Classic Cheese Blintzes

Purple Cookbook Challenge: Week 4, Day 5 (but first post o the week :-( )
Shavuot is gone, and all that remains is the slice of cheesecake in the fridge.  I had a wonderful Yom Tov, thanks to my amazing guest from New York.  My kids had a lot of fun playing all day with their cousins in our backyard, enjoying the gorgeous weather.
Although the food is gone, I did manage to get a picture of these blintzes before they were polished off.
I made the Classic Cheese Blintzes (Spice and Spirit, Page 84), and they were easy to make and perfect!

Eggplant Parmesan

I usually do only one post a day, but being almost Shavuot, I'll post another dairy recipe that I prepared yesterday.  As I mentioned a few times already on this blog, my husband is not a big fan of dairy.  One of the few things that he will eat, is eggplant parmesan.
One recipe that I always have success with is the recipe from the purple cookbook, Eggplant Parmesan (Spice and Spirit, page 89)  I wish I could post a picture of it all cooked, but I made it for Shavuot, so it'll will be baked closer to eating time, when I can no longer use a camera.  This picture is the assembled prebaked eggplant parmasan, that is now in my freezer waiting to go on my Yom Tov table.

Cream Cheese Horn of Plenty

Purple cookbook challenge: Week 3, Day 4
I love Shavuot for so many reasons.  Even though its long since I've left my school years behind, I still feel the magic in the air of the school year coming to an end.  For some reason, Shavuot, with its gorgeous weather, always meant for me the beginning of that end. 
Another reason for loving this holiday, is it gives me an opportunity to make all those dairy foods that I so long, but feel bad making during the year.  I cant make too much during the rest of the year because I know that for the most part, I'd be eating it all (really not a good thing) since beyond a little cheesecake, he doesn't eat too much dairy.  But Shavuot is the time that I can justify the 6 lb. of cheesecake I bought this week. 
Last night, I made the first of the many milchig desserts I plan to make. I started with a rugelach type of pastry.  I made the Cream Cheese Horn of Plenty (Spice and Spirit, page 114)  The dough was easy to work with, however, I did find it not sweet enough.  That was rectified with a good powdering with confectioners sugar.

Cream Cheese Pie

Week 2, day 3 of my Purple Cookbook Challenge.
My husbands grew up with very little dairy.  Milchigs was not a dinner or a dessert.  A bowl of cereal in the morning was the extent of the dairy (and not even that for some family members.)  Shavuot meant that after shul they ate a bowl of cereal and some 'milk cake' (the Israeli Shavuot cake made from biscuits and a pudding like filling) and then on to fleish.
Shavuot was always my favorite holiday.  I loved the blintzes and cheesecakes that were made in abundance.  I could not fathom the idea that anyone could really not feel like they were missing out on the lasagnas.  So in my first year of marriage, when I informer my husband of my plans to host his family for a yom tov meal, my style, he was skeptical and told me to make very little dairy and the rest of the meal parve.  
Well, as I entered the kitchen, I couldn't stop at one thing.  I made eggplant parmesan, lasagna, cheese blinzes and more.   I did make some potato blintzes, salmon and a lettuce salad, just in case.  For dessert, I made milchig ice cream and an assortment of cheesecakes and dairy pastries.  My husband was amused and told me that I'll have tons of leftovers.  Not only was that not the case, but the following week  my mother-in-law went out and bought some milchig dishes.  Not everyone caught on to the dairy craze, but I can attest to the fact that from that day forward my husband has been eating cheesecake, eggplant parmesan and lasagna (but without the farmers cheese).  In fact, my husband often asks me to make cheesecake.
Well, cream cheese is on sale this week, so I decided to make a cheesecake for my husband to enjoy.  I made the Cream Cheese Pie (Spice and Spirit, page 109). I prefer the look of cheesecakes baked in a spring-form pan, so I upper the recipe by 33%, and baked it in an 8" pan.  Results: delish!

Dairy Cinnamon Twists

With all the cheesecakes and other heavier desserts on the menu, I thought a lighter dairy cookie was in order.  I combined a few recipes to come up with this one.  It has a taste closer to a cinnamon bun then the crispy twists sold in the stores.

