White Chocolate Cheesecake with Mixed Berries

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup  crushed shortbread cookies (about 4 oz.)
• 3 tablespoons  finely chopped slivered almonds, toasted
• 1/4 cup  butter, melted
• 2 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 16 ounce  white chocolate baking squares with cocoa butter, melted and cooled
• 2/3 cup  sugar
• 2/3 cup  dairy sour cream
• 1 teaspoon  vanilla
• 3 eggs

Triple Raspberry Sauce

• 10 -12 ounce jar seedless raspberry preserves
• 1 cup  fresh red raspberries or frozen red raspberries
• 1 – 2 tablespoons  raspberry liqueur

METHOD:

For crust:

1. In a small bowl, combine crushed cookies and almonds. Stir in melted butter. Press crushed cookie mixture onto the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan. Set aside.

For filling:

1. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese and cooled white chocolate; beat with an electric mixer on medium to high speed until combined. Beat in sugar, sour cream, and vanilla until mixture is fluffy.
2. Add the eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Pour into the crust-lined pan. Place in a shallow baking pan.
3. Bake in a 180 degree C oven 45 to 50 minutes or until center is nearly set when you shake the cheesecake gently. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Loosen from side of pan. Cool for 30 minutes more; remove side of pan. Cool completely.* Cover and chill for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours.
4. To serve, cut into wedges and drizzle some of the Triple-Raspberry Sauce over each serving. Makes 12 servings.

• This cheesecake puffs during baking, then settles as it cools.

Triple Raspberry Sauce

Yield: 1-3/4 cups

METHOD:

1. In a small saucepan, melt raspberry preserves over low heat. Add fresh red raspberries or frozen red raspberries. Heat gently just until sauce simmers. Cool. If desired, stir in raspberry liqueur. Cover and chill until serving time. Makes 1-3/4 cups.

Ferrero Rocher Cheesecake

INGREDIENTS:

Crust:

• 2 cups crushed Oreo
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter

Cheesecake:

• 3 packs cream cheese, softened
• 2/3 cup powdered sugar
• 3 cups thickened cream or whipped cream, chilled
• 4 tsp unflavoured gelatine
• 1/4 cup hot water
• 6 pcs Ferrero Rocher, roughly chopped

Toppings:

• 4 heaping tbsp Nutella
• 2-3 tbsp milk
• 2 tbsp confectioners sugar
• 8 pcs Ferrero Rocher
• Chocolate shavings

METHOD:

1. Combine all ingredients and make sure it’s mixed well and butter is evenly spread throughout the crushed crackers, press it in a 9 in pie pan.
2. Bake in a preheated oven at 180C for 10 minutes (this makes the crust more firm, but you can omit this process if you wanted to)
3. Chill in fridge for around 20 minutes.
4. Place softened cream cheese and sugar in a bowl together; using an electric mixer beat the cheese until thoroughly mixed and creamy.
5. Dissolve gelatine in hot water then let it cool for a while.  Once cooled down add into the cream cheese mixture, continue to beat until mixture becomes fluffy.
6. Now add thickened cream and chopped Ferrero then fold until it’s evenly mixed.
7. Pour over the prepared crust.
8. Top it with the Ferrero Rocher and chocolate shavings. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours before serving.
9. Before serving drizzle melted Nutella on top then serve.
10. Place Nutella, confectioners sugar and milk in a double boiler, stir until sauce becomes runny add more milk if required.

