Macy’s & American Icons Celebrate Strawberry Shortcake Day

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Everywhere Agency on behalf of Macy’s; however, all thoughts and opinions expressed are 100% honest and completely my own. #AmericanIcons #Spon

Strawberry Shortcake Day

I’m pretty excited about National Strawberry Shortcake Day. I recently went to a local produce farm and went strawberry picking. I was trying to get a list of recipes together so that I wouldn’t waste any of the strawberries I picked and didn’t want them to go bad if I didn’t use them quick enough. There are so many recipes you can research and even create with Strawberries. Next week Tuesday June 14th at The Streets of Southpoint, Macy’s & American Icons will have a store wide celebration for National Strawberry Shortcake Day. This tasteful event (no pun intended) will showcase how to prepare Strawberry Shortcake and attendees can enjoy samples while you learn how to recreate this delicious recipe at home. I’ll be honest I have never made Strawberry Shortcake before and am looking forward to learning to make this recipe at home with my daughters. If there is one thing we love to do its bake and make yummy desserts.

No more just making smoothies, chocolate covered strawberries and fresh cut strawberries to use as a fruit topping with our pancakes. That’s how I’ve been using my strawberries. National Strawberry Shortcake Day is giving me ideas. I am adding Strawberry Shortcake to our growing list of Strawberry recipes. Johnny Iuzzini, Macy’s Culinary Council expert and award-winning pastry chef, has a special Strawberry Shortcake recipe that he created and I can’t wait to try it. I’m sharing the recipe with you and hope you will give it a try. I always like to recreate recipes with a twist, so once I master making this who knows what I’ll come up with. However, when I do you’ll be the first to know about it. I love sharing my recipes!

Strawberry Shortcake Recipe

Directions for Shortcakes:

Put the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the texture resembles fine crumbs. Whisk the milk and egg together and pour through the feed tube, hitting the pulse button until the dough comes together evenly.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and form into a square. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Set the oven rack in the top position. Heat the oven to 425°F, preferably on convection. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment.

Flour the working surface lightly and roll the dough into a square about 1/2-inch thick. Cut into 1 1/2-inch squares and place on a baking sheet. Brush the tops with melted butter and sprinkle with pink salt. Bake until risen and lightly browned, about 4 to 5 minutes (longer if you’re not using convection).

Serve the shortcakes warm, with the Slow-Roasted Strawberries and Creme Chantilly (recipes below).
Yields 12 shortcakes

Strawberry Shortcake Recipe 2

Directions for Vanilla Crème Chantilly:

Combine the cream, creme fraiche, sugar and scrapings from the vanilla bean, and whip with a hand mixer to stiff peaks.

Directions for Slow-Roasted Strawberries:

Heat the oven to 200°F, preferably on convection.

Hull the strawberries and make a cut across the top so the strawberries can stand up.
Toss the berries with verjus to just barely cover and taste. If you’re not using 8 Brix, you may want to add a few drops of balsamic vinegar to balance the acidity. Macerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Strain the strawberries and stand them up in a baking dish just big enough to hold them comfortably. Roast until the berries have darkened, turning almost a maroon color; they should be very tender but still hold their shape, about 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Remove the berries from the dish and cool to room temperature before serving.
For more tasty treats from Johnny and the rest of the Macy’s Culinary Council chefs, visit Macy’s Culinary Council.

To learn about this recipe and others up close and personal be sure to save the date for Strawberry Shortcake Day at Macy’s The Streets at Southpoint. Tuesday June 14th, this event will be going on throughout the day. You can visit the Macy’s Event Page for more information. I hope to see you there! There are events happening all over so if you aren’t local to the Raleigh-Durham, NC area you can put in your zip code and search for a Macy’s & American Icons Strawberry Shortcake Day event near you.

Mini Oreo Cheesecakes Recipe

Mini Oreo Cheesecake

(Photo courtesy of Indulgy)

My co-worker brought some mini oreo cheesecakes into the office last week and shared the recipe. They were yummy and I love to bake with my daughters! This will be a great baking activity for us to do together at home. I’ve never made cheesecake before, so this should be fun. I wanted to share the recipe with my readers, especially the oreo cheesecake lovers! Let me know if you try it and how it comes out.

Ingredients:

– 42 Oreos (30 whole, 12 crushed)
*Depending on your preference you can only crush 6

– 2 lbs. of Cream Cheese softened (32 oz.)

