Yearly Archives: 2011

Buckeyes

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Yummy buckeyes

When I was a kid growing up in the Cincinnati area, Buckeye candies were all the rage. It is Ohio’s state tree and Ohio State’s mascot.  Every Christmas we made them and neighbors who gave us cookies and candies each year made them.  They were a staple of my childhood.  I found a few recipes online that cuts the sugar down a bit and I think I found a really good one that not too sweet but just right. If you love Reese’s cups then these are for you. Enjoy!

Yield: 36 to 42 tablespoon-sized candies

  • 1/4 cup (2 ounces) cream cheese, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups peanut butter (smooth)
  • 1 cup graham cracker crumbs (from about 14 graham crackers)
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 3 cups confectioners’ (powdered) sugar
  • 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks or 5 ounces) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 12 ounces dark chocolate (60 to 72%), coarsely chopped
  • 1/3 bar of Gulf wax or paraffin (firms up the chocolate and gives a nice sheen)

Make the filling: In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and peanut butter together until combined. Add the graham cracker crumbs and beat for 10 seconds. Add the sugar and butter, and mix on the lowest speed until it stops floating off everywhere, then increase the speed until the ingredients are combined. Scrape down the whole bowl well, then mix again. The mixture will be quite sturdy and a little dry — perfect for shaping.

Assemble the candies: Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Scoop out slightly more than one tablespoon’s worth of filling and use your hands to form it into a ball. Place the ball on the prepared sheet and repeat the process until all of the candies have been shaped. They can sit close to each other but make sure they are not touching.

Freeze for 20-30 minutes while you prepare the coating. This will allow the chocolate coating to solidify faster when dipping.

Make the coating: Melt the chocolate and 1/3 bar of paraffin either over a double boiler, stirring until it is completely smooth. Put the coating in a small deep bowl so that you will get a depth enough to cover the peanut butter balls.

Using large skewer, dip each ball into the chocolate and roll it about so that almost the entire candy is coating, leaving a small circle uncoated.

Chill or freeze the buckeyes until they are set, about 30 minutes.

Do ahead: Buckeyes will keep in the freezer for a month.  It’s best to hid them here or they will disappear quickly!

A real buckeye

Cranberry Swirl Cheesecake with Cran-Raspberry Compote

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cheesecake right from the oven

just out of the oven

One of my all-time favorite holiday cheesecakes from Bon Appetit.  I’ve been making this for years at Thanksgiving. It’s super delicious and will wow your guests.  I just love the tartness of the cranberries with the cheesecake. Cake can be make a day or two ahead or even frozen. I usually start the cranberry puree 1 days ahead because it has to chill but make sure it’s not too cold as it will sink in your batter. It should be brought up to room temperature before swirling. You need a 10-inch pan for this and another pan to steam the cheesecake in. Steaming makes all cheesecakes in my opinion better.

Yield: Serves 12

Ingredients

For cranberry purée

  • 2 cups fresh cranberries or frozen, thawed
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 2/3 cup fresh orange juice
  • 2 tablespoons grated orange peel
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
For crust

  • Nonstick vegetable oil spray
  • 2 3/4 cups finely ground butter biscuit cookies or butter cookies
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

For filling

  • 4, 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup whipping cream
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Topping

Make cranberry purée:
Combine all ingredients except vanilla in heavy large saucepan. Cook over medium heat until mixture thickens, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Cool slightly. Transfer to processor. Add vanilla. Puree until smooth. Strain into medium bowl. Cover with plastic. Refrigerate at least 6 hours.
Make crust:
Spray 10-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides with nonstick spray. Wrap outside of pan with 2 layers of heavy-duty foil. Blend cookies, sugar and cinnamon in processor. Add butter; blend until moist clumps form. Press crumb mixture onto bottom and up sides of pan. Chill crust while preparing filling.
Make filling:
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in sugar. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Mix in sour cream, whipping cream and vanilla.Transfer 1/3 of filling to prepared crust. Dollop 1/3 of cranberry puree atop filling. Repeat layering of filling and puree 2 more times. Using knife, swirl puree through filling, creating marbled design.

Place springform pan in large roasting pan. Pour enough boiling water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of springform pan. Bake until cheesecake puffs around edges, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Turn off oven. Let cake stand in oven 1 hour, leaving oven door ajar.

Transfer cake to rack. Run knife around pan sides to loosen cake. Cool completely. Remove foil from pan sides. Cover cake and chill overnight. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.)

Remove pan sides. Serve cake with Cranberry-Raspberry Compote.

cookie crust has a little texture to them

I like to keep a little texture on the crust by keeping some larger cookie bits

10-inch pan is double wrapped in foil and placed in a bigger pan

The crust is in the pan and wrapped with double foil. It is placed in another pan so it can be steamed.

my secret egg trick

My secret to bringing eggs up to room temp fast. Put eggs in glass with warm water and let sit for a bit. Note: Guinness glass not required.

for the cranberry filling

Getting the cranberry puree made. Make sure it's not too thick.

pureed sauce using immersion blender

Sauce is pureed with immersion blender in the pan.

the first slice has been cut

yum!

a slice with the cran-raspberry compote on top

just before the oven

Ultimate Pumpkin Pie

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Yummy pie!

Yummy pie!

This is simply my most favorite pumpkin pie recipe. It is like a pumpkin custard, made with eggs, sour cream and heavy cream. I found it on epicurious.com and it has been a staple in our home for years now.  It is smooth, creamy and just plain delicious. The addition of apricot preserves just kicks a simple pumpkin pie recipe up a notch!  It’s surely a winner at your Thanksgiving!

Crust
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled butter, cut into pieces
3 tablespoons whipping cream

Filling
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon packed golden brown sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon (generous) salt
1 16-ounce can solid pack pumpkin
3/4 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup sour cream
3 large eggs, beaten to blend

1/4 cup apricot preserves (Note: this is the secret)

For crust:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Blend first 3 ingredients in processor until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add cream and process until moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball, flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic; chill 15 minutes.

Roll out dough on floured surface to 14-inch round. Transfer dough to 9-inch glass pie dish. Trim overhang to 1 inch. Fold overhang under. Make cut in crust edge at 1/2 inch intervals. Bend alternate edge pieces inward. Freeze 15 minutes.

Line crust with foil, pressing firmly. Bake until sides are set, about 10 minutes. Remove foil. Bake crust until pale brown, about 10 minutes more. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.

Spread preserves over crust; pour in filling. Bake until filling puffs at edges and center is almost set, about 55 minutes. Cool on rack. Cover; chill until cold. (Can be made 1 day ahead.)

For filling:
Using whisk, mix first 6 ingredients in bowl until no lumps remain. Blend in pumpkin, whipping cream, sour cream and eggs.

Spread preserves over crust; pour in filling. Bake until filling puffs at edges and center is almost set, about 55 minutes. Cool on rack. Cover; chill until cold. (Can be made 1 day ahead.)