Peanut Butter Cheesecake Truffles

Here's one of my New Winners in the Better Recipes Best Peanut Butter Recipe ever!

ingredients-

1½× 6 oz	Blocks Softened Cream Cheese
1½	Plus 1/4 Cup Confectioners Sugar
1 cup	Creamy Peanut Butter
¼ tsp	Salt
6	Honey Graham Crackers Crushed or 1 Cup Graham Cracker Crumbs
1 cup	Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips
2 Tbsp	Heavy Cream

Directions:

In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, 1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar, salt and peanut butter on low speed until mixed thoroughly. Chill bowl in refrigerator for 2 hours until firm. On a cookie sheet lined with foil and sprinkled with confectioner's sugar, form golf ball or smaller sized balls from the peanut butter mixture. If they are sticking to fingers, dip hand in a small amount of confectioners sugar before forming. Chill in refrigerator for 1 hour. In a microwave safe bowl, add chocolate chips and microwave for 1 minutes. Take bowl out and stir. Add heavy cream, heat 1 minute and stir. Microwave additional an minute and stir until chocolate is thoroughly melted. Dip half the truffles in the chocolate and place on a clean foil lined tray, then refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. To make dipping easier, pierce each truffle with a bamboo skewer and dip in the chocolate. Or use a fork and pick up and turn the truffle in chocolate but don't pierce it. If they get too soft, refrigerate until firmer. Place graham crumbs in a pie plate or flat dish. Dip the other half of the truffles and roll in the crumbs. Refrigerate until firm.

Strawberry Cupcakes with White Chocolate Mascarpone Frosting

Cupcakes

Ingredients-

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 Tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 half and half
• 1 1/2  cup fresh strawberries, save 10 whole to add to the top

Frosting-

• 2 8 oz containers mascarpone
• 2 cups confectioner's sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 tbsp half and half
• 1 white chocolate baking bar, shredded using a peeler or rasper.

1) Preheat the oven to 350F. Line muffin tins with paper liners.

2) Rinse strawberries and cut off the stems. In a bowl, mash them with a wooden spoon until they are slightly macerated. 

3) In medium bowl sift the flour, baking powder and salt.

4) Beat the butter, sugar and vanilla in mixer bowl.  Add the eggs, one at a time and mix until combined. Do not overmix. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

5) Add half the flour, some of the half and half and the rest of the flour until each just combined.

6) Fold in the strawberries by hand.  

7) Divide the batter evenly, using a 1/4 cup measure or large spoon. Bake for 25 minutes.

8) Cool on a rack for 10 minutes, take cupcakes out of pan and cool completely. 

You can use a pastry bag to pipe the frosting or use a spatula. I used a plastic zip lock bag, cut a small tip off one corner and used a decorative piping point. Top each cupcake with a strawberry half and the grated white chocolate.

Fresh Berry Pavlova

Ingredients

• 4 extra-large egg whites, at room temperature
• Pinch kosher salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Whipped Cream
• 1 pint fresh strawberries, washed and sliced
• 1/2 pint fresh other berries (or blueberries)
• 1 pint fresh raspberries
• Raspberry Glaze, recipe follows

Directions

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees F.

Using parchment or waxed paper, cut a piece to fit a jellyroll/sheet pan. Then place on sheet or jellyroll pan. Using a plate, trace a 9-10" circle on paper and turn the paper over.

Beat the egg whites and salt in mixer using a whisk beater until stiff, abut 1- 1/2 minutes. Then with the mixer on medium, add sugar slowly until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. You should have shiny white peaks. 


Take bowl off mixer stand and slowly fold in cornstarch and Remove the bowl from the mixer, sift the cornstarch, then vinegar and vanilla. Gently! 

With a large spoon, add the meringue onto the parchment and smooth into the circle you outlined. Flatten slightly so it is a round disk shape. Bake for 1 1/2 hours. Turn off the oven, keep the door closed, and allow the meringue to cool completely in the oven, about 1 hour. It should be crisp on the outside and soft on the inside.

Then invert the meringue disk onto a plate and spread the top completely with sweetened whipped cream. Combine the strawberries, blueberries and raspberries in a bowl and toss with about 1/2 cup of raspberry sauce, or enough to coat the berries lightly. Spoon the berries carefully into the middle of the Pavlova, leaving a border of cream and meringue. Serve immediately in large scoops with extra raspberry sauce.
Sweetened Whipped Cream:

• 1 cup cold heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Whip the cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. After it thickens, add the sugar and vanilla and beat until firm. Don't overbeat!

Glaze:

• 1 half-pint fresh raspberries
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup red current jelly
• 1 tsp lemon juice

Mix ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil, simmer for 5  minutes.  Refrigerate until ready to use.