Mixed Berries Cheesecake

INGREDIENTS:

Crust:

• 1 cup crushed graham crackers or malt crackers
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped

Toppings:

• 1 cups fresh blueberries
• 1 cup raspberries
• 3 punnets strawberries
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp cornstarch

for the cheesecake:

• 3 packs cream cheese, softened
• 2/3 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 cups thickened cream or whipped cream, chilled
• 4 tsp unflavoured gelatine
• 1/4 cup hot water

METHOD:

1. Combine all ingredients and make sure it’s mixed well and butter is evenly spread throughout the crushed crackers, press it in a 9 in pie pan.
2. Bake in a preheated oven at 180C for 10 minutes (this makes the crust more firm, but you can omit this process if you wanted to)
3. Chill in fridge for around 20 minutes.
4. Topping: Place 1/2 cup of blueberry, 1/2 cup of raspberries, 2 punnets of strawberries and all other ingredients in a saucepan and cook in medium heat until all berries have broken down. Using a hand blender blend the berry sauce until smooth in texture, cook for 5 more minutes.
5. Set aside and let it cool down before using.
6. Place softened cream cheese in a bowl together with sugar and vanilla extract, now using an electric mixer beat the cheese until thoroughly mixed.
7. Dissolve gelatine in hot water then let it cool for a while.  Once cooled down add into the cream cheese mixture, continue to beat until mixture becomes fluffy.
8. Now add thickened cream and fold until it’s evenly mixed.
9. Pour over the prepared crust.
10. Then top it with the berry sauce and mixed berries. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours before serving.

Rum & Raisin Dark Chocolate Truffles

INGREDIENTS:

Makes about 20 truffles

• 200g of good quality dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa) – broken into pieces
• 1/4 cup raisins – chopped
• 1/4 cup rum
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla paste (or 1 tsp of vanilla extract)
• 1 tsp of strong espresso or instant coffee granules (optional)
• 2 tbsp of cocoa powder

Coatings:

• Cocoa powder
• Finely chopped nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans or almonds)
• Shredded coconut
• Spices like cinnamon, cayenne pepper, orange zest, etc

METHOD:

1. In a bowl, soak the raisins in rum for one hour (at room temperature).
2. In a saucepan, over low heat, bring the cream to a simmer. Then add the butter and stir with a plastic spatula until melted.
3. Next, add the chopped chocolate, and when it begins to melt, turn the fire off and continue to stir until the chocolate is completely melted (be careful not to burn the chocolate).
4. Then mix in the cocoa powder, vanilla paste, and espresso, and stir until smooth. Finally, stir in the raisin rum mixture, and transfer to a bowl.
5. Once the chocolate ganache has cooled on the counter, cover the bowl and place it in the fridge. Chill for an hour until the ganache is firm.
6. Lay out a sheet of non-stick baking paper. Prepare coatings in separate bowls. With your palms or a small spoon, form the chocolate into balls, then roll each one in the coating and place them on the baking paper. Transfer the truffles, along with the baking paper, to an airtight container and refrigerate.
7. Truffles can be refrigerated for a couple of weeks or for a few months in the freezer. Before serving, let the truffles sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

Tips on making truffles: 
– It’s important to keep the ganache mixture cool after it is removed from the refrigerator, so it doesn’t melt too much when you are forming the balls and coating them. Try placing the small bowl of ganache on top of a bigger bowl layered with ice. (Also, coat your hands with some cocoa powder to prevent your warm fingers from melting the chocolate)
– If the ganache gets too soft for shaping, just pop the ganache back in the freezer for five minutes. If you are making a bigger batch, divide the ganache into separate containers.

Asian Pear Ginger Froyo & Lemon Ginger Macarons

INGREDIENTS:
Asian pear-Ginger Frozen Yogurt

• 1 lb. Asian pear, peeled, cored, and chopped
• 1 oz. fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
• 1 lb. Greek yogurt, or strained yogurt
• 1/2 cup sugar

METHOD:

1. In a food processor, puree the Asian pear and fresh ginger until smooth and no chunks are left.
2. Fold the pear and ginger puree into the Greek yogurt and add the sugar.  Mix thoroughly.
3. Chill the mixture thoroughly, and freeze according to your ice cream maker’s directions.

