Tag: recipe

Peppermint Cheesecake Brownies

Written 12/31/24, updated 12/31/24

Recipe from Real Simple Magazine. NOT vegan (and not recommended as vegan). Peppermint infused and as a topping

Materials

Ingredients

1 pkg Fudge Brownie Mix

16 oz Cream Cheese, softened

½ cup Granulated Sugar

½ cup Sour Cream

½ tsp Vanilla Extract

½ tsp Peppermint Extract

2 ct Large Eggs

⅓ cup+ Crushed Peppermint Candy

Optional: ½ cup Chocolate Chips

Optional: ⅓ cup Heavy Cream

Supplies

Muffin Trays w/Liners OR Baking Pan OR Springform Pan

Parchment Paper

Baking Spray

Mixing Spoon

Silicone Spatula

Large Mixing Bowl

Measuring Implements

Toothpick

Electric Beater

Cooling Racks

Kitchen Mallet

Serving and Time

Serving: 24 Brownies

Time: 20 minute Brownies + 20 minute Prep + 15 minute Bake + 1.5 hour Cool + 10 minute Set = 2-3 hours TOTAL

Directions

Brownies

  • Preheat oven to 350F
  • Prepare Brownies according to package
  • Either line a Muffin Pan (12 count) with liners OR grease/parchment paper a Baking Pan
  • Pour brownie batter into bakeware
  • Bake for about 20 minutes until toothpick comes out cleanly
  • While performing next steps, let cool

Prep

  • In a large mixing bowl, use an electric beater on medium speed to work Cream Cheese (16 oz) until smooth, about 2-3 minutes
  • Add Sugar (½ cup), Sour Cream (½ cup), Vanilla (½ tsp), and Peppermint Extract (½ tsp – a little more if you want more of peppermint flavor, but not too much lest it be bitter)
  • Beat on medium-low speed
  • Add Eggs (2 total), 1 at a time until all combined
  • Fold in Peppermint Candy (⅓ cup – more if desired for more peppermint)

Bake

  • Make sure oven is at 350F
  • Spread prepared mixture over top the brownies
  • Bake about 15 minutes, until cheesecake is set
  • Cool in the pan on top of cooling racks for 30 minutes
  • Refrigerate uncovered for at least 1 hour up to 24 hours (if longer than 4 hours, cover)

Topping (Optional)

  • Right before serving, using a microwave-safe bowl, add Chocolate Chips (½ cup) and Heavy Cream (⅓ cup)
  • Microwave for 30 seconds
  • Stir
  • Microwave for 30 seconds
  • Stir until smooth
  • Microwave more if needed
  • Spread over top the cheesecake and garnish with Crushed Peppermint Candy (desired amount)
  • Refrigerate for 10 minutes until set

SERVE and Enjoy!

Notes

  • Do NOT do this as a vegan recipe!! It’s not good! I tried making vegan cheesecake 6 times and it is never good despite using a variety of different cream cheeses
  • 2024: Made the mistake of making brownies in a different pan and then trying to cut it out in the shape of the springform pan I was using. NOT a good idea. Just bake it in the pan first. Otherwise the bottom is weird. If I were to do it again, I would add more peppermint as a whole as I couldn’t really taste it in the cheesecake. Did not do the optional frosting top
  • Recipe calls for soft peppermint candy. I used candy canes. The softer candy probably would  melt better
  • Trying it in a muffin pan is not a bad idea

Daifuku (Red Bean Mochi) Recipe

written 12/8/24, updated 12/8/24

What

Japanese dessert. It’s mochi (sweet glutinous rice flour), a chewy rice cake, wrapped around a filling, usually anko (sweet red bean paste). Can be filled with other ingredients like mung bean, fresh cut fruit, ice cream, or custard, and colored with powders (such as matcha powder), fresh fruit puree, or food coloring.

This recipe is made in the microwave for ease, but can also be steamed

*See Notes for more details

Ingredients

1 Cup Shiratamako or Mochiko Sweet Rice Flour (*See Notes)

¼ – ½ Cup Sugar (more or less as desired)

1 Cup Water

1 Cup Anko (sweet red bean paste, bought or made)

Katakuriko (potato starch or cornstarch as needed for dusting)

Supplies

Heat-proof bowl

Silicone Spatula

Silicone Whisk

Plastic Wrap/Microwave Cover

Parchment Paper

Baking Sheet/Tray

Time and Serving

Time: 5 minutes combine + 2 minutes microwave + 20 minutes shaping = 30 minutes

Serving: 8 pieces

Directions

  • Prepare your Anko filling
  • On a tray or baking sheet, do the same thing and set aside (this is where you’ll put the formed daifuku)
  • Whisk together Flour (1 Cup) and Sugar (¼ – ½ Cup, to your desire)
  • Add the Water (1 Cup) and combine with the silicone spatula until it forms a smooth batter
  • Cover with either plastic wrap or microwave lid
  • Microwave for about 1.5 minutes
  • Remove and stir well
  • Return to microwave for another 1.5 minutes
  • It should have formed a shiny, smooth dough, a somewhat hard lump, different from the batter from before
  • If not, then return for 30 seconds at a time, stirring in between
  • Dust your parchment paper workspace with either potato starch or cornstarch
  • Scrape the dough out onto your workspace (Be careful, it’s going to be HOT)
  • Sprinkle starch as needed to make it less sticky
  • Divide the hot dough into equal portions
  • Roll them into flat disks
  • Put your Anko filling into the middle and pinch the ends to close them
  • Place it seam side down on your pre-dusted tray
  • Continue to make the rest
  • This is best enjoyed right away, or cover and refrigerate up to 2 days

Notes

Clean-Up Tips

  • Soak your bowls and implements in water to help loosen it up
  • Try not to dump the wet flour down the drain if you don’t want to deal with a clog
  • If it’s being stubborn even after soaking, use the silicone spatula to scrape the wet dough into the trashcan

Katakuriko = potato starch

Mochi vs Dango

  • Dango: term for ball-shaped foods
  • While these days the lines have blurred between the two desserts’ ingredients, traditionally, the difference is that Mochi was made from steamed glutinous RICE (grain) and pounded in a pestle, while Dango was made from non-glutinous rice FLOUR, mixed with water, kneaded, then steamed or boiled.
  • Dango is made like boba, where the little balls are boiled

When made the same way (Flour, sugar, and boil little balls) tapioca starch (cassava) will make boba, while rice flour will make dango.

Mochiko vs Shiratamako

  • Both flours are similar to each other but differ in processing
  • Both can be used in other dishes like bakery goods and as thickening agents in savory dishes
Mochiko
  • Ground when rice is dry
  • Less working time until hardening
  • Sticky, chewy texture
  • Stronger flavor
  • Finely ground flour
Shiratamako
  • Ground when rice is wet, then dried
  • Stretchier, even when cool
  • Smoother texture, more delicate
  • Good for refined desserts
  • Coarse, granular textured flour