with 1/2 teaspoon of neutral oil such as canola or peanut oil. After about 30 seconds, when the oil shimmers but is not smoking, lower the heat to medium-low and use a soup spoon to drop in heaping spoonfuls of pancake batter.
The batter will spread into a pancake about 3 inches wide. Cook for about 2 1/2 minutes. (If the pancake scorches or the oil smokes, lower the heat.) When the bubbles that form on the edges of the pancakes look dry and airy, use a thin spatula to gently lift one side and peek underneath. If the pancake is golden brown, flip and cook on the other side for 2 to 2 1/2 minutes, or until the bottom of the pancake is golden brown.
Remove from the skillet to the baking sheet in the oven. Scrape any stray crumbs or scraps out of the skillet, add a little more oil, and continue to cook the remaining batter.
Serve as soon as possible, with butter and warm maple syrup.
Recipe Note:
If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can use plain yogurt instead. Just use about 2/3 cup and thin it with some milk until it reaches the 1 cup mark. You can also quickly make a buttermilk substitute by mixing 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or white vinegar with 2 cups of milk.
via The Best-Ever Pancake Recipe: Lofty Buttermilk Pancakes | The Kitchn .
Found this recipe online but the link was broken to the source site. Tracked it down with the Wayback Machine.
These picnic-ready, personalized pies are a fun food take-away for your guests (now say that 10 times quickly).
You’ll Need
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1/4¼ cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup raisins or pecans
1 pie crust, rolled to ½” thickness
8 – 125ml jam jars, washed and buttered
Prep and Cook
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Combine the butter and sugar and place in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Add the vanilla and raisins or pecans, and cook until the butter has melted. (This is the filling.)
Beat the eggs and whisk into the sugar mixture, cooking over medium heat for 5-6 minutes or until the mixtures thickens and can coat the back of a spoon. Be very careful not to overcook the filling.
Roll out the piecrust and cut circles of dough with the mouth of the jam jar—2 per jar. Press one into the bottom of the buttered jar, top with filling and cover with the second piece of dough.
Cut a steam vent (small slit) into the top piece of dough, and place all of the pies on a large baking sheet.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before placing the lid on the jar.
Decorate with the O Canada Patriotic Pie label and baker’s twine or ribbon.
Vanilla Cheesecake topped with a layer of Chocolate Ganache, chewy Caramel and Toasted Pecan with a Chocolate Cookie Crust
Ingredients
Chocolate Crust:
1/2 Cup Butter — small dice
1/2 Cup brown sugar
1/2 Cup pecans
1/2 Cup flour
1 pinch of salt
2 1/2 Tablespoon cocoa powder
Cheesecake filling:
3 8 ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar
5 Tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup + 3 tablespoons sour cream
3 eggs
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
Chewy Turtle Caramel:
1/2 Cup sugar
1/2 Cup Light corn syrup
1/8 Cup water
1/2 Cup cream
1/4 Teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoon butter
1/4 Cup cream
Chocolate Ganache:
1/2 Cup cream
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 Tablespoon Light corn syrup
1/2 Cup Dark Chocolate, chopped
1 Tablespoon room temperature butter
Preparation
Chocolate Crust:
Combine together the flour, sugar, almond flour, salt and cocoa powder. Add diced butter to dry mix and rub with fingers until mixture becomes crumbly. Crumble dough evenly into a 9 inch spring form pan. Bake crust for 10 minutes at 325F. Let cool before filling with cheesecake batter.
Cheesecake filling:
Mix sugar and corn starch together. In a mixing bowl with the paddle attachment on medium speed mix the cream cheese, sugar and corn starch until smooth. Add vanilla extract and an egg, mix until incorporated. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix until there are no lumps. Add remaining eggs slowly, one at a time. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix until there are no lumps. Add sour cream and mix until smooth. Fill prepared cheesecake pan. Bake at 200F for 1 1/2 hours. Shut off oven and crack open door, let cheesecake cool in oven for an hour. Refrigerate overnight before decorating.
Chewy Turtle Caramel:
In a bowl combine sugar, corn syrup, and water. Pour sugar mixture into pot, being careful to keep it off the sides. Cook on high heat until it reaches 250F. Carefully stir in cream, salt and then butter. Continue to cook until golden brown. Stir regularly to avoid bottom from burning. Mixture should be very thick and caramel color, then add 1/4 cup of cream and cook to 225F. Transfer caramel to hotel pan and allow to cool undisturbed.
Chocolate Ganache:
Combine cream, sugar, and corn syrup and bring to simmer over medium heat. Pour hot cream over chopped chocolate and let sit for 3 minutes before stirring. Stir chocolate mixture with a spatula until mixture is super smooth and shiny. Add butter and continue to mix until incorporated. Wrap with plastic film and leave in a cool place for 6 hours to thicken.
To decorate:
Spread chocolate ganache on top of cheesecake, then layer on ¾ cup toasted pecans followed by a drizzle of caramel. Cut in 8-12 slices and enjoy.
