As Easy As (Mudslide) Pie

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a terrific recipe to have in your roster on a hot summer day. It's easy enough for the kid's to make and while it requires significant chill time, it adds a festive end to a summer meal. The recipe which appears below comes from the Nestle test kitchen, and while I follow their ingredient list to the letter, I use the microwave to melt the chocolate for the pie. It just makes things easier. While there are several ways to melt chocolate using the microwave, I place the chocolate in a bowl and heat it on medium high for about 1 minute, then stir the chocolate and continue to heat at 15 to 20 second intervals, stirring in between, until the chocolate is melted and has a smooth consistency. The pie really needs a full 6 hours in the freezer if you want neat slices. You can cut it before then but the lower layer will not be completely set and has a tendency to run. This is a truly effortless dessert, and I do hope you'll give it a try. Here is how it is made.

Shrove Tuesday Pancakes with Chocolate Chips and Cinnamon Cream

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Shrove Tuesday, also known as Fat Tuesday, precedes the first day of Lent. It's called Shrove Tuesday because centuries ago it was custom for confessions to be heard on that day and those who were absolved were said to be shrove or shriven of sin. In more secular countries, particularly those that are English speaking, it is also known as Pancake Day. The tradition of serving pancakes on the eve of Lent is centuries old and it came about because there was a need to consume rich and restricted ingredients such as sugar, fat, flour and eggs before the 40 day Lenten fast began. Pancakes were an easy way to do that. While fast requirements are considerably easier these days, it is still fun to observe the pancake ritual. This year I found an old Paula Dean recipe to use as my feature for the day. I know you'll love these, but I must admit I think you'll find them more dessert than breakfast-like. No matter! They are delicious, easy to make and good enough that you might want to use a heart mold and serve them on Valentine's Day, unless, of course, you have given up sugar, fat, flour and eggs. Then you are on your own. Here is how these pancakes, and the delicious cinnamon cream that accompanies them are made.

Family-Style Sweet and Salty Peanut Buttter Pie

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I have a real weakness for desserts that are made with peanut butter, so, when this gem appeared in Food and Wine magazine I knew it was only a matter of time before it graced my table. I made the pie for my family today and it was so good that, despite having made it just this once, I'm comfortable sharing it with you tonight. If you like peanut butter and are occasionally willing to flirt with wretched excess, you are going to love this pie. I must admit that necessity forced me to use whipped topping rather than heavy cream as an ingredient, but the pie was delicious nonetheless. If you want clean slices, I suggest you freeze the pie for an hour or so before you cut it. Once it is cut, it can be refrigerated until you are ready to serve it. If appearances are not important to you, give everyone a spoon and let them dig in. This is a very informal dessert, so it is best kept for family and close friends who no longer need to be impressed. I do hope you'll try this. I suspect it will be a case of "once bitten". Here is how the pie is made.

Sweet and Salty Peanut Butter Pie...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Food and Wine magazine

Ingredients:
8 ounces peanut butter sandwich cookies, such as Nutter Butters
Salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
1-3/4 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup salted roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a food processor, pulse cookies with 1/4 teaspoon of salt until finely ground. Scrape cookies into a 9-inch pie plate. Stir in melted butter, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, until crumbs have texture of wet sand; you may not need to use all of the butter. Using your fingers, press crumbs evenly over bottom and up the side of pie plate. Freeze crust for 15 minutes.
2) Bake crust for about 10 minutes, until lightly golden. Let cool on a rack.
3) In a medium bowl, combine peanut butter with cream cheese, 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of salt and mix until thoroughly blended.
4) In another bowl, whip 3/4 cup of heavy cream until stiff. Whisk whipped cream into peanut butter mixture. Spread peanut butter filling in crust in an even layer. Refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.
5) In same whipped-cream bowl, whip remaining 1 cup of heavy cream and 2 tablespoons of sugar with vanilla until stiff. Spread whipped cream over pie. Sprinkle pie with chopped peanuts, cut into slices and serve. Yield: 8 servings.

If you have enjoyed your visit here, I hope you'll take a minute to...

