Chocolate Toffee Cheesecake

One of my favorite desserts is cheesecake.  I admit, I've come a long way when it comes to making dessert.  I remember the first time I ever made cheesecake.  I tried to make a cherry cheesecake for my first husband.  He tried to be sweet about it, but it was terrible!  I made him throw it away!

If he could have piece of this now, even he would be impressed!  Here are the ingredients:

Crust:

2 packages of chocolate graham crackers
4 tablespoons melted butter
1/4 cup sugar

Filling:

4 packages cream cheese
1 1/2 cups sugar
6 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup heavy cream
Pinch salt
1/2 cup cocoa
1 bag toffee bits 

1/4 cup flour
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted

 Topping:

1/2 jar caramel topping
1 cup toffee bits

In your food processor, crumble the chocolate graham crackers and sugar.  Slowly add the melted butter.  Press this mixture into a large cheesecake pan that has been well greased.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.  Let cool.

Clean out the food processor and add the cream cheese and sugar.  Turn on high speed and add eggs, one at a time.  Add vanilla, cream, salt, flour and cocoa.  Cream together.  Slowly add melted chocolate.  Cream together.

Remove to a bowl.  Stir in toffee bits. 

Pour into the crust.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.  Reduce heat to 300 and bake an additional 50 minutes or until the center is set.  Remove and cool.  Take a knife and run it around the edge.  This will help decrease the chances that the cheesecake will split.  Refrigerate overnight.

Before serving, sprinkle caramel and toffee bits over the top.

Enjoy!

Banana Cream Pie

YUM!  That is the one word I use to describe this pie.  I know it would be easy to buy some pudding mix and throw a pie together, but I wanted to make everything from scratch.  It didn't disappoint and it was easy!

Mom says this pie reminds her of her dad's banana cream pie.  Last night she was over for dinner and she told this great story.  When my grandfather was stationed in Hawaii, during WWII, his platoon was getting ready to be shipped out.  Grandpeepaw was in line, getting his immunizations.  He had a reaction to a shot and fainted.  Needless to say, he became very ill and was not able to recover for 3 weeks.  By this time his platoon had already gone to the Pacific.

The commanders didn't quite know what to do with my grandfather so they asked him what his skills were.  He told them that he was a baker by trade.  The man asked him if he knew how to make banana cream pie and my grandfather said yes.  The man said, "Come with me."  Grandpeepaw followed him to the kitchen, and made a banana cream pie.  It turns out, that was the favorite pie of the base commander!  That is where grandpeepaw finished the war!

If this pie resembles anything like his, I am proud!

Ingredients for the crust:

1 1/2 packages of graham crackers
5 tablespoons melted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla

Ingredients for the pie:

1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups + 1/4  cup whole milk
3 bananas, sliced
1 jar of ice cream caramel sauce
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Put the graham crackers in your food processor to make crumbs.  Slowly add the melted butter and vanilla.

Press the crumbs into a well greased pie plate.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let cool.

In a saucepan, add 2 cups of whole milk and 1/2 cup sugar.  Heat on medium, stirring constantly.  Add the salt.   

In a separate bowl, add the 1/4 cup milk, cornstarch and egg yolks.  Whisk.  When the heated milk mixture is near boiling, take 1/2 cup of hot milk and whisk it into the egg mixture.  Then, slowly whisk the egg mixture into the hot milk.  This is called tempering the eggs.  If you do not do this, the eggs will scramble when you pour it into the hot milk.

Let the milk boil slightly, stirring constantly.  When it starts to thicken up, remove from heat.  Stir in the vanilla and let cool.

With your mixer, whip together the heavy cream and powdered sugar.  Let that mix for several minutes until it becomes whipped cream.  Refrigerate until you are ready to assemble the pie.

When the pudding is completely cool, slice the bananas.  Layer them in the bottom of the pie shell.

Pour some caramel sauce on the bananas.

Layer pudding on top and repeat.

Cover entire pie with whipped cream.

Chill and serve.

Enjoy!

Strawberry Pie

Strawberries are in season!  Time to make dessert!  I wish I was the type of gal to eat strawberries for their natural wholesome properties.............but, no, I need to add sugar!

Here are the ingredients for this pie:

Pie crust:

2 cups crushed pecans
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/3 cup brown sugar
Pinch of salt

Pie Filling

1 quart strawberries, washed, hulled and sliced
2/3 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 box strawberry Jello
1 tablespoon lemon juice

First, make sure your pecans are crushed.  Put them in your food processor if needed.  When they are crushed, put them in a bowl and add the rest of the crust ingredients.  Press the mixture into the bottom of a well greased pie plate.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  Remove and let cool.

In a saucepan, crush one cup of strawberries.  I used a potato masher and it worked great.  To this, add the sugar, Jello and cornstarch.  Stir to incorporate.  Slowly add water and lemon juice.  Cook until mixture boils, then remove from heat.  Allow to cool.

Once your crust is cool, put the remaining sliced strawberries in the pie pan.

Slowly pour the Jello mixture over the strawberries.  Chill for 2-3 hours before serving.  Top with whipped cream.

Maria likes to help in the kitchen!  I love when she comes over!

