Winter’s Coming: Sensual Fruit Crumble

Do I have your attention? I’m sure I do. Now, how is a crumble, that most humble and homey of fruit desserts sensual? Well, having fixed this many times during the past few years and observing the “behavior” of the fruit involved, all I can say is: the cranberries pop! and the sugar melts…Okay. Maybe not, but it is good.  Tangy and full of juice – perfect with a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream or with a cold glass of milk.

You can of course use different fruits according to season. This is a crumble using autumn/winter fruits. If you don’t use the cranberries and only use apple or apple/pear, then add about one fourth cup of apple juice and a teaspoon of lemon juice and adjust cooking times and sugar content. You can also add a nice splash of pear or apple brandy along with the vanilla as well. Not only a sensual, but an extremely adaptable fruit crumble.

I like best those desserts that are simple and full of fruit. My favorite birthday cake is apple pie and for my birthday this past weekend, I fixed apple pie. And it is all gone and very happily enjoyed!!! I hope you enjoy this crumble and I am sure you will agree with me on one thing – it’s good!!!

Autumn Fruit Crumble
2 cups fresh or thawed frozen cranberries
2 firm-ripe pears such as Bartlett, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 apples such as Gala, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (I use Macintosh)
3/4 cup sugar, divided
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup old-fashioned oats
½ cup chopped nuts – walnuts, or pecans or almonds (optional)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened

Directions
Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in middle. Stir together fruits, 1/4 cup sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla and place in a buttered shallow 2-quart baking dish. Stir together oats, flour, salt, nuts, and remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Blend in butter with your fingertips until mixture forms small clumps. Scatter over fruit and bake until juices are bubbling and topping is golden brown, about 30 – 40 minutes. Cool slightly before serving. Serves 6

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Holiday Sweet Potato (no, not yam) Recipes

photo from NC Sweet Potato Commission

Okey dokey. Let’s clear this up before we go any further: What is called “yam” in the US is not a yam – it is a sweet potato. Sweet potatoes and yams are not even related or even part of the same family. Yes, both are tubers, yes, both are sweet, both are flowering vines. But…

YAM: grown in Africa, Asia and the Carbbean. It has a thicker skin and some of those pups can grow to be seven feet in length! Yams are starchier, drier, paler interior, darker exterior, must be cooked to be eaten safely, firmer textured, lower in beta carotene and Vitamin C. The yam is part of the lily family.

Sweet Potato: Grown in the Southern US, has tapered ends, flesh can range from white to deep orange, moister, thin skinned, and is a member of the morning glory family. There is a purple variety grown in Okinawa, however. What is called “yam” in the US is actually – Sweet Potato!!! So, no more candied yams, baked yams, fried yams. Unless of course you have been to a specialty grocery and specifically bought a yam imported from the Caribbean, Asia, or Africa.

The Recipes: Cornwallis Yams, er, Sweet Potatoes. I don’t think General Cornwallis ever had this dish or a yam and haven’t a clue as to why this ridiculous name was given to this recipe. But, it is one delicious and rich casserole. It could be considered dessert but it is a side dish typically served during the Holidays. Both of these are standard recipes and came from handwritten recipe cards from my Grandma Ninny’s recipe box and have been part of our family celebrations since Ninny was a baby.  Sweet Potato Pie is a Southern Classic. You folk can have all the pumpkin pie you want, most of us in the South will take Sweet Potato Pie, thank y’all very much.

I did a Christmas post a couple of seasons ago about sweet potato pie, family, and honoring those who have passed before. Here is the link:  kanzensakura.com/2012/12/24/the-smell-of-home a true Christmas-story   I am link challenged and it probably won’t work but the name of the post is The Smell of Home – a True Christmas Story.  You can also search under sweet potato.  I hope y’all enjoy.

Cornwallis Sweet Potato Casserole
6 medium sweet potatoes
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon
ground nutmeg
1/2 cup butter
3 eggs
1/2 cup crushed pineapple
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup grated coconut, plus some for garnish (I use the frozen, unsweetened grated rather than the sweetened coconut in a bag or can)
1 1/2 cups milk
½ c. chopped pecans (optional)

Directions:
Boil sweet potatoes until softened. Peel and mash. Season with cinnamon, nutmeg, and butter.  Beat eggs and add to cooled potatoes. Combine with remaining ingredients. Pour into a greased 9×13-inch or 3-quart casserole. Bake in a 350 oven until light brown, about 1 hour. Top with a sprinkle of coconut.

