Baked Cheese en Croûte

I was a little upset when I looked over my blog and realized that I had only blogged three posts this month. I was going strong for a while, but then midterms took their toll on my cooking. I decided that since it was the last weekend of the month, I had to at least make something new. Due to the fact that I did not have a lot of time to spend on a recipe, I searched for one that could be done with pre-made ingredients.

As always, I went through tastespotting.com looking at beautiful pictures of food and clicking on anything appealing. Of course most of the recipes required more effort than I was willing to put in and I had to leave them for some other time. However one recipe stood out as completely do-able and it came from a blog that I have been following. I have already made some of the recipes from Annie's Eats and every single time they're a big hit. This time was no exception; the family loved the cheese and ate it all up faster than I had anticipated. In fact, my mom said that she was going to run out to the store the next day to buy another round of cheese.

The original recipe called for brie cheese, but I used goat cheese because that's what we had on hand...and because I've been addicted to it lately. You can pretty much use any soft cheese that comes packaged in a round. Also, I used peach preserves because they were in the pantry, however the original recipe used apple. Quite frankly, you can use any fruit you like because the idea is to balance the saltiness of the cheese with the sweetness of the fruit. Whatever ingredients you choose, just know that there's almost no way to go wrong and everyone will be raving about your creativity.

Baked Cheese en Croûte

• 1 package crescent dough
• 1 round soft cheese with rind (brie, camambert, goat cheese, etc.)
• 1 jar preserves (peach, apple, cranberry, etc.)

1. Combine the pre-cut triangles and roll it out to about 1/4" thickness and big enough to fold over and cover the cheese almost completely when placed in the center.
2. Cut the disk of cheese horizontally across to create two thinner disks. 
3. Place the bottom disk, rind side down, in the center of the puff pastry and cover with an even layer of fruit preserves.
4. Place the top disk, rind side up, over the fruit and cover with another layer of preserves. Don't be afraid to use a little extra on top...it will taste great.
5. Fold the remaining dough up an over the edge of the cheese and pinch into pleats. The dough should cover most of the cheese and fruits so that only a little bit is exposed in the middle.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit, or until the dough is golden brown and a little crispy. If you notice the edges are brown but the middle is still doughy use aluminum foil to cover the edge and leave the middle exposed. Cool for five minutes and then transfer to a plate with crackers.

Update: Recently I have been making this recipe in a slightly different way that makes pre-portioned individual servings rather than a large one that has to be cut.

1. Combine the pre-cut triangles and roll it out to about 1/4" thickness and then cut out 2" circles. 
2. Place the circles into a mini muffin pan and press the dough up along the slides. 
3. Cut the cheese round in across and then into walnut size chunks. Fill each well with a piece or two of the cheese and top with some preserves. 
4. Bake in the oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-13 minutes.

Fig and Goat Cheese Galette

I actually made this wonderful galette a while ago, but I have been so busy with studying for midterms that I haven't had the chance to blog about it. Believe it or not, I actually tried figs for the first time this past summer while traveling in Israel. Most of the figs I encountered there were green figs, while here I find that black figs are more common. Although there are actually several different varieties, the general rule is that the darker the pulp inside, the more fig flavor.

My galette featured black figs because that is what I had on hand. I sliced the figs and arranged them in concentric circles on top of the dough. Originally, I had intended to make my own balsamic reduction but we ran out of balsamic vinegar and only had the already reduced vinegar in our pantry. It paired well with the galette because it was a strawberry reduced balsamic vinegar, so it already had some fruity flavor to it. Still, I think that next time I will try reducing my own. Overall, the galette was delicious and I'm actively searching for more figs so that I can make it again.

Fig and Goat Cheese Galette

For the dough:

• 1 3/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, cold
• 5-6 tbsp water, cold

1. If you have a food processor: Combine the flour, sugar, and salt and pulse a couple of times. Add the chunks of butter into the processor and pulse until the butter pieces are roughly the size of walnuts.
2. If you don't have a food processor: Dissolve the sugar and salt in the water and set aside. Cut the butter into large chunks and add to the flour, and continue cutting the butter through the flour until only walnut size pieces remain.
3. Transfer the dough mixture into a bowl and moisten with the water, starting with just a couple of tablespoons at first. Work the mixture until it forms a dough, adding water by the tablespoon only as needed if it feels dry.

