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Brie Cheesecake with Bitter Chocolate

          I'm not a baker, I hate teaspoons, I hate waiting, and my cookies are apt to turn into biscuits. Because of this, rather than try to work from the "baking basics" upward, I decided to go after the top-of-the-line desserts, the big cheeses so to speak.

          After learning an excellent plain cheesecake recipe though, I wasn't content; it just wasn't interesting enough. Then one day it occurred to me that Brie is a dessert cheese, so I set upon putting it in a cheesecake! After checking to see if anyone else had done this, I was impressed with this recipe, and then adapted it. I took out the white chocolate because I personally find it cloying and I decided to garnish with dark chocolate to contrast the cake and simplify the flavor palate. I also added more Brie because I wanted it to take the spotlight. Last, this recipe is crustless, which I think is pretty brilliant idea. Also, I don't add berries to the cake because one: they tend to dominate the flavor and two: everyone does berries. So know that you know all that, I hope you love this unconventional and elegant cheesecake recipe!

                      Ingredients:                      Equipment Needed: 

                         -24 oz Cream Cheese                  -2 Mixing Bowls

                         -About 16 oz Brie                        -Large Baking Pan

                         -1 Cup Sugar                              -Electric Mixer

                         -2 tsp Vanilla Extract                 -Aluminum Foil (optional)

                         -Pinch of Salt                              -Paring Knife                  

                         -5 Eggs               

                         -Quality Dark Chocolate


Preparation/Cook Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes

Serves: 8-12

Difficulty Rank: Takes Some Work

          So all of the ingredients are fairly easy to find. Basically 24 oz of cream cheese is 3 of the little boxes, or about 1 and 1/2 pounds. You will need about a pound of Brie, which was 2 wedges for me; the rind/skin needs to be removed from the Brie before mixing it. As for the chocolate, I got a bar of it at Trader Joe's. The primary thing to keep in mind is to make sure all the ingredients are room temperature before starting; I even had to heat the Brie up slightly to get it to mix smoothly. The most important step is to mix the two cheeses separately before blending them together. This is because they have different consistencies that won't blend right out of the box.

Tips to Prevent Cracking:
-Let the cake cool for at least 2 hours at room temperature before putting it in the fridge; this prevents it from contracting too fast and cracking.
-Once the eggs are in the batter, do not over-beat it because too much air in the batter will cause the cake to crack as the air expands from the oven heat.
-Butter the sides of the pan generously so that the cake can separate easily.
-Use a water bath if you can, this helps the temperature stay even around the cake.
-Bake at a low temperature so that the cake cooks evenly; think of how grilling chicken too hot causes the outside to burn while the inside stay raw, this is the same case with baking too hot.
-I have not tried this method yet, but if you can't use a water bath, I have heard adding a spoon of cornstarch into the batter will  help prevent cracking.

In-a-nutshell Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 300 F or 150 C.
2. Blend Brie(de-rinded) and Cream Cheese separately until smooth. Then blend together.
3. Add sugar, vanilla, salt then blend.
4. Blend while adding eggs one at a time.
5. Butter springform pan and wrap in foil.
6. Pour in mixture.
7. Place in "water bath".
8. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
9. When done, let cool for 2 hours then chill in fridge overnight.
10. Garnish cake with chocolate shavings.

Detailed Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 300 Fahrenheit or 150 Celsius.

2. Take the room temperature cheeses and blend each one in its own bowl until smooth; then mix the two together. This is because if you try placing them together at first, the Brie will stay in chunks. Make sure the white skin is removed from the Brie.

3. Add 3/4 to 1 cup sugar based on how sweet you like it; then add 1-2 tsp of vanilla based on your preference. Last throw in a pinch of salt and blend together.

4. While blending at a low speed, at 5 eggs one at a time so that they mix evenly.

5. Once the mixture is done, butter or oil the inside of your springform pan. Mine is not very good so I crammed butter in the cracks to help repel water that might leak in. I also wrapped foil around my pan to help keep water out, although if you have a good quality pan you won't need to do this.

6. Once the pan is prepared, pour in the cheesecake mixture, don't worry that there is no crust, it will taste better without it.

