Mini Lemon Sponge Cheesecakes

It’s hard to believe that in just a week’s time my blog will be celebrating its second birthday. It started out with just a simple love for baking and SweetRevelations has grown into so much more.

It helped to launch my dream of owning a business.

It reminded me of my love of writing and creating.

It opened the door to so many amazing experiences and friendships.

Not to mention the extra twenty pounds I’ve gained since the birth of this sweet idea.

I currently have a love for desserts that are mini size.   Small and decadent.  Little wee bites of sweet goodness.   Simple and elegant lined up on a classic white dessert platter.

These are Mini Lemon Cheesecakes that I baked on a tangy Lemon Sponge base.

I’m so grateful for all of your interest this past year.  I sure do love all of your comments and  e-mails. I wish you were here so I could give you a good ol’ squeeze!

Enjoy!

Lemon Sponge Base

*adapted from GoodFood.com

Makes enough for 24 mini cheesecakes

• 175 gr unsalted butter
• 175 gr sugar
• 175 gr self-rising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp lemon zest
• 3 eggs
• 2 tbsp lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350°

1.  Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and beat just until combined.

2.  Place 1 tbsp in the bottom of each cavity of a mini cheesecake pan.  You will have some batter leftover that will make great cupcakes!  Bake the sponge bases for 10 minutes while you make the cheesecake.

Lower oven temp to 300°

Lemon Cheesecake

• 450 gr cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• Pinch of kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 2 large eggs, room temperature

1.   In a medium-sized bowl beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed until smooth.  Blend in the sugar until well incorporated.  Mix in the salt, vanilla and lemon juice.  Finally, beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well and scraping down the bowl after each addition.  Careful not to over mix!

2.   Spoon the cheesecake mixture onto the sponge bases.  I filled mine right to the top.  Bake for 14 minutes.  Turn the oven off and allow cheesecakes to cool in the pan in the oven.

Garnish with fresh berries and whipped cream.  I also made some rose petals with melted white chocolate and used those on top.

*these cheesecakes freeze really well.

Pomegranate Jelly

I know in the last few years I’ve shared with you some of my favourite things:
1. Chocolate ~ of any kind.
2. Beautiful Cupcakes.
3. Frosting.

Add to that list my undying adoration for the pomegranate. It’s such a gorgeous deep crimson fruit that’s full of vitamin C and antioxidants.

I eat one a day, and soon the season will be over around here and my daily treat will be scarce. I thought I needed to bottle up some of that sweet tart juicy pom love so I made a jelly.

It was just the prettiest darn jelly I have ever seen.

As a treat after dinner I made some easy butter puff pastry nests with mascarpone whip piped around the top and a dollop of jelly in the middle. So darn good. A light dessert that’s like a little bite of spring.

No word of a lie, if the world was crumbling around me I would not move an inch until I had licked the mascarpone whip bowl clean. It’s that delicious.  It’s the same whip that I used here only with mascarpone cheese.

Make extra and dip it with some fruit.  Or just selfishly eat it with a spoon like I did.

I read a few recipes and combined them for my own.   The grated orange peel gives this jelly an amazing flavour that can be used for both sweet and savoury dishes.

Enjoy,

*this made eleven 8 oz jars

• 5 cups fresh pomegranate juice – you can use POM juice too for less mess
• 7  cups white sugar
• zest of one orange
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 packages of liquid pectin

1.   Combine pomegranate juice, butter, zest and sugar in a large saucepan. Bring to boil over high heat and add liquid pectin. Bring back to a full boil, and boil  exactly 1 minute. Remove from heat and skim off foam, if any.

2.  Ladle into hot, sterilized jars to within about 1/2 inch of the top.   Seal with lids (that have been sitting in some hot water) and rings.   Leave the jars to rest on the counter for 24 hours.

** the puff pastry nests are store bought pastry that I cut with a round cutter.

Valentine Rose Cupcakes ~ Tutorial

Want an easy but really impressive dessert for Valentine’s Day?

No joke, just a few hours prep the night before and these can totally be on your candle lit table the next evening.  You know, between you and your Valentine… *gush.*

Heck, buy the cupcakes and you’ve saved yourself a step.

Although, I do recommend trying these or these or even these if you really want to impress the socks off someone.  See?  This is getting risque already….

I’ve added a picture tutorial to show you how simple this really is.