      

One Year Ago Today: Sweet Potato Bread with Streusel

Two Years Ago Today: Banana and Carrot Muffins

Three Years Ago Today: Toasted Coconut Bread

Four Years Ago Today: Pumpkin Cake

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Puddin' Pie

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a wonderful family treat. We don't have it often because it is so rich and calorie laden, but my gang really enjoys it when I make it for them. I originally found the recipe for the pie in Saveur magazine. While I've made changes to it over time, the base recipe is still theirs. I no longer use the pie crust that was part of the original recipe because I found it to be tough. This sometimes happens   with an all-butter crust. Butter crusts tend to be crisper and less tender than ones made with a mixture of butter and shortening. Shortening is 100% fat, while butter consists of  20% water and 80% fat. The higher amount of fat in shortening results in a more tender crust because fat tenderizes by coating flour particles so that gluten can't form, and by trapping air between flour molecules to give the crust a layering or flakey effect. This really is not a difficult dessert to make, especially if you use  a commercially prepared crust as a starter. This dessert is so rich that you'll never miss the  butter crust.The filling is a peanut butter mousse that is topped with a chocolate pudding. It's probably best that we not speak of the whipped cream topping as it  could cost me my reputation for nutritional awareness. Obviously, the cream could be replaced with a whipped topping, but if you're going to make something so awfully wonderful it doesn't pay to stint. Have a small piece less often and enjoy it. If you love the chocolate and peanut butter you will really enjoy this pie. Here is how it is made. 

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Puddin' Pie...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Saveur magazine

Ingredients:
Crust
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
4 tablespoons chilled vegetable shortening
3 to 4 tablespoons ice water
Topping
2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Filling
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
4 egg yolks
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon vanilla

Directions:
1) Mix flour, salt and sugar in bowl of food processor fitted with steel blade. Scatter butter pieces over flour. Cut butter into flour with five 1-second pulses. Add shortening and continue pulsing until flour is pale yellow and resembles coarse corn meal, with butter bits no larger than small peas, about 4 more 1-second pulses. Turn mixture into medium bowl. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons ice water over mixture. With blade of a rubber spatula, use folding motion to mix. Press down on dough with broad side of spatula until dough sticks together, adding up to 1 tablespoon more ice water if dough will not come together. Shape dough into ball with your hands, then flatten into a 4-inch-wide disk. Dust lightly with flour and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate 1 hour before rolling.
2) Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Roll dough 1/8-inch thick on a floured surface. Transfer to a 9-inch pie plate, trim edges, prick with a fork. Cover with parchment; fill with dried beans. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove paper and beans and bake until golden brown, 10–12 minutes. Let cool.
3) To make topping: Whisk together cream, sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla to stiff peaks. Set aside.
4) Place peanut butter and chocolate in separate bowls. In a 4-quart saucepan, whisk together 1/2 teaspoon salt, brown sugar, cornstarch, yolks, and milk. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, cooking until custard thickens, about 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in butter and vanilla. Mixture will be lumpy. Strain through a sieve, and divide custard evenly between peanut butter and chocolate, whisking each mixture until smooth. Fold half of whipped cream into peanut butter, then spread evenly in pie crust and chill for 20 minutes. Spread chocolate over top and chill until set, at least 45 minutes. Spread remaining whipped cream over pie. Yield: 8 to 10 servings.