5. Buttering the Pan.                  7. Pan inside "water bath".

7. Place the pan into a larger baking dish and fill that dish with hot water about halfway up the springform pan. This "water bath" will help the cheesecake cook evenly and prevent it from cracking, basically find any larger pan that has depth to create the water bath.

8. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, the cake should be slightly jiggly in the center but mostly set.

9. Once you take the cake out remove it from the water bath and let it cool for 2 hours* before chilling it in the fridge overnight.

*If you put it in the fridge sooner, the sudden temperature change will cause the cake to contract too fast and it will crack.

10. The next day, garnish it with chocolate shavings and sea salt. You can make chocolate shavings by taking a paring knife and pulling it against the bar (just be careful not to cut yourself!). If you want longer shavings, place the bar in a warm oven for 10 seconds and then try again.

  Brie Shavings from Chopping the Bar.          Brie Shavings from Peeling Warmed Bar.

Chive & Sourcream Mashed Potatoes

          Fall should be in MA any time now, we're just waiting for the trees to catch on that summer's over. Regardless, it's time to start getting that repertoire of comfort foods prepped back into action. While this recipe for mashed potatoes is far from healthy, it's undeniably decadent and delicious. I generally look at this dish as a holiday one, which is why I don't skimp on the "bad for you" ingredients.

                        Ingredients:                 Equipment Needed: 

                         -3 Large Potatoes                  -Knife + Cutting Board

                         -1 Cup Heavy Cream             -Large Pot

                         -1 Cup Sour Cream                -Potato Peeler (Optional)

                         -1 Stick of Butter                    -Potato Masher

                         -Chives                                -Stirring Spoon                   

                         -Salt                

                         -Pepper

Preparation/Cook Time: 30 Minutes

Serves: 4-6

Difficulty Rank: Easy Peasy

          Mashed Potatoes are pretty basic, there are a lot of variations, but in essence, most recipes have the same idea: add some form of dairy, and perhaps something from the onion family. I chose heavy cream over milk to make the texture smoother and I chose sour cream to add a secondary dimension the the flavor. The reason I chose chives is because they offer a pleasant bite, also, I think garlic is a bit of a cliche ingredient. The focus of my version is to really showcase that "Umami" flavor that is the hallmark of great mashed potatoes, but you can change any of the ingredients at your leisure.


          I don't think it matters greatly what kind of potatoes you use, I used Yukon Gold. Also, if you are feeling lazy, you can skip peeling the potatoes and just serve "smashed potatoes" instead. As for the measurements, it truthfully doesn't matter if you have more or less of the creams, just add them until you like the taste. Be careful with the salt though, add just enough to bring out the flavors, but not so much that it is the first thing people think about when describing the taste. Other than that, have fun making this incredibly easy dish.

In-a-nutshell Directions:

1. Boil water in a pot.

2. Peel potatoes while waiting. (Optional)

3. Cut potatoes into smallish pieces.

4. Carefully place cut potatoes in boiling water.

5. When soft, about 10-15 minutes, drain water out.

6. Mash potatoes.

7. Add butter, creams and salt to taste.

8. Mince and add chives.

Detailed Directions:

1. Fill a pot about halfway or so with water, enough to immerse all the potatoes after they are cut.

       2. A Potato "Eye"                                4. Carefully dropping Potatoes.

2. While you are waiting for the water to boil, peel the potatoes, unless of course you would prefer to serve "smashed potatoes" which have the skin on. Also take the "eyes" out of the potatoes if they are sprouted or green*.
*This is because the green or sprouted eyes are slightly toxic.

3. Once you have prepped the potatoes, cut them into small cubes. About one-by-one inch or so. Cutting them smaller makes them finish cooking faster.


4. Once the water is at a rolling boil, carefully drop the potatoes into the water; don't be a dummy like me and plop them in carelessly or you will get splashed by burning water.

5. After about 10-15 minutes the potatoes should be done; you can check them by fishing out a piece and poking a fork into it, if the fork goes through easily, they are done.