All you need is some coloured fondant (for best results mix with a little gumpaste), 3 piping tips or circle cutters (different sizes), and a ball tool.  You don’t even really need the ball tool.  Remember here , when I showed you how to make rose petals with just your hands and some parchment?

1.  Gather all of your supplies.  Colour and roll out your fondant nice and thin.

2.  Cut out your circles.  You will need about 6 of each size.

3.  Using your ball tool, or fingers, thin out the petals as much as possible.  Try to create some ruffles or movement.

4.  Let your petals dry out over night on a flower former.  Or, use a dish covered in foil like I did here.

5.  The next day, begin with the largest petals and start layering on your cupcake.  Try to do some overlapping.

6. Voila!   Aren’t you pleased with yourself?

You could make a few large roses and then add some ribbon roses on the rest.

Happy Valentine’s Day friends!

Glazed Yeast Doughnuts

There are few desserts that I can eat 7 or 8 of in one sitting.

Seven cupcakes?  I’d do my best, but nah…

Eight scoops of ice cream?  Nope…

Seven pieces of pie?  No way!!

Seven or eight warm homemade glazed doughnuts?

*Gulp*  Ten.  Easily.

No kidding.  These are a sweet, light, fluffy, circle of joy.  Warm out of the fryer and then dipped in a vanilla or chocolate glaze.    Gets me every time.    I make a large batch for the family to enjoy and then immediately box up the rest to give away.  You can’t keep this stuff just lying around.

It’s lethal.

This is a perfect Sunday morning activity to do with the whole family.   We fried some with holes and some without.  No filling needed.

We dipped.

We double dipped.

We, errr… triple dipped too.

See the pink ones below?  Just a dab of coloured gel in the your glaze.  Easy peasy.

Do you share my love of the doughnut?  I can’t wait to hear about it!!

Glazed Yeast Doughnut

• 2 cups cake flour
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 pkg (8 grams) – instant yeast, quick rise
•  3 tbsp honey (I use creamed honey)
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup whole milk, heated to 115 degrees
• 3 egg yolks
• enough oil for frying

1.  Mix cake flour, salt, yeast, honey and shortening in a large bowl.   Slowly add the milk and vanilla and stir to combine.  Add one cup of the all-purpose flour and the egg yolks.  Add another cup of all-purpose flour and mix just until combined.  The dough will be sticky.  Dump the dough onto a counter and knead for 8 minutes adding just enough flour to allow you to knead without it sticking to the counter (add as little as possible).    The dough ball will be very soft and moist.

2.  Place the dough back in the bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least one hour (overnight is good too!!).

3.  Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface (to about 1/2″ thickness).  Cut out with a doughnut cutter or use a biscuit cutter.  I used a 2″ biscuit cutter and an icing tip for the hole.

4.  Let doughnuts rise on a flour dusted parchment lined baking sheet (cover them up with a towel!).  Once doubled in size (about 1/2 an hour), they are ready to fry in oil heated to 350 degrees!  Fry on each side for approx.     1 1/2 minutes per side.  No more!  Drain on a wire rack over a baking sheet.

Glaze while still warm.

Vanilla Glaze

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 2-4 tbsp warm milk – just enough to make the glaze pouring consistency

1.  Mix all ingredients in a bowl and dip the warm doughnuts in.

*for the chocolate, I used the same glaze above but added 3-4 tbsp of dark cocoa powder

New Year’s Brunch Panettone Bread Pudding

I can’t believe how fast January 2013 has arrived.  Happy New Year friends!

My husband and I were chatting while he was taking the pictures for this post.

That in itself is not earth shattering….but we were having a real honest to goodness food bloggers heart to heart.   He takes all of my pictures for me.  Well, and thank goodness for that because if you looked at some of my earlier photographs you may have been thinking I should just pack this whole thing in.

Through mouthfuls of bread pudding I was asking him what he’s learned about food blogging this past year.   I was hoping for something profound to really kick-start this post.

He said….“You really stress me out.”

That’s not really what I was hoping for.  He says I’m really hard to work for and the pay stinks.  Well honestly?

He’s probably right.

Darn.

But we are a good team.  And we have made some pretty yummy posts this year.

And met some pretty amazing people from all over the world.

Like you!

Thank you for another great year.   And for your positive comments and your food love.  We feel it.  We love it!  All the best to you in 2013.

