Mini Amaretto Peach Pecan Honey Butter Cheesecake

Hello hello :) So the other half and I recently took a trip to Seattle and Portland and I loved it there. I could totally see us moving there and hopefully we will someday. It's such a beautiful part of the country and it wasn't really as rainy as I thought it would be. We ate and drank our way through both cities trying to explore as much as we could. When we vacation we walk and ride public transportation to get around the city trying to find the local spots, and for the most part avoiding the touristy places. If you could live anywhere, where would it be?

Here are a few photos from our little adventure.

Moving right along to the cheesecake. I had a few ingredients that I had been wanting to use and finally brought them together. First, I had a jar of Amaretto Peach Pecan Honey Butter that my girlfriend had given me because she knows I love that sort of thing and I have been trying to come up with the perfect treat to use it in. Then I also decided to go with a shortbread cookie as a crust because the other half sucks at picking out girl scout cookies. They have been sitting around the house since "girl scout cookie season" (you guys know what I mean) unopened and they just had to be put to good use. His excuse for acquiring said girl scout cookies...he believes that the girl scout cookie selling operation is like the mafia. You see they put these cute little girls in pigtails as a front. They smile sweetly and ask if you'd like to buy some cookies, when it's really the mom's that are behind it. Their icy stare, judging you (like how dare you say no to a little girl), with the look in their eyes that say, (you better buy some cookies or I'll break your freakin legs.) My technique is to not make eye contact, but the other half, he just doesn't have it down yet. So while feeling coerced into buying cookies he goes and picks the most plain, boring cookie they've got. (No offence to you shortbread cookie lovers) I think they go great with a creamy, rich cheesecake though.

Amaretto Peach Pecan Honey Butter Cheesecake

Ingredients: 
2 (8oz) packages cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon flour
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 heavy cream
1/2 cup Amaretto Peach Pecan Honey Butter
Pinch of salt
12 shortbread cookies for crust

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 325° and line a muffin tin with liners and then place one shortbread cookie in the bottom of each tin.

2.  In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, cream together the cream cheese, brown sugar and flour until smooth.

3.  Then add eggs one at a time, beating until incorporated.

4.  Then stir in the amaretto peach pecan honey butter, heavy cream, and vanilla. Pour into tins.

5.  Bake for 25 minutes. (I place a pyrex baking dish full of hot water underneath the muffin tin; I do this for all of my cheesecakes instead of a water bath) Turn off oven and leave cheesecake in oven with the door closed for 30 minutes.

6.  Remove from oven. Let cool. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

Chocolate Cookie Butter Tart

So I love Trader Joe's cookie butter. What I love more than their cookie butter is the cookie butter (speculoos) stuffed chocolate bars...like really LOVE! In fact I think I have a problem. They were so good I would always get a couple or three or four when I checked out, and then they ran out! The next month or so they had not gotten any in, so I did what any addict would do, I improvised. I bought a jar of the cookie butter and a bar of chocolate and dipped my chocolate bar in the cookie butter, perfectly healthy I assure you. I had to manage my cravings this way for a while until they finally got them back. Now I just rake them all in my basket with my arm and hope the cashier doesn't judge me for how many chocolate bars I am buying. So in honor of my favorite candy bar and to use the extra jar of cookie butter I bought in crisis, I decided to create this tart.

This definitely satisfies the chocolate/cookie butter craving, thank goodness so I don't have to buy so many chocolate bars. It's a crumbly chocolate shortbread crust that also has crushed speculoos cookies baked into it, with a creamy cookie butter middle, and topped with a smooth chocolate ganache. It's so good! It is rich so a little piece will do or you can pair it with a little whipped cream or maybe even a little ice cream.

Chocolate Cookie Butter Tart

Shortbread Crust
Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup speculoos cookies, crushed (plus extra for garnish)
pinch of salt
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg yolk, room temperature
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Middle Layer
Ingredients:
7 oz (1/2 jar) Trader Joe's crunchy cookie butter (that's it)

Chocolate Ganache
Ingredients:
3oz milk chocolate, chopped
2oz dark chocolate, chopped
3/8 cup heavy cream

Directions:
1. In a medium bowl mix together flour, cocoa powder, cookies, and salt.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or large bowl using a hand mixer) cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then beat in egg yolk and vanilla.

3. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until it comes together.

4. Press into a 9in' tart pan and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prick the bottom of the crust several times with a fork. Bake in preheated oven for 18-22 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

6. While crust is cooling, start on ganache. Heat cream in saucepan over medium heat just until the sides start to bubble.

7. Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and let set 2 minutes, the whisk until smooth.

8. Spread cookie butter over cooled crust then spread ganache over cookie butter, sprinkle extra cookie crumbs as garnish. Refrigerate until ganache is set.

You can serve it at room temp like I did or with a bit of a chill on it, whatever you like.

