Serves 10
3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
For the coffee syrup:
1 cup sugar
2 cups water
1 to 2 tablespoons brandy or rum (optional)
3 tablespoons coffee extract
For the decoration:
1/2 pint heavy cream
A few drops vanilla extract
1 to 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar, or to taste
Walnut halves
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Grease an 8-inch cake pan and line base with a circle of greased waxed paper or parchment.
Cream butter and sugar together until light and creamy.
Gradually beat in eggs, adding 1 tablespoon of flour with the last addition of egg. Fold in remaining flour.
Turn into prepared pan and bake in a 375-degree oven for 45-50 minutes. Test for doneness by making sure a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Make the coffee syrup by dissolving sugar in water in a saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat, add coffee extract and brandy or rum if desired.
Stand cake on a deep serving plate and pierce it all over with a skewer. Pour hot coffee syrup over the cake while it is still warm to increase absorption.
Leave cake to soak in syrup for at least 12 hours.
Whip cream with a few drops of vanilla extract for a minute or so; add confectioners' sugar to taste. Whip until icing forms soft peaks. Cover top and sides of cake with cream and decorate with walnut halves.
Nutritional data per serving:
calories, 441.8; protein, 4.6 g; carbohydrates, 49.7 g; total fat, 25.6 g (saturated fat, 13.4 g); cholesterol, 135 mg; dietary fiber, 0.6 g; sodium, 373.1 mg; sugar, 35.1 g; vitamin A, 265.7 retinol equivalents; vitamin C, 0.2 mg; calcium, 93.1 mg; iron, 1.2 mg; alcohol, 0.2 g.
● Adapted from "Hamlyn All-Colour Cook Book" (Hamlyn Publishing Group Ltd.)
Serves 16
Crust:
1 cup slivered almonds (optional)
2 cups graham cracker crumbs (7 ounces)
1/2 stick ( 1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted
Filling:
8 ounces fine-quality white chocolate
4 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
4 whole large eggs
2 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups (11 ounces) fresh raspberries or 12 ounces raspberry preserves
Fresh raspberries, mint sprigs and raspberry coulis for garnish
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
To make crust:
Finely grind almonds and crumbs in a food processor and add butter, blending until combined.
Press over bottom and two-thirds up the side of a 10-inch springform pan.
To make filling:
Melt chocolate in a double boiler or a large metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring until smooth; remove from heat. If using preserves, melt them in microwave or in saucepan on stove. Let cool.
Beat cream cheese with electric mixer at medium speed until fluffy, then beat in sugar.
Add whole eggs and yolks, one at a time, beating well at low speed and scraping down bowl after each addition.
Beat in flour and vanilla until just combined, then add melted chocolate in a slow stream, beating until filling is well combined.
Arrange berries in one layer over crust, or swirl in melted raspberry preserves, and pour filling into crust.
Bake in middle of oven until cake is set 3 inches from edge but center is still wobbly when pan is gently shaken, about 45-55 minutes.
Run a thin knife around edge of cake to loosen, then cool completely in pan on a rack. (Cake will continue to set as it cools.) Serve at room temperature or chilled.
Note: Cheesecake can be made 3 days ahead and chilled, covered.
Nutritional data per serving:
calories, 425.4; protein, 8.8 g; carbohydrates, 28.5 g; total fat, 30.6 g (saturated fat, 18.3 g); cholesterol, 151.4 mg; dietary fiber, 2.4 g; sodium, 267.8 mg; sugar, 19.2 g; vitamin A, 282.9 retinol equivalents; vitamin C, 4 mg; calcium, 83.1 mg; iron, 1.6 mg; alcohol, 0.1 g.
● Adapted from foodnetwork.com recipe courtesy of the Santacafe, Santa Fe
Serves 12-16
2 cups butter, at room temperature
3 cups packed brown sugar
6 eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
4 cups unbleached white flour
2 teaspoons ground cardamom
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup strong coffee or decaffeinated coffee, cooled
1/2 cup milk
1 cup chopped toasted pecans
Coffee glaze:
1/2 cup freshly brewed regular or decaffeinated coffee
3 cups confectioners' sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a bundt pan and dust with flour.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar until light and blended.
With an electric mixer, beat in eggs and vanilla.
In a separate bowl, sift together flour, cardamom, cinnamon, allspice, black pepper and baking powder.
Beat half of flour mixture into egg mixture. Add coffee and beat until smooth.
Beat in remaining flour mixture, then beat in milk. Stir in pecans by hand.
Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours, until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let cake rest for 10 minutes before removing it from pan. Cool on a wire rack.
For the glaze, whirl the coffee and confectioners' sugar in a blender until smooth. Brush onto the still-warm cake for a shiny finish.
Nutritional data per serving:
calories, 586.9; protein, 6.8 g; carbohydrates, 70.9 g; total fat, 31.8 g (saturated fat, 13.5 g); cholesterol, 144.6 mg; dietary fiber, 1.7 g; sodium, 244.1 mg; sugar, 45.5 g; vitamin A, 265 retinol equivalents; vitamin C, 0.2 mg; calcium, 71.9 mg; iron, 2.6 mg; alcohol, 0.2 g.
● From "Moosewood Restaurant Book of Desserts" (Clarkson Potter)