Raspberry Lemonade Bars

The special treats I made for my Birthday this year where Black forest Parfaits, Key Lime Pie cupcakes, and Raspberry Lemonade Bars.  I got to share my treats this year with family in CO. and everyone enjoyed them.  This post I am going to share the recipe for the bars.

 

RASPBERRY LEMONADE BARS (Adapted from The Improv Kitchen)
Crust:
9 tbsp butter
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 tsp vanilla essence
pinch of salt

Filling:
2 1/2 cups frozen raspberries, thawed
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup lemon juice (about 3-4 medium lemons)
zest of 3 lemons
3 egg whites
1 egg
2/3 cup flour
pinch of salt, extra

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line and grease a 8x8 inch square baking dish.
To make the crust, cream together butter and sugar until light. Add the flour, vanilla and salt and mix until combined well. Do not over mix as this can make the base tough. Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until just golden brown. Remove from oven and cool.

To make the filling, place all thawed raspberries in a fine sieve and press them into a large bowl with the back of a spoon. Discard the caught seeds and skin. Add the sugar, juice, zest, whites, egg, flour and salt and combine, until well incorporated.
Pour the raspberry mixture onto the base and place in the oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Cool on the bench before placing in the refrigerator to set completely (about 3-4 hours) Cut and decorate as desired.

 

 

 

Blackforest Parfait

Well another year has come and gone and I'm turning another year older.  I love chocolate covered strawberries so I wanted to make something that had those wonderful flavors in a cake form.  This was a simple and fun treats to make. 
Buy plastic wine glasses to hold the parfait.  This dessert has three components choc. cake, strawberries, and lime flavored whipped cream.

I made a dark chocolate cake and added choc. chips to the batter to add extra chocolate.
Then I chopped fresh strawberries (small bits are the best :))
Make the whipped cream:
* Heavy whipping cream
* powder sugar
*vanilla extract
*lime zest and juice
1.  You will need an electric mixer with a whisk attachment.  Pour the whipping cream into the mixer bowl along with 1 tsp of vanilla and 1 tsp of lime juice, and add also zest from half of a lime.  Turn on the mixer onto one speed above slow.
2.  Allow to mix until it starts to thicken, then begin to add 1 tbs of powder sugar at a time, you will need to add at least 5 tbs but taste to see if you want it sweeter.  Continue to mix until the peaks are stiff.
Build your Parfait: (make sure cake is completely cooled)  Cake/strawberries/cream......repeat. :)

Strawberry Cheesecake

Strawberry Cheesecake with a drizzle of Chocolate

 

 

While I was in Colorado my brother asked me to make Gumbo and a yummy dessert.  I decided a creamy cheesecake with some fresh fruit would be nice after a spicy-Gumbo.  Oh, everyone was drooling all over themselves because of this cheesecake.

 

It is best to make this cheesecake a day ahead so plan as such, but you can make the same day.

Begin with the crust, move to the filling, and finish with the berries.

Crust:    Preheat Oven 350 degrees

Spring form pan

1 1/2 package of Honey Maid Graham crackers

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon flour

1 stick of melted butter

 

Crush crackers into a fine crumble, add sugar and flour mix well.  Melt butter then add to the cracker mixture.

Spray the bottom and sides of the pan.  Add cracker crumble to pan and press evenly over the bottom, also press some up the sides for a small edge.   Place into the oven and bake for five minutes. Remove from the oven, using a spoon press down the crust and set aside to cool.  Make filling

 

 

Filling:    Oven remains at 350 degrees

4 packages of cream cheese/ at room temperature

4 eggs/ at room temperature

1 1/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 zest of a lemon

 

Using an electric mixer cream the Cream cheese and sugar together, add one egg at a time until well mixed.  Incorporate the vanilla and lemon zest and slowly add in the whipping cream.  Make sure to scrap the edges of the bowl throughout the mixing so everything is well Incorporated.  Pour Cheese mixture into the prepared pan with the crust.

Cover the bottom of the pan with tin foil and return to the oven.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Remove from the oven and add the spring form pan to a larger pan.  Add some water to the larger pan so that the cheesecake is in a water bath, return to the oven and bake for another 20 minutes.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool.  (if the middle is still a little jiggly that is fine but if it still moves like loss liquid then bake for a little longer.)

Once cooled cover and place into the fridge (allow to set up for at least two hours).  Do not loosen the spring pan until the next day.

Just before you are ready to serve undo the spring on the pan and remove. 



 

Topping:

1 pint sliced strawberries

1 1/2 tablespoon of sugar

1/2 lemon zest and juice

 

Slice the strawberries and place into a bowl. Add sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest mix well. Put a cover on and place into the fridge to marinate (over night is best).

Slice Cheesecake and cover each slice with Strawberries and a little drizzle of Chocolate, serve and witness the drooling from your guests.