Happy birthday wishes to my best friend and sister, for whom this cake was baked :). I’ve been making my sister’s birthday cake off and on since her- correct me if I’m wrong here, E- 16th year and for her 22nd I asked for her to choose – and after long deliberation, she decided on the following: a fudge brownie, topped with a vanilla bean cheesecake, encased in white chocolate frosting, topped with strawberries and caramel. We ended up leaving out the brownie layer for fear of giving her birthday guests heart attacks, but kept the rest of this sinfully rich cake’s attributes. Thus I present to you the first of a series of three cheesecakes made recently (and according to my parents, the best of the three).

Vanilla Bean White Chocolate Cheesecake

Adapted from Simply Scratch’s New York Cheesecake

Ingredients (Cake Crust):

• 8 whole honey graham crackers, roughly cut into large pieces
• 12 nilla wafers minis
• 4 tablespoons salted butter, melted
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Ingredients (Cake):

• 4 pck of cream cheese (and I’m sorry to say this but you really need all 16oz to be full-fat)
• 1 & 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup whole milk (no rBST!!)
• 4 eggs (cage-free, brown, organic)
• 1 & 1/2 cup sour cream (again, not light!)
• scant 1/4 cup AP flour (King Arthur)
• 2 tblspn vanilla extract
• 1 tblspn vanilla bean paste

Ingredients (Icing):

• 1 pckg (about 12 oz) white chocolate chips (guittard, ghirardelli, etc- just not nestle or other substandard choices)
• 2 tblspn soy butter
• 1/3 heaping cup heavy/double cream
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• dash of salt
• for garnish: fresh strawberry halves, caramel

Process:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9-inch springform (the spring really, really helps)
2. Get your food processor and place into it the graham and nilla wafer crackers. Pulse until a thick, coarse, somewhat-chunky meal emerges. Then get a medium-sized bowl and into it place the melted butter and vanilla. Then mix in the cracker mixture until it’s a thick, gooey mess and press that into the bottom of the pan going up an inch or so up the sides (or as high as you’d like, really, depending on how thick you like your crust to be)   
3. Place the cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix on low speed until smooth, but NOT liquid- you want to retain the thickness of the texture here.
4. Add in the milk and stir briefly on low- then mix in the eggs one at a time, mixing just barely so that they’re incorporated. Don’t add them all at once as this will adversely affect the texture!
5. Mix in the sour cream, vanilla, and flour until smooth, still being careful to keep the whole mixture thick- then pour everything into the springform and place the entire cake on a baking sheet.
6. Bake the cakefor an hour at 350 degrees, then- and this will sound strange- turn the oven off and leave the cake to hang out for 5 or 6 hours, or overnight. Be sure not to open the oven door after you turn it off so it keeps steaming slowly. Then cool it in the fridge until ready – these get better with age, so I suggest making it a few days ahead of time.
7. Once it’s had ample cooling time (a few hours), prepare the icing- place all the icing ingredients in a medium saucepan and mix together until melted. Take off the heat and allow to thicken for 2 minutes- then spread over cake and cool for another several hours. Shortly before serving, add on strawberries and caramel.

It’s not too sweet, and it’s just rich enough – the age and topping make the difference, and the white chocolate icing gives it something sophisticated (along with the vanilla bean in the cake itself). This is a modified take on a classic, and one that a great variety of folks can enjoy. My sister loved it :) so it served its purpose! Happy birthday, lovely, and an exciting year 22 for you!!

This was, I think, my favourite cake I’ve made so far. Imagine, if you will, a rich, gooey cream cheese danish… topped with candied apricots… and a sticky, syrupy coating. Upside-down fruit cakes with syrups seem to be my “it cake” of the moment and I’m experimenting around- so far apricot, pear, and peach have been brought to the table, and any other large stone fruit is liable to be next. This works equally well with canned or fresh ripe fruit, is rather quick to make, and utterly delicious. It’s not overly sweet, and has a richness that you just can’t beat. Best of all, it’s very adaptable- you can add and remove fat as desired- yes, this will affect the texture, but the overall taste should remain about the same.

Apricot Cream Cake

Ingredients- cake:

• 1 & 1/4 cup self-rising flour
• 1 package (8 oz) plain cream cheese
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 3 whole eggs (brown, cage-free, organic)
• 2 tblspn soy butter, melted
• 1 tblspn vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/3 heaping cup granulated sugar
• 1 can apricot halves in pear juice concentrate (NOT syrup)

Ingredients- syrup:

• 1/3 can Kern’s apricot or apricot-mango or pear nectar (you pick!)
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tblspn raw honey

Process:

