Hazelnut Cheesecake

Hazelnut Cheesecake

Americans have only lately begun to appreciate the glories of the hazelnut, so beloved throughout Europe. Once you've tasted Hazelnut Cheesecake, you will have experienced one of the great earthly joys.

Ingredients:

CRUST

1 cup graham cracker crumbs 

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup melted butter

FILLING

2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature

5 eggs

11/2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel

 1 cup hazelnuts, toasted and finely ground

TOPPING

1 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon powdered sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

12 whole hazelnuts

Procedures:

Butter the sides of a 9-inch springform pan.

Make graham cracker crumbs by rolling the crackers between two sheets of waxed paper with a rolling pin or by grinding them in a blender or food processor. Lightly blend the crumbs, butter, and sugar with a fork and press this mixture into the bottom of the springform pan.

Preheat the oven to 3500

Using a food processor or an electric beater, whip the cream cheese, and add the eggs one at a time, until the batter is thin and smooth. 

Add the sugar and whip again until smooth. Add the lemon peel and ground hazelnuts and blend well. Pour the batter onto the crust. 

Bake for 1 to 11/2 hours until golden brown and firm. Allow the cheesecake to cool in the pan for at least one hour.

When the cake is completely cool, remove it from the pan to a serving plate. Combine the sour cream, powdered sugar, 

and vanilla and spread on top of the cheesecake. Decorate the outer edge of the cake top with the whole hazelnuts.

Speckled Cheese Tart (Recipe)

Speckled Cheese Tart

This tart features a rich cookie-like crust with a creamy chocolate-flecked filling.

Ingredients:

CRUST                                                        
1/2 cup butter                                        
1/2 cup sugar                                       
1 egg                                                           
1/4 cup sour cream                                       
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract   
2 cups unbleached white flour    grated
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

FILLING
11/2 pounds ricotta cheese
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 ounces sweet or semi-sweet chocolate,

Procedures:
Cream together the butter and sugar. Mix in the egg, sour cream, and vanilla. Sift the flour, soda, and salt into the bowl with the creamed mixture.
Form into a soft dough. Refrigerate for an hour.
Preheat the oven to 3500
Beat the ricotta cheese until smooth. Stir in the sugar, eggs, vanilla, and grated chocolate.
With floured hands, pat the chilled dough into the bottom and sides of a 10-inch pie plate.
 It will be thin, but will rise during baking. Pour in the filling and bake about 40 minutes,
until the filling is set and bounces back when lightly tapped. Cool and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Lemon Tart

Lemon Tart

A very tart tart with a cookie crust, this is a refreshing, sophisticated finale for a rich meal, especially welcome on sultry summer evenings. We like to serve this bright lemon tart on a cobalt blue plate.

Ingredients:

TART PASTRY                                     
11/2 cups unbleached white flour              
7 tablespoons butter                              
pinch of salt                                      
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract              
1/4 cup sugar                                      
1 lemon, sliced in very thin rounds


FILLING
4 lemons
5 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sugar
5 eggs, well beaten
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 3 to 4 tablespoons ice water

Procedures:
Cut the butter into small pieces and work it into the flour with a pastry cutter, two knives, or your finger tips.
Mix in the salt, vanilla, and sugar, and then just enough ice water to bind.
Press the dough with your fingers into a 9- or 10-inch drop-bottom tart pan. Chill the crust 1 hour or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 425°.
Line the chilled crust with waxed paper and fill with dried beans or rice to prevent the crust from buckling during baking.
Bake at 425° for 15 to 20 minutes. Carefully remove the beans and waxed paper.
Lower the oven temperature to 350°.
Mix together the juice of 4 lemons, the butter, and the sugar and heat until the butter melts and the mixture is just warm.
Pour the beaten eggs slowly into this mixture in a steady stream, whisking constantly.
Continue to stir on low heat until the mixture thickens into a custard.
Stir in the vanilla. Pour into the baked crust and bake for 35 to 50 minutes or until the custard sets and the top becomes golden.
Serve chilled and garnished with thinly sliced rounds of lemon.

