Rustic Raspberry Lemon Cheesecake Tart

Valentine's Day is only a few days away and everywhere you look you are being inundated with chocolate desserts. Don't get me wrong, I like chocolate as much as the next person, but over the years my taste buds are definitely changing. These days I find myself gravitating towards fruit based desserts more often than not. There is just something about the combination of sweet and slightly sour or tart that seems to go oh so well together.

As far as desserts go, today's recipe comes together quickly and ranks high in the fruit satisfaction department. Store bought puff pastry sheets, a creamy no-bake cheesecake filling laced with a luscious lemon curd and topped with glorious sweet, red raspberries. Perfection! I made my own lemon curd following my recipe for Meyer Lemon Curd, but store bought is a perfectly fine substitution and will help to streamline the process.

The combination of flaky crust, creamy filling, and fresh fruit makes this dessert irresistible in my book. This is the perfect alternative for all of you non-chocolate lovers (like my husband) and I don't think that the chocolate connoisseurs would even mind a slice of this beautiful tart. 

Rustic Raspberry Lemon Cheesecake Tart
~makes 1 tart~
(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed but still cold
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling
2 Tbsp. heavy cream
1/3 cup lemon curd, homemade or store-bought
1 pint raspberries
1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam, warmed
Powdered sugar

Directions:
For the tart: Preheat oven to 425° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat baking mat. Unfold the thawed out puff pastry on a lightly flour dusted area and gently roll into a 10x11 inch rectangle. Carefully transfer to your baking sheet.

Brush edges with a little bit of water and fold over all 4 sides to create a lip. Using a fork, poke holes all over the center of your tart. Gently brush the entire tart with an egg wash and sprinkle about 2 tsp. of sugar over the center. Bake until golden brown, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully with the back of a spoon press the center back down if it has puffed. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

For the filling: In a bowl combine softened cream cheese and sugar. Mix with a hand-mixer or by hand until smooth and the sugar is well incorporated. Add the heavy cream and mix for about 1 minute. Fold in the lemon curd. 

To assemble the tart: Carefully spread your lemon cheesecake mixture over the center of your cooled tart crust. Arrange berries decoratively over the curd and drizzle with the warmed jam. Dust the tart with powdered sugar.

Notes: This tart is best made and eaten on the same day. You can prepare the tart along with the cheesecake filling ahead of time. Refrigerate the filling and assemble the tart right before eating.

Other berries would be lovely as well. I bet blueberries, strawberries, blackberries or a combination would also be great!

A Susi's Kochen und Backen Original Recipe

 

Homemade Brownies with Funfetti Frosting

At least once a week my 16 year old asks me to make him brownies. He really doesn't care what kind of brownies as long as they are rich, fudgy and most definitely none of that "cakey brownie nonsense". More often than not I laugh off his request since let's face it, if he had his choice, every day would be brownie day. However, once in a while I cave in and deliver, which makes me his favorite person in the world for at least that day!

Superbowl Sunday was a perfect occasion to add a little sweet treat to our menu that would also appease my brownie loving boy. So I spent way too much time pouring over recipes on Pinterest to find a brownie that would fit all the requirements of my 16 year old. Before I knew it, I had wasted spent an hour looking for "the one" when I came across these brownies. 

Rich and dense looking with a delicious frosting AND sprinkles. My teenager was sold. What was even more appealing to me was the one-bowl approach of the brownies itself, meaning they come together fast and without dirtying a lot of dishes. Once the brownies are cooled, the frosting is whipped up quickly and you have a scrumptious dessert in no time. Score for mom, mission accomplished!

Homemade Brownies with Funfetti Frosting
~makes one 9x13 pan~
(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

Brownies:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract 
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups flour
12 oz (ish) jar hot fudge sauce
Frosting:
2 sticks unsalted butter, slightly softened
4 cups powdered sugar
1 Tbsp. and 2 tsp Butter Vanilla Emulsion
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2/3 cup ice cream sprinkles (find them near the ice cream)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Line a 9x13 pan with foil (it makes the brownies easier to remove) and spray with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the cocoa and melted butter. Stir in sugar until combined. Stir in eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each. Stir in vanilla and salt. Fold in flour JUST until you no longer see flour streaks in the batter. Gently fold in hot fudge sauce (you may need to heat it just enough to spoon/pour out of jar).

Spread batter in prepared pan and bake for about 20 minutes. Brownies will look cakey on top and feel very dense -- that is normal. Let brownies cool completely.

Prepare frosting:
In the bowl of your mixer, beat butter and butter vanilla emulsion on medium speed until smooth. Slowly add powdered sugar, a little at a time, until just combined. Add heavy cream and beat on high for about 1 minute, until fluffy and smooth. Fold in sprinkles.

Frost cooled brownies. For best results, cover and refrigerate for several hours or preferably overnight.

Note: Don't skip the butter vanilla emulsion as it lends the "funfetti" flavor to the frosting. You can either buy it online or find it at your local Walmart in the cake decorating/supply section.

Adapted from: Confessions of a Cookbook Queen

Canadian Bacon Cauliflower Cheddar Cups

Hi there, is this blog still on? I know, it's been forever and a day since you heard anything new from me, but a breather was much needed for my sanity. I won't be making any big promises about a regular posting schedule, but will say that I intend to keep popping in here when I have something interesting to share. Like today.

I came across these Canadian Bacon Cauliflower Cheddar Cups while thumbing through the newest Costco magazine. Let me tell you that they could have fooled anyone in my house. Unless you know that the filling has cauliflower in it, you could have mistaken it for mashed potatoes. I'm happy to report that they were gone in a flash and we all thoroughly enjoyed them. 

Low-carb, gluten-free AND tasty, I don't think you can go wrong with these cute little appetizers. Serve them with a salad for a simple meal or as appetizers for a party. They might even make a great addition to your Superbowl Sunday menu. Go Seahawks!!!

Canadian Bacon Cauliflower Cheddar Cups

~Makes about 24~

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

24 slices Canadian bacon

4 cups cauliflower florets

1 vegetable bouillon cube

4 Tbsp. sour cream

2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped

3 Tbsp. green onion, chopped

Kosher Salt and Pepper to taste

2 ounces cheddar cheese, grated

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 F. Very lightly grease a 24-cup mini-muffin pan. Line each cup with a slice of Canadian bacon.

On the stovetop, add cauliflower to a pot, fill with about 2 cups of water. Add the vegetable bouillon cube and steam/cook cauliflower until very soft. Drain the cauliflower and add to a food processor.

Process cauliflower along with the sour cream, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper until well mixed and smooth. 

Transfer mixture to a bowl and fold in the parsley and green onions. Taste for more salt and pepper and adjust accordingly.

Fill Canadian bacon cups with cauliflower mixture. Top each cup with cheddar cheese. 

Bake for 15 minutes or until heated through. Let sit for a couple of minutes before serving.

Slightly adapted from: Costco Magazine