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Ricotta Cheesecake with Blackberries

April 28, 2012 By 74 Comments

“WHO KNOWS HOW TO MAKE LOVE STAY?  TELL LOVE YOU ARE GOING TO THE JUNIOR’S DELI ON FLATBUSH AVENUE IN BROOKLYN TO PICK UP A CHEESECAKE, AND IF LOVE STAYS, IT CAN HAVE HALF.”  Tom Robbins

Ahhhhh!  If only love were so easy to bribe!  But would we really want it then?  For me, there were two reasons for wanting to make this cheesecake.  First, I saw a picture of it naked, in it’s purest form in an issue of Bon Appetit magazine.  And that was good enough for me.  It looked rustic, and simple and beautiful.  But….for some reason, last year, I developed a mad passion for blackberries.  And I wanted to add them to this delicious, creamy and crustless cheesecake.  I am in love with this cheesecake!  And I know it will last!  At least until the last bittersweet bite has consumed me….. [Read more...]

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Carrot Ginger Trifles

February 16, 2012 By 57 Comments

It’s Kitchen Improv!!!

Is it the third Thursday of the month already?  Then it’s time for another Kitchen Improv reveal!  Thanks so much to Kristen from The Frugal Antics of a Harried Homemaker for being the fabulous fearless leader for this wonderful group of creative cooks and bakers!  Every month, Kristen gives us two ingredients to combine in any dish of our choice.  I love this idea and am glad that we are given a month to think about it.  While the ingredients are not so very off the wall, given the nature of my blog, I find it kind of challenging to think of them in ways that work for a dessert!  This month, we were given carrots and ginger.  And what I came up with is sweet with a touch of savory.  Come take a closer peek….. [Read more...]

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Red Velvet Cake Balls

November 13, 2011 By 63 Comments

“WE CAN ONLY BE SAID TO BE ALIVE IN THOSE MOMENTS WHEN OUR HEARTS ARE CONSCIOUS OF OUR TREASURES.”  Thornton Wilder

I was recently asked by Karina, a friend and former co-worker,  if I had a recipe for red velvet cake balls.  While I knew I had a recipe for red velvet cupcakes, I had never attempted to try and form them into cake balls until now.  Karina and I share a love for baking. (Especially on Sunday mornings!)  And she also told me that she wanted to make these to bring to her family on Thanksgiving.  So I was definitely up for the challenge!  Karina has so many wonderful qualities about her.  But the thing that I’ve always admired the most is that while she considers herself happy and lucky in her life, she has such a sense of gratitude about it and never seems to take it for granted.  So Karina….I hope you enjoy these.  And I wish you a lifetime of happiness and a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family!  I have never been a huge red velvet fan ……until now!  And I think what has made all the difference for me is………. [Read more...]

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Pumpkin Bourbon Cheesecake covered with Leaves of Chocolate

October 29, 2011 By 35 Comments

“I CELEBRATE MYSELF, AND SING MYSELF.  AND WHAT I ASSUME, YOU SHALL ASSUME.  FOR EVERY ATOM BELONGING TO ME AS GOOD BELONGS TO YOU.”  Walt Whitman

HaPpY BiRtHdAy To Me!!!

I LOVE my birthday!  It always feels like such a special day to me, because even though I know that I’m not the only one in the world celebrating a birthday today, I TREAT myself as if I am the only one celebrating a birthday today!  Every year I make myself a different kind of cake.  I have yet to make anything pumpkin this season, so I thought today would be a fitting day for some pumpkin cheesecake!  I added a splash (or two!) of bourbon, cuz I am in celebration mode after all!  And I used a pecan shortbread crust.  But my favorite thing about this cake are the chocolate and white chocolate leaves!  Actually, it was the hike in the woods to pick the leaves that I enjoyed the most!   This upcoming year, I am going to take the time to find something special in every day.  And celebrate more for no reason at all!!!  There are so many good things in life to embrace……this cake is just one of them!  This year for my birthday, I treated myself to ……… [Read more...]

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Chocolate Nemesis

October 18, 2011 By 33 Comments

“YOU ARE MY SWEETEST DOWNFALL.  I LOVED YOU FIRST…I LOVED YOU FIRST.”  Regina Spektor

The dictionary defines nemesis as ‘the inescapable or implacable agent of someone or something’s downfall.’  And for me….that usually amounts to pastry dough!  But I have to tell you, this chocolate conqueror, well…….you won’t want to escape!  This fabulous dessert is a delicious cross between a flourless chocolate cake and an Italian budino.  It is rich, creamy, fudgey and very intensely chocolate!   And I’m not ashamed to tell you that this is just what I needed after a chaotic week of sorting out my behind the scenes blog woes!  Oh …..and the fairy dust didn’t hurt either……. [Read more...]