Fresh Pear Tart (Recipe)

Fresh Pear Tart

Serves 4 to 6
A lush dessert, fragrant with vanilla, nutmeg, and fresh fruit.

Ingredients:
1 unbaked
10-inch pie shell (p. 253) CUSTARD
6 tablespoons unbleached white flour
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, preferably freshly grated
12 ounces butter
2/3 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla or almond extract
3 medium pears peeled

Procedures:
Sift together the flour and nutmeg. Melt the butter. Remove it from the heat and add the sugar.
Whisk in the flour-nutmeg mixture. Stir in the eggs, one at a time, then the extract.
At this point the custard should be thick and smooth.
Cut the pears into eighths, lengthwise. Core the slices and arrange them in the pie shell.
Cover with the custard. Bake at 3500 for 45 to 50 minutes until the custard is firm and golden.

Apple and Cheddar Cheese Pie (Recipe)

Apple and Cheddar Cheese Pie

Apple pie without cheese is like a kiss without a hug and a squeeze. This apple pie has the cheese right in the pie, with a sweet crumbly streusel topping.

Ingredients:
1 unbaked 10-inch pie shell (p. 253)  
STREUSEL TOPPING
1/4 cup unbleached white flour
8 tart apples, peeled and thinly sliced  
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup sugar  
1/3 cup butter
1/4 cup unbleached white flour
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice  
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
(6 ounces)

Procedures:
In a large bowl, dust the apple slices with the flour and sugar, then drizzle them with the lemon juice.
Give the mixture a few turns with a big spoon. Preheat the oven to 425°.
Prepare the streusel topping in a food processor or by hand with a pastry cutter.
Mix the flour and sugar and cut in the butter until the topping becomes crumbly. If it seems too sticky, add a little more flour.
Fill the pie crust with the apple slices, sprinkle the grated cheese over the apples,
and cover the cheese with the streusel. The streusel prevents the cheese from burning. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes,
until the pie is bubbling and golden brown.

Southern Nut Pie Eudora

Southern Nut Pie Eudora

Our dessert chef, Susan Harville, was excited when she heard that one of her favorite writers, Eudora Welty, was coming to Ithaca to give a reading from her work. Susan made this pie to present to Miss Welty as a token of her appreciation. Miss Welty very graciously accepted the pie and said, the pleasure you've had from reading my work? Why, surely it couldn't add up to a whole pecan pie!

Maple syrup, one of our favorite harvests from Ithaca's surrounding hillsides, gives a Northern twist to our version of a Southern classic.

Ingredients:
1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell (p. 253)   
3 eggs, well beaten 1 cup maple syrup
11/2 cups pecan or walnut halves   
1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
1/4 cup melted butter
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract    apple slices
2 tablespoons unbleached white flour   
freshly whipped cream or ice cream V2 teaspoon salt


Pocedures:
Preheat the oven to 375°.
Spread the nuts evenly across the bottom of the unbaked pie shell.
Set aside. In a large bowl, mix the melted butter, vanilla, and flour.
Add the salt, eggs, maple syrup, and cream and mix thoroughly.
Pour the liquid mixture over the nuts in the pie shell. The nuts will float.
Push them down into the liquid with the back of a spoon to wet them, so they won't burn during baking.
Bake at 375° for 50 to 60 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clea
Let the pie cool at least 15 minutes before slicing.
Serve plain or with a few crisp apple slices and a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream.

Pie Crust (Recipe)

Pie Crust

This recipe for an easy-to-handle pastry dough which we use for both dinner and dessert pies is from Tom Walls, our resident pastry-maker, who rolls out the tenderest, flaky crusts.

Ingredients:
9-INCH SINGLE PIE CRUST  
10-INCH SINGLE PIE CRUST
1 cup unbleached white flour (up to 1/2  
1½ cups unbleached white flour (up to
cup whole wheat flour may be  
3/4 cup whole wheat flour may besubstituted)  
1/3 cup chilled butter  
1/2 cup chilled butter
2 tablespoons ice water
1/2 teaspoon salt (if unsalted butter is used)
3 tablespoons ice water
1/2 teaspoon salt (if unsalted butter is used)

Procedures:
Sift the flour into a mixing bowl.
Cut the butter into small pieces and sprinkle onto the flour.
Working quickly so that the butter will remain cold, use a pastry cutter,
two knives, or your fingertips to cut the butter into the flour until the butter pieces are pea-sized.
Sprinkle the ice water over the flour, a little at a time, as you turn the dough with a wooden spoon.
As the water is incorporated, a ball of dough will form. Add a little more ice water if the dough fails to come together.
Roll out the dough immediately on a lightly floured board, or chill until firm, 30 to 60 minutes, before rolling.