Lemon Ginger Macarons
makes ~60-70 shells

• 30 grams sugar
• 200 grams powdered sugar
• 110 grams slivered almonds
• 4 Tbspn dried lemon zest*
• 5 grams ground ginger
• 1/2 tspn yellow powder food coloring, optional
• 90 grams egg whites, at least two days old (separate eggs in advance, put the whites in an air tight container for at least two days–I usually keep them for five days before use)
• freshly grated lemon zest

METHOD:

1. Have ready: pastry bag fitted with a round tip with about 1/2″ opening and two baking sheets lined with silpats or parchment paper.
2. In a food processor, process the regular sugar for a few seconds.  Remove and set aside.
3. Combine the powdered sugar, almonds, dried lemon zest, ground ginger, and food coloring in the food processor and process until the almonds are finely ground. Set aside.
4. Place the egg whites in a mixer bowl with the whisk attachment.  Begin whisking on low, until the egg whites start to foam.
5. Increase the speed of the mixer to medium high and beat the egg whites while gradually adding the regular sugar. Beat on medium high until you reach a glossy, soft-peak meringue.
6. At this point, remove the mixer bowl from the mixer and continue the rest of the way by hand, using a large balloon whisk.  Pour (lightly!) the processed powdered sugar and almond mixture into the meringue.  Fold to combine, quickly at first, and then slowly after the first few strokes.  Make sure to always use deliberate strokes when folding.  Mix only until combined, no more than fifty strokes.  Usually, it only takes me fewer than thirty, if that.  The batter is ready when the peaks will collapse on their own.
7. Immediately transfer the batter to the prepared pastry bag. On the silpat baking sheets, squeeze about 1 to 1.5″ rounds.  Top each shell with freshly grated lemon zest.  Let the sheets sit for at least 30 minutes.
8. While the macarons rest, preheat the oven to 150 degrees C.  Bake the macarons for 15-20 minutes, rotating after about 10.  Macarons are done when the shells do not give when gently touched.  Remove from the oven and let cool.

*To make dried lemon zest, zest lemons and leave the zest out on a piece of paper towel for 24 hours.

Everything but the kitchen sink cookies

INGREDIENTS:

makes nine 6-inch cookies 

• 2 1/4 cups (320 gr) AP flour
• 1 tspn baking powder
• 1 tspn baking soda
• 1 tspn salt
• 2 tspn finely ground Turkish coffee
• 1 cup (8 oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup (120 gr) dark brown sugar
• 1 cup (200 gr) white sugar
• 1 1/2 Tbspn dark molasses
• 2 eggs
• 2 Tbspn cream or milk
• 1 Tbspn vanilla extract
• 4 cups of mix-ins: 1 cup each of pretzels (chopped), Butterfingers (chopped), marshmallows, dark chocolate chips

METHOD:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Prepare baking sheets lined with silpats or parchment paper.
2. Whisk to combine the AP flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and finely ground Turkish coffee. Set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, cream the butter until light, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the sugars and mix until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the molasses to the butter and beat until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the milk and vanilla extract. In two stages, beat in the flour mixture on low until thoroughly combined. Fold in the mix-ins.
4. Scoop the dough into large rounds onto the prepared cookie sheets, about two cookies per half-sheet baking pan. Leave ample room between each cookie. Dip your fingers in water and lightly spread out and press the dough into a circle.
5. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack.

Note: If you don’t have Turkish coffee, substitute with finely ground regular coffee and a pinch or two of ground cardamom.
Note: This recipe can support up to four cups of mix-ins. Feel free to mix in anything you can think of or have in your cabinets: potato chips, nuts, dried fruits, chopped candy bars, cereal, last year’s Halloween candy, next year’s Halloween candy…. The sky’s the limit!

