Mixed Berry Cheesecake

This is so good! You just had to try it. It was perfect. 

Ingredients

For the crust:

nocoupons

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (10 crackers)
  
• 1 tablespoon sugar
  
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:

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• 2 1/2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature
  
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
  
• 5 whole extra-large eggs, at room temperature
  
• 2 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature
  
• 1/4 cup sour cream
  
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the topping:

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• 1 cup red jelly (not jam) such as currant, raspberry, or strawberry
  
• 1/2 pint sliced strawberries
  
• 1/2 pint fresh raspberries
  
• 1/2 pint fresh blueberries

Directions  :

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

To make the crust, combine the graham crackers, sugar, and melted butter until moistened. Pour into a 9-inch springform pan. With your hands, press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan and about 1-inch up the sides. Bake for 8 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

Raise the oven temperature to 450 degrees F.

To make the filling, cream the cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Reduce the speed of the mixer to medium and add the eggs and egg yolks, 2 at a time, mixing well. Scrape down the bowl and beater, as necessary. With the mixer on low, add the sour cream, lemon zest, and vanilla. Mix thoroughly and pour into the cooled crust.

Bake for 15 minutes. Turn the oven temperature down to 225 degrees and bake for another 1 hour and 15 minutes. Turn the oven off and open the door wide. The cake will not be completely set in the center. Allow the cake to sit in the oven with the door open for 30 minutes. Take the cake out of the oven and allow it to sit at room temperature for another 2 to 3 hours, until completely cooled. Wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Remove the cake from the springform pan by carefully running a hot knife around the outside of the cake. Leave the cake on the bottom of the springform pan for serving.

To make the topping, melt the jelly in a small pan over low heat. In a bowl, toss berries and the warm jelly gently until well mixed. Arrange the berries on top of the cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Cupcakes

Sweet – Improper Bostonian’s 2009 winner of the Boston’s Best Cupcakes sold creamy Madagascar Vanilla Bean and Dark Chocolate cupcakes topped with butter cream frosting and decorated on-theme with red, white and blue sprinkles. Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée - with sugar crusts being burnt to order. The dessert was the perfect combination of rich and creamy, with a thin and crunchy crust.

French or not - Bastille Day (July 14) is the perfect excuse to make your own Crème Brûlée.A favorite recipe to make at home. This recipe replaces the typical vanilla bean with fresh ginger, and is paired with a warm fruit compote. Bon appetit!!

Ginger Crème Brûlée with Warm Plum and Raspberry Compote

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh ginger
• 6 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 6-ounce ramekins

Position a rack in the center of the over and preheat to 325 F. Place the ramekins in a large baking pan. In a medium saucepan, bring the cream and ginger to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to very low and simmer gently for 30 minutes.

In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar. Gradually whisk in the cream. Strain through a wire sieve into a bowl, and discard the ginger. Place the baking dish with the ramekins in the oven, and carefully ladle or pour the mixture into the ramekins. Using a teaspoon, skim off any foam on the surface of the custards.

Pour enough hot water into the baking pan to come ½ inch up the side of the ramekins. Bake until the custard sets firm (the centers will be slightly loose), 40 to 50 minutes. Remove from the water bath and cool completely. Cover each Ramekin with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Warm Plum and Raspberry Compote

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 ripe dark-skinned black plums, pitted and cut into sixths
• 2-3 tablespoons sugar, depending on the sweetness of the plums
• ¼ cup fresh orange juice
• ½ pint fresh raspberries

In a medium saucepan, heat the butter over medium-low heat. Add the plums and sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the plums begin to release their juices, 3-4 minutes. Add the orange juice and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until the orange juice is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and fold in the raspberries.

To serve:

2 tablespoons brown sugar

Position a broiler rack about 6 inches from the source of heat and preheat the broiler. Rub the brown sugar through a wire sieve to cover each custard with a dusting of sugar. Put the ramekins on a baking sheet and broil, watching carefully to avoid scorching, until the brown sugar has caramelized, 1-2 minutes. On a large plate, place a Crème Brûlée and a small dish of the compote.

Crabby Mangos

Culinary’s Mango Mojito Salad

Ingredients  :

• 2 ripe champagne mangoes, diced
• ½ lime, juiced
• ¼ cup red onion, diced
• ¼ cup cucumber, diced
• 10 mint leaves, shredded
• Red pepper flakes
• Sea salt

In a large bowl, combine mangoes, lime juice, red onion, cucumber and mint leaves. Stir well. Add red peppers flakes and salt, to taste. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature at least one hour before serving.

