Who's in the kitchen

Key Lime Cheesecake for St. Patricks Day

Crust

8 ounces Animalitos (animal crackers) (1 crust)

4 ½ Tbsp. sugar

6 Tbsp. butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350° F. Line 9” springform pan with parchment paper. Process cookies in food processor until fine crumbs. Add sugar and pulse several times to blend. Add melted butter in slow steady stream. Pulse until evenly blended. Press into bottom and ½ way up sides of pan. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until fragrant and golden brown. Cool on wire rack.

Lime Curd

6 large egg yolks

¾ cup sugar

6 Tbsp. key lime juice

1 tsp. grated lime peel

1 Tbsp. cornstarch

Process ¼( ½) cup sugar and lime zest in small food processor until sugar is light green and zest is broken down. Mix remainder of sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl with the processed zest/sugar. Whisk sugar and all of the other ingredients in a heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until custard thickens and boils for 30 seconds. Strain through fine mess strainer; cover with plastic wrap on surface and cool to room temperature. Spoon curd into cooled crust, smoothing surface.

Filling

3 8 ounce pkgs. cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup sugar

3 large eggs

4 ½ Tbsp. key lime juice

1 ½ Tbsp. grated lime peel

16 ounces sour cream

3 Tbsp. sugar

Process ¼( ½) cup sugar and lime zest in small food processor until sugar is light green and zest is broken down. In small bowl, mix with rest of sugar. Beat cream cheese in stand mixer until creamy. Add sugar mixture and beat until creamy and well blended. On low speed, add eggs one at a time, beating only until incorporated. Mix in key lime juice. Carefully spoon filling onto lime curd in crust. Bake in water bath in oven until almost set. Meanwhile stir sour cream and sugar in bowl. Carefully spoon sour cream mixture over cheesecake, smoothing top. Bake an additional 15 minutes. Cool cheesecake and process as normally.

Cream Cheese Frosting

16 oz. Block Cream cheese @ room temperature (NOT cream cheese spread)

1 cup Unsalted butter @ room temperature

4 cups powdered sugar, sifted.

2 tsp. Pure vanilla extract.

Assembling the cake

Set one layer on a plate with the flat side facing up (or if your cake rose to much, cut off its rounded top with a knife to make it flat.)

Red Velvet Cake

1/4 cup Cocoa powder

1 Tbsp White Vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)

1 Bottle Red food coloring

1 cup Vegetable oil

2 cups Sugar

3 Large Eggs

1 1/2 tsp Baking soda

1 tsp Salt

2 1/2 cups Flour

1 cup Buttermilk

1 tsp Vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Prepare 3 eight inch or 2 nine inch pans - line bottom of pans with parchment paper. Grease and flour sides of pans.

Combine cocoa powder, vinegar, and food color. Set aside.

In Mixer Bowl combine oil and sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Beat well until semi-fluffy.

Add food color mixture.

Add soda and salt.

Alternate flour and buttermilk, mixing well with each addition, ending with buttermilk

Divide into 3 eight inch pans or 2 nine inch pans

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Cool 5 minutes in pans, then turn out on racks to cool.

Cream Cheese Frosting

16 oz. Block Cream cheese @ room temperature (NOT cream cheese spread)

1 cup Unsalted butter @ room temperature

4 cups powdered sugar, sifted.

2 tsp. Pure vanilla extract.

Assembling the cake

Set one layer on a plate with the flat side facing up (or if your cake rose to much, cut off its rounded top with a knife to make it flat.)

Evenly spread a thick layer of frosting over the cake to the edge.

Top with the second cake layer, rounded side up

Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake

SIMPLE BREAD

4 cups flour

1.5tsp instant yeast (or 1 sachet)

1tbsp olive oil

Dissolve 1tsp salt in 2 cups warm water

Mix your flour, olive oil, salted warm water and yeast together in a bowl. Mixing with a spoon is fine. Cover with cling film and leave to rest in a warm place for 2-3 hours (option to add seeds after 30mins).

Once risen, transfer the dough to a lined high sided baking tray or loaf tin. Try and use a tray that is no bigger than 30x20cm. Don’t worry if the dough is very loose and wet. Sprinkle with a little flour.

Or to perfect your loaf, use a Dutch oven with parchment paper and bring it inside the oven;

Before cooking, pre-heat your oven to 450F;

Put in oven for 30 mins with the lid on, then remove lid and bake for about 12 minutes or until the bread is baked and golden brown (and sounds hollow when tapped underneath). Remove paper and put on wire rack to cool.

Last month's article

Coconut/Almond Macaroons

2 ½ cups blanched almonds (13 ounces)

1 cup sugar (6.9 ounces)

4 large egg whites (4.8 ounces)

½ teaspoon vanilla

½ teaspoon almond extract

½ teaspoon almond extract

Preheat oven to 325° F.

Cover three large cookies sheets with parchment paper or use silicone mats.

Put almonds and sugar in bowl of food processor and process until the mixture is grainy (like very coarse sand). Add egg whites, vanilla, and almond extract. Pulse about 10 times. The batter should be sticky and quite thick, like rough, sticky clay. Put mixture in a bowl and add the coconut; stir thoroughly

Shape the batter into balls the size of walnuts. Arrange on the parchment covered baking sheets; bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and cool completely on the parchment sheets. Remove with a knife or thin spatula to avoid tearing. Store in an air-tight container for up to a week.