MINI VANILLA BEAN CHEESECAKES WITH FRESH BERRIES

School's out!

Yay! And kids think they're happy to get out.

Where's the first place I headed right after school on Friday afternoon?

Williams Sonoma. I thought that if I drove down Granville Street on the way home, and there "happened" to be a parking spot, it would be some sort of karmic thing and it was meant to be that I go shopping. I wasn't going to cheat either by circling the block a few times. Just one shot.

Lo and behold, I found a spot off of Granville on a little side street with shady trees. I only had to walk one block and I didn't even have to cross any streets. Zowie. That's baking karma.

on the back of this box is a recipe for cheesecake that is supposed to fit the capacity of this baking tin. i ended up having about 1/2 a cup extra cheesecake filling.

I zeroed in on the bakeware section first as usual, to see if there was anything new. I saw some really neat baba molds. The charlotte molds were so cute too. What caught my eye though was a single box left of the mini cheesecake molds. I thought these would be more versatile.

these nonstick mini cheesecake molds have a removable base. they even provide a dowel for the purpose of assisting unmolding.

I was hoping to find some nice plates. I've been eyeing the French-made Pillivuyt line of dinnerware: the rimless white dishes made of porcelain. I haven't yet been able to legitimize buying a set of these dishes, though I yearn for them each time I go into this store. You see, I have a perfectly fine set of white IKEA dishes. Yes, Ikea. The thing is these Ikea dishes are so darned resilient. I haven't broken or chipped any and I'm beginning to wonder how I'm ever going to break them all require a new dinnerware set.In the end, after circling the aisles a couple of times, I settled on this ceramic ivory cake stand with ruffles. It was so adorable. I hardly ever make cakes this small. But, now that I have this cake stand, I really do need to start!

I was very happy with the performance of the mini cheesecake pan and in the future, instead of a baked cheesecake, I may do a refrigerated one using gelatin instead so I can incorporate fresh fruit into the batter: like mango! As well, I was thinking of making other pastries and desserts with this nifty pan. I was thinking of making mini mousses using a biscuit joconde for the base, flavouring that with some syrup and then topping that with chocolate mousse. I'll have to see if that idea is feasible for these tiny molds.

i grated dark chocolate on the cheesecake tops before topping them with fresh seasonal berries

MINI VANILLA BEAN CHEESECAKES WITH SEASONAL BERRIES

adapted from Williams Sonoma recipe on the back of the bakeware box

For the Crusts:

• 1 cup (114 g) chocolate cookie or vanilla wafer crumbs [i used digestive biscuits]
• 2 T sugar
• pinch of salt
• 2 T unsalted butter, melted

For the Filling:

• 16 oz (500 g) cream cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) heavy cream
• 1/2 cup (125g) sugar
• [i added a vanilla bean, split; seeds scraped out and added to the cream]
• pinch of salt

For decoration:

• I used fresh seasonal raspberries, strawberries and pitted bing cherries
• dark chocolate shavings

1. Have all the ingredients at room temperature. Preheat oven to 350degreesF. Lightly coat the cups of the 12-cup cheesecake pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. To make the crusts, in a small bowl, stir together the cookie crumbs, sugar and salt. Add the melted butter and stir until combined. Divide the mixture evenly among the cups and using your fingertips, press it evenly into the bottom. Bake until the crusts are set, about 10 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely. Reduce the heat to 300degreesF.
3. To make the filling, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the cream cheese on low speed until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Increase the speed to medium-low and add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the cream and beat until incorporated, about 1 minute. Add the sugar and salt and beat until incorporated, about 2 minutes, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
4. Pour the batter into the crusts, dividing it evenly among the cups. Bake until the cheesecakes are set, about 20 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool completely. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours beore unmolding.
5. To unmold, insert the dowel into the hole in the bottom of each cup. Gently push up to remove the cheesecake from the cup. Use a small spatula or butter knife to remove the cake from the metal bottom. If the cheesecakes are sticking to the pan, gently run a toothpick around each cheesecake to loosen it before pushing it out of the cup. Makes 12 mini cheesecakes.

BLACK FOREST CUPCAKES

black forest cupcake with cherry pie filling

Am I the only foodie willing to admit to liking canned whipped cream?

You know...the aerosol whipping cream that you shake and the nitrous oxide aerates the cream, dispensing a frothy white mass much like shaving cream...

