Dessert

decadent blueberry cheesecake.

July 20, 2020 by Becky Spoon

Just look at this Blueberry Cheesecake! A creamy cheesecake filling in a graham cracker crust, piled with bursting blueberries!

This was actually on the cover of Food and Wine magazine for August and I knew I had to make it! Summer berries are the best!

decadent blueberry cheesecake.

These spring form pans are a must for a cheesecake. You can make this in a 9 inch or a 10 inch. https://amzn.to/3fOG0w0 is a link of a set of 3. I use the small one a lot since there’s just 2 of us.

Before I give you this recipe, here’s another recipe using summer fruits! It’s delicious! https://the2spoons.com/the-best-spicy-summer-fruit-salad/

Here’s the recipe!! Enjoy!

Blueberry cheesecake

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Servings: 12 Servings

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

2 Cups Crushed graham crackers
1/2 Cup Unsalted butter melted
1/2 Cup Plus 2 tbsp light brown sugar, divided
2 8 oz Packages cream cheese, softened
4 Large Eggs, separated
3/4 Cup Plus 3 tbsp granulated sugar, divided
1 1/2 Tsp Vanilla extract, divided
2 Cups Sour cream
2 Cups Fresh blueberries

Method

Preheat oven to 375°F. Stir together crushed graham crackers, butter, and 1/2 cup brown sugar in a bowl. Press mixture into bottom of a 10-inch springform pan; wrap bottom of pan in aluminum foil, or place on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes. (Leave oven temperature at 375°F.)
Meanwhile, beat cream cheese, egg yolks, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Using clean beaters, beat egg whites in a separate medium bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. Fold egg whites into cream cheese mixture in 3 additions. Pour mixture into prepared crust, and smooth top.
Bake cheesecake at 375°F until filling is puffed and top begins to dry out, 22 to 25 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack 1 hour.
Whisk together sour cream, remaining 2 teaspoons brown sugar, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon vanilla in a bowl. Gently spoon onto cheesecake; smooth using an offset spatula.
Bake cheesecake at 375°F until center is set (center will wobble slightly), 18 to 22 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack 1 hour. Place in refrigerator until chilled, at least 6 hours or up to 8 hours or overnight.
Meanwhile, stir together blueberries and remaining 3 tablespoons granulated sugar in a small saucepan; cook over medium-high, stirring often, until blueberries start to release juices and sugar dissolves, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool.
Run a knife around edges of cheesecake in pan. Remove springform ring from cheesecake, and transfer to a serving platter. Spoon blueberry sauce over cheesecake just before serving.

lovely french apple cake.

March 18, 2020 by Becky Spoon

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I made this french apple cake before the pandemic crisis began. I never got around to posting it. Lately, I’ve been trying to post recipes that will help you cook from your pantry and with limited supplies from the grocery store. I wasn’t going to post this but after I saw all the produce and fresh vegetables that are at the grocery store I decided I would. So many apples!

There is only 2/3 cups of flour in this recipe, so most of this recipe is apples, which are good for you. This would be a delicious treat for your kids that are having to stay home. Better yet, make it with them. It’s an easy recipe that comes together fast.

lovely french apple cake.

I used a 9 inch springform pan for this cake. I like to use a nonstick springform pan. Even though it is nonstick, you are going to coat the pan with butter and dust with flour like you would any other cake pan. This is the springform pan I use: https://amzn.to/2Qpf7UV

I use these pans for cheesecake and they are the best!

Want another easy dessert? https://the2spoons.com/delicious-cherry-pie/

Here’s the French Apple Cake recipe! Enjoy!

