Dessert | Good Dinner Mrs Mellen

Category: Dessert
- New Year’s Eve Cheesecake with Heath Topping and White Chocolate
  
  Posted at 9:01 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Dec 29th
  I remember my mother making this cheesecake when I was a young child. My mother called this a New York-style cheesecake made with five packages of cream cheese and seven eggs, plus sour cream. So deliciously rich! It became a family tradition for my mother to make her cheesecake at Christmas. The recipe has become a staple in my cooking repertoire. And at Christmas, I make the basic cheesecake and change up the topping. If you flow my blog I’ve topped it with candied cranberries for a festive Christmas dessert.
  
  This year I added a Heath Baking bits topping and drizzled it with white chocolate for a New Year’s Eve dessert. I’ll serve it with Champagne!
  
  Crust:
  
  2 1/4 cups (302g) graham cracker crumbs, Honey Made
  
  5 tbsp (65g) sugar, Domino’s Sugar
  
  1/8 tsp salt
  
  10 tbsp (140g) unsalted butter, melted, Cabot Creamery
  
  Filling:
  
  5 pkg.(8-oz) cream cheese softened, Philadelphia cream cheese
  
  1 3/4 cups sugar, Domino’s Sugar
  
  3 tablespoon flour, King Arthur flour
  
  2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
  
  1 1/2 grated orange peel
  
  1/4 teaspoon vanilla, McCormack
  
  5 eggs, plus 2 egg yolks
  
  1/4 cup heavy cream
  
  Topping
  
  1/2 Heath Baking bits, Toffee bits
  
  1/2 cup white chocolate, Ghiradelli chocolate
  
  2 teaspoons shortening, Crisco
  
  Preheat over to 325F. Grease the inside of the 9-inch springform pan(3 inches high).
  
  Make gram cracker crust: In a medium bowl, combine gram crackers, sugar, salt, and melted butter until blended—place in prepared springform pan. I like to use a measuring cup to press gram cracker crumbs on the bottom of the pan and two inches up the sides. Bake the crust for about 8-10 minutes, cool.
  
  Preheat oven 450F.
  
  Filling: In a large mixer bowl, blend cheese, sugar, flour, peels, and vanilla at high speed. Beat in eggs and yolks, one at a time: beat until smooth, occasionally scraping bowl with a spatula. Add cream and beat in until combined. Pour into pan. Bake 10 minutes. Lower oven to 250F.
  
  Remove cheesecake from the oven. Sprinkle Heath topping over cheesecake.
  
  Return to oven. Bake 1 hour longer or until the tester comes out clean. Remove pan to rack to cool, 2 hours.
  
  Melt white chocolate according to package instructions. Stir in shortening—Drizzle over cheesecake. Chill until ready to serve. You can make this a day ahead and keep it in the refrigerator.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Baking, Cake, Celebrations, Christmas, Christmas Recipes, Dessert, desserts, Elegant, entertaining, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, New Year's Eve | Tagged Cabot creamery, Cheesecake, Christmas Dessert, Crisco, Domino's sugar, Ghiradelli Chocolate, Heath Baking bits
- Oatmeal Christmas Cherry Rounds
  
  Posted at 9:45 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Dec 20th
  I do love to bake cookies, yes they do take time to make but so worth all your effort. My fondest memories of Christmas are helping my mother bake. One of my jobs was to use my grandmother’s cast iron single pizzelle mold. My mother would make the dough and then it was my job to hold the mold on the stove and cook on each side just until the cookie was done. The mold only made one cookie at a time. I retired mold but the wonderful remembrances live on and keep me baking copious cookies quantities during the Christmas season. A tradition I am passing along to my grandchildren.
  
  Oatmeal Cherry Rounds are easy to make, simply delicious, and add a festive look to any cookie collection. If you are a cookie virgin I would suggest these Oatmeal cookies as a great first cookie to bake. I used red cherries, you can use red and green cherries or pecan in the center it is also nice.
  