As a kid living on the East Side, during the summers of my formative years, I spent many hours catching grasshoppers, squirting spiders with water bottles and digging about in the huge tract of land my Motel-owning parents called the backyard. Wearing a cotton tank and shorts, I'd come inside from a full day playing in the sun. These were not the days when parents worried about applying sunblock on their children; nor did people fret so much about allowing their kids to play out in the yard or even the neighbourhood, alone. I'd grab from the old frost-encrusted freezer a little plastic cup of ice cream. These "sundaes" came with a bunch of wooden spoons that you'd use to scoop your ice cream. The flavour pack came with a variety of chocolate or strawberry swirl. My favourite of course was the chocolate. You'd peel off the waxed cardboard lid from the cup and lick off any ice-cream clinging before digging in.

The best part of all was licking the insides of the cup and sucking on the wooden spoon at the end. The woody taste would linger in my mouth and this I would forever associate with the flavours of summer. Once in a blue moon, I would have the opportunity to eat my ice cream sundae with whipped cream from an aerosol dispenser. Oh my. That was kiddie heaven.

Seeing those aerosol cans in the dairy section of the local Safeway, I was instantly reminded of those carefree childhood times.

Who didn't toss back their head and aim the nozzle straight into their mouth? at least once?

When I took my can of whipping cream to work, a colleague reminisced about how his group of friends used to hold the can upright, under their noses, dispensing just the nitrous oxide. You get the drift...they were left with a can of cream. But they had a few hoots. It was worth it. That, I never did try because well, what a waste of whipped cream!

the black forest cupcakes are so moist and the cherry pie filling so luscious



I figure summer treats should be easy to assemble, light and delicious. My Black Forest Cupcakes were so good. The cake recipe I used was from the Barefoot Contessa recipe I so often turn to. I used jumbo paper liners to make 24 cupcakes. I baked these for 25 minutes. The crumb is light, tender and moist. I cut out a large cone from the top of each cupcake before drizzling Kirsch inside. Then I scooped about a tablespoon of prepared cherry pie filling in each cupcake before placing the cupcake-cone tops back on.



the cherries are little red jewels of puckering sweetness



The cupcakes at this point can be refrigerated until you're ready to serve them. When you're ready to serve your cupcakes, you bring out the trusty old aerosol whipping cream and swirl a beautiful glob on the tops of the cupcakes. I sprinkled shaved dark chocolate over the whipped cream before serving. I suppose a whole maraschino cherry is not inappropriate either for a topping and would be so bling bling for this little cupcake.

CAKEBRAIN'S BLACK FOREST CUPCAKES

yield: 24 cupcakes

• 1 recipe Chocolate Cake batter (click for recipe here)
• Kirsch
• 1 can prepared cherry pie filling
• 1 aerosol can of whipping cream
• dark chocolate shavings, sprinkles or any other fun toppings
• maraschino cherries

Procedure:

1. Line 24 muffin tins with jumbo paper liners. Divide batter evenly between the 24 molds. Bake cupcakes at 350 degrees F for approximately 25 minutes, until done. Cool cupcakes on a rack.
2. Using a serrated knife, cut a cone of cake from the top of each cupcake. Reserve the cupcake cone for later. Sprinkle about 1/2 teaspoon of Kirsch into the cupcake hole and then spoon in about 1 Tablespoon of the cherry pie filling. In my case, I was able to just fit in 3 whole cherries per cupcake.
3. Place cupcake top back on top and press slightly to fit.
4. Refrigerate filled cupcakes until ready to serve. The whipping cream does not sit very well and will quickly melt if left too long before serving.
5. When you're ready to serve, shake the aerosol can vigorously and turn completely upside down, swirling the foam from outside in on the cupcake tops.
6. Sprinkle with dark chocolate shavings or whatever fun toppings you desire.
7. Serve immediately.

A TRIO OF MINI CREAM PUFFS

i haven't decided yet if the matcha pastry cream looks appetizing or like green slime...

but

who doesn't like a cream puff?

