RESTAURANT REPLICAS : SWEET TEMPTATIONS.Byline: Natalie Haughton Food Editor With the holiday season in full swing, sweets are appearing everywhere - in every flavor, shape and size. And the more, the merrier. Today we're including three copycat options from area establishments, including a bakery, restaurant and sports center, that would be terrific to serve in the festive days ahead. Try them when entertaining, going to a potluck, an office party, or in the case of the cookies, as a tempting gift for chocolate fans. The cookies, a copy of a version sampled at the Corner Bakery in Calabasas, are fudgey and chewy chew·y adj. chew·i·er, chew·i·est Needing much chewing: chewy candy. chew  i·ness n. and loaded with coconut. The bakery refers to them as macaroons, but they are decadent dec·a·dent adj. 1. Being in a state of decline or decay. 2. Marked by or providing unrestrained gratification; self-indulgent. 3. often Decadent Of or relating to literary Decadence. n. (and addictive) and not like any normal macaroons we've tasted. The chocolate elevates them several notches. Coming up with a close facsimile was no easy task and involved numerous testings. Although we tried a macaroon mac·a·roon n. A chewy cookie made with sugar, egg whites, and almond paste or coconut. [French macaron, from Italian dialectal maccarone, dumpling, macaroni. recipe (with egg whites and no yolks) laden with chocolate, the recipe included today - with whole eggs and butter - seemed a bit closer in texture and consistency to the original. Our version goes together in a jiffy A fraction of time that has numerous interpretations depending on who uses it. It may refer to one computer clock cycle, one nanosecond, one millisecond or one AC power cycle. There may be others. See nanosecond. 1. with a little help from the microwave oven. Simply melt some semiswseet chips with unsweetened chocolate and butter and whisk in brown sugar, vanilla, a little flour, shredded shred n. 1. A long irregular strip that is cut or torn off. 2. A small amount; a particle: not a shred of evidence. tr.v. coconut and some chocolate chips. Bake the cookies - the recipe makes only 16 - and top with sifted powdered sugar as the bakery does - or leave undusted if you prefer. They look and taste great! One of the newest cheesecake flavor creations at the Cheesecake Factory restaurant is the Chocolate Mint Cheesecake. The cake is definitely designed for mint lovers. While making the duplicate version here involves several steps - and is more complex than our usual creations - the results are worth the effort. The chocolate cheesecake is flavored with mint or peppermint extract Peppermint extract is an herbal extract of peppermint (Mentha x piperita) made from the essential oils of peppermint leaves. It is commonly used in cooking, as a dietary supplement, and as an herbal or alternative medicine. (use what's readily available at your market) and sports a chocolate cookie crumb crust. Once baked, top the cheesecake with chopped-up chocolate-covered mint cookies and then a White Chocolate white chocolate n. Cocoa butter combined with milk and a sweetener, often flavored with vanilla. Noun 1. white chocolate Topping layer easily made with whipped cream and melted white chocolate. We're unsure if the white layer of the Cheesecake Factory version is made with white chocolate or mascarpone mas·car·po·ne n. A fresh soft Italian cheese with a high butterfat content, made from cow's milk enriched with cream. [Italian, augmentative of dialectal mascarpa, whey cheese. cheese, as at two restaurant locations we've been given different descriptions. The version we sampled seemed more like white chocolate, so that's what we included in our replica recipe. Once set, top with a layer of Chocolate Ganache ga·nache n. A rich icing made of chocolate and cream heated and stirred together, used also as a filling, as for cakes or pastry. [French.] that goes together effortlessly in the microwave oven with chocolate chips and whipping cream Noun 1. whipping cream - cream that has enough butterfat (30% to 36%) to be whipped light whipping cream cream - the part of milk containing the butterfat . Be sure to refrigerate re·frig·er·ate tr.v. re·frig·er·at·ed, re·frig·er·at·ing, re·frig·er·ates 1. To cool or chill (a substance). 2. To preserve (food) by chilling. the cheesecake overnight, or several hours, until well-chilled and set. For best results, use a very sharp knife to carefully cut into slices. It's best to run the knife under very hot water and dry it in between cutting of the slices. The third creation is a yummy candy bar pie that was sampled recently from the dessert cart (which had several delicious creations) at the Staples Center This article has multiple issues: * Its neutrality is disputed. * It may contain original research or unverifiable claims. * It does not cite any references or sources. . It's goes together conveniently with a refrigerated re·frig·er·ate tr.v. re·frig·er·at·ed, re·frig·er·at·ing, re·frig·er·ates 1. To cool or chill (a substance). 2. To preserve (food) by chilling. pie crust (you can pick up a package in the refrigerator deli section of the supermarket), cut-up Snickers
