Cheesecake... No Longer a Mystery... Well, Not Exactly

Now that Christmas is over I can breathe again for the moment.  I had fun and did a few things over the last month.

From my last post you all know I got to make my first wedding cake.  This was a great experience and truthfully I hope to get another opportunity.  So, anyone out there in the local area.... (hint, hint).

This Christmas I was planning on making homemade gift baskets for some of my and my husband's co-workers, but there was a slight change of plans.  His office decided to do and old fashion cookie swap, which he joyfully volunteered my services.  How nice of him.  Now this was beyond his control, they did change the date of the swap and I had only a day to bake 3 dozen cookies.  No big deal, I had most of what I needed to make my Monster Cookies.  Then for me, work very busy and I didn't have the time to make too many things.  So, I went with Monster Cookies for all my gift baskets.  They were a huge hit with my daughter's teachers.  A big enough hit that one of her teachers order a chocolate cheesecake for Christmas.

This was my adventure..... making a cheesecake.  I had never made one before.  The closest I came to making a cheesecake was making a pie.  I never owned a spring form pan until now.  As much as I love using new toys, I was a little afraid of this one.  The one thing I was not sure about getting the bottom of the pan off.  I was actually stumped on this one.  I tried to find an episode of Good Eats on Food Network that I had seen, but was unable to find it.  So, I dove in and made the first cake.

Not too bad.

It eventually came off after fighting with a knife.

Lucky for me the crust thick and no one noticed the thinner spots. Overall the cake was great.

Round 2.... thought I would try some preventive measures.

No such luck.

Cake broke in half.

Well, I can at least say this much... I conquered the making of the cheesecake, but not the removal of one.

I need to back to the kitchen I guess.  I am not complaining.

So, until next time...... Happy Baking!

Tried Two New Things

I made two new things that I had never tried before and I think they turned out pretty well.

The first thing I tried was a creme brulee.  I decided to make this because after making an angel food cake last weekend I knew I would have several egg yolks left.  I really didn't want them to go to waste, so the only thing I could come up with was creme brulee.  I always thought that this was a hard dessert to make, but I was quite surprise how easy it was. (I like to think it is just because my baking skills have gotten better)  The only thing I didn't have was a mini torch to caramelize the sugar in top, so I just used my broiler.  Both my husband both think it tasted great,

The second thing I tired was mini chocolate cheesecakes.  I was having a get together with my girlfriends.  We decided to do an appetizer themed pot luck.  So, after much thinking of finger food type desserts, I came up with mini chocolate cheesecakes.  I thought they would easier to handle the a whole cake.  

I had to use an Oreo cookie for the crust because I was unable to find wafer cookies or chocolate graham crackers.  I made them in individual tin foil cupcake sleeves.  They are topped with hot fudge syrup and a raspberry.  Everyone just loved them, even a friend who doesn't eat cheesecake liked them.  I will need to find out if some one's husband finished the left overs or not.

Well, I don't have anything in the works at the moment.  I am not sure what I am going to do.  I know something will come about soon.

Until next time...... Happy Baking!