My favorite cheesecake with chocolate and strawberries

After many early attempts at this cheesecake I started looking for alternatives to the standard graham cracker crust because it often became soggy. I discovered the secret over my breakfast bowl of Grapenuts! Now, no more soggy crusts. No one ever guesses what the crust is made from and it has a pleasantly nutty flavor! Makes 1 10-inch cheesecake to serve 8 to 12.

INGREDIENTS:

Crust

1 ¼ cups Post Grapenuts
¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch salt
¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon melted butter
4 ounces semisweet chocolate Optional

Filling

1 ½ pounds cream cheese at room temperature
4 large eggs at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
½ pint (8 ounces) sour cream

Sauce

2 cups strawberries fresh or frozen and thawed, crushed
2 tablespoons Framboise (raspberry liquer)
3 tablespoons powdered sugar

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 375°. In the workbowl of a food processor, or in a blender, grind the Grapenuts until fine crumbs are formed. Allow the machine to run for 2 minutes. Add the sugar, cinnamon and salt and process to combine. Pour in the butter and run just until it is incorporated.

Press the crumbs into a 10-inch springform pan, bringing the curst one inch up the sides of the pan. (I use a 1 cup stainless measuring cup to do this since it helps prevent the corners from being thicker than the sides.)

Bake the crust 10 to 12 minutes until lightly browned and crisp. Cool on a rack. Reduce the oven to 350°.

If you are using the chocolate, melt it and use a rubber spatula to spread it over the bottom of the curst. Put the curst in the freezer to firm the chocolate. Using a clean food processor workbowl, or with a mixer, process the cream cheese until completely smooth, scraping down the sides once or twice. With the machine stopped, add in, all at once, the eggs, sugar and vanilla. Process until smooth. Add the sour cream to the workbowl and pulse just until incorporated and smooth. The filling must be free of lumps or you will have lumps in the baked filling. Remove the pan from the freezer and gently pour the filling into the pan. The filling will likely come up slightly higher than the crust, which is not a problem.

Place the pan in the center of the over (now at 350°) and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the sides are slightly puffed. The center third of the filling will still be very soft and not set when you shake the pan gently. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake in the oven, undisturbed, for 1 hour, then remove and cool on a rack before refrigerating. Leave the cheesecake in the pan during refrigeration. If cracks appear on the surface you baked it a little too long. It will not affect the flavor and you can hide the evidence with a little fresh fruit or whipped cream.

To make the sauce, purée the berries and combine with the Framboise and powdered sugar. Sieve if you wish to remove the seeds. Refrigerated until needed.

To serve, place 2 tablespoons of the sauce on each dessert plate and top with a slice of cheesecake (wipe the knife clean after each cut). If you like, add a slice or half of a strawberry on top of each piece at the crust end for garnish!

Ice cream with bananas, rum, and cream

Here’s a nifty dessert that you can just about pull off with your eyes closed. You don’t even have to begin to think about it until dinner is done. It takes minutes to put together while your guests are happily chatting. We’ve designed the recipe to serve six, but if any bananas and cream are left, they are very good for breakfast even if the bananas are a little brown.

YIELD

Serves 6

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup whipping cream
6 tablespoons dark rum
2 tablespoons sour cream
6 large ripe bananas
1 pint vanilla ice cream
1 pint coffee ice cream

INSTRUCTIONS:

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together whipping cream, rum, and sour cream. Peel bananas and slice 1/2 inch thick, placing them in cream as you slice. Toss banana slices with cream mixture. It will thicken slightly.

Put one scoop each of vanilla ice cream and coffee ice cream in 6 serving bowls. Top each with a generous portion of bananas and cream. Serve at once.

Grilled pineapple

I used grilled pineapple as a sweet accompaniment to savory grilled meat in Jerk Pork Tenderloin with Grilled Pineapple in my cookbook Grill Every Day, but the fruit develops such a terrific caramelized flavor that I wanted to turn it into a dessert, too. Although the flavor combinations are endless, I happen to be a big fan of grilled pineapple with dark rum and caramel ice cream. But don’t stop there. Consider grilled pineapple with rum-raisin ice cream, go tropical and serve it topped with shredded coconut and with coconut ice cream on the side, or go simple and serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

YIELD

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

1 ripe pineapple peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices
3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup dark rum plus more for drizzling (optional)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 pint dulce de leche ice cream

INSTRUCTIONS:

Prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill on medium-high.

In a small bowl, combine the butter, sugar, rum, and pepper. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Arrange the pineapple slices in a single layer on a large, rimmed baking sheet and brush the slices on both sides with the butter mixture. Set aside.

Oil the grill grate. Place the pineapple directly over the medium-hot fire. Cover the grill and grill the pineapple, turning once, until grill marks appear on both sides and the pineapple is tender and golden when pierced with a knife, about 3 minutes per side.