Tip: Make sure your ingredients are cold before you start preparing your dough, as this will make the process much easier.

For the filling:

• 6-8 figs, sliced
• 5 oz. goat cheese log
• Reduced balsamic vinegar (optional but yummy)
• 1 egg yolk

1. Roll out the dough into about a 9" circle.
2. Spread the goat cheese over the dough, leaving about a 2" border all around.
3. Arrange the sliced figs on the dough in circles, covering the goat cheese.
4. Drizzle some reduced balsamic vinegar over the top of the figs. Remember, a little goes a long way.
5. Fold the uncovered border over the edges and pinch into pleats.
6. Add a touch of water to the egg yolk, to create an egg wash, and brush lightly over the exposed dough.
7. Bake for 15-18 minutes at 425 degrees Fahrenheit. The galette is done when the figs start to bubble and the crust is slightly browned.

Crème Brûlée

Currently, the Taste of Yaletown is going on in Vancouver. For those who don't know, Taste of Yaletown is similar to Dine Out Vancouver except that only Yaletown restaurants participate. Each participating restaurant features a price-fixed menu that is either $25, $35, or $45 depending on the caliber. Your meal includes a choice of appetizer, entree, and dessert. Usually each restaurant will feature two or three options for each category, though sometimes the dessert comes with only one choice. I highly recommend trying out one of the participating restaurants, especially with a group of two or three. That way, you can each order a different item and try it all.

My friend and I decided to partake in Taste of Yaletown and thus we went out last Friday night to one of the restaurants. Unfortunately, neither she nor I were impressed with the restaurant we chose. Originally we had picked the restaurant because the menu sounded delicious and each course had multiple options to choose from. However, once we sat down to eat we both found that the food was extremely salty across the board. The food was left on our plates hardly touched, which was unfortunate because it looked so good. 

Despite the salty appetizers and entrees, the desserts we ordered were quite delicious and the plates were left completely empty afterward. My friend ordered a lovely apple tart with rum raisin gelato, while I ordered a vanilla bean crème brûlée. The crème brûlée was silky smooth with a lovely caramelized sugar on top...prepared perfectly. After the meal, I was inspired to try and recreate my dessert and searched online for an easy crème brûlée recipe. It turns out that it is actually an extremely easy dessert to make, causing me to wonder why I haven't done it sooner. In the end, although our dining experience was not the best, I had a good time with my friend and also learned a valuable lesson...less is definitely more when it comes to salt!

Crème Brûlée

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 6 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
• 1 tsp vanilla

1. In a small saucepan combine the heavy cream and vanilla and heat until little bubbles begin to form.
2. Meanwhile, whisk together the eggs yolks and sugar.
3. Once the cream is heated, slowly add the cream to the yolk and sugar mixture, whisking constantly. Make sure that you don't try to rush this because otherwise you could risk cooking your eggs when the hot cream hits them, causing you to have a sweet omelet instead of a creamy custard.
4. Pour the mixture through a sieve into a container with a spout. This will help get out any chunks, ensuring the smoothest possible custard, as well as make it easier to pour into the ramekins.
5. Evenly distribute the mixture amongst all of your ramekins. This is where it gets tricky; I used 10 4 oz. ramekins, maybe 5 oz. I don't know since the ramekins were unlabeled, but I also didn't fill them to the top. I believe that the recipe is good for 6 6 oz. ramekins if you fill them to the very top.
6. Place the filled ramekins in a baking dish and fill the dish with boiling water so that it goes up the sides of the ramekins and is about level with the custard. I actually do this once I put the pans in the oven so that I don't risk spilling boiling water while I transfer them.
7. Bake the custard for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Again, this depends on how deep your ramekins are and how much you fill them. The custard is done when the edges are firm but the center is still a little wobbly, like jello.
8. Remove the ramekins from the baking dish and cool to room temperature before refrigerating for at least 4 hours.
9. Once ready to serve, sprinkle some sugar on top of each custard and place under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, or until the sugar on top caramelizes and turns brown. Unfortunately it's hard to get that perfect crispy top when using the broiler but it's the easiest way to do it if you don't own a blow torch.

