Dulce De Leche Casero
Dulce de Leche Casero (Homemade Sweet Milk)
Source: saveur
com
Makes about 1 1/4 cups
5 cups milk
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 vanilla bean, split
1 tsp baking soda
Put milk in a large, deep, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat
Bring to a boil & allow skin to form on top of milk
Do not stir
Skin will thicken & puff up; then reduce heat to medium & remove skin
Increase heat to medium-high & repeat process three more times
The skin will become thinner with each boil
Resist the urge to stir milk
Add sugar & vanilla bean after fourth & final boil, then stir until sugar has melted, about 2 min
Reduce heat to medium-low & stir in baking soda
Simmer milk, stirring often, yet taking care not to disturb film of cooked milk forming on the inside of the saucepan
Simmer, skimming foam while milk cooks, until reduced by half, about 1 hour
Reduce heat to low & simmer, skimming occasionally, until milk is very thick & golden, about 3 1/2 hrs more
Mixture will brown as it cooks
Strain cooked milk through a sieve into a bowl, then cover & refrigerate
Mixture will thicken as it cools
Serve with fruit, such as strawberries or bananas, or with toast, if you like
Mexican Chocolate Cheesecake
Mexican Chocolate Cheesecake
16 squares cinnamon graham crackers
3 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup finely chopped almonds
24 ozs cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
6 eggs
1 cup heavy cream
6 ozs semisweet chocolate
2 Tbsp prepared coffee
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
2 tsps cinnamon
Crush graham crackers into fine crumbs
In a small saucepan, melt the butter, then stir in cracker crumbs & almonds; mix thoroughly
Butter the bottom & sides of a 9-inch spring-form pan
Pat the crumb mixture in an even layer over the bottom of the pan
In a food processor or blender combine cream cheese, sugar, eggs & heavy cream
Blend until smooth
Process in several batches, if necessary
Pour the mixture into a large bowl
Preheat the oven to 350 deg F
Melt the chocolate in the coffee over low heat, stirring, until it is smooth & well blended
Cool slightly
Stir chocolate, vanilla & almond extracts & cinnamon into the cheese mixture
Mix thoroughly
Pour the mixture over the crumb crust
Bake for 1 hour or until the cake is set & the center is no longer liquid
Cool, then chill thoroughly before unmolding
Glaze, if desired, with 2 to 4 ozs melted semisweet chocolate & garnish with 2 Tbsp finely chopped almonds
Kiwi Kooler Punch
Kiwi Kooler Punch
3 kiwifruit, divided
20 maraschino cherries
1 (1 liter) bottle club soda, chilled
1 (1 liter) bottle ginger ale, chilled
3 cups orange juice, chilled
1 pint vanilla ice cream
Peel & quarter 2 kiwifruit
Place kiwifruit & cherries in an electric blender
Blend on high speed until smooth
Pour into a punch bowl
Add club soda, ginger ale & orange juice
Mix well
Peel & slice remaining kiwifruit
Garnish punch with kiwifruit slices
Spoon ice cream into punch
Serve immediately