Mix 'n Match Mini Cheesecakes

Prep Time:20 min

Total Time:5 hr 5 min

Makes:12 servings, 1/3 of one mini cheesecake each

What You Need

1 cup HONEY MAID Graham Cracker Crumbs

3 Tbsp. sugar

3 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted

3 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

3 eggs

Make It

PREHEAT oven to 300°F. Mix cracker crumbs, 3 Tbsp. sugar and the butter; press scant 1/3 cup crumb mixture onto bottom of each of four mini (4-1/2-inch) springform pans. Bake 7 min.

BEAT cream cheese, 3/4 cup sugar and the vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended. Pour one-fourth of the batter (about 1 cup) into each of four bowls. If desired, add one of the Stir-In Ideas to each bowl of batter. Pour over crusts. Place pans on baking sheet.

BAKE 40 to 45 min. or until centers are almost set. Run knife or metal spatula around rims of pans to loosen cakes; cool before removing rims. Refrigerate at least 4 hours.

Kraft Kitchens Tips

Stir-In Ideas

For each one-fourth portion of batter, stir in one of the following before pouring batter over crust and baking as directed:
Apple Pie: Stir in 1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon. Top baked cheesecake with combined 1/2 cup warmed apple pie filling and 1/2 tsp. brown sugar.
S'Mores: Stir in 3 Tbsp. milk chocolate chips. Top baked cheesecake with 1/4 cup JET-PUFFED Miniature Marshmallows and 1 Tbsp. broken HONEY MAID Honey Grahams.
Citrus: Stir in 1 tsp. lemon, orange or lime juice; 1 tsp. flour and 1/4 tsp. grated lemon, orange or lime peel.
Chocolate Chunk: Stir in 1 square BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, chopped.
New York: Stir in 1/4 cup BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream and 1 Tbsp. flour.
Cookies and Cream: Stir in 1/4 cup chopped OREO Cookies.
Chocolate Royale: Stir in 2 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, melted.
Peanut Butter: Stir in 2 Tbsp. peanut butter and 1 Tbsp. milk.
Mocha: Mix 1 tsp. MAXWELL HOUSE Instant Coffee granules with 2 tsp. hot water. Stir into batter along with 2 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, melted.
Cherry: Bake mini cheesecake as directed without Stir-Ins. Just before serving, top with 1/3 cup cherry pie filling.

Very Berry Pie

Nordfelt Christmas Crepe Recipe

Nordfelt Crepe Recipe

1 C milk
1 C flour
½ C water
4 eggs
½ C melted butter
1 pinch salt
1 T sugar

Mix all ingredients in processor/blender until smooth. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Heat pan until medium.
Pour ¼ C batter on skillet.
Cook for a minute or two and turn over.

Makes 10 crepes.

Glenda's No-Bake Cheesecake

Glenda’s Cheesecake (no-bake)

Ingredients:

2 ½ C Flour
1 ¼ C margarine or butter, softened
2/3 C Brown Sugar 1st (bottom) and 4th (top) layers
2/3 C chopped nuts, we use walnuts

12 oz Cream cheese, softened
1 C powdered sugar
2 pkg. Dream Whip (found by the jello/ 2nd layer, on top of crumb crust pudding mixes)
Milk (amounts according to Dream whip pkg.)
Vanilla (amounts as Dream whip pkg. instructs)

1 Danish Dessert (also by the jello and we
use strawberry, but raspberry 3rd layer, on cream cheese filling
is also yummy.)
1 pkg. frozen berries (matching the flavor
of your Danish dessert)



Directions:

Cream brown sugar and margarine. Add flour and nuts. Press into a 9x13 pan and bake 12-15 minutes at 350. Take out of oven and cool. When cool enough to handle, crumble the baked mixture. Leave ½ of mix in pan and save ½ in a bowl for later.

Cream powdered sugar and cream cheese. Prepare 2 pkgs of dream whip as listed on the box. Combine together and spread over crumbles in the pan. Place in freezer.

Prepare Danish Dessert as instructed on the package using mix and similar frozen berries. Spread cooled Danish Dessert over the cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle saved crumbs on top and chill.

Hints: I usually just use 16 oz. of cream cheese for filling. This dessert is hard to maintain. Meaning, it needs more than refrigeration but if placed in the freezer, the Danish dessert part becomes icy and hard to eat. So, I usually make the Danish part close to serving time and try to avoid freezing it before serving. If you have to freeze it, you can always microwave it for a few seconds at 50% of the power level.

Sorry this is all so complicated. It’s actually not as hard as it’s sounding and it’s definitely worth it!