Optional: I made half of the crème brûlées traditionally, and half with a strawberry glaze. Making the glaze is easy, and to assemble simply spoon a thin layer of the glaze over top of the custard before sprinkling the additional sugar on top. I made way too much glaze, so I served the extra alongside the crème brûlée and some people chose to spoon some extra onto their individual portions.

Strawberry Glaze

• 1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 lemon, juiced

Combine all of the ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer until the liquid reduces to about half. Puree the mixture and cool before applying to the custard.

Lemon Cheesecake

Although I made this cheesecake a week ago for my uncle's birthday, I have been so busy since then that I haven't had time to sit down and blog about it. Unfortunately I have been saddled with studying for midterms, and cannot wait until they are over and I can get back to trying new recipes.

This cheesecake was a combination of something old, something new, something borrowed...but no blue. I used one of my favorite cheesecake recipes and paired it with a lemon curd topping. The recipe for the cheesecake represents the something old and borrowed, since I got it a long time ago from Tyler Florence of Food Network. The lemon curd brings in the something new because I learned how to make it in my pastry class and decided to try it out on this cake. Normally the lemon curd is meant to be used as a filling, either for pies such as lemon meringue or in between a layered cake. I decided that I would simply top my cheesecake with it so that it would give an extra lemony flavor.

I must admit I was pretty busy the day that I prepared the cheesecake, and rushed through the process. As a result, my cheesecake ended up with a crack on top running almost all the way across one side. Luckily, I was able to use the lemon curd and fill in the crack as well as spread it over the surface of the cake. That's the great thing about cheesecakes...even if its cracked you can always cover it up and the cake itself almost always tastes great inside, despite any outside bumps or bruises. Taste-wise, the curd gave it a nice lemon flavor without being too overpowering for the cake itself. In the end, I was pleased with the cheesecake and everyone else enjoyed it as well...with none the wiser about the crack.

Lemon Cheesecake

For the lemon curd:

• 3 egg yolks
• 7 1/2 tbsp icing sugar (it works out to be slightly less than 1/2 cup)
• 2 lemons
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

1. Bring the lemon juice to boil in a small pot and remove from heat.
2. In a separate, heat-proof bowl, whisk the icing sugar into the egg yolks.
3. Whisk the hot lemon juice into the sugar egg yolk mixture.
4. Place the bowl over a pot of gently boiling water and continuously whisk until the mixture becomes thick.
5. Remove the mixture from the heat and whisk in the butter a little bit at a time.
6. Pour into a container, cover, and cool in the refrigerator.

For the crust:

• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup (8 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and then transfer to a 9" springform pan. Gently press down all along the bottom and sides and then bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 minutes. Set aside to cool.

For the cheesecake:

• 1 1/2 lbs (3 blocks) cream cheese, room temperature
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 cups sour cream
• 1 lemon, zested
• 1 tsp vanilla

1. Beat the cream cheese on low speed for about one minute and then beat in the eggs, one at a time, until well incorporated.

1. Slowly beat in the sugar, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
2. Beat in the sour cream, lemon zest, and vanilla and continue until well combined.
3. Pour the mixture into the cooled springform pan and bake for 55 minutes at 325 degrees Fahrenheit using a hot water bath or by placing a pan of hot water on the lowest rack beneath the cake.
4. Without opening the oven door, turn off the oven and leave the cake to cool for 1 1/2 hours inside the oven. Afterward, remove from the oven and cool to room temperature before refrigerating for at least 4 hours, though preferably overnight.
5. Once completely cooled and refrigerated, spread the lemon curd evenly over the top of the cake. You can garnish it with some lemon slices to add a nice touch.