French Apple Cake

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Servings: 8 servings

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: French

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

8 tbsp butter, plus more for pan
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1 1/2 lbs granny smith apples, cored and cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 lb golden delicious apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4
**Note – If you can only find granny smith apples that is fine. Any apple that you would use in baking should be fine.
12 tbsp white sugar, divided
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 tbsp brandy (substitute apple juice if you don't have, or apple cider vinegar)
2/3 cup all purpose flour, plus more for the pan
1 tsp baking powder
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract

Method

Heat the oven to 375ºF with a rack in the middle position. Coat a 9-inch springform pan with butter, dust evenly with flour, then tap out the excess.
In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high, melt the butter. Cook, swirling the pan frequently, until the milk solids at the bottom are golden brown and the butter has a nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes.
Pour into a small heatproof bowl without scraping out the skillet. Stir the allspice into the butter and set aside.
Add all of the apples, 2 tablespoons of the sugar and the salt to the still-hot skillet and set over medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until all moisture released by the apples has evaporated and the slices are beginning to brown, 12 to 15 minutes.
Add the brandy and cook until evaporated, 30 to 60 seconds. Transfer to a large plate, spread in an even layer and refrigerate uncovered until cool to the touch, 15 to 20 minutes.
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla and 9 tablespoons of the remaining sugar. Gradually whisk in the browned butter.
Add the flour mixture and stir with a rubber spatula until smooth; the batter will be very thick. Add the cooled apples and fold until evenly coated with batter. Transfer to the prepared pan, spread in an even layer and sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.
Bake until deeply browned, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, about 2 hours. Run a knife around the inside of the pan and remove the sides before slicing.

Love This Chocolate Cheesecake

January 2, 2020 by Becky Spoon

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What is there not to love when he comes to a Chocolate Cheesecake? Chocolate cookie crust, chocolate in the cheesecake, then chocolate ganache, topped with shaved chocolate!!

Love This Chocolate Cheesecake

The cheesecake itself has two chocolates, bittersweet and cocoa powder. I believe the secret to any recipe is the best ingredients and I feel that is especially true with chocolate. I like to use Ghirardelli chocolate and here’s a link if you aren’t familiar: https://amzn.to/2QiL1mb. This is a great chocolate. It comes in unsweetened, semi sweet, bittersweet along with all the various flavors you can find. I love to buy it in the cocoa powder too: https://amzn.to/2rKZgXo.

I’m not a huge fan of sweets, but there’s some desserts I really love. I always love chocolate and I always love a good cobbler like Peach Cobbler. I have a great Peach Cobbler on the blog. Here’s the link: https://the2spoons.com/perfectly-peachy-peach-cobbler/. Want another cheesecake recipe? Try this:https://the2spoons.com/easy-pumpkin-cheesecake-bars/.

Perfectly Peachy - Peach Cobbler — Perfectly Peachy – Peach Cobbler

Hope you try this chocolatey, fudgy, delicious cheesecake. Love This Chocolate Cheesecake Hope you try this chocolatey, fudgy, delicious cheesecake.

Love This Chocolate Cheesecake

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

For the Crust

1 1/2 cups Chocolate Cookie crumbs (I used Oreo Cookies)
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

For the Chocolate Cheesecake

2 cups bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 lbs full fat cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
3 tbsp unsweetened natural cocoa powder
4 large eggs plus 2 yolks at room temperature
3/4 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Chocolate Ganache

1 1/3 cup semi sweet chocolate chips, finely chopped
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes

Method

For the Crust
Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Wrap the outside of the pan in layers of heavy duty aluminum foil. You’ll be placing this pan in a water bath, so be sure the pan has been wrapped from every angle.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the chocolate wafer crumbs and melted butter. Pat the mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Set the pan on a wire rack and cool the crust completely. Leave the oven on.

