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Monday, September 28, 2015

Pumpkin Cupcakes!

Happy Monday everyone! I was going to make a really stupid joke a la the "Hump Day" camel commercial (Pump Day! Get it? Pumpkin? Pump? See, this is why I left it alone...) but I will spare looooooove me some pumpkin desserts! So in honor of that love affair, here are a few pumpkin cupcake ideas (and bonus! One is gluten free!)
you. Instead let's just get right into it. I made mini pumpkin cupcakes with maple mascarpone frosting this weekend to say thank you to some very generous people who gave me and my husband baby gifts for our impending little dinosaur. I held out as long as I could before I jumped on the pumpkin wagon..but I just

Seasonally appropriate...
Mini Halloween Pumpkin Cupcakes
Bon Appetit, October 2009

Ingredients
  • 1 cup self-rising flour
  • 2/3 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup canned pure pumpkin
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/3 cup sour cream
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • Chopped crystallized ginger (optional)
  • 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • Orange and black food coloring; orange, black, white, and yellow candies and sugar crystals
  • Special Equipment: Mini muffin pans 13/4x1-inch paper liners
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 24 mini muffin cups with 1 3/4x 1-inch paper liners. Mix flour, golden brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice in large bowl. Whisk egg, canned pure pumpkin, vegetable oil, sour cream, and vanilla extract in medium bowl. Add mixture to dry ingredients; stir to fully combine. Spoon batter into paper liners (batter will almost fill liners). Scatter crystallized ginger over, if desired. Bake cupcakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 16 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan and let cool completely on rack. Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl to blend. Beat in powdered sugar.
  2. Divide frosting among 3 bowls. Tint frosting in first bowl with orange coloring (or combine red and yellow coloring to make orange) and frosting in second bowl with black coloring, keeping frosting in third bowl white. Chill frosting 2 hours or until firm enough to easily spread. Frost cupcakes; decorate using candy and sugar crystals as desired.

Gluten free for you and me!
Gluten-Free Pumpkin-Ginger Cupcakes
Mani Niall

Ingredients
  • 6 ounces mascarpone, at room temperature
  • 6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 3 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup white rice flour
  • 1/2 cup tapioca flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 1/4 cups pure pumpkin puree
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt, such as Maldon
  • 1/4 cup chopped or sliced crystallized ginger, for garnish (optional)
Directions
  1. MAKE THE FROSTING: In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the mascarpone and cream cheese until smooth. Add the confectioners' sugar and beat until incorporated. Beat in the vanilla. Cover and refrigerate the frosting until it is firm enough to spread, about 1 hour.
  2. MEANWHILE, MAKE THE CUPCAKES: Preheat the oven to 350°. Line 16 muffin cups with paper liners. In a large bowl, whisk the rice flour with the tapioca flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg. In a medium bowl, whisk the brown sugar with the granulated sugar, vegetable oil and eggs. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth; whisk in the pumpkin puree.
  3. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups. Bake for about 25 minutes, until the cupcakes spring back when gently pressed. Transfer the cupcakes to a rack and let cool completely.
  4. MAKE THE CARAMEL: In a medium saucepan, spread the sugar evenly and cook over moderately low heat, shaking the pan to keep the sugar in an even layer. Cook, swirling the saucepan occasionally, until the sugar is melted and a deep-amber caramel forms. Slowly add the cream (be careful, the caramel will boil vigorously) and cook, whisking, until smooth. Transfer the caramel to a heatproof bowl and stir in the salt. Let cool to room temperature.
  5. Frost the cupcakes and drizzle with the caramel sauce. Garnish with the crystallized ginger and serve.
MAKE AHEAD: The unfrosted cupcakes can be stored overnight in an airtight container at room temperature. The caramel can be refrigerated for up to 1 week; rewarm before using.


Yes, it's a cake...but bake them in cupcake molds! Start 10 min, turn and flip pans, then another 8-10 min and check.
Spiced Pumpkin Cake with Caramel Icing
Bon Appetit, December 2002

