Cheesecake Swirl Brownies

What you will need:

For the brownies:

Double my Brownie recipe

For cheesecake filling:

2 8oz packages (brick style) cream cheese, room temperature

½ cup sugar

1 egg

½ tbsp vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)

2 tbsp flour

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 9x13 pan with parchment.

Cheesecake filling- Beat cream cheese with sugar until smooth. Add vanilla and scrape down the sides. Add in flour and egg and beat until smooth.

For brownies- follow directions in brownie recipe for combining ingredients.

Spread ⅔ of the brownie batter into your parchment lined 9x13 pan.

Dollop the cheesecake filling over the brownie and then dollop the remaining brownie batter.

With a knife, swirl the two batters together.

Bake for 25 min or until center is set and doesn't jiggle.

Cool on the counter, and then refrigerate for at least a few hours before slicing.

Enjoy!

No-Churn Ice Cream

I LOVE ice cream! Especially as the weather is warming up, it’s a nice cold treat to cool down with.

Ice cream seems intimidating to make, especially the ones with eggs in it. However, I have found an easy 2 ingredient ice cream based that you can add flavors and mix-ins to and create any ice cream concoction you wish! I may have as much fun with creating new ice cream combinations this summer as I do with my challahs!

What you will need:

Ice cream base

2 cups heavy whipping cream, chilled

1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk

Optional: 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste

Chocolate S’mores Ice cream

½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Pinch of salt

¼ cup caramel or chocolate chips

½ cup mini marshmallows

Lime Ice Cream with Mixed Berry Swirl

Zest and juice from 1 lime

½ cup homemade {or store bought} mixed berry preserves

Directions:

Whip the cream {and vanilla bean paste} with a mixer on medium-high speed until firm peaks form, about 2 minutes.

Fold about 1 cup of the whipped cream into the sweetened condensed milk with a rubber spatula until combined, then fold the lightened mixture into the whipped cream until well blended.

For chocolate ice cream- Whisk together the condensed milk, cocoa powder, and salt in a large bowl. The mixture will become very thick. Then fold in the whipped cream mixture.

For lime ice cream- whisk together the condensed milk, lime zest, and juice. Then fold in the whipped cream mixture. 

For add ins-

Chocolate s’mores- pour half of the ice cream mixture into your container, and sprinkle with about half of the mix-ins on top and swirl with a knife. Repeat with the remaining half of the ice cream and mix-ins.

Mixed berry swirl- pour half of the ice cream mixture into your container, dollop about half of the preserves on top and swirl with a knife. Repeat with the remaining half of the ice cream and mix-ins.

Pour into a container, or a 9x5x3 loaf pan and freeze until set, about 4-5 hours.

Enjoy!

Cinnamon Bun Challah

What you will need: 

Challah dough {recipe here} 

Filling 

1 cup brown sugar 

4 tbsp cinnamon Oil or butter 

1 egg 

Topping 

1 oz cream cheese 

1 tbsp oil 

1 tsp vanilla

Powdered sugar 

Directions: 

Prepare challah dough according to directions. 

Preheat the oven to 350°F. 

Divide dough into 3 equal parts and then roll each part into a log, long enough to fit a loaf pan.

Gently flatten each log so that it is about 4 inches wide. Shmear each section with softened butter or oil. Leave the edges unfiltered to roll up easier. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the oil/butter. 

Roll up each flattened log on itself like you would a traditional cinnamon bun.

Braid the challah. Place the challah in a greased loaf pan and let the challah rise for 30 minutes.

Once the challah has risen, brush with an egg wash.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the challah is cooked through.

While the challah is baking, prepare the cream cheese glaze. Mix softened cream cheese, vanilla, and oil together and gradually add powdered sugar until a pourable consistency.

Once the challah is out of the oven and cooled, drizzle with the cream cheese glaze.

Enjoy!

Strawberry Cheesecake Babka

With Shavuot right around the corner, I wanted to make a dairy dessert that was cheesecake inspired! This strawberry cheesecake babka is perfect for Shavuot!

What you will need:

Babka dough {recipe here}

Vanilla Powder Filling

2 cups powdered sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

1 box vanilla pudding mix

Cheese Filling

8 oz of whipped cream cheese

½ cup granulated sugar

1 tbsp vanilla

1 egg yolk

Add ins

Freeze dried strawberries

Graham cracker pieces

Crumb Topping

1 cup flour

1 cup powdered sugar

6 tbsp canola oil 

Directions

Prepare babka dough according to instructions here, recipe makes 3 babkas.

Prepare the babka crumbs: Mix crumb ingredients together until crumbs form. The consistency should be similar to wet sand. Add in some of the graham cracker pieces and crushed up freeze dried strawberries. 

Prepare the cheese filling: whip all ingredients together in a bowl of a stand mixer and chill until ready to use. 

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 3 (2 lb) loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray. Line each with parchment paper. 

Divide dough into 3 portions. Roll 1 portion into a 13x10x¼” rectangle. Spread on a layer of the cheese filling, the dust an even layer of the vanilla powder filling and top with graham cracker pieces and pulverized freeze dried strawberries. 

Roll dough over filling to form a log. Twist log; fold in half. Place into prepared pan. Cut a shallow slit across the length of the log. Repeat with remaining portions. Top loaves with babka crumbs and toppings.  

Place loaf pans onto a baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes; rotate pans. Bake additional 15 minutes; babka crumb topping should be golden brown.

Cool on cooling racks. Do not cut into babka until it has cooled, as dough continues to bake even after being removed from oven.

Look at all of those cheesecakey layers!

Enjoy!

French Onion Challah

After last week's challah mashup, I was already thinking about next Shabbas and what new creation I can bake.

My husband had asked about making caramelized onions for a dinner, and it had me thinking about a new stuffed challah. We love French Onion Soup, and just got a bag of nutritional yeast from Trader Joe's by accident {added yeast to the list and he thought they were all the same.} 

While this version is made parve, I am thinking about Shavuot next week now. Swap out the nutritional yeast for parmesan cheese and added mozzarella cheese on top of the onions for an even more decadent French onion soup stuffed challah!

What you will need:
The Best Challah Bread recipe

Filling: {modified from my French Onion Soup recipe}
3 onions {I used 2 yellow and 1 red}
2 tbsp oil
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 envelope onion soup mix
1 tsp. salt
4 tbs. paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
optional: wine to deglaze
Nutritional yeast or parmesan
Mozzarella if making dairy


Topping:
1 beaten egg
Nutritional yeast or parmesan
Thyme

Directions:
Make dough according to directions here in my challah recipe.

While the challah rises, start making the filling for it.
In a large skillet, heat the oil on medium heat. While the oil is heating, slice up 3 onions and add the onions to the skillet. Let the onions sweat for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. I add the sugar halfway through.

Once the onions have a nice brown sheen to them add the onion soup mix, salt, paprika, and garlic powder. Add the optional wine now to give the filling a deeper and richer flavor {or add umami seasoning.} Stir the mixture until it’s all incorporated and is a thick paste consistency.

Let the filling cool before starting the next step.

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Divide dough into 4 equal parts and then roll each part into a  log, long enough to fit a loaf pan. 

Gently flatten each log so that it is about 2 inches wide. Spoon the cooled onion mixture along the center of each log and sprinkle nutritional yeast {or parmesan and mozzarella} along the top.

Pinch the edges to seal, and then braid the logs. Place the challah in a greased loaf pan and let the challah rise 30 minutes. Then brush with egg wash and sprinkle with nutritional yeast {or parmesan.} 

Bake for 30 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the challah is cooked through.

Enjoy!