New York Cheesecake with Strawberry Sauce

Despite being well known amongst my friends and family for making all sorts of cheesecakes, I realized that I have never made the most traditional type: New York Cheesecake. Sure, I've made variations of it, but never a true New York Cheesecake. I decided that I would remedy that by making it for my birthday this year when my family came over to celebrate.

Normally when it comes to making cheesecake for family gatherings I use an 11" pan, my biggest one, and 2 lbs of cream cheese. This recipe used a 9" pan and 3 lbs of cream cheese. Not only that, but it also used 7 whole eggs and 2 egg yolks in addition to sour cream. As you can imagine, the resulting cake was super rich and extremely tall. In fact, when I was pouring the batter into the pan I was afraid of how full it was so I scooped about two cups out and made them into mini cheesecakes.

In my opinion, the perfect New York cheesecake is always accompanied by a fresh fruit sauce and the

classic is always strawberry. I have to admit that once I poured it onto the cake, the sauce kind of made it look sloppy because the strawberries had somewhat discolored and were breaking down. However the taste more than made up for it because it was delicious!

The cake was well received by my family and I was happy to cross such an iconic cake off my list. I don't know if I will repeat the recipe,  because it is truly an extremely rich cake, but I would definitely recommend it for its ease and simplicity.

New York Cheesecake

For the crust:

• 1 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 2½ tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 1½ tbsp sugar

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

For the cheesecake:

• 3 lbs (6 blocks) cream cheese, room temperature
• 1½ cups sugar
• 7 large eggs + 2 egg yolks
• 1 cups sour cream
• ½ tsp salt
• Zest of one lemon

1. Beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed for about a minute, until smooth.
2. Beat in the sugar and salt and then the sour cream. Scape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
3. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, at low speed. Beat in the lemon zest and continue mixing until everything is combined.
4. Pour the mixture into the cooled springform pan and bake for 60 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 2½-3 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 strawberry sauce:

• 2 lbs fresh strawberries, cut into halves or quarters
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 cup water

1. Combine the strawberries, sugar, and water in a saucepan and heat over medium heat until the berries start to break down. 
2. Reduce the heat to a simmer and continue cooking for another 15-20 minutes while the sauce thickens. 
3. Remove from the heat and allow to cool before straining strawberries and spooning over top of the cheesecake. 
4. Optional: the leftover liquid strawberry sauce can be served on the side to pour over individual slices.

Strawberry Balsamic Salad

After returning from Whistler my family came over a couple of weeks ago to celebrate my birthday at home. Most of the food we made consisted of old time favorites but with my burning desire to always try something new I thought to make a different salad than usual. As spring is in the air I thought to take advantage of all the fresh fruit now appearing in grocery stores.

This salad was quite simple: it featured spinach, blueberries, goat cheese, roasted beets and candied pecans. It was tied together through a sweet but tangy strawberry balsamic vinaigrette. I think that there are a variety of ingredients that could be put in the salad but I decided to go for blueberries and beets because I really love them. Also candying the pecans gave them a great crunch and added the necessary amount of texture to the salad.

Note: I will post the recipe for the salad dressing and how to make candied pecans. The rest of the ingredients can be chosen based on what you have/what is in season.

Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette
Note: This is more than enough dressing for one large salad. I drizzled some on the salad and served the rest on the side for those who wanted extra.

• 1 lb fresh strawberries
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1-2 tsp water
• Pinch of salt
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1-2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• Optional: 1 tbsp poppy seeds

1. Remove the stems from the strawberries and cut in half.
2. In a small pot, combine the strawberries, sugar, salt, and water. Heat over medium heat until the strawberries begin to soften and release their juices.
3. Blend the strawberries until they are smooth and then strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve to separate the seeds.
4. Allow the strawberry puree to cool then whisk together with the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and poppy seeds. Add some extra salt and pepper to taste.