For the Chocolate Cheesecake

Fill a medium pot one-third full with water and bring it to a low simmer over medium heat.
Place a heatproof bowl that will fit on top of the pan snugly, but will not touch the simmering water, on top of the pan. Reduce the heat to low and add the chopped chocolate into the bowl over the pot. Heat until the chocolate is completely melted, stirring occasionally with a silicon spatula. Remove the pot from the heat, leaving the bowl of chocolate over the hot water. Set aside until needed.
In the bowl of a food processor (or high-powered blender), pulse the cream cheese until completely smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, about 2 minutes. Add in both sugars and cocoa powder and beat smooth. Add in the eggs, egg yolks, and heavy cream and mix until just combined, about 20 seconds. Fold in the chocolate. Finally add in the vanilla and pulse for another 20 seconds.
Remove the bowl from the food processor and, using a rubber spatula, stir the filling several times to ensure it’s evenly blended.
Scrape the filling over the partially baked crust in the prepared pan.
Place the springform pan in a roasting pan or large baking pan. Place the roasting pan in the preheated oven and pour enough hot water into the pan to come 1-inch up the sides of the springform pan.
Bake the cheesecake in the water bath for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until the center of the cake is set but still slightly jiggly. The cake will set completely as it cools.
Remove the cake from the water bath and place the pan on a wire rack. Carefully loosen the foil, then immediately run the tip of a knife around the sides of the pan, to prevent the top from cracking. Cool completely (in the pan), then transfer cheesecake to the refrigerator to chill for at least 6 hours before removing from the pan and slicing.

For the Chocolate Ganache

Add chopped chocolate to a medium bowl; set aside.
In a small saucepan over medium-heat, bring the cream to a low simmer. Pour half of the cream on top of the chocolate pieces and set aside for 1 minute. With a whisk, begin to incorporate the melted chocolate into the cream. Slowly add the remaining cream and continue carefully whisking until smooth and glossy.
Add in the butter and use a spatula to stir until the butter is completely melted. The mixture will be dark and glossy. Set aside, at room temperature, until needed.
Pour ganache over cooled cheesecake. Set aside until ganache is set, about 1 hour.
Store, loosely covered, in the refrigerator, for up to 5 days.

No Freels Texas Peach Pie!

August 18, 2019 by Becky Spoon

Awe, Texas Peach Pie! Who doesn’t love a delicious homemade fruit pie? Peach and Apple Pie are my favorites! And, if you live in Texas you know Texas grown peaches are wonderful!

I was shopping at my local Grocery store the other day and decided I’d get peaches. There were a couple of different types but I quickly went for the Texas grown. Hill Country Peaches are world famous and here is a link for some of the most famous growers in Texas. http://www.texaspeaches.com/

No Frills Texas Peach Pie

I served this Texas Peach Pie with Blue Bell; however my no churn vanilla ice cream would have been an excellent choice! Here’s the link for my ice cream that you have to try! https://the2spoons.com/so-good-essential-no-churn-vanilla-ice-cream/

I can’t wait for you to try this Peach Pie!! Enjoy!

No Freels Texas Peach Pie

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

1 prepared Pie Crust (I used a Pillsbury store bought to save time)
3 1/2 to 4 lbs Texas Peaches ( about 6 large or about 8 medium)
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/3 – 1/2 cup gramdulated sugar
1/3 – 1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
few gratings fresh nutmeg
1/8 tsp salt
3 tbsp cornstarch

To Finish

1 tbsp Heavy cream milk
1 tbsp sugar

Method

Bring a large saucepan of water to boil. Prepare an ice bath. Make a small x at the bottom of each peach. Once water is boiling, lower peaches, as many as you can fit at once, into saucepan and poach for two minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to ice bath for one minute to cool. Transfer peaches to cutting board and peel the skins. In most cases, the boiling-then-cold water will loosen the skins and they’ll slip right off. In the case of some stubborn peaches, they will stay intact and you can peel them with a paring knife or vegetable peeler and curse the person who made you waste your time with poaching fruit.
Halve and pit the peaches, then into about 1/3-inch thick slices. You’ll want 6 cups; it’s okay if you go a little over. Add to a large bowl and toss with lemon juice. In a small dish, stir together sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and cornstarch until evenly mixed. Add to peaches and toss to evenly coat.
Preheat: Oven to 425 degrees
Place one pie dough into a standard pie dish. Scoop filling into bottom pie dough, including any accumulated juices (they contain the thickener too, also: tastiness). Top with the second crust or cut into strips for a lattice. Tuck and crimp the edges.
Brush pie with milk, cream or water and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake pie for about 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until the crust is set and beginning to brown. Reduce oven temperature to 375 and bake pie for another 30 to 40 minutes, until filling is bubbling all over and the crust is a nice golden brown. If the pie lid browns too quickly at any point in the baking process, you can cover it with foil for the remaining baking time to prevent further browning.
Cool for three hours at room temperature before serving. Pie can be stored at room temperature but best in the refrigerator.

