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This was one of the desserts that I served to my guests at Christmas dinner this year. The flavors of lemon and raspberry were very good together and were appreciated by all who sampled it. This would make a terrific New Year's dinner dessert too and may just make a repeat appearance on my table.
A word about baking a cheesecake in a bain marie before starting the recipe. A bain marie is simply a water bath that buffers the direct heat from the sides and bottom of the baking pan to more evenly bake the cheesecake from the sides to the center.
I bake my cheesecakes in a 9 or 10 inch springform pan that has the bottom and sides wrapped in multiple layers of wide heavy duty aluminum foil which forms a sort of boat that the cheesecake pan sits in. The roll of aluminum foil that I use is about 16 inches wide. I use at least 4 layers of foil to make sure that no water leaks in and ruins the crust of my cheesecake. The aluminum foil wrapped pan is then placed inside a larger baking pan; I use a 12 inch cake pan. Boiling water is then poured into the larger pan filling it from 1/2 to 2/3 of the way to the top.
I find it best to pour the boiling water into the pan after it is placed on the rack in the oven as you are less likely to splash water onto the cheesecake or inside the aluminum foil. I reuse the aluminum foil for several future cheesecakes, adding a couple of layers to it each time just to be safe..
In a small bowl, combine:
1 & 1/3 cups graham wafer crumbs
3 tbsp sugar
1/3 cup melted butter
Press into the bottom of a lightly greased or parchment lined springform pan. (Grease bottom only!)
Cream together:
3 eight ounce packages ounces cream cheese
1 cup sugar
Add, one at a time
3 eggs
beating well after each addition. Add
3 tsp vanilla extract
Finally blend in
1 cup whipping cream
zest of two large lemons, finely minced
Pour over the prepared base and bake in a bain marie at 300 degrees F for 55 minutes to an hour. The cheesecake does not have to brown at all in order to be fully baked; the surface of the cheesecake should lose any shine when the cake is properly baked. It can still be slightly wobbly just at the center at this point.
Remove the cake from the oven and run a sharp knife completely around the edge of the pan. This will allow for the cheesecake to shrink as it cools and hopefully not crack (but who cares if it does? I am never bothered by a crack or two in the surface) Allow the cheesecake to cool thoroughly on a wire rack at room temperature. (NOT in the fridge).
Top with fresh raspberries or a simple raspberry compote.
Raspberry Compote
2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp corn starch
1 ounce water
Slowly simmer the berries and sugar over low heat for about 10 minutes. Dissolve the corn starch in the water and slowly pour into the boiling berries stirring constantly until thickened.
For dozens of other cookie ideas, check out this growing photo gallery on our Facebook Page with links to all the recipes for all the photos.
Click Here for Our Cookie Album on Facebook.
It's Christmas Eve and time to put out the cookies for Santa tonight. Make sure Santa remembers your house by treating him to these amazing buttery shortbread cookies stuffed with chopped dried cherries and drizzled in white chocolate. You might just get a little something extra in your stocking for serving him these beauties.
Merry Christmas!
Cream
2 cups salted butter
3/4 cup sugar
Add
2 tbsp vanilla extract
Fold in:
4 cups flour
fold in
3/4 cup chopped dried cherries
Roll in balls and flatten or roll out and cut into shapes as desired. I like to bake the dough in large rectangles and then cut the cookies in fingers just when they come out of the oven and are still warm.
Bake at 350 degrees 12-15 minutes until edges are golden brown. Allow longer baking time if you are baking the large rectangles of dough to be cut in fingers.
A Newfoundland Saltbox Christmas - Happy Tibb's Eve! Our latest gingerbread house pays homage to the day before Christmas Eve, traditionally called Tibb's Eve here in Newfoundland. In some parts it is known as Tips Eve or even Tipsy Eve. Popular opinion on it's origin goes back to when men made their own home brew in the weeks running up to Christmas and this was a night when they would go from house to house sampling the new brews along the way. Many still will this very evening, even if the spirits on offer are no longer home brewed. Many of those old houses would have resembled our latest gingerbread house designed in this traditional Saltbox architectural style.
To see many more of our gingerbread houses from years past go to:
http://www.rockrecipes.blogspot.com/2008/11/detailed-instructions-for-making.html
Fresh cut pineapple adds a tropical touch to these delicious oat crumble bars.