  1 cup butter, Cabot
  
  1 cup brown sugar, Domino sugar
  
  1 egg
  
  1/2 tsp vanilla, McCormack Spices
  
  2 cups flour, King Arthur Flour
  
  1 tsp cinnamon, Penzeys Spices
  
  1/2 tsp baking soda
  
  1/2 tsp salt
  
  1 1/2 cup oatmeal (quick cook), Quaker Oats
  
  1/4 cup sugar, Domino Sugar
  
  1 package(4 oz) red cherries, Paridise Holiday Fruit
  
  Pre-heat oven to 375 F. Cream butter and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl. If you plan to be a baker invest in a stand mixer to make the task quick and easy. Beat in egg and vanilla until well mixed. Combine dry ingredients and add to cream mixture, stir in oats. Shape dough into small balls and roll in sugar, place on ungreased cookie sheet. Cut cherries in half and press half in center of ball pressing down to flatten cookie. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Baking, Christmas, Christmas Recipes, cookies, Dessert, desserts, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen | Tagged Cabot Butter, Christmas cookies, Domino sugar, Easy recipe, King Arthur Flour, McCormack Spices, oatmeal cherry rounds, Penzeys Spices, Quaker Oats
- Snowy Winter White Chocolate Cranberry Cake
  
  Posted at 9:03 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Dec 12th
  Snowy Winter White Chocolate Cranberry Cake
  
  When I decorated this cake, I wanted to capture the image of glistering fresh new snow illuminated by a bright full moon! This cake is a beautiful showstopper and tastes incredible. I love the contrast between tender white cake filled with a heavenly white chocolate ganache. Sugared cranberries finish this winter wonderland storybook cake to perfection, creating a glorious finish to any holiday meal or party!
  
  Sugared Cranberries
  
  2 cups fresh cranberries
  
  1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
  
  1 cup of water
  
  Cake
  
  2 1/4 cups cake flour, King Arthur Cake Flour
  
  1 3/4 cups all purposed flour, King Arthur Flour
  
  1 tablespoon baking powder
  
  1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  
  1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature Cabot’s butter is my favorite.
  
  3 cups granulated sugar, Domino
  
  6 large eggs, at room temperature
  
  1 1/2 cups whole milk
  
  2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
  1 teaspoon almond extract
  
  3 cups cranberries, Ocean Spray
  
  White Chocolate Icing
  
  12 oz white chocolate chips, Ghirardelli
  
  3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
  
  3/4 cup butter, room temperature, Cabot
  
  8-9 cups powdered sugar, Domino
  
  Sugared Cranberries:
  
  1. Bring 1 cup sugar and water to a simmer in a saucepan. Simmer until sugar is completely dissolved.
  
  2. Pour simple syrup into a heatproof bowl and allow to cool for about 10 minutes.
  
  3. Add cranberries and stir to coat.
  
  4. Refrigerate cranberries in syrup overnight, stirred a couple times to coat with syrup.
  
  5. Remove cranberries from syrup and roll in the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar. You’ll need to roll them a few times to get a couple layers of sugar on them.
  
  6. Set cranberries aside to dry for an hour or so.
  
  Cake
  
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three 9″ round cake pans.
  
  2. To make the cake: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, baking powder, and salt.
  
  3. In a large bowl, beat the butter until smooth.
  
  4. Gradually add the sugar and beat until fluffy.
  
  5. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
  
  6. Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, and beat for 1 more minute. Add cranberries by hand.*
  
  7. Divide the dough among the prepared pans. If you’re using a scale, put 1 1/2 pounds of batter in each pan.
  
  8. Bake the cakes for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool in the pans for 15 minutes. Turn the cakes out of the pans and cool completely on a rack.
  
