Tres Leches Cake with Dulce de Leche

This Tres Leches is not overly sweet or wet like a lot of Tres Leches i have had.. Cake

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup whole milk, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

One 12-ounce can evaporated milk

1 medium cinnamon stick

2 whole cloves

One 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350. Lightly butter a 9-by-13-inch glass or ceramic baking dish. In a bowl, whisk the flour with the baking powder and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the eggs with the sugar and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla at medium-high speed until very light and fluffy, about 10 minutes. Add half of the flour mixture and mix at low speed until just incorporated. Gradually add the whole milk, then mix in the remaining flour mixture.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 25 minutes, or until the center of the cake springs back to the touch. Let the cake cool for at least 30 minutes.

In a saucepan, whisk the cream with the evaporated milk, cinnamon stick and cloves and bring to a boil over moderately high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover and let steep for 10 minutes.

In a bowl, combine the condensed milk with the remaining 1 teaspoon of vanilla and the ground cinnamon. Strain the steeped cream mixture into the condensed milk and stir to combine. Let cool for 20 minutes.

Using a fork, poke holes all over the cooled cake. Gradually pour the milk mixture over the entire cake. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Serve with Dulce de Leche drizzled over the cake.

Dulce de Leche

1 quart milk

1 cup sugar

1 Tbl Dark corn syrup

In a large, heavy pot, combine all of the ingredients and bring to a boil, until the sugar is dissolved. Reduce the heat and simmer over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture is reduced to 2 cups and is the consistency of warm caramel, about 40 minutes. Discard the cinnamon stick and let the dulce de leche cool to room temperature.

Transfer the dulce de leche to a blender and puree until smooth. Skim off the foam and transfer to a bowl.

Red Velvet Cheesecake Cake

For the cheesecake:1 1/4 pounds bar cream cheese (20 oz), room temperature 3/4 cups sugar 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest, plus 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt 2 large eggs 1/2 cup sour cream

For the cake: 2 1/2 c. cake flour 1 1/2 c. sugar 1 tsp. baking soda 1 Tbl cocoa powder 1 tsp. salt 2 eggs 1 1/2 c. vegetable oil 1 c. buttermilk 2 Tbl (1 oz.) red food coloring 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1 tsp. white distilled vinegar

For the frosting: 12 oz. cream cheese, softened 12 oz. butter, softened 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 3 cups confectioners' sugar

1 bar white or dark chocolate (Optional for decoration)

Directions:

For cheesecake: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Set a kettle of water to boil. Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese on medium until fluffy, scraping down side of bowl. Gradually add sugar, beating until fluffy. Beat in lemon zest and juice, and salt. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down side of bowl after each addition. Beat in sour cream.

Cut parchment paper in a circle and line the bottom of the cheesecake pan. Wrap bottom half of pan in foil. Pour in filling; place in a roasting pan. Pour in boiling water to come halfway up side of springform. Bake until just set in center, about 45 minutes. Remove pan from water; let cool 20 minutes. Run a paring knife around edge; let cool completely. Cover; chill overnight, then wrap in plastic wrap and freeze.

For the cake: Preheat oven to 350°. Sift together flour, sugar, baking soda, cocoa, and salt into a medium bowl.

Beat eggs, oil, buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla, and vinegar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until well combined. Add dry ingredients and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes.

Divide batter evenly between 2 greased and floured 9" round cake pans and bake 25-30 minutes, rotating halfway through, until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean. Let cakes cool 5 minutes, then invert each onto a plate, then invert again onto a cooling rack. Let cakes cool completely, then level.

Frosting: Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla together in a large bowl with an electric mixer until combined. Add sugar and beat until frosting is light and fluffy, 5–7 minutes.

Assembly: Place bottom layer on cake stand. Remove cheesecake from freezer, unwrap, and remove from metal bottom, then peel off parchment paper. Place cheesecake layer on top of the bottom layer of the red velvet cake. If the cheesecake is wider than the cake, and it is necessary to to trim it, wait approximately 10 minutes for the cheesecake to soften, then trim it with a knife. Place top layer of cake on top of the cheesecake, and coat with a generous layer of the cream cheese frosting to act as the crumb coat. Be careful not to get any red velvet crumbs in the bowl of frosting! Refrigerate approximately 30 minutes, then frost with as much of the remaining frosting as necessary. Top with shaved white chocolate and/or shaved dark chocolate. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake with Pina Colado Sauce

1 ¾ Cups sugar 6 slices fresh pineapple (1/2 inch thick) cored

12 Tbl unsalted butter at room temp

3 eggs

6 egg yolks

¾ All-Purpose Flour

2/3 Cup Cornmeal

¾ tea Baking powder

Caramel:

Put ¾ cup of the sugar and ¼ cup water in a pot and set over high heat.  Cook, swirling the pan occasionally, until the color turns medium amber.  Pour the caramel  into a 9 x 2 inch round nonstick cake pan

Arrange the pineapple slices in a single layer over the caramel.