Filling
Simmer slowly for 10 minutes:
2 cups of finely chopped pineapple
1/3 cup of brown sugar
1/4 cup of water
Thicken with 2tsp of cornstarch dissolved into 4 tbsp of water. Cook for an additional minute, remove from stove and cool to room temperature
Crumb mixture
Using your hands, combine together in a large bowl until crumbly:
1 cup of butter
2/3 cup of brown sugar
1 1/3 cups of flour
1 1/3 cups of oats
1 ½ tsps of baking powder
Spread ½ of the crumb mixture into a 9 by 9 inch pan lined with parchment paper.
Spread the filling over this and top with remaining crumb mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes until lightly browned.
has consistently been one of the most searched read since it was first posted on Rock Recipes. With that inspiration in mind I set out to create a cookie version and I have to say the effort was a great success. These are delicious all on their own but even better when sandwiched with some cream cheese frosting.
½ cup of butter
½ cup of brown sugar
½ cup of white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp of vanilla
1 1/3 cups flour
½ tsp of salt
½ tsp of baking soda
1 tsp of cinnamon
½ tsp of freshly grated nutmeg
½ cup of grated carrots
½ cup of raisins
½ cup of lightly toasted chopped pecans
Directions
Preheat oven to 350. Lightly spray one cookie sheet with spray oil or line with parchment paper.
In a medium sized bowl sift together flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and baking soda.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and combine thoroughly.
Add the flour mixture to the sweetened butter. Mix only enough to incorporate flour. Do not over mix. Fold in the carrots, raisins and pecans.
Form cookies by dropping a heaping teaspoon of dough on the prepared cookie sheet two inches apart.
Bake until light brown around the edges, about 12-15 minutes, depending on cookie size.
Over baking is the biggest problem with most chewy cookies. Your oven temperature and the type of cookie sheet you use will vary the baking times considerably. When they are golden brown around the edges is the time to remove them from the oven.
Cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet before removing to a wire rack to cool thoroughly. Sandwich together with Cream Cheese Frosting if desired.
Look what Santa's getting this year! Won't he be pleased? I might just get off that naughty list after all!
Simply rolling a great chewy chocolate chip cookie recipe in crushed candy canes transforms them into a chocolate peppermint treat that is perfect for holiday baking with the kids. I know it's a busy time of the year but take an hour to have fun in the kitchen with your children. It's something I've always done with my kids and now they bake all on their own...and besides, wouldn't these be the perfect fun cookie to leave for Santa, especially having your child be able to leave a note for St. Nick, telling him how they were made by kid hands especially for the jolly old elf himself?
Ingredients:
1 &1/3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or butterscotch flavouring (or both! Hint, hint.)
8 oz semisweet chocolate chips
Aprox. 1 cup crushed candy canes
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Lightly spray one cookie sheet with spray oil or line with parchment paper.
In a medium sized bowl whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and combine thoroughly.
Add the flour mixture to the sweetened butter. Mix only enough to incorporate flour. Do not overmix. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Roll dough into 1 inch balls and press one half of the dough ball into the crushed candy canes. Place on the prepared cookie sheet two inches apart, candy cane side up. Bake until light brown around the edges, about 12 minutes.
Over baking is the biggest problem with most chocolate chip cookies. Your oven temperature and the type of cookie sheet you use will vary the baking times considerably. When they are golden brown around the edges is the time to remove them from the oven.
Cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet before removing to a wire rack to cool thoroughly.
My dark fruitcake adoring spouse proclaims this the best cookie she has ever eaten.
Here is another great cookie twist to celebrate the traditional Christmas fruitcake. My own recipe for a dark , richly flavored, warmly spiced fruitcake is one of my favorite things at the holiday season and I've incorporated all of the ingredients that I love from that recipe into these amazing fruitcake cookies. If you are a fruitcake lover, you will simply adore these cookies.
3/4 cup soft room temperature butter
1 /2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup chopped glace cherries
1/2 cup chopped dates
1/2 cup mixed glace citrus peel (or glace fruit mix)
In a bowl mix together the butter, sugar, and egg until blended. Beat in the molasses.
Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger and fold into the molasses mixture. Fold in all of the fruit. Cover, and chill dough for a couple of hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Roll dough into 1 sized balls.. Place cookies 2 1/2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets, lined with parchment paper or silicone baking liners.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow to rest on the cookie sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool.
This dough freezes well, so you can roll them into balls and freeze them, then take them out of the freezer, let thaw for a 1/2 hour and bake as usual. They make take an extra 1 or 2 minutes in the oven this way but you can make a many or as few as you like.