To serve, divide the pineapple slices among dessert plates or bowls. Place a scoop or two of ice cream on top of each serving. Drizzle with additional rum. Serve immediately.

Grilled lemon poppy seed pound cake with berries and creme fraiche

Give me chocolate or give me blueberries—wasn’t that a famous quote? Perhaps not, but blueberries are among my favorite ingredients when it comes to creating desserts. I eat blueberries every day when they are in season, and I’m always thinking up ways to pair them with other ingredients. This recipe with grilled lemon–poppy seed pound cake is a winner. Make this dessert for a family dinner, make it for a big party, or make it for brunch—everyone loves it. In fact, grill extra slices and keep extra berries on hand, because there will be requests for seconds.

YIELD

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

4 thick slices store-bought lemon–poppy seed pound cake
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter melted
1/2 pint blueberries
1/2 pint raspberries
3/4 cup crème fraîche

INSTRUCTIONS:

Prepare a medium fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill on medium.

Arrange the pound cake in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and brush the slices on both sides with the butter.

Oil the grill grate. Arrange the cake slices directly over the medium fire and grill, turning once, until grill marks appear on both sides and the slices are warmed through and toasted, 1 to 2 minutes per side.

To serve, place a slice of grilled cake on each dessert plate. Spoon the berries over the top, and add a dollop of crème fraîche. Serve immediately.

Gingerbread bundt cake with crème anglaise

David Lebovitz, a friend and colleague, is the author of several dessert cookbooks, including Room for Dessert. The recipe for his famous fresh ginger cake is included in that book. In the introduction to his recipe he writes, “This is the most often requested recipe in my repertoire, and I’ve passed it on to many, many people.” He mentions that it appears quite often on Bay Area menus, sometimes called Dave’s ginger cake. I asked David via e-mail (Lucky guy, he now lives in Paris.) if I could adapt his recipe for this book and he agreed. It is simply the most delectable, moist, and ginger-packed cake I have ever eaten. Friends who tasted samples of the cake when I was writing this book said, “How soon can I get the recipe?” Here it is. Thanks, David.

YIELD

Serves 10 to 12

INGREDIENTS:

Cake
1 tablespoon unsalted butter softened
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting pan
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 cups sweet unsulphured molasses (not blackstrap)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups canola or peanut oil
1 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon baking soda
2/3 cup fresh ginger packed, peeled and minced (see Cook’s Note)
3 large eggs beaten
Crème Anglaise
1 cup heavy (whipping) cream
1 cup milk
4 large egg yolks
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Powdered sugar, for dusting

INSTRUCTIONS:

Position the oven rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously butter and flour a non-stick, 12-cup Bundt pan, tapping the pan over the sink to remove excess flour. (Make certain every interior surface is thoroughly coated so the cake doesn’t stick.)

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cinnamon, cloves, and pepper. In another large bowl, whisk together the molasses, sugar, and oil.

In a 2 1/2-quart saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the baking soda. Whisk this mixture into the molasses mixture, and then add the fresh ginger.

Adding a generous cupful at a time, stir the flour mixture into the molasses, until the flour is absorbed. Whisk in the beaten eggs. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour. If the cake appears to be browning too quickly lay a piece of foil over the top of the pan. Transfer the cake to a wire rack and cool in the pan for an hour. Place the rack over the top of the pan to invert the cake. Let the cake continue to cool on the rack. Cover and store at room temperature for up to 3 days or wrap tightly and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight at room temperature.

To make the crème Anglaise, in a 2 1/2 quart saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the cream and milk. Bring to a simmer and remove from the heat. (Do not let the milk mixture boil.)

In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and salt. Slowly add 1/2 cup of the milk mixture and whisk to combine, and then pour the egg yolk mixture into the saucepan. Return the saucepan to low heat and whisk constantly until the mixture is as thick as whipping cream and coats the back of a spoon, 3 to 5 minutes. (The crème Anglaise will be done when it registers 160°F on an instant-read thermometer.) Remove from the heat and use a fine-mesh strainer to strain the sauce into a clean bowl set over a bowl of ice. Stir in the vanilla and let cool. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. (The sauce can be made up to 2 days in advance.)

To serve, using a small fine-mesh sieve, dust the powdered sugar over the cake. Cut the cake into slices. Spoon two or more tablespoons of crème Anglaise onto each dessert plate. Place a slice of cake in the center and serve immediately.

COOKS NOTES

You’ll need to buy about 5 to 6 ounces of fresh ginger in order to have 2/3 cup of minced ginger. The easiest way to prepare the ginger is to peel it, cut it into small chunks, and mince it in a mini food processor or in a regular-sized food processor using the metal blade. It certainly can be minced by hand; it just takes longer to prepare.

