Pickled Eggs and Beets

Ingredients:
1 (14-ounce) can sliced beets
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 hard cooked eggs, shells removed
(You can easily double, triple, or quadruple this recipe. A large glass jar is best for marinating.)

Directions:
Combine sugar, vinegar, and salt in a saucepan. Add beets to juice and cook over low heat for 10 minutes.

Yep, that's me behind the cute whiskers.

Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies

Wow! These are huge monster size cookies, thick, soft, and chewy.

Thanks to http://www.visionsofsugarplum.com/. I do believe we have ourselves a WINNER. What drew me to this recipe were her secret tips.

1. Brown the butter. *
2. Use coconut oil ( I didn't have coconut oil, I used vegetable oil instead).
3. Use yeast and baking soda for the leavening. *
4. Use flaky sea salt (I didn't have flaky sea salt, I used regular salt instead).
5. Use Ghiradelli bittersweet chocolate chips (I usually have Ghiradelli in my
pantry but I was all out. Instead I used Nestle).
6. Toast the walnuts (I didn't have walnuts, I used pecans instead).
7. Bake at a higher temperature - 375 degrees (I didn't).

* Well, it looks like I only did 2 out of 7 her secret tips. The cookies were divine as is. So it makes me wonder how much more spectacular they could have been. The only other thing I did change to her recipe was adding about 1/4 cup of butter flavored Crisco. I found the cookie dough to be dry and unable to form into cookie shapes.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 & 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
3/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt
1/4 cup coconut oil
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoon vanilla extract (I used 1 teaspoon of vanilla and 1 teaspoon of coconut extract)
1 & 1/2 cups dark chocolate chips
3/4 cups coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted

Directions:
1. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat; continue to cook the butter, whisking frequently, until it starts to brown and foam, about 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside.

2. In a medium sized mixing bowl, sift together flour and baking soda; stir in yeast and salt until combined.

3. In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat browned butter, coconut oil, brown sugar and granulated sugar until well combined and grainy, about 1 minute. Beat in egg and vanilla until well combined. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually beat in flour mixture until just combined; stir in chocolate chips and walnuts with a wooden spoon, until combined. Chill dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Generously butter a cookie sheet.

5. Drop 1/4 cup measures of dough onto cookie sheet, forming into large mounds, and bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until golden. Cool for 2 minutes before transferring to wire racks.

Cornish Hens with Pomegranate-Molasses Glaze

This was a recipe that I happened upon from Martha Stewart's website. Just the name Cornish Hens with Pomegranate-Molasses Glaze sounded to delicious not to try. That is why I went to all the trouble to make my own Pomegranate Molasses.

Ingredients for Cornish Hens:
2/3 cup pomegranate molasses
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground pepper
4 Cornish hens (1 to 1 & 1/2 pounds each, rinsed and patted dry)
4 onions, 2 thinly sliced, the other 2 cut into 8 wedges each
8 garlic cloves, smashed
Vegetable oil cooking spray
2 lemons, cut into 8 wedges each
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
Coarse salt

Directions:
1. In a small bowl, whisk together pomegranate molasses, oil and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Place each hen in a large resealable plastic bag. Divide marinade, sliced onions, and garlic evenly among bags. Seal bags; turn to coat. Refrigerate at least 4 hours (or up to overnight), turning occasionally.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with rack in lower third. Set roasting racks in 2 shallow pans or on 2 rimmed baking sheets, and coat racks with cooking spray.

3. Remove hens from plastic bags, letting excess marinade drip off. Place hens on racks, breast side up, and tuck wing tips under. Fill cavity of each hen with 4 onion and 4 lemon wedges; tie legs with kitchen twine. Brush all over with butter; season with salt and pepper.

4. Transfer pans to oven, and roast until hens are golden and cooked through, about 1 & 1/2 hours, rotating pan every 30 minutes. (If skin starts to brown too quickly, tent loosely with foil.) Serve warm.

Pomegranate Molasses

Don't you hate it when you find a recipe that you really want to make and you can't find one of the important ingredients? Sometimes you can improvise but sometimes not. In this case I really needed Pomegranate Molasses. My only option was to find a recipe to make my own out there in the vast foodie blogging universe. Unfortunately, when I located one, I didn't copy down the name of the blog so that I can give proper credit. Please forgive me for that mistake.