Dark Chocolate Chip and Currant Biscotti

INGREDIENTS:

makes ~60 cookies according to Lebovitz (I got ~40)

• 350 gr AP flour
• 1 tspn baking powder
• 100 gr white granulated sugar
• 100 gr dark brown sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tspn vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup dried currants

METHOD:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Prepare a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silpat.
2. Whisk to combine the flour and baking powder in a bowl. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the eggs, white sugar, dark brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Using the whisk attachment, whisk on medium high for about five minutes, until the batter has considerably thickened.
4. Gently fold the flour into the egg mixture.
5. Add and gently mix in the chocolate chips and dried currants.
6. On a lightly-floured surface, divide the dough into two portions. Shape each portion into a log about three inches in diameter, and transfer the logs to the prepared baking sheet, allowing a few inches in between the logs because they will spread in the oven. Wet your hands lightly with water and smooth the outsides of the dough logs.
7. Bake for 20 minutes, rotating the baking sheet once halfway through baking, until the logs are lightly golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool on the baking sheet for about 10-15 minutes.
8. Decrease the oven temperature to 150 degrees C.
9. Transfer the logs to a cutting board and using a sharp, serrated knife, slice the logs into ~3/4″ pieces. Transfer the pieces, cut-side up back onto the lined baking sheet.
10. Bake the cookies again for 15-20 more minutes, rotating once half-way through baking. Remove cookies and let cool on a wire rack. Cookies will continue to harden when cooling.  Store in an airtight container.

Coconut Rose Chocolate Macaroons

INGREDIENTS:

makes ~50 small macarons or 20-30 large macaroons

for macaroon shells*:

• 200 gr powdered sugar
• 120 gr blanched and slivered almonds
• 20 gr unsweetened dried coconut flakes (not the sugared kind!)
• 30 gr granulated sugar
• 100 gr egg whites, at room temperature
• 1/4 tspn cream of tartar
• 1/8 tspn coconut extract
• 1/8 tspn rose extract

METHOD:

1. Prepare two baking sheets lined with silpats or parchment paper and a pastry bag with a large round piping tip.
2. Combine the powdered sugar, almonds, and dried coconut flakes in a food processor and grind until a fine powder. Sift thoroughly through a fine mesh strainer and set aside.
3. In a small bowl, have ready the granulated sugar.
4. In a separate mixing bowl, combine the egg whites and the cream of tartar. Using a balloon whisk, quickly stir the mixture until the entire surface is covered with foam. Then, start whisking the egg whites, gradually adding in the granulated sugar once the egg whites are very frothy. Whisk until you reach glossy, almost-stiff peaks.
5. Gently fold the sifted almond and powdered sugar mixture into the egg whites in two to three stages, adding the coconut and rose extracts as you go. Mix just until the ingredients are incorporated and the batter slowly re-absorbs peaks. Do not overmix!
6. Transfer the macaroon mixture to the prepared piping bag and pipe rounds on the lined baking sheets. Tap the baking sheets on the table a few times to release air pockets.
7. Rest the macaroons for at least 30 minutes (and up to 60), until the outside shells are no longer tacky and sticky to a light touch.
8. Preheat oven to 145 degrees C, with the oven rack in the bottom third of the oven.
9. Bake the macaroons in the oven, one sheet at a time, for 24-28 minutes total, rotating the sheet half-way through the baking time to insure even baking.
10. Remove from oven and let cool.

*Note: the resting and oven temperature and times are adjusted to what works in my kitchen and oven (which, to my knowledge and according to two oven thermometers, is quite accurate). Please note that you may have to adjust according to what works in your kitchen and oven.

for coconut-rose chocolate ganache:

• 1/2 cup coconut cream (see note below)
• 1 Tbspn butter
• 1 tspn rose water
• 2 tspn corn syrup
• 4 oz. dark chocolate, chopped

METHOD:

1. In a small saucepan, combine the coconut cream, butter, rose water, and corn syrup. Bring to a simmer.
2. Once the coconut cream mixture is simmering, remove from heat and add the chocolate. Whisk until smooth.
3. Let cool completely, and use to fill macaroons.
4. Once the macaroons are filled, let them “cure” in an airtight container in the refrigerator overnight before serving.

Note: for coconut cream, skim the cream off the top of a can of coconut milk. A little bit of milk is okay.