Candied Pecans

• 2 cups pecan halves
• 4 tbsp brown sugar
• 4 tbsp (¼ cup) unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1. In a large pan, roast the pecans for about two minutes, until they start to soften and become fragrant.
2. Add the butter pieces and stir so all the nuts are well coated.
3. Add the brown sugar and keep stirring so that the nuts do not burn. Continue lightly frying for about 3-5 minutes, until all of the butter has melted and the sugar has caramelized.
4. Pour out the nuts on a parchment paper-lined plate and allow them to cool for 10 minutes so that the sugar can set.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

In addition to making Nutella bomb cupcakes for my birthday Whistler trip with friends, I also made these cookie dough filled cupcakes. Ever since I made chocolate dulce de leche cupcakes back in January, I have been craving making another filled cupcake. I decided that between the two types that I made for my birthday at least one should have a filling.

This recipe was definitely more work than the average cupcake because it involved baking the cupcakes, making the filling, chilling the filling before cutting holes into the cupcakes and stuffing them, and finally frosting the cakes. I wish I could say that these cupcakes were truly amazing and worth all of that effort but the truth is that they were just okay. Personally, I felt that they were a little too sweet and I enjoyed the Nutella bomb cupcakes more. However my friends enjoyed both which just goes to show that everyone has different tastes. Regardless, I had a great time celebrating my birthday with my friends and I hope it was just the beginning of a great year to come.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes
Note: The original recipe was for 24 cupcakes, however I cut it in half and made only 12. The recipe below reflects the amounts I used. The original recipe can be found here.

For the cupcakes:

• 1½ cups (16 tbsp) unsalted butter, room temperature
• ¾ cups light brown sugar, packed
• 2 large eggs
• 1⅓ cups flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup chocolate chips 

1. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir together to blend and set aside.
2. Beat the butter and brown sugar together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
3. Mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl on low speed, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, mixing each addition just until incorporated. 
5. Blend in the vanilla and fold in the chocolate chips with a spatula.
6. Divide the batter evenly in a well-greased or cupcake lined pan . Bake for 18-20 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 
7. Allow to cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the filling:

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3 tbsp light brown sugar, packed
• ½ cup + 1 tbsp flour
• 3½ oz sweetened condensed milk
• ¼ tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp mini chocolate chips

1. Cream the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. 
2. Beat in the flour, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla until incorporated and smooth. 
3. Stir in the chocolate chips. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until the mixture has firmed up a bit, about an hour.

For the frosting:

• ½ cup (8 tbsp) unsalted butter, room temperature
• ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• ⅓ cup flour
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp milk
• 1 tsp vanilla 

1. Beat the butter and brown sugar together until creamy. 
2. Slowly beat in the powdered sugar until smooth. 
3. Beat in the flour and salt, then mix in the milk and vanilla until smooth and well blended.

To assemble:

1. Cut a cone-shaped portion out of the center of each cupcake. Fill each hole with a chunk of the chilled cookie dough mixture.
2. Remove the tip from the cupcake cones and press each top back onto the cupcake.
3. Frost the cupcakes and sprinkle with some mini chocolate chips for garnish.

Nutella Bomb Cupcakes

I did something new for my birthday this year and took a trip with my closest friends from nursing school. Originally I wanted to take a week long trip to some sort of sunny destination but in order to be able to accommodate everyone's schedules and budgets I settled for a weekend trip to Whistler instead.

Rather than bake a cake and worry about transporting it to Whistler, I decided to make two different kinds of cupcakes and was able to get some plastic carriers from the local store. One of the recipes I had previously seen a few weeks ago and couldn't get out of my head due to its fun name: "Nutella Bomb Cupcakes".

At first I considered mixing it with another recipe that featured a Nutella filling, to really make it full of Nutella, however once I baked the cupcakes I saw that they were quite soft and moist and I wasn't too sure they could stand up to a filling. Nevertheless they were delicious and personally my favorite between the two types I baked. This cupcake experience confirmed that I prefer a Swiss meringue buttercream instead of regular American buttercream as I often find the latter too sweet while the Swiss meringue buttercream is just right, despite being more tedious to make.

