Chocolate Soufflé Torte with Chantilly Cream and Berry Caramel Glaze
The Love Cake (Red Velvet-White Chocolate Cheesecake)
Original recipe from Southern Living, *custom edited by Terri N. Bergman
This recipe was featured in Heart of Ohio Magazine in 2016 for a Valentine’s Day feature. Terri makes these cakes and shares them with love every year. This is one of her most-requested recipes and she shares it with you today so you can make it for those you love!
CHEESECAKE LAYERS
2 (8”) round, aluminum foil cake pans
1 (2oz) package white chocolate morsels
5 (8oz) packages cream cheese softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
RED VELVET LAYERS
1 cup butter, softened
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
6 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp Pummull Spice* or cinnamon (optional)
1 tsp finely crushed pink peppercorns (optional)
1 tsp instant espresso or coffee granules (optional)
1 (8oz) container sour cream
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 (1 oz) bottles red liquid food coloring
3 (8”) aluminum foil cake pans
WHITE CHOCOLATE FROSTING
4 oz white chocolate morsels
1/2 cup boiling water
1 cup butter, softened
1 (32oz) pkg powdered sugar
1/2 tsp table salt
GARNISHES
White chocolate hearts and leaves made with piped melted chocolate
Fresh raspberries or cranberries (optional)
GLAZE RED VELVET CAKE TOPS (optional)
1 jar seedless raspberry jam warmed in microwave with 1 Tbsp Chambord liqueur, or water. This is a wonderful addition to seal cake tops when cool and enhance and deepen flavor. Use sparingly: spread 1 Tbsp on each cake top prior to assembly.
PREPARATION:
Cheesecake Layers
1) Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line pans with aluminum foil, allowing 3 inches to extend over sides. Lightly grease foil or spray with cooking oil.
2) Microwave white chocolate morsels in a microwave-safe bowl according to package directions. Let cool 10 minutes.
3) Beat cream cheese and melted chocolate at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add 1 cup sugar, beating well. Add 2 eggs, beating just until yellow disappears. Stir in vanilla then pour into prepared pans.
4) Bake at 300 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until almost set. Turn oven off. Let cheesecakes stand in oven, with door closed, for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Cover and chill 8 hours, or freeze for 24 – 48 hours.
Red Velvet Layers
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat 1 cup butter at medium speed with electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add 2 1/2 cups sugar. (Optional) Add sugar with Pummel Spice, finely crushed pink peppercorns and espresso granules. Add 6 eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
2) Stir together flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, and baking soda. Add to butter mixture alternately with sour cream. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in 2 tsp vanilla. Carefully stir in red food coloring. Evenly pour batter into the 3 greased and floured same 8” foil pans as above.
3) Bake at 350 degrees for 22 to 26 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove cake from pans and move to wire racks to cool completely (about 1 hour). These cakes can be prepared and frozen with cheesecake or cooled in refrigerator.
Frosting
1) Whisk together chocolate and . cup boiling water until chocolate melts. Let cool 20 minutes, then chill 30 minutes, stirring to keep the mixture smooth and liquid.
2) Beat 1 cup butter and chilled chocolate at low speed until blended. Beat at medium speed 1 minute. Increase speed to high, beat 1-2 minutes until smooth and fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar and salt, beating at low speed until blended. Increase speed to high and beat 1-2 minutes or until smooth and fluffy.
Assemble
1) Place 1 layer red velvet on a serving platter. Top with 1 layer cheesecake. Repeat with remaining layers of red velvet and cheesecake, alternating and ending with red velvet on top. Spread top and sides of cake with white chocolate frosting. I like to lightly frost, chill or place in the freezer, and then generously frost again. This seals in red cake crumbs so the finished product is snowy white!
2) Garnish as desired. Remember you can pipe your own leaves and hearts, or garnish with melted white chocolate, that has been piped. If you don’t have a piping kit, refrigerate some frosting in a Ziploc plastic bag and then snip the corner to create a piping tool.
3) Admire your creation, then call in your best family and friends, slice and enjoy!
Apple Pecan Pie
From the Kitchen of Terri N. Bergman
LEVEL: Presto (easy!)
So it’s a marriage of two great tastes, Apple Pie and Pecan Pie….kissed with Pummull Spice (our house Cinnamon Blend) You cannot go wrong!
INGREDIENTS:
1 unbaked Pie crust (you make it or grocery store premade)
3 apples, peeled, cored and thin sliced (here is the time for your apple/peeler/corer/slice machine!)
1 Tbsp white sugar
1 tsp Pummull spice/Cinn.
fresh lemon juice squeeze
Place crust in pie plate, circle the outside of crust with apple slices, quick squeeze of lemon and dust with sugar/Pummull mix. Bake crust/apples 10 minutes at 375 degrees, remove from oven
Next combine INGREDIENTS:
2 C whole pecans
3 Lg eggs
1 C light corn syrup
½ C white sugar
4 Tbsp Butter melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
Dash salt
Mix these ingredients and spread over crust with apples. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour, (foil tent to wrap side crust only helps with color). Remove, cool, slice and enjoy!
Cheers!
Grilled Canteloupe with Lime & Spice
Iced Coffee à la Kitchen’s Bounty
So playing with my daughter in laws favorite coffee drinks this morning! Chilly Iced Americano, topped with Cream kissed with vanilla! So for this MIL the only kind of coffee was hot, well I’m here to tell you it was time to open my horizons! So girls, I think I’ve got this, Starbucks…look out, 2 Iced Coffees, and for Memere double shot espresso, a little cream and yes, a little Kahlua (no clocks here). Out playing with KB’s French Velvet Roast and *Thunder and Lightening Espresso (named after my childhood dogs/ dark and awesome Shepherds). Who wants my job??!
