Cheesecake Petit Fours With Creamy Strawberry Glaze Food

FONDANT GLAZED PETIT FOURS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment whip the egg whites until stiff but not dry. In a mixer fitted with a whip attachment cream the butter until smooth. With the mixer running, slowly add the sugar and mix. Add the vanilla and almond extract and mix well.
• Sift the flour 3 times with the baking powder (this is to lighten the cakes). Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix. Add 1/2 of the milk to the butter mixture and mix. Add another 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix. Add the remaining milk and mix. Add the remaining flour and mix until smooth. Fold in the egg whites.
• Pour the batter into a parchment lined jellyroll pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake until firm to the touch 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool in the pan then chill.
• To make the fondant: Whisk the corn syrup into the hot water until dissolved, then whisk in the powdered sugar until smooth. Stir in lemon extract. Divide into smaller bowls and color with food coloring, adding color until you achieve desired shade.
• To make the petit fours, cut the cold cake into small squares, rectangles, and circles using small cookie cutters. Place the cakes on a wire rack over a pan to catch the drippings, inverting them in order to have the golden layer on the bottom. If the fondant has become stiff, just whisk until smooth again. If the fondant is has not become to stiff, proceed to the next step. Either dip the cakes into the fondant and place on the rack to drain or ladle the fondant over the cakes, making sure all sides are coated. Once they are set, they should be coated again. Let dry, then with melted chocolate or colored fondant, pipe thin decorative lines or use silver dragees.
• Notes about the recipe: There are many options for these darling little cakes. You can split the cake in half horizontally and spread it with jam, you can spread jam on the top and stick down a thin layer of rolled marzipan or do the simplest plain version like I did here. You can also tint the fondant different pastel colors.

STRAWBERRY GLAZED CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to temperature 350°F.
• Mix crust ingredients together and press into pie pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes; set aside.
• Reduce oven temperature to temperature 250°F.
• Beat cream cheese in a bowl with an electric mixer until soft. Add 3/4 cup sugar, lemon rind, orange rind and 1-1/2 Tbs. flour. Mix thoroughly. Add eggs and yolk one at a time, beating after each addition until just incorporated. Beat cream and vanilla. Pour into crust and bake about 65 minutes until edges are firm and center jiggles slightly when pan is moved. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
• Purée 1 cup strawberries in a food processor or blender. Press through a strainer. Combine strawberry purée, 3/4 cup sugar, cold water, salt and cornstarch in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoons butter and food coloring. Cool slightly. Arrange whole berries over top of cheesecake. Serve glaze over cheesecake.

LINDY'S CHEESECAKE WITH STRAWBERRY GLAZE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Combine flour, sugar and lemon peel.
• Make a well in center and drop in egg yolk, butter and vanilla.
• Quickly work together until well blended.
• Wrap in waxed paper and chill 1 hour.
• Detach bottom from springform pan.
• Roll out about 1/3 of the dough 1/8" thick.
• Fit over bottom of buttered 9" springform pan.
• Trim and save extra dough.
• Bake circle of dough about 8-10 minutes or until golden.
• Cool.
• Butter sides of pan and place sides over bottom.
• Turn up oven to 500 degrees F.
• Roll out remaining dough and line pan 3/4 of the way up sides.
• Blend together cream cheese, sugar, flour, grated peels and vanilla until smooth.
• Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
• Blend in cream thoroughly.
• Turn cheese mixture into springform pan and bake 10-12 minutes.
• Reduce heat to 200 degrees F and bake 1 hour.
• Cool in a draft-free place and top with Strawberry Glaze (** Recipe Follows).
• Remove sides of pan and refrigerate cake.
• To Make Strawberry Glaze:.
• Reserve the largest and most attractive berries for the top of cheesecake.
• Crush about 1 cup berries in a saucepan; add sugar, water, cornstarch and salt.
• Stirring constantly,boil mixture for about 2 minutes.
• Blend in butter.
• Remove from heat, pour into blender and puree.
• Let cool slightly.
• Arrange whole berries on cheesecake and spoon glaze over all.
• Chill several hours before serving time.

STRAWBERRY GLAZED CREAM CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• In medium bowl, thoroughly combine crust ingredients. Press firmly on bottom of lightly buttered 10" springform pan.
• In large mixer bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add remaining filling ingredients, beat thoroughly. Spoon over crust. Place pan on cookie sheet to catch any butter that might drip out. Bake 40-45 minutes. (Cheesecake may rise slightly and crack in several areas; it will settle again, cracks will minimize and topping will cover it.) Remove from oven and let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Keep oven on at 350°F.
• In medium bowl, combine topping ingredients until well blended. Spoon topping over cheesecake, starting at center and extending to within 1/2 inch of edge. Return to oven and bake 5 minutes longer. Cool. Refrigerate cheesecake for at least 24 hours, preferably 2-3 days.
• Several hours before serving, wash, hull and completely dry strawberries on paper towels.
• In small saucepan, combine a little jelly with cornstarch; mix well. Add remaining jelly, liqueur and water. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture thickens and is clear (about 5 minutes). Cool to lukewarm, stirring occasionally.
• Using knife, loosen cheesecake from pan; remove springform. Arrange berries, pointed sides up, over top of cake. Spoon glaze over berries, allowing some to drip down sides of cake. Refrigerate until glaze is set.

STRAWBERRY GLAZED CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Prep time does not include refrigeration time.
• Preheat oven to 170c. Coat a 9 inch springform pan with butter or nonstick spray.
• In a medium bowl mix Crumbs, sugar, melted butter and the 11/2 Tablespoons of jam, Press crumb mixture into the bottom of the pan.
• In a large bowl use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese together until light and fluffy, add milk, egg whites, egg and lemon juice mix until smooth. Pour mixture into pan.
• Place the pan inside a larger one filed with approximately 1 inch of water.
• Bake cake until edges and top are slightly browned and it is nearly set when you insert a skewer into the centre of it, about 55-60 min's.
• Remove cake from oven and allow to cool for 30 minutes then refrigerate overnight.
• The next day arrange strawberries on the top of chilled cheesecake, brush strawberries with melted jam and refrigerate again until set.
• Cheesecake is best served chilled not cold to allow all the subtle flavours to come through, it is best to remove cheesecake from fridge, 15-30 Min's before serving.
• Now it is ready to serve yum, yum. Enjoy, cheesecake will keep several days in the fridge, not that it ever lasts that long in our house.