Nutella Bomb Cupcakes
Makes about 12-13 cupcakes (The recipe actually is for 13 but I slightly overfilled my 12 and it turned out fine).

For the cupcakes:

• 1 cup flour
• 1¼ cups sugar
• ¼ cup + 2 tbsp cocoa powder 
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• ½ cup sour cream
• ¾ cups room temperature water
• 1 tbsp white vinegar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 large egg, at room temperature

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
2. Add the oil and sour cream and mix until blended.
3. Add the water in ¼ cup at a time and mix until combined.
4. Mix in the vinegar and vanilla to blend.
5. Add the egg and mix until combined.
6. Divide the batter equally in a well-greased or cupcake-lined tray.
7. Bake for 18-20 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out almost clean. 
8. Cool for five minutes in the pan before removing and allowing to finish cooling on wire racks. 

For the Frosting:
Note: I made half of the original recipe because personally I don't like too much frosting and the recipe claimed to make more than enough. I actually did not have enough to frost the last cupcake but I was okay with that. The recipe below is the original amounts.

• 4 large egg whites
• 4 oz (113 grams) sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1½ cups (16 tbsp) unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut into 2" chunks
• ½ cup Nutella

1. Combine the egg whites, sugar, and salt in a large heat-proof bowl.
2. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water (making sure it does not actually touch the water). 
3. Heat the egg white mixture until it reaches 145-150 degrees Fahrenheit, whisking frequently so as not to get scrambled eggs.
4. Remove the bowl from the heat, and whip the egg whites on medium-high until they become fluffy and double in volume. The bowl should be cool to the touch (this will usually take several minutes).
5. Turn the mixer down to medium low, and add the butter in one chunk at a time, until it has all been incorporated. If the mixture looks curdled at this point, this is normal. Just keep whipping for a few more minutes until it comes together. If the mixture looks soupy, you can add a few cubes of chilled butter, or stick the whole bowl in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes and then continue beating.
6. Once the buttercream has become smooth, add the Nutella and beat until incorporated.
7. Transfer the buttercream into a piping bag and pipe onto the cooled cupcakes.

Coconut Brownies

About a month ago I made some black bean brownies as an experiment at home after a coworker had brought some in to work one day. While one of my brothers was horrified that I had tricked him with the brownies, the other was quite intrigued and asked if I could make some sort of dessert using coconut flour.

Shortly after I showed up to work and discovered that another nurse had brought some brownies that were made using coconut oil and flour. I immediately asked her for the recipe and excitedly brought it home. Last week my brother bought me some coconut flour and I finally had the chance to try out the recipe.

Although I tend to prefer fudgy brownies over more cakey ones, such as these, the brownies still tasted good. Both of my brothers enjoyed them and made suggestions of additions I could make next time, such as carob or chocolate chips or some nuts. I decided to leave additions out this time so that they could just taste the natural flavor of the brownie itself, which is quite coconut and almondy due to the coconut oil and almond butter. My one substitution was that I used half maple syrup and half honey because I didn't have the full amount of maple syrup called for in the recipe.

Because the recipe made a large amount I decided to bring some in to work the next morning to share with my colleagues. The brownies were well received and it felt nice to be able to spread a little extra cheer before the weekend. One of the nurses who is actually gluten-free fell in love with them and had three pieces! She raved about the brownies and begged me for the recipe, which I promised her would be posted on my blog.

Coconut Brownies

• 1 cup coconut oil
• 1 cup maple syrup (or 1 cup honey)
• 5 oz (140 g) bittersweet chocolate
• ¼ cup cocoa powder 
• ¼ cup coconut flour
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1½ cups almond butter

1. In a small saucepan, combine the coconut oil, maple syrup/honey, and chocolate. Heat until the coconut oil and chocolate has completely melted.
2. Remove from the heat an stir the cocoa powder into the mixture. Set aside to cool.
3. In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, vanilla, and baking soda.
4. Add the almond butter and mix well. Mix in the coconut flour.
5. Add the chocolate mixture and mix until a uniform batter comes together.
6. Pour the batter into a 9"x13" well-greased or parchment-lined pan.
7. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool slightly before slicing and serving.

