Cookies and Cream Cheesecakes

Cookies and Cream Cheesecakes, a la Martha Stewart:


MAKES 30
42 cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies (Who are we kidding, do any other cookies hold a match to OREO cookies??), 30 left whole and 12 coarsely chopped
2lbs cream cheese, room temperature (Equivalent: 4 Philadelphia Cream Cheese pkgs)
1 cup sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs, room temp, lightly beaten
1 cup sour cream
pinch of salt

1. Preheat oven to 275F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Place 1 whole cookie in the bottom of each lined cup.
2. With an electric mixer on med-high speed, beat cream cheese until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Gradually add sugar, and beat until combined. Beat in vanilla.
3. Drizzle in eggs, a bit at a time, beating to combine and scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Beat in sour cream and salt. Stir in chopped cookies by hand.
4. Divide batter evenly among cookie-filled cups, filling each almost to the top. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until filling is set, about 22mins. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely. Refrigerate (in tins) at least 4 hours (or up to overnight). Remove from tins just before serving.

This was my contribution to Easter Sunday dinner at my parents, who claim they do not like cheesecake. Either this recipe has converted them, or they were acting like loving parents and PRETENDED that they loved them. Either way, these are substantial little desserts that are packaged in single-serving sizes. I will definitely makes these again.

One Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes with Fluffy Vanilla Icing

From Martha Stewart's Cupcake Book (Thanks Laura!!), here are the One-Bowl Chocolate Cupcakes with Fluffy Vanilla Icing:


Cupcake Recipe - Books says it makes 18, I usually get 21:
1 1/2cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 Tbsp vegetable oil (I just used olive oil...)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup warm water

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. With an electric mixer on medium speed, whisk together flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Reduce speed to low. Add eggs, buttermilk, oil, extract, and water; beat until smooth and combined, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
2. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Bake, rotating tins halfway (I NEVER ROTATE - why is this important???), until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean (I just rely on Martha's recommended time - I have a hunch that her opinion is trust-worthy!), about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool 10minutes; turn out cupcakes onto racks and let cool completely. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months in airtight containers (good to know!).
3. To finish, fill a pastry bag fitted with a medium French star tip with icing. Pipe whatever design you choose ... Martha does a starburst pattern, but I am trying to get the hang of using the pastry bag and am starting simply. PLUS I really want my cupcakes to look like FLIRT cupcakes ... one day.

Fluffy Vanilla Frosting - makes about 4 cups
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted (I don't sift ...)
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1. With an electric mixer, beat butter on medium-high speed until pale and creamy, about 2mins.
2. Reduce speed to medium. Add the confectioners' sugar, 1/2cup at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl as needed; after every two additions, raise speed to high and beat 10seconds to aerate frosting, then return to medium. This process should take about 5mins. Frosting will be very pale and fluffy!
3. Add vanilla, and beat until frosting is smooth. If not using immediately, frosting can be refrigerated up to 10 days in an airtight container. Before using, bring to room temperature, and beat on low speed until smooth again, about 5 mins.

YUM.