Christmas Cheesecake Food

CHRISTMAS CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla, lime juice, and lime zest. Add the eggs 1 at a time, and incorporate well. Combine bread crumbs, flour, all the spices, baking powder, and salt. Combine rum and port. Add flour mixture alternately with rum/port mixture into the batter. Fold in the chopped marinated fruit.
• Prepare 1 (9-inch) cake pan or 2 spring form pans by lining bottom and sides with parchment paper. Fill the pan 3/4 of the way and bake until a skewer comes out of the center of the cake clean, about 1 hour and 10 minutes.
• Put raisins, prunes, cinnamon sticks, and vanilla beans in a glass jar and cover with mixture of equal parts Jamaican white rum, Jamaican spiced rum, and Port. Cover with a tight fitting lid, label, and date the jar. Put in a cool, dry cupboard. From time to time, check the fruits to see if more liquor is needed, as the fruits will plump and soak up the liquid.
• Keep the fruit covered in liquor. It is best to allow the fruit to marinate for at least 1 month for best flavor.

CHRISTMAS COOKIE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Press the cookie dough into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan (use the bottom of a measuring cup to help spread it out and make it even). Bake until the cookie is set and golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool completely, about 30 minutes. Wrap the bottom and sides of the pan with a large piece of foil and put it in a large roasting pan. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
• Beat the cream cheese and granulated sugar together in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the sour cream and vanilla and beat until just combined. Mix in the eggs by hand, one at a time, until just combined. (Take care not to overmix or the cheesecake will puff up and crack). Pour the batter into the springform pan. Add enough hot water to the roasting pan to come about halfway up the side of the springform pan.
• Bake until the outside of the cake is set but the center is still slightly loose, about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake in the oven for another hour. Remove the cheesecake from the roasting pan to a cooling rack. Run a knife around the edge and cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours.
• Run a knife around the edge of the pan once more and unlock to unmold the cheesecake. Transfer to a serving platter or cake stand and smooth the edges with a knife. Pat the Jimmie sprinkles into the sides of the cheesecake making sure not to cover the crust or get any on top.
• Whisk together the confectioners' sugar and meringue powder in a large bowl. Add 5 tablespoons water and beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until soft glossy peaks form, adding up to 1 more tablespoon water if necessary.
• Transfer about 1/2 cup of the royal icing to a pastry bag fitted with a small round tip. Thin the remaining icing with 1 teaspoon of water at a time until it is the consistency of syrup (you know you have reached the right consistency if you drizzle a bit of the icing and it sinks back into the icing within 8 to 10 seconds). Transfer 1 cup of the thinned icing in another pastry bag fitted with a small round tip. Divide the remaining batter between two small bowl and color one red and one green with the red and green gel food coloring.
• Use the thick white icing to pipe a large scalloped circle around the cake leaving a 3/4-inch border. Use the thinned white icing to fill the center of the scalloped circle. Use an offset spatula to spread the icing out so that it is smooth. Decorate with the colored icing while the white icing is still set. Chill the cake until the icing is set, at least 1 hour.

CHRISTMAS CHEESECAKE COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
• Beat cream cheese and butter together at high speed until fluffy and smooth; 1-2 minutes.
• Add sugar to the butter mixture and beat until fully incorporated and fluffy; 1-2 minutes. Beat in the eggs and vanilla; 1 minute.
• In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and stir just until incorporated. Do not over-mix.
• Separate the dough into three small bowls. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
• Once chilled, add in food coloring and incorporate into the dough until your desired color is reached.
• Add the peppermint extract to the dough you'll be adding the green food coloring to. Dough will still be sticky, but easier to work with! If you find it's hard to work with, put back in the refrigerator for a few minutes.
• To create a cookie, take 1/2 tbsp of each color dough into your hands and roll together between the palms of your hands to create the marbling effect of your choice. Be careful to not over incorporate to avoid mixing the colors too much. Repeat for the rest of the dough and place on prepared baking sheets.
• Bake for 10-11 minutes. Cookies should be light in color, not browned, and just starting to brown on the bottom. *Length of baking time may vary from oven to oven.
• Cool cookies on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Optional: Dust with powdered sugar!
• NOTES:.
• Store in a tightly sealed container for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
• The vanilla smooths out the flavor, but for a more tart, cheesey flavor, add a teaspoon of lemon juice or no extracts at all. The peppermint can also be left out or replaced.
• Do not overbake. This can cause the cookies to come out more dry and biscuit like.

COCONUT ANGEL FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees, with rack in the lower third of oven. Sift together flour and 3/4 cup sugar 4 times.
• Beat egg whites and warm water with a mixer on low speed until foamy, about 3 minutes. Add cream of tartar, vanilla, salt, and coconut extract. Raise speed to medium, and beat until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes. With machine running, add remaining 3/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Raise speed to high, and beat until peaks are stiff and glossy, but not dry, about 2 minutes.
• Working in 3 batches, sift flour mixture over egg-white mixture, gently folding in each addition with a rubber spatula, being careful not to deflate egg whites.
• Slowly pour batter into a 10-inch angel food cake pan. Gently run a knife through center of batter to release any air bubbles, and smooth using an offset spatula. Bake until cake is golden brown and springs back when touched, 40 to 45 minutes.
• Invert pan onto a wire rack. Let cake cool in pan, about 1 hour. Carefully run a knife around sides of cake to loosen, and turn out onto a large plate or cake stand.
• Pour coconut glaze onto cake, and spread evenly using an offset spatula to cover completely. Gently press coconut onto cake. Let stand until set, about 1 hour. Garnish with lollipops.

CHRISTMAS CHEESECAKE WITH ENGLISH TOFFEE FILLING

Steps:

• For crust:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix first 5 ingredients in medium bowl. Add butter; stir until moist clumps form. Press mixture over bottom and 1 inch up sides of 10-inch-diameter springform pan. Bake crust until just set, about 5 minutes. Set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
• For filling:
• Beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until blended. Beat in eggs 1 at a time, blending well after each addition. Beat in both extracts. Pour half of mixture into prepared crust; sprinkle with toffee pieces. Pour remaining mixture over. Bake until edges are puffed but center is barely set, about 55 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare topping:
• Mix sour cream, sugar and vanilla in medium bowl until smooth. Pour topping over hot cheesecake. Bake cake until topping is just set, about 5 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool 10 minutes. Run knife between cake and pan sides. Chill cake uncovered overnight.
• Remove pan sides and place cake on platter. Garnish top with candies.