Perfect Recipe

Dulce de Leche Cheesecake Squares
Makes 64 (1-inch) cheesecake squares

Ingredients:

For crust:
3 1/2 oz graham crackers, crumbled (1cup)
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For filling:
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin (from a 1/4-oz envelope, will be just about half an envelope)
1/4 cup whole milk
8 oz cream cheese, softened
2 large eggs
3/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup dulce de leche (12 1/2 oz) (recipe follows)

For glaze:
3 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), coarsely chopped
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 teaspoons light corn syrup

Directions:

Make crust: Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 325°F. Line bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with 2 sheets of foil (crisscrossed), leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides.

Finely grind crackers with sugar and a pinch of salt in a food processor. With motor running, add butter, blending until combined. Press mixture evenly onto bottom of baking pan. Bake 10 minutes, then cool in pan on a rack 5 minutes.

Make filling: Sprinkle gelatin over milk in a small bowl and let stand 2 minutes to soften. Beat together cream cheese, eggs, salt, and gelatin mixture in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until well combined, about 2 minutes, then stir in dulce de leche gently but thoroughly. Pour filling over crust, smoothing top, then bake in a hot water bath (I was able to fit mine in a 9×13-inch baking pan) in oven until center is just set, about 45 minutes. Cool cheesecake completely in pan on rack, about 2 hours. Chill, covered, at least 6 hours.

Glaze cake within 2 hours of serving: Heat all glaze ingredients in a double boiler or a small metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring until smooth, then pour over cheesecake, tilting baking pan to coat top evenly. Chill, uncovered, 30 minutes.

Lift cheesecake from pan using foil overhang and cut into 1-inch squares with a thin knife, wiping off knife after each cut. (Don’t skip this step! A clean knife is essential for uber-neat squares.)

Note: Cheesecake (without glaze) can be chilled up to 3 days.

Dulce de Leche (Milk Caramel)

Most of the world makes this by boiling the milk inside a closed can, but  according to the Carnation can label , is not recommended by them. This method works just as well.

Pour one can (14 ounce) sweetened condensed milk into top of double-boiler pan; cover. Place over boiling water. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 40 to 50 minutes, or until thick and light caramel-colored.

Remove from heat. Whisk until smooth.

Supernatural Brownies

Ingredients:

2 sticks (1/2 pound) unsalted butter
8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
4 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour

Directions:

One 13×9×2-inch pan, buttered and lined with buttered parchment or foil
Set the rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
Bring a saucepan of water to a boil and turn off heat. Combine butter and chocolate in a heat proof bowl and set over pan of water. Stir occasionally until melted.
Whisk eggs together in a large bowl, then whisk in the salt, sugars, and vanilla. Stir in the chocolate and butter mixture, then fold in the flour.
Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for about 45 minutes, until top has formed a shiny crust and batter is moderately firm. Cool in pan on a rack. Wrap pan in plastic wrap and keep at room temperature or refrigerated until the next day.
To cut brownies, unmold onto a cutting board, remove paper, and replace with another cutting board. Turn cake right side up and trim away edges. Cut brownies into 2-inch squares.

Outrageous Brownies
(Ina Garten)

Ingredients:

1 pound unsalted butter
1 pound plus 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, divided
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
6 extra-large eggs
3 tablespoons instant coffee powder or cocoa powder
2 tablespoons real vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided (1 cup for batter and 1/4 cup in the chips and nuts)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups diced walnut pieces

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 13 by 18 by 1 1/2-inch sheet pan.
Melt together the butter, 1 pound chocolate chips, and unsweetened chocolate on top of a double boiler. Cool slightly. Stir together the eggs, instant coffee, vanilla and sugar. Stir in the warm chocolate mixture and cool to room temperature.
Stir together 1 cup of the flour and baking powder. Add to cooled chocolate mixture. Toss the walnuts and 12 ounces of chocolate chips with 1/4 cup flour to coat. Then add to the chocolate batter. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake for about 30 minutes, or until tester just comes out clean. Halfway through the baking, rap the pan against the oven shelf to allow air to escape from between the pan and the brownie dough. Do not over-bake! Cool thoroughly, refrigerate well and cut into squares.