If you have ever purchased Pomegranate juice, you know how pricey it is. So when I had to cough up enough money to buy two quarts, it made me cringe, just a little. This gargantua bottle that I found at Cosco was $10.00.

Bye bye yummy juice. Hello 2 cups of molasses.

Ingredients for Pomegranate Molasses:
2 quarts pomegranate juice
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
2 cinnamon sticks
2 star anise
10 cloves, whole
1/2 nutmeg, grated

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan and heat over medium heat. Stir until sugar dissolves, then continue to reduce, stirring occasionally, until 2 cups remain. Strain through sieve. Cool and refrigerate.

Pina Colada Cupcakes with Buttered Rum Glaze and Buttercream Rum Frosting

I love chocolate! But sometimes it is nice to have something else every once in awhile. And this yummy cupcake was a nice diversion. Besides, I figure since I am the baker, it's my cravings that dictates what I will be baking next.

Now y'all don't go feeling sorry for Pap. He hasn't suffered any over the years. In fact several of the next postings will be special for him because we will be celebrating our 38th anniversary.

What a trip it's been, Pap! I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat.

Ingredients for cupcake:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup loosely packed sweetened flaked coconut

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Pinch of salt

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

1/3 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup crushed pineapple, undrained that has been packed in juice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Line muffin pan with paper liners.

3. In a small bowl, mix together flour, coconut, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

4. In a bowl, whisk together sugar, oil and egg until smooth. Alternately whisk in flour mixture and buttermilk, making three additions of flour mixture and two of buttermilk, beating until smooth. Stir in pineapple.

5. Scoop batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheat oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until tops of cupcakes spring back when lightly touched. Let cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool completely on rack. Top cooled cupcakes with frosting.

Ingredients for Buttered Rum Glaze:
1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/4 cup water

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup dark rum

Directions for Buttered Rum Glaze:

1. Melt butter in saucepan.

2. Stir in water and sugar. Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

3. Remove from heat and stir in rum. Be very careful when adding the rum, it will cause steam, so you do not want to burn yourself on this step!

Ingredients for Rum Buttercream Frosting:
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup sour cream
Pinch of salt
1 tablespoon dark rum

Directions for Rum Buttercream Frosting:
1. In a bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together confectioners' sugar, butter, sour cream and salt until smooth. Add rum, beating until smooth.

2. Spread frosting over cooled cupcakes and refrigerate until ready to serve. Drizzle a little more Buttered Rum Glaze over frosting.

Triple Lemon Chiffon Cake

Ahhh ... spring at last. And what better way to celebrate the return of the warm sunshine. The addition of this wonderful Triple Lemon Chiffon Cake to our Cake Slice Baker's repertoire is perfect timing with the arrival of spring this week. I added edible paper wafer butterflies as a decoration.

This recipe was adapted from : SKY HIGH IRRESISTIBLE TRIPLE LAYER CAKES BY ALISA HUNTMANS AND PETER WYNNE

FOR THE CAKE: MAKES A 9-INCH TRIPLE LAYER CAKE
8 eggs, separated
1/4 cup walnut oil**
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon of lemon zest
1/3 cup water
1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar
1 and 1/2 cups of sugar
1 ans 3/4 cups of cake flour*
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of salt

[*1 cup of cake flour is equal to 3/4 cup of AP flour plus 2 tablespoons of corn starch]

[**equal amount of either almond oil, hazelnut oil, or canola oil]

1. Preheat the oven to 350*degrees F. Line the bottoms of three 9-inch pans with parchment paper but do not butter or grease the pans.

2. In a med-large bowl whisk together the egg yolks, oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, and water.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, whip the egg whites with the cream of tartar on medium speed until light and frothy. Slowly add 1/2 cup of sugar and continue to beat until soft peaks form.

3. Sift the flour, remaining sugar, baking soda , and salt into a large bowl. Whisk gently to combine. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour in the egg yolk mixture and mix to create a smooth paste. Add one-fourth of the egg whites and fold in to lighten the batter. Fold in the remaining egg whites and divide the batter among the three pans.

4. Bake for about 16 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Transfer to wire racks to cool in the pans. Once cool run a knife around the cake in order to unmold the cakes. Carefully pull off the parchment paper from the bottoms of the cakes.

5. To assemble the cake, place one layer on a cake stand. Top with a heaping 1/4 cup of lemon curd and spread it evenly. Repeat with the remaining layers. Frost the top of the cake and the sides with the lemon cream frosting.

