Prune And Walnut Cheesecake Food

MAPLE-WALNUT CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Fill a roasting pan halfway with water and set on a rack in the lower third of the oven; position another rack in the middle and preheat to 350 degrees F. Wrap the outside (bottom and side) of a 9-inch springform pan with foil. Make the crust: Pulse the graham crackers in a food processor a few times until crushed. Add the walnuts and brown sugar and continue pulsing until finely ground. Add the melted butter, nutmeg and salt and pulse to combine. Press into the bottom and about 1 inch up the side of the prepared pan. Bake until the crust is lightly golden, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool completely.
• Make the filling: Beat the cream cheese in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed until nearly smooth, about 1 minute. Add the maple syrup and granulated sugar and beat until smooth, about 2 more minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Increase the speed to medium high and beat in the flour, heavy cream, lemon juice and maple extract until the filling is smooth and silky, about 1 more minute.
• Pour the filling into the cooled crust. Transfer the cheesecake to the oven, placing it on the middle rack directly over the water bath. Bake until golden and set around the edge but the center still jiggles slightly, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until cold and set, at least 5 hours or overnight. Let the cheesecake sit at room temperature 20 minutes, then run a thin knife around the edge and remove the springform ring.

MARY'S PRUNE CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Blend sugar, oil and eggs.
• Add dry ingredients altering with the milk.
• Add vanilla, nuts and prunes.
• Bake in a 13x9x2" pan at 300 degrees for 45-60 minutes.
• While hot and still in pan pour icing over the cake.
• For the icing: Mix all ingredients in saucepan and bring to a boil.
• Remove from heat and pour over cake.
• Use fork to pierce holes in cake to absorb icing.

PRUNE PLUM AND WALNUT BUTTER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan with 1 tablespoon of the butter and dust it with 1 tablespoon of the flour.
• Toss the plums with 2 tablespoons of the sugar and the brandy; set aside.
• Cream the remaining 8 tablespoons butter in a large bowl with 1 cup of the sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Sift the remaining 1 cup flour, baking powder, and salt together and beat into the creamed butter.
• In a separate bowl, beat the eggs until they start to foam. Do not over beat, or the cake will be tough. Add the eggs and ground walnuts to the flour and butter mixture. Mix well.
• Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Arrange the plums on top in rings. Sprinkle with any remaining brandy-sugar syrup and the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar.
• Bake for 1 hour, or until the cake is golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted into the cake (not the plums) comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes before removing the sides of the springform pan and serving. Garnish with a dusting of confectioners' sugar.

PRUNE AND WALNUT CRECENTS

Steps:

• Make pastry dough:
• Pulse butter, cream cheese, sugar, salt, and flour in a food processor just until a dough forms. (Do not overwork dough, or pastry will be tough.)
• Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 6 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather dough and form into 2 balls, then flatten each ball into a 6-inch disk. Chill disks, each wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour.
• Make filling:
• Pulse walnuts, prunes, sugar, cinnamon, and Sherry in food processor until nuts are finely chopped and filling forms a thick paste.
• Form and bake crescents:
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Roll out 1 disk of dough (keep the other chilled) into a roughly 14-inch round (about 1/8 inch thick) on a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin. Cut out rounds with floured cookie cutter. Chill scraps.
• Put 1/2 teaspoon of filling in center of 1 dough round. Brush some of egg wash halfway around pastry, near edge, then fold dough over filling, forming a half-moon shape. Pinch edges to seal. Make more crescents in same manner, rerolling scraps (but only once).
• Arrange crescents 1/2 inch apart on 2 buttered large baking sheets and lightly brush tops with egg wash. Bake, 1 sheet at a time, in middle of oven until tops are pale golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to racks to cool.

CHOCOLATE, WALNUT AND PRUNE FUDGE TORTE

Steps:

• For Cake:
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Dust pan with cocoa powder. Tap out excess. Wrap outside of pan with heavy-duty foil.
• Place prunes in small bowl. Pour 1 cup prune juice over. Set aside to macerate 15 minutes.
• Melt margarine in heavy medium saucepan over low heat. Add chocolate and whisk until smooth. Remove from heat. Add 3/4 cup cocoa powder and whisk until smooth. Mix in walnuts and prune mixture. Cool to lukewarm.
• Using electric mixer, beat eggs, yolks, sugar and salt in large bowl at medium speed until well blended and just beginning to foam, about 1 minute. Add chocolate mixture and stir until well blended. Transfer batter to prepared springform pan. Set springform pan into large baking pan. Pour enough hot water into baking pan to come halfway up sides of springform pan. Set baking pan in oven and bake cake until top looks dry and crusty and tester inserted into center comes out with some moist crumbs attached, about 1 hour 5 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack 30 minutes. Place in refrigerator uncovered and chill overnight.
• For Glaze:
• Bring juice and margarine to boil in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and whisk until smooth. Cool until thick but still pourable, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes.
• Line baking sheet with foil. Dip walnuts halfway into glaze. Arrange on prepared sheet and refrigerate until chocolate is set.
• Meanwhile, using small sharp knife, cut around sides of cake to loosen. Release pan sides. Set cake on rack. Pour glaze over cake and spread to coat completely. Arrange walnuts, chocolate half at outer edge, around top cake. Refrigerate until glaze is completely set, at least 3 hours. (Can be prepared 3 days ahead. Cover loosely with foil or cake dome and keep refrigerated.) Cut cake into wedges and serve.

PRUNE AND WALNUT CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Place the prunes, half the lemon juice and zest, the cinnamon stick, and bay leaves in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil, then almost immediately turn down the heat to simmer for 3 - 4 minutes. Cool and let this stand overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 325°F.
• Butter the base and sides of a 10-inch square or round baking pan.
• Cut the brioche into cubes and place in a food processor with the walnuts, then process until finely chopped.
• Put the brioche and walnut mixture in a large bowl with the nutmeg, melted butter, and 1/4 cup sugar.
• Mix well and press the mixture gently over the base of the buttered baking pan.
• Refrigerate until firm.
• To make the filling, beat the cheeses together with the remaining lemon juice and zest, the remaining sugar, and the eggs (add the latter one by one, beating well in between to combine evenly).
• Drain the prunes and cut them into small pieces. Place them all over the cheesecake base, then pour over the filling, smoothing the top.
• Bake for about an hour, until the filling has set. Cool completely before serving.