Chevre Ricotta Tart and Apple Blackberry Buckle

Prep Time: 2 hrs.
Cook Time: 30 min.
Serves: 12 – 16 guests

INGREDIENTS FOR TART:

Chevre Ricotta Tart:2 lbs ricotta cheese
6 oz chevre cheese
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
6 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt

Chevre Ricotta Tart Crust:2 lbs + 10 ½ oz butter
1 lb + 1 ½ oz sugar
1 lb ground almonds
4 lbs + 6 oz flour
8 eggs

Orange Grapefruit Marmalade:1 oz orange sections
1 oz grapefruit sections
1 oz simple syrup
2-3 strips orange zest

INGREDIENTS FOR BUCKLE:

Apple and Blackberry Buckle Filling:1 1/2 oz blackberries
1 1/2 oz Jonathan apples, diced and peeled, 3/8”
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1/2 tbsp corn starch

Pie Dough For Buckle:2 cups flour
6 oz butter
1 tsp salt 

Caramel Sauce For Buckle:12 oz sugar
3 oz water
4 oz Pedro Ximenz Sherry
8 oz cream
4 oz butter

RECIPE FOR TART:

Chevre Ricotta Tart:Combine ricotta and chevre cheeses. Mix until smooth. Combine sugar and flour in a separate bowl; add to cheese mixture. Slowly add eggs, vanilla and salt.

Chevre Ricotta Tart Crust:Cream butter and sugar; add eggs and combine. Add flour slowly stirring. Roll out dough to 1/2 inch thickness. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool. After it has cooled, place in a food processor and pulse until it resembles graham cracker crumbs. Add 1 pound of coarse chopped almonds and add 1 cup of melted butter. Press into the bottom of small tart molds or ramekins for each serving. Pour cheese mixture into molds.  Bake  in a water bath at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. (A water bath is a process of using a second pan of water that you place tart molds into before baking in the oven. Water should not overflow into molds.) 

Orange Grapefruit Marmalade for Tart:Combine orange and grapefruit sections in a sauce pot with simple syrup and orange zest. Cook on medium heat and reduce until thickened (about 10minutes). Top the tart with marmalade.

RECIPE FOR BUCKLE:

Apple and Blackberry Buckle Filling:In a bowl, toss berries, diced apples and sugar; let set for one minute before folding in the corn starch. Place filling in pre-buttered 4 oz aluminum cups. Top with pie dough. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes, or until the juice bubbles and dough topping is brown.

Pie Dough For Buckle:Blend butter, salt and flour in a food processor until mixture has pea sized chunks. Add ice water and blend until dough forms together.

Caramel Sauce For Buckle:Cook sugar and water until it reaches a caramel color. Add sherry and cream. Stir and cool for two minutes. Take off heat and add butter. Drizzle over the Apple Blackberry Buckle and serve.

chocolate cake

chocolate souffle

servings 6 

Ingredients

• 7 ounces finely chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus for preparing the molds
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3 large egg yolks
• 3 tablespoons warm water
• 1/2 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons
• 8 large egg whites, room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• Confectioners' sugar for garnish
• vanilla ice cream
• nuts

Directions

Brush 6 (6-ounce) ramekins with soft butter, then coat with sugar. Put the prepared ramekins in the freezer. (This can be done a day ahead.)

Set an oven rack in lower third of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.

Put the chocolate and butter in a medium heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with an inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl over, but not touching, the water. Stir the chocolate occasionally until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Set aside.

Combine the egg yolks and warm water in the bowl of a standing mixer or large bowl and beat untilfrothy. Gradually add 2 tablespoons sugar, and continue beating until ribbons form, about 5 minutes. Very lightly fold the yolks into the chocolate mixture. (Rinse the bowl well, if using for beating the egg whites.)

Remove prepared ramekins from freezer. Put the egg whites in the bowl of a standing mixer, or large non-reactive bowl, add the lemon juice. Beat on medium until frothy; then gradually add the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and increase speed to high. Beat until the whites hold a stiff but not dry peak.

