New York Style Cheesecake

Recipe adapted from here.

Crust:
I omitted graham cracker crust and simply made this.

Filling:

1kg cream cheese, room temperature

200g sugar

35g all purpose flour

5 large eggs, room temperature

80ml heavy whipping cream

1 tbsp lemon zest

1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C with rack in center of oven.

For the crust:
1) Make the crust according to the directions.

For the filling:
1) With a mixer on low speed, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, and flour. Beat until smooth (about 2 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well (about 30 seconds) after each addition. Add the whipping cream, lemon zest, vanilla extract and beat until incorporated. 

2) Remove the crust from the refrigerator and pour in the filling. Place the cheesecake pan on a larger baking pan and place in the oven.

3) Bake for 15 minutes and then lower the oven temperature to 120 degrees C and continue to bake for about another 60 - 90 minutes or until firm and only the center of the cheesecake looks a little wet and wobbly. (I baked my cheesecake for 60 minutes). Remove from oven and place on a wire rack.

4) Let cool completely and refrigerate overnight.

Lightened-up Lemon Bundt Cake

I don't know what could be better than a slice of cake with a cup of tea or coffee for breakfast. It's such a weakness of mine! This is a lightened up version and instead of 2 sticks of butter uses only 1. That means you can enjoy more of it! However, do not expect a buttery and a dense cake - it's a bit crumbly but still delicious! Oh, and it's best eaten the day it is baked. You may leave it for another day but I suggest finishing it within 2 days as it hardens quite fast.

Adapted from My Recipes.

 Cake
3 cups/380g all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
3 tbsp lemon zest
1 1/2 cups/337g granulated sugar
1/2 cup/113g unsalted butter, room temperature
3 tbsp lemon juice
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup/240ml buttermilk
Glaze
1 cup/125g confectioners' sugar
2 tsp buttermilk
3 tsp lemon juice

1) Preheat oven to 180C. Spray a 12-cup bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray with flour.

2) In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. 

3) In another bowl, combine the sugar and lemon zest. Add butter and cream the butter and sugar mixture with a mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Mix in the lemon juice. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Alternately add the dry ingredients in three additions and the buttermilk in two additions, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients and beating just until combined.

4) Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for about 45 minutes*, or until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean. Remove the pan to a wire rack and let the cake cool for 10 minutes before turning it out of the pan. Allow to cool completely.

To make the glaze: 
1) In a medium bowl, whisk together the confectioners' sugar, buttermilk and lemon juice. Drizzle over the cooled cake and allow to set before serving. 

Grilled Cheese Pesto Sandwich

Grilled Cheese Pesto Sandwich
2 slices bread
1 tbsp butter
2 slices mozzarella cheese
2 tsp pesto sauce

1) Heat the pan over medium-low heat.

2) Butter one side of each slice of bread.

3) Place one slice of bread in the pan, buttered side down. (Or you can melt half tablespoon of butter in your pan and place bread over it, leaving another half of tablespoon for another side). Sprinkle some cheese, then spread on the pesto sauce and sprinkle the remaining cheese. Top with the remaining slice of bread, slightly pressing. Cook until golden brown on low heat. Flip and cook until golden brown on the other side. (I also covered with cheese the outer sides of the sandwich. If you want to do so, follow step 4).

4) Sprinkle half of the remaining cheese on an unoccupied section of the pan, place the grilled cheese on top and cook until the cheese has melted. Repeat with another side.

Poppy Seed Rolls

During the Easter holidays I always make desserts with poppy seeds. I couldn't imagine my Easter table without poppy seed rolls, filled buns, swirl breads, cakes and so on. These rolls are soft and pillowy and there's a sweet poppy seed filling in every bite thanks to the heart shape. I have made similar rolls before, only with ground poppy seeds which I didn't have to cook with milk. Even though I was quite sceptical about this method, I was pleasantly surprised with the results. The filling was moist and poppy seeds were soft, but I wonder if the filling worked with ground poppy seeds. That would be faster. So I think I'm gonna try it soon. However, these are not very difficult to make and all the work is definitely worth the effort. Do make these and enjoy warm, soft rolls during the holidays. Happy Easter!

Recipe found here.