RICH LEMON CURD MAKES 1 CUP
3 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup of sugar
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 4 lemons)
grated zest of three lemons
4 tablespoons of unsalted butter, at room temp.

1. Whisk together the whole eggs, yolks, sugar, lemon juice , and lemon zest together in a medium bowl. Transfer to a small non-reactive saucepan. Gently heat the mixture, whisking until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. make sure not to boil the mixture. Pour the mixture through a sieve into a heatproof bowl. Stir in the butter and cover the curd with plastic making sure the plastic touches the curd. This should prevent a skin from forming on the curd. Refrigerate until cold. Then remove 3 tablespoons of curd and set it aside for the icing.

LEMON CREAM FROSTING MAKES 3 AND 1/4 CUPS
1 and 1/2 cups of heavy cream
2 tablespoons of sugar
3 tablespoon of lemon curd

1. Whip the cream and sugar in a large chilled bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold in the lemon curd, forming a stiff frosting.

Bookstore Cafe Apricot Squares

Mmmmmmm !!! Especially delicious while warm from the oven. And I don't even like dried apricots. Thank you Marcy Goldman, this recipe in your A Passion For Baking has converted me.

Ingredients for Tart Pastry Crust:

2 & 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup ground walnuts, optional

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 tablespoons shortening

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

4 to 6 tablespoons whipping cream

Ingredients for Apricot Filling:

3/4 cup orange juice

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

4 cups dried apricots

1/3 cup sugar

Directions for Tart Pastry Crust:

1. Place flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and nuts (if using) in a food processor. Add butter and shortening and pulse to make a mealy mixture. Add eggs, vanilla, and cream and pulse to form a soft dough.

2. Turn out pastry onto a lightly floured work surface and knead gently to form a firm but soft dough. Wrap in two equal sections. Refrigerate half of dough for an hour and place other half in freezer.

Directions for Apricot Filling:

1. Place all ingredients in a small saucepan and simmer over low heat, tossing fruit to soften, about 8 to 12 minutes. Let cool about 15 minutes and then puree in food processor. Chill well.

Assembly:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously spray an 11 x 7-inch pan or a 9-inch square pan with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Pat out refrigerated half of pastry dough in prepared pan. Bake about 10 to 12 minutes. Cool well.

3. Meanwhile, coarsely grate remaining frozen pastry dough on a box grater. Spread Apricot Filling on baked pastry bottom; then disperse frozen grated pastry over apricot filling.

4. Place pan on baking sheet. Bake until top pastry is done, about 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely in pan and then dust with confectioners' sugar.

Rum and Coke Marble Cherry Cake For A Diva

Happy Fiftieth Birthday Barbie! What you need to celebrate is a fabulous Retro Dessert from Wayne Harley Brachman's cookbook. How does Rum and Coke Marble Cherry Cake sound to you?

Turning the big 5+0 is a huge deal. You're now old enough to join AARP. What's that? Are you crying? Cheer up, there are a plethora of senior discounts available. But most likely you will be carded because you don't look your age. Come on, come clean with us girl, you've had a little Nip-Tuck going on, haven't you?

"No"

What do you mean: no? And don't be shaking that gorgeous pony tail at me. I just made you a special cake. I don't need your damn attitude. Take this cake and shove it. I know you have a closet eating disorder. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out. How else could you wear the same size clothes all these years. But really... get over yourself, life is short, eat some cake.

Ingredients for the cake:
1/2 cup coke
1/2 cup dried sour cherries
3 ounces semisweet chocolate
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate
nonstick vegetable spray for coating the pan
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 & 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 & 1/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs

Ingredients for the Rum and Coke Syrup:
1 cup coke
1/4 cup dark rum
1/4 cup sugar

Directions:

1. In a small saucepan, bring the cola and dried cherries to a boil. Remove from the heat and set aside for 30 minutes.

2. Melt the chocolate in a completely dry bowl or double boiler set over barely simmering water. Set aside in a warm place until ready to use.

3. Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees. Lightly coat a 6-cup loaf pan of Bundt pan with nonstick vegetable spray and line the bottom with a rectangle of baking parchment.

4. Into a large bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together, three times.

5. In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together at high speed for 15 seconds, until combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated. Continue beating until light and fluffy, about 6 more minutes.

