New York Cheesecake

When someone has a birthday around here, I always make whatever kind of birthday cake they want. Last weekend was the hubster's birthday, and he decided he wanted New York cheesecake. He loves cheesecake, and I think the fact that I rarely make it makes him like it even more. I made cheesecake for the first time about three years ago. Like most things I was intimidated because of all the stories I'd heard about how difficult they are. The truth? If you have an electric mixer, they're not difficult at all.


Before I get into the process, here are a few things I've learned over the years:

• Unless you live in a hot climate, lay the cream cheese out the night before. It needs to be good and soft and because there is so much, it takes quite a while to soften.
• Cut the cream cheese into chunks while it's still cold. It's just easier and cleaner.
• If you're going to serve your cheesecake the same day you make it, then you need to start it in the morning. They take several hours to cool and set up.
• You use a 9" pan for this, but you can substitute a 10" pan if you adjust your baking times accordingly. You cannot use an 8" pan, all of the batter will not fit.
• Don't over mix once the eggs are added. It causes them to break down, which can lead to *gulp* a cracked cheesecake.
• The same goes with over baking or opening the oven door a lot. Both lead to the cake drying out, which causes cracks.

Not much, but these are all things that really help save time and heartache!

The first thing we need to make is the crust. All you need is melted unsalted butter, sugar, and graham crackers. Crush the graham crackers until they are all crumbs. I like to use my food processor to do that, but it's pretty simple to do by hand too. Mix in the sugar, then use a fork to stir in the melted butter. The mixture should look like wet sand after it's mixed.

For cheesecake, you need a springform pan. It's essential for removing the cake. I have heard that lining a regular cake pan with foil is an option (you can attempt to lift the cake out with the foil), but it completely changes baking times, as well as giving the cake sides rough edges.


Brush a 9" springform pan with about 1/2 tablespoon of melted butter. Press in the graham cracker mixture across the bottom of the pan firmly. Bake at 325 degrees for 15 minutes. Allow to cool completely before using.

While the crust cools, mix up the cake batter. You need vanilla, egg yolks, salt, sour cream, lemon juice, sugar, cream cheese (cut into chunks), and whole eggs.

In a large bowl, or the bowl of a standing mixer, beat the cream cheese for about a minute or so, until it's smooth and creamy. Add the salt and continue mixing while you slowly add the sugar. Beat for another minute or so, then thoroughly scrape the bowl and beater. Add the sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla and beat for another minute or so, until all of the ingredients are incorporated, then add the egg yolks and mix well for about a minute. Scrape everything down again and begin adding the eggs, one at a time, beating each one in for about a minute before adding the next. Scrape the bowl and beater after every two eggs.

Brush another half tablespoon of butter around the sides of the pan and place it in the center of a rimmed baking sheet (in case your pan leaks). Pour in the cake batter. It will fill the pan right up to the very top, but it will all fit. Bake for 10 minutes at 500 degrees, then reduce the oven temperature to 200 degrees and continue baking for about an hour and a half. Don't open the oven door until you have to check the temperature of the cake. The center of the cheesecake should be about 150 degrees. I usually check it the first time at about one hour and 10 minutes, since every oven is different.

I had to use a 10 inch pan this time, so it isn't quite as full. If you do this, you will bake the cake for a shorter amount of time, as the actual batter level will be lower. Start checking the temperature at one hour.


Place the finished cheesecake on a wire cooling rack and allow to cool for about three hours, then run a paring knife around the edge of the cake. Cover the cake (still in the pan) with plastic wrap and chill for about three hours before serving. To serve, remove the sides of the pan and slice with a sharp knife. I serve the cake directly from the bottom of the springform pan, but you can try to transfer it to a pretty plate by using a spatula to loosen it from the bottom of the pan before sliding it off onto a plate. Mine never wants to slide off, so I leave it alone.