One Year Ago Today: Roasted Cauliflower with Golden Raisins and Pine Nuts

Two Years Ago Today: Mexican Chocolate Brownies

Three Years Ago Today: Magyar Gulyas

Pavlova with Lemon Curd and Mixed Berries

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is one of my favorite seasonal desserts and I make it several times each summer. Pavlova is a light meringue dessert that is usually topped with whipped cream and fresh fruit. This airy dish was named after Anna Pavlova, a Russian prima ballerina who toured Australia and New Zealand in the late 1920's. The dessert was created in her honor and I'm told it is still wildly popular in those countries. A well-made Pavlova has a crackly crisp crust and a soft marshmallow interior that makes it a perfect base to hold a creamy filling and seasonally fresh fruit. The version I'm featuring today is based on a recipe that first appeared in Gourmet magazine. It differs slightly from more classical preparations in that it uses lemon curd to fill the shell on which the berries rest. The combination of sweet and tart is irresistibly delicious, but because this is a meringue dessert, some care must be taken when assembling it. The eggs should be at room temperature if you want to achieve maximum volume and the meringue should be baked at a low temperature to achieve a light crust, while still retaining a soft marshmallow interior. The meringue should dry in the oven and as it does, it will crack. The shell is very fragile, and while the recipe developers say it can be frozen, I wouldn't count on being able to do that. That crackly crisp crust also crumbles. The tartness of the lemon curd is a perfect foil for the sweetness of the berries and meringue shell and the yin and yang nature of this dessert is close to perfect. The only caution I have to share with you regards the appearance of the Pavlova. In my kitchen, anyway, it is unpredictable and can range from stunning to something best described as a hot mess. I live in a generally damp climate that probably explains the variance, but the inconsistency prevents me from telling you that this dessert makes my socks go up and down. It is, however, really, really, really good and I know you will love its play of flavors. This deserves to be tried. Here's the recipe.

Pavlova with Lemon Curd and Mixed Berries ...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Gourmet Magazine

Ingredients:

Meringue

1 cup superfine granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 large egg whites at room temperature 30 minutes
3 tablespoons cold water
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar

Lemon Curd

2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 stick unsalted butter
3 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

Topping

1-1/2 cups heavy cream, divided use
4 cups mixed berries

Directions:
1) To make meringue: Place a rack in center of oven and preheat to 300 degrees F. Trace a 7-inch circle on a sheet of parchment paper. Turn parchment over and put on a baking sheet.Whisk superfine sugar and cornstarch together in a small bowl. Beat whites with a pinch of salt using an electric mixer at medium speed until they hold soft peaks. Add water (whites will loosen) and beat until whites again hold soft peaks. Increase speed to medium-high and beat in sugar mixture 1 tablespoon at a time. After all sugar has been added, beat 1 minute more. Add vinegar and beat at high speed until meringue is glossy and holds stiff peaks, about 5 minutes (longer if using hand-held mixer). Gently spread meringue inside circle on parchment, making edge of meringue slightly higher than center (the "crater" is for curd and fruit). Bake until meringue is pale golden and has a crust, about 45 minutes (inside will still be marshmallow-like). Turn oven off and prop door open slightly with a wooden spoon. Cool meringue in oven 1 hour.
2) To make lemon curd: While meringue bakes, stir together sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a 2-quart heavy saucepan, then add lemon juice and butter. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, whisking, then continue to simmer, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Lightly beat yolks in a small bowl and whisk in 1/4 cup lemon mixture, then whisk into remaining lemon mixture in saucepan. Reduce heat to low and cook, whisking constantly, until curd is thickened, about 2 minutes (do not let boil). Transfer to a bowl and stir in zest. Chill, surface covered with parchment, until cool, about 1 1/2 hours.
3) To assemble: Beat heavy cream until it just holds stiff peaks, then fold 1/2 cup beaten cream into curd to lighten. Spoon lemon curd into meringue and mound berries on top. Serve remaining whipped cream on the side.

Cooks' notes:
•For best results, keep oven door closed as much as possible during baking.
•Meringue can be made 2 days ahead and frozen, wrapped well in plastic. Thaw before serving.
•Curd can be made 2 days ahead and chilled.

One Year Ago Today: Frenchified Meatloaf

Two Years Ago Today: Curried Egg Salad

Three Years Ago Today: Warm Poached Sausage and Potato Salad

Strawberry Shortcake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I should be ashamed to admit it, but this homely, pedestrian dessert is one of my personal favorites. In fairness to myself, I must tell you that this is not the shortcake of childhood memory. The base of this dessert is a berry laced cream scone that is topped with fruit that's been macerated in orange liqueur and then covered with a small scoop of soft ice cream. The ice cream I make comes from a recipe developed by David Liebovitz and you can see that recipe here. I make the ice cream to his specifications just before serving to keep it soft. If you don't want to make ice cream, you can achieve a similar affect by placing a commercial ice cream in the refrigerator for an hour before serving. You can also replace the ice cream with whipped cream. Most of you are familiar with my recipe for cream scones. I've altered it slightly to use for shortcake, adding a bit of almond extract and strawberries to the original recipe. In order to finish the shortcakes, I top them with additional berries, a drizzle of warm strawberry jam and a top hat of whipped cream. This really is a lovely recipe. I hope you will enjoy it.