6. After draining the water from the pot, put the cooked potatoes back in the pot and mash them.

7. Once they are mashed blend in the butter, and creams and then add salt to taste.


8. Finally, chop the chives finely and garnish the potatoes with them along with a crackle of pepper and you're done!

Fresh'n Up Your Knowledge

          So I apologize for my lack of posts to anyone who actually follows my blog, but I've been busy to say the least. My summer job has been great but definitely a lot of work and I have been taking a summer course at a nearby school. I thought since I don't have time to put a recipe up, I'd instead write about something you might find useful. Today I was drinking my orange juice and I noticed that it tasted better a few days old than it did when I first opened it; this got me thinking back onto an article I read about where bartenders did blind taste-tests on drinks made with aged lime juice and fresh lime juice. The result was overwhelmingly that the lime juice that has sat for a few hours tasted much better than fresh lime juice. Here is the LINK to the article.

          I love techniques like this because I am always trying to find ways to up-the-ante of my sauces and drinks; and this tip definitely is something I would never have thought of.

I'm Like a Chemistry Cylinder, I'm Graduated!

          Hey all, so it's been a busy month, I graduated (finally), and I have been working full time in my summer job, which is a mix between sales and being a painting contractor. Last, I've taken my road test and am in the process of finding a car.

          To be honest I hate ceremonies, so graduating was pretty meaningless to me; and me with my occasional tactlessness, offended someone by telling them if commencement wasn't required, I'd skip it. I don't really understand why people put so much stock in events like this—come on, it's not a wedding—the fact is graduating from college is not that big an accomplishment, thousands of other people do every year; I side with Mr. Incredible on this: "they keep creating new ways to celebrate mediocrity". If I went to Harvard then I might care (I mean, drinking all weekend and still finding time to study? That is much more impressive than what I did, living on a dry-campus where I could study all the time).

          I know it is a bit pathetic that I am getting my license at 22, but seriously, there are almost no personal cars in Asia! I don't even think the Chinese have invented a work for "parking lot" yet since there are none.

That's all, and I'm offering no offense, which means you can't take any : )

-John

Inception and Your Sense of Taste

          Frustration; that's how I feel about this. The fact is that it is true. I was on the phone with my best-friend yesterday, and he admitted that while he thinks everything I cook is great (that's really nice of him), when I tell him for instance, that the Curry Butternut Soup is dairy and gluten free plus really fiber-packed, this bothers him. Unbeknownst to me, in America "healthful food" is usually a turn off. I probably should have realized this considering most appetizers on a menu are deep-fried; it just never occurred to me since almost all food in Asia is dairy and gluten-free (probably why everyone is thin over here).

          Anyway, the restaurant industry has particularly exploited this psychological technique. Watch out, a mac and cheese will have "toasted bread crumbs" when what they really mean is "stale ritz crackers". Or the "summer veggie lasagna" really means they made it a week ago and its been sitting in the back of the fridge. The essence of this idea is that by describing a dish positively, the customer preps their brain to seek out and taste the things described; hence why my friend found the health precedents a turn off.

          If you can't already tell, this idea drives me crazy; it means screw objectivity, all that matters is you make people perceive the food how you want them to. Being me, rather than try pulling an Inception, I stopped telling people what kind of food they were tasting, just to see what they would think. One person thought there were avocados in a mint chutney and another thought green tea with creamer was coffee. Then, I negatively precedented a peanut sauce I made (that was obviously fine) to see what feedback I'd get. Immediately the person put on a big show of "objectively" finding the problem with it and concluded that I used too much ginger (which I didn't use at all).

          So, this just goes to show you, you don't need an airplane and sci-fi dream machines to change people's reality.


That's all, and I'm offering no offense, which means you can't take any : )
-John

Curry Butternut Soup

          It's a crisp day here in MA and I'm preparing to graduate while also prepping for a busy summer job. I thought I'd take time to update you all with some recipes I have been doing to lately. Specifically this soup, and a salsa I'll post later, have been my weekly staples. Oh, and I finally got an immersion blender! This is exciting because I will no longer have to laboriously use a regular blender to puree this soup.


