Strawberry Cheesecake

"Cheesecakes" are quite popular in Korea; however, their version of cheesecake is quite different from the standard American version. (I would say that a Korean "cheesecake" is merely a normal cake with cheese added to the cake batter - at least that's what I'd assume from taste taste and texture.) When I mentioned this to a Korean friend, she told me she'd like to try the American version - thus my quest for the best cheesecake began.

Now, I'm not a particular fan of cheesecake (and I've definitely never baked one.) However, I found this popular (and simple) recipe online and thought it looked do-able. The only negative was the fact that this recipe originally called for a 9" springform pan; since my oven best handles a smaller pan, I had to adjust the recipe for a 7" pan (which resulted in some rather odd measurements.) I would also advice adding more of the strawberry sauce directly to the batter before baking. The original recipe only calles for a thrid of the sauce to be added before baking; if I was making this again, I'd probably double that and only reserve the smaller portion for the final topping sauce.

Strawberry Cheesecake
(makes one 7" cheesecake)

1. cup cookie crumbs*
3 T. sugar
2 t. cinnamon
3½ T butter, melted
12 oz. frozen strawberries (sweetened)
2 t. cornstarch
16 oz. cream cheese
9 oz. sweeten condensed milk
2 T. plus 1 t. lemon juice
1¾ eggs
1 t. vanilla extract
2 t water

* The original recipe called for graham cracker crumbs, but those are not sold on my island. I used crisp butter cookies instead.

Combine the cookie crumbs, sugar, and cinnamon. Add the melted butter and press firmly into the bottom of a 7" springform pan. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. In a blender of food processor, puree the strawberries and cornstrach. Place in a saucepan and bring to a boil for 2 minutes or until thicked(stirring continuously.) Set aside a third of the strawberry mixture for use in the cheesecake; chill the rest for to serve as the topping. Whip the cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add the condensed milk and mix well. Mix in the lemon juice and vanilla. Gently fold the eggs into the mixture until well combined (don't overmix or the cake will likely crack during cooling.) Add ½ of the cheese mix to the top of your crumb crust. Add ½ of the strawberry mixture by ½ teaspoon drops. Gently add the rest of the cheese mixture and top with the remaining strawberries (using the ½ teaspoon again. Using a knife. Pull through the strawberry drops to create a heart pattern on the top of the cake. Bake at 300°F (148°C) for 45-50 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on a metal rack. After 10 minutes, carefully run a sharp knife around the sides to loosen the cake. Allow to cool for an additional hour. Chill over night. Serve with remaining strawberry sauce, which can be thinned with the 2 t. water listed above.

Lemonies

I recently found this recipe on Pinterest and thought it looked absolutely wonderful! While I'm normally more of a chocolate fan, I thought these would make for a nice change from my normal baking routine. Plus, how can you not adore the name lemonies (lemon + brownies.)

Before I made these lemonies, I was a little concerned that they would be nothing more than a lemon square (I mean that's pretty much what the recipe sounds like - plus it's been so long since I've had an actual lemon square I couldn't really remember the difference.) After looking at a few recipes (and pictures online) I found that these do seem to have a more solid "cake-like" texture than traditional lemon squares. I also found them extremely easy to bake (the only issue I really had was the fact that lemonies seemed to rise very unevenly - though pressing the finished dessert back into a flat layer was quite easy while it was fresh from the oven.) I did bake them in a 9" round pan rather than the recommend 8x8 - but I don't really think that would cause the uneven rising.

As far as the finished result, I'm still partial to "real" chocolate brownies, but these lemonies definitely are a nice change. I did discover that my Korean co-workers aren't quite as fond as lemon desserts as I might have hoped. You would have though I had given them real lemons to suck based on their expression after one bite. One of them even compared the taste to soap! I guess it's a good thing that I enjoy them at least.

Lemon Brownies

¾ C flour
¾ C sugar
¼ t salt
½ c. butter (1 stick butter), softened
2 eggs
juice from ½ lemon (about 1 T.)
zest from ½ (about 1 t.)

Preheat over to 350°F (178°C). Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Mix in the softened butter. In another bowl whisk the eggs with the lemon juice and zest. Add to the flour/sugar mixture and stir well. Pour into greased 8x8 brownie pan and back for 25 minutes. Remove and let cool, then glaze.
You can double the recipe and bake in a 9x13 pan for 30 minutes.


