Caramel Apple Cheesecake

I am legitimately excited for the holidays.

Especially the baking.

If you own a pinterest account, I bet you have been searching for the right recipes for the days leading up to Christmas.

Its a time to experiment, gain weight, satisfy your sweet tooth, and empty your bank account.

Is it worth it? Baking and then stuffing your face with the yummy creation that looks nothing like the picture?

Of course.

I have found THE BEST Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bar recipe (thanks to the-girl-who-ate-everything.com).

Behold…..

Crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

Cheesecake Filling:

3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons, divided

3 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Apples:

3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Streusel Topping:

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup quick cooking oats

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

Drizzle:

1/2 cup caramel topping for drizzling after baked

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry blender (or 2 forks) until mixture is crumbly. Press evenly into a 9×13 baking pan lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 3/4 cup sugar in an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Then add eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla. Stir to combine. Pour over warm crust.

In a small bowl, stir together chopped apples, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture.

For the streusel topping:
In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. I like to really combine it by using my clean hands to thoroughly combine the butter into the mixture.

Sprinkle Streusel topping over apples. Bake 40-45 minutes, or until filling is set. Drizzle with caramel topping and let cool. Serve cold and enjoy! Make 16 servings.

 

Apple Pie Cupcakes

Fun Fact: Making cute, yummy cupcakes is one of my many skills.

Obviously baking in general is a skill of mine…but I love making cupcakes.

I find a great recipe, crank up my tunes, and make each cupcake as perfect as possible (of course with lots of love).

Its one of my ways to escape and relax…

And because my mom’s birthday is coming up…I always start thinking and practice my baking skills…so she gets the best sweet gift. I make her cake (cupcakes) every year.

This one I won’t make for her this year…but I still think it’s rocking.

Ingredients:

12 cupcakes (you pick the flavor and make them like the recipe says)

16 oz can white frosting (or make your own)

3 drops yellow food coloring

1 teaspoon cocoa powder

Red m&m’s

Directions:

After you bake your cupcakes (I suggest a fall flavor like pumpkin spice), take the white frosting and add the food coloring and cocoa powder (make sure you stir it). Frost the cupcakes…but leave extra for later.

Take the red m&ms and put them nicely on the cupcakes.

Put your remaining frosting in a ziplock bag and cut of the corner. Lace the sides of the cupcake (pie crust). Then make a lattice pattern on top.

And voila!  You have just made apple pie cupcakes.

 

Chocolate Truffles for Chocolate Lovers

One thing my mother loves is chocolate.

If I ever got into trouble when I was younger, I would pull out some form of the yummy treat.

She would have an emergency bar, emergency money for chocolate, and she would make weekly trips to the store just to stock up on some 85% dark chocolate. My mother is so in love with chocolate that if this drought in Chile continues (to the point where chocolate and coffee would disapear), my mother would probably die.

Most women, maybe not to the extent of my mom, do love their occasional chocolate treats. Because of this and because Mother’s Day is even closer, I am providing a recipe to make Chocolate Truffles.

That’s right. Homemade, Chocolate, Truffles. Like the kind you buy in the store. Which every woman fights over because there never seems to be enough truffles to go around.

Ingredients:

• 10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
• 1/4 cup brandy
• 1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa powder, finely chopped nuts, and/or toasted coconut, for coating truffles
• 8 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine

Directions:

• Place the 10 ounces of chocolate and butter in a medium size glass mixing bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds. Remove and stir, and repeat this process 1 more time. Set aside.
• Heat the heavy cream and corn syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Remove from the heat and pour the mixture over the melted chocolate mixture; let stand for 2 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, stir gently, starting in the middle of bowl and working in concentric circles until all chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth and creamy. Gently stir in the brandy. Pour the mixture into an 8 by 8-inch glass baking dish and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
• Using a melon baller, scoop chocolate onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and return to the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
• Place the cocoa powder, nuts, and/or toasted coconut each in its own pie pan and set aside.
• In the meantime, place the 8 ounces of chocolate into a medium mixing bowl which is sitting on top of a heating pad lined bowl, with the heating pad set to medium. Depending on the heating pad, you may need to adjust the heat up or down. Stirring the chocolate occasionally, test the temperature of the chocolate and continue heating until it reaches 90 to 92 degrees F; do not allow the chocolate to go above 94 degrees F. If you do, the coating will not have a nice snap to it when you bite into the chocolate. Once you have reached the optimal temperature, adjust the heat to maintain it.
• Remove the truffles from the refrigerator and shape into balls by rolling between the palms of your hands. Use powder-free vinyl or latex gloves, if desired.
• Dip an ice cream scoop into the chocolate and turn upside down to remove excess chocolate. Place truffles 1 at time into the scoop and roll around until coated. Then place the truffle into the dish with either the cocoa powder, nuts or coconut. Move the truffle around to coat; leave truffle in the coating for 10 to 15 seconds before removing. In the meantime, continue placing the chocolate-coated truffles in the cocoa or other secondary coating. After 10 to 15 seconds, remove the truffle to a parchment lined sheet pan. Repeat until all truffles are coated. Allow to set in a cool dry place for at least 1 hour; or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Truffles are best when served at room temperature.

Yum. That is the only word that can describe this. Or maybe “OMG”. That sums it up as well.

Good luck if you choose to make this for Sunday!