  White Chocolate Icing
  
  1. Place white chocolate chips in a metal bowl.
  
  2. Microwave heavy cream until it starts to boil. Remove from microwave and pour over chocolate chips.
  
  3. Cover bowl with saran wrap for 5-7 minutes.
  
  4. Whisk chocolate and cream until smooth.
  
  5. Allow ganache to sit until mostly cool. It should be thick.
  
  6. Beat the ganache with a mixer for about 2-3 minutes, until smooth and fluffy.
  
  7. Add butter and beat until it is fully combined.
  
  8. Slowly add powdered sugar and beat until it is fluffy and the right consistency. Add more cream if needed.
  
  To assemble the cake:
  
  1. Remove cake domes from cakes with a large serrated knife.
  
  2. Place the first layer of cake on a cake plate. Spread about icing on top in an even layer.
  
  3. Add the second layer of cake and add more icing on top in an even layer.
  
  4. Add the final layer of cake on top and ice the outside of the cake.
  
  5. Top the cake with sparkling cranberries and add some around the edge, if desired.
  
  *Tip: Dust cranberries with flour before adding to the batter to prevent their sinking to the bottom of the cake layers.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Christmas Recipes, Dessert, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen | Tagged Cabot Butter, cake, cranberry, Domino sugar, Ghiradelli Chocolate, King Arthur Flour, White Chocolate
- Christmas Orange and Bourbon Biscotti
  
  Posted at 9:08 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Dec 7th
  My passion for baking Christmas Cookies began as a young child when I assisted my mother with baking. Each year we would bake together an array of delectable jewels for family and friends. After I married I continued the tradition of baking copious quantities of cookies. I make favorites from my childhood, adding new recipes to my repertoire each year.
  
  Biscotti is a family favorite especially to dunk in coffee and I love to make different types of cookies. This year I added orange and bourbon to the biscotti dough for a delicious cookie.
  
  I like my biscotti’s soft not hard so I don’t bake for too long when I return the cookie to the oven after slicing. If you prefer a crisper biscotti bake 15 – 30 minutes the second time.
  
  2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, King Arthur flour
  
  2 teaspoons baking powder
  
  ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  ½ cup unsalted butter softened, Cabot
  ¾ cup granulated sugar
  2 large eggs
  1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  2 tablespoons (1 oz.) bourbon
  ¾ teaspoon grated orange zest
  ½ cup whole raw almonds, roughly chopped
  6 tablespoons white chocolate chips, Ghiradelli
  1 teaspoon canola oil
  
  Directions
  Preheat oven to 350°F, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl.
  
  Beat softened butter and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Add vanilla, bourbon, and grated orange zest, and continue beating until incorporated.
  
  Reduce speed to medium-low, and gradually add flour mixture, one-third at a time. Beat until well blended. Fold in chopped almonds using a rubber spatula. With floured hands, scoop dough onto a lightly floured surface. (Dough will be very sticky.)
  
  Wrap dough in waxed paper and refrigerate for two hours.
  
  Roll dough into a 15-inch-long and press top to shape log into a ½-inch-thick rectangle (about 4 inches wide).
  
  Bake in preheated oven until golden and puffy, about 25 to 30 minutes, rotating baking sheet from front to back halfway through bake time. Transfer baked rectangle to a wire rack, and let cool 15 minutes. Reserve parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
  
  With a sharp serrated knife, cut the rectangle crosswise into ¾-inch-thick slices. Arrange cookies, standing upright (not on cut sides), on a reserved baking sheet, and return to the oven. Bake at 350°F until lightly dried, deep golden, and crisp outside, about 5 -10 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and cool completely for about 30 minutes. Cover the baking sheet with a new sheet of parchment paper.
  
  Arrange biscotti, cut side up, on a prepared baking sheet. Melt white chocolate chips in the microwave for 1 to 1 and a half minutes, and stir in oil until thoroughly combined. Put melted chocolate in a squeeze bottle and drizzle melted white chocolate mixture over biscotti. Let stand until chocolate sets, about 30 minutes. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Baking, Baking, Christmas, Christmas Recipes, cookies, Dessert, desserts, entertaining, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Holiday Celebrations, mac & cheese | Tagged biscotti, Bourbon, Easy recipe, Ghiradelli Chocolate, King Arthur Flour, oranges
- Poppy Seed Bread
  
  Posted at 9:00 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Dec 6th
  Another recipe from my childhood Christmases, Poppy Seed Bread. My mother was raised in a neighborhood with many different ethnic groups sharing delicious foods with each other from all over the world. She learned from her Polish neighbors to make Eastern European style pastries which she incorporated into her holiday baking. Making her old holiday pastries transports me again to a time when I learned the magic of Christmas which still lives with me to this day!
  