6. With the mixer on its lowest setting, gradually beat in the flour mixture.

7. Fold the cherries and their liquid into half of the batter and spread it in the bottom of the pan. Fold the melted chocolate into the remaining batter and add it to the pan. Bake for 30 minutes, or until springy, completely set, and a cake tester comes out clean. Set the pan on a rack to cool.

8. Make the Rum and Coke syrup: In a small saucepan, boil the cola, rum, and sugar until all of the crystals are dissolved. Remove the cake from the pan by inverting onto a serving platter and soak with the syrup.

Should I tell her that Ken is having an affair with one of the Bratz?

Chocolate Banana Baked Alaskas

Adapted from A Passion For Ice Cream by Emily Luchetti

Pyrotechnics and dessert, what's not to love? Baked Alaska is a classic dessert that has never gone out of favor and can be made in a multitude of variations. My favorite are these individual little delights that will light up your next dinner party.

I included the Banana Ice Cream recipe for all you Foodies out there. But for my dessert I didn't have an ice cream maker, so I just bought a pint of top quality ice cream. Since I just purchased the Butane Kitchen Torch that I have been lusting over for many many moons. I figured Pap would be none to happy if I also bought an ice creamer maker.

Ingredients for Banana Ice Cream:
2 bananas
3 large egg yolks
6 tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup milk
1 & 1/4 cups heavy cream

Ingredients for Chocolate Cake:
6 ounces bittersweet chcocolate, finely chopped
4 large eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 & 1/2 tablespoons brewed strong coffee or espresso
Large pinch of kosher salt
1/3 cup sugar

Ingredients for Meringue:
1/2 cup egg whites (about 4)
1 cup sugar

Directions:
1. To make the ice cream: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Put the unpeeled bananas on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until soft and beginning to give off some liquid. Let cool. Remove the skins from the bananas. Puree the bananas in a food processor.

2. In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, 3 tablespoon of the sugar, and the salt in a bowl. Combine the milk, cream, and remaining 3 tablespoons sugar in a heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until almost simmering. Slowly pour the milk and cream into the eggs, whisking as you pour. Return the milk mixture to the saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a heat-resistant plastic or wooden spatula, until the custard reaches 175 degrees and lightly coats the spatula.

3. Strain the custard into a clean bowl and cool over an ice bath until room temperature. Stir the banana puree into the custard. Cover and refrigerate the custard for at least 4 hours or up to overnight. Churn in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer's instructions. Freeze until scoopable, about 4 hours, depending on your freezer.

4. To make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with nonstick cook spray. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.

5. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over hot water. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, vanilla extract, coffee or espresso, and slat until combined. In an electric mixer, whip the whites on medium-high speed until they begin to increase in volume. Whip in the sugar in a slow, steady stream. Continue to whip until stiff, glossy peaks form. Stir in the chocolate into the egg mixture. Fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture in 2 additions. Spread the batter evenly into the pan. Bake until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Let cool to room temperature. Run a paring knife around the inside edge of the pan. Place a cutting board on top of the pan and invert the pan and cutting board. remove the pan and carefully peel off the parchment paper. With a glass or round cutter, cut the cake into eight 2 & 1/2 inch rounds.

6. To make the Meringue and assemble the baked Alaskas: Place the cake rounds on a baking sheet. Place a scoop of ice cream on each, making sure to leave a little more than a 1.4-inch border of cake around the ice cream. Freeze the cakes for 1 hour or up to overnight. If freezing overnight, cover with plastic wrap.

7. In a bowl, whisk together the egg whites and sugar until combined. Put the bowl in a saucepan of simmering water and whisk constantly until the egg whites are very warm Remove the whites from the hot water and whip with an electric mixer on medium-high speed with a stand mixer, or high speed with a handheld mixer, until stiff, glossy peaks form and the mixture has cooled to room temperature. Remove the cakes from the freezer. Using a small spatula, spread the meringue over the ice cream, completely covering it but leaving the cake edges exposed. If desired, this can be done several hours in advance. Do not cover. Keep frozen until ready to serve.

8. There are two ways to bake the Alaskas. You can either brown the meringue with a propane or butane torch, or bake them in the oven. If you use a torch, constantly move the flame over the meringue about 1 inch from the surface of the meringue until lightly browned. If you prepare them in the oven, preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Bake the Alaskas in the cent of the oven until lightly browned, about 3 minutes.