Ingredients
Cake:
  • 3 cups sifted cake flour (sifted, then measured)
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 cup canola oil or vegetable oil
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Caramel icing and fruit and walnut filling:
  • 1/2 cup dark rum
  • 6 tablespoons raisins
  • 6 tablespoons dried sweetened cranberries
  • 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 6 ounces cream cheese, cut into small pieces, room temperature
  • 2 1/4 cups sugar
  • 2/3 cup water
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1 1/2 cups walnuts, toasted, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon grated orange peel
  • Thin orange peel strips
  • Vanilla ice cream
Directions
For cake:
  1. Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Sift first 8 ingredients into medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and oil in large bowl until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add pumpkin and vanilla; beat until blended. Gradually add dry ingredients; beat just until incorporated. Divide batter between prepared pans; smooth top with spatula.
  2. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool completely in pans on racks. Run small knife around cakes to loosen. Turn cakes out onto racks.
For icing and filling:
  1. Stir rum, raisins, and dried cranberries in small saucepan over low heat just until warm, about 1 minute. Remove from heat; let stand 30 minutes. Drain, reserving rum and fruit separately.
  2. Whisk whipping cream and cream cheese in small bowl until smooth. Combine sugar and 2/3 cup water in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high; boil without stirring until syrup is deep amber color, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with pastry brush dipped in water and swirling pan, about 10 minutes. Slowly and carefully whisk in cream cheese mixture (caramel mixture will bubble vigorously). Add butter; whisk until mixture is smooth, about 1 minute. Remove from heat; cool caramel icing 10 minutes, whisking occasionally.
  3. Pour 3/4 cup warm caramel icing mixture into bowl. Mix in half of reserved dried fruit mixture, 1 cup walnuts, and grated orange peel. Place 1 cake layer on 8-inch-diameter tart pan bottom or cardboard round. Brush top of cake with half of reserved rum. Spread caramel-nut filling over, leaving 1/2-inch plain border at edges. Top with second cake layer, flat side down; press to adhere. Brush top of cake with remaining rum; let stand 10 minutes to allow rum to soak in.
  4. Pour generous 1/2 cup warm caramel icing onto cake and, if necessary, spread over top with offset spatula to cover. Refrigerate cake and remaining caramel icing until icing is firm enough to spread and to adhere to sides of cake, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour.
  5. Transfer 3/4 cup chilled icing to small bowl and chill for sauce. Using offset spatula, spread remaining 1 cup icing evenly over sides of cake to cover. Mix remaining dried fruit mixture and remaining 1/2 cup walnuts in another small bowl. Sprinkle mixture in 1 1/2-inch-wide border around top edge of cake. Cover cake with cake dome and chill at least 6 hours. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep cake and caramel icing for sauce chilled separately.)
  6. Place cake on platter. Garnish with orange peel. Rewarm icing over low heat just until pourable. Serve cake cold with ice cream and warm caramel sauce.

Happy baking!

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Pretend The Fruit Makes it Healthy!

Happy Tuesday everyone! Are you sick of the fall posts yet? Today we're using fall fruits to create delightfully moist cakes - so who can complain about that? This post's inspiration comes from a delicious apple crumb cake I made last week (I was craving cake - we can blame the pregnancy, but let's be honest; I always crave cake). The great thing about fruit-filled cakes is that you don't need to buy more than 1-2 pieces of fruit (though if you're like me, and just went apple picking, 2 of 25 apples doesn't really make a dent...). At any rate, I've compiled a few recipes that'll help you get a little serving of those healthy fruits from the (former) food pyramid, while wrapped in an unhealthy, sugary coat.

Pear Crumb Cake
Melissa Clark

Ingredients
Pears:
  • 1 tablespoon/14 grams unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon/15 milliliters honey
  • 2 small or 1 1/2 large pears, cored and sliced 1/4-inch thick
  • 1 teaspoon/5 milliliters fresh lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
  • Pinch of salt
Crumb Topping:
  • 1 ⅓ cups/165 grams all-purpose flour
  • ⅓ cup/65 grams dark brown sugar, lightly packed
  • ⅓ cup/65 grams light brown sugar, lightly packed
  • 1 teaspoon/8 grams groundcinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon/2 grams groundallspice
  • ¼ teaspoon/1 gram fine sea salt
  • 1 stick/113 grams unsalted butter, melted
Cake:
  • ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon/133 milliliters sour cream
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon/15 milliliters vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cups/185 grams all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup/150 grams granulated sugar
  • ¾ teaspoon/3 grams baking soda
  • ¾ teaspoon/2 grams baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon/3 grams fine sea salt
  • 1 stick/113 grams softenedunsalted butter, cut into pieces
Directions
  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch cake pan; line with parchment paper and butter the paper.
  2. In a skillet, melt butter and honey. Add pears, lemons juice, nutmeg, zest and salt and sauté until the pears are just tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Cool.
  3. For the topping, whisk together flour, sugars, spices and salt in a bowl. Pour in the melted butter and stir until crumbs form.
  4. Whisk together sour cream, eggs and vanilla. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add softened butter and beat for 10 seconds to combine. Beat in egg mixture, continuing to beat until very smooth.
  5. Pour batter into pan and top with the pear slices, spreading them out evenly (if there is liquid in the pan with the pears, don’t add it). Use your fingers to squeeze together large crumbs from the topping and scatter evenly on top of pears.
  6. Bake for 50 to 65 minutes, until the cake is set and the center springs back when very gently pressed with a finger. A cake tester may come out with crumbs attached, but it shouldn’t be wet. Transfer cake to a wire rack and cool completely, at least 2 hours before serving. Cake can be made a day ahead.

Old-Fashioned Banana Cake
Ina Garten

Ingredients
  • 3 very ripe bananas, mashed
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • Grated zest of 1 orange
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)
  • Walnut halves, for decorating (optional)
Cream Cheese Frosting:
  • 6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (1/2 pound)
Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 by 2-inch round cake pan.
  2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the bananas, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on low speed until combined. With the mixer still on low, add the oil, eggs, sour cream, vanilla, and orange zest. Mix until smooth.
  3. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Stir in the chopped walnuts, if using. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, turn out onto a cooling rack, and cool completely.
  4. Spread the frosting thickly on the top of the cake and decorate with walnut halves, if using.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
  1. Mix the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on low speed until just combined. Don't whip! Add the sugar and mix until smooth. Yield: frosting for one 9-inch cake.