  Poppy Seed Bread
  
  2 cups whole milk
  
  2 packages yeast
  
  2 teaspoon salt
  
  1/2 cup sugar
  
  2 eggs, slightly beaten
  
  1/2 cup shortening (Crisco)
  
  7 to 7 1/2 cups sifted all purposed flour
  
  4 tablespoon butter
  
  2 cans Poppyseed pastry filling(Solo)
  
  1 cup chopped pecans
  
  1 cup golden raisins
  
  Preheat oven to 375F. Heat milk until tiring bubbles form, 2-3 minutes. Put 1/4 cup of hot milk in a small bowl, let cool to lukewarm. Add yeast, let dissolve for 5 minutes. In a large bowl add remaining milk and cool. Stir in salt, sugar, shortening, and eggs. Next, add dissolved yeast then on low beat in half of the flour gradually. By hand add as much of remaining flour to make the dough easy to handle. Knead on a wooden board for about 5 minutes. Put the dough in a bowl, cover with a clean towel letting rise to double in size for approximately an hour. Knead the dough again, place back in the bowl and let rise again for another hour.
  
  Divide dough in half; roll each half into an oblong sheet about 1/2 inch thick. Melt butter then brush over dough. Spread poppy seed pastry filling over dough to half-inch from edge. Sprinkle pecans than raisins. Roll up jelly-roll style. Place both loaves on the parchment-lined cookie sheet. Cover and let rise again for an hour. Then bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown.
  
  This recipe can be cut in half if you only want to make one loaf.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Baking, Baking, breads, Casserole, Celebrations, Christmas, Christmas Recipes, Dessert, desserts, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Holiday Celebrations, Pastry | Tagged Cabot Butter, golden raisins, King Arthur Flour, nuts, Poppy Seed Bread, Solo Poppy Seed Filling, Yeast Bread
- Kolaches – Hungarian Christmas Cookies
  
  Posted at 2:51 pm by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Dec 5th
  Kolaches, Hungarian Christmas Cookies take me back to the Christmastimes of my childhood where my mother would spend days baking Christmas cookies, filling our home with perfectly delightful smells. I would come home from school being greeted by my mother and the aroma of cookies baking in the oven. One of her favorite cookies to bake was Kolaches: a recipe that was passed down to her by a Hungarian neighbor when she was growing up. Like my mother, these flakey cookies have become one of my favorites that I still make today for my family and friends!
  
  Enjoy!
  
  Kolaches – Hungarian Christmas Cookies
  
  2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  
  ½ teaspoon salt
  
  8 oz cream cheese, softened
  
  1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  
  ½ cup powdered sugar for rolling
  
  1 can Solo Poppy Seed Cake and Pastry Filling
  
  For the Pastry Dough:
  
  Sift flour and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside. Beat the cream cheese and butter together with a stand mixer or a hand mixer until completely incorporated and creamy (3-5 minutes).
  
  Reduce the speed of the mixer and slowly add in the flour. I used 5 additions and completely mixed in the flour each time. The dough will be soft but not sticky.
  
  Divide the dough into 4 equal parts and flatten each to ¾” thick. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until hard, at least 2 hours.
  
  Assembling the Kolaches:
  
  Preheat the oven to 375°. Move the oven rack one setting higher than the center.
  
  Take one of the disks of dough from the refrigerator and lightly flour both sides. Spread powdered sugar on your pastry board or work surface. Place the dough on top and roll out the pastry to 1/16” to 1/8” thick.
  
  With a pastry wheel or sharp knife, trim the dough into a square and then cut the square into 16 smaller squares. Place a dollop of filling into the center of each square. I used ½ teaspoon to ¾ teaspoon for each.
  
  Gently grab two opposite corners and fold one over the other, gently pressing down to try and seal them together. Gently move it to a parchment-covered baking sheet. Repeat with all remaining squares, placing the kolaches no closer than 1” apart.
  