Homemade French Vanilla Ice Cream
No Freels Texas Peach Pie!
No Freels Texas Peach Pie!

Really Easy Chocolate and Coffee Cake

July 1, 2019 by Becky Spoon

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Best Chocolate and Coffee Cake ever! Loaded with chocolate, filled with layers of cream cheese, with a strong coffee flavor! This recipe is so good. And when I say “really easy” it is just that!

Oh, I forgot to mention the chocolate ganache drizzled down the sides. This cake is almost fudge like. The layers are slathered with a cream cheese and coffee cream which keeps this cake soft and moist!

Really Easy Chocolate and Coffee Cake

I do like to use a quality chocolate. The cake layers are made with a Dutch processed cocoa powder and the ganache is with chocolate chips, heavy cream and a little Karo syrup. I use Ghirardelli brand chocolate that is really good. There is even better and they can get quite expensive, but I believe the higher quality of chocolate makes a huge difference. There are some high quality chocolates on the King Arthur Flour website. Here’s the link for the Ghirardelli brand that I used: https://www.ghirardelli.com. Most grocery stores will carry this brand.

Don’t forget to make some homemade vanilla ice cream to top this luscious cake or some homemade whipped cream. Here’s the link for my no-churn vanilla ice cream that is so easy! https://the2spoons.com/so-good-essential-no-churn-vanilla-ice-cream/

Here you go! Enjoy this easy recipe!

Chocolate and Coffee Cake

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

Chocolate and Coffee Cake

2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup dutch processed cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tsp espresso powder
1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanila extract or vanila paste (my preference)
1 cup strong coffee

Coffee Cream Frosting

2 1/2 cups cream cheese
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup strong coffee, room temperature
1/4 cup heavy cream

Chocolate Ganache

cup semi-sweet or milk chocolate, chopped into pieces
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp corn syrup

Method

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease and flour the bottom and sides of two 8" baking pans . Line the bottoms with parchment paper . Set aside.
Chocolate coffee cake: In a medium bowl combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder and stir to combine. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl with a stand or handheld mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment, beat sugar, oil, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla* just until combined. Stir in dry ingredients to combine. Slowly mix in hot coffee until combined. The batter will be very thin. Divide batter into the two prepared baking pans equally. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Don't overbake. I baked mine for 20 minutes. Let cool in the pan for about 20 minutes. Then remove from pan and transfer to a cooling rack. Let cool to room temperature.
Coffee cream frosting: In a large mixing bowl with a stand or handheld mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese until creamy. Sift in powdered sugar and mix until combined and sugar is dissolved. Add cooled coffee and stir until incorporated. Stir in heavy cream and mix until creamy.
Assemble the cake: Cut a thin layer off the tops of your cakes to create a flat surface. Then cut each cake in half horizontally. Place one cake layer on a cake stand, turner or serving plate. Spread 1/4 of the frosting over the cake later. Repeat two more times. Place last cake layer on top and lightly frost the outside and the sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. Chill at least 4 hours in the fridge or overnight.
Chocolate glaze: Place chopped chocolate in a large heatproof bowl. Place heavy cream and corn syrup in another heatproof bowl and microwave until very hot, almost boiling for about 1-2 minutes or heat over the stovetop being careful not to scorch. Pour over chocolate and let stand 1-2 minutes. Whisk until smooth, and the chocolate is completely melted. Let stand for about 10-15 minutes. Test the consistency of the glaze down the side of the bowl. It should drip. The longer it stands, the thicker it gets. If it is too firm, re-warm it a few seconds in the microwave. Once it reached the desired consistency, it's ready to spoon on top of the cake.
Remove cake from the fridge and spoon the glaze little by little around the sides and let it drip off the sided. Do this with a small spoon and do one drip at the time. Then spoon or pour the rest of the glaze on top of the cake (maybe you don't need all) and level with an offset spatula. Place cake in the fridge for 15 minutes or so to allow the glaze gets to get firm. Store leftovers in an airtight container.

