Perfect desserts for the Holidays!!

So this year was my first year to contribute anything for the Thanksgiving dinner.  My first dessert I did was a pumpkin cheesecake that I got the recipe from a friend of mines blog swEEts by e, http://sweetebakes.blogspot.com. I would highly recommend checking out her blog!! I'm not a very seasoned baker but swEEts by e gave me confidence and motivation to start baking and it helped that she was only a text away if I had any questions! ;) Anyway, back to the pumpkin cheesecake. It turned out AMAZING and everyone enjoyed it...even the folks that aren't usually big on pumpkin! Here is the recipe if you would like to give it a go for Christmas.
 

As you can see I am VERY messy in the kitchen! Trying to work on that! ;)

Ready for the oven!! 

The finished product!!

Note: I copied and pasted this straight from swEEts by e!

Biscoff Cookie Crust

2 cups crushed Biscoff Cookies (about 1 ½ sleeves put through a food processer)

6 TBS butter, melted

¼ cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan and set aside.

In a small bowl, mix crushed cookies, melted butter and sugar until blended.

Press cookie mixture into pan, pressing cookies up along sides about ½ to 1 inch.

Bake crust for 8 minutes and remove from oven.

Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Filling

1 ¾ cup Pumpkin Pie Mix (not canned pumpkin)

3 packages cream cheese, at room temperature

¼ cup sugar *optional if you want a sweeter cake- I opted FOR the sugar

3 eggs, at room temperature

1 tsp vanilla

½ tsp cinnamon- I added more cinnamon b/c I LOVE cinnamon and wanted it to have spice to it.

½ tsp ginger

¼ tsp nutmeg

2 TBS cornstarch

In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese on low to med-low until creamy.

Add pumpkin and sugar- beat on medium until combined.

Beat in eggs, one at a time incorporating after each addition.

Mix in vanilla, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg and corn starch.

Pour pumpkin filling into prepared crust, smooth top.

Place cheesecake in oven and bake for 1 hour.

At about 50 minutes check to see if cheesecake is done*.

Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan for at least an hour before refrigerating.

About 30 minutes into cooling, run knife around edge of cake to prevent cracking while cooling.

Allow cheesecake to cool for at least 3 hours in fridge (cover top with saran wrap), but for best results refrigerate over night before eating.

How to tell a Cheesecake is done:

1. The first indication of a "done" cheesecake are the sides- look for a lightly browned edge pulling away from pan.

2. Tap side of pan with knife or spoon or slightly shake cake. If cheesecake jiggles like jello (in one motion) then it is done. If you let it sit in the oven anymore it’ll become overdone.

3. Lightly press the top of the cake feeling for firmness.

 My second dessert I learned how to make was for my husband.... Mince Pies!! Being married into a British family I soon learned little after dating that these little pies are AMAZING and a must have at Christmas/New Year. They are great for parties b/c they are tiny little pies and so easy for your guests to pick up and pop in their mouth! So while at Matt's parents house this Thanksgiving his mom showed me how to make them from sctach. They are very easy b/c you buy the mince meat (not actually meat...it's dried fruit in like a jelly) in a jar at the super market. 

 The most tedious part is making the pastry but if I can do it.... you can too! Promise! What you will need to make these little delicious pies is a rolling pin, food scale, muffin pan. 

• 12 oz all purpose/plain flour
• Pinch of salt
• 8oz  butter, cubed and an equal mix of butter and lard
• 1 beaten egg + 1 cold water as needed
• 1 jar of mincemeat- if you find your mincemeat a little runny, just add some more raisins/dried fruit to the mixture.

 I took this recipe from http://britishfood.about.com/od/christmasrecipes/r/mincepies.htm

Preparation: 

Heat the oven to 400°F

 How to make the Pastry:

• Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean bowl.
• Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs, working as quickly as possible to prevent the dough becoming warm.
• Add the egg to the mixture and using a cold knife stir, add cold water a teaspoon at a time until the mixture binds but don't make it too wet that it is sticky.
• Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for a minimum of 15 minutes, up to 30 minutes.

The dough can also be made in a food processor by mixing the flour, butter and salt in the bowl of the processor on a pulse setting. When the mixture resembles breadcrumbs, add the egg a slowly, through the funnel until the dough, then add water a tsp at a time until the dough comes together in a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill as above.


Making of the Pies:

• Choose a muffin pan for the size of the pie you want. Choose from a standard 12-cup muffin pan. The number of pies will depend on the size of cup you choose.
• Dust a work surface lightly with a little flour and roll out two-thirds of the pastry to 1/8"/3mm thick. Cut circles to line the cups of your tin, don't worry if the pastry doesn't come to the top.
• Fill the pastry lined tins 2/3 full with mincemeat.
• Roll out the remaining pastry to the same thickness and cut smaller circles to fit as lids on the tarts or to be decorative, cut stars or other fancy shapes.
• Dampen the edges of the tart bases with a little cold water and press the lids on. Make a small hole in the surface of each pie with a fork to allow the steam to escape
• Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20min or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool and then sprinkle with powder sugar 

  ENJOY!!