Check out this New Year’s Brunch Panettone Bread Pudding.   This is so simple to throw together, yet looks so yummy when plated.  You can make it in a dessert pan or in individual ramekins, both of which I have pictured here.   Top it with a dusting of powdered sugar or a yummy Champagne Zabaglione.   It can be made ahead too, which makes for a perfect brunch idea!

There are crusty parts and yummy custardy parts and raisin and cranberry parts.  All  mixed with a hint of eggnog flavour.  I am just smitten with this bread pudding.

New Year’s Bruch Panettone Bread Pudding

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

*adapted from foodnetwork.com

• 1 (1-pound) loaf panettone bread, crusts trimmed, bread cut into 1-inch cubes
• 8 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups half and half cream
• 2 1/2 cups eggnog
• 3/4 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries

1. Lightly butter a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish or individual ramekins. Arrange the bread cubes in a large bowl.   Whisk the eggs, cream, eggnog, and sugar to blend.  Pour the custard over the bread cubes, and press the bread cubes gently to submerge.  Let stand for 30 minutes, occasionally pressing the bread cubes into the custard mixture. (Recipe can be prepared up to this point 2 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.).

2.  Poor into prepared pans.  Place pans in a larger pan that is filled with about an inch of warm water.  Bake until the pudding puffs and is set in the center, about 45 minutes.  Serve warm.

Coconut Rum Cake with Dark Rum Butter Glaze

You know how I’ve always professed my love for scratch baked cakes?  How I find such pleasure in hand picking the finest ingredients and creaming and beating my heart out to create the most tender cake crumb?  And how most cakes taste the very best on the day they are made?

Well just for today….forget I said all that.

A good friend was recently talking to me about Rum Cake.  Typically served around the holidays, it’s a moist cake soaked in a glorious rum glaze.  I read online reviews from people who swore that it was hands down the most flavourful cake ever.

Pffft! What do those 800 people know anyway?

I searched and searched for a recipe that was baked from scratch, but you know what?  I made it and it didn’t taste the same.   Not quite as light and fluffy.  And I’m sure that the light and fluffy texture comes from one of the many ingredients on the box that I can’t pronounce…..

But today, I’m feelin a little wild and crazy and I’m ok with that.

Perhaps it’s the rum?

I substituted the vanilla pudding in the ingredients list for coconut pudding.  I used Coconut Rum in the cake and Dark Rum in the glaze.  The flavour is incredible and even better if you let the cake sit for 24 hours.

You know, boxed cake normally isn’t my style but just this once a doctored up cake mix suits me just fine.

Do you have a scratch recipe for Rum Cake?  I would love to hear from you!

*adapted from About.com

• 1/2 cup chopped, toasted pecans
• 1/2 cup toasted coconut
• 1  18 ounce box yellow cake mix
• 3.4 ounces (4-serving size) instant coconut pudding mix
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup cold milk
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup Coconut Rum

Glaze

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup Dark Rum

Preparation:

Cake: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan. Sprinkle nuts and coconut on bottom of pan. Combine all cake ingredients. Beat for 2 minutes on high with electric mixer. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool in pan for 15 minutes. . Prick bottom of cake (still in pan) with wooden skewer. Drizzle 1/2 of glaze over holes in bottom of cake. Let sit for 40 minutes.  Invert cake onto cake plate and poke holes in the top with wooden skewer.  Poor or brush remaining glaze over top.  I made extra glaze (with a little less water) to drizzle on the cake  just before serving.  Next time I would omit it.  The cake has more than enough flavour without it.

Glaze: Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in water and sugar. Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in rum. Note: The rum will cause steam. Be careful not to burn yourself.

Praline-Apple Fig Bread with Rum Butter

The week has been a bit hectic around here.   Maybe you’re following closely or you’ve been affected by the terrible weather that has damaged many homes on the US East Coast and made for some miserable days in parts of Canada.  We were very lucky here to only have some storm weather with few power outages.

I think the weather along with the usual ups and downs of family life has left me feeling kind of reflective and unsettled about things.    Dusting off some of my grandmothers treasures this morning I was wondering what she would think about how the world is today.   I was feeling really lucky that my children and husband were just hanging out at home while I did all of the mom things that they depend on me for.

While they watched movies and vegged out in that way that teens do, I headed into the kitchen for some comfort of my own.    The process of kneading breads and baking goodies seems to be so therapeutic for me sometimes.   The typical stress and chaos of the world around me seems to be absolved with an afternoon in the kitchen.  It helps me focus on the things that make me happy and fills me up with positive feelings.  Kind of like the effects of an afternoon with an old friend.

