DoctorFinger
10-25-2008, 08:22 PM
(by popular demand, I'm moving this series from the Creative Arts forum to The Lounge)
Apple, Pear & Raspberry Crisp
Pretty much my favorite fruit dessert, it's quick and easy. If you like apple pie you'll probably love this.
3 red apples (I prefer Galas)
3 green apples
3 pears
1-1 1/2 cup dried raspberries
lemon juice
Crumb topping:
1 stick butter, at room temp and cut into chunks
1 cup flour
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
Soak the raspberries in raspberry liquor, and let sit for an hour. Peel, core and thinly slice the apples and pears, sprinkling a little lemon juice on the fruit as you go to prevent browning. Preheat oven to 350 and grease a large baking dish. In a bowl, combine the dry crumb ingredients and using your hands incorporate the butter until the mix looks like beach sand. Drain the raspberries, add them to the apples & pears and lay them all out in the baking dish. Cover the whole thing with the crumbs and place in oven. Cook 35-40 minutes until fruit is soft. Crank oven up to 500 and cook for 5 more minutes to brown crumb topping. Serve warm with a scoop of ice cream.
New York Cheesecake
Some people call me a heretic because I don't make my own crusts. Let me tell you, it takes as much effort to make the crusts from scratch as it does to make the whole rest of the cake. But other than that, it's an amazing recipe; rich without being leaden.
4 pkgs cream cheese, at room temperature.
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3/4 cup milk
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tblsp orange liqueur or almond extract (or any flavor extract)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 graham cracker crusts
Preheat oven to 300. In a large stand mixer (or large bowl with a hand mixer) cream the sugar and the cream cheese until smooth and light. Slowly add in the milk, eggs and sour cream until smooth, scraping down the sides as you go. Add in the flavorings then slowly add the flour. Place the crumb crusts (saving the plastic tops) on baking sheets (for easy transport, and to catch any drips) and carefully fill each crust*. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the cakes are no longer liquid, but still jiggle when shook. Shut off the oven, but keep the door open to dissipate the heat. The cakes won't look done, but trust me they are. If you cool them too quickly, the tops will crack. Once the cakes are cool enough to handle, put the plastic tops on and refrigerate overnight.
* This recipe will make either 3 cakes with some extra batter, or 4 slightly less full cakes.
Apple, Pear & Raspberry Crisp
Pretty much my favorite fruit dessert, it's quick and easy. If you like apple pie you'll probably love this.
3 red apples (I prefer Galas)
3 green apples
3 pears
1-1 1/2 cup dried raspberries
lemon juice
Crumb topping:
1 stick butter, at room temp and cut into chunks
1 cup flour
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
Soak the raspberries in raspberry liquor, and let sit for an hour. Peel, core and thinly slice the apples and pears, sprinkling a little lemon juice on the fruit as you go to prevent browning. Preheat oven to 350 and grease a large baking dish. In a bowl, combine the dry crumb ingredients and using your hands incorporate the butter until the mix looks like beach sand. Drain the raspberries, add them to the apples & pears and lay them all out in the baking dish. Cover the whole thing with the crumbs and place in oven. Cook 35-40 minutes until fruit is soft. Crank oven up to 500 and cook for 5 more minutes to brown crumb topping. Serve warm with a scoop of ice cream.
New York Cheesecake
Some people call me a heretic because I don't make my own crusts. Let me tell you, it takes as much effort to make the crusts from scratch as it does to make the whole rest of the cake. But other than that, it's an amazing recipe; rich without being leaden.
4 pkgs cream cheese, at room temperature.
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3/4 cup milk
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tblsp orange liqueur or almond extract (or any flavor extract)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 graham cracker crusts
Preheat oven to 300. In a large stand mixer (or large bowl with a hand mixer) cream the sugar and the cream cheese until smooth and light. Slowly add in the milk, eggs and sour cream until smooth, scraping down the sides as you go. Add in the flavorings then slowly add the flour. Place the crumb crusts (saving the plastic tops) on baking sheets (for easy transport, and to catch any drips) and carefully fill each crust*. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the cakes are no longer liquid, but still jiggle when shook. Shut off the oven, but keep the door open to dissipate the heat. The cakes won't look done, but trust me they are. If you cool them too quickly, the tops will crack. Once the cakes are cool enough to handle, put the plastic tops on and refrigerate overnight.
* This recipe will make either 3 cakes with some extra batter, or 4 slightly less full cakes.