Sweet Potato Pie
2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup butter or margarine
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground cloves or mace
2 tbs. orange juice
1 tsp. freshly grated lemon peel
1 – 2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 (12-ounce) package frozen deep-dish piecrusts, thawed
Garnishes: whipped cream, grated nutmeg

Directions
Cook sweet potato in boiling water to cover 30 minutes or until tender; drain .Beat sweet potato and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add eggs, vanilla, orange juice, peel, and spices, beating well. Pour mixture evenly into each piecrust. Bake at 350° on lower oven rack for 45 to 50 minutes or until set. Garnish, if desired.

 

Tempting Tuesday: Noodle Kugel

Warm, creamy, sweet noodle kugel is the stuff of dreams. With all the fuss about macaroni and cheese nowadays, noodles are becoming chic again. I’ll take kugel though, any day, any way, anyhow.  Cinnamon, butter, sugar – what’s not to love?

Usually kugel is baked either in a deep casserole baking dish or a standard 9×13 baking pan. The deeper dish makes the custard in which the noodles are put to bed, makes it creamier. This recipe is the result of a most happy accident. My grandma Ninny, of which I have previously written, was putting together baked dishes for a huge family get-together. She mixed up the kugel and realized…oops. The suitable baking dishes are taken. But, the bundt pan was free and clear. She decided to add the brown sugar and pecans just to give it a little extra bling and by golly, history was made in the kitchen that day.

Hanukah and other holidays need kugel. So does Christmas, Thanksgiving, and the third Sunday in January or February – whenever you want the kitchen to be warm and filled with the aromas of vanilla, cinnamon, and butter. I have sometimes not unmolded this and just served it for people to scoop into with the serving spoon, surprising them with the pecans and praline-y crust. However you decide to serve, enjoy and please, try not to eat too much.

Praline Noodle Kugel
3/4 C (1-1/2 sticks) salted butter, melted and divided
3/4 C packed brown sugar
1 C pecans coarsely chopped
1 pound egg noodles
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 c. cream
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 C white sugar
½ c. golden raisins or craisins
2 tsp salt

Start a large pot of water boiling. Preheat oven to 350.
Pour half the melted butter into a 12 cup mold, tube pan, or bundt pan, and swirl around the bottom and up the sides. Mix brown sugar and pecans and press into the sides of the pan into the butter.
Cook the noodles in boiling water, al dente. Drain. In a large bowl, mix hot noodles with a few pats of butter. Mix the noodles with the eggs, the remaining melted butter, raisons, cinnamon, vanilla, white sugar and salt.
Gently spoon noodles into the prepared mold, taking care not to dislodge brown sugar and pecans. Bake at 350 for 1-1/4 hours or until top is brown. Let stand 15 minutes before unmolding. Top will be slightly hard, like a praline.
Serve warm, cold or at room temperature with a dollop of whipped cream.  NOTE: This can be baked in a regular baking dish or casserole. Butter dish and spoon in noodle mixture. Press brown sugar mixture on top of kugel and adjust baking times, until custard Is set, but still jiggely and creamy.  Makes 12 servings.

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Easy Peasy Banana Pudding Cake

This is one of those cool, yummy, creamy cakes that are so good in the summer, especially after Sunday dinner, a backyard cookout, or to take to a potluck.  I love banana pudding but I don’t always feel like taking the time to make the pudding (I always use homemade rich pudding for my nanner pudd’n (see post  http://kanzensakura.com/2012/07/25/future-mother-…g-nanner-puddn).

This cake really is easy and it really is good.  You can use sugar free pudding and/or light whipped topping to help save on some calories and fat.

Y’all enjoy!!!!

Easy Banana Pudding Cake
1 box yellow or white cake mix
2 small boxes instant banana flavor pudding
1 8 oz. whipped topping, thawed
2 ½ small bananas
2 or more tbs. orange or lemon juice

Make cake as directed in a 9×13 baking dish and allow to cool. With handle of wooden spoon, poke holes all over cake to bottom of pan. Slice bananas and put into bowl and lightly toss with juice. Make pudding as directed on box. Before pudding sets up, pour all over cake making sure to fill up holes. Place drained bananas all over cake and cover with whipped topping. Cover and allow to chill for about an hour. Cake is best eaten within 24 hours. Bananas may brown overnight, but juice should help stop the browning.  Optional:  Garnish with crushed vanilla wafers and/or fresh banana slices.