I’m curious to know, what’s your place of comfort?

I sure hope that some of my readers in the US are safe and warm and with family today.  I’m sending you all a little piece of virtual comfort in the form of warm Praline- Apple Fig Bread.   It’s moist and nutty and full of fall apples and fresh figs.  This bread is amazing on its own, but to ramp it up a bit I also made a Rum Butter.  Wow.

Praline-Apple Fig Bread

Adapted from myrecipes.com

*preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease and flour a 9 x 5 loaf pan

• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• pinch of grated nutmeg
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped, peeled apples
• 2 fresh figs, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1. Beat sour cream, sugar and eggs at low-speed for 2 minutes or until well blended.  Add vanilla.
2. Stir together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and nutmeg. Add to sour cream mixture, mixing just until blended. Stir in apples and figs. Spoon batter into a greased and floured 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. Sprinkle with chopped pecans; lightly press pecans into batter.
3. Bake for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack.
4. Bring butter and brown sugar to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly;let boil 1 minute. Remove from heat, and spoon over top of bread
5. Note:   This bread freezes well.

Rum Butter

Remember the rum syrup I made here?  Make it and allow it to cool completely.  Stir about 2 tbsp into a 1/4 cup of whipped unsalted butter.  Delish.

Butterscotch Pudding Tasters with Maple Whiskey { and a GIVEAWAY!}

 I am so pleased to announce the winner of the Delta Faucet Touch2O is Jonnie Hartling and the winner of the the book is Summer Plewes!

Please both contact me at r.mackeyburson@sympatico.ca and leave me your email address.  Thanks to all who entered my first giveaway!

This week-end is just chock full of so many wonderful things.  Here in Canada, it’s Thanksgiving week-end which means a house full of my favourite people and great food.  Add to that a sweet and creamy Butterscotch and Maple Whiskey dessert and it couldn’t get any better.

Or could it?

I’m so delighted to share with you my news of some recent kitchen reno’s here in the SweetRevelations house.  Well, exciting news for me and even better that one lucky reader gets to benefit too!  Our reno’s included a new Delta Trinsic Touch2O Technology Faucet.   This is the faucet that turns on and off with just a tap on the spout.  Oh, and it saves water too, because just a simple tap turns it off between tasks.

Ok, as a serious baker and one of the last people on the planet without a dishwasher (I know, pick your chin up off the floor, it’s disappointing to me too), this faucet has been such a pleasure to have.   We’ve all had those sticky, gooey baking days that require amazing contortions with the body to turn the tap on without messing it up.   It was all the more beautiful to me this morning as I had my hand inside a turkey trying to stuff it.   It really does come on and off with just a tap on the spout.  Beautiful.

And the folks at Delta kindly gave me one to give to a lucky reader so they can find their  dishwashing/food prep happy place too!

Well I’ve never done a blog giveaway before so I’m just tickled about the whole deal.  And in the spirit of ooey gooey sticky hands, I’ve also decided to give away a copy of Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey, by Jill O’Connor.  A recipe book of all things sweet, full of great tips for the dessert lover.  I bought the book and liked it so much I bought one for you!

That’s where these awesome Butterscotch Pudding Tasters came from.  I took her recipe for Butterscotch Pots and adapted it slightly with the addition of some smooth Canadian Maple Whiskey.  Served in small dessert tasters (or a few pots), with some maple and butterscotch flakes and whipped cream on top, these are a simple and elegant after dinner treat.

Here’s how you enter:

1.  Leave a comment about how a new Delta Touch2O technology Faucet would rock your kitchen and head on over to Delta Faucet’s and Lifestyle and Design Blog, Beige Is Dead, to follow them on Twitter or Facebook.

2.   Or, leave a comment about the dessert you make that is sticky and gooey but Oh so good.

3.  For an extra entry, tweet about this giveaway (with the link) and include @SweetRevelations, then come back and let me know or tell your friends on Facebook about this giveaway (with the link), then pop back over here to let me know (your actual blog post comment is your entry, so be sure to write a separate comment for your tweet/Facebook post).

CONTEST RULES:

• The Delta Faucet is available to Canadian residents only.  The book is available to Canadian and American residents.
• One entry per person, plus additional qualified bonus entries.
• Winners will be announced Friday, October 19th, 2012.