Marie-Helene's Apple Cake
Dorie Greenspan

Ingredients
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • Pinch of salt
  • 4 large apples (if you can, choose 4 different kinds)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 3 tablespoons dark rum
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Directions
  1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter an 8-inch springform pan and put it on a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper and put the springform on it.
  2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in small bowl.
  3. Peel the apples, cut them in half and remove the cores. Cut the apples into 1- to 2-inch chunks.
  4. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk until they're foamy. Pour in the sugar and whisk for a minute or so to blend. Whisk in the rum and vanilla. Whisk in half the flour and when it is incorporated, add half the melted butter, followed by the rest of the flour and the remaining butter, mixing gently after each addition so that you have a smooth, rather thick batter. Switch to a rubber spatula and fold in the apples, turning the fruit so that it's coated with batter. Scrape the mix into the pan and poke it around a little with the spatula so that it's evenish.
  5. Slide the pan into the oven and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the top of the cake is golden brown and a knife inserted deep into the center comes out clean; the cake may pull away from the sides of the pan. Transfer to a cooling rack and let rest for 5 minutes.
  6. Carefully run a blunt knife around the edges of the cake and remove the sides of the springform pan. (Open the springform slowly, and before it's fully opened, make sure there aren't any apples stuck to it.) Allow the cake to cool until it is just slightly warm or at room temperature. If you want to remove the cake from the bottom of the springform pan, wait until the cake is almost cooled, then run a long spatula between the cake and the pan, cover the top of the cake with a piece of parchment or wax paper, and invert it onto a rack. Carefully remove the bottom of the pan and turn the cake over onto a serving dish.
Serving:
  1. The cake can be served warm or at room temperature, with or without a little softly whipped, barely sweetened heavy cream or a spoonful of ice cream. Marie-Hélène's served her cake with cinnamon ice cream and it was a terrific combination.
Storing:
  1. The cake will keep for about 2 days at room temperature and, according to my husband, gets more comforting with each passing day. However long you keep the cake, it's best not to cover it - it's too moist. Leave the cake on its plate and just press a piece of plastic wrap or wax paper against the cut surfaces.

Happy baking!

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Perfectly Unusual Desserts for Fall

Happy Wednesday everyone! We're slowly tapering off of our "post-Rosh Hashanah feeding frenzy," finally eschewing the honey cake and looking ahead (to birthday cakes of course). Before we get to those cakes, we need to take a slight detour and enjoy some delicious recipes for unique fall desserts. Usually we think of apple pies, pumpkin (anything), and sometimes even pears. Today we'll look at some of those flavors, but using them in refreshing new ways.

Maple-Bourbon Banana Pudding Cake
Grace Parisi

Ingredients
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup superfine sugar
  • 1 overripe banana, mashed
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • Pinch of salt
  • 3/4 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons bourbon
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
  • Vanilla ice cream, for serving
Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°. In a deep, 2-quart baking or soufflé dish, melt the butter in the microwave. Whisk in the superfine sugar and banana, mashing until thoroughly combined. Whisk in the egg and milk.
  2. In a bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt; whisk into the baking dish until combined (the batter will be pretty loose).
  3. In a microwave-safe cup, heat the maple syrup, light brown sugar and 1/2 cup of hot water at high power until hot, 1 minute. Add the bourbon. Drizzle the syrup mixture over the batter; it will seep to the bottom. Do not stir. Scatter the pecans on top.
  4. Set the dish on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes, until the cake is golden. Let cool for 5 minutes, then scoop into bowls and serve with ice cream.


Vanilla-and-Cider Panna Cottas with Spiced Ginger Cookies
Shawn McClain

Ingredients


INGREDIENTS

  • 3 cups whole milk
  • 3 cups heavy cream
  • 3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 plump vanilla beans, split and seeds scraped
  • 3 cinnamon sticks, cracked
  • 4 teaspoons powdered unflavored gelatin (from 2 envelopes)
  • 3 cups apple cider
  • Spiced Ginger Cookies, for serving
Directions
  1. In a large saucepan, combine the milk with the cream, 3/4 cup of the sugar, the vanilla beans and seeds and cinnamon sticks and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat, cover and let stand for 30 minutes. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve and return it to the saucepan.
  2. In a small bowl, sprinkle 3 teaspoons of the gelatin over 1/4 cup of cold water and let stand until softened, about 2 minutes. Scrape the gelatin into the saucepan and whisk until dissolved. Transfer the mixture to a pitcher and pour about 1/2 cup into each of 12 small glasses. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours.
  3. In a clean saucepan, boil the cider with the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining 1 teaspoon of gelatin over 1 tablespoon of water and let stand until softened, about 2 minutes. Whisk the gelatin into the cider mixture until dissolved. Transfer the mixture to a pitcher and let cool completely (but don't let the gelatin set), about 30 minutes. Gently pour 2 tablespoons of the cider into each panna cotta over an inverted spoon and refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours. Serve with the Spiced Ginger Cookies.
MAKE AHEAD: The panna cottas can be covered tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 2 days.



