Coffee Cheesecake with Chocolate Glaze

If there's anything my brother loves it's coffee and chocolate...so when it came time to bake him a cake for his birthday there was no doubt in my mind that a coffee cheesecake with a chocolate crust and glaze would be perfect. Considering how long I have been baking cheesecakes it's actually surprising I have yet to make a coffee flavored one. But I guess that's not the case anymore since we all celebrated my brother's 16th birthday with the family last night and capped the evening with my cheesecake.

I really wanted to make sure that the cake had a strong coffee flavor which I achieved by adding ¼ cup of strongly brewed espresso. However I think everyone would agree that what really made the cake shine was the chocolate glaze, courtesy of my mom. Not as much anymore, do to my excessive baking, but in the past my mom used to make her famous "Chocolate Festival Cheesecake". The cake was incredibly rich and chocolatey with a chocolate graham cracker crust, chocolate cheesecake, and a chocolate glaze. I basically recreated her cake but I substituted the chocolate middle for a coffee cheesecake instead.

Everyone enjoyed the case, especially my mom and my brother as they are such coffee and chocolate lovers. In fact my mom even came home during her lunch break from work the next day to have some cake. She claimed she also came to see us but I wonder if the cake in the fridge held the bigger appeal ; )

Coffee Cheesecake with Chocolate Glaze

For the crust:

• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• ⅓ cup powdered sugar
• ⅓ cup cocoa powder
• ½ cup unsalted butter, melted

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and then transfer to an 11" 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:

• 2 lbs (4 blocks) cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 2 cups sour cream
• ¼ cup brewed espresso, cooled
• 1 tsp vanilla

1. Beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed for about a minute, until smooth.
2. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, at low speed. Beat in the sugar. Scape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
3. Beat in the sour cream and then the vanilla and coffee and mix on medium speed until everything is well incorporated. The batter will be fairly liquidy.
4. 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.
5. 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.

For the chocolate glaze:

• 1 cup sugar
• ⅔ cup milk
• ¾ cup cocoa powder
• ½ cup unsalted butter

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until the butter melts entirely and the glaze starts to boil.
2. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and continue to simmer and stir the glaze as it thickens. Try to break up any clumps formed by the cocoa powder. 
3. Take the glaze off the heat once it has thickened and coats the back of a spoon with slow trails. If desired, add more cocoa powder to create more thickness.
4. Strain the glaze to remove any clumps and cool it before spreading it over top of the cake. 

Thai Chicken Pizza

Ever since I returned from my cooking vacation in Italy my brother has been begging me to make something that I learned. Last night I finally fulfilled his request by making two different pizzas.  Since my family loves Thai food I made one Thai chicken pizza and the other I made with BBQ sauce because that's my brother's favorite.

During my cooking vacation we would have daily cooking lessons from a professional culinary trained chef named Dino. We spent the week making various things, many of which I hope to make again in the near future, and finished off with a pizza party on the last day. Although I have made pizza before, like the roasted vegetable and goat cheese pizza I made right before my trip to Peru last summer, I picked up some new tricks and tips in Italy.

According to chef Dino it is best to use a plastic or glass bowl when mixing the dough. I don't remember the reason he gave for not using metal but it had something to do with the yeast not liking the metal and the dough not properly rising. Also, after kneading the dough we "stressed" the yeast by banging the dough on the table a few times. It was rather fun when we did it and definitely added to the party atmosphere. His last piece of advice was to leave the dough to rise for an ample period of time, not just an hour or two but several hours.

Since I wasn't in a rush I decided that I would use all of chef Dino's suggestions and take the time to make my dough by hand, without my Kitchen Aid. I don't know whether it was because I followed his instructions or because yesterday was nice and warm...but whatever the reason my dough turned out amazing! I left it out on the counter for about eight hours and when I returned it had risen above the top of the bowl and kind of bubbled over, creating somewhat of a mushroom effect. Once baked the crust was crispy on the bottom, thanks to my pizza stone, yet airy inside. It was perfect and I was so proud to show it off to my family!

As for the flavor of the pizza the Thai chicken was a big hit. I found a recipe online for a peanut sauce and used it in place of a traditional tomato sauce. At first when I whipped up the sauce it was super salty and I got a little freaked out. I continued to tweak it by adding some more ingredients and then I achieved the perfect peanut flavor I was looking for. Coupled with some carrots, bell peppers, and cilantro the overall effect was definitely Thai. Considering my success with both the pizza dough and sauce I think that this pizza will be making a repeat showing sometime soon.