– 1 cup Sugar

– 1 tsp. Vanilla

– 4 Large Eggs, lightly beaten

– 1 Cup Sour Cream

– Pinch of Salt

Directions: Preheat oven to 275. Use a standard muffin pan with liners. One cookie on the bottom of each liner. Beat cream cheese at medium speed using electric mixer. Gradually add sugar, beat in vanilla, drizzle in eggs a little at a time, beat in sour cream and salt. Stir in chopped cookies. By hand divide batter evenly in cups almost to the top, Bake, rotating pan half way through until filling is set about 22 minutes (11 minutes each rotate). Transfer to wire rack to cool. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or even overnight. Remove from tins just before serving, best cold.

Blackberry Cobbler

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 1/2 cups fresh blackberries
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted

    • * Whipped cream or ice cream, if desired

DIRECTIONS:

In medium bowl, stir together blackberries and sugar. Let stand about 20 minutes or until fruit syrup forms. Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

In large bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt and milk. Stir in melted butter until blended. Spread in ungreased 8-inch square pan. Spoon blackberry mixture over batter.

Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until dough rises and is golden. Serve warm with cream.

Appeared in the Independent print Issue 7/7/10

Chocolate Holiday Truffles

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/3 cup unsalted butter, chopped coarsely
  • 1 2/3 cup good quality dark chocolate, chopped coarsely
  • 1/3 heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped roasted almonds or hazelnuts
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped red candied or glazed cherries
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped golden raisins
  • 2/3 cup finely chopped dark chocolate
  • 1 tablespoon brandy or rum (optional)
  • 1 cup white chocolate sprinkled and
    decorations to top the truffles


DIRECTIONS
Place butter and chocolate in a medium sized microwave safe bowl. Microwave on medium power for 1 minute. Stir then continue to microwave on medium power at 30 second intervals. Continue until chocolate has just melted.

Add the cream and the sugar. Mix thoroughly until combined and smooth. Stir in almonds, cherries, golden raisins, dark chocolate and brandy. Cover and chill until thick enough to roll.

Shape a heaped teaspoonful of the truffle mix into a ball. Smooth by rolling between the palm of your hands. This needs to be done quickly otherwise the heat of your hands will melt the truffles. Place the truffles in paper cases, if desired.

Melt the white chocolate. Either use a small spoon or pipe the chocolate on the tops so that it comes down the sides like custard. Decorate the tops before the chocolate sets. Store covered in the refrigerator.

Makes 24 generous sized chocolate truffles.

Appeared in print in The Independent Weekly 12/9/09

Friday Cheesecake Extravaganza

Cheesecake, Yummy! I have chosen to post a few different cheesecake recipes today. I couldn’t choose just one! They all looked so good. I love variety, don’t you? If you have never been to The Cheesecake Factory Restaurant, you owe it to yourself to go just once. They have over thirty different cheesecake flavors to choose from. It’s funny, I’m a born & raised New Yorker and it wasn’t until about three years ago that I was literally forced to try cheesecake at The Cheesecake Factory. I never wanted to try it because I associated it with tasting like a cheddar cheese loaf cake. Ugh! I’m not big on cheese! Never mind, the cream cheese! I love Philadelphia Cream Cheese, especially on a toasted bagel. Yum! I really didn’t make the connection! It was definitely a mind over matter situation. So, I really have an addiction to chocolate and I have coffee occasionally. What a great combination together! I tried the Khalua cocoa coffee cheesecake and fell in love! So, with out anymore of my rambling about cheesecake…
Here are a few cheesecake recipes that are pretty easy to pull off! I gave you some variety, I’d love to hear how they turned out if you decide to try it. Happy Baking!
New York Cheesecake Recipe

Ingredients

Crust: 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
5 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
6 tablespoons melted butter
Filling:
24 ounces cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon zest (recommended: Meyer lemon)
1 teaspoon vanilla
5 eggs, separated
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons sugar
Topping:
12 ounces creme fraiche
2 tablespoons sugar
Cherry Confit, recipe follows
Special equipment: a 9-inch non-stick Teflon coated spring form pan
Serving suggestion: with a dessert wine (recommended: Alsatian Riesling).
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and butter together in a mixing bowl. Pour the mixture into the springform pan and using a mixing cup press the crumbs into the base. Using your fingers gently press crumbs into the sides of the pan. Bake for 6 minutes. Let cool.
Filling:
In a food processor, cream the cream cheese and the sugar together. Add the zest and vanilla, Blend until smooth. Add 5 egg yolks and heavy cream, pulse until smooth. Pour into a large clean bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until a soft froth forms. Add 2 tablespoons sugar slowly to the egg whites and continue to whisk until soft peaks form. Fold into cream cheese, a little bit at a time until fully integrated. Pour into the prepared springform pan. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until firm. Let cool for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Topping:
Mix the creme fraiche and sugar together and gently spread over the top of the cooled cheesecake. Bake for 5 minutes. Let cool until the topping is set or chill overnight and serve. Best served at room temperature.
Serve with Cherry Confit.
Cherry Confit:
1 pound fresh cherries, pitted
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 vanilla bean, split
2 sprigs thyme (tied with string)
In a medium non-corrosive saucepan place water, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and thyme. Bring to the boil, turn down heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Add cherries and simmer for 1 hour. If more liquid is needed add water. Continue to simmer until the cherry mixture is thick and the cherries are soft. Pour into a clean container and refrigerate until ready to use.
Yield: 6 servings
Cooking time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Cheesecake Factory Cheesecake Recipe