Kabocha Squash Cake with Brown Sugar Cream
Will Goldfarb

Ingredients
Brown sugar cream:
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 1/2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 1/3 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
  • 3 large egg whites
Cakes:
  • 2 cups 3/4-inch cubes peeled seeded kabocha squash (from one 3-pound squash)
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
  • Nonstick vegetable oil spray
  • 2/3 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
  • 6 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/4 cup lager (mild-flavored beer)
  • 1 large egg
  • 3/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions
For brown sugar cream:
  1. Place 1 tablespoon water in cup. Sprinkle gelatin over. Let stand 10 minutes to soften.
  2. Stir cream and sugar in medium saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Add egg whites and whisk until mixture thickens, about 12 minutes (do not boil). Add gelatin mixture; whisk until dissolved. Strain into large clean bowl. Chill until cold. Cover and chill overnight.
For cakes:
  1. Combine squash and milk in heavy small saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Bring to simmer over medium heat. Partially cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until squash is very tender, about 20 minutes. Remove vanilla bean. Drain squash. Place in processor and blend until smooth. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
  2. Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray six 3/4cup ramekins with nonstick spray. Place 1/2 cup squash puree in large bowl (reserve remaining puree for another use). Add sugar, oil, beer, and egg to puree and beat to blend. Sift flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt over; beat to blend. Divide batter among prepared ramekins.
  3. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 18 minutes. Cool cakes in ramekins. Turn out onto plates. Beat brown sugar cream to firm peaks; spoon alongside cakes.

Happy baking!

Monday, September 14, 2015

Get Ready for Apple Season!

Happy Monday everyone! On Saturday, my husband and I took a trip to a huge farm to pick apples (my FAVORITE fall activity!). We were given a big empty box and a map. We trudged through wet grass and rows and rows of trees filled with unpicked, beautiful round apples! We filled our box to the brim with a delicious variety - from macs to honeycrips to gala - and made the long walk back to the cashier, passing people with half filled boxes ("amateurs" according to my husband). With our new bounty of goodness, I am ready to start baking (though if I'm honest, we usually eat most of the box prior to baking anything...but that's really neither here nor there). At any rate, here are a few recipes in case YOU get to bake with your apples before you eat them all (I mean, come on, they really do taste best right off the tree! How could you not?).


Honestly...did you think I wouldn't bring up the OTHER white meat?
Pumpkin-Apple Streusel Cake
Bon Appetit, October 2001

Ingredients
Apples
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 4 cups diced peeled cored Granny Smith apples (about 4 large)
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Cake
  • 11/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 cup (firmly packed) golden brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces, room temperature
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup canned pure pumpkin
  • 1/3 cup sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 large eggs
  • Vanilla ice cream
Directions
For apples:
  1. Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add apples; sauté until apples begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Add sugar and cinnamon and sauté until golden brown, about 3 minutes longer. Cool.
For cake:
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan. Combine flour, brown sugar, butter, and salt in large bowl. Using electric mixer, beat until mixture resembles coarse meal. Set aside 2/3 cup of mixture for topping. Beat pumpkin, sour cream, 2 tablespoons sugar, spice, and baking soda into remaining flour mixture, beating just until smooth. Beat in eggs. Transfer batter to pan. Scatter apples evenly over top. Sprinkle reserved topping over apples.
  2. Bake cake until topping is golden brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack 20 minutes. Run knife around pan sides to loosen cake. Release pan sides from cake. Transfer cake to platter. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.) Serve warm or at room temperature with ice cream.

Okay so maybe these apples aren't picked from the tree yesterday, but they were...once...
Dried-Apple Stack Cakes
Ruth Cousineau

Ingredients
Filling:
  • 9 ounces unsulfured dried apples (4 cups)
  • 4 cups unfiltered apple cider
  • 3 cups water
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground mace
  • 6 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
Cakes:
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 1/2 tablespoon cider vinegar
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • Pinch of ground cloves
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 6 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup molasses (not robust or blackstrap)
  • 1 large egg
Equipment: 2 muffin pans with 12 (1/3- to 1/2-cup) muffin cups each
Accompaniment: lightly sweetened whipped cream

Directions
Make filling:
  1. Simmer all filling ingredients and a pinch of salt in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot, uncovered, stirring occasionally and mashing apples with a potato masher as they soften, until a thick purée forms, about 1 1/2 hours. Cool completely.
Make cakes:
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Butter muffin cups.
  2. Stir together milk and vinegar and let stand 10 minutes to curdle.
  3. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, and cloves.
  4. Beat butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in molasses and egg. At low speed, add flour mixture in 3 batches alternately with curdled milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture and mixing until each addition is just incorporated. Spread 1 heaping tablespoon batter in each muffin cup and bake just until a wooden pick inserted in center of a cake comes out clean with some crumbs adhering, 11 to 13 minutes. Cool 5 minutes in pans on racks, then invert onto racks to cool completely.
Assemble cakes:
  1. Spread about 2 tablespoons filling on top of 1 cake and invert another cake over filling, then spread a heaping tablespoon filling on top. Make 11 more stacks (you will have about 2 cups filling left over). Transfer to an airtight container and chill at least 2 days for flavors to develop. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Notes:
  • Cakes can be assembled 3 days ahead and chilled in an airtight container.
  • Leftover filling can be used like apple butter.