This cheesecake has a soft, very smooth center that gets almost cake-y as it moves towards the edge. This will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for four or five days. Or you can slice the whole thing and freeze any leftovers in an airtight container for up to one month! This cake can really stand on it's own and is very delicious plain...

...or you can top it with strawberries, raspberries, or other fruit (or even chocolate sauce and whipped cream) for something different. However you choose to have your cheesecake, enjoy!!

New York Cheesecake

Ingredients

FOR THE CRUST
1 sleeve (9 crackers) graham crackers, crushed to fine crumbs
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon sugar


FOR THE CAKE
5 - 8 oz. packages cream cheese, softened and cut into chunks
good pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 egg yolks
6 whole eggs


To make the crust: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Brush about 1/2 tablespoon melted butter in a 9 inch springform pan, especially the bottom.


In a small bowl, mix in the sugar and graham cracker crumbs, then use a fork to stir in the melted butter. The mixture should look like wet sand after it's mixed. Press the graham mixture firmly across the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Allow to cool completely before adding the cake batter.

For the cake: Increase the oven temperature to 500 degrees. In a large bowl, or the bowl of a standing mixer, beat the cream cheese for about a minute or so, until it's smooth and creamy. Add the salt and continue mixing while you slowly add the sugar. Beat for another minute or so, then thoroughly scrape the bowl and beater. Add the sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla and beat for another minute or so, until all of the ingredients are incorporated, then add the egg yolks and mix well for about a minute. Scrape everything down again and begin adding the eggs, one at a time, beating each one in for about a minute before adding the next. Scrape the bowl and beater after every two eggs.

Brush another half tablespoon of butter around the sides of the pan and place it in the center of a rimmed baking sheet. Pour in the cake batter and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 200 degrees and continue baking for about an hour and a half. Don't open the oven door until you have to check the temperature of the cake. The center of the cheesecake should be about 150 degrees. Place the cheesecake on a wire cooling rack and allow to cool for about three hours, then run a paring knife around the edge of the cake. Cover the cake (still in the pan) with plastic wrap and chill for about three hours before serving. To serve, remove the sides of the pan (transfer to a plate or serve from the bottom of the pan) and slice with a sharp knife.

Quick, Easy-Peasy Buttermilk Cinnamon Rolls

There have been lots of blog posts about cinnamon rolls lately, and it's easy to understand why. I mean, they're irresistible! The Pioneer Woman has an incredible yeast cinnamon roll recipe. It's very popular, for good reason, but like all yeast breads, you need a lot of time to allow things to rise before you can finally enjoy the end product. Sometimes, there just isn't time to wait. Or sometimes, you just don't want to wait! Enter the quick and easy peasy cinnamon roll!

From start to finish, these tasty little babies only take 40 minutes. Forty minutes. And the majority of that is baking time! No, they are not the big, fluffy, yeasty mall-like cinnamon rolls that make us drool like maniacs in front of strangers and loved ones alike, but guess what? They're pretty darn close! Considering that they use a little baking powder and baking soda as leaveners, they are still surprisingly light and fluffy. Although similar in design to a biscuit or scone, these are a lot more "bread-y" and moist. The icing is also simpler than most cinnamon roll icings, producing more of a glaze, but a little bit goes far with this!

Before writing these off as generic wannabes, give them a chance! They may not win your heart over for all time, but they'll definitely be your new best bud in a time crunch! In fact, they're so tasty that I rarely find myself bothering with a yeast roll...unless it's a special occasion. Finally, a homemade cinnamon roll that you don't have to start the night before or get up at 5am to make!

To get started, brush a nine inch cake pan with a tablespoon of melted butter and set aside. We're gonna mix up the yummy cinnamon filling first. You'll need a little salt, ground cloves, cinnamon, melted unsalted butter, sugar, and brown sugar.


Combine all of the dry ingredients in a small bowl.

Pour the melted butter in and stir with a fork until everything is well mixed and looks like wet sand. Set that aside and let's get started on the dough.