Truffle Stuffed Amaretto Peanut Butter Cookies

So...I was going to lay off the alcohol for awhile...to you know save calories and give my liver a good rest...

Then Monday came along...

I think they might have invented alcohol for Mondays just to make them worth being a day of the week. Plus it's blowing like 50 mph chilly winds today...no kidding...so what's better than a nice glass of red wine to warm your cockles. Oh and good for your heart! Right?

Anyway...lets talk cookies. These will make your Monday worth it too.

These cookies are chewy and amaretto-y and peanut buttery, and chocolatey, and positively scrumptious. I made these cookies with an amaretto peanut butter and stuffed them with an amaretto truffle. I love amaretto and my girlfriend, Randi, knows this and got me a few treats, including this amaretto peanut butter, she's the greatest!

And I just realized that I was supposed to save one for her...and I didn't...I forgot...and they're all gone...I'm a horrible friend.

Guess I'll be making another batch soon...must save one for Randi...must save one for Randi. :)

Truffle Stuffed Amaretto Peanut Butter Cookies

For the Amaretto Truffle
Ingredients:
1/3 cup + 1 tbsp heavy cream
3 ounces dark chocolate coarsely chopped
3 ounces milk chocolate coarsely chopped
1/4 cup amaretto

Directions:
1. Place the heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until scalding; it will just start to bubble around the sides.

2. Place the chopped chocolate into a heat proof bowl and pour the hot milk over the chocolate and add the amaretto, let sit for 2 minutes and whisk until smooth.

3. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for two hours or until set. Then form into balls. For the cookies I made them a little smaller and I left the truffles without any coating but I did roll a few extra in cocoa. Chill in fridge for another 30 minutes.

For the Cookies
Ingredients:
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
1/2 cup amaretto peanut butter
1 egg
1 tbsp amaretto
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup almond flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 and line baking sheet with parchment paper or silpat liner.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, cream together the sugars and butter until lighter in color and fluffy.

3. Beat in egg and peanut butter until smooth and stir in amaretto.

4. Add the rest of the dry ingredients and mix on low until all ingredients are combined. Then chill dough in fridge for 30 mins.

5. Now to assemble the cookies I used a small cookie scoop I used two scoops and smashed one down with a fork to give it the traditional peanut butter cookie look and then I just smashed the other down with the palm of my hand and wrapped them around one of the amaretto truffles and pinched the sides together to seal.

6. Bake in the preheated oven for 12 to 14 minutes and then let rest on cookie sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Super Gras and a King Cake

This is what happens when two amazing things like Super Bowl and Mardi Gras collide.

The other half and I took a little weekend trip to New Orleans last weekend and were inspired to add a little Mardi Gras flair to our Super Bowl party. He's making homemade gumbo with shrimp and andouille sausage, and I decided on a classic king cake with a twist.

It was my first time in New Orleans and I loved it. I have to admit, I didn't have high hopes for it. From what I had heard it was just a trashy, dirty city that smells bad, but that couldn't be further from the truth. The city has cleaning up after the festivities pretty much down to an art, and when they are done it actually smells quite nice. We stayed off of Canal St across the street from Harrah's.  We did spend some time in the casino but took plenty of time to explore the city and walk around the streets. The city has an old charm about it. I love the old houses with balconies on every one, the small bars that invite you in from the street, oh and the food. The food is amazing. The city had such a great buzz about it. All the major networks were already set up for broadcasting from there for Super Bowl week, and we were able to see three different Mardi Gras parades, one at night, one during the day, and one for dogs actually. Did I mention the food? We had shrimp and grits, gumbo, ettouffe, poboys, alligator sausage, boudin, and of course some beignets and chicory coffee at Cafe Du Monde. So A-mazing!

I chose this particular recipe for the cake because it uses bread flour which gives it a less dense texture, and for the technique of making the dough in the food processor, it was super easy. The only thing you need to be aware of is that this has a lot of inactive prep time. Because it is made with a yeast dough it has a lot of rising and kneading, and rising, and rolling out, and rising again. So make sure you are giving yourself enough time to make this. I made my filling using an ingredient I picked up in New Orleans. The other half and I stopped into a shop, the Pepper Palace, where he had picked up a few things for me last time he was there. You may have seen them used in previous post, cherry butter in the Cherry Butter Cheesecake, and candied jalapenos in the Candied Jalapeno Brownies. For this visit I picked out a jar of peach butter.

King Cake with Peach Butter Cream Cheese Filling

For the Cake

Ingredients:
1/3 cup milk
1 package active dry yeast
2 1/2 cups bread flour, plus more for dusting
2 large egg yolks, plus 2 eggs
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for greasing the bowl

Directions:

1.  Heat the milk in a saucepan until scalding; transfer to a food processor, add the yeast and pulse to combine. 

2.  Add 1/2 cup flour and the egg yolks; process to combine. Pour the remaining 2 cups flour evenly over the yeast mixture; do not process. Put the lid on; set aside for 90 minutes.