          This soup is great, it's simple to make, cheap and packed with fiber. I learned how to make it over Christmas Break from my pseudo-parents the Thompsons. I've especially enjoyed it because I have been trying to cut back on my meat consumption and add more vegetables into my diet. The soup is fairly spicy and will definitely warm you up in this cold weather.

                       Ingredients:                 Equipment Needed: 
                         -1 Butternut Squash               -Knife + Cutting Board
                         -1 Apple                               -Large Pot
                         -1 Onion                              -Immersion or Regular Blender
                         -3-4 Tb Curry Powder           -Stirring Spoon
                         -Canola or Coconut Oil         -Potato Peeler                    
                         -5-7 Cups Water                  
                         -3/4-1 Cup Coconut Milk
                         -Pinch of Sugar
                         -Salt to Taste
                         -A dash of Cayenne Pepper (optional)


Preparation/Cook Time: 45 Minutes
Serves: 6-8
Difficulty Rank: Takes Some Work


          Basically all the soup composes of is the squash and apple and an onion. I don't think it matters what kind of apple or onion you use, I used a yellow onion and a Fuji apple. I'm also using a coarse sea salt and I use around 1-2 Tb depending on how much soup there is; if your'e using a finer salt, I'd salt more cautiously since the finer grain will pack a stronger punch—remember, always salt to taste, do not just put in salt without regard to the volume of the soup—. For the oil you can use canola or olive, I use coconut oil; For rounding out the soup, I use coconut milk, which adds a delicate and creamy dimension to the flavor; regular cream will work too, although the flavor is less interesting. If you have an immersion blender, that's great! If you only have a regular blender or food processor then you will have to puree the soup with these. Picking the curry powder is important, I recommend just getting McCormick "Curry Powder" not "Madras Curry" or another variation; this is because Madras has cumin in it which adds a bitter undertone to the soup. The only other tip I have in regard to the curry is to add 2 Tb at the beginning and put in the last 1-2 Tb after the soup is done*; this prevents the soup from being too spicy, while still giving a full curry flavor. Just remember, add the curry, salt and coconut milk to taste, since squash come in all different sizes and you may need more or less of those than I recommended.


*When you heat spices they release more flavor and in the case of curry, make the dish hotter, hence the adding it in 2 separate batches.

In-a-nutshell Directions:

1. Cut the produce into small chunks.

2. Heat the pot with oil and 2 TB of Curry.

3. Adding Apples & Onions.       4. Add Squash & Water

3. Add apples and onions in, cook till soft.

4. Add squash and water in.

5. When soft puree with immersion blender or blend incrementally in regular blender.

6. Turn off heat and add coconut milk.

7. Add 2 TB more of Curry.

8. Salt to taste (approx: 2 TB).

Detailed Directions:

1. Cut the produce into small chunks. They can be pretty indistinct as long as they are small enough to stir around and cook quickly.

2. Heat the pot with enough oil to coat the apple and onion chunks. Add in just 2 TB of curry powder and stir in with the oil and let the spice heat for a minute.

5. Bracing the Blender

3. After the spice starts to heat up and be aromatic, add the apples and onions in; cook these for 10 minutes or until they are soft.

4. Add the squash chunks and water in; you want to add enough water to slightly submerge all the squash, but don't add to much water or else you will have to wait forever for the soup to boil down to the right consistency.

Burning Soup Splatters

5. When the squash has softened, puree the soup with an immersion blender. If you don't have one, you can use a regular blender, this takes significantly more time because you have to incrementally blend it in small batches. If you end up using a regular blender, make sure to NOT fill the blender more than halfway; if you do, all the hot steam will cause the top to explode off—seriously, burning hot soup ended up all over the counter and me, not the best experience as you can see—. To prevent this, get a towel and brace the lid firmly down with your hand.

6. After the soup is blended,  simmer it for a few more minutes and then turn off heat and add the coconut milk.

7. The add 2 TB more of curry powder and a dash of cayenne if you want.

8. Finally, salt to taste; I use about 2 TB but make sure to salt slowly since over-salted soup is gross. Adjust the coconut milk and curry if you want more of either. To finish I garnished with some pumpkin seeds.