Even if you are not partial to fruitcake you should try these amazing spicy and chewy cookies; they are delicious! Cut back on some of the dried fruit if you like but even you fruitcake nay-sayers might just be surprised by this one.
1 1/3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
NOTE: the cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg are optional here. Traditional light fruitcake does not include spices but you may add them if you wish; the cookies are delicious either way.
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups chopped mixed dried fruit (use whatever you like in whatever combination you like, I've used glace cherries, mixed glace citrus peel, pineapple etc)
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Lightly spray one cookie sheet with spray oil or line with parchment paper.
In a medium sized bowl sift together flour, salt, and baking soda.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and combine thoroughly.
Add the flour mixture to the sweetened butter. Mix only enough to incorporate flour. Do not over mix. Fold in the dried fruit
Form cookies by dropping a heaping teaspoon of dough on the prepared cookie sheet two inches apart.
Bake until light brown around the edges, about 12-15 minutes, depending on cookie size.
Over baking is the biggest problem with most chewy cookies. Your oven temperature and the type of cookie sheet you use will vary the baking times considerably. When they are golden brown around the edges is the time to remove them from the oven.
Cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet before removing to a wire rack to cool thoroughly.
Inspired by the famous cookie, I wanted to create a simple, elegant cheesecake presentation featuring a two tone look with chocolate and vanilla. I think it looks much nicer than just marbling the two flavors.
To perfectly bake a cheesecake, I have come to insist on a low oven temperature and baking the dessert in a bain marie.
A word about baking a cheesecake in a bain marie before starting the recipe. A bain marie is simply a water bath that buffers the direct heat from the sides and bottom of the baking pan to more evenly bake the cheesecake from the sides to the center.
I bake my cheesecakes in a 9 or 10 inch spring form pan that has the bottom and sides wrapped in multiple layers of wide heavy duty aluminum foil which forms a sort of boat that the cheesecake pan sits in. The roll of aluminum foil that I use is about 16 inches wide. I use at least 4 layers of foil to make sure that no water leaks in and ruins the crust of my cheesecake. The aluminum foil wrapped pan is then placed inside a larger baking pan; I use a 12 inch cake pan. Boiling water is then poured into the larger pan filling it from 1/2 to 2/3 of the way to the top.
I find it best to pour the boiling water into the pan after it is placed on the rack in the oven as you are less likely to splash water onto the cheesecake or inside the aluminum foil. I reuse the aluminum foil for several future cheesecakes, adding a couple of layers to it each time just to be safe..
Grease bottom but not sides of a 9 or 10 inch spring form pan. I like to line the bottom with parchment paper for easy removal from the pan.
Mix together and press into pan :
1 ½ cups chocolate cookie crumbs, I use Oreo brand
1/3 cup melted butter
3 tbsp sugar
Cream together:
1 ½ pounds cream cheese
1 ¼ cups sugar
Add, one at a time:
3 eggs
Then add
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup whipping cream
Blend until smooth and divide mixture into 2 equal portions. (about 4 cups each)
To the first half of the mixture, stir in:
3 squares melted unsweetened baking chocolate or good quality, very high cocoa content chocolate
(In a pinch you can substitute 1/2 cup cocoa but add another ¼ cup whipping cream)
Pour evenly into bottom of prepared springform pan.
Carefully spoon the vanilla cheesecake batter over the top of the chocolate mixture already in the pan.
Bake in a bain marie (water bath) at 300 degrees F for about 55 minutes to an hour or until the surface of the cake no longer looks glossy. Remove from oven and cool completely in the pan for at least an hour before chilling to completely cold in the fridge.
Cream until light and fluffy:
½ cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
Add
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
Beat well.
Sift together
1 cup + 3 tbsp flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
Add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, folding to combine well. Fold in
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup dried cherries, chopped
Spread in a parchment lined 9 inch square baking pan and bake for 35 minutes at 350 degrees F. (325 for glass bake ware) Remove from oven and cool thoroughly before frosting and cutting. Makes 25 squares.
Cream Cheese Frosting
Beat together until smooth
1/2 cup cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups icing sugar
These are a quick way to make small servings of a delicious cheesecake which I especially like to have on hand in the freezer during the holiday season. I either pre-cut them into bars and freeze them in airtight containers with each one nestled inside a paper muffin tin liner to easily pluck out as many as you need to thaw at a time. I also freeze an entire batch, uncut, in case I need larger servings to serve as a decadent dessert for unexpected dinner guests. Either way you will always be prepared to serve something utterly delicious to family or guests.
