Category Archives: Baking

Creamy Raspberry Cheesecake

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CRUST

1 1/2 cups crushed graham cracker crumbs

4 tbsp butter or margarine – melted

4 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350.  To prepare cheesecake, mix crumbs, melted butter, sugar and cinnamon together.  Press evenly and firmly over bottom of an 8 1/2 – 9″ springform pan.  Bake until lightly browned (8 – 10 minutes).  Set aside to cool

CHEESECAKE

16 ounces cream cheese (softened)

1/2 – 3/4 cup sugar (to your taste)

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp grated lemon rind

3 eggs

1 cup sour cream

Beat cream cheese until fluffy.  Gradually beat in sugar, then beat in vanilla andlemon rind.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Blend in sour cream.  Pour mixture into cooled crust.

The best way to cook the cheesecake is in a bain marie.  Fancy expression for a water bath.  Double or even triple wrap the springform pan in tin foil, bringing the foil right up to the top.  Using a large enough roasting pan, place the wrapped springform pan in the center, and pour really hot water in the pan to about halfway up the springform pan.  I think it is easiest to get the springform pan into the roasting pan first, set that on your oven rack, and then pour in the hot water.

Bake at 350 until knife inserted near center comes out clean (50 – 60) minutes.  Turn off oven and let cheesecake stand in oven with door ajar for about 30 minutes.  Cool.

RASPBERRY TOPPING

10 ounces raspberries (frozen in syrup)

2 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp corn starch

2-3 cups fresh raspberries

Defrost and drain very well.  Prepare slurry with sugar, corn starch and cold raspberry juice.  Heat over medium temperature until mixture is very thick and has boiled clear (if you leave it cloudy you will taste the corn starch).  Add the drained raspberries and set aside to let cool.

When both the cake and the topping are cool, spread the raspberry topping over the cake and immediately press fresh raspberries gently into the topping all the way around in circles until you have covered the surface of the cake.  Let rest for at least 4 hours.

When you slice into a cheesecake, always dip your knife into hot water, wipe it dry and then slice.  If you do this with each slice your slices will all be nice and clean.

This cake is equally delicious if you use different fruit – go ahead and experiment.  The process is the same, just substitute the fruit you want to use.  If you are using fresh fruit for the topping altogether and no frozen fruit, just make sure you use a juice concentrate to make your slurry with corn starch otherwise their won’t be quite enough flavour.

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Blueberry Lemon Muffins

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Super Blueberry Lemon Muffins

2 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 T baking powder

1/2 t salt

rind of 1 lemon

1 egg

1 cup milk

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Lemon Butter Topping

1/4 c melted butter

2 T lemon juice

1/2 cup sugar

Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and lemon rind in large bowl.  Beat egg, add milk and butter. Add egg mixture to dry ingredients . Stir until just mixed, stir in blueberries.

Fill greased (or lined with muffin paper) pans 2/3 full, Bake 375 degrees for 20 minutes

Topping- Combine butter and juice. Measure sugar in separate dish. Dunk tops of slightly cooled muffins into lemon butter and then sugar. Makes 12 muffins

Baking Powder Biscuits

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Okay, here they are – by popular demand … my fantastic baking powder biscuits.  

Once you get this down pat you will rely on these biscuits for anything from a summer morning with fresh peach jam or a winter evening served with a family favourite – chili, soup, stew … every household has their own comfort dinner!

2 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp sugar

4 tsp baking powder

Stir to blend and then with pastry blender, or 2 forks, blend in 1/2 cup cold butter (my tip: freeze the butter for 15 min ahead of time, and use the large holes on a box grater to grate the butter – instant flakes of butter)

Lightly beat 1 egg in a 1 cup measure, then stir in enough milk to reach the 1 cup mark.

With a fork, stir the egg/milk mixture into the dry ingredients – only enough to have it start to hold together.  Turn onto floured surface and … oh so gently … without overmixing … pat it together, and then into a solid shape, about 1 inch or so in height.  Using floured biscuit cutter (or your favorite glass) cut out shapes and place on floured baking sheet.

These are so flexible – if you want to add any herbs, or cheese – do so at the dry ingredient stage.  Go ahead and experiment – makes these your own family favorite!

To guarantee extra tall, fluffy biscuits, pop them into the fridge or freezer for a few minutes.  The combination of hot oven and cold butter creates magic!

Bake at 400 for 15 – 20 minutes (depending on your oven – check it at 15) until lightly golden and very fluffy!  Image

Marvelous Muffins

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These muffins are so moist and delicious – Jean gave me this recipe years ago and I have used it in so many variations … try it yourself!

Yield: 24 regular size muffins

Preheat oven to 400

  • 3 cups flour
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 cup margarine
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups mashed fruit
  • 2 tsp soda in 2 tbsp very hot water
  • 1 tsp vanilla

Combine flour and sugar, then using pastry blender cut margarine into dry ingredients.

Add beaten eggs to mashed fruit, soda/water mixture and vanilla.  Stir until well combined.

Gently toss wet with dry ingredients, taking care not to over mix.

Bake in greased muffin tins for 15-20 minutes, just until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

You can use any combination and variety of fruits here and they always turn out well.  Use your imagination with toppings also – sprinkle sugar/cinnamon over top before baking or give them a streusel topping!