Volume 9, Issue 120 - December 16, 2005

Hello Recipe Club Member,

Before I thank Cathy Leslie for her recipes this week, I must point out the recipe below titled Brownies Black Russian...Hello! Does that sound good? Oh yeah! But I suggest that you hide them from the little kids...OK?

Today's recipes are for desserts. Good project for the weekend. I hope you enjoyed the recipes this week. Pam and I pulled them from Cathy Leslie's (Cat to her friends) newest Recipe CD. There are around 20,000 recipes on the thing, so it was hard to choose.

Cathy donates money from each sale of these CD's to our Culinary Student Grant Program here at Chef2Chef.net. Each year we help pay the tuition of deserving students in culinary institutions all around the country. It is a good cause and one we are very passionate about.

For the next two weeks we will have holiday recipes from Pam and I and a number of donated holiday recipes from some of our Forum members at Chef2Chef.net. I guarantee you will find some "Keepers" in the collection. Have a great weekend. You deserve it!

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Candy Cane Cheesecake

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cups chocolate cookie crumbs
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup butter or margarine

1 1/2 cups sour cream
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 tablespoon flour
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
3 8 ounce packages of cream cheese
2 tablespoons butter
2/3 cup crushed peppermint candy

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Combine first 3 ingredients and press into a 9 inch springform pan.

Blend sour cream, sugar, eggs, flour and both extracts until smooth. Add cream cheese and 2 tablespoons butter. Stir in crushed candy. Pour into crust and bake on lowest rack of oven for 50 to 60 minutes or until firm.

Allow to cool (top may crack) and refrigerate overnight. Remove from pan and serve. Top with sweetened whip cream and garnish with candy cane if desired.

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Brownies Black Russian

Ingredients:

4 squares unsweetened chocolate, 1 ounce each
1 cup butter
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/3 cup Kaluha
2 tablespoons vodka
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup chopped walnuts or toasted sliced almonds
powdered sugar optional

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line bottom of 13x9 inch baking pan with waxed paper.

Melt chocolate and butter with pepper in small saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat and cool.

Combine eggs, sugar and vanilla in large bowl, beat well. Stir in cooled chocolate mixture, Kaluha and vodka.

Combine flour, salt and baking powder and add to chocolate mixture. Stir until blended. Add walnuts. Spread in prepared pan.

Bake in preheated oven just until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Do not over bake.

Cool in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.

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Almond Apricot Biscotti

Ingredients:

2 3/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
3 1/2 ounces imported white chocolate (such as Lindt), cut into pieces
1 2/3 cups whole almonds, toasted
2 large eggs
1/4 cup apricot-flavored brandy plus 1 tablespoon
2 teaspoons almond extract
6 ounces dried apricots, diced

Preparation:

Line 18x12x1 inch cookie sheet with foil. Butter and flour foil.

Combine first 6 ingredients in food processor. Process until fine meal forms. Add white chocolate and process until finely chopped. Add toasted almonds and chop coarsely, using 6 to 8 on/off turns.

Beat eggs, brandy and extract in a large bowl. Add flour mixture and apricots and stir until moist dough forms. Drop dough by spoonfuls in three 12 inch long strips on prepared sheet, spacing evenly.

Moisten fingertips and shape each dough strip into 2 inch wide log. Refrigerate until dough is firm, about 30 minutes.

Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Bake until logs are golden, about 30 minutes. Transfer sheet to rack and cool completely. Reduce heat to 300 degrees F. Cut logs from sides of pan if necessary. Transfer to work surface.

Using heavy sharp knife, cut each log crosswise into 3/4 inch wide slices. Arrange half of cookies cut side down on cookie sheet. Bake 10 minutes. Gently turn cookies over and bake 10 minutes longer. Transfer cookies to racks.

Repeat baking with remaining cookies. Cool cookies completely. Can be prepared 2 weeks ahead, store in airtight container at room temperature.

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Bistante' German Sweet Chocolate Cream Cheese Brownies

Ingredients:

Brownie layer:

4 ounces German sweet chocolate
1/4 cup margarine
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Cream Cheese Topping:

4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon flour

Preparation:

Brownie layer:

Melt chocolate and margarine over very low heat or melt in microwave on high for 2 minutes or until margarine is melted. Then stir until chocolate is completely melted. Stir sugar into chocolate, add eggs and vanilla. Stir until completely mixed. Mix in flour until well blended. Stir in nuts. Spread in greased 8 inch pan.

Cream Cheese Topping:

Mix cream cheese, sugar, egg and flour until smooth. Spoon over brownie mixture, swirl with knife to marble. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out almost clean. Cool in pan, cut into squares.