Custards (Recipe)

Custards

Serves 8
It's no trouble at all to have some of these smooth and wholesome high-protein treats in the refrigerator for after-school snacks, dessert, or a quick breakfast.

Ingredients:
8 eggs
4 cups milk
1/2 cup honey or maple syrup
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract nutmeg, preferably freshly grated

Procedures:
Preheat the oven to 3500
Blend the first four ingredients together in a blender. Pour into oven-proof dessert cups.
Place the cups in a shallow pan and pour boiling water into the pan to a level about half way up the sides of the cups.
Sprinkle the tops of the custards with grated nutmeg. Bake for about 1/2 hour or until the custards are firm and lightly golden.
Chill several hours before serving.
Variations
Cashew Custard: Reduce the milk to 3 cups and add 1 cup of cashew butter.
Peach Custard: Reduce the milk to 3 cups. Add about half a fresh peach,
peeled and sliced, to each dessert cup, before pouring in the custard.
Coconut Custard: Use coconut milk (see Appendix) instead of milk. Before you add any honey or maple syrup, taste — the coconut milk may be sweet enough. Sprinkle grated coconut on top instead of nutmeg.
Banana-Coconut Custard: Make Coconut Custard, adding 2 bananas to the blender.

Pots De Creme Au Chocolat (Recipe)

Pots De Creme Au Chocolat

Serves 6 to 8
This impressive chocolate custard may seem to belong solely to the province of fancy French restaurants. In fact, this is a very quick and easy dessert to make. You can vary the richness by the proportion of cream you use; made with all cream, it's very rich, indeed, and a small portion satisfies.





Ingredients:
2 cups milk, heavy cream, or half-and-half
8 ounces sweet chocolate
6 egg yolks
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
heavy cream, whipped with vanilla and sweetening


Ingredients:
In a double boiler or (carefully) in a heavy pan, heat the milk and chocolate until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is a smooth uniform color.
In a blender, whip the eggs and then pour the hot milk-chocolate into the whirling blender until smooth and thick.
If it doesn't thicken enough, pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook it on low heat, stirring until thick.
 If it is cooked too long or too rapidly, it will become slightly curdled.
Then another quick whirl in the blender will smooth it.
Add the vanilla and stir. Pour into dessert cups, filling about half full.
Chill. Serve with plenty of the freshly whipped cream.

Creamy Rice Pudding

Creamy Rice Pudding

Serves 6 to 8

This superb rice pudding has a number of virtues over its cousins: it uses leftover rice, it bakes in the oven, and it's unusually wholesome and delicious. In fact, this dessert may become so popular in your household that you find yourself cooking rice especially to make rice pudding. It's been known to happen.

Ingredients:
3 cups cooked brown rice (seeAppendix)
21/4 cups half-and-half or milk
5 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup honey or maple syrup
2 tablespoons grated orange peel (the peel of 1 orange)
2/3 cup raisins
2 medium apples, cored and finely
chopped (optional)
freshly whipped cream

Procedures:
Butter a deep casserole dish and set aside. Preheat the oven to 325°.
In a blender or mixing bowl combine the half-and-half, eggs, vanilla, spices, and honey.
 In a large bowl thoroughly mix the rice, egg mixture, grated orange peel, raisins, and chopped apples.
Pour the pudding into the casserole dish and bake uncovered for an hour, until the custard is set and the pudding begins to brown lightly at the edges.
Stir the pudding thoroughly at 20-minute intervals while it is baking and add a small amount of milk if it becomes too dry.
Serve Creamy Rice Pudding hot from the oven or chill it and serve it cold later.
A dollop of fresh whipped cream adds the perfect finishing touch to each serving.