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Yummy Link: Dulce de Leche Cheesecake Squares

partysugar — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 05:01:13 -0800

The last time I made dulce de leche cheesecake I totally passed out before the dessert was served! To redeem myself I think I'll make these decadently gorgeous dulce de leche cheesecake squares. - Smitten Kitchen

Delicious Down to the Very Last Bite

partysugar — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 16:13:31 -0800

Earlier today, I told you about how I accidentally passed out before dessert at a dinner party I was hosting. Embarrassment aside, the worst part was not being able to taste the dulce de leche cheesecake I made! What was left of it is pictured at left.

When I saw the recipe in the current issue of Everyday With Rachael Ray, I knew I had to make it. The crust is a mixture of crushed shortbread cookies, almonds, and brown sugar. The smooth and creamy filling is a perfect blend of luscious cream cheese and sweet caramel. To take a look at the recipe please read more.

Dulce de Leche Cheesecake
From Silvana Nardone

One 10-oz. box shortbread cookies, such as Lorna Doone
1/4 cup blanched almonds, toasted
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
Two 8-oz. packages cream cheese, at room temperature
3 tbsp. flour
2 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk
1 3/4 cups dulce de leche or other caramel sauce
Boiling water, for baking

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Wrap the outside of a 9-inch springform pan with foil.
Using a food processor, finely chop the cookies, nuts, brown sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt
Add the butter and pulse until just combined. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan and bake until set, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool.
Lower the oven temperature to 300°F.
Using a mixer, beat the cream cheese until softened, 2 minutes. Beat in the flour and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt on low speed.
Beat in the eggs and egg yolk, 1 at a time, on medium speed. Mix in 1 cup dulce de leche.
Pour the batter into the crust. Loosely cover the pan with foil, set in a roasting pan and pour in enough boiling water to reach a depth of 1 inch. Bake the cheesecake until set at the edges but slightly wobbly in the center, about 55 minutes.
Transfer the cake to a rack; let rest for 15 minutes. Spread the remaining 3/4 cup dulce de leche over the warm cake.
Refrigerate until ready to serve, then remove the springform and slice the cheesecake.

Serves 10.

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Jenna Bush's Wedding Cake: Love It or Hate It?

partysugar — Tue, 20 May 2008 03:00:05 -0700

The President's daughter, Jenna Bush, was recently married in a lavish but down-to-earth wedding at her family's ranch in Texas. Few details have been released about the ceremony, reception, and menu but rumor has it the cake was created by the Ultimate Cheesecake Bakery. The tres leches/dulce de leche cake had whipped cream frosting and fresh floral arrangements. By the time this photo was taken, the top tier of the confection had started to fall. While it's sad the top was tilting, it's probably something the happy couple will laugh about for years to come. I'm a huge fan of dulce de leche and can only imagine how delicious the cake must have tasted. Thoughts?

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Must-Read: Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey

YumSugar — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 03:30:04 -0800

Party recently polled you about dessert preferences, and it came as no surprise that most of you love dessert in any form. Many of you, however, singled out gooey, sticky sweets as your preference. Naturally, I had this in mind when I came across Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey: Desserts for the Serious Sweet Tooth ($15.61) by pastry chef Jill O'Connor. To find out what I thought of this collection of puddings, cookies, cakes, and sweet pies, read more.

Pros:

Helpful primer explains everything from the differences between types of cocoa powder to the best bristles for a pastry brush.
Desserts strive to be complex, with innovative, sophisticated flavor pairings.
Whimsical, vintage-inspired graphic design makes for an aesthetically pleasing book.
O'Connell adds plenty of personal flourish, telling amusing anecdotes, explaining the story behind every recipe, and sprinkling poignant quips about desserts along the way.

Cons:

Some recipes, like Cap-n Crunch Crispy Treats, are basic, but others - such as a three-page recipe for Coconut Cream Puffs - are tricky and complex.
Unless you're cooking for a party of eight, you may need to cut the recipes in half.
As pretty as the typography is, the ingredient list is written in such small font that it can be difficult to read quickly.
Rather than being easily numbered, the steps are written in paragraph form.

Recipes: The recipes cover just about everything. A few that left my mouth watering:

Chocolate Mascarpone Cheesecake Pots With Shortbread Spoons
Coconut Milk-Cream Cheese Flan
Milky Way Tempura-on-a-Stick
White Trash Panini
Gingersnap Dulce de Leche Ice Cream Sandwiches
Dark Chocolate Soup With Cinnamon-Toasted Pound Cake Croutons
Double-Crumble Hot Apple Pies
Sweet Pink Grapefruit-Tangerine Mousse With Phyllo Ruffles

Imagery: Although only a third of the recipes have pictures, the photographs are vivid, lush, and beautifully arranged.

Overall Rating: If you're a dessert fanatic looking to experiment with creative recipes, this would be the perfect cookbook to turn to. It would also make a gracious hostess gift.

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Is Food Network Expanding Into the Magazine World?

YumSugar — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 08:13:11 -0800

As you may know, I'm not the world's largest Rachael Ray fan. However I do think that her magazine is filled with yummy tidbits - anyone for dulce de leche cheesecake? - and interesting stories.

Recently there have been shake-ups at her magazine, and several editors are supposedly developing a new magazine at Hearst. So what is this new magazine? Well on Friday, Portfolio reported that Hearst is working on a new food magazine in partnership with Food Network.

So even if the brains behind Rachael's mag are coming aboard, will a Food Network magazine work without their stars (both Rachael and Paula Deen have their own magazines)? What do you think? Would you buy a Food Network magazine?

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