Cinnamon Apple Macaroons with Apple Butter Buttercream & Tart Green Apples

INGREDIENTS:

Apple Butter
makes ~20 oz. apple butter, far more than you’ll need for apple butter buttercream, but delicious to have around for other uses!

• 2 lbs. apples, peeled, cored, and in chunks
• 4 cups unfiltered apple juice
• 1/2-2/3 cup light brown sugar*
• 1 tspn cloves
• 1 tspn ground cinnamon
• juice of half a lemon

METHOD:

1. In a large pot over medium high heat, combine the apples and apple juice and cook until the apples are completely tender, about 15-25 minutes, depending on the size you chop the apples. If a foam forms, you may skim it off if desired.
2. Remove the pot from the stove and let cool briefly. Puree the apples and apple juice in a food processor or blender until completely smooth.
3. Return the puree to the pot and add the brown sugar, cloves, cinnamon, and lemon juice.
4. Return the pot to heat and simmer on medium/medium-low heat, trying to maintain 105 degrees C. Cook for 1-2 hours, stirring regularly, until mixture really thickens and darkens and bubbles/splatters. Remove from heat when desired consistency is reached.

*Add only 1/2 cup sugar for a less-sweet apple butter. I used 2/3 cups sugar and while still really good, it was a little on the sweet side for me.

Cinnamon Apple Macarons
makes ~50 small macarons or 20-30 large macarons
INGREDIENTS:
for macaroon shells*:

• 200 gr powdered sugar
• 120 gr blanched and slivered almonds
• 10 gr freeze-dried apple
• 1 heaping Tbspn ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tspn green powered food coloring, if desired
• 30 gr granulated (superfine, opt) vanilla sugar
• 100 gr egg whites, aged 1-2 days at room temperature or a week in the refrigerator, at room temp
• 1/4 tspn cream of tartar

METHOD:

1. Prepare two baking sheets lined with silpats or parchment paper and a pastry bag with a large round piping tip.
2. Combine the powdered sugar, almonds, dried apple, cinnamon, and green food coloring, if using, in a food processor and grind until a fine powder. Sift thoroughly through a fine mesh strainer and set aside.
3. In a small bowl, have ready the granulated vanilla sugar.
4. In a separate mixing bowl, combine the egg whites and the cream of tartar. Using a balloon whisk, quickly stir the mixture until the entire surface is covered with foam. Then, start whisking the egg whites, gradually adding in the granulated vanilla sugar. Whisk until you reach glossy, almost-stiff peaks.
5. Gently fold the sifted almond and powdered sugar mixture into the egg whites in three to four stages, just until the ingredients are incorporated and the batter slowly re-absorbs peaks.
6. Transfer the macaroon mixture to the prepared piping bag and pipe rounds on to the lined baking sheets. Tap the baking sheets on the table a few times to release air pockets.
7. Rest the macaroons for at least 30 minutes (and up to 60), until the outside shells are no longer tacky and sticky to a light touch.
8. Preheat oven to 150 degrees C, with the oven rack in the bottom third of the oven.
9. Bake the macaroons in the oven, one sheet at a time, for 24-28 minutes total, rotating the sheet half-way through the baking time to insure even baking.
10. Remove from oven and let cool.

*Note: the resting and oven temperature and times are adjusted to what works in my kitchen and oven (which, to my knowledge and according to two oven thermometers, is quite accurate). Please note that you may have to adjust according to what works in your kitchen and oven.

for apple butter buttercream:

• 3 egg yolks
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup butter, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup apple butter

METHOD:

1. Whip the egg yolks until light and shows definitive streaks when you move your whisk through them.
2. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water and stir until the sugar is completely wet. Cook over medium high heat, without stirring, until the sugar reaches 114 degrees C. Immediately remove from heat and (carefully!) gradually pour into the egg yolks while whisking, being careful not to hit the whisk wires.
3. Continue whipping the egg yolks on medium high until the the outside of the bowl is no longer hot or warm to the touch.
4. Add the butter in while beating, one tablespoon at a time.
5. Once the butter is incorporated, beat in the apple butter. Use immediately to fill the macaroons (or, if you refrigerate the buttercream, bring to room temperature and beat to restore texture before using).