Glaze

½ c. powdered sugar
1 T lemon juice
additional lemon zest

Combine to create a thin glaze, and spread over the cooled lemonies.

Apple Pie

I arranged a Christmas Tea with some of my co-workers this week and wanted to provide something good to eat (preferably a new recipe.) Since I've made so many different cakes in the past and was giving various cookies as the actual Christmas presents, I decided to try another pie since I'd had fairly good luck with the sweet potato pie at Thanksgiving.

This time, I decided to make an apple pie (largely because I had a large bag of apples in my refrigerator getting closer and closer to their rotting point!) For the recipe, I researched a few of the more popular options on allrecipes.com - though most of the options were more complex than I was really wanting to try (I just wanted a simple, classic pie recipe since I also baked a batch of sugar cookies this evening for a massive 6-hour baking marathon!) Fortunately, I was quite happy with the following recipe; it proved to be a very traditional all-American apple pie. The only alteration I might attempt with this recipe is slightly pre-baking the bottom crust before adding the apple-mixture. I had read in the online comments how this had helped prevent a soggy bottom (but I failed to remember this when baking this pie - though, fortunately, it wasn't that soggy.)


Classic Apple Pie

(makes one 9" pie)

7 cups thinly sliced peeled baking apples
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup sugar
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon water
a double pie crust (I simply doubled this recipe from my sweet potato pie)

Prepare the dough for the double crust, dividing so that one is slightly larger than the other. Chill for at least 2 hours. In a bowl, toss apples with lemon juice. Combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg; add to apples and toss. Pour into crust; dot with butter. Roll out remaining pastry to fit top of pie; cut slits in top. Place over filling; seal and flute edges. Beat egg yolk and water; brush over pastry. Bake at 425°F (218°C) for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F (175°C) ; bake 40-45 minutes more or until crust is golden and filling is bubbly.

Moist Chocolate Cake

A few weeks ago I had a friend post this recipe on Facebook (as what she thought was a wishful, but impossible request on our island.) When I mentioned that I'd easily be able to bake it, she instantly demanded I give it a try!

Surprisingly, most of the ingredients were readily available at my local grocery store - the only thing I was unable to find was the buttermilk. Instead, I found a simple substitution of lemon juice and regular milk. I was a little surprised at just how liquid-y this recipe was however. I mixed the first set of ingredients (everything except for the final cup of hot water) and the resulting batter was the normal consistency for a cake. However, when the extra cup of water was added (I'm not a big coffee fan), the result was a thin batter with the consistency of chocolate milk! (I was a little worried at this point!!!)

I originally planned to bake this cake in my 7" spring-form pan (since it allows for better airflow in the oven); unfortunately, I discovered that the batter was far too runny for this. (A lesson I didn't learn until chocolate batter had dripped all over my kitchen counters and on the bottom of my toaster oven....) Luckily, I was able to quickly grease my 9" pan and transfer the batter into it. I, then, simply baked the two layers one at a time.

Amazingly, the thin batter did end up congealing into a perfectly formed cake. In fact, I was greatly impressed with how easily this cake fell from the pan (it was almost like during the baking process the cake had actually pulled away from the sides of the pan.

To complete the cake, I simply frosted it with a classic chocolate buttercream frosting (from the Wilton website.) The final cake was extremely dense and rich!

Moist Chocolate Cake

2 c. sugar
1¾ c. flour
¾ c. cocoa
1½ t. baking powder
1½ t. baking soda
1 t. salt
2 eggs
1 c. buttermilk
½ c. butter, melted
1 T. vanilla
1 c. hot coffee (or hot water)

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Mix sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add eggs, buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla. Beat for 2 minute on high speed. Stir in hot coffee (or water.) Bake for 30-35 minutes in two greased 9" pans.


Wilton Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

½ c. shortening
½ c. butter, softened
¾ c. cocoa
1 t. vanilla extract
4 c. powdered sugar (1 lb.)
3-4 T milk

Cream shortening and butter and add vanilla and milk. Mix cocoa and powdered sugar. Slowly mix the sugar mixture with the liquid ingredients until very well mixed. Add more milk if needed for a smoother, creamier frosting.