  Sprinkle the middles of the kolaches with just a touch of granulated sugar.
  
  Bake 12-14 minutes or until the bottom edges are golden and you can smell them. Let cool slightly on the pan on a wire rack and then move them gently to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with all remaining dough. Refrigerate and re-roll your scraps.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Baking, cookies, Dessert, desserts, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Pastry | Tagged Hungarian Christmas cookies, mom's recipe, Solo Poppy Seed Filling
- Christmas Cranberry Cheesecake
  
  Posted at 10:00 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Nov 30th
  My mother passed this recipe New York-style cheesecake to me many years ago. It is the richest cheesecake that you can make. I save it for special occasions when I want to share a show-stopping dessert that tops off dinner or a party. I have included a recipe for a pineapple glaze, or you can thickly spread sour cream on top. Or if I want to make this for a Christmas dessert I put candied cranberries on top. Either way, this cheesecake is the star of the show!
  
  Crust:
  
  1 cup sifted flour, King Arthur Flour
  
  1/4 cup sugar
  
  1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
  
  1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
  1 egg yolk
  
  1/4 cup butter, softened
  
  Filling:
  
  5 pkg.(8-oz) cream cheese softened, Philadelphia cream cheese
  
  1 3/4 cups sugar
  
  3 tablespoon flour
  
  2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
  
  1 1/2 grated orange peel
  
  1/4 teaspoon vanilla
  
  5 eggs, plus 2 egg yolks
  
  1/4 cup heavy cream
  
  Pineapple Glaze:
  
  2 tablespoon sugar
  
  4 teaspoon cornstarch
  
  2 cans(8 1/4-oz) crushed pineapple in heavy syrup, undrained
  
  2 tablespoon lemon juice
  
  Sugared cranberries
  
  2 cups fresh cranberries
  
  1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
  
  1 cup water
  
  Preheat over to 400F. Grease the inside of the 9-inch springform pan(3 inches high). Remove side.
  
  Make the crust: In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, lemon, peel, vanilla. Make well in center; with a fork, blend in yolk and butter. Mix with fingertips until smooth. Form half of the dough into a ball and place it on the bottom of the springform pan. Place wax paper on top; roll pastry to edge of the pan. Remove paper. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes or until golden. Cool. Meanwhile, divide the rest of the dough into three parts. Between waxed paper roll each part 2 1/4 inch wide and 9 inches long. Assemble the springform pan with the crust on the bottom. Line sides of the pan with pastry strips, overlapping ends. Remove waxed paper. Preheat oven 450F.
  
  Filling: In a large mixer bowl, blend cheese, sugar, flour, peels, and vanilla at high speed. Beat in eggs and yolks, one at a time: beat until smooth, occasionally scraping bowl with a spatula. Beat in cream. Pour into pan. Bake 10 minutes. Lower oven to 250F. Bake 1 hour longer. Remove pan to rack to cool, 2 hours. Make glaze.
  
  Glaze: In a small saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Over medium heat, bring to boiling, stirring; boil 1 minute, or until thickened and translucent. Cool.
  
  Spread the surface of cheesecake with glaze; refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight.
  
  Sugared Cranberries: Bring 1 cup sugar and water to a simmer in a saucepan. Simmer until sugar is completely dissolved. Pour simple syrup into a heatproof bowl and allow to cool for about 10 minutes. Add cranberries and stir to coat. Refrigerate cranberries in syrup overnight, stirred a couple times to coat with syrup.
  
  Remove cranberries from syrup and roll in the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar. You’ll need to roll them a few times to get a couple layers of sugar on them.
  
  Set cranberries aside to dry for an hour or so.
  
  To serve: Loosen pastry from the side of the pan with a spatula. Remove sides of springform pan. Top with either Pineapple glaze or sugared cranberries. Serves 16
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Baking, Baking, Cake, Celebrations, cheese, Christmas, Christmas Recipes, Dessert, entertaining, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen | Tagged Cheesecake, Cranberries, King Arthur's Flour, Philadelphia cream cheese
- Pecan Pie
  
  Posted at 9:01 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Nov 28th
  My family loves a traditional Pecan Pie. For years I’ve wanted a more creative pie, like adding chocolate, but, no, no, they tell me. So I no longer ask them; I give them what they want!
  
