Last September, we celebrated Annie's 22nd birthday. Mini apple pies and a red velvet white chocolate cheesecake--which really should be called Cream cheese cake--were on the dessert menu. Yum!
I'm not going to do like Thanh and write a whole novel (I am being lazy) . I'll just post a ton of pictures instead.
How cute are they?
Little Apple Pies
Adapted from a recipe on Taste.com.au
4 large apples (about 1kg) (We used Granny Smith)
30g butter
55g (¼ cup) caster sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons cornflour
milk, to brush
caster or raw sugar, to sprinkle
1. Peel, core and cut apples into a 1.5cm pieces. Melt the butter in a heavy-based saucepan, add the
apples, sugar and cinnamon and cook until apples are tender and the mixture is quite wet. Remove a few
tablespoons of liquid from the pan, mix with cornflour and return to the pan, mixing thoroughly with the
apples. Cool to room temperature.
2. On a floured surface, roll out each disc of the dough to 3mm thick. Cut out 10 x 11cm rounds and 10 x 7cm rounds. Line a 12-hole muffin pan (80ml or cup capacity) with the larger rounds. Refrigerate for around 20 minutes.
3. Place a baking tray in the oven and preheat to 200C.
4. Divide the apple mixture evenly among the prepared pie cases, about three-quarters full (do not fill
right to the top, as I did, hence the tops coming off!) Place a pastry round on top, fold in the edge to seal
and cut a steam hole in the top. Brush the pies with milk and liberally with extra sugar.
5. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 180C and bake for a further 20 minutes or until
golden. Cool for 20 minutes before removing them from the tin.
Now, the 'Cream Cheese Cake'.
This was our first time making a red velvet cake, so we were pretty nervous about the result. But it was surprisingly easy to make! As for the cheesecake and frosting, I don't think I've ever used that much cream cheese for a single recipe. It was... a little sickening to see.
Red Velvet White Chocolate Cheesecake
Adapted from
Judy In Her Natural Habitat: The Kitchen Printable Recipe
Red Velvet Cake
Originally from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes
2 1/2 cups cake flour
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 tsp red gel-paste food coloring
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp distilled white vinegar
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Whisk together cake flour, cocoa, and salt.
2. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat sugar and oil until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Mix in food color and vanilla.
3. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, and whisk well after each. Stir together the baking soda and vinegar in a small bowl (it will foam), add mixture to the batter and mix on medium speed for 10 seconds.
4. Line two 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper or spray generously with nonstick baking spray. Divide the batter equally between the two pans. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Transfer pans to a wire rack. Allow to cool before removing the cake from the pan. Cool completely before assembling cake.
White Chocolate Cheesecake
Originally from the Williams Sonoma Baking Cookbook
2 oz white chocolate, chopped
16 oz cream cheese, at room temperature (2 packages)
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp sugar
1 tbsp flour
2 eggs at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp heavy cream
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Melt the white chocolate and set aside to cool slightly.
2. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese on low speed until creamy. Add the sugar and mix slowly until smooth. On low speed, mix in the flour. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the bowl and beater with a rubber spatula. Add one egg at a time and mix until smooth. Scrape down again. Mix in the vanilla and cream until the mixture is smooth. Stir in the melted white chocolate until incorporated.
3. Pour the batter into a parchment paper-lined (or generously sprayed with nonstick baking spray) 9-inch springform pan. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the center is set when you shake the pan slightly. Allow to cool before removing from the pan. Allow to cool completely before assembling with the red velvet cake.
Cream Cheese Frosting
24 oz cream cheese (3 packages), at room temperature
3 sticks of butter, at room temperature
3 tsp vanilla
3 cups of powdered sugar, plus more to taste
Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until well combined.
