Cheesecake with Chocolate Ganache Topping

Crust - enough for 1 crust

2 cups (280g) graham crackers

120 g butter 

2Tbsps sugar

pinch of salt

Cake - batter for 2 cakes

40 oz (1134g) cream cheese

1½ cups white sugar

(OPTIONAL ½ cup cocoa powder)

3 Tbsps. flour

4 tsps. vanilla 

1 tsp packed lemon zest

2 tsps. lemon juice

¼ tsp salt

2 egg yolks

6 eggs

½ cup heavy cream

Topping - enough for 1 cake

7-8 oz (130g) chocolate (70%), chopped

3/4 cup (188g) heavy (whipping) cream

2 Tbsps (28gr) butter

Crust

1. Melt the butter. Combine the butter with the graham cracker crumbs until you get the texture of wet sand. Firmly press it down into the bottom and up the sides of a spring form pan. It should almost reach the top. I like to use a small measuring cup to pack it in.
2. Place the crust in the freezer while you make the cheesecake filling.

Cheesecake

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Whip the cream cheese in a stand mixer on medium-low speed until softened. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and under the paddle often. The process should take 2-3 minutes.
2. Add the sugar and flour and continue to mix on low until blended, scraping down the sides as needed.
3. One at a time, add the eggs, followed by the yolks.
4. Add the heavy cream, vanilla and lemon zest and mix until combined. Don't over mix the batter.
5. Remove the crust from the freezer and pour in the cheesecake filling.
6. Bake for 40 minutes to an hour
7. Cheesecake is done when a 1⁄2 inch (1.3 cm) ring around the the edge begins to brown and puff up slightly from the pan. The filling should still be pale, rather than golden.
8. Place the cheesecake on a wire rack to cool.
9. After cooling refrigerate the cheesecake for a minimum of 6 hours. Overnight is best.

Topping

1. Put the chopped chocolate in a bowl. 
2. Heat the cream and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil, then pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes. 
3. Stir until smooth.
4. Spread over the cooled cake and allow to set.

Apple Cinnamon Bread

THE BREAD

1½ cups apple sauce, drained in a sieve of extra moisture before measuring

¼ cup melted butter 

½ cup sugar

½ cup light brown sugar (packed)

2 eggs

1 + ½ tsp ground cinnamon (maybe try coriander?)

1½ cups flour

¼ tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

¼ tsp cloves

STREUSEL TOPPING

¼ cup all purpose flour

¼ cup packed Brown Sugar

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

1½ Tbsps. butter

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350°F. 
2. Sieve any extra moisture from the apple sauce before measuring the 1½ cup.
3. Melt the butter and whisk into the apple sauce
4. Add the sugars and then whisk in the eggs.
5. Without stirring, add the flour, cinnamon. salt, baking soda and cloves.
6. With a wooden spoon mix the batter just until combined.
7. Grease a bread pan with butter and pour in the batter.
8. In a small bowl, mix the flour, brown sugar and and cinnamon until evenly combined. Rub in the butter.
9. Sprinkle the streusel on top of the batter.
10. Bake for 1 hour or until a knife comes out clean.

Pierogi Casserole

Totally not pierogi, but close enough to fake it. Super easy although not easy on the number of dishes, but definitely worth it for some carb-y, fatty comfort food. There's no shame in it, and it's so, so good.

4-6 servings

5 potatoes, (40oz) 
½ cup milk
⅓ cup butter (2.7oz/76gr), melted (#1)
½ tsp salt 
½ tsp pepper 

2 Tbsps. (1oz/28gr) butter (#2)
(Optional: ¼ lb bacon, diced)
2 onions (12oz), chopped
9 lasagna noodles 
2 Tbsps. (1oz/28gr) butter (#3)
2 Tbsps. flour
1¼ cups milk
2 cups (8 oz) shredded Cheddar cheese
Sour cream
3 Tbsps. chopped fresh chives

1. Boil the potatoes in lightly salted water for 10-20 minutes, until fork-tender. Drain and mash with milk and ⅓ cup of butter, salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. Melt 2 Tbsps.' of butter to sauté the onion (if using, add them at the same time to sauté together), until soft and translucent.
3. Meanwhile, boil the water and cook the noodles until just al dente. They cook some more as the dish bakes.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F.
5. Make the bechamel sauce: melt the butter in a saucepan; add the flour and whisk, until the flour starts to turn golden. Stream in the milk, whisking to avoid lumps.
6. Layer the ingredients in a 9x13 baking dish in the following sequence: 
• a single layer of 3 noodles
• ½ of the mashed potatoes
• ⅓ of the cheese
• a single layer of 3 lasagna noodles
• the whole preparation of bechamel
• ½ of the mashed potatoes
• ⅓ of the cheese
• a single layer of 3 lasagna noodles
• ⅓ of the cheese
• onions (and bacon) on top. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Bake, uncovered, in the hot oven for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve with sour cream and chopped fresh chives.