Carrot Cupcake with Chocolate Frosting
(20 muffins)

Ingredients:

Cupcake:

125g (1 – 1/2) chopped carrots
130g (1 cup) all purpose flour
160g (1 cup) sugar
2 eggs
100ml vegetable oil
1/2 tbsp baking powder
one small pinch of salt

Frosting:

2 tbsp sweetened cocoa powder
5 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp butter
1/2 cup of milk

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/355ºF. Grease and flour a 30cm round pan. Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend for a couple of minutes until you get a creamy mixture. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 45-50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

For the icing: mix all the ingredients in a small saucepan and cook over high heat until it boils. Poure it over the cake when is still hot.

Chocolate Cake with Coconut Filling

Ingredients:

Topping:

300g heavy cream
50g dark chocolate

Coconut Filling:

3 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
300g heavy cream
2 cup grated coconut

Chocolate Filling:

1 can condensed milk
4 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tbsp butter

Cake:

1/2 cup of butter
1-1/2 cup of sugar
6 eggs
1/2 cup of milk
1-1/2 cup of all-purpose flour
1 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tbsp baking powder

Syrup:

1/2 cup milk
2 tbsp coconut milk

Directions:

Topping:
In a medium-sized nonstick saucepan over medium heat, heat cream just under boiling point. Remove from heat and add chopped chocolate. With a whisk, stir until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is smooth.

Coconut Filling:
In a saucepan over low heat, heat egg white with the sugar, for about 3 minutes butter, stirring to dissolve the sugar (without let it boil). Remove from heat and transfer to the mixer, beat on medium-high speed until it cools to body temperature and until the mixture is very smooth(meringue). Add the heavy cream and the grated coconut and gently fold. Refrigerate until needed.

Chocolate Filling:
In a heavy saucepan, mix the condensed milk, cocoa and butter. Stir to dissolve the chocolate. Put over low heat and stir constantly with a wooden spoon. Continue stirring until you are able to see the bottom of the pot when you tilt the pan,(the mixture should slide quickly). This should take 10-12 minutes.The longer you leave it to boil, the thicker it gets.

Cake:
Preheat oven to 350ºF/180ºC. Separate the eggs while they are still cold, and cover the whites and yolks with plastic wrap to prevent a film from forming on the egg yolks and the whites from drying out. Let the yolks and whites reach room temperature before using (this will take about 30 minutes). Having the yolks and whites at room temperature will ensure that the eggs reach their full volume when beaten.

Into a large mixing bowl, beat the butter with the sugar until smooth. Into a large mixing bowl, beat the butter with the sugar until smooth. Add the egg yolks one by one and beat. Slowly add the flour, the chocolate powder, milk, baking powder and use a spoon to mix the ingredients. In a clean bowl, whip the egg whites until foamy. Pour egg yolk mixture over whites, gently folding with a rubber spatula just until blended. Do not stir or beat. Divide the mixture evenly between two 8inch greased round pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Loosen cakes from pans with an offset spatula, and unmold onto wire rack. Cool to room temperature

Assembling the cake:
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place a wire rack over it. Using a serrated knife, cut each cake in half horizontally. (If necessary, shave off any uneven pieces of cake with a serrated knife so that it is smooth and even on all sides.) Brush the tops of three layers each with some of the syrup. Place the bottom layer on a 9-inch round of cardboard and set it on the wire rack. Spread half the coconut filling evenly on top of the layer. Top with a second layer of cake. Spread the chocolate filling evenly over it. Top with the third layer and spread the remaining coconut filling. Top with the fourth layer. Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Spread the entire cake with the chocolate frosting or use fondant icing. Led to the refrigerator until serving .time.

Red Velvet Cupcakes
(12 cupcakes, double recipe to make 2 9-inch layer cakes)

Ingredients:

Cupcakes:

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
2 1/2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3 Tablespoons red food coloring (I using a dash less)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting:

2 1/3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
3 Tablespoons butter, room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese, cold (I used room temperature)
scant 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

Cupcakes:

In the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about three minutes. Turn mixer to high and add the egg. Scrape down the bowl and beat until well incorporated.