3.  Add the 2 whole eggs, granulated sugar, lemon zest, salt and nutmeg to the food processor; process to make a slightly textured dough, about 1 minute. 

4.  With the machine running, slowly add the butter to make a smooth, sticky dough. Transfer the dough to a lightly buttered bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap; let rise in a warm place for 2 hours. 

5.  Turn the dough out onto a clean surface and knead about 8 minutes; form into a ball and return to the bowl. Cover with a moist tea towel in a warm place to rise for another hour. Meanwhile make the filling.

For the Filling
Ingredients:
1 package (8oz) cream cheese
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/4 peach butter (from Pepper Palace in New Orleans)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup toasted pecans, chopped

Directions:
1.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a medium bowl using a hand mixer beat cream cheese and brown sugar until smooth then scrape down the bowl. 

2.   Add peach butter, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt and beat until incorporated. Then stir in pecans.

To Assemble the cake:

1.  On a floured surface, roll the dough into a 20-by-7-inch rectangle, with the long edge facing you. Spoon the filling in an even layer over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border along the top and bottom. 

2.  Fold the bottom and then the top edge over the filling to make a tight roll; pinch to seal. 

3.  Transfer the roll seam-side down to a parchment-lined baking sheet; tuck one end into the other to form a ring. Cover loosely with a tea towel and set aside in a warm place until the roll doubles in size, about 2 hours. (I placed a coffee can in the middle of the cake so it would not lose its shape)

4.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the cake until firm and golden brown, about 30 minutes. When cake comes out carefully press the plastic baby into the underside of the cake. Cool on a rack.

For the Glaze

Ingredients:

1/2 cup confectioners sugar

1 tablespoon  peach butter

1 tablespoon milk

Directions:

1.  Whisk together all ingredients and drizzle over cooled cake, then sprinkle green, purple, and yellow sugar over glaze.

This recipe adapted from the Food Network.

Browned Butter Cupcakes with Fig Swiss Meringue Buttercream and Fig Filling

Did I totally miss my blogiversary? Yes, yes I did. Gawd! I'm like a man! It's been two years since I started this little blog and I totally missed it. Does it count that I made these totally awesome cupcakes a week later? Well it should because these cupcakes are definitely worthy. They smell so delicious even before they bake because of the browned butter. I actually ended up creating this recipe on accident.

You see I attempted to make my very first batch of macarons. Unfortunately, I have not perfected the technique yet. I need more practice. You can see large grains of the almond flour in the cookie. They tasted wonderful though.

I used the italian method. Check out my fail and let me know if you have any tips.

So...I had whipped up a batch of amazingly delicious fig butter swiss meringue buttercream and had quite a bit left over....so I had to do something with it....I couldn't just eat it out of the container off the spoon....ok....so I do that too...it just seemed destined for better somehow.

So I came up with these...your're welcome.

Browned Butter Cupcakes with Fig Swiss Meringue Buttercream and Fig Filling

CUPCAKES
Ingredients:
1/2 cup browned butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
1 1/4 cups cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
1.  Pour glass of wine, set aside for yourself. Baking with a glass of your favorite beverage always makes it better.

2.  First brown the butter in a small sauce pan. (I started on low and gradually raised the temperature little by little, swirling occasionally, until the milk solids started to turn brown and it started to smell nutty.)

3.  Then place the browned butter in an ice water bath. (You can do this early and let it cool completely on the stove or use a water bath, which ever you prefer. I let it cool in an ice bath in the sink and let it sit there while I got everything together and preheated the oven.)

3.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare baking tin with cupcake liners.

4.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the browned butter, vegetable oil, and brown sugar together until light and fluffy.

5.  Beat the eggs in one at a time then scrape down the bowl. Add the vanilla, milk and mix. Then add the cake flour and baking powder.

6.  Mix until batter is smooth. Then pour evenly (I used a ¼ cup measure) into prepared cupcake tin. Bake for 12-17 minutes until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean. (In my oven, mine came out perfect at 15 minutes)

7.  Let cool in pan for 5 minutes before removing them and letting them cool completely on wire rack.

FILLING
Ingredients:
1/2 cup or so Fig Butter (I used Trader Joe’s)
Slash of apple juice

Directions:
1.  Core the middle of the cupcake out to make room for the filling. (I used my nifty cupcake corer, love it, but you can also just use a paring knife.)

2.  Add a splash of apple juice to the fig butter to thin it out just a tad and then put it in a large ziplock bag and snip off the corner of the bag to just pipe in the filling.

