vanilla bean paste – Aubrey About Town http://aubreyabouttown.com The going-ons of SF party host & chef, bon vivant, homme du monde, & man-about-town Tue, 16 Feb 2021 12:10:32 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.3 https://i0.wp.com/aubreyabouttown.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/cropped-43DD7C41-CD23-44CF-9EC7-C1D81E967BB4.png?fit=32%2C32 vanilla bean paste – Aubrey About Town http://aubreyabouttown.com 32 32 58900657 Aubrey’s Classic Pumpkin Cheesecake http://aubreyabouttown.com/recipe/aubreys-classic-pumpkin-cheesecake/ http://aubreyabouttown.com/recipe/aubreys-classic-pumpkin-cheesecake/#respond Thu, 22 Oct 2020 02:33:25 +0000 http://aubreyabouttown.com/?post_type=recipe&p=2822 I’ve been baking this autumnal classic for years, and it has been a crowd favorite for just as long. It travels beautifully for when you’re called upon to bring the Thanksgiving dessert, and ships effortlessly for those homemade holiday gifts. See notes at the bottom of page for gift giving tips!

Classic Pumpkin Cheesecake
Servings10 slices
Prep Time30 mins
Cook Time45 mins
Passive Time8-10 hours
Ingredients
Cinnamon-Graham Crust
Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling
Vanilla Cheesecake Topping
Instructions
To Prepare Crust
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Melt 1/3 cup butter in the microwave, or over the stove in a small saucepan, set aside.
  3. Line the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan with an 8-inch parchment disc.
  4. To a large 1 gallon size plastic zipper bag, add: graham crackers, flour, sugar, and cinnamon. Press air from bag, and seal.
  5. Lay zipper bag flat, and with a rolling pin, wine bottle, are the back of a skillet, roll across the bag to crush graham crackers to a mealy crumb. Shake bag to combine.
  6. Add melted butter, and shake and massage bag until the crust mixture resembles wet sand. Check with your fingertips to ensure butter has fully coated the flour & crumb mixture.
  7. Evenly disperse crust mixture into the bottom of prepared springform pan.
  8. With the bottom of a straight-sided water glass or measuring cup, working from the center-out, gently and eventually press crumbs into the bottom of the pan, working out to the sides, form a 1/2 lip around the circumference to form a short-sided crust up the sides of the pan (about 1/2 an inch).
  9. Bake in preheated 350 degrees oven for 12 mins.
  10. Transfer pan to a rack, let cool completely.
  11. Prepare Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling.
To Prepare The Pumpkin Cheesecake
  1. Adjust oven temperature to 325 degrees.
  2. In a bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat together: softened cream cheese, sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla, being sure to scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, blend until smooth, and sugar has dissolved.
  3. Mix in pumpkin, flour, and cornstarch, pumpkin pie spice, and nutmeg into cream cheese mixture, combine until no streaks of white batter remain.
  4. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
  5. Place prepared crust on a baking sheet.
  6. Pour cheesecake filling over crust, (1/4 inch from the top to allow for a slight rise) using an off-set spatula to evenly spread out filling.
  7. Place on your oven’s center rack, and bake for 45 minutes or until the edges of the top of the cheesecake begin to puff slightly and the center slightly jiggles (but has not puffed) when gently wiggled.
  8. Turn off heat, and open the oven door slightly, using a rolled-up kitchen towel to keep the door open a jar.
  9. Allow cheesecake to cool in and along with the oven until room temperature (about 4 hours).
  10. Refrigerate cheesecake for at least 4 hours or better, overnight.
  11. Center the Vanilla Cheesecake Topping in on large dollop on top of the center of the cheesecake, from the center out, with an off-set spatula, evenly spread over the top of the cheesecake.
  12. Refrigerate 2 hours longer. Serves 10.
To Prepare Topping
  1. Mix ingredients together until smooth, and sugar has completely dissolved.
  2. To check if the sugar has dissolved, rub a bit of topping between your fingers to check for grittiness.
  3. With an off-set spatula, spread topping evenly over the cheesecake, refrigerate two hours to set.
Recipe Notes

Cheesecake freezes beautifully, and it one of the easiest cakes to ship - and who wouldn’t want to receive one?

These 7-1/4 inch oven-safe paper ‘Panettone‘ pans are perfect for presenting and giving your pumpkin cheesecake. Just use them as you would a springform pan. They even have a pull tab to easily remove the cake. They are available on Amazon. 

7-1/4 inch oven-safe paper Panettone pan

]]> http://aubreyabouttown.com/recipe/aubreys-classic-pumpkin-cheesecake/feed/ 0 2822 Exquisitely Decedent: Hummingbird Cake http://aubreyabouttown.com/recipe/exquisitely-decedent-hummingbird-cake/ http://aubreyabouttown.com/recipe/exquisitely-decedent-hummingbird-cake/#respond Fri, 22 May 2020 08:33:26 +0000 http://aubreyabouttown.com/?post_type=recipe&p=2377 This quintessential Southern classic is my absolute favorite cake. Packed with banana, pineapple, and toasted pecans, this cake is boss.

If Mae West was a Cake, she’d be this one right here; it’s indomitable, sultry & sweet, and the kind you say “I’ll just have a sliver…May I have another slice?!”.

