Auntie E's Pumpkin Cheesecake

This recipe is a little healthier for you. I combine sugar that are low glycemic with the refine. By doing this it levels out the sugar rush one can get. Adding  the Sour cream also help in the process. Sour cream is a better choice  having less of an impact on the glucose levels then Milk or cream does.

Balancing the spices to create that Pumpkin pie taste is a tricky thing. Not enough and it taste bland. Too much and it overpowering. So I worked hard to get that perfect blend.

The Vanilla Beans mixed with the flour allow all the flavors to come together smoothly. The small amount of flour help with the thickening and stabilizes of the cheese cake. Like the magic ingredient.
Make this the day before as it set up nicely given  eight hours. It's a very light cheese cake.
I hope you enjoy the recipe, let me know how you like it. Auntie E

Auntie E's Pumpkin Cheese Cake

The Crust:

In the mixer put all ingredients at once.

4 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter
1 Cup of Flour
1 large Egg
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 cup Coconut Palm Sugar ( I use Wholesome Organic )

Mix in mixer for about 3minutes until it forms a smooth ball.

Spread on bottom and up the sides (about 3/4) of a Spring form 10" pan. Use your hand it is easier to work with.
Set aside.

The Filling:

24 oz  of Cream Cheese- regular not low fat. At room temp.
3/4 cup Maple Sugar (you can get this at Trader Joe's or online*)
3/4 cup Fine Sugar
15oz can pure pumpkin ( I use Libby, but make sure is is only Puree Pumpkin)
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 teaspoon each of : Ground Ginger, Ground Nutmeg and Ground Cloves.
1 teaspoon Saigon Ground Cinnamon
2 Tablespoons Flour
a pinch of Vanilla Beans
3 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Prep for the filling:

• Mix the flour and vanilla bean together and set aside.
• Mix the spices together and set aside.
• Mix the sugars together and set aside.

Mixing the filling:

Cream the cream cheese together until creamy, about 4 minutes. gradually add in the sugar mixture at 1/4 cup at a time. Beating well after each addition.
Add the puree pumpkin to the mixture  beat well
Blend and the Spice Mixture
Add the sour cream. Blend well, stirring to make sure all the ingredients are blend from bottom and side.
 Add the eggs, one at a time, blending well after each addition. Ending with the Yolk.
Stir in the Flour Mixture , blend well
add the Vanilla extract, stir.

Pour into Crust lined Spring form pan. Place Pan on a sheet pan and bake at 350 F for 1 hour.
Turn off oven and open oven door and let cool for 30 minutes.
Cover top with plastic wrap and chill for 8 hours. (Best if made the day before.)

copyright 2015 by "Auntie E Cookbook/M Dubros"

*Maple Sugar has 11 calories compared to Sugar which has 15( per teaspoon). Total Carbohydrate 2.7 g compared to sugars 4. The Maple sugar I use is from SugarBush Farms.

Pound Cakes- Chocolate

Oh that chocolate taste, Who can resist it! I think Chocolate is the most liked ingredient  is the whole world. I have visited Asia, Europe, Bahamas and America, In all places there was wonderful chocolate. Have Friends from the Middle East, South America,  England and the surrounding areas. They all have Chocolate recipes. The cocao beans has made its way all around the world and made an impact. Which has remained for Centuries.

I have a like for the Chocolate. Introduced to it by my Mother, who has introduced all the Kids I know. It's the taste that gets you. Have  made several chocolate cake lately. You know I think they are the best for you, antioxidants and all. Yesterday I made a Chocolate Pound Cake that was the death of cakes. It was the most moist and flavorful cake I have made. Not too hard to make and Baked Beautifully.

You will need a view things.  First of all having a tube 10 inch Bundt pan is a key to a good pound cake. It helps the cake cook evenly. the center round heat and allows the cake to cook in the middle. Producing a uniform cake density. Also  the center removable part allows easier release after cooking. The second thing is a  Measurement Scale.  I use one by Taylor. I found measuring the flour by grams works better. The cake will come out the same each time.

Chocolate Pound Cake

Preheat oven to 325F or 300F for convection oven ( I used a convection oven).
Butter and flour the Bundt pan. 