FIG SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM
Ingredients:
5 large fresh egg whites (150 g)
1-1/4 cup (250 g) superfine granulated sugar
1-1/2 cups (340 g) (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, cut into cubes
2 teaspoons (10 ml) pure vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1/4 + 1/8 cups fig butter (I used Trader Joe’s)

Directions:
1.  Add egg whites and sugar, and simmer over a pot of water (not boiling), whisking constantly but gently, until temperature reaches 160°F, or if you don't have a candy thermometer, until the sugar has completely dissolved and the egg whites are hot.

2.  Place bowl back on mixer and fit with whisk attachment. Whip until the meringue is thick, glossy, and the bottom of the bowl feels neutral to the touch (this can take up to 10 minutes, or longer).

3.  Switch over to paddle attachment and, with mixer on low speed, add softened butter in chunks until incorporated, and mix until it has reached a silky smooth texture (if curdles, keep mixing and it will come back to smooth).

4. Add vanilla, salt, and fig butter and continuing to beat on low speed until well combined.

Swiss Meringue Buttercream Recipe reprinted from Sweetapolita

Mint Chocolate Irish Cream Cookies

So now that it's a fresh new year, I have no motivation.

Except to eat more cookies like these.

Let me tell you guys just how bad my motivation has been lately. I experienced something this morning that I haven't done since, oh I don't know, junior high. It all starts with the fact that I can't even make myself go to bed at night. I sit on the couch and keep busy on my iPad or catch up on my shows (so happy Downton Abby is back on) until I literally fall asleep on the couch. Sometimes it's just a quick thirty minute to an hour that I'm asleep before I get up and put myself to bed and then there are times I'll wake up at four in the morning before I make it to the bedroom. Usually I'm pretty good at getting up in the morning and going to my grown up job, but all good things must come to an end. Last night I took my usual nightly nap on the couch, only for about an hour, but this time I forgot to set my alarm! (Oh the horror!) Have you ever shot up out of bed just knowing you were already late? It's terrible isn't it? That oh my god, oh my god, I slept in feeling. I swear I ran back and forth at the foot of the bed about ten times trying to get my bearings and figure out what to do. I threw on some clothes, brushed my teeth, smeared on some makeup, and tried to make my birds nest of a hair do look halfway decent, to no avail. Believe it or not I actually got to work in the nick time. My punishment, having to drink the bitter nastiness they call coffee and having to face the morning in a zombie like coma. Luckily I survived the day and decided to bake cookies and drink wine to make myself feel better. Even better the cookies have liqueur in them too. 

If you are wanting a comforting hug at the end of a long tiring day, these cookies are for you. The hint of mint and irish cream soothes you just like a warm after dinner drink with a shot of Bailey's. Try em out. :)

Mint Chocolate Irish Cream Cookies

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter (room temperature)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup Irish Cream (I used Bailey’s Chocolate Mint Irish Cream, but any flavor will work)

1/4 cup Andes crème de menthe baking chips

1/4 cup chocolate chips

Directions

1.  In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.

2.  In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment cream together butter and sugar until pale, then add the egg and vanilla and beat until light and fluffy, then with the mixer still on drizzle in the irish cream. Scrape down sides to make sure all is incorporated.

3.  Then add flour mixture and mix on low until just combined, and then stir in Andes baking chips and chocolate chips.

4.  At this point I stash them in the fridge to get a chill on them while I clean up and preheat the oven and prepare the baking sheets.

5.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheet with parchment paper or silicon baking mat. Place tablespoons of dough on the baking sheet leaving enough room for spreading. I use a small cookie scoop. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, just until they start to brown around the edges.

6.  Cool on sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.

Store uneaten cookies (yeah, like that ever happens) in an air tight container. ;) Enjoy

Happy New Year!

Finally! All that hustle and bustle of the holidays is over and we can chill out and relax a bit. Now that I don't have a million things to do a day I've been getting to reflect back on the year and really enjoy the memories. 2012 was a great year for me. Full of love, new experiences, and challenges. 

This year I turned 30. 

I married my best friend. 

Took a beautiful vacation to California.

and I ran a 1/2 marathon.

All of which were pretty big for me. I can reflect back and feel like I really lived life well. I can't wait to see what 2013 has in store for me. 

So while I am reflecting back, I wanted to share the top five most popular posts of 2012 with you guys and then I wanted to share my favorite top five recipes (ie: what I couldn't resist stuffing in my face)

Most Popular Posts of 2012

1. Green Tea White Chocolate Brownies

2. Fall Pantry Granola Bars

3. Blood Orange Vanilla Cake

4. The Ultimate Sticky Buns

5. Healthy Trail Mix Muffins

My Favorite Posts of 2012

1. Chocolate Spice Cupcake with Pumpkin Spice Pudding Frosting

2. Brown Sugar Blondies with Caramelized Frosting

3. Mini Biscoff White Chocolate Chip Cheesecakes

4. Celebration Champagne Cupcakes

5. The Ultimate Sticky Buns