The Pleasure of Art and Baking

APRICOT CHOCOLATE MACAROON CHEESECAKE

CRUST
2 cups honey graham cracker crumbs
1 cup shredded coconut
½ cup melted butter
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Combine graham cracker crumbs, coconut and melted butter in small mixing bowl
Press crumb mixture in 10" springform cheesecake pan
Sprinkle chocolate chips over crust evenly and set aside

CREAM CHEESE FILING
6 8-ounce packages of cream cheese (room temperature)
1 cup sour cream
4 extra large eggs
1 ½ cups sugar
2 tsps vanilla
3 tbsps cornstarch

Cream all ingredients in large bowl with electric mixer at medium high speed until smooth
Pour cream cheese mixture over crust
Bake in oven at 400 degrees for 55 minutes
Turn off oven and cool cheesecake on oven rack for 3 hours
Refrigerate over night

TOPPING
2 6-ounce packages of dried apricots
2 cups water
1 cup light corn syrup
3 tbsps Grand Marnier
2 tbsps lemon juice

Place dried apricots and water in medium saucepan
Cook apricots over medium/high heat for 10-15 minutes until soft
Drain water and put apricots in food processor mixing until smooth
Place blended apricots, corn syrup, Grand Marnier, and lemon juice in medium saucepan
Set aside and cool completely
Spread apricot topping over chilled cheesecake and refrigerate for 4 hours
Remove from cheesecake pan, slice and serve

MULTI-BERRY TART

PASTRY CRUST
2 Cups flour
1 Stick chilled butter
4 Tbsps sugar
3 Small egg yolks
⅛ Cup slivered almonds
2 Tbsps water

mix all crust ingredients in food processor until large clumps form.
Press crust into bottom of 11" tart pan and imprint edges and center with a fork.
Bake in 425 degree oven for 20 minutes.
Remove pastry crust from oven and set aside on counter top.
Lower oven heat to 350 degrees.

CRÈME FILLING
1  8oz package cream cheese softened
¼ Cup sugar
1 Jumbo egg
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp lemon juice

In a small mixing bowl, beat crème ingredients together with electric mixer at medium speed until smooth.
Pour mixture over pastry crust and bake in oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
Remove from oven and cool to room temperature.
Refrigerate overnight.

TOPPING
1 Pint fresh blackberries
1 Pint fresh blueberries
1 Pint fresh raspberries
¼ Cup raspberry jam
2 Tbsps Grand Marnier liquor
4 Tbsps powdered sugar

Remove crème tart from remove tart from refrigerator and top with berries.
In small saucepan, melt raspberry jam and Grand Marnier over low heat until liquid forms.
Pour sauce over berries evenly, and sprinkle multi-berry tart with powdered sugar.
Cut and serve.