Thai Chicken Pizza

For the pizza dough:
Note: This makes enough dough for two 12" or four 6" pizzas.

• 700 mL warm water
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 4 cups (2 lbs) flour
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• ½ tbsp salt
• ¼ tsp sugar

1. Combine the water, yeast and half the flour in a large bowl. Mix together and add the oil, salt, and sugar.
2. Work the ingredients until a dough starts to form and keep adding the last half of the flour gradually. You may find that you need more or less than the four cups so add just enough until the dough holds its shape.
3. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead it for about five minutes, or until it is smooth and elastic. Take the dough and bang it on the counter a few times, kneading it in between, to "stress" it.
4. Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled plastic or glass bowl and cover with a towel. Allow it to rest for several hours or until is has doubled in size.

For the peanut sauce:
Note: This recipe reflects the adaptations I made and makes more than enough sauce for one pizza. It can also be used as a dipping sauce or stir-fry sauce.

• ½ cup peanut butter
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp water
• 2¼ tsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ¼ cup sweet chili sauce
• ¼ tsp chili garlic sauce

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.

For the assembly:

• Pizza dough
• Peanut sauce
• 1 carrot, cut into match sticks
• ½ bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• 1 cup cooked chicken
• 1 cup shredded cheese
• ¼-½ cup cilantro, chopped

1. If using a pizza stone, put it in the oven and allow it to preheat with the oven at 500 degrees Fahrenheit for about 30 minutes before transferring the pizza to it.  
2. Punch down the dough and then separate into two equal pieces. Shape each piece into a smooth, round ball and allow it to sit on a lightly floured surface for 10 minutes (this will make it easier to roll/stretch).
3. Proceed to roll/stretch out the dough until it is of the desired size then brush the edges with olive oil.
4. Top with the peanut sauce, then chicken, then vegetables, and finish with the cheese.
5. Transfer the pizza to the oven and bake at 500 degrees for 15-18 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbling. If not using a pizza stone the baking time may be greater, around 18-20 minutes. Once out of the oven top the pizza with the chopped cilantro.

Roasted Corn and Tomato Soup

This week I am back in the kitchen full swing and it feels great! Even before I went on vacation I had a stack of recipes lined up to try and in my last two weeks off of school I intend to make as many as I can. Although some of them have been sitting around for a while others, such as the one for this soup, I came across more recently but decided to try out first.

The reason why I wanted to make this soup was because corn is very much in season right now and I haven't made soup for a long time. The recipe also looked super simple and I was able to whip up the soup in slightly over half an hour. Once again I used my hand blender, given to me as a birthday gift from my parents, and I loved how it transformed both the soup and the cook time into magic. Interestingly enough, because the corn pieces were so small, it actually made the soup kind of chunky because not all of the corn was caught in the blade. I think this actually added a nice textural component to the soup rather than it being a puree.

To separate the corn from the husks I used a cool trick that my brother showed me on the internet. The idea is to place the corn into the center of a bundt pan, where the hole is, and then cut away at the sides. The pan acts as a bowl and collects the kernels as they fall. Of course if you don't own a bundt pan the same effect can be achieved by placing a small bowl upside down inside of a large bowl and resting the corn on top of the surface of the smaller bowl.

The soup itself tasted quite sweet, obviously a result of the corn being sweet. The flavor of the corn was definitely prominent and I enjoyed it, as did my mom and brother. A couple of days prior I had actually tried a recipe for something called "baked cous cous poppers". The "poppers" didn't turn out as well as I would have liked; they were slightly bland. However my mom and I came up with the idea to put them in the soup and they acted as little meatballs, only made of cous cous instead. It was great because the soup added flavor to the poppers while the poppers added texture to the soup...a win-win combination.

Roasted Corn and Tomato Soup

• 4 cups corn (about 6 cobs)
• 8 roma tomatoes, halved and insides hulled out
• 4 bell peppers, halved and de-seeded
• 6 cloves garlic
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 6 cups (2 L) chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp chili powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Olive oil
• Lemon
• Optional: red chili flakes

1. Lightly drizzle the corn, tomatoes, peppers, and garlic with olive oil and sprinkle with some salt. Toss to coat evenly the spread in a flat and even layer across a large baking pan covered with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
2. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20 minutes or until the tomatoes become wrinkled. Remove from the oven and peel away the skins from the tomatoes. 
3. Meanwhile, in a large pot saute the onion over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, or until it becomes translucent.
4. Once the vegetables have roasted, add them and all their juices to the pot. Add the smoked paprika, chili powder, and red chili flakes (if using) and mix well to incorporate.
5. Add the stock to the pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and allow the soup to simmer for 15 minutes.
6. Use an immersion blender or transfer the soup in batches to a stand blender to puree until smooth (though chunks may remain). Season with salt and pepper and some lemon juice if desired.

