Vanilla Bean Cheesecake *Choose your topping
Crust Ingredients: 1 cup finely crushed Graham Crackers (about 14 square crackers) 3 Tablespoons Butter, melted 3 Tablespoons Sugar Vanilla Bean Batter Ingredients: 4 packages (8 oz. each) Cream Cheese, softened 1 cup Sugar 1 cup Sour Cream 1 Tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon Vanilla Bean Paste 4 Eggs Topping: Homemade Lemon Curd Dulce de Leche (caramel) Raspberry Jam Cranberry Marmalade Directions: Preheat oven to 325ºF. CRUST:
BATTER:
Recipe Note: **Rodelle Vanilla Bean Paste is what I prefer and can be found on their website at www.rodellekitchen.com Kitchen Tip: crack your 4 eggs into a cup first - then drop into batter one yolk at a time - this keeps any shells out of your batter and also doesn't spoil your batter if an egg is "bad"...
0 Comments
Sometimes the Holidays mean you are rushed for time. Try my decadent Vanilla Bundt cake that is dressed up with homemade dulce de leche and chopped pecans. The "easy button" is used by utilizing a boxed cake mix and instant pudding but that does not detract from the final cake. Enjoy! Diane
Ingredients:
Topping: 1/2 cup chopped Pecans 1/2 pint of Dulce de Leche caramel sauce Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bundt Cake: In a large bowl of a stand mixer, mix all ingredients together for 3 minutes on high. Pour into a greased bundt pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 15-30 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack until completely cooled before topping with dulce de leche and chopped pecans. Recipe Note: want to hit the "easy button" on this recipe - replace the first 5 cake ingredients with a box of white cake mix! You know what's nice? this recipe is easy! As easy as candy making gets! All you need is some Vanilla Almond Bark from the baking aisle of your local grocery store (it comes in a 24oz brick of large cubes) it also comes in Chocolate (as in looks and tastes like milk chocolate) and the Vanilla looks and tastes like white chocolate. Bark doesn't use cocoa butter as chocolate does, Barks use vegetable fats. Barks are right up there with 'Candy Melts' in the workability of the product once melted.
I prefer microwaving the Bark. Follow the directions on the package but, basically you melt for 1 minute at high, stir and then heat in 12 second intervals, stirring in-between until completely melted. Melting is usually 2 minutes total cooking time. You can also add colorings and flavorings. You cannot (must not) use water based liquids or the Bark chocolate will seize. Oil based food colorings are best for this application. Wilton "Candy Colors Food Colorings" work great for candy making! When making a batch of Vanilla, white chocolate almond bark for this recipe today, I added in some peppermint white chocolate chips I had on hand - and then added some on top along with green sprinkles for the Christmas Holiday. Again, you don't want to flavor or color with any non-oil based product or the candy will seize. Enjoy! Diane Almond Bark Candy Ingredients: 1/2 pound whole almonds 6 bricks/cubes of Vanilla Bark (12 oz. white almond bark) Sprinkles of your choice Directions: Toast your almonds in the oven at 350 for 10 minutes. Toasting deepens the flavor of the nuts and a step that shouldn't be skipped. Let the almonds cool while you prepare/melt the bark. Once the bark is melted, stir in three-fourths of your toasted almonds and any oil based food colorings you prefer. (optional) Pour the mixture out onto an 8x8 or 9x12 baking sheet, lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle top of bark with remaining almonds and any decorations you prefer. Press the almonds down slightly so they set into the bark and won't pop off easily. Let the entire mixture cool on your counter for 20 minutes and then place in refrigerator for a half hour. Once fully cooled and solidified, break the bark into chunks as you prefer, I break into larger pieces first and then break those in half. (Almond Bark typically comes in 12 segmented bricks per 24 ounce bag) My Holiday White & Peppermint Almond Bark pictured below: I don't know about you but, it feels like the Holidays are trying to sneak up on me this year! I decided to get busy and test out some recipes for Thanksgiving and I am adding this Swedish Cinnamon Star Bread to our menu. The taste and visual appeal of this bread is amazing. There are endless possibilities and variations for this recipe adding in everything from sweet to savory; nuts, Nutella, chocolate, jams, jellies, pesto, fresh herbs and sundried tomatoes.
The first time I tasted Cinnamon Star Bread was at a Swedish Holiday party I attended years ago... and I can't believe it took me so long to make one myself. I admit, it seems like a daunting task to twist and flip the sections of bread but, the dough is so soft and pliable, it all works out great! It's the perfect "pull-apart cinnamon bread." As an Ambassador for Rodelle - they provided the Vanilla Paste used in this recipe. You too can bake with quality flavors and enhance your recipes - just stop by the Rodelle website and check out all their great baking essentials at: www.rodellekitchen.com Swedish Cinnamon Star Bread Dough
Filling
Instructions
Recipe adapted from KAF Do you want something more along the lines of a custard but, don't have the time for making my traditional Pot de Creme? Try my easier "stove-top" version. This is a wonderful treat and even better when served with fresh fruit. Raspberry, Blueberry and Peach are my top 3 fruit choices that compliment the rich vanilla bean taste in this custard. Make some! As a Brand Ambassador for Rodelle, they provided me with their Vanilla Paste, which really brings this recipe to its full flavor potential.
Enjoy! ~Diane Easy Vanilla Bean Custard (stove-top version) Ingredients: 2 Cups Milk 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch 1⁄3 Cup Sugar 2 Eggs, lightly beaten 1 teaspoon **Rodelle Vanilla Paste Directions:
Yield: Approx 3 cups Recipe Note: **Rodelle Vanilla Paste and other great baking essentials can be found on their website at www.rodellekitchen.com |