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Caramel Apple Cake

September 11, 2011 By 43 Comments

BAKED SUNDAY MORNINGS:  CARAMEL APPLE CAKE

 I am so glad to learn that the site for Baked Sunday Mornings has been updated.  I always want to feature recipes that, even if they are not my own, are still accessible to everyone.  Hopefully this recipe will be posted soon on the Baked Sunday Mornings site. It still can, however, be found in the book, Baked Explorations by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito.

What initially seemed unusual to me about this cake is the frosting.  Because it contains flour!

Overall, this is really a good cake.  The cake itself is moist and flavorful and one that I am likely to use again, especially in cupcakes.  And the frosting is tasty.  But I don’t think it’s worth the cooking process to get rid of the flour taste, even if it was meant to thicken the frosting.  The recipe called for us to use the paddle attachment on our mixers for the frosting.  But I ended up swapping out for the whisk….just to get more air and volume.  I didn’t think the frosting had enough of a caramel flavor, yet I was reluctant to add more than the 1/3 cup it called for because I was afraid it would affect the texture of the buttercream.  So I decided to spread a thin layer of caramel on the cake layers before I frosted it.

All in all the cake is good and the frosting is lightly sweet.  But if I make this again, I will use my own recipe for caramel buttercream……and leave the flour for the cake batter!

On a scale of 1-5…..I’m giving this 4 whisks!

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Farmstand Fruit Coffee Cake

August 12, 2011 By 28 Comments

“LET US LEARN TO APPRECIATE THERE WILL BE TIMES WHEN THE TREES WILL BE BARE, AND LOOK FORWARD TO THE TIME WHEN WE MAY PICK THE FRUIT.”  Anton Chekhov

No!!!  This is NOT fruitcake!  It is a delicious cake that really can house any fruit , in any season, from your local farm stand.   I don’t really care for ‘coffee cake’.  While I appreciate a cold glass of milk with chippers warm from the oven, or a sweet crispy biscotti to dunk in my latte….I don’t really enjoy a baked good that requires a beverage just to get it down!  And that has been my experience with most coffee cakes in the past!  But not this one!  Incredibly moist and luscious.  I chose to use peaches this time.  But berries or apples….or any other fruit in season would be amazing, too!  Do you know what I found interesting about the cinnamon-sugar mix in this recipe?  It includes…… [Read more...]

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‘I Wish It Were My Birthday’ Cake

July 25, 2011 By 38 Comments

“IT TAKES AS MUCH ENERGY TO WISH AS IT DOES TO PLAN”  Eleanor Roosevelt

Yesterday, I picked up a fabulous cookbook by Sherry Yard.  And in it, she talked about her earliest memories of baking.  And then I realized, there is no history of baking in my family.  In fact, my history of baking starts with me!  And it started rather late in my life.  So I tried to search back on any memories I had of instances where my curiosity about baking was piqued.  And I recalled a bakery near my home that I would go to for the most amazing cakes!  They only sold 4 or 5 different kinds.  But they were the kind of cakes I can only imagine a grandmother would bake!  And there was one in particular.  A yellow cake with chocolate frosting and pieces of penny candy and confetti and bows all over it.  Every time I saw that cake in the bakery I would think to myself…..‘awwww….I wish it were my birthday’!

And so yesterday, when I realized I was the beginning of the baking history in my family…I decided to start a tradition.  If you feel like celebrating your life….don’t wait till your birthday to do it! And so I give you…..‘I Wish It Were My Birthday’ Cake!  This is an adaptation of Sherry Yard’s recipe and one of the most delicious yellow cakes I have ever tasted!  The thing about making your own celebration cake is…….. [Read more...]

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Cream-Cheese Pound Cake

July 3, 2011 By 15 Comments

“HOW DO THEY TASTE?  THEY TASTE LIKE MORE.” H. L. Mencken

I could very well be a vanillaholic!  And it is a good thing that this recipe makes 2 pound cakes!  Because I simply couldn’t stop eating this!  You know how it is when you begin to photograph food like this.  You start munching on the ‘unsightly’ pieces that will never make it before the camera!  And the next thing you know…..half of the cake is gone!!!

This sweet vanilla cake is moist and savory.  And it forms a kind of chewy, crunchy crust that is addictive!  I think this cake is a great canvas for all of the summer’s fresh berries (or ice cream, or chocolate sauce….you get the picture!)  But obviously….since half of my cake is gone……. [Read more...]

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Strawberry-Pistachio Brown Butter Babycakes

June 10, 2011 By 10 Comments

“THOU ART TO ME A DELICIOUS TORMENT.”  Ralph Waldo Emerson

 Strawberries…you and I had a little falling out this week.  Actually, we almost broke up!  I don’t like drama in my kitchen.  But there you were….weeping and bleeding all over my lemon tart!  And now you want to get back together again?  Can I trust you?  Can I even forgive you?

Lucky for you I believe in second chances!  But let’s take it slow this time.  Why don’t I introduce you to Pistachio.  And let’s see if you can behave!

Was it a match made in heaven?????…………………. [Read more...]

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