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Marzipan Cake

                                                                   

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup marzipan
• 6 eggs
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons icing sugar, sifted, for dusting

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350° F, butter and flour a 8-inch cake pan (or springform pan) and line bottom with parchment paper. With electric beaters, cream butter and sugar together. Cut marzipan into chunks and beat into butter mixture (if marzipan is firm, soften in microwave for 30 seconds on high) until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition and stir in lemon zest and extracts. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Add to marzipan mixture and blend until smooth. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until a tester inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan for 20 minutes, then turn out onto a plate to cool completely. Dust with icing sugar.
2. Marzipan cake will keep up to 5 days in an airtight container.
3. Yield: 1 8-inch cake. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Recipe-Food Network

Anna Olson

Honey Yogurt Cheesecake

 

Ingredients

Yogurt "Cheese"

• 2 cups (500 mL) 2% yogurt
• 2 cups (500 mL) ricotta cheese (low-fat is fine)

Crust

• 2 cups (500mL) graham cracker crumbs
• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) finely grated lemon zest
• 1/4 teaspoon (1 mL) salt
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) unsalted butter, melted

Filling

• 1 recipe Yogurt cheese
• 1/4 cup (60 mL) honey
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) finely grated lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon (5 mL) vanilla extract

Topping

• 1 1/2 cups diced fresh mango

Directions

Yogurt "Cheese"

1. Prepare yogurt “cheese” a day before needed. Stir yogurt and ricotta together and place in a cheese cloth (or large paper coffee filter) in a strainer. Place strainer over a bowl, wrap loosely with plastic wrap and chill for 24 hours. Discard whey (liquid in bowl), and refrigerate yogurt cheese until ready to use.

Crust

1. Preheat oven to 325 F (160 F).
2. Combine graham cracker crumbs, lemon zest, salt and melted butter and press into an ungreased 9-inch (22 cm) pie plate. Bake for 10 minutes, then cool while preparing filling.

Filling

1. For filling, stir yogurt cheese with honey, egg, lemon zest and vanilla. Spoon into cooled pie shell and bake for 30 minutes. Cool to room temperature, then chill at least 4 hours before serving.

Topping

1. Top with diced mango immediately before slicing.

Recipe-Food Network

Anna Olson

Peach Schnapps Squares with Warmed Peaches

Ingredients

Crust

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature

Filling

• 2x8 ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 4 tablespoons peach schnapps
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup peach jam

Directions

Filling

1. Preheat oven to 350 °F. Grease a 9 inch spring form pan
2. In a food processor, pulse all ingredients until a crumbly texture. Press into prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes. While crust is baking, prepare filling.
3. With electric beaters, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. Beat in sugar, vanilla and 2 Tbsp of peach schnapps. Reduce speed to low and add eggs, one at a time.
4. While crust is still hot, stir remaining 2 Tbsp of schnapps into peach jam and spread over hot crust. Pour cheesecake mixture over jam and bake for 30 minutes, until set (but a little jiggly in center). Allow to cool to room temperature, then chill completely before slicing.
5. For warm peaches, stir1 Tbsp butter and 2 Tbsp granulated sugar over medium heat. Add 3 cups of peeled and sliced peaches and 3 Tbsp of peach liqueur. Serve on or beside slices of cheesecake.

                                                                  

    Recipe-Food Network

Anna Olson

  

                                                        

Espresso Chocolate Torte

                                                                       

Ingredients

Espresso Chocolate Torte

• 18 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped (= 1 lb + 2 oz)
• 1 1/3 cups whipping cream
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, plus extra for pan
• 6 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 shots espresso

Gingered Berry Marmalade

• 2 cups raspberries
• 2 cups strawberries, hulled and quartered
• peel from one orange, removed and cut into thin strips
• 3 tablespoons crystallized ginger, cut into thin strips
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 pouch liquid pectin
• 3 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (optional)

Creme Fraiche

• 1 cup whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon buttermilk

Directions

To Assemble

1. ESPRESSO CHOCOLATE TART: Preheat oven to 225°F. Butter a 10-inch springform pan and line bottom and sides with parchment paper. Place chopped chocolate in a large bowl or in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Heat cream and butter together to just below a simmer. Pour cream mixture over chocolate and let sit 1 minute. Whisk together until smooth. Whisk together eggs, sugar and espresso and pour into chocolate mixture. Blend thoroughly, scraping the bottom of the bowl occasionally. Do not whip on high speed. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 2 ½ to 3 hours, until edges are set are centre is still slightly soft.
2. Allow to cool at room temperature for an hour. Leaving torte in its pan, refrigerate overnight before cutting.
3. To serve, slice torte with a hot, dry knife. Spoon a little Gingered Berry Marmalade (directions follow) on the side. Spoon Crème Fraîche (directions follow) next to marmalade (or on other side of torte) and sprinkle with cinnamon. Yield: 1 10-inch torte. Makes 10 to 12 servings.
4. GINGERED BERRY MARMALADE: Crush berries roughly with a fork and combine with orange peel, ginger and lemon juice in a pot. Mix pectin crystals with ½ cup sugar and add to berries. Bring up to a boil, stirring often. Add remaining sugar and return to a boil, and cook for one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir for 5 minutes. If foam is evident, add butter and stir. Skim off any excess foam and jar or chill until ready to use. Yield: Approximatley 4 cups.
5. CREME FRAICHE: Stir together cream and buttermilk, place in a plastic cup or bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Immerse cup or bowl in hot water, up to the level of the cream and store in a warm place (near oven, radiator) for 24 to 48 hours. You will know when it’s ready because you will see the thin-textured whey settled at the bottom. Chill before using, being sure not stir whey (the liquid that settles at the bottom) into crème fraîche (it will thin it out). Yield: 3/4 cup.

    Recipe-Food Network 

Anna Olson

                                  

Mixed Berries with Muscat Sabayon

   

Ingredients

• 4 egg yolks
• 75 millilitres (1/3 cup) sweet Muscat wine (see note)
• 75 millilitres (1/3 cup) peach or apricot juice
• 60 millilitres (1/4 cup) sugar
• 250 millilitres (1 cup) strawberries, hulled and halved
• 250 millilitres (1 cup) raspberries
• 250 millilitres (1 cup) blackberries or blueberries

Directions

1. In the upper part of a double boiler off the heat, whisk together the egg yolks, wine, juice and sugar. Place over barely simmering water. Whisk constantly until the mixture is thick and frothy, 8 to 10 minutes. The mixture should stiffen, with the bubbles becoming smaller and longer lasting.
2. Arrange the fruit on four plates. Mound the warm sabayon on the fruit. Brown quickly with a kitchen torch.
3. Note: Use a sweet wine made from Muscat grapes, for example Greek Samos or the southern French classic, Muscat de Rivesaltes. Their apricot, peach and honey flavours make them an excellent partner for the peach juice in the recipe. It’s a great way to showcase the wine’s flavour while removing some of its alcohol. The result is a truly seductive dessert.
   
   If the egg yolks are thoroughly cooked, you can chill the sabayon without worrying that it might separate.

 Recipe-Food Network

Ricardo and Friends