Foodie Night In Dessert Party

I don’t make Foodie Night In (#FNIChat) every Monday but every occasion I do it is a great time. I took an early bus yesterday and was able to check in after I finished up some work stuff. The topic was desserts. I know a few things about dessert and can even attest to having lost quite a few pounds that were 100% dessert based!

I was following the tweets and answering some of the questions when one came by about the best gourmet dessert ever. It’s a hard question, but for me #1 is warm apple pie with vanilla ice cream. Always loved it, always will. The best part is that I make it so I know what to expect. I followed that up with two cheesecakes, both of which Margot is the master maker of, Triple Citrus with an Orange Liqueur Sauce and Peanut Butter Chocolate with a Fudge Sauce. That got the tweets going. Recipes were demanded! I promised I would dig them up when I got home and post them.

Both of these cheesecakes were first made years before we started our blog and Margot hasn’t revisited them since. Thus we don’t have any pictures. You will have to imagine them for now.

Triple Citrus Cheesecake with Orange Liqueur Sauce

1 ¼ cups graham cracker crumbs (crush with a rolling pin & crackers inside zip-top bag)
½ cup melted butter
3 packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp each of lemon, lime, orange juice (fresh)
1 Tbsp each lemon, lime, orange zest (try not to get white pith when zesting)
3 eggs

Mix the butter and cracker crumbs. Press into the bottom of a spring-form pan.

Beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla together until very well blended. Mix in juice and zest. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing each until incorporated.

Pour filling over crust. Bake in a 350 oven for 45-50 minutes. Also place an oven safe bowl containing hot water in the oven with the cake. This will help keep the top from cracking. Cool completely.

Orange Liqueur Sauce

2 tbsp brown sugar
1 freshly-squeezed orange juice
1 tbsp Grand Marnier
1 tbsp Cointreau
1/2 tbsp brandy

Melt the sugar into the orange juice over medium-low heat. Add the liqueur’s and cook until thickened, only a few minutes. Drizzle over a slice of the cheesecake and serve!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cheesecake with Fudge Sauce

2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs (we use Oreos)
½ cup melted butter
3 packages cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted
3 eggs
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, warmed

Mix the butter and cracker crumbs. Press into the bottom of a spring-form pan.

Beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla together until very well blended. Mix in chocolate. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing each until incorporated. Blend in the peanut butter.

Pour filling over crust. Bake in a 325 oven for 55-60 minutes. Also place an oven safe bowl containing hot water in the oven with the cake. This will help keep the top from cracking. Cool completely.

Fudge Sauce

4 oz unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups of white sugar
1 can evaporated milk (12 oz)

Melt the chocolate, butter and salt together as you normally would. Some people have a traditional double boiler, some people use the microwave and then a sauce pan. Add the sugar in six shifts, mixing it in completely each time. Slowly mix in the evaporated milk until the color and texture is consistent. Watch the heat during the whole process so you don’t burn the chocolate. Drizzle over a slice of the cheesecake and serve!

OK, we admit the two cheesecakes above are rich and decadent and the additions of the sauces makes eating them something to plan time for, but the question was best gourmet desserts, right?

Cheers!

--Jason