  Here is my traditional Pecan Pie that graces our Christmas table each year. It’s easy and delicious!
  
  Traditional Pecan Pie
  
  Pie Crust
  
  1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  
  1/4 teaspoon salt
  
  1/3 cup shortening, Crisco
  
  4 – 5 tablespoons cold water
  
  1. Stir together flour and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in shortening until pieces are pea-size.
  
  2. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the water over part of the mixture; gently toss with a fork. Push moistened dough to the side of the bowl. Repeat moistening dough, using 1 tablespoon of the water at a time, until all the dough is moistened. Form dough into a ball.
  
  3. On a lightly floured surface, use your hands to slightly flatten the dough. Roll dough from center to edges into a circle about 12 inches in diameter.
  
  4. To transfer pastry, wrap it around the rolling pin. Unroll pastry into a 9-inch pie plate. Ease pastry into pie plate, being careful not to stretch pastry.
  
  5. Rim pastry to 1/2 inch beyond edge of pie plate. Fold under extra pastry. Crimp edge as desired. Do not prick pastry. Or you can use a pre-made pie crust(I like Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust)
  
  Filling
  
  1/2 cup dark corn syrup, Karo
  
  1/2 cup light corn syrup, Karo
  
  3 eggs
  
  1 cup of sugar
  
  2 Tbs. butter, melted, Cabot Creamery
  
  1 tsp vanilla extract
  
  1 1/2 cups pecans halves
  
  Pre-heat oven to 350 F. Whisk the first five ingredients thoroughly. Pour into the pie crust. I like to place the pecan halves in a circular design.
  
  Bake on the center rack of the oven for 55 to 60 minutes. Do not overbake.
  
  TIP: Pie is done when the center reaches 200 F. Tap center surface of pie lightly; it should spring back when done. Don’t overbake.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Baking, Baking, Celebrations, Christmas, Christmas Recipes, Dessert, desserts, Easy recipes, entertaining, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen, Holiday Celebrations, Pastry, Pie | Tagged Cabot Butter, Christmas dinner, Crisco, Easy recipe, Karo syrup, Pecan pie, Pillsbury Pie crust
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars with Drizzled Chocolate
  
  Posted at 9:23 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Nov 10th
  Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars with Drizzled Chocolate
  
  6 tablespoons butter, melted, I use Cabot’s butter
  
  1 ½ graham cracker crumbs
  
  32 oz cream cheese, at room temperature, I used Philadelphia cream cheese
  
  4 eggs
  
  1 teaspoon vanilla
  
  1 ½ cups sugar
  
  15 oz can pumpkin puree, I use Libby pumpkin puree
  
  1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
  
  CRUMBLE TOPPING
  
  ½ cup butter, I use Cabot’s butter
  
  1 cup flour, I use King Arthur
  
  ½ cup brown sugar
  
  1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  
  6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
  
  In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter and crushed graham crackers. Stir until the mixture develops a wet sand texture.
  
  Cover the bottom of a greased 9 x13-inch (23×33 cm) baking pan with the graham cracker mixture and spread evenly. Chill for 1 hour.
  
  In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese, eggs, vanilla, and sugar. Stir until the mixture is smooth.
  
  Spread half of the cheesecake batter into the chilled baking pan, smoothing the top, and freeze for 30 minutes.
  
  Preheat the oven to 325˚F (160˚C).
  
  Add the pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice to the remaining cheesecake batter and stir until incorporated.
  
  Spoon the pumpkin cheesecake mixture over the frozen cheesecake mixture and spread evenly.
  
  Bake for 1 hour.
  
  Make the crumb topping: In a medium bowl, combine the butter, flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Stir until all ingredients are evenly incorporated and the mixture develops a wet sand texture.
  
  Top the cheesecake with the crumble topping and bake for another 25 minutes.
  