Orange Loaf

Last week I had to attend a workshop about perinatal loss. As you can imagine, spending eight hours talking about babies dying is not exactly anyone's idea of fun. Although the workshop was helpful in providing tools on how to help families experiencing perinatal loss, it was also extremely sad. Prior to attending, I decided to make some sort of baked good and bring it along so as to give a little cheer to people while discussing such a difficult topic.

The loaf that I originally baked was actually a lemon loaf studded with cranberries. However when I was baking it I seemed to run into some issues with the time and found the middle of the loaf not baked through. I cut around the questionable middle portion and had enough slices to bring to work. Everyone at the workshop, including those in charge, thanked me for my thoughtful gesture and appreciated the sweet treat.

Later that evening I brought home a few leftover slices and my mom and brother quickly ate them up. They both begged me to make it again and I obliged, but rather than use lemon I used orange instead and omitted the cranberries to see if that would solve my previous issue with the doneness of the loaf. Unfortunately, I had the same problem initially but by increasing the time I was able to bake the loaf all the way through. My mom and brother were so pleased when they found out I baked it again just for them.

Orange Loaf
Note: The orange can be substituted with lemon or even lime to make a different flavored loaf.

For the cake:

• 1½ cups flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 tbsp grated orange zest (about 1 orange)
• 2 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice (about ½ an orange)
• 16 tbsp (1 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• ¼ cup sour cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
2. Combine the sugar, eggs, orange zest and juice and mix slowly with an electric mixer.
3. With the mixer on low speed, blend in the melted butter. 
4. Continue mixing and add half of the dry ingredients, then the sour cream and vanilla, and finally the remainder of the dry ingredients. Mix everything just until it is all incorporated evenly.
5. Pour the batter out into a well-greased 9" x 5" pan. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit then rotate the pan and reduce the heat to 325 degrees. Continue baking for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
6. Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool in the pan for at least 15-20 minutes before taking it out and transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.

 For the syrup:

• 3 tbsp sugar
• 3 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice (about ½ an orange)

1. In a small saucepan combine the sugar and orange juice. Cook over medium heat until the sugar is completely dissolved.
2. Once the cake is baked but still warm from the oven, use a toothpick or skewer to poke holes all over and then pour the syrup on top.

For the glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2-3 tbsp freshly squeezed blood orange juice

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the orange juice and powdered sugar until smooth. Add a little bit more juice or sugar if necessary to achieve the desired consistency.
2. When the cake has cooled completely, pour the glaze over top. Allow it to stand for about 10 minutes so that the glaze sets before slicing and serving.

Baked Eggs with Spaghetti Squash

I was grocery shopping the other day and for some reason I was suddenly struck with a longing to buy spaghetti squash and make it. Ever since I prepared spaghetti squash a few months ago I have been meaning to repeat the experience but hadn't gotten around to doing so.

This time, rather than put the squash mixture back into the scraped shells, I decided to go with more of a breakfast theme. I scooped the prepared veggie and squash mixture into little ramekins and then cracked an egg over top. Then I put the ramekins into the oven and used the broiler to cook the egg just until the whites set and the yolk still jiggled. I made one for each family member and then just served the remaining squash mixture in the skillet for those who wanted extra. I was pleased with the outcome and it was nice to have something different for breakfast for a change.

Baked Eggs with Spaghetti Squash
Note: I prepared the spaghetti squash the same way I did last time. The recipe can be found here and should be followed all the way until stuffing the shells with the squash mixture.

• Prepared spaghetti squash
• Eggs
• Salt and pepper

1. Distribute the spaghetti squash and vegetables amongst the ramekins, filling each about ¾ full.
2. Carefully crack an egg into each ramekin, making sure not the break the yolk.
3. Place the ramekins onto a tray and into the oven under the broiler. Cook the eggs just until the whites are set but the yolks are still soft and runny. Keep a close watch as the eggs will cook quickly.
4. Remove the ramekins from the oven and serve. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper on top if desired.