Culinary’s Ginger Crab Cakes

Ingredients  :

• 8 ounces cooked crab meat (for best results DO NOT use canned)
• 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
• 1/3 cup panko crumbs
• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• ½ lime, juiced
• ½ teaspoon lime zest
• Chipotle Tabasco sauce, to taste
• Sea salt, to taste
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste

In a large bowl, combine crab, ginger, panko, mayonnaise, lime juice and lime zest. Mix gently. Add remaining ingredients to taste and mix gently. Dived crab mixture into four equal portions. Using a ramekin or round cookie cutter, form crab mixture into round cakes, and place on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Bake in a preheated 400°F oven until crab cakes are golden brown, about 25 minutes. For best results, flip over crab cakes halfway through cooking.

Roasted Lemon Chicken

Lemon Roasted Chicken with Rigatoni

Ingredients  :

• 3 split chicken breasts (with bones and skin)
• 6 lemons (4 juiced, 2 thinly sliced)
• Sea salt
• Pepper

Marinade the split chicken breasts in the juice of 4 lemons for at least 4 hours. After patting dry with a paper towel, season the chicken with salt and pepper. Layer the lemon slices on a roasting rack and place chicken on rack, skin-side up. Roast chicken in oven at 425°F for about 40 minutes.

Served the chicken over rigatoni that tossed with a mixture of roasted peppers, garlic, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and fresh thyme.

Hazelnut Lemon Tart

Culinary’s Hazelnut Lemon Meringue Tart
Ingredients  :

• ½ cup hazelnuts, toasted, peeled and finely ground
• ¾ cup whole wheat flour
• 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• 1 cup sugar
• ¼ cup corn starch
• ¾ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
• ½ cup cold water
• 4 eggs, separated
• ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 tablespoons sugar

For the crust, combine the ground hazelnuts, flour, brown sugar, olive oil, salt and water. Press into a deep 8 inch tart plan. Bake tart crust in a 425°F oven until golden, about 15 minutes. Remove crust and cool.

For the lemon filling, over medium heat, combine sugar, corn starch, lemon juice and water. Whisk in yolks, 1 at a time. Continue whisking until lemon mixture comes to boil. Pour thickened lemon mixture into the cooled tart crust.

For meringue topping, beat egg white with cream of tartar and vanilla until soft peaks form. Slowly add sugar and continue beating until shiny, stiff peaks form. Cover lemon mixture with meringue topping. Bake tart crust in a 325°F until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Bunny Risotto

Culinary’s Carrot Risotto
Ingredients  :

• 3 cups carrots, peeled and diced
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• ¾ shallot, finely chopped
• ½ onion, diced
• 1 ¼ cup arborio rice
• 1 cup white wine
• 6 cups chicken stock
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste
• 1 tablespoon chives, chopped

In a 10 inch sauté pan add chopped carrots and 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add water until carrots are just covered. Cook until all water is reduced and carrots start to caramelize, remove from heat. In a blender, puree 1 cup of carrots with ½ cup hot water. Set remaining carrots aside. In the meantime, bring chicken stock to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer.

In the same pan used for the carrots, heat the remaining olive oil and sauté shallots and onions until soft. Add rice and stir until translucent. Add wine and stir until evaporated. Add carrot puree and 1 cup of stock. Stir until evaporated. Repeat process, stirring a cup of stock at a time. Towards the end of cooking, add the caramelized carrots, salt and pepper. Garnish with the chives.

Chicken with mushroom

Culinary’s Lemon Roasted Chicken with Mushrooms

Ingredients  :

• 4 chicken drumsticks
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 cup vermouth
• 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, halved
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon corn starch
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste
• 1 tablespoon chives, chopped

Combine first 3 ingredients and marinade for at least 4 hours. Combine chicken and marinade with mushrooms, and bake at 350°F for about 40 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and carefully pour the lemon, mushroom sauce into a pan over medium heat. Turn oven up to 450°F and continue baking chicken until skin is crispy. Meanwhile, add chicken stock and corn starch to sauce and whisk until smooth and thickened. Season with salt and pepper. To serve, pour sauce over chicken. Garnish with the chives.