The Culinary Connoisseur
Reaching Milestones
16
Nov
Nov
Our weekly column celebrates food and all the fun that
goes with it. This week’s column we’ve veered a little off course to celebrate
something else if we may. We’re taking a
moment to celebrate ourselves! As hard as it is to believe, 20 years have flown
by since we opened our doors and opened your eyes to all that is new and
innovative in the culinary world. It is
now 20 years that we have been at the forefront of kosher cooking and baking;
bringing you the latest in quality kitchenware, helpful gadgets, and of course,
delicious recipes. For 15 of these years
we have been writing this weekly missive to keep you, our readers up to date on
culinary news and trends.
It is thanks to you that we keep doing what we do best!
Your enthusiasm keeps us on the lookout for just the right thing in the
ever-changing world of food. We’ve learned what you like and do our best to
keep you informed and educated on the newest trends and tools.
It is now time to celebrate this amazing milestone! We
invite you all to celebrate with us. Join us for a 2 day adventure with
celebrity chefs and bloggers, super giveaways, fantastic prizes and delicious
refreshments. Sunday and Monday,
November 19th and 20th holds lots of excitement so join
us both days and don’t miss a thing!
While the kosher culinary world has undergone amazing
changes in the last 20 years, one thing remains the same; our commitment to
you. It is our customers who make it a pleasure to share our enthusiasm for all
things kitchen.
No article would be complete without one of our delicious
recipes! So we’re bringing you a throwback to the first recipe we published in
the very first issue of our newsletter. It sure does bring back memories!
Pecan Crust:
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 egg yolk
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup ground pecans
Filling:
32 oz cream cheese (unwhipped)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
4 eggs
2 tablespoons bourbon (whiskey)
1 c chopped toasted pecans
White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting:
3 oz white chocolate (dairy-not baking bar)
4 oz cream cheese
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
Whole pecans for garnish
Line a 9” round spring form pan bottom with a circle of parchment. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Prepare crust:
Beat butter and sugar in a bowl until light. Add yolk continue beating until smooth.
Combine flour, baking powder and pecans. Fold dry ingredients into butter
mixture. Mixture will be crumbly. Press dough evenly into the bottom of the
pan. Bake 15 to 20 minutes in the middle
of the oven. Remove and reduce heat to
325 degrees.
Beat cream cheese only until smooth, add regular and
brown sugar and mix again for 1 minute.
Scrape sides of bowl between addition of ingredients. Add eggs, 1 at a time and beat only until
combined. Add bourbon and mix until
absorbed. Do not overbeat. Fold in
pecans slowly by hand.
Wrap aluminum foil around the bottom and sides of your
springform so that it comes up at least 1 inch higher than the sides. Pour in the cream cheese-pecan mixture. Place the springform on a baking sheet or
jelly-roll pan with sides and pour warm water into the baking sheet to a depth
of a 1/2”. Bake for 60 minutes or until
firm except for the center.
Remove the springform.
Remove the foil from around the pan and cool completely.
Prepare frosting:
Melt white
chocolate in a bowl over simmering water.
Beat cream cheese until smooth.
Add melted white chocolate and mix.
Add butter and lemon. Using a
pastry bag fitted with a large star tip, pipe 12 rosettes around the top of the
cake at the outer edge. Into each rosette , place a pecan, inserted at an
angle. Serve chilled.