Line a 9x9 inch baking pan with parchment paper.
Mix together:
1 1/2 cups graham crumbs
1/4 cup melted butter
3 tbsp sugar
Press firmly into the bottom of the parchment lined baking pan. Set aside.
Beat together until smooth:
8 oz cream cheese
1/3 cup sugar
1 to 2 tsp vanilla extract
Beat in for about a minute
1 egg
Then blend in until smooth,
1/3 cup whipping cream
Stir in:
zest of one lemon, finely minced
Pour over the prepared crust. Sprinkle:
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries evenly over the cheesecake layer.
Bake for 25-30 minutes at 300 degrees F until the center sets.
To ensure even baking you can place the baking pan into a larger baking pan and fill half way up with boiling water. This may slow down the cooking process and require a little extra baking time but the cheesecake will bake more evenly from the edges to the center.
Cool completely before cutting into bars and serving. Store in the refrigerator or freeze until needed.
I either pre-cut them into bars and freeze them in airtight containers with each one nestled inside a paper muffin tin liner to easily pluck out as many as you need to thaw at a time. I also freeze an entire batch, uncut, in case I need larger servings to serve as a decadent dessert for unexpected dinner guests.
For dozens of other cookie ideas, check out this growing photo gallery on our Facebook Page with links to all the recipes for all the photos.
Click Here for Our Cookie Album on Facebook.
Here is one cookie that is sure to be popular. Everybody loves Nutella so why not enjoy it in a soft chocolatey cookie with the crunch of hazelnuts that toast as the cookie bakes. Amazingly good!
Cream together:
½ cup butter
½ cup Nutella
½ cup white sugar
½ cup brown sugar
Add
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
Sift together:
1 1/3 cups flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
Add to creamed mixture and fold until dough forms.
Roll into 1 inch balls and dunk one half of the ball into:
roughly chopped hazelnuts (aprox1 cup)
Place on parchment lined baking sheet 3 inches apart. Press down slightly.
Bake 10 minutes at 350 degrees F. Do not over bake or cookies will be brittle.
Drizzle with melted chocolate of desired.
For dozens of other cookie ideas, check out this growing photo gallery on our Facebook Page with links to all the recipes for all the photos.
Click Here for Our Cookie Album on Facebook.
This is what my mom would call a "cuppa tea" cookie which in short, means a cookie that really stands out for its simple perfection and is best enjoyed with a steaming cup of your favorite brew. This gorgeous little cookie is a twist on "Melting Moments" a recipe that has been in our family for decades and is one of the best shortbread type cookies you can find. The secret is potato flour which makes these cookies very, very light and they literally do melt in your mouth. All I've done here is added some very finely minced lemon zest to the dough for a fragrant citrus infusion that is absolutely delectable in this sublime little cookie.
Cream together:
1 cup butter
2/3 cup icing sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp lemon extract
Sift together
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup potato flour
Add to creamed mixture along with the finely minced
zest of one large lemon
Blend together until a soft dough is formed. Roll in one inch balls and place 2 inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet. Flatten the balls slightly with a fork or the lightly floured bottom of a drinking glass. (Add a gumdrop to the center of each cookie for a festive touch if desired.) Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until slightly brown around the edges. These will still be quite pale when baked. Cool on a wire rack.
These no-bake little chocolate and peanut butter confections have become very popular in Newfoundland over the past few decades. I first remember making them as a child with my mom. I remember the original recipe called for the chocolate to be melted with parafin wax in which to dip the peanut butter centers and you can still find them at many local bakeries which still use that method. That procedure has the advantage of being able to store the cookies at higher temperatures but I hate anything that interferes with the natural taste and texture of chocolate so I prefer to just dip them in melted chocolate and store them in the fridge.
I've also encountered two versions of this favorite cookie, one with crispy rice cereal included, which is my preferred version and one without. Other than that they are the exact same recipe and you can choose for yourself which one you prefer.
Makes about 2 dozen.
Beat together until smooth:
1/4 cup melted butter
1 cup peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups icing sugar (a.k.a powdered sugar or confectioners sugar)
Fold in:
1 cup crispy rice cereal (optional)
Roll into balls or small cigar shapes and chill for a couple of hours before dipping in
1 1/2 cups melted chocolate chips ( best melted in a double boiler)
Place dipped cookies on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet and chill until the chocolate sets.
