Cooking for Two - Bruce Weinstein [80]
2. Beat the brown sugar, pasteurized egg substitute or quail eggs, and vanilla in a medium bowl until fluffy and pale brown, about 3 minutes with a whisk or 2 minutes with an electric mixer at medium speed. Beat in the melted chocolate mixture; continue beating until smooth. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon flour, the baking powder, and salt, just until combined. Do not beat with an electric mixer at this stage. Divide this mixture between the two prepared ramekins.
3. Bake for about 22 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Cool on a wire rack in the ramekins, then unmold to serve. When completely cooled, the brownies can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days.
RASPBERRY ALMOND CHEESECAKE makes 2 individual-serving cheesecakes
Here, two light cheesecakes are baked over flavorful almond crusts. They’re even better the second day, once the flavors have had a chance to mellow and meld. Store the cakes, tightly covered, in the refrigerator overnight—if you can wait that long.
Unsalted butter for greasing the pans
¼ cup ground toasted almonds
One 8-ounce package cream cheese (regular or low-fat, but not nonfat), at room temperature
¼ cup sugar
1 medium egg, 2½ tablespoons pasteurized egg substitute such as Egg Beaters, or 5 quail eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon sour cream (regular, low-fat, or nonfat)
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon almond extract
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons raspberry jam
teaspoon hot water
1. Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously butter the bottoms and inside walls of two 1½- to 2-cup ramekins, or two 4 ½-inch springform pans, or two 4-inch paper pastry shells. Spoon 2 tablespoons toasted ground almonds in each pan, then press the ground almonds into the butter on the bottom and sides, forming a crust. Set aside.
2. Beat the cream cheese and sugar in a medium bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed for about 2 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, egg substitute, or quail eggs for 15 seconds, or until smooth; then beat in the sour cream, flour, almond extract, and vanilla for about 1 minute, until uniform. Divide this mixture between the two prepared pans, gently spooning it into the almond crusts.
3. Whisk the raspberry jam and hot water just until the jam melts. Dot this mixture on top of the cream cheese batter in each pan. Run a knife through the dots, creating swirl patterns in the batter.
4. Bake for 30 minutes, or just until set. Turn off the oven, prop the door open, and leave the cheesecakes in the oven for an additional 30 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack before unmolding—you may have to run a knife along the inside edges, taking care not to separate the cheesecake from the almond crust. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight.
Chocolate Almond Cheesecake
Omit the raspberry jam and water. Instead, melt ½ ounce semisweet chocolate and 1 teaspoon heavy cream in a microwave on high for 1 minute, then continue stirring until the chocolate is melted. Dot this mixture over the cream cheese batter as you did the raspberry jam; drag a knife through the dots to create a chocolate swirl pattern.
BLACK FOREST CAKES makes 2 individual-serving cakes
Sure, black forest cake is an indulgence: a dense chocolate cake layered with cherries and topped with whipped cream. Here, in a streamlined version for everyday cooking, small, individual chocolate cakes are split open and spread with cherry jam, then topped with sweetened whipped cream. If you want, forgo the cherries and whipped cream and serve the chocolate cakes on their own, with chocolate ice cream perhaps.
1½ tablespoons unsalted butter, plus additional for greasing the pans
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons allpurpose flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda Pinch of salt
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
1½ tablespoons pasteurized egg substitute,