*Faucet courtesy of Delta Faucet.  Book courtesy of SweetRevelations.

Brown Butter Pumpkin Layer Cake

I love fall.  If I had to pick my favourite season, fall would win hands down.  Crisp mornings, hikes through the bush and markets full of pumpkins, squash and apples.

I love fall baking too.   Spicy flavours and smells fill the kitchen.   We tend to gravitate towards  cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves, as these seem to be the flavours associated to this time of year.

I don’t know if I told you this but my mom makes the BEST pumpkin pie ever.  It just happens to be my favourite flavour of pie.  But I have to say, and mom I hope you’re not listening, that this cake might just have put your pie in the running.

I can’t believe I just typed that out loud.

I’m not kidding.  This is one of the most moist cakes I have ever eaten.  It has all of the flavours of a pumpkin pie in a dense yet light cake.   With Candied Pecans sprinkled throughout.  And Brown Sugar Cream Cheese on each layer?

Pure pumpkin bliss.

What’s your favourite thing about fall?

*adapted from finecooking.com

* grease and flour two 6 x 3 inch cake pans, set oven temp to 350 degrees

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter
•  2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
•  1-1/2 tsp. baking soda
•  1-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
•  1 tsp. ground ginger
•  3/4 tsp. kosher salt
•  1/4 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
• 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
•  2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
•  2 large eggs, room temperature
•  1/3 cup buttermilk. room temperature

1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, swirling the pan occasionally (butter will begin to foam a bit) until the butter turns a nutty golden-brown, about 4 minutes.  Let cool while preparing other ingredients.

2.  In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, salt,nutmeg and cloves.  In a large bowl, whisk 1-1/2 cups of the pumpkin purée with the granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and buttermilk until well blended.   Stir in the flour mixture just until combined. Gently whisk in the brown butter until completely incorporated. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.

3.  Bake the cakes until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Turn the cakes out onto racks, remove the pan bottoms or parchment, and cool completely.

Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Icing

• 2 cups dark brown sugar , firmly packed
• 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
• 500 grams of cream cheese, cold

1.  Beat butter and brown sugar until smooth.  Add cold cream cheese and beat just until blended.  Cream cheese icing is easier to work with when the cream cheese is added cold.

Candied Pecans

• 2 cups pecan halves
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup dark brown sugar

1.  Mix together the pecans, brown sugar and cream.  Spread over a greased cookie sheet and bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes, stirring once.

Cake Assembly

1.  I usually let cake layers chill in the freezer for at least an hour before cutting.  Then, using a serrated knife, cut both cakes into layers.  You’ll have one extra layer to freeze for later or nibble on whilst you decorate.

2.  Place a layer on your cake plate, then spread a thick layer of cream cheese frosting.  Sprinkle some chopped candied pecans on top of the icing.  Repeat with the next layer.  Add the final layer and frost the entire cake.

3.  Once the whole cake is frosted, chill for a few hours before serving.  Sprinkle and decorate with the remaining pecans.

Enjoy!

Peach Fritters

My dad is a great story-teller.   It’s something that I love about him and a bond that we share.  I love to hear the stories of his childhood in a small fishing village.  I love to hear stories about my ancestors and my heritage.  And I appreciate every one of them because they make the generations past seem real to me.

This year for my birthday he gave me the best gift.

He gave me an old cookbook that was my great-grandfathers.  My father is named after him and he died in 1927 in an accident.  He was a cook on a tug boat and my grandmother got this book when they went to retrieve his body and belongings.   It just made me feel so much more that cooking must be in my genes.   That I’m doing the right thing.

I decided to try the recipe for Fruit Fritters that was in there.  I love how some of the pages are marked with pencil and some have drops of  whatever on them.

I wonder, did he make the Fruit Fritters?

On my card my dad said that my great-grandfather would have been proud of the work I have done in the kitchen.

Gosh, that is just the best gift isn’t it?

For my fritters I used peaches.  It’s peach season around here and they are big and juicy and so sweet.  Apples would be good too.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp grated nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 4-5 medium peaches, peeled and sliced into 1 inch slices
• powdered sugar for dusting

1.  Sift dry ingredients together.  Add milk and eggs and mix until smooth.

2.  Heat canola oil to 350° in a deep pan or fryer.  Batter peach slices and gently drop into oil.  Fry for 3-5 minutes.  Dust with powdered sugar.  Best eaten warm.