In a separate bowl mix together cocoa, vanilla and red food coloring to make a thick paste. Add to the batter, mixing thoroughly until completely combined. You may need to stop the mixer to scrape the bottom of the bowl, making sure that all the batter gets color.

Turn mixer to low and slowly add half of the buttermilk. Add half of the flour and mix until combined. Scrape the bowl and repeat the process with the remaining milk and flour. Beat on high until smooth. Turn mixer to low and add baking soda and white vinegar. Turn to high and beat a few more minutes.

Spoon batter into a paper lined cupcake baking pan and bake at 325 F for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center cupcake comes out clean. Let rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then place them of a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting:

Beat the powdered sugar, cinnamon, and butter together in the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-slow speed until it comes together and is well mixed.

Add the cream cheese all at once and beat on medium to medium-high until incorporated. Turn the mixer to medium-high and beat for 5 minutes, or until the frosting becomes light and fluffy. Do not over-beat as the frosting can quickly become runny.

Strawberry and Coconut Bonbon

Ingredients:

20 strawberries without leaves and stems;
1 can sweetened condensed milk;
1/2 tbsp butter;
3 tbsp grated coconut;
500 g dark chocolate;

Directions:

In a saucepan over medium heat, heat the condensed milk, butter and the coconut. Beat with a whisk until the mixture thickens. Cover the strawberries with the saucepan mixture and reserve.

Melt the chocolate in double boiler, dip the strawberries into the hot chocolate mixture. Use a wooden pick to dip the bonbon. Place on aluminum foil to dry into the refrigerator.

Chocolate Yogurt Cake

Ingredients:

1 pot of natural yogurt (200gr)
1 and 1/4 cup of sugar
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup cocoa powder
4 eggs
1 and 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF. Grease a pan. Separate the eggs while they are still cold, and cover the whites and yolks with plastic wrap to prevent a film from forming on the egg yolks and the whites from drying out. Let the yolks and whites reach room temperature before using (this will take about 30 minutes). Having the yolks and whites at room temperature will ensure that the eggs reach their full volume when beaten.

Into a large mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks and butter with the sugar until smooth. Slowly add the flour, yogurt, vanilla and baking powder. In a clean bowl, whip the egg whites until foamy. Pour egg yolk mixture over whites, gently folding with a rubber spatula just until blended. Do not stir or beat. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5 minutes before taking it out to cool completely on wire rack.

Marie Biscuits Choco Bars/Balls

Ingredients:

4 tbsp cocoa powder or chocolate drink mix (like nesquik)
1 tbsp butter
1/2 (100g) pack Marie Biscuits coarsely crushed
1 can condensed milk

Directions:

In a heavy saucepan, mix the condensed milk, cocoa and butter. Stir to dissolve the chocolate. Put over low heat and stir constantly with a wooden spoon. Continue stirring until you are able to see the bottom of the pot when you tilt the pan,(the mixture should slide quickly). This should take 10-12 minutes.The longer you leave it to boil, the thicker it gets. Crush the biscuits and add to the pan and stir all the ingredients together until well combined. Flatten mixture into a greased plate. Allow to cool before cutting to desired size and then roll in sugar.

A alternative is to instead of coarsely crush the biscuit you can crush biscuits finely to make a fine powder and then butter your hands and roll the mixture into small balls (size doesn’t really matter but the smaller they are the more you get) and roll in sugar.

Carrot Cake with Chocolate Frosting
(1/2 recipe)

Ingredients:

Cake:

125g (1 – 1/2) chopped carrots
130g (1 cup) all purpose flour
160g (1 cup) sugar
2 eggs
100ml vegetable oil
1/2 tbsp baking powder
one small pinch of salt

Frosting:

2 tbsp sweetened cocoa powder
5 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp butter
1/2 cup of milk

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/355ºF. Grease and flour a 30cm round pan. Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend for a couple of minutes until you get a creamy mixture. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 45-50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

For the icing: mix all the ingredients in a small saucepan and cook over high heat until it boils. Poure it over the cake when is still hot.