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Come Party With Me: My Half Birthday - Dessert

partysugar — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 09:13:19 -0800

At all of my parties I like to provide guests with a sweet treat even if it is only a small bite. At my half birthday - besides filling bowls with M&Ms which is signature to all my events - I will make one refreshing dessert: white chocolate and lime cheesecake bars.

Instead of cutting the bars into squares, I'll use a cookie cutter to cut out circles making mini cheesecakes. To emphasis the half theme, I will cut the circles in half and serve mini half cheesecakes! For the recipe, read more.

White Chocolate Lime Cheesecake Bars
From Bon Appetit magazine

Ingredients

7 ounces high-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt), chopped, plus white chocolate curls (optional garnish)
27 chocolate sandwich cookies (about 11 ounces)
2-4 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 cup chilled whipping cream
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon finely grated lime peel
Lime slices or lime twists (for garnish)

Directions

Line 8x8x2-inch square baking pan with foil, extending over all sides.
Stir chopped white chocolate in small metal bowl set over saucepan of barely simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove bowl from over water.
Finely grind cookies in processor. Add 2 tablespoons melted white chocolate and 2 tablespoons melted butter blend until mixture clumps together, adding more melted butter as necessary to create a crust that will hold together.
Firmly press mixture onto bottom of prepared pan. Chill while making filling.
Beat whipping cream in medium bowl until peaks form. Beat cream cheese, sugar, lime juice, and lime peel in large bowl until smooth.
Beat in remaining melted white chocolate. Fold in whipped cream in 2 additions; spread over prepared crust.
Chill until filling is slightly firm, at least 2 hours.
Using foil as aid, lift cheesecake out of pan. Cut into 9 bars. Garnish with chocolate curls, if desired, and lime slices or twists.

Serves 9.

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Need A Picnic Dessert? Think Blue!

partysugar — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 14:38:18 -0700

When I was thinking of an ideal dessert for a picnic, blueberries kept coming to mind. Not only am I craving them, but they are also a quintessential summer berry. Super ripe, burst-in-your-mouth blueberries are wonderful on their own, but why not throw them into a creamy smooth cheesecake batter and cut them into divine little squares? This recipe for blueberry cheesecake bars travels well, is easy to make, and will please a crowd. What are you waiting for? Get the recipe, just read more

Blueberry Cheesecake Bars
From Kraft Foods

6 tablespoons butter, melted
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 jar (10 oz.) blueberry jam or preserves
1 cup blueberries

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Mix butter and graham crumbs in 13x9-inch baking pan. Press firmly onto bottom of pan. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Beat cream cheese in large bowl with electric mixer on medium until creamy. Add sugar, eggs and vanilla; beat until well blended. Set aside.
Stir jam in jar until softened; spread evenly onto crust. Sprinkle with blueberries; top evenly with the cream cheese mixture.
Bake 30 min. or until slightly puffed. Cool completely in pan.
Cut into 24 bars to serve. Store any leftover bars in tightly covered container in refrigerator up to 3 days.

Makes 24 bars.

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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

Would You Eat Fried Mealworms?

partysugar — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 05:30:29 -0800

A couple of weekends ago, I attended a deep-fry party at my favorite bar in San Francisco, 15 Romolo. The fiesta was celebrating the inauguration of their new deep fryer and everyone was asked to bring an ingredient to fry. There was a delicious assortment of crispy goodness including Snickers, game hens, cheesecake, bacon (my contribution!), arancini, and crab cakes.There was also a selection of more outlandish items like fried durian, oranges, squab, and mealworms. Typically used for fishing bait, mealworms are the larvae of a beetle. They are perfectly OK to consume, so being an adventurous eater, I popped a few in my mouth. They tasted earthy, with a chewy texture similar to calamari. If you had been attending the party, do you think you could have stomached them?

A Delicious Dessert: Lemon Ripple Cheesecake

partysugar — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 15:13:31 -0700

At the last minute, I decided not to make the white chocolate-lime cheesecake bars for my half birthday party. Instead, I opted for these lemon ripple bars. Lemon seemed to evoke the flavors of Spring more than lime and white chocolate. I cut them into small, bite-sized pieces and they went like hot cakes at the party!

This easy-to-follow recipe is divine. The crust is flecked with lemon zest and lemon curd is rippled with the creamy cheesecake filling. They are wonderful for a party because you can make them one or two days before the event. For the recipe, read more.

