Peanut Butter Cup Brownie Bottom Cheesecake

I found this recipe floating around the inter-web so I'm not sure who to give credit for it.  I do have to say to whoever came up with this recipe:

☆.•♥•This is HEAVEN in a Cheesecake form•♥•☆

Peanut Butter Cup Brownie Bottom Cheesecake

Ingredients:

Brownie Crust:

        6 Tbs Unsalted Butter, melted
        1 1/4 cups Sugar
        1 Tbs Vanilla Extract
        2 Eggs
        1 cup Flour
        1/3 cup Unsweetened Cocoa
        1/2 tsp Baking Powder
        1/2 tsp Salt

        1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
        1 cup Peanut Butter Chips

Cheesecake Filling:

        2 lbs Cream Cheese, softened
        5 Eggs, at room temperature
        1 1/2 cups Brown Sugar, firmly packed
        1 cup Smooth Peanut Butter (not natural-style)
        1/2 cup Whipping Cream
        1 Tbs Vanilla Extract

Decoration:

        1/2 cup Whipping Cream
        1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
        1 cup Peanut Butter Chips

         6 Peanut Butter Cups, cut carefully in half


Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F .
2. Grease 9-inch Springform pan with butter.
3. Stir together butter, sugar and vanilla in large bowl with spoon or wire whisk. 
4. Add eggs; stir until well blended. 
5. Stir in flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; blend well. 
6. Spread in prepared pan.
7. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until brownie begins to pull away from side of pan. 
8. Meanwhile make cheesecake layer (see below).
9. Immediately after removing brownie from oven, sprinkle milk chocolate chips, peanut butter chips and peanut butter cups over brownie surface. 
10. Spoon cheesecake mixture over chips. 
11. Turn down oven 325°.

Cheesecake Filling: (makes extra)

1. Beat cream cheese in bowl of electric mixer until smooth.
2. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. Add sugar, peanut butter and cream; 
4. Mix until smooth.
5. Stir in vanilla.
6. Pour filling into prepared crust.

IF SOME BATTER IS LEFT OVER, EITHER STORE OR PUT IN SMALLER SPRINGFORM PAN.

Directions, continued:

1. Double-wrap Springform pan with aluminum foil to prevent water seeping inches.
2. Place Springform pan into a larger baking pan.
3. Pour hot water into the larger pan so that the water comes 1 inch up the sides of the Springform pan.
4. Bake at 325 degrees 1-1/2 hours, or until firm and lightly browned.
5. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for one hour.
6. Run a knife along the edge of the cake to loosen it from the pan somewhat.
7. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before decorating.

Decoration: (makes a lot extra-try using it on individual slices after cutting).

1. Remove cake from pan and put on a pretty plate.
2. Bring whipping cream to boil in a small saucepan.
3. Remove from heat and add semi-sweet and peanut butter chips. 
4. Stir, stir, stir until melted and smooth.
5. Drizzle over cake
6. Add peanut butter cup halves around the edge of the cake.

Enjoy!

            Ingrid

Roti Kukus (Indonesian Steamed Cake)

They are soft, moist and spongy. and so good. It's been a while since I've had them but they are so good!

Roti Kukus

Ingredients:

        3  Egg Yolks
        1  Egg White
        1 3/4 cup  Caster Sugar (substitution below)
        1 3/4 cup Flour
        1/2 cup Sprite
        1 tbsp Cocoa Powder

Directions:

1. Prepare steamer. Line roti kukus molds with parchment paper.
2. Beat egg yolks, egg white, and caster sugar until thick and pale.
3. Fold in 1/3 of the flour, then 1/2 of the sprite.
4. Gently mix
5.  Repeat with remaining flour and Sprite, ending with flour.
6. Mix thoroughly until there is no lumps in the batter.
7. Divide 1/3 of the batter into a small bowl and add cocoa powder. 
8. Whisk until thoroughly combined.
9. Spoon white batter into moulds.
10. Swirl a little of the chocolate batter.
11. Steam for 15-20 minutes on high heat.

Notes:

    It is best to steam them in small quantity at a time. Unlike common cake batters         which should be baked immediately, this batter can stand quite long.
    Do not open the steamer during the first fifteen minutes. Peeking can cause the         rising of the cake to stop.
    Muffin molds may be used for this cake and it turns nice too.

    Spread Irish butter on the cakes.

Makes 10 cakes.

Substitutions:

Castor sugar may not be easy to track down, but it is easy to make. In fact, it's really nothing more than granulated sugar that has been ground to a super-fine consistency. 

Here's how to make your own castor sugar in seconds:

Preparation:

1. Place granulated sugar in a food processor or blender.
2. Pulse until it reaches a super-fine, but not powdery consistency.
3. Allow the sugar to settle for a few minutes.
4. Then, use in place of the castor sugar for your recipe.

Enjoy!

            Ingrid

Restaurant Style Steak

Over at Tastebook I found a recipe that told us how to make fillet mignon that tastes just like what you would find in a restaurant. I altered it slightly to what I had handy in my kitchen - which meant rib eye.  The family liked it even though we always feel you need more garlic. 

Restaurant Style Steak

Ingredients:

        2 8oz Rib Eye Steaks

        2 cloves Garlic, chopped

        1/2 cup Butter

        1 Tbs Olive Oil

        1 Tbs Parsley, chopped

        1 Tbs Thyme, chopped

        4 tsp Kosher Salt

        4 tsp Pepper, freshly cracked would be best

        1 tsp Lemon Zest

     

Instructions:

1. Take 1/2 stick of butter, softened, and mix well with the peeled, chopped garlic, the chopped herbs, and the lemon zest.  Form into a log and refrigerate.  
2. Generously season the filet's with salt and pepper, approximately 1 teaspoon of seasoning per side.
3. Heat the remainder of the butter (1/2 stick) and the olive oil in a cast iron skillet to a screaming hot temperature.  
4. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.   
5. Sear the steak in a screaming hot pan for about 2-3 minutes per side, or until a nice brown crust has formed. 
6. While the steak is searing, continue to spoon the residual butter in the pan on top of the meat while it's cooking.  
7. Once both sides are seared, place in the center of the oven for about 6-8 minutes, depending upon how thick your steak is.  
8. In the last minute of cooking, take the log of compound butter and slice a nice thick piece to place on top. 
9. Your steak will be ready when it is approximately 135 degrees in the center, or when you push lightly on the top center of the steak and it gently and slowly bounces back.  (Note, this is medium rare. Some people don't like to eat cows while they are mooing, so clearly you can cook longer if your afraid of the pink.)

Note:

        The reason this dish is so amazing is due mostly in part to having the very best,         most fresh ingredients possible.  That means high grade salt, it means pepper            ground right in front of you by a pepper mill.  It means fresh herbs and it means            REAL BUTTER.

Enjoy!

            Ingrid