Dough
300ml/1 1/4 cups milk
2 tsp active dry yeast
1 egg
1 tsp salt
1/3 - 1/2 cup sugar
28g/1/4 cup butter, room temperature
440-500g/3 1/2 - 4 cups flour
1 egg yolk (for brushing the tops)

Poppy Seed filling
1 cup poppy seeds
1 qt. milk
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Make the dough:

1) Heat milk until lukewarm and add yeast. Mix. Leave to rise, about 15 minutes.

2) Meanwhile, in a bowl of an electric mixer combine egg, salt and sugar. Sift the flour in and add the risen milk mixture. With a hook attachment on low speed combine flour and milk mixture, then increase the speed and continue kneading the dough until it completely stops sticking to the bowl, looks very smooth and gluey, about 15 minutes (I kneaded the dough with my hands so it took more time for me. I also added some more flour because my dough was a little bit too sticky).

3) Add room temperature butter and kneed the dough some more, until butter is fully incorporated into the dough and no traces of it are left on the bowl, about 5 minutes.

4) Shape the dough into a ball. Place into a well greased bowl and oil the outside of the dough. Cover the bowl with clean kitchen towel. Place the bowl in a warm place (I preheated my oven to 40 degrees and left the dough inside). Allow the dough to double in size, about 1.5 hours.

Meanwhile, prepare the filling.

1) Place the poppy seeds into a medium size pot, pour in the milk and bring to a boil, watching the milk so that it does not run over. Once at a boil, lower the heat and allow the mixture to simmer for about 30 minutes. You can let it sit covered off the heat, for another 30 minutes.

2) Drain through a fine mesh sieve. Put the poppy seeds through grinder twice. Then mix with sugar and vanilla extract.

Assemble:

1) Punch down the dough. Shape a round ball and then a log. With a rolling pin, roll out the log to about 76cm (30 inches) long and 30cm (12 inches) wide. 

2) Spread the filling all over the dough, leaving about 5cm (2 inches) at the other end. Roll roulade. With a sharp knife, cut the roulade about every 4-5cm (1.5-2 inches).

3) Cut in the middle of each piece, leaving the two pieces attached by about 1cm (1/2 inch) of dough. Take the two ends, separate them and lay them inside part out facing up, side by side, making it look like a heart.

4) Transfer to a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Continue with the rest of the dough, placing each piece about 7cm (3 inches) apart. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and place in a warm place, allowing the pastries double in size, about 40 minutes. 

5) Preheat the oven on to 180C. 

6) Whisk the egg yolk and using a pastry brush, brush pastries with egg yolk mixture right before placing them in the oven. Bake for about 15-20 minutes, until golden brown. (Do check the rolls earlier - mine were done after 10 minutes.)

Best eaten still warm!

Blueberry Crumb Bars

My 100th post!!! Finally! I can't believe I've already posted so many recipes and I'm so happy that this collection is growing. So these blueberry crumb bars took this honorable post and I'm glad because they are really worth it. These bars are packed with blueberries and that buttery base & crumb topping takes them to the top. I'm sure these should find place on your Easter table! I have already tested some more recipes for Easter and I can't wait to post them. For now, bake a batch of these bars and indulge in this blueberry goodness.

Blueberry Crumb Bars 

Crust & Crumbs
1 cup/125g flour
1/4 cup/56g sugar
1/4 tsp salt
115g cold butter  

Filling
250g/1 1/2 cup blueberries
1 egg
1/3 cup sugar
30g/3 1/2 tbsp all purpose flour
60g/1/4 cup sour cream
pinch salt
1 tsp vanilla

1) Grease 20x20cm baking dish and set aside.  Preheat oven to 180 degrees.

2) In a medium bowl, mix the flour, sugar and salt together. Add cubed butter and mix until crumbly.

3) Take 1/2 cup of mixture & set aside. Take remaining mixture and firmly press into the bottom of your baking dish. Bake for 10-12 minutes until lightly brown on top.

3) While the crust is baking, whisk the egg. Add sugar, sour cream, vanilla, flour and salt. Mix until well combined. Gently fold in the blueberries. 

4) Pour the filling onto the crust. Take the remaining crumbs and sprinkle evenly over the top. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the top is lightly browned. Cool before slicing and serve.