You only need a few ingredients for these, which is nice, but one of them is buttermilk, which is annoying. As I've said before, I never keep buttermilk on hand. Ever. An easy fix? Cultured buttermilk powder. Basically, it's powdered buttermilk. You can find it in the baking aisle, usually near the corn starch and baking soda. It's a very simple conversion from powder to liquid too. One tablespoon of powder per one quarter cup of water. The best part is that you can't tell the difference between this and the "real" thing.


Back to the rolls... you need salt, baking soda, baking powder, sugar, flour, melted unsalted butter, and buttermilk. Whisk all of the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. If you're using the powdered buttermilk, add the powder in with all of the other dry ingredients (you'll add the water in a minute).

Whisk two tablespoons of the butter with the buttermilk (or water) and pour the mixture over the dry ingredients. Stir until everything just comes together. The dough will still be wet and lumpy, but that's ok. Turn the dough onto a well floured surface and knead until smooth, using plenty of flour to keep it from sticking to you or your work area (this will still be pretty soft slightly sticky after kneading, so be gentle with it).

Press the kneaded dough into a rectangle about a foot long and eight or nine inches across, being careful not to press it too thin.

Spread two tablespoons of the melted butter on the dough (I just use my fingers).

Pour all of the topping onto the dough and spread it all over, leaving an inch or so around the edges. Press the mixture down to sort of pack it on top of the dough. It will actually feel like you have too much topping, but it's just right!


Working from the longer side, gently (it will probably slightly stuck to the counter) fold the side up to start your roll. Press the roll tightly as you go and pinch the seam together before laying the whole roll seam side down. You should have one roll, about 12 inches long. Cut this into eight rolls, laying them flat as you go. Once you have them all cut, gently press them on top to flatten them a little.

Place the rolls in your prepared cake pan, one in the center with the other seven around it. Brush the tops with the remaining melted butter and bake at 425 for 20 to 25 minutes. Don't worry if they're not that pretty right now, they will be when they come out of the oven.


While the rolls bake, mix up the frosting. You just need softened butter or cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, and buttermilk. You can still use the cultured buttermilk powder here and you won't be able to tell the difference. This is best with cream cheese in the frosting, but in a pinch, it's still delicious with butter.


Cream the cream cheese (or butter) in a medium bowl and add the sugar and buttermilk powder, if using. Stir together a bit to get the sugar mixed with the cream cheese a little. Add the buttermilk (or water, if using the powder), and whisk until smooth. 

See how pretty they got?! The swirls really bake up beautifully, even if the rolls were a little smooshed looking before they went in the oven! Let these cool in the pan for about 5 minutes.

Transfer all of the rolls to a wire cooling rack set over some parchment paper (if you have any paper that is previously used, this is a good chance to recycle it).

Pour all of the icing over the rolls and let it drizzle everywhere. You can do this in the pan too, but you don't lose very much icing this way, and it's easier clean up. The icing melts down into all the nooks and crannies and really sweetens everything up perfectly!

These are so good. They're sweet and soft without being too gooey or mushy. And, bonus! They're even better the next day (or 2 days)!! Place any leftovers in an airtight container, pop in the microwave when you're ready to have them, and they'll be slightly soggy in such a good way, you never knew soggy could be so good!

Now pour yourself a nice tall glass of cold milk, or a piping hot cup of coffee, and enjoy!

Easy Peasy Buttermilk Cinnamon Rolls

Makes 8

Ingredients


FOR THE FILLING
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted


FOR THE DOUGH
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups buttermilk (or 5 tablespoons cultured buttermilk powder, plus 1 1/4 cups water)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted


FOR THE ICING
2 tablespoons cream cheese or unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons buttermilk (1 1/2 teaspoons powder, plus 2 tablespoons water)
1 cup confectioners' sugar


To make the filling: Combine all of the dry ingredients in a small bowl. Add the melted butter and stir with a fork until the mixture looks like wet sand. Set aside.