Triangulate...
Golden Apple Triangles
Julia Moskin

Ingredients
  • 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup peeled and grated tart apple, like Granny Smith (about 2 apples)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • Flour for rolling out pastry
  • 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed overnight in refrigerator
  • 2 tablespoons coarse sugar like Demerara or turbinado (optional)
Directions
  1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl, combine 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and cinnamon; set aside. In another bowl, mix apples, remaining granulated sugar, lemon juice and salt. Let sit 5 minutes, and drain, reserving juice.
  2. On a floured work surface, roll out a sheet of puff pastry to a rectangle roughly 9 by 12 inches. Cut into 6 squares, and place 1 tablespoon apple filling in center of each. Lightly brush edges with reserved apple juice; fold into triangles, and seal edges by crimping with a fork. Repeat with remaining puff pastry and filling. Transfer turnovers to freezer, and freeze until firm, at least 15 minutes. Turnovers can be kept frozen in zipper-lock freezer bags up to 1 month.
  3. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick pan liners. Brush tops of frozen turnovers with apple juice, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and arrange on baking sheets. (If reserved apple juice is no longer available, use commercial juice or water.) Sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake until well browned, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking time. Let cool slightly before serving.

Happy baking!

Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Rosh Hashanah Ready!

Happy Wednesday! Rosh Hashanah is right around the corner and honey cakes may already be in the oven. But if you are feeling the holiday blahs this year (feels like temps of 100 will do that to you in September), you might want to spice things up. Today's recipes are a little different than the usual honey brick; perhaps they'll change your holiday blahs into holiday yaaahs! (See what I did there?)

Honey cake...but not the typical recipe...
Honey Cake
Kemp Minifie

Ingredients
Cake: 
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground clove
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
  • 1 cup pure honey
  • 3/4 cup lukewarm coffee (brewed, or instant dissolved in water)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons packed grated orange zest
Chocolate Glaze:
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons well-stirred canned unsweetened coconut milk (not light)
  • 2 teaspoons light corn syrup
  • 4 ounces bittersweet (60% cacao) chocolate, finely chopped
Garnish:
  • Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon (optional)
Equipment:
  • a 10-inch Bundt pan; nonstick baking spray (shake well first; see Cooks' Notes); cake tester or wooden skewer for testing cake doneness
Directions
Cake:
  1. Heat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Generously spray pan, including center tube, with baking spray.
  2. Whisk together flour, baking powder and soda, salt, and spices in a large bowl.
  3. Whisk eggs well in another large bowl and whisk in sugar, oil, honey, coffee, and zest until well combined.
  4. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the honey mixture, then stir with the whisk until the batter is smooth.
  5. Pour batter into pan (it's liquid enough to level itself in the pan), and bake in oven until springy to the touch and a cake tester comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes.
  6. Let cake cool in the pan on a rack for 20 minutes.
  7. Loosen cake from the pan with a thin rubber spatula, then invert cake onto the rack (see Cooks' Notes) and cool completely.
Glaze:
  1. Bring coconut milk and corn syrup to a simmer in a small heavy pan, stirring until combined.
  2. Remove pan from heat and add chocolate. Let chocolate stand 1 minute, then stir until chocolate is melted and glaze is smooth.
  3. Let glaze stand, stirring occasionally, until thickened slightly, but still pourable.
  4. Transfer cake to a cake plate and slowly pour the chocolate glaze over the top of the cake, letting it drip down the sides. If desired, let the cake stand at room temperature until glaze is set.
  5. Just before serving, sprinkle glaze lightly with flaky sea salt, if using.
Notes:
  • Nonstick baking spray: Normally, I’'m not inclined to use nonstick baking sprays, preferring to line the bottoms of greased cake pans with parchment paper, then greasing the paper and flouring the pans to ensure that the cake releases easily from the pans, but the design of a Bundt pan makes that method impossible. While developing this recipe, I had a disaster when the top half of one cake remained in the Bundt pan when I tried to turn the cake out (and I thought I had really played it safe by using a well-oiled nonstick pan, albeit an old one). On my next attempt, I turned to the nonstick baking spray, and since then, it has worked like a charm. 
  • Measuring oil and honey: Both should be measured in a liquid measuring cup. The oil is listed first, because if you measure the honey in it afterward, without washing the cup, the honey will slide out easily, with barely any help needed from a rubber spatula. 
  • Inverting the cake onto a rack: The best way to do this is to place a rack over the top of the pan, then, holding the rack and pan together, flip the cake pan and rack over so that the cake can slide safely out of the pan onto the rack. 
  • Chopping chocolate: The easiest way to chop chocolate is with a long serrated bread knife. Or you can break the chocolate into squares (if you are using a bar) and pulse it in a food processor.


