Sour Cherry Cheesecake without Crust

32 oz cream cheese that has been whipped 5 eggs 1 stick unsalted butter 11/4 c sugar 16 oz sour cream 1 tsp lemon juice 2 tbsp cornstarch 11/4 tsp   vanilla 1/2 jar sour cherries dreained Let cream cheese, sour cream, butter and eggs stand at room temperature for approximately 1 hour. Whip cream cheese than add butter and sour cream together, then add the cornstarch, sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice. Beat on"whip" speed until very well blended. Beat in one egg at a time until the entire mixture is very smooth. Fold in sour cherries Pour mixture into a greased 9 1/2 inch spring pan. Place pan into a large roasting pan half filled with water. Bake at 375 degrees for one hour or until top is golden brown. Turn off oven and let cake cool with oven door open for one hour. Let stand at room temperature for two more hours cover and set in fridge until chilled.     Put remaining sour cherries into a heavy sauce pot, add juice, reserving a 1/2 cup which      you will add 2 TB of corn starch. Bring cherries and liquid to a simmer than add the

reserved liquid with cornstarch. Continue to simmer stirring constantly until thickened.

Chill and serve on the side with the cheesecake.

Cinnamon roll Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce

6 large cinnamon rolls store bought without glaze (cut into bite size pieces)
1 cup raisins
4 eggs
2 1/2 cups milk
2 1/2 cups half & half
1 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sugar
1 stick butter

place cut cinnamon rolls into a 10 in baking dish
add raisins
add beaten eggs to milk and half & half, add salt, sugar, and vanilla mix well until sugar is dissolved. Pour over rolls. Top with butter which you have cut into pieces. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 40 minutes or until bubbly but not brown.


Sauce ( cook just before serving)
vanilla pudding (not instant)
3 cups milk and a splash of half & half


Cook pudding according to directions with the 3 cups of milk and a splash of half & half. Serve over cinnamon roll bread pudding. Either the entire pudding or individually.
 

Pear Brandy Bundt Cake

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
• Flour, for pan
• 2 cups sugar
• 6 eggs
• 3 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
• 3 ripe pears, peeled, cored, and grated
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla 
• 1/2 cup pear brandy, divided
• Pear preserves, heated and strained, for garnish

Directions

Grease and flour an 8-cup bundt pan and set aside. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In the bowl of a mixer, cream butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, until incorporated. Slowly stir in flour, being careful not to over-beat. Add pears, vanilla,  and 1/4 cup pear brandy; mix well. Transfer to prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then unmold onto a cooling rack. Cool completely. Douse with another 1/4 cup pear brandy then glaze with warmed pear preserves. Let pear glaze set.

Homemade Pear Brandy

Pear Brandy

This can be used to make Pear Cake

½ pound firm ripe pears
2 whole cloves
1 1-inch cinnamon stick
Pinch of nutmeg
1 cup sugar
1½ cups brandy
Core pears and cut into 1-inch chunks, do not peel. Place in a jar with cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar and brandy. Cover tightly and let steep for 2 weeks at room temperature. Shake jar daily. When steeping period is complete, strain and filter the liquid using a coffee filter in your strainer.
Pour into bottles and cap tightly. Let age at least 1 month before serving.

Apple Cake

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon double-acting baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter or margarine, softened
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs, separated
• 1/2 cup milk
• 8 medium (about 3 pounds) cooking apples, such as Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Gravenstein, Greening, Jonathan, Macoun, Pippin, Starr, Winesap, Yellow Transparent, or any combination, cored and diced (peeling is optional)

Glaze (optional):

•  1/2 cup confectioners' sugar and 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
• 1 to 2 tablespoons milk or water

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a kugelhopf or 10-inch Bundt pan.

2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat the butter until smooth, about 1 minute. Gradually add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time. Stir in the flour mixture and milk.

3. Beat the egg whites on low speed until foamy, about 30 seconds. Increase the speed to high and beat until stiff but not dry. Fold one-fourth of the whites into the batter, then gently fold in the remaining whites.

4. Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan. Spread with half of the apples. Top with the remaining batter, then the remaining apples.

5. Bake until golden brown, 50 to 60 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then transfer to a rack and let cool completely.

6. To make the glaze if using: Combine all the glaze ingredients, stirring until smooth and of pouring consistency. Drizzle over the cake and let stand until set.

Quick and Easy Cherry Cake

ENLARGE IMAGE

2 lbs. pitted fresh sour cherries 

   or frozen and thawed sour cherries

1⁄4 cup flour, plus more for pan

16 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened, 

   plus more for pan

1 1⁄2  cups sugar

3 tbsp. kirsch or brandy

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 egg 

2 1⁄4  cups whole wheat flour

1 tbsp. baking powder 

3⁄4 tsp. kosher salt

1 cup milk

1. Heat oven to 400°. Toss cherries with 1⁄4 cup flour in a bowl; set aside.

2. Grease a 13" x 9" baking sheet with butter and dust with flour; set aside. In a large bowl, beat together butter, sugar, kirsch, and vanilla with a hand mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Add egg; beat until incorporated. 

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together whole wheat flour, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer running on low speed, alternately add flour mixture and milk in 3 batches to make a batter. Spoon batter onto reserved baking sheet and smooth evenly. Sprinkle cherries over the top. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, then  reduce to 350 for, 40 minutes or until golden brown and tooth pick comes out clear. Let cake cool 30 minutes, then cut into squares.

Top with kirsch flavored whipped cream....

We Have A Winner

CONGRATULATIONS~~~~~~~~BIRGIT KRAUS~~~~~~~~WINNER OF THE OKTOBERFEST GIVEAWAY....