To make the dough: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Brush a 9-inch cake pan with 1 tablespoon of melted butter.


In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt (and the buttermilk powder, if using). Add the buttermilk (or water, if using buttermilk powder) and 2 tablespoons of the butter and stir until just combined. Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and knead until the dough is smooth (it will still be very sift and a little sticky, but should be smoother and less lumpy).


Flatten the dough into a rectangle about 12 inches by 8 inches. Pour 2 tablespoons of the melted butter on and spread around with your fingers. Pour the filling over though dough and spread it evenly over the top, leaving about a 1/2 inch or so border around the outside edge. Press the filling down to sort of pack it on top of the dough.


Starting on the long side of the dough, roll the side up, pressing as you go, to create a tightly rolled log (be gentle, as this will likely stick to the counter a bit). Pinch the seam closed and lay the log seam side down. Cut into 8 even pieces, laying each one flat as you go. Gently press down on the top of each roll, then transfer them to the prepared cake pan. Brush with the remaining 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown.


To make the icing: In a medium bowl, cream the cream cheese and add the sugar. Mix until the sugar and cream cheese start to come together a bit. Add the buttermilk and whisk well, until the mixture is smooth.


Allow the cinnamon rolls to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire cooling rack set over parchment paper. Pour the frosting over the cinnamon rolls. Serve these while they're still warm.


These will keep in an airtight container for at least 3 days.

adapted from Baking Illustrated

Country Bread Bowls, Plus Some Soup!

I don't know about you, but when I hear 'bread bowl' I'm the first in line. I mean, bread? That's a bowl? Full of tasty soup? How can I say no? I can't. Ever. That's why, a couple of years ago, I decided to attempt making them myself. I have to admit, I was pretty intimidated...there's no way this was going to be easy.


Guess what, though?! It totally was easy! Rather than scouring the food world for a bowl specific recipe, I decided to modify a recipe I already had that I love. It's easy to make and the shape/consistency was already conducive to being used as a bowl, so I gave it a shot. I'm so glad I did...and I think you will be too!


Just so you can decide if this is something you want to make, here are the pros and cons to this recipe:


Pros:
1. Soft, chewy crust
2. Dense, flavorful crumb
3. Easy to mix and shape
4. Thick crust can hold the heaviest stews or the lightest soups
5. Can be made as four small bowls or one large


Cons:
1. You can't stop eating them
2. I can't think of anything else!

When you subtract rise/rest times, these bowls only take about 20 minutes to mix and shape, and only 15 minutes to bake. To get started you just need bread flour, warm water (between 95 and 110 degrees, but no warmer or it kills the yeast), all-purpose flour, honey, salt, and instant yeast.

Combine all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl, or the bowl of a standing mixer. Add the honey to the warm water, then pour the liquid over the dry ingredients.

Mix together until just combined (it will be wet and lumpy).

Cover your bowl loosely with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rest for 15 minutes. After the dough has rested, knead it for 10 minutes until smooth and no longer sticking to the sides of the bowl. Depending on the humidity where you live, you may need extra flour. I sometimes have to use as much as an extra half cup. If you need more flour, you can use either bread or all-purpose flour.

Once the dough has kneaded for about 10 minutes, transfer it to a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and allow to rise until doubled (about one hour).

After the dough has doubled, turn it onto a floured surface (and with floured hands, as this is a somewhat wet, sticky dough) and divide it into four equal pieces. Roll each piece into a smooth boule. Place the boules about four to five inches apart on parchment paper on a rimless baking sheet, cover with a clean, dry towel, and allow to rise again until doubled (another hour, give or take). If you don't have a rimless baking sheet, you can turn your rimmed sheet over and use the bottom.

When the boules are doubled, they should still have two or three inches of space between one another.