  Allow the cheesecake to cool at room temperature.
  
  Microwave, chocolate, uncovered, on high for 1½ to 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds or so, or until chocolate is soft enough to stir smooth. Drizzle over cheesecake. I use a plastic squeeze bottle that is made specifically to drizzle ingredients.
  
  For best results refrigerate overnight once completely cooled, then slice and serve.
  
  Enjoy!
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  Posted in Autumn, Baking, Chocolate, Dessert, desserts, Food, Good Dinner Mrs Mellen | Tagged Autumn Dessert, baking, bar cookies, Cabot's butter, King Arthur's Flour, Libby pumpkin, Philadelphia cream cheese, pumpkin cheesecake bars, Thanksgiving dessert
- Bourbon Pecan Cheesecake
  
  Posted at 9:33 am by Good Dinner Mrs Mellen
  
  Nov 1st
  Southern Living Magazine is one of my favorite magazine for cooking, garden, and decorating ideas. I find their recipes easy to make, kitchen tested and delicious. I made this cheesecake for my family on Christmas and it was a huge hit.
  
  The only comment I will make is that I would make is that if you chill the praline topping overnight it become too thick to drizzle over the cheese cake and you have to warm the mixture up. I think this was omitted from the recipe since they say to put the praline topping in a heatproof bowl. I would suggest making it the day that you are serving the cheesecake and letting it cool for 1-4 hours then drizzle over cheesecake.
  
  Crust
  - 2 cups graham cracker crumbs (from 1 [13 ½-oz.] pkg. graham cracker crumbs)
  - ½ cups finely chopped pecans
  - ½ cup butter, melted
  - 3 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
  Filling
  - 4 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  - 1 cup granulated sugar
  - ½ cup packed dark brown sugar
  - 4 large eggs, at room temperature
  - ¼ cup sour cream
  - ¼ cup (2 oz.) bourbon
  - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  Praline Topping
  - ¼ cup butter
  - ¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
  - ¼ cup whole milk
  - 2 tablespoons (1 oz.) bourbon
  - 1 cup toasted pecan halves
  Directions
  - Step 1
    Prepare the Crust: Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Stir together graham cracker crumbs, pecans, butter, and brown sugar in a bowl until well blended. Press mixture into bottom and 1 ½ inches up the sides of prepared springform pan. Bake until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. (Do not turn off oven.) Transfer Crust in springform pan to a wire rack; cool completely, about 30 minutes.
  - Step 2
    Prepare the Filling: Beat cream cheese with a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on low speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add granulated and brown sugars; beat until fully combined and smooth, about 1 minute. Add eggs 2 at a time, beating until just combined, about 15 seconds, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as needed using a rubber spatula. Add sour cream, bourbon, and vanilla. Beat until just combined, about 1 minute, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as needed (do not over-beat).
  - Step 3
    Pour Filling into cooled Crust. Gently jiggle pan to smooth top. Place cheesecake in a plastic slow-cooker liner; place cheesecake in liner in a large roasting pan. (Or double wrap the springform pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil.) Place roasting pan in oven. Pour warm water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of pan (do not let water get into slow-cooker liner). Bake at 350°F until cheesecake center is slightly jiggly, about 1 hour. Turn off oven; prop oven door ajar about 4 inches. Let cheesecake stand in open oven for 1 hour. Remove from oven and from slow-cooker liner. Place in refrigerator until fully chilled, at least 6 hours or up to 24 hours.
  - Step 4
    Meanwhile, prepare the Praline Topping: Cook butter and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium-high, stirring often, until melted and beginning to bubble, 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; whisk in milk and bourbon. Cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in pecans. Transfer to a heatproof bowl. Cool 1 hour or up to 4 hours. Cover; chill until ready to serve, up to 24 hours.
  - Step 5
    Remove cheesecake from pan. Drizzle with Praline Topping before serving.
    
    Enjoy!
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  Posted in Baking, Cake, Christmas Recipes, Dessert, desserts, Holiday Celebrations | Tagged Bourbon, Cheesecake, Christmas Dessert, pecans, Southern Living Magazine
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