Using a classic family-friendly cake for a holiday? Sure...
Poppy Seed Cake
Joan Nathan

Ingredients
  • 1 cup poppy seeds
  • 1 cup milk or soy milk
  • 1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter or pareve margarine, plus more for greasing pan
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for dusting pan
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 3 large eggs, separated
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Directions
  1. In a small saucepan, combine the poppy seeds and milk. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, and allow to rest until cool, about 20 minutes.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a large loaf or tube pan by greasing it with margarine and lightly flouring the inside of the pan.
  3. In bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, cream together butter or margarine and sugar. Add egg yolks, vanilla, and poppy seed-milk mixture, and beat until smooth. Gradually add 2 cups flour, salt and baking powder. Mix well; remove bowl from mixer and set aside.
  4. Place a clean bowl in mixer, with a whisk attachment, and whisk egg whites until stiff but not dry. Gently fold into batter. Scrape into pan, and bake until a knife inserted into the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool on a rack. When cool, dust cake with confectioners’ sugar.


Fancy and unusual; perfect for a sweet new year...
Fig-and-Raspberry Tart with Chestnut Honey
Peter Pastan

Ingredients
Dough
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 stick plus 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
  • 3 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup ice water
Tart
  • 30 fresh figs (1 1/2 pounds), stemmed and sliced lengthwise 1/3 inch thick
  • 24 fresh raspberries
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon chestnut honey
  • 11 small fresh bay leaves
  • 13 small, tender rosemary sprigs
  • Sweet Red Wine Ice Cream, for serving
Directions
  1. In a food processor, combine the flour with the sugar, salt and lemon zest and pulse to blend. Add the butter and cream and pulse until the mixture resembles small peas. Sprinkle the ice water over the mixture and pulse until it starts to come together. Scrape the dough out onto a work surface and knead gently a few times. Pat the dough into a flat disk, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, about 1 hour.
  2. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into a 14-inch round about 1/4 inch thick. Transfer the round to a 12-inch tart pan with a removable bottom, gently pressing it on the bottom and up the side without stretching. Trim off any excess dough and patch any cracks with the scraps. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
  3. Preheat the oven to 350°. Line the tart shell with foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for about 40 minutes, until the tart shell is set. Carefully remove the foil and weights and bake the shell until golden brown all over, about 25 minutes longer. Transfer to to a rack and let cool.
  4. Preheat the oven to 425°. Arrange the figs standing up in concentric circles in the tart shell; dot with the raspberries. Sprinkle with the sugar and drizzle with the honey. Insert the bay leaves. Scatter the rosemary on top and bake for 30 minutes, until the fruits have begun to release their juices. Serve warm or at room temperature, cut into wedges and topped with Sweet Red Wine Ice Cream.
Happy baking!

Monday, September 7, 2015

Big Blowout Summer Desserts - One Last Time!

Happy Monday and Happy Labor Day to all my wonderful readers! Never let anyone tell you there isn't time for one last dessert recipe because there is ALWAYS room for dessert. So get out to the store one last time, and whip up a batch of any of these end-of-summer/Labor Day/one last heat wave desserts.

Easy bars...
Raspberry Cream Cheese Brownies
Joy Wilson

Ingredients
  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature, divided, plus more
  • 1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp all-purpose flour, divided, plus more
  • 4 oz bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
  • 3 large eggs, divided
  • 3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar, divided
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, divided
  • 4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
  • 2 tbsp raspberry jam
  • 1/2 cup fresh raspberries
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350° with rack in upper third. Grease an 8" x 8" pan with butter, line with parchment paper, and grease and flour parchment paper.
  2. Put chocolate and 4 Tbsp butter in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of 2" simmering water. Melt, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool slightly.
  3. In a small bowl, beat 2 eggs. Whisk eggs into chocolate mixture. Add 3/4 cup sugar and beat until combined. Add 1/2 cup flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir well. Stir in 1 tsp vanilla. Spread batter in prepared pan.
  4. For the cream cheese layer: In a medium bowl, stir together cream cheese and remaining 2 tbsp butter until smooth and thoroughly combined. Add remaining 2 tbsp sugar, remaining egg, and jam and mix well. Stir in remaining 1 tbsp flour and remaining 1/2 tsp vanilla. Dollop mixture onto batter in pan. Use a butter knife to swirl cream cheese mixture into brownies. Press fresh raspberries into the top.
  5. Bake until a wooden pick inserted into center comes out with only a few moist crumbs, 35-40 minutes (check after 30 minutes). Let cool completely before slicing and serving.
Notes: The brownies will keep, wrapped individually and stored in the refrigerator, up to 4 days.