 

Cinnamon Twists

• 1 cup sour cream
• 3 tbs. sugar
• 1/8 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 package yeast (2 1/4 tsp.)
• 1 egg
• 2 tbs. shortening
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. cinnamon

Icing:

• 1 cup confectioners sugar
• 1/4 tsp vanilla
• about 2 tbs. milk

In a large sauce pan heat the sour cream until lukewarm; remove from the heat. Add the sugar, baking soda, salt, and yeast and mix well. Allow to sit a few minutes.
Beat in the egg, shortening, and vanilla to the sour cream mixture until combined.  Add flour one cup at a time.   Turn out onto a lightly floured surface.  Knead apx. 10 minutes.  Divide dough in 1/2. Roll out each into a 6 inch by 12 inch rectangle.
Spread each rectangle generously with butter. Mix sugar and cinnamon in small bowl. Sprinkle a layer of  cinnamon-sugar onto the buttered dough.  Pass rolling pin over dough.  Fold the rectangles in half the long way.  Again pass rolling pin over with only a little pressure. Cut both filled doughs into 1 inch thick strips. Twist each strip and place on parchment lined cookie sheets.  Place the twists close enough to each other that they hold the shape of the twist but not pushes together.
Cover and allow to rise for one hour
Bake at 375 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool.
While the twists are cooling prepare the icing. In a bowl combine the confectioners sugar, vanilla, and enough of the milk to make the glaze drizzle easily. Drizzle the icing over the twists.

Enjoy!
Chanie

Miniature Cheesecake Trifles - Shavuot Miniature Desserts

Just the other day, I  stopped at the dollar store to pick up a couple of things, and came across the cutest mini stemmed cups and mini spoons.  I just know I had to figure out something go do with them for Shavuot.   I decided to use no-bake cheesecake filling to make a simple, easy yet very presentable dessert.
I made a milk chocolate and a plain cheesecake mixture and made different combination using different toppings I had on hand.  Do feel free to try your own favorite topping.

Milk Chocolate Cheese Filling

• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 7 oz. good quality milk chocolate (plain without and filling) - melted and cooled
• 7 oz. cream cheese

Whip the whip cream till peaks form.  fold in melted chocolate.  In a separate bowl, whip cream cheese till creamy.  Fold cream cheese into chocolate mixture.

No-bake Cheesecake Filling

• 16 oz. cream cheese
• 5 Tbs + 1 tsp. sugar
• 2/3 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup whipped cream

Mix cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla together till smooth.  Fold in whip cream.



Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch



Choc. art, blueberry, and choc. curl





Topping Ideas:

• fresh fruit (I used blueberries)
• grated chocolate or chocolate curls
• chocolate "art" : melt chocolate chips.  Can draw any shape by placing in sandwich bag.  Make a small at the tip of the bag and pipe design onto wax paper.  Place into freezer to harden.
• chocolate-peanut butter crunch (recipe follows)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch

• 3 1/2 oz. chocolate chips - melted
• 1/3 cup peanut butter (can use crunch or smooth)
• 1 1/3 rice crispies

Mix melted chocolate and peanut butter together, until completely combined.  Stir in rice crispies.  Press onto baking pan and place in freezer for 10 -15 minutes to harden.  Crumble and use as topping.  (I placed this on bottom, in middle and on top of my trifle)

Enjoy,
Chanie

Decadent Cream Cheese Truffles - Shavuot Miniature Desserts

I love dairy foods and desserts, after all who doesn't, so it's probably doesn't come as much surprise that I look forward to a Yom Tov, that is not all about the roast (yes, we got to make some of that too, but at least I can put emphasis on something other then that).
I find great pleasure in offering a variety of desserts, but find that at the end of the day, I have a bunch of open cheesecakes. Although they still taste as good, it doesn't look as presentable to reserve.
This year, I decided to make a miniatures dessert table.  Over the next couple of weeks, I hope to try all different recipes to include on my Yom Tov Viennese table.
A few weeks ago, my husband was flipping through a cookbook, in my mother's house, and came across a picture of cheesecake truffles.  He thought they looked delicious....  I don't remember which cookbook it was (so I cannot call my mother, since my mothers cookbook collection is pretty big) but remember the basic ingredient.  Since it came out delicious, I must have gotten it correct.  I thought it would look and taste fabulous, dipped in milk and white chocolate.





Truffles before coating



















yum!

 





  



 





  Decadent Cream Cheese Truffles   (makes apx. 60 truffles)

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 3 cups semisweet chocolate chips, melted
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Beat cream cheese till smooth.  Slowly add confectioners sugar until completely blended.  Stir in melted chocolate and vanilla until well blended.  Refrigerate 1 hour to firm.  Shape into small 1" balls.  Return to refrigerator to firm up before dipping in chocolate coating.

Chocolate Coating

• 2 bars (3.5 oz each) white chocolate
• 2 bars (3.5 oz each) milk chocolate

Melt each type of chocolate separately in double boiler, or fondue.  Take a lot of care when melting chocolate.  Melt on low heat (too much heat will mess up the texture) and make sure the chocolate doesn't get into contact with any water.  Dip half the truffles in milk chocolate and half in white chocolate.  Drizzle truffles with opposite chocolate then coated in.

Keep in fridge till ready to serve.  Freezes well, so great to make ahead for Shavuot.

My husband proclaimed this 'melt in your mouth goodness!'

Enjoy,

Chanie