1. Preheat oven to 335 degrees F
2. Grease an oval baker and then coat lightly with sugar. Place apricot halves face-down in the pattern of your choice onto the sugared dish and set aside.
3. Cream together the cream cheese and sugar until the cheese is fully softened and a thick paste emerges. Then mix in the sour cream until it, too, is fully incorporated in a tick, heavy cream.
4. Mix the eggs in one at a time , whisking after each addition. Then add in the vanilla, melted butter, and salt.
5. Add about 1/4 cup of the pear juice concentrate from the can and mix into the batter.
6. Add the flour and (now using a wooden or silicone spoon) mix in until just combined. Check the texture- it should be thick and glompy (see photo below) and hold its shape rather well. If it’s too thick, add a bit more pear juice concentrate from the apricot can; if it’s too thin, add more flour. The thicker the texture, the more danish-like the cake will be, so adjust the texture to your liking.
7. Place in oven to bake for approx 30-35 minutes or until golden-brown on top. Try wiggling the pan and if the middle wiggles (or place a skewer in to check done-ness) then put it back in. Don’t worry about slightly overcooking- the syrup will moisten the cake.
8. While the cake is baking, place all syrup ingredients in a medium saucepan and heat to medium- cook it through until a thick syrup emerges, then turn off the heat and let it cool.
9. When the cake is baked, remove from oven and poke multiple holes in it using a skewer/toothpick. Let sit 5 minutes, then pour on the syrup, making sure to coat the sides as well as the top of the cake.
10. It’s yummiest if left out overnight to imbibe in the syrup-y goodness and should be refrigerated starting the next day.

Trust me when I say that this is an absolutely delicious cake, not hard or strenuous to make, and totally worth it. I’ve been doing multiple variations on it (trying out different fruits on top, different quantites of cream cheese and sour cream, caramel and syrup toppings) and it’s amazing every time. :)

So when I made the apricot danish cake, I thought, hmm, this could be pretty cute- and convenient- as mini cakes… but I wonder if they’d turn out the same way. And indeed, like a sign, they did not! I do have to admit that it was not fully the result of having switched to a smaller size- I changed several elements at once. Low-fat/light sour cream was replaced by fat-free; the egg whites were fresher and therefore more firm (and with more air), and more apricot puree was inserted into the creamy batter (which weighed it down a bit more). That said, it was a fascinating experiment, and the only way to describe them, really, is as being some sort of hybrid between a danish and a souffle, with a slight cheesecake-like texture near the fruit. And the jelly was a complete accident! I was yet again- in vain- attempting to make a caramel sauce to top the cakes and out came jelly. Go figure- I think I’m just not meant to get caramel right.

Mini Apricot Cream Cakes with Home-Made Apricot-Pear Jelly

Adapted from Bill Granger’s Apricot Upside-Down Cake

Ingredients (for the jelly/ fresh fruit topping):

• 1/3 cup Kerns pear nectar
• 1/3 cup apricot juice
• 1/8 tsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons soy butter
• 1 can fresh apricot halves in juice (keep the juice!)
• 2-3 additional fresh apricots, halved (and rinsed, de-seeded)
• 1 tsp 2x-concentrated vanilla extract

Ingredients (cake):

• 5 tblspn soy butter
• 4 + 6 oz fat-free sour cream
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3 apricots, pureed
• 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 2.5 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 separated eggs
• 1 tsp 2x-concentrated vanilla extract

Process:

1. Heat oven to 355 degrees F and butter a large muffin pan (I had leftover batter from doing 12 muffin-size cakes and therefore buttered a pan to make a long, flat cake. you can try making mini cakes in a mini muffin pan with your extra batter)
2. Heat together pear nectar, apricot juice, lemon juice, brown sugar, soy butter,and  vanilla extract over medium heat until it begins to bubble slightly; then add in apricot halves and reduce heat slightly. Keep flipping over the apricots so that they’re fully coated with the mixture, until they are soft and cooked through but not falling apart, and the sauce has caramelized. Then, pour apricots slowly and evenly into pan and set aside.
3. Pour caramelized sauce into a small, fairly flat bowl and set aside. This will become a jelly (I’m told pear probably has pectin, which triggers this. My pear netar is also a bit on the old side, which may have contributed to this texture in some fashion)
4. Sift together the flour and baking powder in a small bowl and set aside.
5. Put soy butter, sugar, and vanilla extract in a bowl and mix slowly until the mixture has a creamy texture. Then gently mix in the first 4 oz of the sour cream. Whisk in the egg yolks in two batches (2 at a time), then add in the pureed apricots (just halve them, chop into small pieces, and place in blender or food processor) and mix slowly.
6. Add the sifted flour in two batches, stirring slowly and only until just mixed in. If there are a few small tufts of unmixed flour, don’t worry about them! Then add in the remaining half of the sour cream, again mixing slowly.
7. Take a chilled bowl (preerably metal) and place egg whites and 1/2 tsp salt inside. Beat with an electric mixer on 1 or lowest speed for 3-60 seconds, then slowly raise speed until stiff, white peaks are formed. Be careful not to overbeat, or the whites will begin falling back down.
8. Fold the egg whites in 3-4 batches, being careful to fold and not mix so as to get all the air into the cake. Pour mixture slowly and evenly over the apricots in your muffin pan.
9. Place in oven on top rack for approximately 20-25 minutes, then remove and check with a toothpick. Let side 5 minutes to cool, then flip over onto a plate (or carefully remove each mini cake individually- or flip onto a cookie sheet, as my visiting friend suggested) and allow to continue cooling for 30 minutes. Eat warm with vanilla ice cream and heated jelly or cool as a Danish (as it cools, the cake will compress and compact into a thicker, creamier texture, especially near the fruit)
10. For the jelly, it ought to have jelly-itized by now. If it hasn’t, try going the conventional method and re-heating and adding pectin. Once your jelly has set, scoop out tiny pieces and place on top of the cakes. Serve with a leaf of fresh basil or mint and a warm scoop of vanilla ice cream with cinnamon sprinkled on top.

