Happy New Year

January is oh so special to me. Both of my children are January babies, Alexander in 1990 and Makenzie in 1993. So in January I had birthday cakes to bake. Alex wanted chocolate. With chocolate frosting. Down and dirty...not too many sprinkles, no fancy decorations just cake and frosting. Easy.

His sister was altogether another story. She wanted a wedding cake. Tiers. Piping. Sugar flowers. Pink, pink, pink - with pink sprinkles. And cute candles. You had to have cute candles. One year I made her an icy igloo cake from Martha Stewart's collection of ridiculously difficult recipes complete with fondant penguins sliding down the sides. I still have a fondant penguin in the freezer. I saved it to remind myself never ever to do that again. But she loved it. And that is all that mattered.

So Happy Birthday Alex and Makenzie! You have made 21 years of Januarys a reason to eat cake!

Turtle Cheesecake

People LOVE cheesecake. It is irresistible. On it's own, its good enough. Add caramel and chocolate (okay pecans too..) and you have a reason to ditch the points. Most people think cheesecake is hard to accomplish. It will crack, it will fall, it will stick. Poohey, I say. It is easy to make a perfect cheesecake. Just take it slowly. Make sure ALL your ingredients are room temperature. Let the cream cheese sit out overnight, the eggs, sour cream and heavy cream at least two hours. When you get ready to mix the filling - never - ever - ever - let the mixer go past the lowest speed. Cheesecakes crack because the air in the filling heats, rises and pushes up the top of the cheesecake. Then those same air bubbles pop and your cheesecake falls - and cracks! If you mix the ingredients slowly you will not incorporate air in the filling - no air, no quick rise, no crack. Forget the water bath. Just take it slowly. Now preheat your oven to 350' and lets get started.

Crust:

2c. graham cracker crumbs

1/4c. granulated white sugar

1 stick melted butter

1 jar caramel ice cream topping

1c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. chopped pecans

Stir the crumbs, sugar and butter together until thoroughly mixed. Spray an 8" springform pan with cooking spray. Cover the bottom of the pan with the crumbs, then work them up the sides. I use a water glass to press the bottom down, and run it around the inside of the pan forcing the crumbs up the sides. Pour on the caramel topping, sprinkle with nuts and chocolate chips Freeze crust while you prepare the filling.

Filling:

32 oz. softened cream cheese (four 8oz. pkgs.)

1 c. granulated white sugar

1t. vanilla

1/3 c. heavy whipping cream

5 lg. eggs

3 tblsp. all purpose flour

In your stand mixer add the cream cheese and sugar. Beat on low, about 3-5 minutes.

Add eggs and vanilla. Mix until all traces of yolk is gone. Add in the heavy cream. More mixing - still on low speed. Finally sprinkle the flour over the filling with the mixer running and combine until the filling is smooth and satiny. Lovely.

Remove the crust from the freezer and pour in the filling. Place on a cookie sheet in the center of the oven. Bake for 15 minutes then reduce the oven temperature to 250' and continue to bake for an additional 2 1/2 hours. It is done when the center is set - not wobbly. Open the oven door and leave the cheesecake in there until it is cool enough to remove without oven mitts. Cover it with plastic and refrigerate overnight.

Take the cooled cheesecake out of the refrigerator and pop the latch. Push the cake through the ring. Gently use a spatula to remove the bottom and place on a plate. Allow it to sit at room temperature for about 30-40 minutes before cutting. Top with chocolate Ganache

Chocolate Ganache

2c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1c. heavy cream

Pour the cream over the chips and melt in the microwave for 3 minutes. Let sit a few minutes, whisk until smooth and top the cheesecake.

Shortbread Cookies

Just in time for Easter. These little buttery cookies are our signature here at Acorn Market. Every day we bake at least one hundred of them. Every day we give them all away. Seldom is one left on a tray or discarded in the trash. If we forget to include one we will likely be reminded. Our customers love love love our shortbread cookies. Now you can share these tiny treasures with those you love.

Acorn Market Shortbread Cookies

1 lb. soft unsalted butter (4 sticks)

1c. light brown sugar

1T. salt

3c. all purpose flour

You will need a stand mixer. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees. Place the butter and salt in your mixing bowl. Beat on med-high for 3 minutes. Stop mixer, scrape down the bowl and add the sugar. Beat another 5-6 minutes. The butter/sugar mixture should be light and fluffy. It should fill the bowl. Turn the mixer on low and add the flour slowly. Beat on low until it is all incorporated, about 2 minutes. Now you can get a little crazy - decide on a shape for your shortbread.

The simplest way is to roll the dough into a long log and wrap it in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 3 hours - or overnight.

You can also press it into a plastic wrap lined pie pan (to cut later into wedges) and then chill.

Or whatever mold you decide to use. Just refrigerate it for at least 3 hours.

Remove the cookie dough roll from the fridge. Slice the dough into 1/4" rounds and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Work quickly - the dough must go into the oven while it is still firm and cold. The cookies won't spread too much or rise so you can place them close together.

Bake them at 300 degrees for 30 minutes. Let them cool completely (about 30 minutes) before removing them from the sheet. Now there you are. Simply fabulous buttery bites. Divine.

You may add toasted pecans, craisins, or other dried bits of fruit to the dough prior to chilling for a variation. You may dip the cooled cookies in melted white or dark chocolate and dip in nuts or coconut. Just don't add chocolate chips or white chocolate to this dough. Trust me - I've tried it. It doesn't work.

So bake a batch or two. Wrap them in pretty paper and ribbons and give them as gifts. Or hide them in a tin and savor them all by yourself.

Happy Easter to you all from all of us at Acorn.

JM