Lemon Ripple Cheesecake Bars
From Food & Wine magazine

Ingredients

Crust
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces and chilled
Filling
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 cup cold water
2 large egg yolks
1 3/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 1/4 pounds cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1/4 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

Make the crust: preheat the oven to 325°F and position a rack in the center. Butter a 9-inch-square nonstick baking pan.
In a food processor, pulse the flour with the sugar, lemon zest, and salt. Add the butter and pulse until a soft, crumbly dough forms.
Press the dough evenly over the bottom and a scant 1/2 inch up the side of the pan. Bake the crust for 20 minutes, or until golden and firm.
Meanwhile make the filling: in a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch in the water.
In a medium sauce pan, whisk the egg yolks with 3/4 cup of the sugar and the lemon juice. Whisk in the cornstarch mixture and cook over moderate heat, whisking gently, until the sugar is dissolved and the lemon mixture is hot, about 4 minutes. Boil over moderately high heat for 1 minute, whisking constantly, until the mixture is thick and glossy. Strain the lemon mixture into a heatproof bowl. Stir in the lemon zest and let cool.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese with the remaining 1 cup of sugar until smooth.
Beat in the flour until blended. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well between additions. Add the sour cream and the vanilla and beat until the batter is smooth. Pour the cream cheese batter over the crust and smooth the surface with a spatula.
Dollop the lemon mixture on the cheesecake batter and carefully swirl it into the batter; take care not to cut into the crust. Use the back of a table knife to gently swirl together the lemon mixture and the cheesecake batter. Take care not to swirl too much each mixture should remain distinct so you have a lovely white and yellow pattern on top.
Bake the cheesecake for about 40 minutes, or until golden around the edge and just set. Run the tip of a knife around the edge to loosen the cheesecake from the side of the pan.
Let cool on a wire rack for 1 hour, then refrigerate the cheesecake until thoroughly chilled. Cut into 16 bars and serve.

Makes 16 large bars.

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Come Party With Me: My Birthday - Dessert

partysugar — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 15:00:40 -0700

Although cheesecakes squares or macaroons are delightful options, my birthday party won't be complete without a birthday cake. Chocolate cake is my favorite and this interesting twist on the classic German chocolate cake is unexpected and scrumptious.

Since my party is at a bar, 15 Romolo, I'll show up early enough for the bartenders to securely store the cake in a refrigerator. Let the bartenders know when you want to sing "Happy Birthday" and don't forget candles. For the inside-out German chocolate cake recipe, read more.

Inside-Out German Chocolate Cake
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, plus more for pans
7 ounces bittersweet chocolate
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
coconut-pecan filling, recipe below
chocolate ganache, recipe below

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter two 9-inch springform pans. Line the bottoms with parchment paper, and butter the paper; set aside.
Place chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl, and set over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir occasionally until melted; set aside.
Sift together flour and salt; set aside.
Place sugar and eggs in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and beat until fluffy and well combined, 3 to 5 minutes.
Add vanilla and chocolate mixture, and stir to combine. Add dry ingredients, and stir to combine.
Divide batter between the two pans using an offset spatula to distribute batter evenly, and smooth the layers. Bake until the center is set, about 20 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool completely before unmolding.
Place one layer on a 9-inch cardboard cake round. Spread filling over the layer, and invert the second layer onto the top, leaving the smooth side up. Press down gently on top layer to evenly distribute filling to edges. Using a metal spatula, smooth filling flush with sides of cake. Refrigerate until ready to glaze.
Carefully transfer torte off cardboard round onto a wire rack set over a baking pan. Pour enough ganache glaze over cake to fully coat, shaking pan gently to help spread ganache if necessary. Let sit for 15 to 20 minutes. The ganache in the pan may be melted and strained through a fine sieve and added back to glaze. Pour remaining glaze over torte, allowing excess to drip off sides. If top is not smooth, gently shake pan or run an offset spatula quickly over surface. Allow to set at least 30 minutes before serving. Carefully slide the cake off of the wire rack and onto serving platter.

Makes 1 cake.

Coconut-Pecan Filling

1 fourteen-ounce sweetened condensed milk
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 stick) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 large egg yolks
2 cups shredded sweetened coconut
1 1/2 cups finely chopped pecans

Place milk, butter, and vanilla in a medium saucepan, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until melted and combined.
Whisk egg yolks in a medium bowl, and, whisking constantly, add some of the hot milk mixture to the egg yolks until combined. Whisk the mixture back into the saucepan, and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.
Remove from heat, and stir in coconut and pecans. Cool completely, and refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use, up to 2 days.

Makes about 2 cups.

Chocolate Ganache

1 pound bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
2 1/2 cups heavy cream

Chop chocolate finely using a serrated knife; place in a large heat-proof bowl.
Bring cream to a boil over medium-high heat; pour directly over chopped chocolate. Allow to sit 10 minutes.
Use a rubber spatula to gently stir chocolate and cream until well combined and smooth. Let sit at room temperature until cooled and just thickened, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes, but up to an hour depending on the temperature of the room.