Sweet Potato Pie

I have been wanting to attempt my first toaster-oven pie for quite some time; however, I've been a little hesitant since the only "pie" pan I have is a 9-inch cake pan, which happens to have a slight outward angle on the sides. (Plus, pies have never really been my baking forte!)

Fortunately, this sweet potato recipe proved to be fool-proof. Although it has been a few years since I last made a sweet potato pie, this recipe seemed to have a much thicker filling than the recipes I've used in the past. I am also a little disappointed in the amount of spices in the recipe; as I was adding them, I thought it seemed rather meager, and I really wish I had doubled them (though I should note that I prefer pumpkin pies and always seem to spice my sweet potato pies so that they have the spicy kick that I associated with pumpkin pie.) Although the final texture is a little denser and less creamy than my past sweet potato pies, I'm still fairly happy with the results.

Pie Crust (9 inch.)

1¼ c. flour
½ t. salt
1 T. sugar
6 T. chilled butter
¼ c. shortening (4 T.)
3-4 T. cold water

Combine flour, sugar, and salt. Cut the butter into the mixture. Add the shortening and combine until the consistency of cornmeal and peas. Add 3 T. water and mix. Add more water until dough holds together. Form the dough into a slightly flattened circle, light flour, and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for at least one hour or up to 2 days.)


Sweet Potato Pie
(9 inch pie)

1 lb. Sweet Potatoes (2 cups)
½ c butter, softened
½ c. sugar
½ c. brown sugar
½ c. milk*
2 eggs
½ t. nutmeg
½ t. cinnamon
1 t. vanilla extract
1 (9 in.) unbaked pie crust

Boil sweet potatoes in skins for 40-50 minutes or until done. Remove the skins and mash the potatoes. Add butter, sugars, milk, eggs, spices, and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Pour filling into the pie crust. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 55-60 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean.

*The original recipe called for ½ cup evaporated milk, which I could not find on my island. After reading online, it seemed that milk would be an adequate substitute (and it didn't seem to cause any problem with my finished pie.)

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

In Korea (and most of Asia), Valentine's Day is reserved as a day when women give gifts to their boyfriends/husbands; then a month later, on March 14th, the men return the favor on a holiday known as "White Day." To help celebrate the holiday at work, I baked a couple batches of cookies for my coworkers. I baked a 3½ dozen chocolate chip cookies and 3½ dozen oatmeal raisin cookies.

Although oatmeal raisin cookies are one of my favorite cookies, I've never actually baked them before. I found this recipe online (though it's basically the same recipe found on the box of Quaker Oats - the only difference is the addition of clove.) Although the end cookies tasted fine, I was a little disappointed with the cookies' appearance. I had hoped for a thick, chewy cookie; instead, I got flat cookies (though they are at least still chewy.)

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
(yields 3 dozen cookies)

¼ c. butter, softened
¼ c. shortening
½ c. packed brown sugar
¼ c. sugar
1 egg
½ t.vanilla
¾ c. flour
½ t. baking soda
½ t. cinnamon
¼ t. ground cloves
¼ t. salt
1½ c. rolled oats
½ c. raisins

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Cream together butter, shortening, sugars, egg, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Add to the butter mixture, and combine well. Mix in oats and raisins. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 9-11 minutes. Allow to cool for 2 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.

Unattractive, but Delicious Cornbread

After my failed attempt at "good" cornbread earlier this month, I decided that I needed to alter my recipe for a more "corn-y" taste. Thankfully, my alterations gave me just the taste I'd hoped for! I made this extra small batch so that I'd have just enough to fill the two small loaf-pans I'd purchased several months ago. Sadly, the finished appearance left much to be desired...but the taste was perfect!

Perfect Cornbread
(2 small loaf-pans or 4 muffins)

3½ T. butter, softened
1/3 c. sugar
1 egg
½ c. milk
½ c. flour
½ c. cornmeal
1½ t. baking powder
¼ t. salt

Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C). Cream butter and sugar. In a separate bowl, combine egg and milk. Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. Alternate adding the dry and wet ingredients to the butter mixture. Mix well and pour into greased pans. Bake for 20-25 minutes.