The Best Lemon Curd Tarts

June 13, 2019 by Becky Spoon

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When I tell you that this Lemon Curd Tart is the easiest lemon curd you’ll ever make and it is also the most delicious, it really is! This curd has so much lemon juice and zest in it for just the right amount of tartness! I think these are the perfect dessert for summer because you serve them cold and the lemon is so refreshing. With all the berries we have right now, the possibilities are endless with your toppings. There are so many uses for this lemon curd. You can use the same recipe for your lemon meringue pies, ice cream, sweet pastries, Dutch Babies, a beautiful mousse, our Texas Kolaches, in a decadent cake, the uses are endless!

The crust is a graham cracker crust that I added pistachios! So good! I just love graham cracker crust but I also love salty pistachios making the perfect crust for this tart. Use this recipe for any graham cracker crust you want to make and the addition of pistachios will work with almost any filling. I just love the nuttiness the pistachios add. And who doesn’t love a graham cracker crust?

The Best Lemon Curd Tarts

When the recipe calls for zesting, use a vegetable peeler because you want really large zest, I mean you really want some strips! You are going to pulverize the zest with sugar in a food processor which makes this so very lemony and absolutely delicious.

I made mini tarts but you certainly make a large tart using the full-size tart pans. I had ordered my from Amazon because I don’t live close to cooking stores, but I’m sure you can find them other places. https://www.Amazon.com/Kitchen. You want to use the type that has the removable sides, or that is the kind like. I served these with a dollop of homemade whipped cream and a couple of blackberries.

I think you will love this recipe! Oh, I forgot, it keeps well in the refrigerator for several days. It’s a perfect dessert for any meal! Try it with a dessert after making my Sunday Pot Roast: https://the2spoons.com/sunday-pot-roast/

Lemon Curd Tarts

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

For the Graham Cracker and Pistacio Crust

7 tbsp butter, melted and cooled
10 sheets graham crackers (approximately 1/2 cups)
1/3 cup pistacios
3 tbsp sugar

For the Lemon Curd

3 lemons
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 stick butter, room temperature
4 large eggs
1/2 cup lemon juice (3-4 lemons)
1/8 tsp salt

Method

To make the crust: Melt the butter and set aside to cool. In the bowl of your food processor add your graham crackers, pistacios and sugar. Pulse or process until the crackers and pistacios are pretty fine. Add the melted butter and pulse until all is combined and you have a moist dough. This will make 4-6 tarts or one large pie. Place enough graham cracker mixture into your pans to cover the bottom and up the sides pressing to firmly pack it. Prebake the tarts at 375 degress for 7-10 minutes. Remove from the oven when lightly browned and cool.
Using a carrot peeler, remove the zest of 3 lemons, being careful to avoid the white pith. Put the zest in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the sugar and pulse until the zest is very finely minced into the sugar.
Cream the butter and beat in the sugar and lemon mixture. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and then add the lemon juice and salt. Mix until combined.
Pour the mixture into a 2 quart saucepan and cook over low heat until thickened (about 10 minutes), stirring constantly. The lemon curd will thicken at about 170 degrees F, or just below simmer. Remove from the heat and cool or refrigerate.
After you have completely chilled the lemon curd in the refrigerator, add to each tart pan. Store back in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and berries of your choice.