Bourbon Pecan Pie

Hey!
Hi.
Did you miss me? Did you even know I was gone...? I knew I was gone. I missed you dear readers. But if I missed you, why didn't I post? Well short story long, I didn't have the motivation to type and upload pictures. I mean I liked some of the things I made, but obviously I wasn't motivated to post them. BUT! Now I am back, so miss me no longer.

 I recently purchased a bottle of vanilla bean paste. Have you ever used this? This was my first time using it, I've never even used a vanilla bean pod before! Apparently vanilla paste, is the a mixture of the vanilla seeds and some other things. It's sticky, but pretty and smells wonderfully of vanilla. I knew it was something special and I had to bake something special when I used it.

My first idea was a vanilla cupcake with a vanilla bean frosting with a bourbon pecan drizzle. Sounds super yummy right (?). But then I kept thinking bourbon pecan... Bourbon Pecan Pie! Fabulous. Do you pronounce it Pee-can or Pe-con? I say Pe-con. Do you get what I'm saying, like tomato, tomato, potato, potato? Maybe it doesn't make sense in words, only in saying?

Anywho, I had never made a pecan pie before, so I was up for a challenge. Only to find out the filling wasn't the tough part, it was the pie crust. I made a recipe using pecans in the crust which I thought was fancy because it was for a pecan pie. I guess you're not suppose to pre-bake a pecan pie, pie crust. Note to all of you, you are certainly welcome that I found this out and am now sharing with you.

Pecan pie reminds me of my oldest sister. She used to make it when we were growing up. I think she made it a time or two for my dad, because he liked it. So naturally, when my crust became ruined in the oven I called her in a panic. She saved the day, told me I was an idiot that I didn't have to pre-bake the crust. Ha! Sometimes older sisters are so wise. I'm lucky I have two older sisters to tell me everything I ever need to know.

Even talking (typing?) Here is the recipe. Make it. Eat it. Eat it with a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream.

Crust:
I used store bought, so use your very favorite recipe. Then send that recipe to me so I can use it. Thanks!

Filling:
2 C. Toasted Pecans
5 Tbs  Browned Butter
1 C. Brown Sugar
3/4 C Light Corn Syrup
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp Vanilla paste or extract if you don't have paste
2 Tbs Bourbon ( I used Maker's Mark)
3 Eggs lightly whipped

Over medium heat toast pecans until their scent starts enveloping your nose... or until they taste right to you. I stood watching shaking them every so often so they didn't burn. Remove nuts from heat and lay out on a plate. Using the pecan pot or pan, heat the butter until the bubbles start turning and brown. Remove from heat.
In a medium sized bowl combine brown sugar, corn syrup, salt and vanilla. Mix together. Add butter. Whisk out all lumps.
In another bowl whisk eggs slightly. Add to sugar mixture and mix in bourbon. Finally mix in pecans.
Pour filling into pie crust and bake. I put my pie pan on a cookie sheet in case anything over flowed.

Bake for 55 minutes. The center will be jiggly, that's fine, you don't want a solid center. Allow pie to rest for at least an hour before serving.

Oh, also when I baked this, I under baked it by about 10 minutes, but that's OK because I just threw it in the fridge and now it's firm, not runny. SO I am recommending baking for at least 55 minutes, not the 45 I did. But like I said, serve it with ice cream and none will be the wiser, except you!

Piece.

Birthday Cherry Cheesecake

This is my second typing of the this post. I didn't like the first version, too lame. But I'm not really feeling a good story on this version either. Oh well... I am very glad it is Friday, it has been the LOOOONNNNGGGEEESTTT week for some reason, ugh.

I'm also super excited at the prospect of doing a Sprint Triathlon in August. I'm not a strong swimmer, but I have 2 months to work on that, besides I only need to master 250 meters, piece of cake. Or more appropriate for this blog piece of cheese cake. And even more so cheesecake with cherry topping, yum. Maybe I will make cheesecake to eat after the triathlon, or maybe I will eat something good for me... who knows.

What do you like to eat after working out? Are a person that likes to eat whatever you want after a workout because you just burned a lot of calories, or are you the type that prefers to eat healthy after working out, keep the good going? I think I go both, some days I like staying healthy and some days I say, it's OK to have a second piece of of dessert after all you just burned at least as many calories in that little slice...

Have you ever made cheesecake before? I had one other time, like 10 years ago. So I will count this as my first time. It's trickier than I remember or thought. By that I mean, if you want it to look a certain way, you have to do a lot to ensure that. I didn't do that, but it's OK. My cake tasted great and I think it looked nice, in a ugly red-headed-step-child kind of way. (no offense if you are red-headed step child)

I made the cheesecake for RJ's birthday. I was impressed, so was he, it only took 6 days to eat the whole thing. Now it makes sense why I want to do a triathlon!
The cherry sauce was a nice topping. But you can top the cake with whatever you like.

Do you see how the top of my cake is brown and crackled, that is as No-No in cake. Well now I know-know (ha!) how to fix that...maybe. I will let you know the outcome next time I make a cheesecake.

Cheesecake: Adapted from Food Network

Crust:
2 C. Ground Graham Cracker

5 TBS sugar

1/4 tsp Cinnamon

6 TBS Melted butter

Filling:

24 oz Cream Cheese (3 packs)

1 C. Sugar

1 1/2 tsp Vanilla

5 egg (separated)

1/4 C. Light Cream

2 TBS Sugar

Topping:

1 Bag Frozen Cherries

1/4 C. Sugar

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

2 TBS Amaretto liquor (if desired)

1 TBS Cornstarch

Preheat oven to 350*

Mix the graham crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and butter together in a mixing bowl. Pour the mixture into the spring form pan and using a mixing cup press the crumbs into the base. Using your fingers gently press crumbs into the sides of the pan. Bake for 6 minutes. Let cool.


Filling:
In a food processor, or with a mixer, cream the cream cheese and the sugar together. Add the vanilla, blend until smooth. Add 5 egg yolks and heavy cream, pulse until smooth. Pour into a large clean bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until a soft froth forms. Add 2 tablespoons sugar slowly to the egg whites and continue to whisk until soft peaks form. Fold into cream cheese, a little bit at a time until fully integrated. Pour into the prepared spring form pan. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until firm. Let cool for 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Meanwhile in a small sauce pan over medium low heat combine cherries with their juice, sugar and cinnamon. Allow to simmer. Combine Amaretto and cornstarch to make a slurry then pour into cherry mixture. Allow sauce to thicken. Remove from heat and cool. Serve or cheesecake slice.

This is pretty good stuff, don't pass it up.

Piece.