 

Twofer Tuesday: Peach Extravaganza

 

It is peach season – Hooray!!!! Luscious globes in variegated shades of pink,red,coral..pass by a display of them and be seduced by the sweet and unique fragrance. First they catch your eye and then as you go closer, your fingers are teased by the velvet touch of them and then finally, that lifting to the nose and inhaling the sweet smell of summer.

Cobblers, pies, ice cream, sangria, parfaits, trifles, shortcakes, coffeecakes, bread, upside down cakes, grilled, salsa-ed or just eaten as they are, peaches are one of the most versatile of the summer fruits. The standard peach and its cousin, the white fleshed peach which tastes the way an exotic flower would taste, go all too quickly into our past, to be dreamed of during cold and grey winter days. Enjoy them while they are here – become a peach glutton.

Two recipes for you with peaches: Peaches and Cream Pie – a sweet silky southern belle of a dessert. Not quite crème brulee but dancing on the edge of it; the edges caramelize and add a different layer of flavor and texture. And – from Southern Living Magazine, Governor’s Mansion Sweet Summer Peach Tea. Cooling and refreshing. An excellent drink for brunches, prissy bridal or baby showers, afternoon tea, or just for serving to friends at a cookout as something totally different and delicious.

Try both of them and I think you will be on your way to being a true Peach Hedonist!

Peaches and Cream Pie
¾ c. granulated white sugar
½ c. all purpose flour
1 unbaked 9 inch pie shell
2 c. peeled and sliced fresh peaches or, frozen peaches, defrosted and room temperature
1 c. heavy cream
Good splash of vanilla added to the cream

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Mix sugar and flour together in bowl. Sprinkle about one-third into the bottom of the pie shell. Add peaches and sprinkle with remaining sugar and flour. Slowly pour heavy cream over fillings. Gently stir peaches to cover them completely with cream. Bake until peaches are tender and crust is golden – about 45 minutes. Let cool on rack until a bit warmer than room temperature. It will slice better.

Photo: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Lydia DeGaris Pursell

Governor’s Mansion Summer Peach Tea Punch
3 family-size tea bags
2 cups loosely packed fresh mint leaves
1 (33.8-oz.) bottle peach nectar
1/2 (12-oz.) can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
1/2 cup Simple Sugar Syrup***
1 (1-liter) bottle ginger ale, chilled
1 (1-liter) bottle club soda, chilled
Garnish: fresh peach wedges

Preparation
Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan; add tea bags and mint leaves. Boil 1 minute; remove from heat. Cover and steep 10 minutes. Discard tea bags and mint. Pour into a 1-gal. container; add peach nectar, lemonade concentrate, and Simple Sugar Syrup. Cover and chill 8 to 24 hours.
Pour chilled tea mixture into a punch bowl or pitcher. Stir in ginger ale and club soda just before serving. Garnish, if desired.

** Simple Sugar Syrup
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup water

Bring sugar and water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Boil, stirring occasionally, 4 minutes or until sugar is dissolved and mixture is clear. Cool to room temperature (about 30 minutes) Syrup can be made in batches and when cooled, stored for up to two weeks in the refrigerator. I keep a batch of it all through the summer for quick drink preparation.

 

Keep-the-Kitchen-Cool Peach Crisp

It isn’t that I am lazy when it comes to cooking during the summer, it is just that I get hot. Even with air conditioning, I get hot. And I can tell you this, when this old girl gets hot, even SamCat the Ripper hides. So during the summer, I prepare foods I can make ahead and serve chilled or room temperature, dishes that are a quick fix, and foods that can be prepared in the refrigerator, toaster oven, on the grill, or quickly cooked in my electric skillet.

But, I also refuse to sacrifice the yummy factor. I am a foodie, a food historian, I love to cook, and to be honest, I love to eat. I also try to be as healthy in my cooking as I can (sometimes that just doesn’t happen). One of my favorite quick fixes that doesn’t taste like a quick fix or healthy (don’t mention that word to your family. It’s our little secret.) is this peach crisp. It’s prepared in a skillet and takes about five minutes. Top with ice cream, whipped topping (I use the low fat version), canned whipped cream (a big ol’ tablespoon of that stuff is 30 measly calories and often times, low fat) or eat as is.