Snickers is a sweet bar made by Mars, Incorporated. candy bars and a simple cream cheese mixture. Once baked and cooled, top the pie with Chocolate Ganache and sprinkle with chopped peanuts. Refrigerate until well-chilled. Clip and save these creations to use throughout the holiday season and whenever you need a delicious sweet for the table. CHOCOLATE COCONUT COOKIES 1 1/2 cups semisweet sem·i·sweet adj. Having a small amount of sweetening: semisweet chocolate. Adj. 1. semisweet - having a taste that is a mixture of bitterness and sweetness bittersweet chocolate chips 1 square (1 ounce) unsweetened chocolate 1/4 cup butter 2/3 cup packed brown sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 cup flour 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 2 cups shredded coconut In a 2-quart microwave measure, combine 1 cup chocolate chips, unsweetened chocolate and butter. Heat in microwave oven on high power 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, or until melted and smooth when stirred. With a fork or wire whisk, stir in brown sugar, eggs and vanilla until well blended. Stir in flour and baking powder, mixing well. Mix in coconut and remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips. With a generously filled 1 3/4-inch diameter scoop, drop mounds of batter on a foil-lined cookie sheet. (Or drop mixture by scant 1/4 cupfuls on a foil-lined cookie sheet.) Bake in preheated 350-degree oven 10 to 12 minutes, until cookies seem partially set around edges. DO NOT OVERBAKE. Cookies should be moist and fudgey. Cool on cookie sheets. Makes about 16 cookies. NOTE: Instead of using unsweetened chocolate, melt 1 1/4 cups chocolate chips with butter, if desired. CHOCOLATE MINT CHEESECAKE 3 (1-ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips 3 packages (8 ounces EACH) cream cheese, softened 3/4 cup sugar 4 eggs 1 to 2 teaspoons mint OR peppermint extract 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream Noun 1. heavy whipping cream - cream with a fat content of 48% or more double creme cream - the part of milk containing the butterfat Chocolate Crust 8 Mystic Mint cookies, finely chopped (1 1/2 cups) White Chocolate Topping Chocolate Ganache In a 2-cup glass measure, combine chocolates. Heat in microwave oven, on high power 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, or until melted and smooth when stirred. In a large mixer bowl, beat together cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, extract and cream until light and fluffy. Beat in melted chocolate until well blended. Turn into Chocolate Crust, spreading evenly. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven 55 to 60 minutes, or until almost set. Cool to room temperature. Sprinkle top with mint cookies, spreading evenly and pressing lightly into top of cheesecake. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. Once chilled, carefully top with White Chocolate Topping, spreading evenly. Refrigerate 1 to 2 hours or until set. Meanwhile, prepare Chocolate Ganache and chill until of spreading consistency, mixing occasionally. Spread ganache evenly and carefully over White Chocolate Topping. Refrigerate several hours, or overnight. With a sharp knife (rinsed with hot water and dried between slicings), cut into slices to serve. Top with pouffs of whipped cream, if desired. Makes 12 servings. CHOCOLATE CRUST: Line outside of bottom of a 9-inch springform pan spring·form pan n. A cake pan having an upright rim that can be unclamped and detached from the bottom of the pan. with a double thickness of foil. Mix together 2 cups chocolate wafer or Oreo cookie crumbs CRUMBS is an improvisational theatre duo based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The duo consists of two actors, Stephen Sim, and Lee White. Other members include videographers, musicians, photographers, webmasters, illustrators, producers, agents, publicists, graphic and 5 tablespoons butter, melted, until well blended. Press crumb mixture into bottom and 1-inch up sides of pan. WHITE CHOCOLATE TOPPING: In a small glass cup or dish, heat 2 (1-ounce) squares white chocolate in microwave oven on 50 percent power, 1 1/2 minutes or a few seconds longer, stirring once until melted and smooth. Cool. Meanwhile, beat 1 cup heavy whipping cream with an electric mixer until creamy but not stiff. Mix a little whipped cream into white chocolate until blended. Fold back into rest of whipped cream with a rubber spatula spatula /spat·u·la/ (spach´u-lah) [L.] 1. a wide, flat, blunt, usually flexible instrument of little thickness, used for spreading material on a smooth surface. 2. a spatulate structure. . CHOCOLATE GANACHE: In a 2-cup glass measure, combine 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips and 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream. Heat in microwave oven on high power 1 minute or longer, until melted and smooth when stirred. CANDY BAR CHEESE PIE 1 refrigerated all-ready pie crust (from a 15-ounce) package 2 (3.70-ounce) king size Snickers candy bars, halved halve tr.v. halved, halv·ing, halves 1. To divide (something) into two equal portions or parts. 2. To lessen or reduce by half: halved the recipe to serve two. 3. crosswise and then sliced horizontally in half 1 1/2 packages (12 ounces total) cream cheese, softened 3/4 cup sugar 2 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla 1 tablespoon flour Chocolate Ganache 1/2 cup chopped roasted and salted peanuts Unfold refrigerated crust and use to line a 9-inch deep-dish pie Noun 1. deep-dish pie - a pie made of fruit with rich biscuit dough usually only on top of the fruit cobbler pie - dish baked in pastry-lined pan often with a pastry top dish. Flute edges. Arrange candy bar pieces evenly over bottom of crust. In bowl of an electric mixer, beat together cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, vanilla and flour until thoroughly blended. Carefully pour over candy in crust. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven 25 to 30 minutes or until almost set. Cool 1 to 2 hours. Meanwhile prepare Chocolate Ganache. Spread ganache evenly over top of pie and sprinkle with peanuts, pressing in lightly. Refrigerate several hours or overnight until thoroughly chilled. With a sharp knife, cut into slices. (For best results dip knife in hot water and dry in between cutting each slice). Makes 8 to 10 servings. CHOCOLATE GANACHE: In a 2-cup glass measure, combine 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips and 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream. Heat in microwave oven on high power 1 minute or longer, until melted and smooth when stirred. Stir in 1 tablespoon butter until melted and blended in. CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: (color) Chocolate Coconut Cookies, a copycat version of a Corner Bakery sweet, are a scrumptious gift to give during the holiday season. Dean Musgrove/Staff Photographer |
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