Chocolate Soufflé Cake
From the Kitchen of Terri Bergman
CATEGORY: Sweet endings
SERVES: 6-8 (ramekins)
LEVEL: Intermediate, so come on, you got this!
A delicious celebratory end to a great meal! This SOUFFLE Cake starts airy and is topped with a rich ganache…and then add a few berries and the ultimate mini ice cream on a stick (can you say delicious drama). A reason I love this recipe is it starts as a great SOUFFLE but once settle is the perfect chocolate earthquake (cracked fallen top) cake. So you choose, but the great taste is there however you choose to SOUFFLE!
INGREDIENTS:
6-8 Ramkins depending on their size
6 Oz. Dark chocolate (60-76%)
¼ C water
5 Egg Whites
Pinch salt
½ tsp Lemon juice
¼ C Sugar
5 Egg Yolks
1-2 tsp Espresso Powder
1 Tbsp Coffee Liquor
¼ C Sugar
GLAZE:
4 OZ Choc Chips
2 Oz Butter
6-8 Frozen mini Magnum Bars (or your choice of mini ice cream treat)
Optional; Strawberry and Raspberries for garnish
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Melt Chocolate and water in the microwave, starting at 30 sec intervals. You want to remove and stop heating when about 25% of the chocolate is still not melted. At this point continue to stir until all is melted. Set aside.
Beat egg whites until soft peaks, start streaming in sugar, pinch of salt and *lemon juice to stabilize whites. I like to see a medium peak and set aside.
In mixer bowl add yolks, sugar, espresso powder (or inst coffee) and Coffee Liquor (or Amaretto).
Beat in mixer until light and thick….and then add melted chocolate until just incorporated.
Fold 30% of meringue, scraping and folding being careful not to overdue. Fold the remaining meringue and spoon into the individual Ramkins. (I think its useful to use an ice cream scooper here..)
Bake until just set in the center…about 20-25 minutes.
While cakes are cooking, create the buttered ganache by melting the butter and pouring over the chocolate chips. Stir until glossy smooth and melted, set aside for the serving finish.
When Ramkins are out of oven, place in center of a plate, spoon chocolate ganache over each, and take a knife to pierce center…and put the mini Ice Cream Treat in the center, sprinkle with slice strawberries or raspberries…walk don’t run to the table to serve…and melt into the extravagant bites! ENJOY!
Pumpkin Pecan Bread Pudding with Praline Sauce and Crème
From the Kitchen of Terri Bergman
Pumpkin Pecan Bread Pudding with Praline Sauce and Crème
So this is one of my all time favorites! You can bake in a muffin tin, a rectangle pan, a mold. It shouts Fall, loves Holidays and plays well in the New Year! My anytime favorite Bread Pudding.
SERVES: 12-14
LEVEL: Presto-easy!
INGREDIENTS
1 loaf white bread (French loaf) cut into cubes
1/2 cup melted butter
6 eggs beaten
3 cups milk or half and half
1 ½ cups pumpkin puree
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped Pecans
DIRECTIONS:
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a large cookie sheet (with sides).
Toss the bread cubes with melted butter and arrange on the cookie sheet.
Combine eggs, milk, pumpkin puree, ¾ cup brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla.
Pour this mixture over the bread cubes and top with pecan pieces and remaining brown sugar.
Sprinkle the top with a little nutmeg and bake for 25 – 30 minutes.
INGREDIENTS (Praline topping):
1 C Brown sugar
½ cup heavy cream
¼ c butter
1 C Powdered Sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Praline Topping: Take first three ingredients, bring to a very low boil for about 3 minutes, take off heat, add sugar and vanilla – pour warm onto the Bread Pudding servings on the plate.
Presentation: Let bread pudding cool slightly and cut out in rounds or squares. Top with Praline Topping, Serve whipped crème to the side….garnish with sage leaves, toasted or fresh.
Terri
Almond Shortcakes
From the Kitchen of Terri Bergman
Almond Shortcakes—Berries a la Ménage à Trois with Angel Whipped Cream
Hands down this is one of my favorite childhood memories, so it is wonderful for breakfast, brunch , lunch or dinner…how is that for flexibility! The Angels Whip is so good on this and made kissed by the Angels, as everything is that includes a little meringue! This is definitely a make ahead and bring out when family or guest arrive! Enjoy!
SERVES: 12
LEVEL: Intermediate-you got this!
INGREDIENTS
Almond Shortcakes:
2 ½ cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup almond flour
8 tablespoons cold butter
1 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Almond Coarse sugar
Ingredients for topping:
2 cups raspberries
2 cups strawberries
2 cups blueberries
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
ANGEL WHIPPED CREAM:
2 cups whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs whites whipped to still meringues
Toasted almond slivers for garnish
mint leaves if avail.
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Add flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and almonds in a large bowl. Mix, cut in the.Add the almond extract to the milk and then add to the flour mixture. Gently incorporate the milk into the flour. Be sure not to over mix as doing so will make the flour rubbery. If the mixture remains too wet to properly handle, add a little more flour until you can pat the dough firmly into a round disk. Cut with a biscuit cutter or jar/glass and place onto a baking dish. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 – 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
Mix berries, Balsamic Vinegar, sugar in a bowl and set aside for at least 10 minutes. Beat cream with sugar and vanilla until whipped. Beat egg whites until stiff meringue stage, incorporate the two for a steady and light cream topping. To serve, slice each shortcake in half. Top the bottom with a healthy dollop of Angel cream and then cover with berries. Top with more whipped cream and lay the top of the shortcake against the berries. Garnish almonds/mint -Serve & enjoy!
Terri