Sweet summer peaches – white or yellow flesh – or nectarines are used for this.  Yowzer y’all, this is good.

Keep-the-Kitchen-Cool-Peach-Crisp
1 tsp. butter
1 large peach, peeled, pitted and thinly sliced
2 tsp. unpacked brown sugar
dash of vanilla
sprinkle of cinnamon and/or nutmeg
1 tbsp. lowfat granola

Melt butter in skillet. Add peach slices; cook, stirring often, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add brown sugar; stir until sugar melts and begins to bubble, about 2 minutes. Scrape peach mixture into a small bowl; top with granola. One Serving. Make as many servings as you need by using the appropriate number of peaches and multiplying ingredients. Use a larger skillet.

 

 

 

 

 

Father’s Day and Peach Cobbler

Happy Father’s Day to all of you out there who are fathers, uncles, cousins, brothers, teachers…any of you men who took the time to nurture, mentor, love, inspire, encourage, and be a role model for a child – whether that child was yours or not.

I know many people have issues with their fathers, for whatever reason. I was blessed with a wonderful father. My Papa was gentle, funny, compassionate, and one heck of a cook. I have posted several posts about him and those of you who have read about him, know the love there was between us. You know there wasn’t an animal or baby that could resist him. church ladies who thought he was the cat’s pajamas, men who called him brother, uncle, and friend with equal love and respect.  You also know he was one fine Southern Cook!

From the time I had to stand on a chair by his side, he taught me how to cook with love. One of his specialties was his peach cobbler. It was A-mazing. Because Father’s Day comes around about the same time the first peaches of the season come around, the two are forever linked in my heart and stomach. Papa would take three cobblers to church dinners and the dishes always came back, virtually licked clean. He was a resourceful cook as well, using whatever fruits were in season and when times and economy was rough, he would use canned peaches or pineapple. The Grand Duchess of his cobblers was his Peach Cobbler. It was to die for with or without vanilla ice cream (homemade or purchased), topped with fresh whipped cream, cool whip, plain, warm out of the oven or spoonfuls of it snuck out of the refrigerator on a midnight run for a snack. There was no way that cobbler wasn’t delicious. And if you wanted to make it the ultimate, serve it warm with full cream homemade peach ice cream.  That’s what I am doing this Sunday in his memory and in memory of all those times our family was together enjoying good food and each other.

So…to all you men out there (and to some of you women who had to hold down two jobs as mother and father), Thank you for your love and guidance. Happy Father’s Day to you all. And make it a super one by making this cobbler for someone you love or for yourself. Enjoy. Cook it with love and love will make it even better.

Papa’s Peach Cobbler
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups sugar, divided
1 tablespoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
6 cups fresh peach slices
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ tsp ground mace
¼ tsp. ground ginger
Ground cinnamon

Melt butter in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Combine flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt; add milk, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Pour batter over butter (do not stir).   Bring remaining 1/2 cup sugar, peach slices, spices, and lemon juice to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly; spoon over batter (do not stir).   Bake at 375° for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown. Serve cobbler warm or cool.

Holiday Blues…Clowie…Christmas Cookies

It is just a drizzly grey day – not even 50 shades of gray – just uniform blah gunship grey and drizzly. Did I mention drizzly?? And grey????

I have a case of the Christmas/Holiday blues big time. My mom is in Florida and I will miss her. A couple of my friends have died this year and I miss them. Boohoo….waaaaaaaaaa

But then I talked a little bit to Clowie – she always makes me happy. Here is the website: http://clowiescorner.wordpress.com .  She’s been nominated for a bunch of well deserved awards and that makes me happy. Go and visit her. A definite smile maker.

She nominated me for the Inner Peace Award. That made me sniff a bit.  I didn’t feel peaceful, I just felt blah. But she said when she visited my blog, she felt peaceful.  I am very grateful for the nomination and the pat on the shoulder.

So like I said, after talking with Clowie abit, I feel better.  In fact, I feel like making some Christmas cookies.

Almond Shortbread Cookies
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
2 drops almond extract
1 1/4 cup sifted all-purpose flour, plus extra to dust
3/4 cup ground almonds
Zest of 1 lemon
Instructions
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the beaten egg and extract. Add the flour, ground almonds and lemon zest and mix until the dough comes together.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead into a ball. Divide the dough in half and then roll each half into a log, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap each log in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour (the dough can be frozen at this point for a later use).