Preheat oven to 350.

Batter:

In a large bowl, beat the butter and remaining 1 cup of sugar until light and fluffy.  In another bowl, wisk together the eggs and yolks.  Beat the egg mixture into the butter.  Combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt in a sieve and sift them over the bowl.  Stir until the batter is smooth and well blended.  Spread the batter over the fruit in the pan.

Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.  Invert the cake onto a plate.

Pina Colada Sauce

1 ½ cup unsweetened coconut milk

1 cup unsweetened pineapple juice

¾ cup canned sweetened cream of coconut (Coco Lopez)

½ cup white rum

In a medium saucepan, combine all of the ingredients.  Bring to a simmer and stir well.

Flame the cake in a medium saucepan heat ½ cup dark rum over medium heat ignite the run with a long match.  Pour the flaming rum over the cake.

Serve the cake while still warm drizzled with the Pina Colada Sauce

Chocolate Creme Brulee

2 Cups Heavy Cream 3 oz bittersweet chocolate chopped

3 egg yolks

6 Tbl Sugar

1 tea vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325.  Have a pot of boiling water

In a saucepan over medium heat, warm the cream until small bubbles form around the edge of the pan.  2 to 3 mins.  Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate until melted and blended.  Cool slightly

In a bowl whisk together the egg yolks 2 Tbl of the sugar until the mixture is pale yellow and thick ribbons form on whisk, about 5 mins.  Slowly stir in the warm cream and chocolate mixture, stir in the vanilla.

Place four 6 oz ramekins in a deep baking pan.  Pour the chocolate mixture through a fine mesh sieve set over a bowl.  Divide the chocolate mixture among the ramekins.  Add boiling water to fill the pan halfway up the sides of the ramekins and cover the pan loosely with foil.

Bake until the custards are set around the edges.. 25 to 30 mins. Transfer the ramekins to a wire rack and let cool to room temp.  Cover and refrigerate for min of 4 hours up to 2 days.

Just before serving, sprinkle 1 Tbl sugar evenly over the surface of each custard.  Using a kitchen torch, move the flame continuously in small circles over the surface until the sugar bubbles and just turns golden 20 to 30 secs.  Serve right away..

Caramel Cake

Cake 1 cup whole milk

4 large egg whites, at room temperature

2 1/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

3 cups sifted cake flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons, softened

3/4 cup heavy cream

Icing

3 cups sugar

3 tablespoons light corn syrup

1 1/2 cups whole milk

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup heavy cream

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350°. Butter three 8-inch cake pans; line the bottoms with parchment paper. Butter the parchment and flour the pans, tapping out the excess.

In a bowl, mix 1/4 cup of the milk with the egg whites and vanilla extract. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle, mix the flour with the sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the butter and the remaining 3/4 cup of milk. Beat at low speed until blended, then beat at medium speed until smooth, 1 minute. Beat in the egg white mixture in 3 batches.

In another bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the cream until soft peaks form. Stir one-third of the whipped cream into the batter, then fold in the rest. Divide the batter between the pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean. Let the cakes cool on a rack for 10 minutes. Unmold the cakes and peel off the parchment. Invert the cakes and let cool completely.

In a saucepan, stir 2 1/2 cups of the sugar with the corn syrup and milk. Cook over moderate heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Keep warm.

Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar in a deep, heavy saucepan. Cook the sugar over moderate heat, swirling occasionally, until an amber caramel forms. Carefully pour the warm milk mixture over the caramel. Cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until the caramel dissolves. Stop stirring and cook until the caramel registers 235° on a candy thermometer. Remove from the heat. Stir in the butter, vanilla and 1/4 cup of the heavy cream. Strain the caramel into the bowl of a standing mixer. Let cool for 15 minutes.

Beat the caramel at medium speed, gradually adding the remaining 1/4 cup of cream, until creamy, about 15 minutes.

Set 1 cake layer on a plate. Pour enough icing over the layer to cover the top. Top with a second cake layer and cover it with icing. Add the final cake layer and pour the rest of the icing over the top of the cake, letting it run down the sides. Working quickly, use an offset spatula to spread the icing gently around the cake. Let the cake stand for 2 hours to set the icing before serving.