For the ice cream lovers at the party...
Mint Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwiches
Joanne Chang

Ingredients

  • 11 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (2 3⁄4 cup chopped)
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1⁄2 cup packed fresh spearmint or peppermint leaves, roughly chopped
  • 1⁄2 tsp. kosher salt
  • Unsalted butter, for greasing
  • 1⁄4 cup strong brewed coffee, at room temperature
  • 5 eggs, separated
  • 1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour

Directions
  1. Place 3 oz. chocolate (3⁄4 cup chopped) in a bowl and set aside. In a 2-qt. saucepan, bring cream and chopped mint to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat and let sit for 30 minutes. Strain cream mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and return to the saucepan, discarding the mint leaves. Bring the cream back to a boil and pour hot cream over top of chocolate. Add 1⁄4 tsp. salt and whisk until chocolate is completely melted. Cool, then cover ice cream base; refrigerate overnight.
  2. Heat oven to 350°. Line a baking sheet with greased parchment paper. Pour enough water into a 4-quart saucepan that it reaches a depth of 1". Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low. Place remaining chocolate in a medium bowl; set bowl over saucepan. Cook, stirring, until melted and smooth, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk the coffee, egg yolks, and the remaining salt into the melted chocolate. Using an electric hand mixer, beat egg whites in a bowl until stiff peaks are held. With a rubber spatula, fold in 1⁄3 of the whipped egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Gently fold in remaining egg whites, followed by the flour. Pour batter onto prepared baking sheet and, using an offset spatula, spread to cover the entire surface. Bake until cake is firm to the touch, 10-12 minutes. Let cake cool in the pan for 30 minutes, then wrap tightly with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight.
  3. The next day, remove the cake from the freezer and run a pairing knife along the edges. Invert the cake onto another sheet of parchment and peel off the bottom parchment that is now on top. Cut the cake in half widthwise, cutting through the parchment. Place half the cake on a baking sheet.
  4. Using an electric hand mixer, beat ice cream base in a medium bowl until it stiff peaks form. With an offset spatula, spread into an even layer over the half piece of cake sitting on the baking sheet. Invert the other half of cake on top and press down lightly until flat and even. Freeze entire cake for at least 6 hours, and up to overnight. When ready to serve, remove the top and bottom layers of parchment, and trim into 8"x 12" rectangle. Cut into eight- 3"x 4" sandwiches and serve immediately. Alternatively, wrap well in plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to three weeks.

Super easy, fast, and delicious...
Raspberry Spuma
David Tanis

Ingredients
  • 12 ounces (about 1 pint or 2 cups)raspberries, plus 6 ounces more (1/2 pint or 1 cup) for garnish
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 4 egg whites
Directions
  1. Put raspberries in a small saucepan with 1/2 cup sugar over medium heat. Mash berries with a wooden spoon and simmer for 2 minutes. Strain through a fine-meshed wire sieve, pushing against berries to extract all juices. Discard seeds and solids. You should have 1 cup raspberry syrup. Set aside to cool slightly.
  2. In a mixing bowl, combine egg whites with 1/4 cup sugar. Set bowl over a pan of boiling water and, using a wire whisk, beat egg whites and sugar just enough to dissolve sugar and until whites are warm to the touch, about 1 minute.
  3. Remove bowl from heat. Beat egg whites vigorously until you have a fluffy meringue with shiny stiff peaks, about 3 minutes. (You may use electric beaters or stand mixer.)
  4. Using a rubber spatula, quickly fold raspberry syrup into meringue. Transfer to a serving dish, cover and freeze for at least 2 hours. (You may freeze mixture up to 3 days in advance.)
  5. To serve, garnish with berries and spoon raspberry spuma into small bowls.

Happy baking!

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Easing into September's Fruits

Happy Wednesday and September! As we ease into a new month, we say goodbye to some of our summer favorite fruits (looking at you, strawberries) and giving a metaphorical pat on the back to those that will stick around just a bit longer. Let's take a look, shall we?

Blackberries are still ripe for the season...
Blackberry Cobbler
Van Wyck Family

Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 cups plus 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 4 tablespoons cold solid vegetable shortening
  • 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1/4 cup ice water
  • Six 1/2-pint baskets of large blackberries
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Directions
  1. In a food processor, pulse the flour with the 1/2 teaspoon of sugar and the salt until combined. Add the vegetable shortening and pulse 5 or 6 times, until the mixture resembles small peas. Add the cold butter and pulse 5 or 6 times, until the mixture resembles peas. Add the ice water and pulse 5 or 6 times, just until the pastry is evenly moistened.
  2. Transfer the pastry to a lightly floured surface and knead just until it comes together. Flatten the pastry into a 6-inch disk, wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes.
  3. Preheat the oven to 375°. In a large bowl, toss the blackberries with the remaining 1 1/4 cups of sugar, the lemon juice, nutmeg and 1/3 cup of flour. Let stand at room temperature, stirring gently once or twice, until slightly juicy, about 15 minutes. Fold in the melted butter. Transfer the fruit to a round 2-quart glass or ceramic baking dish.
  4. On a lightly floured surface, roll the pastry out to a 1/4-inch thickness that is slightly larger than the baking dish. Drape the pastry over the berries. Trim the overhang to 1/2 inch and fold it under itself, pressing the pastry onto the rim of the dish. Crimp the edge decoratively and make 3 slashes in the center of the pastry.
  5. Bake the cobbler for 1 hour, or until the filling is bubbling and the pastry is golden. Cover the edges with foil if the crust browns too quickly. Let cool for 20 minutes before serving.
MAKE AHEAD: The pastry can be frozen for up to 1 month. The cobbler can be made early in the day and kept at room temperature.
SERVE WITH: Vanilla ice cream.