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Remove the dough from the plastic wrap and slice into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Place the cookies onto the prepared baking sheets and bake until golden brown at the edges, about 15 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheets for 3 or 4 minutes before transferring to wire cooling racks to cool completely, or just eat warm from the oven. FOR FUN: Drizzle with blue icing, sprinkles, sugar, or roll edges of cookies in sugar or sprinkles before baking

Have a blue blue Christmas!!!!

Confession of a Secret Guilty Pleasure

Do I have your attention???? Yeppers, I thought so. We all have secrets tucked down in our souls – Things we blush for anyone else to know. Well…..one of my most secret pleasures is…….Rice Krispie Treats. Oh yeah – sticky, sweet, crispy Rice Krispie Treats. Among the guides in the past for this is:  Best if consumed within two days. Don’t keep longer than two days in an airtight container.

Really????? They actually last for two days?!?!? Wow. Two hours is a record. And this time of year, I am reminded of them when I see boxes of red, green, and regular mixed colored cereal. Ho, Ho, Ho….Merry Rice Krispie Treats to you and yours. If you don’t have colored cereal in your area, please please please use sprinkles or something to give them that Holiday Season joie de vivre.

Below is the recipe. Cut into squares, star or tree shapes, pour a big glass of cold milk and enjoy a guilty pleasure.

And…..please tell me, what is your guilty pleasure?

Rice Krispie Treats

3 tbs. butter or margarine (not diet or light spread)
1 10 oz. pkg., about 40, regular marshmallows or…
4 c. miniature marshmallmows
6 c. Rice Krispies cereal

In large saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat. Add dry cereal. Stir until well coated. Using buttered spatula or waxed paper, evenly press mixture into 13 x 9 inch pan coated with cooking spray. Cool. Cut into squares. Best if served the same day. (!!!)

 

Easy Apple Cake

So, the boys are at another house for their football worship.  Yay!!!!  But my husband begged me to pleasepleaseplease fix something he could take because the lady of that house is not known for her hospitality.  Big screen TV and lots of places to sit and be comfy, but that’s it.

I fixed the sausage balls I have earlier posted under football food and this apple cake.  Again, it is Saturday.  It is Keep it simple and easy day.  It uses a boxed mix and canned pie filling – the only time I use those items are for this cake.  The recipe was given to my grandma Ninny and it has been eaten many times, through the years.  Moist, spicy, easy, good snack cake, excellent gamer food or to take to munch on when you go Autumn Leaf Watching…a keeper.

どうぞめしあがれ  douzo meshiagare y’all!

Easy Apple Cake
1 box spice cake mix
1 21 oz. can apple pie filling
2 eggs or, equivalent in egg substitute
3 tbs. sugar
1 tbs. cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped nuts, optional

Preheat oven to 350. In large bowl, beat eggs well. Add apple pie mix and stir. Add spice cake mix and nuts and gently stir until well mixed. In 9×13 greased baking dish, spoon in half of mixture. Top with half of sugar/cinnamon mixture. Spoon rest of cake mixture over and then top with rest of sugar/cinnamon. Bake for 32 – 40 minutes, until done – a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow to cook and cut into squares. if you like, you can mix up a bit of frosting made with confectioner’s sugar, butter, and cinnamon and drizzle on top. Good, but not needed.

Super Sweet Blogger Award – Part Two – Sugar Pie – Southern Recipe

We Southerners love our sweets!  Give us something with sugar and we become rather docile – sweet tea, lemon meringue pie, nanner puddin’, Sugar Pie…  Southern Sugar Pie is not to be confused with Canadian Sugar Pie.  Both are for folks who have a seriously demented sweet tooth, both have similar methods and outcomes, but the ingredients are different.  Southern Sugar Pie is basically pecan pie without the pecans.  The filling is soft, custardy, and exploding with rich brown sugar goodness.   

My great-grandmother, Mammy, called this by her own special name:  Sugar Puddin’.  She made sure we knew that the pie was not always predictable in its outcome.  As she baked hers in a woodstove, that would be an understatement.  However, in these degenerate modern times, electric and gas ovens bake the pie as unpredictably.  It may be runny, it may set up perfectly, it may have little pockmarks on the surface from the boiling sugar, or it may be perfectly smooth. 

No matter how it looks, the pie is obscenely good.  If you want to just totally wreak havoc on your senses, serve with a dollop of rich homemade whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. 

