Redneck Water Skiin'

Chocolate Layer Cake with Cheesecake Filling

This IS a Pauala Dean recipe..


Ingredients


2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar

3 large eggs

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons almond flavored liqueur

Chocolate Cake, recipe follows

Sliced almonds, for garnish

Cheesecake:

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a 9-inch round baking pan with aluminum foil, letting edges of foil extend over sides of pan. Lightly grease the foil.



In large bowl, beat cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add sugar, beating until smooth. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in sour cream and liqueur. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 45 minutes then turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake in oven with door closed for another hour. Let the cheesecake cool completely in its pan on a wire rack then cover and chill for 4 hours. Using edges of foil as handles, remove cheesecake from pan and peel away foil.



Assembly:

Spread a layer of frosting on top of chocolate cake. Next, layer cheesecake and top with chocolate icing. Place second chocolate cake and ice with frosting on top and on the sides. Sprinkle almonds on sides or top.



Chocolate Cake:

1 (18.25-ounce) box chocolate cake mix

1/2 cup almond flavored liqueur

1/2 cup water

1/3 cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 2 (9-inch) round cake pans.



In large bowl, combine cake mix, liqueur, water, oil and eggs. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Divide batter evenly between the 2 prepared pans. Bake 20 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pans 10 minutes. Turn out onto wire racks and let cool completely.



Chocolate Almond Frosting:

1 cup butter, softened

12 ounce semi-sweet chocolate, melted and cooled

3 tablespoons almond flavored liqueur

6 cups confectioners' sugar

In a large bowl, beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add chocolate, beating until combined. Beat in almond liqueur and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy.

Mini Ice Cream Sandwiches

Here is a simple and fun recipe fo quick treats:

You'll definitely want to make an extra batch (or 5) to have handy in your freezer in the summer. A great way to use up the last of that pint of sorbet or frozen yogurt. Kids will love them too!


Ingredients


4 small vanilla-snap cookies

2 tablespoons fruit sorbet, or frozen yogurt
 
Preparation


1.Top 2 cookies with 1 tablespoon sorbet (or frozen yogurt). Top with 2 more cookies. Freeze sandwiches for at least 30 minutes to firm up.

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Wrap and freeze for up to 1 week.

Nutrition

Per serving: 127 calories; 3 g fat (0 g sat, 0 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 24 g carbohydrates; 2 g protein; 2 g fiber; 94 mg sodium; 25 mg potassium.



1 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving



Exchanges: 1 1/2 other carbohydrates

Lemon Cheesecake

This recipe comes by way of blogger "Paris Pastry". To view her blog click on post tiitle above.

Ingredients:


- 2 ½ pounds cream cheese, room temperature

- 1 ½ cups sugar

- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

- ½ teaspoon coarse salt

- 4 large eggs

- 1 cup sour cream

- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

- 12 graham crackers (3-by-5 inch)

- ¼ cup sugar

- ¼ teaspoon coarse salt



Instructions:

- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Make crust: Butter a 9-by-3-inch springform pan. In a food processor, pulse graham crackers until fine crumbs form; add melted butter, sugar, and salt, and pulse to combine. Press crumb mixture into bottom and about 1 inch up side of pan. Bake until set, 12 to 15 minutes; let cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven to 325 degrees.

- Set a kettle of water to boil. Make filling: Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese on medium until fluffy, scraping down side of bowl. Gradually add sugar, beating until fluffy. Beat in lemon zest and juice, and salt. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down side of bowl after each addition. Beat in sour cream.

- Wrap bottom half of pan in foil. Pour in filling; place in a roasting pan. Pour in boiling water to come halfway up side of springform. Bake until just set in center, about 1 ¾ hours. Remove pan from water; let cool 20 minutes. Run a paring knife around edge; let cool completely. Cover; chill overnight before serving.