for assembly:

• 1 small tart green apple, in small, thin chunks (thick enough to still have crunch, though!)
• lemon juice
• ground cinnamon

METHOD:

1. Toss the apple chunks with a light coating of lemon juice. Then, sprinkle with cinnamon.
2. Fill the macaroons with the apple butter buttercream and apple chunks. Let the macaroons “cure” in an airtight container in the refrigerator overnight before serving.

Chai Tea Sandwich Cookies

Vanilla cardamom cookies
INGREDIENTS:

• 2 1/2 cups AP flour
• 3/4 tspn salt
• 1/2 tspn baking powder
• 1 heaping Tbspn ground cardamom (or more, if you want extra spicy cookies)
• pinch of freshly ground black pepper
• 2 sticks butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 tspn vanilla
• vanilla sugar, optional (recipe found below)

METHOD:

1. In a bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder, cardamom, and black pepper. Set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes on medium.
3. Mix in the egg and vanilla to the fluffed butter and sugar.
4. Gradually add the dry ingredients in two batches and mix until combined.
5. Wrap the dough in 2-3 separate portions in parchment paper and freeze until firm, about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, make the filling:
Darjeeling tea filling
INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 4-5 Tbspn loose leaf Darjeeling tea
• 1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup veggie shortening
• 2 cups sifted powdered sugar

METHOD:

1. In a small saucepan, combine milk and Darjeeling tea.  Bring to almost a boil.
2. Remove the milk from heat, cover and let steep for 10 minutes.
3. Return the milk to heat and simmer until the liquid reduces by about a half or more.  Let cool.
4. In a mixer, beat butter and shortening for about 2-3 minutes on medium.
5. Add milk tea and gradually mix in powdered sugar.
6. With mixer on high, beat for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy.

Baking and assembling:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.
2. Take one portion of dough out of the freezer at a time. Roll out dough between two pieces of parchment paper or on a floured surface until about 1/4″ thickness. Use a cookie cutter to cut out shapes.
3. Place prepared dough on a pan with a silpat or sheet of parchment paper. If using, sprinkle each piece with vanilla sugar.
4. Bake cookies for ~15-18 minutes, rotating once half-way through.
5. Remove cookies and let cool.
6. Fill a pastry bag with the filling and pipe a small amount on a cookie.  Sandwich the filling with another cookie and gently press down.

for vanilla sugar:

1. Fill a clean jar with sugar.
2. Split open a vanilla bean and scrape the seeds into the sugar in the jar.  Mix.
3. Bury the vanilla bean in the sugar as well.
4. Seal the jar tightly and keep in a cool, dark place for at least 1 week until the sugar absorbs the vanilla fragrance.

Fortune Cookies

INGREDIENTS:

makes about 12 – 18 fortune cookies

for basic recipe:

• 4 Tbspn unsalted butter
• 150 g (¾ cup) sugar
• 3 large egg whites
• 60 g (½ cup) all-purpose flour

for matcha-orange blossom cookies:

• 1 Tbspn matcha powder
• ½ tspn orange flower water

for brown butter cookies:

• ½ tspn almond extract

METHOD:

1. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. If making brown butter cookies, cook the butter until the solids have dropped to the bottom and begin to brown. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature, but don’t let the butter resolidify.
2. In a bowl, whisk together the melted butter, sugar, egg whites, and flour. For matcha cookies, add the matcha powder and orange flower water. For brown butter cookies, add almond extract instead. Whisk until the mixture thickens and is well-combined, with no more lumps. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
3. Preheat oven to 150° C. Prepare baking sheets lined with silicone mats. Have ready a coffee mug and a muffin tin, for shaping and cooling the cookies, and paper fortunes. Working two cookies at a time, spoon a small, scant Tbspn of batter for each cookie onto the silicone mat, leaving a few inches in between. Use the back of a spoon to spread the batter into a thin circle.
4. Bake for 9-12 minutes, until the edges are golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few seconds. Place a fortune on the cookie, fold the cookie over in half, press the edge together lightly to seal. Then, using the edge of the mug, indent the cookie in half on the folded side of the half-circle, bringing the ends together. Place in a muffin tin to cool.