9. To serve: Using a large metal spatula, transfer the Alaskas from the sheet pan onto plates. Serve immediately.

"Like A Virgin" White Chocolate Chip Cookies

"Like a virgin

Touched for the very first time

Like a virgin

When your heart beats

Next to mine," I was singing while dancing in front of the stove.

These cookies could not have a better name. After all they contain a white pristine batter with white chocolate chips. Madonna must have been eating one of these delicious babies while she was singing this song.

Ingredients:

1 (3.4 ounce) package vanilla instant pudding mix

2 cups cold milk

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/3 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 large eggs

2 & 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

12 ounces white chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a medium bowl, prepare the vanilla pudding by combining the pudding mix and cold milk together, mixing well. Set aside to let the pudding set until firm. (This should take about 5 minutes.)

3. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Add one cup of the prepared vanilla pudding and the eggs. Mix thoroughly after each addition.

4. In another bowl, mix the flour and baking powder together. Blend the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until combined. Stir the chocolate chips into the mixture with a spoon.

5. Drop the dough by rounded teaspoons onto the prepared cookie sheet about 1 inch apart and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until done. Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheets for 10 minutes, then carefully remove to a wire rack to cool.

Recipe adapted from The Great American Chocolate Contest Cookbook by T. K. Woods.

Mini-Me Chocolate Kahlua Pound Cakes

This cake deserves a big "YUM."

Recipe adapted from The Great American Chocolate Contest Cookbook by T. K. Woods

Ingredients for cake:

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 & 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup unsweetened cocoa

2 & 1/3 cups cake flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk

Ingredients for Kahlua Glaze:

1/2 cup Kahlua

1 cup confectioners' sugar

Ingredients for Frosting:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1 to 2 teaspoons Kahlua

2 tablespoons milk

Directions to make Cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease 12-cup Bundt pan (I used 12 mini-loaf pans)

2. In a large bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

3. In a separate bowl, combine the cocoa, flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the buttermilk until just combined. Spread into prepared cake pan and bake for 1 hour.

Directions to make Kahlua Glaze:

1. In a large bowl, combine the Kahlua and confectioners' sugar and beat until smooth.

2. While the unmolded cake is still warm, poke several holes (using a knife or toothpick) in the top of the cake. Pour the Kahlua glaze over the cake. As it cools, the cake will absorb the Kahlua glaze. When it has cooled completely, carefully turn the cake out of the pan and frost.

Directions to make Frosting:

1. In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix well.

2. Spread the frosting over the cake and serve.

Spiced Ground Orange Peel

As I was browsing through Robert Lambert's cookbook, Fantasy Chocolate Desserts, I came across this wonderful little recipe to make this aromatic and colorful orange spice to use as a garnish.

Ingredients:

3 to 4 large, well-colored oranges

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamon

Directions:

1. With vegetable peeler (which allows the precise control of thickness you need) cut orange part of skin from the oranges. Lay strips on parchment-lined sheet pan with outer skin side up and put in 250 degree oven for 30 minutes or until they are crisp when cool, but not browned. Open oven a few times to release moisture and let the fragrance into the kitchen. Pure Heaven!

2. When cool combine with cardamon in spice grinder and grind to a fine powder. Lasts indefinitely if kept in freezer. Yield: 2 tablespoons ground peel.

Boston Cream Pie Cheesecake

Adapted from Junior's Cheesecake Cookbook by Alan Rosen & Beth Allen

This dessert is three layers of deliciousness that combine to create a dessert of unequaled proportions. And I don't even want to know the caloric number per slice. But most likely it is similar to the national debt, a number we can't wrap our brain around.

What I truly like about this cheesecake, is that it will put you in a temporary sugar coma. Then for a short time, you are safe from all the world's troubles. No listening to all the political squabbles, no worrying that your 401K has lost half of its value, no cares about global warming, only a bubble of pure sugary bliss.

Ingredients for the Cheesecake Layer:

3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature

1 & 1/3 cups sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

2 extra-large eggs

2/3 cup heavy or whipping cream

Ingredients for the Pastry Cream:

1 & 1/4 cups milk (use whole, not 2% or skim)

1 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

6 extra-large egg yolks

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

1 to 2 drops yellow food coloring, (optional)

Ingredients for the Sponge Cake (1 layer)

1/2 cup sifted cake flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 extra-large eggs, separated

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon pure lemon extract

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

To Finish:

1/2 cup fudge ice cream topping

1 teaspoon light corn syrup

Whipped Cream, optional

Directions:

1. Early in the day, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and generously butter the bottom and sides of one 9-inch springform pan and one 9-inch round layer cake pan. Wrap the outside of the springform (but not the cake pan) with aluminum foil, covering the bottom and extending all the way up the sides. Very important: Line the bottom of the cake pan (but not the springform) with parchment or waxed paper (don't let the paper come up the sides).