Strawberry Shortcake...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
Strawberries
4 cups sliced strawberries
1/4 cup granulated Sugar
2 tablespoons orange-flavored liqueur
Whipped Cream 1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
1/8 teaspoon almond extract
Shortcakes
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar, divided use
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup diced strawberries
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1-1/4 cups heavy cream
Ice Cream
2 small scoops per serving

Directions:
1) To make strawberries: Wash, drain and slice strawberries. Sprinkle with sugar and toss to coat. Sprinkle with orange liqueur and lightly toss again. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
2) To make whipped cream: Combine ingredients in stainless steel bowl. Whip to stiff peaks. Refrigerate.
3) To make shortcakes: Combine flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking power, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Cut butter into dry ingredients. Stir in strawberries. Add heavy cream and almond extract and stir by hand just until dough forms. Dough will be soft and sticky. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently until dough just holds together. Press dough into a 8 to 9-inch circle, 1-inch thick. Cut into 8 3-inch rounds. Place scones on baking sheet and sprinkle with reserved sugar. Bake 15-20 minutes at 400 degrees or until scones are a light golden brown on top.
4) To serve: Cut shortbread in half horizontally, separating top from bottom half. Place bottom half of biscuit in a medium bowl. Cover biscuit bottom with 1/2 cup of strawberry mixture. Place two small scoops of vanilla ice cream in center of biscuit bottom. Place remaining biscuit half on top of ice cream. Spoon additional berry mixture over biscuit top to moisten it. Finish with a dollop of whipped cream. Serve immediately. Yield: 8 servings.








One Year Ago Today: Margarita Cheesecake












Two Years Ago Today: Chocolate Bread









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Strawberry Cake - Petit Foodie
Strawberry Cupcakes - Sugar Plum
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Strawberry Linzer Cookies - Beach Lover Kitchen
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German Chocolate and Almond Cocoa Cream Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Over time, I've collected many recipes and lots of ideas from Taste of Home magazine. The recipe for this cake, originally called Chocolate Lover's Delight, was developed by Sandra Hackney and it appeared in the magazine about a year ago. It's a wonderful cake and the recipe featured below is the one that was published in the magazine. What I want to talk about, however, is how the processes of making this delicious cake can be simplified. I have never found that German chocolate produces especially flavorful cakes. As a matter of fact, I think cake layers made with this type of chocolate are merely colorful vehicles for highlighting the tastes of other fillings and frosting. I've made this cake several times now, and I can tell you with certainty, that the icing is what sets this cake apart from others you may have tried. The secret to this cake is found in its grace notes, not in its layers. With that in mind, I decided to try the cake using a German chocolate cake mix. I made the cake following directions on the back of the box, save for the fact that I used three, rather than two, 9-inch cake pans to hold the batter. I've found that doing this eliminates the need to split layers once the cake has cooled. This of course alters baking time. Mine take about 20 minutes to bake, but timing is a fickle thing and you'll want to watch your layers carefully. The almond flavor in the finished cake comes from almond extract, so I've also decided to eliminate the ground almonds used to sprinkle on the layers. They add cost, not flavor, to the finished cake and have no texture that might make their use worthwhile. In the interest of transparency, I must tell you that I made extra icing, increasing the recipe by 1/2, to assure discernible layers and complete coverage of the cake for its photograph. I hope that, in its original or simplified form, you'll give this cake a try. It is really delicious. Here's the original recipe.