Dark chocolate s'mores sundaes

When Karen Brooks and I wrote Dressed to Grill, a sassy girl’s grill book, we knew we had to bring back our Girl Scout days and make a fabulous dessert with s’mores. We wanted to go beyond the two graham crackers, split Hershey’s bar, and toasted marshmallows, to give our readers an updated, urban girl’s idea of this treasured campfire dessert. The recipe is so good I am including it in this book. It’s a s’mores sundae with first-rate ice cream or sorbet, a good-quality chocolate sauce, toasted marshmallows, and chocolate graham crackers.

YIELD

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

1 pint coconut ice cream or sorbet
1/3 cup bittersweet chocolate coarsely chopped
12 marshmallows
4 metal skewers
1 cup good-quality chocolate sauce warmed
4 chocolate graham crackers

INSTRUCTIONS:

Remove the ice cream or sorbet from the freezer and let stand at room temperature until soft enough to run a spoon through it, 10 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl. Stir in the chopped chocolate. Repack the ice cream or sorbet into the carton. Freeze for several hours or for up to overnight.

Prepare a hot fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill on high.

Thread 3 marshmallows onto each skewer. Arrange the skewers directly over the hot fire and toast the marshmallows, turning as needed, until puffed and toasty brown, 2 to 3 minutes.

To assemble the sundaes, place 1 big scoop of ice cream or sorbet in each dessert bowl. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the chocolate sauce over each scoop. Top each serving with 3 toasted marshmallows and place a graham cracker on the side. Serve immediately.

Christmas pecans

I consider this recipe a very personal gift to my friends, family, and colleagues who have been on the receiving end of my highly anticipated “Christmas Pecans” every December. These coated nuts are sweet, crunchy, buttery gems of goodness—practically irresistible. They are a delectable finish to a holiday meal served along with dessert, and if you ask my husband he’ll tell you they are perfection served with a tumbler of bourbon straight-up. One colleague tosses some into a mesclun salad with sweetened dried cranberries and blue cheese as the starter to her Christmas Eve dinner.

Over the years, many have asked for the recipe and I have never given it out. In fact, I believe this is the only recipe I have never shared. Twenty years ago, I started baking these pecans as a scrumptious food gift to give at Christmastime. I took them as a hostess gift at holiday cocktail parties and open houses, I made some to have on the table at my own Christmas parties, and then I started mailing them to friends and colleagues around the country. Pretty soon the list grew longer and what started as a morning baking a couple of pounds of pecans turned into a production schedule baking almost twenty pounds. If it sounds like a chore, it isn’t; in fact, quite the opposite, as it now feels like my special yearly tradition. Every fall, I order white laminated candy boxes that hold about a half pound of nuts, look for fun Christmas ribbons and gift tags, and make my list—checking it twice—to make sure I’m not missing anyone. Now, I am sharing this gift recipe with everyone!

YIELD

Makes 1 pound

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
2 egg whites at room temperature (see Cook’s Notes)
1/8 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup packed golden brown sugar
1 pound large or jumbo pecan halves shelled

INSTRUCTIONS:

Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 300°F. Have ready a large, rimmed baking sheet, preferably nonstick for easier clean up.

Melt the butter on the baking sheet in the oven. Be careful not to let the butter brown.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Add the salt and beat on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Pour the vanilla over the brown sugar. Add the sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating on high speed to form a strong, shiny meringue. Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a rubber spatula to gently fold in the nuts until they are well coated.

Gently tip the rimmed baking sheet so the butter coats the bottom of the pan. Using a rubber spatula, spread the nuts over the butter, without stirring, to form an even layer without deflating the meringue.

Bake the nuts for 20 minutes. Remove them from the oven and stir the nuts with a spatula so the nuts at the center of the pan are moved to the outer rim and those at the edges are closer to the center. Bake the nuts for 15 minutes longer and stir them again. Continue baking for another 45 minutes to an hour, stirring every 15 minutes, until the nuts are separated, have absorbed the butter and glisten, and are beautifully browned but not dark brown. Immediately turn them out on a counter lined with a long sheet of aluminum foil and spread them to cool. Allow them to cool completely. Store in a tightly covered tin, covered glass container, or wrap in gift boxes lined with decorative waxed paper. The nuts will keep for 2 to 3 weeks.

Herb Drop Biscuits

A staple in the American South for several hundred years, biscuits deserve to be made more often. They are delectable when served hot out of the oven, and are not difficult to make. This version includes fresh oregano, parsley, and sage, and goes very nicely with the roast chicken.

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup fresh oregano minced
1/4 cup fresh parsely minced
1/4 cup fresh sage minced
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
2 tablespoons olive oil for brushing tops

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 425°F. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and butter. Use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to work the butter into the flour until butter pieces are no larger than a pea. Add the herbs, pepper, and buttermilk, stirring just to blend well. Drop 2-tablespoon-sized portions of dough about 1-inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Brush the biscuits with the olive oil. Bake until lightly browned, 12 to 14 minutes. Cool reserved biscuits, place them in a lock top freezer bag, and freeze for up to 3 months.