Thursday, December 6, 2007

PRIZE WINNING RECIPES

PRIZE WINNING RECIPES

CHOCOLATE CHERRY CHEESECAKE

Crust:

1-1/4 cups chocolate wafer crumbs (about 18 wafers)

2 tbsp. sugar

3 tbsp. melted butter or margarine

Filling:

2 (250 g or 8-oz) packages cream cheese

1 (125 g or 4-oz) package cream cheese

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup cocoa

2 tsp. vanilla

1 cup whipping cream

3 medium eggs

1 (19-oz.) can cherry pie filling

2 tbsp. chocolate cherry liqueur (optional)

2 tbsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/4 oz. grated semi-sweet chocolate

Combine chocolate wafer crumbs, 2 tbsp. sugar and melted butter.

Press into bottom of 9 inch spring form pan. Bake in moderate

oven, 350 degrees, for 10 minutes. Cool. Reduce oven temperature

to 300 degrees.

Have cream cheese at room temperature. Beat in large mixing bowl

at medium speed until creamy. Gradually beat in the one cup of

sugar and cocoa. Add vanilla. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat

until smooth. Pour over chocolate crust. Bake in slow oven, 300

degrees, about one hour until center of cake is firm. Remove

from oven and cool to room temperature.

Combine cherry pie filling with liqueur, if being used. Pour

over cooled cheesecake.

Add the two tbsp. sugar and vanilla to whipping cream in bowl.

Whip until stiff. Spoon onto cake, covering evenly. Chill

several hours before serving.

Decorate with grated chocolate. Makes 10 to 12 servings. This

cheesecake freezes well.

BRANDIED PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE

Crust:

1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted

1/4 cup sugar

Filling:

2 (250 g) pack cream cheese at room temperature

1 (125 g) pack cream cheese at room temperature

1 cup sugar

4 medium eggs

1 (14 oz.) can pumpkin (no spices added)

2-1/2 tsp. ginger

1 tbsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. cloves

1/3 cup brandy

whipped cream

preserved ginger

For crust, combine crumbs, sugar and butter in a bowl and mix

well. Press crumb mixture firmly into bottom of 10 inch spring

form pan and 2 inches up sides. Bake in moderate oven, 350

degrees for 10 minutes.

For filling beat together cream cheese and sugar until light and

fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each

addition until smooth and creamy. Add pumpkin, ginger, cinnamon,

nutmeg, cloves and brandy and mix until well blended. Pour

cheese mixture into crust and bake in slow oven, 325 degrees,

for 50 or 60 minutes, or until well risen. Turn off heat and let

cheesecake cool in oven. When cold, decorate top with whipped

cream and sliced ginger.

SICILIAN RICOTTA CHEESECAKE

Sponge cake:

Butter

3 egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

Finely chopped rind of 1/2 lemon

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

3 egg whites

Filling:

1-1/2 cup sugar

1-1/2 lb. fresh ricotta cheese

1 lb. mixed candied fruit

1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon

3 1-oz. squares semi-sweet chocolate, chopped in pieces

8 tbsp. Maraschino liqueur

To make the sponge cake:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 10 inch spring-form

cake pan.

Whisk the eggs yolks with the sugar, grated lemon rind and 3

tbsp. hot water until light and foamy.

Sift the flour and baking powder together, and fold it into the

egg yolk mixture.

Whisk the egg whites until stiff, but not dry. With a large

spoon, fold them into the cake mixture.

Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan and bake for 15 to

20 minutes, or until the cake is a rich golden color and springs

back when pressed lightly. Turn out and cool on a wire rack.

For the filling:

Dissolve the sugar in 3 tbsp. of water over low heat. Beat the

sugar syrup with the ricotta cheese until it is smoothly

blended. Put aside about half of the best pieces of candied

fruit to decorate the cake. Chop the remainder coarsely.

Add the cinnamon to the sweetened ricotta and beat until smooth

and creamy. Put aside a few tbsp. of the mixture for decoration.

Combine the remainder with the chopped fruit and chocolate.

Cut the sponge cake in half horizontally. Put one layer on the

bottom of the cake pan, cut side up, and sprinkle it with half

of the Maraschino. Spread with the remaining cheese mixture. Fit

the ring of the cake pan in position and chill the cake for

several hours.

When ready to serve, remove the cake from the pan and place it

on a large, flat serving dish. Coat the top and sides with the

reserved cheese and decorate with the reserved candied fruit.

You may also decorate the cake with whipped cream, and the

candied fruits may be supplemented with chopped nuts.

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