 Dry Ingredients:

472 grams of Unbleached Flour ( about 3 cups)
1/2 teaspoon each of, Baking soda, Baking powder and  Fine Table Salt
3 Tablespoon Natural Unsweetened Cocoa ( I use Hershey's)
2 Tablespoons Special Dark  Cocoa ( Hershey's)

Mix these together and set aside.

Wet Ingredients:

1 Cup Unsalted Butter, room temp ( very soft, that is the key to this)
1/2 cup solid Vegetable Shortening ( I use Crisco, in the bar not jar)
3 cups fine Sugar

Put the Butter and Shortening in a electric mixer and cream  together for about 2 minutes. add the sugar one cup at a time and continue to cream. after all sugar is added continue to cream for about 5 minutes or until very fluffy.

5 Large Eggs
I cup of  real Buttermilk.
1 tablespoon good vanilla extract ( I use Madagascar )

Add eggs one at a time blending well each each one, til you do not see any egg. after adding the eggs it is time to add the Dry ingredients.

Alternate the Dry ingredients one cup at a time with the Buttermilk. Starting with the Flour and ending with the flour. Be sure to scape the bottom and sides to make sure all the ingredients are Incorporated well.

Add the tablespoon of vanilla and blend. The batter should be thick.

Pour evenly into the prepared bundt pan.
Place in preheated oven and cook for 1 Hour and 45 Minutes , cake tested should come out clean.
cool on rack in pan for 10 minutes. Then Invert pan into plate, remove the pan and serve or let cool.

copyright 2015 by "Auntie E Cookbook/M Dubros"

Fall Time Recipes- Pecan Banana Bread

I have always love Banana Bread. Finding a good recipe can be a challenge. Some time the baking over cooks the outside and the middle is raw. Cooking with the Bananas is also tricky when are they ripe enough.

I have a great recipe, On thing I do is wait for the bananas to ripen, til the peel have dark spots then I put them in the refigerator and wait til the peels are black. That makes then just ripe enough. If you buy the ripen ones at the store (sometime they are reduce to sell) they will ripen for use in a couple days.

With the flour I found using a scale and measuring by grams produce a better bread. Sometimes the cups can be packed too dense or not enough, this causes a heavier or gooier bread. So do invest in a measure scale. I use one from  Taylor*. It is very easy to use and I can add every ingredient and stir together.

 Preheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit . or 325 Fahrenheit . for convection oven.
Butter and Flour a  9x5  Bread/loaf pan.

  Wet  Ingredients
6 Tablespoons of  room temp unsalted Butter ( real butter here)
1 cup of  Fine Sugar
3 Riped Bananas (see instruction above on ripening)
3 beaten large eggs.
1/2 cup Butter Milk (you can use the no fat one)
 1 Tablepoon  Vanilla Paste or a good Mexican vanilla extract)

Cream the butter and sugar together  in a Kitchen aid ( or standup mixer) with paddle til creamy. Stop and scape down the side and botton . Making sure the mixure is creammed.

Add bananas , eggs, Buttermilk and vanilla. blend til well mixed about 3-5 minutes. Stop and scrape as needed. Be sure to scrape bottom.

Dry Ingredients
 2 cups of unbleached Flour ( 315 grams)
 1 teaspoon each of Baking Soda and Baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg

put all Dry ingredients in a bowl and stir together.
Add to  Wet ingredients and mix on low til  flour is incorparated. Then Mix on medium speed for 3 minutes.

Fold in ( mixer on 1) 3/4 cups chopped Pecans.

Put into prepared 5x9 bread/loaf pan.  be sure to not to fill the pan more than 2/3 full. if you have extra use a smaller 4x6 pan to bake the rest.( It will bake for about 35 minutes in the small pan).

 For the 5x9 pan bake for  about 60 minutes in the preheated oven. Start ckecking at the 50 minute time.  Test by inserting a cake tester or clean knife, it should come out clean.

remove and remove from pan, cool on wired rack. Enjoy

copyright 2015 by "Auntie E Cookbook/M Dubros"  

*digital Taylor measuring cup