German Chocolate and Cocoa Cream Cake ...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Sandra Hackney

Ingredients:
Cake Layers
1-1/2 cups sugar, divided
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup canola oil
2 eggs, separated
2 ounces German sweet chocolate, melted
1 3/4 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Frosting and Filling
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/3 cup baking cocoa
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 cup Creme de Cacao
1/2 cup ground almonds

Directions:
1) Grease and flour two 9-in round cake pans; set aside. In large bowl, beat 1 cup sugar, buttermilk, oil, egg yolks, and melted chocolate till blended. Combine flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and baking soda; gradually beat into sugar mixture till blended.
2) In large bowl with clean beaters, beat egg whites till soft peaks form. Gradually beat in remaining sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, on high till stiff peaks form. Fold into batter.
3) Transfer to pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-22 minutes or till a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
4) For frosting, beat cream, powdered sugar, cocoa, extract, and remaining salt till stiff peaks form.
5) Cut each cake horizontally into two layers; brush layers with cream de cacao. Place bottom layer on a serving plate; top with 1/2 cup frosting and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons almonds. Repeat layers twice. Top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake; sprinkle remaining almonds over the top. Yield: 10-12 servings.

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German Chocolate Cake - Lisa Is Cooking
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German Chocolate Cake Macarons - Wives with Knives
German Chocolate Pie: Grannie's Recipe - Cooking with K
German Chocolate Cupcakes with Coconut Almond Icing - Barbara Bakes
Small German Chocolate Cake - Cookie Madness
Death By German Chocolate Brownie-Cookie - It's A Big Cookie, Dude
German Chocolate Ice Cream Cake - Sugar Plum Blog
What is German's Chocolate? - Baking Bites
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Perfect Chocolate Cake

Calgary Herald "Food Porn Friday" Featured Recipe

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...My Chicago homies, at least those of a certain age, will remember Dressel's Whipped Cream Cake. It was an uncommonly good dessert and one of the first quality cakes to appear in the freezer cases of local markets. It was, for good reason, enormously popular, and I'm not ashamed to admit that, frozen or not, it appeared more than once on my dinner table. I loved it and had it several times a year, but when we moved from Chicago to the East Coast, I learned that it was a regional product that had never made it to markets outside the Midwest. It was soon clear that if I wanted a whipped cream cake, I'd have to make it for myself. Fortunately, McCall's Cookbook came to my rescue with a recipe for what they called The Perfect Chocolate Cake. It was pretty aptly named. The cake was light and rich and made with cocoa, whipped cream and lots of chocolate. Purists could do away with the lovely chocolate icing and frost the layers with plain or cocoa flavored whipped cream and have a cake very much like the one that came from Dressel's bakery. I normally make this cake with whipped cream frosting, but the McCall's cake is so lovely I thought you'd like to see the cake the way its developers envisioned it. The cake is uncommonly good, and those of you who try it, will know how it got its name. Here's the recipe.

Perfect Chocolate Cake...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite Courtesy of The New McCall's Cookbook

Ingredients:
Cake
1 cup unsifted unsweetened cocoa
2 cups boiling water
2-3/4 cups sifted all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup butter or regular margarine, softened
2-1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Filling
1 cup heavy cream, chilled
1/4 cup unsifted confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Frosting
1 package (6 oz.) semisweet chocolate pieces
1/2 cup light cream
1 cup butter or regular margarine
2-1/2 cups unsifted confectioner's sugar

Directions:
1) To make the cake: In medium bowl, combine cocoa with boiling water, mixing with wire whisk until smooth. Cool completely. Sift flour with soda, salt, and baking powder. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease three 9 by 1-1/2 inch layer cake pans. Line with parchment paper. Grease paper and lightly flour pans. Set aside. In large bowl of electric mixer at high speed beat butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla, scraping bowl occasionally, until light, about 5 minutes. At low speed, beat in flour mixture (in fourths), alternately with cocoa mixture (in thirds), beginning and ending with flour mixture. Do not overbeat. Divide evenly into pans; smooth top. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until surface springs back when gently pressed with fingertip. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Carefully loosen sides with spatula; remove from pans; cool on racks.
2) To make filling: Whip cream with sugar and vanilla; refrigerate.
3) To make frosting: In medium saucepan, combine chocolate pieces, cream, butter; stir over medium heat until smooth. Remove from heat. With whisk, blend in 2-1/2 cups confectioners; sugar. In bowl set over ice, beat until it holds shape.
4) To assemble and frost cake: On plate, place a layer, top side down; spread with half of cream. Place second layer, top side down; spread with rest of cream. Place third layer, top side up. With spatula, frost sides first, covering whipped cream; use rest of frosting on top, swirling decoratively. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. To cut, use a thin edged sharp knife; slice with a sawing motion. Yield: 10 to 12 servings.