Using a sharp knife, cut a line or an 'X' into the top of each boule. I like to bake these on top of a pizza stone to give them an even thicker bottom crust. Just carefully slide the parchment paper right off of the baking sheet and onto the hot pizza stone. If you don't have a pizza stone, just place the whole baking sheet in the oven with the loaves still on it. 


Spray the boules with water and place in an oven that has been preheated to 500 degrees. After one minute, spray the loaves with more water. Repeat this process twice more (with one minute baking time between each spray), then bake the loaves for 12 minutes (a total baking time of 15 minutes). The water is going to make the loaves have a soft, chewy crust, rather than a thick, crisp crust.


The interior of the bowls should be about 190 degrees, so bake for a few minutes longer, if necessary. You shouldn't need more than an extra 5 minutes, but if you bake longer, lower the oven temp to 400 degrees for the remaining time. Another way to tell if the bread is done is to thump the bottom lightly with your fingers. If it gives a somewhat hollow sound, they're done. The sound sort of reminds me of what a large bouncy ball sounds like when you bounce it. Silly, I know, but true!

As difficult as it is, allow the loaves to cool completely before making them into bowls or serving them.

To make the loaves into bowls, cut a circle just through the top crust of the loaf. Now follow the same circle again, but cut a little deeper, being careful not to cut through the bottom crust. 

Using your fingers, pull the center of the loaf out by reaching under it to make sure you get all of it out.

These will hold about one cup of soup or stew, which doesn't seem like much, but with the bread from the bowl to go with it, it's quite filling. If, however, you're up for seconds, so are the bowls! They're sturdy enough to be used again, without any leaking or anything. Fill with your favorite soup or stew and enjoy!

Country Bread Bowls

Makes 4 Small Round Loaves or Bowls

Ingredients

2 cups bread flour
2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
2 teaspoons salt
1 3/4 cups warm water
2 tablespoons honey or sugar

Combine all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl, or the bowl of a standing mixer. 

Add the honey to the warm water, then pour the liquid over the dry ingredients. Mix together until just combined (it will be wet and lumpy). Cover your bowl loosely with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rest for 15 minutes.


Knead the dough for 10 minutes until smooth and no longer sticking to the sides of the bowl. If the dough is too wet, add extra flour, as needed. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and allow to rise until doubled (about one hour).

Once doubled, turn the dough onto a floured surface and used flour hands to divide it into four equal pieces. Roll each piece into a smooth boule. Place the boules about four to five inches apart on parchment paper, cover with a clean, dry towel, and allow to rise again until doubled (another hour, give or take).

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.


Using a sharp knife, cut a line or an 'X' into the top of each boule. Spray the boules with water and bake for 1 minute. Spray the loaves with more water. Repeat this process twice more (with one minute baking time between each spray). You should spray the loaves a total of 4 times: once before putting them in the oven, and three more times after. Bake for another 12 minutes, or until the interior temperature reads 190 degrees.

Place the hot bowls on a wire cooling rack and allow to cool completely before serving.

To make the loaves into bowls, cut a circle just through the top crust of the loaf. Now follow the same circle again, but cut a little deeper, being careful not to cut through the bottom crust. Use your fingers to pull the center of the loaf out by reaching under it to make sure you get all of it.

Cheesy Ham and Potato Soup

Ingredients

1/4 cup (1 stick) butter
3 stalks diced celery
1/2 of a small onion, finely chopped
5 cups peeled and diced potatoes
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sherry
3 cups chicken broth
2 teaspoons extra chicken bouillon
2 cups milk
3/4 cup diced cooked ham, or 8 slices cooked, diced bacon
1 - 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, plus more for sprinkling on top
salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and celery, cook for 5-7 minutes. Stir in the potatoes; cook for another 5 minutes. Add the thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the flour. Increase the heat to medium high and add the sherry and stir well. Slowly add the chicken broth, stirring constantly until all of it is mixed in. Add the milk, extra bouillon, and ham. Cook for 30-45 minutes, until the potatoes are fork tender. Stir in the cheese and add salt and pepper to taste.