Almond Chocolate Cake

ALMOND CHOCOLATE CAKE Serves: 8

Cake
8 1/2 Ozs Bittersweet Chocolate, finely chopped
6 lg eggs, at room temperature, separated
2/3 C sugar
1/3 C sifted unbleached Flour
1 1/4 C Almond Flour
9 T unsalted butter

Ganache Icing
5 ozs bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 C heavy cream

Making the Cake
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly butter the bottom (but not the sides) of a 9x2 inch round cake pan. Then, line the bottom of the pan with a round parchment or waxed paper.
2. Melt the chocolate, stirring occasionally, in a double boiler over hot (not simmering) water. Remove from heat.
3. Whisk the yolks and sugar in a large bowl until pale yellow and thick, about one minute. Whisk in the melted chocolate.
4. Using a stand mixer or electric mixer on medium-high speed, whip the whites until stiff. In 3 additions, fold the whites into the chocolate mixture, leaving a few wisps of whites visible.
5. Sift the flour and fold in. In 3 additions, fold in the almond flour. Transfer 1 cup of the batter to a bowl, add the butter, and fold just until combined. Add to the batter and fold until completely incorporated.
6. Pour into pan and smooth the top. Bake until the sides of the cake have risen but the CENTER LOOJKS SLIGHTLY UNDERDONE, about 20 minutes.
7. Cool for 30 minutes on a wire rack. Run a sharp knife around the edge of the pan to release the warm cake. Place a baking sheet over the cake, invert together with the pan, and rap the sheet on a work surface to unmold the cake.. Place a wire rack on the cake and invert to turn the cake right side up. Cool completely (the center may fall slightly.)
8. Slide an 8-inch cardboard cake round or tart pan bottom under the cake and transfer to a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet.

Making the Ganache:
1. Bring the cream to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Remove from the heat and add the chopped chocolate. Let stand 1 minute. Whisk well until smooth.
2. Pour the ganache on top of the cake, smoothing the icing over the top and sides with a spatula.
3. Refrigerate until the glaze is set, about 30 minutes. (The cake can be prepared up to a day ahead, covered with a cake dome.)
4. Remove from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving.

Earl Grey Chocolate Tart

EARL GREY CHOCOLATE TART

Pastry dough
This is a delicious, easy to make dough. But if you would rather you could use Pillsbury ready made dough.

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup confectioner's sugar
2 tablespoons almond flour (you can purchase almond flour at some grocery stores. If you can't find it, just grind whole blanched almonds in a coffee grinder or food processor.)
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
pinch of salt
1 cup cake flour

1. In a mixer, beat the butter, confectioner's sugar, almond flour and the egg yolk on medium speed until just mixed.

2. Slowly add the flour, at low speed, until the dough begins to clump together (you made need more or less flour).

3. Remove the dough from the mixing bowl a press into a thick disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

4. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and begin to roll it out until it is about 1/8 inch thick and about 12 inches in diameter. Loosely roll the dough around a rolling pin and place it into a 9 1/4 inch round tart pan. (We used a springform pan.) Make sure you press the dough into the corners. Pierce the bottom with a fork several times. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. (We left the sides of the tart ragged, we liked the informal look - and besides it was easier!)

5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove the plastic wrap from the dough and bake until lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Cool completely in the pan.

Filling

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup Earl Grey tea leaves (I use decaffeinated)
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (use Callebaut/Ghiradelli-high end)
3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1. In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, bring the cream to a simmer. Remove the pan from the heat and add the tea. Let stand for 3 minutes. Strain the cream into a bowl. Try to allow time for as much cream as possible to drip through but do not press the tea. This will result in a bitter tasting filling. Return the cream to the sauce pan and reheat to a simmer.

2. Place the finely chopped chocolate into a medium bowl. Pour the simmering cream over the chocolate and let stand for about 3 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Whisk in the honey and the butter. Pour the mixture into the tart shell and refrigerate until the filling sets, about 1 hour.

3. Serve chilled. If you like you can add vanilla ice cream, or fresh whipped cream.

Raspberry Cream Cheese Chocoalte Pie

Chocolate Cream Cheese Raspberry Pie

This recipe came from a friend who has the uncanny ability to throw things together and create sheer delicisiousness. Thanks to Brandy.

Topping:
1 pkg. frozen raspberries
2 c. whipping cream (prepared, I use fresh, homemade whipped cream)

Filling:
1-8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 c. sugar
1 egg
I like to double this.

Crust:
1 pkg crushed graham crackers
15 chocolate stuffed oreos
1 stick butter

Directions:
Use crackers, oreos and butter to make a crust in a pie tin. Freeze solid.
Combine filling ingredients pour over crust and refrigerate to set up.
Top with raspberries stirred into fresh whipping cream (prepare this right before serving).

Best dessert ever!