Plums stay sweet and delightfully sour...
Plum Upside-Down Cake
Joanne Chang

Ingredients
Plums
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 pounds medium plums (about 6), pitted and cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges
Cake
  • 1/2 cup crème fraîche
  • 2 tablespoons whole milk
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • Whipped cream, for serving
Directions
Prepare plums:
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water and bring to a boil without stirring. Cook over high heat, washing down the side of the saucepan with a wet pastry brush, until an amber-colored caramel forms, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter. Immediately pour the caramel into a 9-inch (2 inches deep) metal cake pan. Carefully arrange the plum wedges in the caramel in concentric circles.
Make the cake:
  1. In a small bowl, whisk the crème fraîche with the milk and vanilla. In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, mix the flour with the sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. At low speed, beat in the butter until the mixture resembles moist crumbs, about 30 seconds. Beat in the eggs at low speed until incorporated, then beat the batter at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute; scrape down the side of the bowl. At medium speed, beat in the crème fraîche mixture until smooth, about 30 seconds. Scrape the batter over the plums and gently spread 
in an even layer.
  2. Bake the cake in the center of the oven for 55 to 60 minutes, until golden and springy. Let cool in the pan on a rack for 30 minutes, then invert 
the cake onto a serving plate. Cut into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream.

Apple picking season means buy them by the boxful
Caramel Apple Cheesecake
Bobby Flay

Ingredients
  • 8 whole graham crackers
  • 1 cup lightly toasted walnuts, divided
  • 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest
  • 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature (recommended: Philadelphia)
  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed light muscovado sugar
  • 4 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 large vanilla bean, seeds scraped
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 recipe Apple Mixture, recipe follows
  • 1 recipe Apple Caramel Sauce, recipe follows
Apple Mixture
  • 2 cups apple juice
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 vanilla bean, reserved from the cheesecake mixture
  • 1 tablespoon cold butter
  • 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, seeded and thinly sliced
  • 3 Fuji apples, peeled, seeded and thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup apple brandy (recommended: Calvados)
Apple-Caramel Sauce
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • Pinch salt
  • 3 tablespoons apple brandy (recommended: Calvados)
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Place the graham crackers, 1/2 cup of the walnuts and brown sugarin a food processor and process until finely ground. With the motor running, add the butter through the feed tube and process until the mixture just comes together. Spray the bottom and side of the pan with cooking spray. Pat the mixture evenly into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan, place on a baking sheet and bake in the oven until lightly golden brown and just set, about 8 minutes. Remove to a baking rack and let cool completely.
  3. Combine 1/4 cup of the sugar and the orange zest in a food processor and process until combined.
  4. Place the cream cheese in the bowl of a stand fixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the orange sugar, remaining granulated sugar, and light muscovado sugar and beat again until the sugar is incorporated and the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time and mix until just incorporated, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the vanilla seeds and vanilla extract and beat until combined. Add the salt and heavy cream and mix until just combined.
  5. Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan. Set the cheesecake pan on a large piece of heavy duty aluminum foil and fold up the sides around it. Place the cake pan in a large roasting pan. Pour hot tap water into the roasting pan until the water is about halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan; the foil will keep the water from seeping into the cheesecake. Bake until the sides of the cake are slightly puffed and set and the center still jiggles, about 55 minutes.
  6. Turn the heat off and prop the door open with a wooden spoon and allow the cake to cook in the water bath for 1 hour. Remove the cake to a baking rack and allow to cool to room temperature for 2 hours. Cover the cake and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours until chilled through.
  7. Top with the warm apple topping, drizzle liberally with the caramel sauce and sprinkle with the remaining toasted walnuts. Serve additional sauce on the side.
  8. Bring apple juice, sugar and vanilla bean to a boil in a large saute pan over high heat and cook until slightly thickened and reduced to 1/2 cup. Stir in the butter until melted. Add the apples and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly caramelized and soft. Add theapple brandy and cook until reduced by 1/2. Transfer the apples to a plate and let cool slightly.
  9. Place sugar and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat (do not stir), swirling the pot occasionally to even out the color, until amber in color, 10 to 12 minutes.
  10. While the caramel is cooking. Place the heavy cream in a small pan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat and keep warm.
  11. When the caramel has reached the desired color, slowly whisk in the heavy cream and salt and whisk until smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the apple brandy and vanilla extract. Keep warm.

Happy baking!