Ingredients:
***if you prefer a crust without nuts, the recipe for the no-nuts crust is at the end of this recipe***Crust:
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts 1/4 cup finely chopped almonds 3/4 cup finely chopped vanilla wafers 2 tablespoons melted butter
Filling:
1 1/2 lbs cream cheese 1 1/3 cups sugar 5 large eggs 16 ounces sour cream 1/4 cup flour 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 teaspoons lemon juice
Crust Directions:
1. Mix all nuts and vanilla wafer crumbs with melted butter and press into a 9 inch buttered springform pan, trying to line the sides as much as possible about 1 1/2″ up the sides of the pan, set aside.
Cheesecake Directions:
1. All the filling ingredients should be at room temperature.
2. Beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy with an electric mixer set on low (keep the setting at low during the entire mixing process).
3. Add the sugar a little at a time and continue beating until creamy.
4. Add one egg at a time and beat after each egg.
5. Add flour, vanilla and lemon juice, mix well.
6. Add the sour cream and beat well.
7. Pour cream cheese mixture into the springform pan.
8. Place on the top rack in the middle of a 325 degrees preheated oven for one hour and 15 minutes.
9. When time is up turn oven off, prop open oven door and leave in oven for one hour.
10. Remove from oven and let cool then refrigerate for 24 hours.
11. Remember this important tip : A cheesecake should season. The wait is worth it. The flavor ripens and becomes enriched.

***The crust recipe below is for those who prefer a crust without nuts***
No-Nuts Crust
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/3 cup melted margarine
Directions:
1. Combine the graham cracker crumbs and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Mix in melted margarine.
2. Press the crumb into a 9-inch spring form pan that has been lined on the bottom and side with parchment paper.
3. Use the bottom of a drinking glass to press the crumb mixture into the bottom of the pan and about 2/3 the way up the side.
4. Put the crust in your freezer until the filling is done.

Marble Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients:
Crust:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons butter, meltedFilling:
24 ounces cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 (1 ounce) square unsweetened chocolate, melted
Preparation:
1.)Combine graham cracker crumbs, 3 tablespoons sugar and butter; press onto bottom of a springform pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes.
2.)Combine cream cheese, 3/4 cup sugar and vanilla extract, mixing at medium speed of electric mixer until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add heavy cream, mix well.
3.)Blend chocolate into 1 cup of the batter. Pour plain and chocolate batters alternately over crust; cut through batters with a knife several times for marble effect.
4.)Bake at 450 degrees F for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 250 degrees F, then continue baking for 30 more minutes.
5.)Loosen cake from rim of pan. Let cake cool completely before removing rim of pan. Chill.
Just to give you an idea of The Cheesecake Factory Cheesecake Menu: The Original, Fresh Strawberry, Stefanie’s Ultra Red Velvet Cheesecake, 39th Anniversary Chocolate Cheesecake, White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle, Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake, Fresh Banana Cream Cheesecake, Adam’s Peanut Butter Cup Fudge Ripple, White Chocolate Caramel Macadamia Nut Cheesecake, Lemon Raspberry Cream Cheesecake, Dolce de Leche Caramel Cheesecake, Chocolate Coconut Cream Cheesecake, Tiramisu Cheesecake, Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake, Vanilla Bean Cheesecake, Chocolate Tuxedo Cream Cheesecake, Chocolate Raspberry Truffle, Khalua Cocoa Coffee Cheesecake, Chocolate Oreo Mudslide Cheesecake, Low Carb Cheesecake, Low Carb Cheesecake with Strawberries, Key Lime Cheesecake, Caramel Pecan Turtle Cheesecake, Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Cheesecake, Snickers Bar Chunks and Cheesecake, Craig’s Crazy Carrot Cake Cheesecake, Oreo Cheesecake, Cherry Cheesecake, Pumpkin Cheesecake, and Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecake. Don’t you want to try them all! 🙂
Okay, I thinked I’ve fattened everyone up enough today!
Ciao! Until Next Time…

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