Working quickly, fold about a third of the egg whites into the chocolate to lighten; then fold in remaining whites until blended. Gently ladle or spoon the souffle mixture into the ramekins, and place on a baking sheet. (Level off the surface with a straight edge, scraping any excess mixture back into the bowl.)

Immediately bake until the souffle rises about 1 1/2 inches from the ramekins, and the tops are touched with brown, about 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven, dust with confectioners' sugar and serve immediately.

ancho-chocolate cheese cake

18

 OREO Cookies, crushed (about 2 cups)

2

Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted

4

pkg.  (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

1

cup sugar

2

Tbsp. ancho chile pepper powder

1

pkg.  (6 oz.) BAKER'S Bittersweet Chocolate, melted

4

 eggs

HEAT oven to 325ºF.

MIX crumbs and butter; press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan.

BEAT cream cheese and sugar with mixer until well blended. Add pepper powder and chocolate; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating on low speed after each just until blended; pour over crust.

BAKE 1 hour 10 min. or until center is almost set. Run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim. Refrigerate 4 hours.

SIZE-WISE

Sweets can be part of a balanced diet but remember to keep tabs on portions.

WHERE TO BUY ANCHO PEPPER POWDER

Look for ancho pepper powder in Mexican grocery stores where it is typically found next to the dried chiles or packaged herbs
.

Strawberry Freeze

12

 CHIPS AHOY! Cookies

1

pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

1/2

cup sugar

1

can (12 oz.) frozen berry juiceconcentrate, thawed

1

cup crushed strawberries

1

tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed

2

cups whole strawberries, cut in half

ARRANGE cookies in single layer on bottom of 9-inch springform pan.

BEAT cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Gradually beat in juice concentrate. Stir in crushed berries. Whisk in COOL WHIP until well blended. Pour over cookies in pan.

FREEZE 6 hours or until firm. Remove from freezer 15 min. before serving; let stand at room temperature to soften slightly. Top with berry halves.

SUBSTITUTE

Prepare as directed with CHIPS AHOY! Reduced Fat Chocolate Chip Cookies, PHILADELPHIA Neufchatel Cheese and COOL WHIP LITE Whipped Topping.

SUBSTITUTE

Prepare using your favorite flavor of frozen juice or drink concentrate, such as raspberry, lemonade, grape or pink lemonade.

Dulce de Leche Swirl Cheesecake

1-1/2

cups HONEY MAID Graham Cracker Crumbs

1/4

cup butter, melted

3/4

cup plus 2 Tbsp. sugar, divided

4

pkg.  (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

1

cup BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream

4

 eggs

1

can  (13.4 oz) Mexican caramel spread (dulce de leche)

DIRECTIONS HEAT oven to 325ºF.

MIX crumbs, butter and 2 Tbsp. sugar; press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan.

BEAT cream cheese and remaining sugar in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Add sour cream; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended.

REMOVE 1-1/4 cups cheesecake batter; mix with caramel spread. Pour remaining batter over crust. Gently drop spoonfuls of caramel mixture over batter; swirl gently with knife.

BAKE 1 hour 15 min. or until center is almost set. Run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim. Refrigerate 4 hours.

SUBSTITUTE

Prepare using PHILADELPHIA 1/3 Less Fat than Cream Cheese.

HOW TO BAKE CHEESECAKE IN 13X9-INCH PAN

Line pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides. Use to prepare cheesecake as directed, decreasing baking time to 40 min. or until center is almost set. Cool completely. Refrigerate 4 hours. Use foil handles to lift cheesecake from pan before cutting to serve.

new york cheese cake

(servings 12)

Ingredients

• 15 graham crackers, crushed
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
•  
• 4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 3/4 cup milk
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sliced strawberries

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9 inch springform pan.
2. In a medium bowl, mix graham cracker crumbs with melted butter. Press onto bottom of springform pan.
3. In a large bowl, mix cream cheese with sugar until smooth. Blend in milk, and then mix in the eggs one at a time, mixing just enough to incorporate. Mix in sour cream, vanilla and flour until smooth. Pour filling into prepared crust.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Turn the oven off, and let cake cool in oven with the door closed for 5 to 6 hours; this prevents cracking. Chill in refrigerator until serving, add the strawberries on top.