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Non-Chocolate Dessert For Super Bowl

partysugar — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 14:43:43 -0800

With the Super Bowl just a few days away everyone is scrambling for yummy dessert recipes to serve at their parties. I know when you hear the words "Super Bowl" brownies and chocolate instantly come to mind, but what about lemon cheesecake squares? It's like lemon bars and cheesecake all wrapped into one divinely delicious little package. It's an unexpected, elegant dessert that is sure to have your crowd cheering. If you are doing brownies, the lemon cheesecake squares will pair nicely. To indulge yourself in this dessert, read more

Lemon Cheesecake Squares
From Martha Stewart

For the crust:
8 graham crackers (each 2 1/2 by 5 inches)
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
For the filling:
2 bars (8 ounces each) cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon (2 to 3 teaspoons zest and about 3 tablespoons juice)

Make the crust: Preheat oven to 325°.
Line bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving an overhang on all sides. Crimp overhang under rim of pan.
In a food processor, blend graham crackers with sugar until finely ground; add butter and pulse until moistened.
Transfer crumb mixture to prepared pan, and pat in gently (wipe processor bowl clean, and reserve for making filling). Bake until beginning to brown, 10 to 12 minutes. While crust is baking, make filling.
Make the filling: Place cream cheese in food processor; blend until smooth. Add sugar, eggs, lemon zest, and lemon juice; blend until smooth.
Pour mixture onto hot crust in pan; smooth top. Return to oven, and bake until set (filling should jiggle only slightly when pan is gently shaken), 30 to 35 minutes.
Cool completely in pan. Cover very loosely with plastic wrap; chill until firm, at least 2 hours (and up to 2 days).
Use foil overhang to lift cheesecake out of pan. With metal spatula, lift cheesecake from foil; cut into 16 squares.

Makes 16

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Yummy Links: From Yumpkins to Homemade Candy Bars

partysugar — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 08:00:00 -0700

Looking for another interesting dessert? How about Yumpkins? Or pumpkin cheesecake bars with a poundcake crust. - Slashfood
Pumpkins can be used for more than just sweet treats so try these savory pumpkin recipes. - iVillage
Hunted by a nightmare, the Amateur Gourmet makes linzertorte, a tasty hazelnut and raspberry jam dessert. - Serious Eats
Update your kitchen's looks with gorgeous Ikat print napkins and placemats. - CasaSugar
Check out this list that helps you determine when certain food products go bad. - Will Work For Food
A fabulous sugar box will sweetly spice up any boring kitchen. - Apartment Therapy

How scary is this life-size wedding cake? - Baking Bites
Get more fiber from your daily bread intake. - FitSugar
Make sure to correctly store cheese. - Culinate
Why buy processed candy bars when you could make your own? Doesn't the homemade Twixt, look to die for? - Chow

What's Yummy This Week: YumSugar Weekly Recap

YumSugar — Sat, 09 Jun 2007 07:57:31 -0700

Don't miss this interesting gallery of families surrounded by a week's worth of food. The difference between countries is astonishing.
This week we started things off with National Cheese Day. We showed you some great cheese tools, how to store cheese and we wanted to know your fave cheese. If you've got any leftover, you can always make cheese chips.

June is national candy month, so I'm challenging you to come up with great candy recipes and stories.
The summer of cooking reality shows has begun. Be sure to check out our recaps for Top Chef, The Next Food Network Star, and Hell's Kitchen. While you're at it, let us know which one you plan on watching.
Could you eat 59 1/2 hot dogs in 12 minutes?
If you're looking for some delectable sweet treats, try chocolate mint bars or chocolate-malt brownies. Not into chocolate? How about strawberry cheesecake (easy and expert recipes!) instead?
These drop dead gorgeous photos really blow my mind. Death by gummi bears, nutella, cotton candy and more.
Know someone graduating this year? Plan them a great graduation party.
Are you buddies with your barista?
If you're getting married soon, don't forget to eat on your wedding day! Also, here are some ideas for a great rehearsal dinner.
And finally, we find out if Mexican (real sugar) Coke tastes better than regular Coke.

All the News That's Fit to Eat - May 30

YumSugar — Wed, 30 May 2007 12:17:52 -0700

Are children's menus a good or bad thing? Also, if you think we make all those food holidays up, think again. - New York Times
Wolfgang Puck's got some crustless mini-cheesecakes for us to check out. - Chicago Tribune
I wish I had come up with this bad pun about how pickle maker Rick Field makes jarring statements. He also happens to make great pickles. - Boston Globe
Restaurants are breaking the fourth wall by bringing the cooking action into the dining room. - Los Angeles Times
Cool down with a glass of sweet tea, okay y'all? - Chapel Hill News & Observer
If you're still not convinced, here are more reasons why farmer's markets are awesome. - Sacramento Bee
Looking forward to summer entertaining? Here's what you need to stock your summer bar. - Washington Post