…and if you serve it with the serving suggestion in step 10, prepare yourself by getting some more ice cream, because it will be eaten so quickly that you won’t realize it happened until it’s too late. Warm cake with oozingly caramelized fruit + melting ice cream = mmmmh. Now I’m tempted to go make a batch of these again :). They’re portable, rather simple, and make a great gift or are perfect for your next entertaining event!

Yesterday, the boyfriend and I were invited over to his friend’s parents’ house for lunch (let’s call then the G’s). Mr. and Mrs. G are fabulous conversationalists- engaging, cultured, and hillarious. I suggested bringing a dessert, and began to wonder what to bring. I thought something moderately sweet would be a safe bet, and decided on an apricot coffee cake. Apricots are my favourite fruit- they’re juicy, slightly acidic, sweet, and so, so delicious. Unfortunately, their season is ridiculously short- sometimes only June!- and thus the second they begin to hit the shelves, I start eating about 3 a day. My mother taught me carefully the way to pick out the best ones- soft but not mushy, a vibrant hue of orange and reds and pinks, and with a sweet smell that promises a juicy munch.

I searched for a recipe that fit the basic idea I had in my head and found one that seemed adequate. Unfortunately, I had to restart, switched computers, lost the link, and was unable to find it again. But, luckily, I happened upon this brilliant recipe by Bill Granger of Australia, and began making some edits (because I’m incapable of following a recipe as-is).

The result, post-edits, was something I would not have thought possible, considering the fact that so much air is in this cake with the egg whites: a Danish! I made a Danish cake, by accident! Apparently, adding a large amount of sour cream- even if light- and reducing moisture will result in a thick, moist Danish. Mmmmh. I plan to experiment with this one again very, very soon, in muffin tins, to make individual cakes.

Upside-Down Apricot Danish Cake

Adapted from Bill Granger’s Apricot Upside-Down Cake

Ingredients:

Topping:

1/2 cup lightly-packed light brown sugar

• 1/4 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp almond extract (or vanilla) – optional
• 4 tblspn soy butter
• 1 can apricot halves in juice (NOT syrup – no need for that extra sugar!) OR 6-8 fresh apricot halves

Cake:

• 6 tblspn soy butter
• 8 oz light sour cream (for a more Danish consistency, bring this up to 10-12 oz)
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2-4 apricots, pureed
• 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 2.5 tsp baking powder
• 4 separated eggs
• 1/2 tsp almond extract (optional)

Process:

1. Heat oven to 355 degrees F and butter a bundt cake pan or 9-inch round springform pan
2. Heat together soy butter, brown sugar, lemon juice, and almond extract (and perhaps a tiny sprinkle of salt) over medium heat until it begins to bubble slightly; then add in apricot halves and reduce heat slightly. Keep flipping over the apricots so that they’re fully coated with the mixture, until they are soft and cooked through but not falling apart, and the sauce has caramelized. Then, pour apricots slowly and evenly into pan and set aside.
3. Sift together the flour and baking powder in a small bowl and set aside.
4. Put remaining soy butter, sugar, 1/2 of the sour cream, and almond or vanilla extract in a bowl and mix slowly until the mixture has a creamy texture. Whisk in the egg yolks in two batches (2 at a time), then add in the pureed apricots (just halve them, chop into small pieces, and place in blender or food processor) and mix slowly.
5. Add the sifted flour in two batches, stirring slowly and only until just mixed in. If there are a few small tufts of unmixed flour, don’t worry about them! Then add in the remaining half of the sour cream, again mixing slowly.
6. Take a chilled bowl (preerably metal) and place egg whites and 1/2 tsp salt inside. Beat with an electric mixer on 1 or lowest speed for 3-60 seconds, then slowly raise speed until stiff, white peaks are formed. Be careful not to overbeat, or the whites will begin falling back down.
7. Fold the egg whites in 3-4 batches, being careful to fold and not mix so as to get all the air into the cake. Pour mixture slowly and evenly over the apricots in your cake pan.
8. Place in oven on middle rack for approximately 50 minutes, then remove and check with a toothpick. Let side 5 minutes to cool, then flip over onto a plate and allow to continue cooling for 30 minutes. Eat warm with vanilla ice cream or cool as a Danish (as it cools, the cake will compress and compact into a thicker, creamier Danish)

It’s delicious, and not too sweet, as the acidity of the apricots really cuts through. The almond extract was strong, so I’d suggest either substituting it for vanilla, bringing down the quantity (that which I listed above is a bit toned down from my original, which I thought to be a bit too overtly almond-y) or simply leaving it out. That said, it’s a great cake, and easily transportable. The G’s enjoyed it, as did the boyfriend and sister, and it went nicely with the absolutely scrumptious meal Mrs. G made for us. :)