– Aubrey Brewster

Weighing in at nearly 8 pounds, it’s a force to be reckoned with!

I’m so delighted to share this incredible recipe with you, and I hope you come to love it as I do. This one is from my heart.

Hummingbird Cake
This beyond decedent cake will quickly become a favorite.
Servings12 slices
Prep Time30 mins
Cook Time25 mins
Passive Time90 mins
Ingredients
Cake Batter
Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting
Instructions
Prepare Cake Batter:
  1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit (176 celsius).
  2. Grease bottom & sides of three 9-inch round cake pans with vegetable shortening. Line bottoms with parchment rounds, dust sides with flour.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
  4. Add beaten eggs and vegetable oil, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened.
  5. Stir in vanilla extract, pineapple, chopped bananas, and toasted chopped pecans.
  6. Divide batter into three 9-inch greased & floured cake pans.
  7. Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in pans on wire racks 15 minutes.
  8. Remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely, about 2 hours.
Prepare Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting:
  1. Beat cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer on medium-low speed until smooth.
  2. Gradually add confectioners sugar, beating at low speed until blended after each addition.
  3. Stir in vanilla bean paste. Increase speed to medium-high, and beat until fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.
Assemble the Hummingbird Cake
  1. Place 1 Cake Layer top down on a 9-inch cardboard cake round; gently peel off parchment paper, spread top with 1-1/2 cups of the frosting.
  2. Repeat with second layer.
  3. Repeat and top with third layer, spreading frosting over top and sides of cake.
  4. Sprinkle finely chopped toasted pecans on top, 1-inch from the edge.
  5. Fill piping bag fitted with a star tip and fill with remaining frosting.
  6. Pipe a scallop border around the edge of the chopped pecans.
  7. Place the 12 toasted pecan halves on top of the scalloped border, denoting each slice.
  8. Alternatively, press toasted chopped pecans around sides of cake.
Recipe Notes

Alternatively, This recipe will also make a 1-layer 9”x13” cake, or 18 cupcakes. 

]]> http://aubreyabouttown.com/recipe/exquisitely-decedent-hummingbird-cake/feed/ 0 2377 Lemon-Poppyseed Cake with Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting http://aubreyabouttown.com/recipe/lemon-poppyseed-cake-with-cream-cheese-frosting/ http://aubreyabouttown.com/recipe/lemon-poppyseed-cake-with-cream-cheese-frosting/#respond Thu, 14 May 2020 11:57:34 +0000 http://aubreyabouttown.com/?post_type=recipe&p=2086

Lemon-Poppyseed Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Servings10 slices
Prep Time25 mins
Cook Time30 mins
Passive Time2 hours
Ingredients
Lemon-Poppyseed Cake
Simple Syrup
Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting
Instructions
Prepare Lemon-Poppyseed Cake
  1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
  2. Grease bottom & sides of two 9-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment rounds, dust sides with flour.
  3. In a large bowl, sift together, cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine.
  4. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter, sugar, and lemon zest until mixture becomes very pale and fluffy.
  5. Mix in canola oil.
  6. Mix in one egg and a time, mixing well after each addition.
  7. In a small bowl, mix together buttermilk, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and lemon extract.
  8. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the butter/sugar mixture. Mix on low speed just until combined.
  9. Add in 1/2 of the buttermilk mixture and mix just until combined.
  10. Add another 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix just until combined. Mix in remaining 1/2 of the buttermilk mixture and finish by mixing in the last 1/3 of the flour mixture.
  11. Fold in poppyseeds.
  12. Scrape sides and bottom with a rubber spatula and gently fold until batter is evenly
  13. incorporated.
  14. Evenly divide batter between two prepared cake pans. Spread into an even layer.
  15. Bake in preheated oven until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
  16. Remove from oven let cool in pan 20 minutes.
  17. Invert cakes onto wire racks, cool completely.
Prepare Lemon Syrup
  1. In a small saucepan, heat water and sugar to dissolve sugar.
  2. Remove from heat and stir in limoncello (or lemon juice).
  3. Let cool.
Prepare Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting
  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy.
  2. Beat in heavy cream and vanilla bean paste.
  3. Sift in confectioners sugar, mix on low to incorporate sugar.
  4. Beat until fluffy. Set aside.
Assemble the Cake:
  1. Poke 15 holes in each cake layer, brush each layer with 1/4 cup lemon syrup.
  2. Gently peel-off parchment round from one cake layer.
  3. Place cake layer upright on to a 9-inch cardboard cake round.
  4. Spread a generous layer of frosting on top of bottom cake layer, spreading to the edges.
  5. Place top layer top-side down onto first frosted layer, gently peel-off parchment round.
  6. Put a large dollop of frosting into top of cake, spreading it all the way to the edge. Spread frosting on sides of cake in an upward fashion to meet the frosted top.
  7. Using an offset spatula, spread frosting evenly and smooth.
  8. Holding frosted cake from the bottom, gently press in poppyseeds around sides of cake.
  9. Garnish top of cake with a sugar pastillage poppy flower (see notes below). Refrigerate 1 hour to set. Serves 10.
Recipe Notes

My friend, Michelle Capogreco in New York sells the red sugar pastillage poppy seen in photo, as well as other flowers, and custom designs on her Etsy store, Sweetpea Sugar Art

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