Enjoy!

Strawberry Cake

My granddaughter Jossalyn turned 4 last week. She came by last weekend to spend some time with Grandma and Grandpa. When she comes over I try to have some strawberries on hand. She is a
strawberry phene (is that even a word?)!

 Jossy, scarfing up strawberries at 1!

She also loves helping Grandma when she cooks. We decided to make a strawberry birthday cake together!

Cake Batter Ingredients:

2 sticks butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup strawberry jam
1 cup milk
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons vanilla

Strawberry Filling:

3 cups strawberries, diced
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup water

Strawberry Frosting:

2 sticks butter
2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup strawberry jam
1/2 cup heavy cream
 
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Butter and lightly flour three cake pans.

Jossy loved getting her hands all buttery!

In your mixer, with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar.  Add the eggs, one at a time.  Continue mixing and add the salt, baking powder and baking soda.  Add the vanilla and strawberry jam.  Continue mixing while you alternate between the flour and milk.  Divide the cake batter between the three cake pans.  Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

While the cake is baking, prepare the strawberry filling.  Cut your strawberries.  Add the strawberries to a saucepan and turn on medium heat.  Stir in the sugar and cornstarch.  Slowly add the water and cook until the sauce thickens.  Turn the heat off.  The strawberry filling will continue to thicken as it cools.


While the cake and the filling cools, make the frosting.  Cream together the butter and powdered sugar.  Add the vanilla, jam and cream.

When the cake and filling is completely cooled, start assembling the cake.

Decorate with strawberries

Kylie loved the cake!

Happy birthday Jossy!  We love you!

Cookie Cake

Jonah has always loved cookie cake.  It has become a tradition that for his birthday he wants a cookie cake, as opposed to a regular birthday cake.  This year, I decided to make it for him!

Here are the ingredients:

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups chocolate chips
2 cups M and M's

Cream together the butter and sugar.  Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing in between each egg.  Add the vanilla, baking soda, and salt.   Slowly add in the flour, mixing well.  Remove from the mixer and stir in the chocolate chips and M and M's.

Press into a tart pan or other oven proof pan.  You can decide how thick you want it but remember, the thickness will depend on the cooking time.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 35 minutes.  If your cookie cake is thinner, it will take less cooking time.

At this point in the blog, you will notice that I will NEVER become a cake decorator.  I needed some help so Maria gave me a hand.

We put some frosting in a Pampered Chef decorating set.

And then I decided to try and write a sweet message to Jonah...........

I'll stick with the cooking part, and avoid the decorating part..............yes, go ahead and make fun of me................

Maria had to squeeze some straight into her mouth

(after we were finished of course)

Happy Birthday Jonah!

Oreo Cake

I love Oreos.  I was intrigued by a recipe that I found on Pinterest, but if you know me at all, I can't just follow a recipe.  I have to tweak it and make it my own!

I made this cake for an extra dessert for Jonah's birthday dinner.  My niece Maria already asked if she could have this cake for her birthday!

Here are the ingredients:

Cake:

2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 sticks butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla  
1/2 cup coffee
1 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup cocoa

Filling and frosting:

3 packages cream cheese (8 oz)
6 cups whipped cream
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 teaspoons vanilla
36 Oreos, crushed

To begin, cream together the butter and sugars for the cake.  Add the eggs, one at a time.  Mix well.  Add the salt, baking powder and baking soda.  Mix well.  Add the cocoa, vanilla and coffee.  Mix well.  Alternate between adding the flour and buttermilk.

Divide the cake batter into two well buttered, well floured cake pans.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

While the cake is baking, crush the Oreos in your food processor

In your mixer, cream together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla.  Stir in the whipped cream and crushed Oreos.

This serves as your cake filling and frosting.

Decorate the cake with Oreos.

YUM!  Enjoy!

Cassatta

Ohhhh, just hearing this word makes me drool!  I LOVED when I would visit my Nonna and she would have made this sweet treat!

My Nonna and her sister Mary

Here are the ingredients for this delicious treat:

7 cups whole milk
2 cups sugar
1 cup corn starch
5 cinnamon sticks
1 pound cake or angel food cake
1 large Hershey's bar, shaved
1/2 jar Marashino cherries, halved
Almond extract

Heat 6 cups of the milk and sugar to the boiling point, stirring occasionally, making sure it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.

Combine the corn starch with the remaining milk.  Stir the corn starch mixture into the milk.  Stir continously, making sure it doesn't stick.  Cook until the mixture thickens and it turns glossy - 5-10 minutes.

Remove the cream from the hot pan and let it cool completely.

To assemble the cake:

Put a layer of cake down.  Brush the cake with the almond extract.  Pour 1/2 of the cream over the cake and sprinkle 1/3 of the chocolate.  Put another layer of cake down and repeat. 

Put drained marishino cherries and more chocolate on the top.

Refrigerate until ready to serve

As my Nonna would say, "Mangia!"  This recipe is featured on This Gal Cooks! and Totally Tasty Tuesdays!

Far Left:  Aunt Malutza (married to Jake Cunetto)

Aunt Mary Fantuzzo (my great aunt)

Rosalia Cunetto (my great grandmother)

Nonna!