Brown Sugar Pie

3 cups brown sugar
1 tablespoon flour (all purpose)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup margarine/butter, melted and slightly cooled
3 eggs, beaten well
2 tsp. real vanilla extract
1 cup milk
2 regular 9-inch pie crusts or 1 deep-dish pie crust

Prepare the pie crusts per package instructions, or make up your own favorite dough.  I use the “boughten” ones from the store and they work just fine.  In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, and salt. Use a fork to break up any clumps of brown sugar.  In a smaller bowl, mix together the melted margarine/butter, beaten eggs, vanilla, and milk; beat well. Add this wet mixture to the brown sugar mixture and blend very well with a hand mixer. Pour into the pie crust(s) and bake at 350F for about 30 minutes for a regular crust, 60-70 minutes for a deep-dish crust, or until set (a tad bit wobbly) in the middle. Cool completely before slicing and serving. 

**SPECIAL NOTE**

Sugar Pie is also a frequent pet name for someone.  I was “Sugar Pie” in my family.  Southerners will also pick up babies or small children and tell them to “gimme some sugar” meaning, give me a kiss or a smooch or a cuddle.  Old ladies, with the privilege of age, (and I personally think just for pure meanness), will embarrass a grown son or nephew, or a teenaged grandboy by making that same request.  The favorite time to do this is when they are meeting the girlfriend of the male for the first time.  I will also refer you to a wonderful “old school” song from 1965 by the Four Tops – “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch).   Enjoy the pie and the song! 

http://youtu.be/qXavZYeXEc0 

 

 

Japanese Cotton Cheesecake

     

In the past, I have likened some desserts to a fairy princess, Southern Belle, expensive call girl, or empress.  This dessert is a prima ballerina – light, airy, delicate, but structured and sometimes difficult.  However, if handled correctly, you end up with a masterpiece.   This is a lovely dessert for any occasion.  With the advent of Spring, my heart (and tummy) turned to this dessert with longing.

Unlike heavy cheesy cheesecakes, Japanese cheesecakes are not as sweet and sort of a cross between a soufflé, a chiffon cake, a cheesecake.  “Cotton” in the name should tell you all you need to know.

IMPORTANT STUFF:  NO NO NO substitutions.  Use store-bought cake flour.  Use whole milk.  Butter, and superfine sugar.  If you can’t find any, grind some in your food processor or blender.  Sometimes superfine sugar is known as Bar Sugar.

Fold in well to ensure the whites are evenly distributed through the mixture.  Garnish with fruit or sifted cocoa or green tea powder.   A teaspoon of fresh lemon juice or vanilla can be added to the cooled butter, cheese, and milk mixture.

 

Japanese Cotton Cheesecake

9 oz. cream cheese (one 8 oz. brick plus 1 oz. of another brick)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/3 cup fresh, whole milk

6 eggs, room temperature – whites and yolks separated

1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

1/2 cup plus 1/8 cup extra fine granulated sugar

1/3 cup plus 1 tsp. cake flour

3 tbsp. corn starch

 Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Melt cream cheese, butter and milk in a heat-proof bowl over a pot of simmering water.  Stir occasionally to break up cream cheese and combine the ingredients.  Remove bowl from heat and allow to cool. Mixture will be thick.  If lumpy, use a whisk to vigorously beat the mixture until smooth. Set aside.

 When mixture has cooled, fold in the egg yolks, flour and corn starch.  Fold until thoroughly incorporated.  In a large bowl, whisk egg whites with an electric mixer until foamy.  Add the cream of tartar and mix again, gradually adding the extra-fine sugar a little at a time until soft peaks form.  Note: Soft peaks:  mixture should be white and opaque, and meringue will fall onto itself when the beaters are lifted from the bowl.

Add the cheese mixture to the egg white mixture and fold together until well incorporated.

Pour into an 8-inch round spring-form pan that has been lightly greased and lined (sides and bottom) with parchment paper.  Place a piece of aluminum foil over the top of the cake so it does not brown.

Bake in a water bath for 1 hour 10 minutes.  Set timer for 1 hour 10 minutes.  When timer sounds, bake for an additional 10-15 minutes with the oven door cracked.  Carefully remove pan from water bath and let stand until cake pulls away from the sides of the pan.  Remove spring-form ring,  let cool,  and serve.     Yield:  1 8” cheesecake