Note: for the fortunes, I used 8-pt Times New Roman font, which turned out to be a good size.

Hazelnut Plum Tarts

INGREDIENTS:

makes six 4-inch tarts

• 255 g (2 cups + 2 Tbspn) AP flour
• 80 g (1/2 cup) hazelnuts
• 1/2 tspn Turkish coffee
• 1/4 tspn ground cardamom
• 1 tspn baking powder
• 1/4 tspn sea salt
• 2 sticks (1 lb) butter, at room temperature
• 2 egg yolks
• 150 g (3/4 cup) sugar
• zest of 1 orange
• 1/2 tspn hazelnut extract
• 1/2 tspn vanilla extract
• 1 Tbspn orange juice
• 4 – 6 small plums
• turbinado sugar

METHOD:

1. Preheat oven to 180° C. Lightly grease the inside of six 4-inch tart molds. Set aside.
2. In a food processor, combine the flour, hazelnuts, Turkish coffee grounds, ground cardamom, baking powder, and salt. Process until the hazelnut is finely ground.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter for 2 to 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
4. Meanwhile, rub the orange zest into the sugar with your fingertips. Slowly add the sugar into the butter, creaming thoroughly until well-incorporated and aerated. 5. Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then add the hazelnut and vanilla extracts and the orange juice. Beat well.
5. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in two stages, beating until combined and until a smooth dough forms.
6. Divide and press the dough into the prepared tart pans. Slice the plums and arrange the slices on top of the dough, pressing down lightly. Sprinkle with a healthy amount of turbinado sugar.
7. Bake the tarts for 25 to 30 minutes, until the edges are golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before unmolding from the tart tins.

Chocolate Explosion Cheesecake

INGREDIENTS:

Crust:

• 2 cups crushed graham cracker crumbs
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup butter, melted

Chocolate Layer:

• 6 (1-ounce) squares semisweet chocolate
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Cheesecake Layer:

• 1/2 cup caramel syrup
• 1 (16 1/2-ounce) package refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough
• 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sour cream

Chocolate Ganache:

• 6 (1-ounce) squares semisweet chocolate
• 4 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

METHOD:

1. Preheat the oven to 150 degrees C.
2. For the crust: In a medium bowl, combine the cracker crumbs and sugar. Add the melted butter, stirring to combine. Press the crust into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake for 6 minutes; let cool.
3. For the chocolate layer: Using a double boiler, melt the chocolate and butter (or microwave on high in 30-second intervals, stirring after each, until the chocolate is melted and smooth, about 1 1/2 minutes total). Whisk in the sugar, eggs, and flour until just combined. Pour into the bottom of the cooled crust and bake for 15 minutes; let cool.
4. For the cheesecake layer: Spread the caramel topping evenly over the cooled chocolate layer. Cut the cookie dough crosswise into 1-inch slices. Place the slices in an even layer over the caramel, pressing gently together to seal the edges.
5. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and flour until just combined. Stir in the sour cream. Pour the mixture over the cookie dough layer and bake until the cake is cracked and browned around the edge, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and gently run a knife around the edges to release the crust from the sides of the pan. Let cool completely.
6. For the ganache: Using a double boiler, combine the chocolate and cream and melt (or microwave on high in 30-second intervals, stirring after each, until the chocolate is melted and smooth, about 1 minute total). Spread over the cooled cheesecake. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours before serving.