Chocolate and Fruit Mousse Cake

I'm back! It has been a little less than a month since the last time I posted on the blog but I had a good reason...I went to Italy on a cooking vacation. The cooking took place during my first week in a tiny village called Carunchio located in the mountains of the Abruzzo region. Every day we would go on food related field trips, such as to an olive oil factory, salami factory, cheese factory, etc. We would also have daily cooking lessons where we learned to make local dishes and were taught by a great Italian chef named Dino. The experience was amazing, both because of the food and the fact that I got to spend a week surrounded by other foodies just like me.

Since my return I have to admit that I haven't been in the kitchen too much lately. It's not because I got tired of cooking (that day will never come) but rather because the weather has been so great. When it's hot outside I feel like the last thing I want to do is fire up the stove or the oven. However last week it was my favorite aunt's birthday and I had to head into the kitchen to make her a fabulous cake.

My aunt is a big lover of mousse cakes and I really wanted to challenge myself by making not just any mousse cake, but a layered one at that. Since my success with my own birthday cake back in March, a triple chocolate mousse cake, I have only made mousse once more when I made little neapolitan mousse cups. I remember back then struggling to find a good recipe for strawberry mousse. This time I did some research and created my own recipe to be used with raspberries and mango. I also decided to take the cake a step further and create a raspberry gelee for the top.

After working on the cake for three days I think my efforts truly paid off. Unfortunately none of the pictures I took do it justice but everyone was stunned by how gorgeous it looked with the bright layers. Not only did it look good but it tasted great too! I think the most successful component was the raspberry gelee; the concentrated flavor was somewhat tart and balanced the sweetness of the mousse well. It also brought out the raspberry flavor in the subsequent mousse layer.

Traditionally mousse cakes are layered with sponge cakes but because everyone in my family loves flourless chocolate cake I used that for the bottom layer. Looking back, I probably should have made a chocolate sponge because the flourless chocolate cake, although delicious, did not quite blend and match with the mousse layers. Also, the mango layer got a little lost between the strong flavors of the chocolate and raspberry. Despite these minor issues, I am very proud of how the cake turned out and I believe everyone thoroughly enjoyed it.

Chocolate and Fruit Mousse Cake
Note: I used the same recipe, substituting fruits, for both mousse layers. Therefore I will post the basic recipe and it can be adapted to any fruit. This cake involves many layers and each needs time to cool and set, therefore I recommend breaking down the recipe into stages and doing each layer separately with ample time in between.

For the mousse:

• 2 cups fresh or frozen fruit
• 4 tbsp sugar
• 1 envelope (1 tbsp) powdered gelatin
• 1/2 cup water (1/4 room temperature and 1/4 boiling)
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream

For the gelee:

• 3 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
• 6 tbsp sugar
• 1 envelope (1 tbsp) powdered gelatin
• 1/2 cup water (1/4 room temperature and 1/4 boiling)

1. Bake the bottom flourless chocolate layer as per the instructions from the triple chocolate mousse cake. Allow to cool completely.
2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the fruit and sugar for the mousse. Heat until the fruit starts to break down. 
3. Using a food processor or blender, puree the fruit until as liquid as possible. Pour through a fine mesh sieve to remove any chunks.
4. In a small bowl combine the powdered gelatin with 1/4 cup water. Allow to sit for 5 minutes then add 1/4 cup boiling water. Stir vigorously for 1-2 minutes or until all of the gelatin crystals dissolve.
5. Add the gelatin to the fruit puree and mix well to incorporate. Put the mixture into the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or until it is no longer hot and is quite cool.
6. Meanwhile, beat the cream on medium speed until it starts to thicken, about 30 seconds. Increase the speed to high and continue to beat until soft peaks form, about 30-60 seconds.
7. Whisk 1/3 of the whipped cream into the cooled fruit mixture to lighten it. Make sure the fruit is actually cool, otherwise the mousse will separate. Gently fold in the remaining whipped cream with a rubber spatula until no streaks remain.
8. Spread the mousse evenly on top of the flourless chocolate cake and place the pan into the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to allow it to set somewhat before spreading the next mousse layer.
9. To make the gelee, follow the same instructions as with the mousse, but add only half of the gelatin water to the fruit. Pour the cooled fruit mixture on top of the second mousse layer once it has set and leave in the refrigerator for at least eight hours to set.