2. Put one package of the cream cheese, 1/3 cup of sugar, and the cornstarch in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low until creamy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl a couple of times. Blend in the remaining cream cheese, one package at a time, scraping down the bowl after each. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat in the remaining 1 cup sugar, then the vanilla. Blend in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after adding each. Beat in the cream just until it's completely blended. Be careful not to overmix!

3. Gently spoon the batter into the foil-wrapped springform and place it in a large shallow pan containing hot water that comes about 1 inch up the sides of the springform. Bake the cake at 350 degrees until the edges are light golden brown and the top is slightly golden tan, about 1 & 1/4 hours. Remove the cake from the water bath, transfer to a wire rack, and cool in the pan for 2 hours, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate (while still in the pan) until it's completely cold, about 4 hours.

4. While the cheesecake is baking, make the pastry cream. Heat the milk, cream, and butter together in a large saucepan over medium-high heat just until it bubbles around the edge, stirring until the butter has melted and is incorporated. Remove from the heat. Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch together in a large bowl with a mixer on high until the mixture thickens and turns light yellow, about 3 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and beat in about 1 cup of the hot cream mixture. Return this to the saucepan, stirring constantly over medium heat until the mixture thickens and comes to a full boil (watch carefully as this will take only about a couple of minutes). Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and food coloring. Immediately transfer to a medium-size bowl (this stops the cooking), place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pastry cream (this prevents a skin from forming), and refrigerate until cold and set, at least 2 hours.

5. While the pastry cream chills, make the sponge cake. Check that the oven is preheated to 350 degrees and that the water bath has been removed. In a small bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Beat the egg yolks in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high for 3 minutes. While the mixer is still running, slowly add 1/4 cup of the sugar and continue beating until thick, light yellow ribbons form in the bowl, about 5 minutes more. Beat in the extracts. Sift the flour mixture over the batter and stir it in by hand, just until no white flecks are visible. Blend in the melted butter.

6. Put the egg whites and cream of tartar in a clean medium-size bowl and , with clean, dry beaters, beat with the mixer on high until frothy. Gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form (the whites will stand up and look glossy, not dry). Fold about one-third of the whites into the batter, then the remaining whites. Don't worry if you still see a few white specks -- they'll disappear during baking. Gently spread out the batter over the bottom of the single cake pan and bake until golden (not wet or sticky) and the center springs back when lightly touched, about, 15 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then turn out onto the rack and gently peel off the paper liner. Let the cake cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.

7. When the cheesecake and sponge cake are cold and the pastry cream has set, assemble the cake. Keep the cheesecake in the springform and gently spread the pastry cream over it, using a rubber spatula (avoid stirring the cream at this stage, as you might break its gel). Place the sponge cake, top side up, on the pastry cream. Press down gently. Cover the cake (still in the pan) with plastic wrap and freeze overnight.

8. To decorate the top of the cake with the fudge mirror, combine the ice cream topping and corn syrup in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring just until it's spreadable (don't overheat or let boil!). Take the cake out of the freezer and, using a long, marrow metal spatula, quickly spread the fudge over the top while it's still in the pan. Using the tip of a pointed knife, push a few drips over the edge of the cake. This gives the cake a finished look. Return the pan to the freezer until the mirror has set (do not cover), about 30 minutes.

9. Fill a pastry bag fitted with a small round tip (#2) with the whipped cream. Pipe a white web on top of the cake, making thin lines 3/8 inch apart (don't worry if the lines are a little wavy, as that's a nice homemade touch). Return the cake to the freezer until the web has set, about 30 minutes more.

10. To serve, let the cake stand at room temperature for 10 minutes, then release and remove the ring of the springform, leaving the cake on the bottom of the pan. Place on a serving plate and refrigerate until ready to serve (this cake takes about 2 hours in the refrigerator to thaw enough to easily slice). Use a sharp straight-edge knife, to cut it. Refrigerate any leftover cake or wrap and freeze for up to 1 month.