Cook's Note: The cake should be refrigerated, but to prevent the frosting from cracking when cut, let the cake sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before slicing.

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Chocolate Oatmeal Cake - Taste of Home
Chocolate Overdose Cake - Confections of a Foodie Bride
The Best Chocolate Cake, Ever - Courtney's Sweets
Espresso Chocolate Cake with Mocha Mascarpone Frosting - Life's a Feast
Chocolate Cake with Coconut Icing - Chow and Chatter
Mexican Milk Chocolate cake - Sugar Plum
Mom's Chocolate Cake - Cookie Madness
Chocolate Guinness Stout Cake - The Recipe Girl

Cranberry Layered Cheesecake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I was seduced by its color and because I'm weak, this five layered cranberry confection ended up on my table. I normally don't make desserts that are this involved. As a matter of fact, I rarely make cheesecakes at all. I love them, mind you. I just can't convince myself that the protein packed into all that cream cheese offsets the fat and calories that keep the protein company. The first time I saw this cake was on the table of an accomplished cake decorator. It was gorgeous and its garnet glow snared me before reason could take hold. I made a homely version of the cake, one precious time consuming layer at a time, and thought that would be the end of it. I never dreamed Bob would like it. He did and now I'm dealing with a case of unintended consequences. I'll have to make the cake again. The cake begins with an almond flavored crust that is partially filled with a sweetened cheese custard and then topped with a cranberry filling. The garnet layer is then smothered with the rest of the custard before being topped with sweetened sour cream. The cake bakes a considerable while, and then is cooled and chilled for a considerable while, before a final layer of cranberries crown the cake and decorations of almond whipped cream are applied. It is a lovely tangy cake that provides irresistible color on the holiday table. The recipe was developed by Teri Rasey for Taste of Home magazine. Despite the work, I'm glad to recommend this cake to you. I've made a few changes to the original recipe. which you can find here. My version of the recipe appears below. I suggest that you add salt and almond extract to the crust and that you eliminate the ground almonds from the whipped cream. Let the cake chill for 24 hours before serving. This is a very nice recipe and, if you like cheesecake, it will be a great addition to your files. Here's how it's made.

Cranberry Layered Cheesecake...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Teri Rasey and Taste of Home magazine

Ingredients:
Pastry Layer
1/2 cup dried cranberries
2 cups cake flour
1/2 cup ground almonds
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
Cranberry Layer
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup cranberry juice
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
Cream Cheese Layer
4 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 eggs, lightly beaten
Sour Cream Topping
2 cups (16 ounces) sour cream
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Whipped Cream Topping
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Directions:
1) In a food processor, finely chop dried cranberries. Add flour, almonds and confectioners' sugar, salt and almond extract; process until blended. Add butter; pulse just until crumbly.
2) Press onto the bottom and 1-1/2 in. up sides of a greased 10-in. springform pan. Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes.
3) In a small saucepan, combine 3/4 cup sugar and cornstarch; stir in cranberry juice until smooth. Add berries. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Set aside.
4) In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, vanilla and sugar until smooth. Add eggs; beat just until combined. Pour half of batter into crust. Carefully spoon 3/4 cup berry mixture over batter; top with remaining batter.
5) Bake for 45 minutes. Reduce heat to 250°. Bake 25-30 minutes longer or until center is almost set. Combine sour cream, sugar and vanilla; spread over top. Bake 20-30 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Spread remaining berry mixture over the top. Refrigerate overnight.
6) Beat cream with sugar and almond extract until stiff peaks form. Pipe around top edge of cheesecake. Yield: 16 servings.

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