For dozens of other cookie ideas, check out this growing photo gallery on our Facebook Page with links to all the recipes for all the photos.
Click Here for Our Cookie Album on Facebook.
Yes, I know, another chocolate orange combination but it might be my favorite yet. This is a fantastic chewy, crispy edged cookie made from a rich cocoa dough with dark chocolate chips and fragrant orange zest. For fans of the popular
"Terry's Chocolate Orange", this is YOUR cookie! TRUST ME!
1 ¼ cups butter
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup cocoa powder
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
zest of one large orange, finely minced
Cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla extract to the creamed mixture and beat until well combined.
Sift together the cocoa, flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture along with
1 ½ cups chocolate chips
zest of one large orange, finely minced
Mix well until a dough forms.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Dough must be very cold when it goes in the oven.
Roll into 1 inch balls. Place about 2 inches apart on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees F for about 8-10 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for several minutes before placing them on a wire rack to cool completely.
For dozens of other cookie ideas, check out this growing photo gallery on our Facebook Page with links to all the recipes for all the photos.
Click Here for Our Cookie Album on Facebook.
A second pineapple treat this morning, featuring a brown sugar shortbread crust topped with a pineapple macaroon center and a rum flavored frosting to top it off. Just delicious!
Bottom layer
Crumble together with your hands or pulse together in a food processor:
1 3/4 cups + 2 tbsp flour
3/4 cup butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
Press into 9x13 inch pan, lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.
Middle Layer
4 cups unsweetened coconut
2 large egg whites
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 can (300 ml) sweetened condensed milk
pinch salt
Mix together the sweetened condensed milk, salt and vanilla, then fold in the coconut. Whip the egg whites to soft peaks and then fold the coconut mixture gently through the beaten egg whites. Finally fold in
1 1/2 cups diced fresh pineapple
2 tsp rum extract
Spread onto the prepared base and bake for 25 additional minutes. Cool completely before topping with Rum Frosting.
Rum Frosting
Beat together until smooth:
1/2 cup soft butter
2 cups icing sugar
2 tsp rum extract
a few tbsp milk (enough to bring the frosting to a spreadable consistency. Spread the frosting evenly over the coconut layer. cut into bars or squares.
A quickly ripening fresh golden pineapple sitting on the counter top was the inspiration for these very flavorful cookie bars. The orange pineapple combo was inspired by one of my favorite ice cream flavors as a child growing up here in Newfoundland. Do they have orange pineapple ice cream anywhere else?
The result of this successful experiment was utterly delicious and I must admit, I just ate two for breakfast!
Bottom layer
Crumble together with your hands or pulse together in a food processor:
1 ¼ cups flour
½ cup butter
¼ cup brown sugar
Press into 9x9 inch pan, lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
Filling
Boil together gently for about 10 minutes:
2 cups chopped fresh pineapple (about a 1/2 inch dice)
¼ cup sugar
Zest of 1 orange
½ cup orange juice
Mix together:
1 rounded tablespoon corn starch
about an ounce of water
Pour into the gently boiling pineapple mixture and cook for an additional minute stirring constantly until thickened. Cool for about 15 minutes, then pour onto the baked base.
Topping
Mix together:
¾ cup graham crumbs
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup melted butter
¼ cup flour
¼ cup unsweetened coconut (optional)
Sprinkle topping over filling. Bake at 350 degrees for 25- 30 minutes until golden brown on top. Cool completely before cutting into bars or squares.
Ooey gooey goodness is the only way to describe these delectable little treats. My kids and their friends go mad for these delicious squares which are quite easy to make and just as popular with the older "kids" in this house. All of us have also been guilty of microwaving one or two for a few seconds to amplify the gooey goodness.
Beat:
2 eggs
¼ cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Add:
¾ cup flour
½ tsp baking powder
Divide batter into 2 portions. Spread one portion into a 9x9 inch pan, lined with parchment paper. To the remaining portion, add:
1 square semisweet chocolate melted with 1 tbsp butter
Spread chocolate mixture over first portion in pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25- 30 minutes.
Remove from oven and sprinkle with:
1 ½ cup mini marshmallows
¾ cup chocolate chips
Return to oven for a couple of minutes until melted. Once melted, remove from oven and swirl marshmallows and chocolate with the handle of a wooden spoon. Cool completely before cutting into squares or bars with a very sharp knife.
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