With my renewed affection for pastry cream, I decided to see what variations I could try that would work well with Sherry Yard's basic recipe.
black sesame pastry cream looks like...geez, what does it look like? food ought not to be grey in colour

I baked up a batch of mini cream puffs using Yard's recipe and made a batch of her vanilla pastry cream. I divided the batch into 3 bowls and added various flavourings to each bowl; crossing my fingers that they would turn out. I left one bowl plain vanilla...because it's still so tasty this way.
a sure-fire winner: a vanilla pastry cream & strawberry stuffed cream puff

In one bowl, I mixed in 1 tablespoon of toasted black sesame seeds, ground finely to a powder. Yes, the result looks like ash had fallen into my pastry cream, but the flavour was quite nice.


the new variations provide quite a nice contrast in flavours sitting together on a plate

The other bowl I made into a matcha pastry cream. I used 1 teaspoon matcha mixed with 1 teaspoon hot water. I created a paste and then added that to the pastry cream. I think therein was my problem. The additional 1 teaspoon of water created a watery pastry cream whose texture I found too soft. Also, the flavour was too intense for most people, I think. I didn't think the flavour was too bad, but for 1/3 of a recipe, perhaps it was too strong. I think 1 teaspoon of matcha would be fine for the whole batch of pastry cream. Next time, I'll use 1 teaspoon of the pastry cream to make the matcha slurry instead of using hot water. Perhaps the texture would be better.
doesn't that look so edible?

For this particular pastry cream, I still think either vanilla bean or the coconut pastry variation is best suited for most applications. For cream puffs, the black sesame wasn't disappointing, but I don't think I could eat a whole batch of them. It's nice as a filling for a mini puff, sitting on a plate with the other flavours. Next time, I'll have to make a chocolate variation for the trio of mini puffs. Perhaps chocolate, coconut and banana?

Check out my previous post on Fresh Berry Tarts for Yard's Pastry Cream recipe. For the basic vanilla recipe, use one cup milk instead of the one cup unsweetened coconut milk.

PATE A CHOUX (CREAM PUFFS)

from Sherry Yard's The Secrets of Baking
1 cup bread flour
1 t sugar
1/4 t salt
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup whole milk
6 T unsalted butter
4-5 large eggs [I used 5]

for egg wash: 1 large egg, plus 1 egg yolk

• Sift together the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside
• Bring the water, milk, and butter to a boil in a large saucepan over medium heat. At the boil, remoe the pan from the heat and add the flour mixture all at once. Using a sturdy spoon, stir vigorously to combine.
• Return the mixture to medium heat and stir constantly in figure eights. Cook for at least 4 minutes, or until the mixture has a smooth, mashed-potato-like appearance. This helps to break down the starch and develop the gluten. Remove it from the heat.
• Transfer the hot mixture to the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on low speed for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the dough cools to 185 degrees F. Add 4 of the eggs, one at a time. Be sure to let the batter absorb each egg and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula before adding the next. Before adding the last egg, test for consistency. Pinch off about 1 teaspoon of dough with your thumb and index finger, then pull your fingers apart. The dough should stretch rather than break. If it breaks, add the last egg. Mix on low speed until thoroughly incorporated, about 2 minutes. Do the finger test for consistency again. The dough should be shiny and smooth. It is now ready to be piped. To store for later use, cover the surface with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Shaping:

• Fit a large plain tip into a large plastic piping bag. Make a big cuff at the top of the bag and fill the bag halfway with choux paste. Uncuff and twist the top of the bag to push the contents toward the tip. For large cream puffs, pipe mounds of pate a choux 2 inches in diameter and 1 inch high onto the first baking sheet, 2 inches apart. For medium puffs, the mounds should be 1.5 inches in diameter and 1 inch high. Small puffs should be 1/2 inch in diameter and 1/2 inch high. At this stage, the unbaked cream puffs can be frozen. Cover with plastic film and freeze for up to 2 weeks. Defrost at room temperature for about 30 minutes before baking.

Egg wash and Baking:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Adjust the rack to the center of the oven and place a heatproof baking dish or pan on the floor of the oven. Prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper. Glue each corner of the parchment to the sheet with a dab of choux paste. This keeps the paper in place during piping and baking. Line a second baking sheet with parchment paper and place a rack on it.
• Make the egg wash by whisking the egg and yolk in a small bowl. Brush lightly but evenly over the puffs.
• Place the puffs in the oven and pour the hot water into the pan on the oven floor. Quickly close the door to keep all the steam in the oven . Bake for 10 minutes, or until the puffs begin to rise, then turn the oven down to 350degrees F and rotate the baking sheet. Prop the oven door open slightly with a wooden spoon and bake for 18-20 minutes more for large puffs, or until the puffs turn nutty brown. (For medium puffs, bake for 15-18 min. more). Remove from the oven and cool completely on a rack, about 15 minutes, before filling and serving. At this stage, the cream puffs can be frozen for later use. Place the cooled puffs in an airtight plastic bag and freeze for up to 2 weeks. They will also keep for 24 hours at room temperature before being filled.