Fruitcake Cheesecake Bars

  

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Fruitcake Cheesecake Bars

Regular readers know that I think fruitcake gets a bad rap at the Holidays and many more fruitcake lovers are coming out of the closet to celebrate their love of the annual festive treat. In an effort to convert even more to the festive flavors of spice and sweet dried fruits, I've come up with a new way to tempt even more... add a cheesecake element!

With the fragrance of Christmas spices in the buttery crumble and dried glace fruits in the cheesecake, I'm guessing more than one fruitcake nay-sayer will try and sample one of these if offered during the Holiday season. Add this recipe to your Holiday freezer baking list and see if you can't find a few to tempt.

Fruitcake Cheesecake Bars

Recipe by Barry C. Parsons

Fruitcake Cheesecake Bars - a very festive and easy cookie bar recipe with a spiced butter crumble surrounding a dried fruit cheesecake center.

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Total time: About 1 hour
Yield: 24 cookie bars

Ingredients

• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup cold butter
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp allspice
• pinch ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• FOR THE CHEESECAKE FILLING
• 1 cup (8 ounces) cream cheese
• 1/2 cup sugar 
• 3 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 large egg
• 2/3 cup mixed glace fruit

Directions

1. In a food processor pulse together the flour, brown sugar, spices and butter until crumbly (or simply cut the butter through the flour, spices and sugar with a pastry knife or two butter knives held between your fingers)
2. Save a 1/2 cup of this crumble mixture to sprinkle over the top later.
3. Press the rest of the crumble mixture into the bottom of a greased or parchment lined 9x9 inch square baking pan.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes while preparing the cheesecake filling.
5. Beat together the cream cheese, white sugar, lemon juice and vanilla extract until smooth.
6. Beat in the egg.
7. Fold in the mixed glace fruit.
8. Spread the cheesecake mixture evenly onto the pre-baked cookie base and sprinkle the reserved cookie crumble over the surface.
9. Bake at 325 degrees F for 20 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan before cutting and serving.
10. Refrigerate in airtight containers. Freezes well too.

Mango Peach Coconut Crumble

Mango Peach Coconut Crumble

Good morning from Philadelphia. I'm on vacation with the family, eating my way up the American east coast but I'm up in the early morning light in the city of brotherly love just in time to share this seasonal dessert recipe for your Sunday dinner.

Regular readers will know by now that peaches are my favorite summer fruit and I can't get enough of them, especially in delicious desserts. Our most recent family dinner dessert before we embarked on our road trip from Savannah to Boston, included them in combination with ripe juicy mangoes in this wonderful comfort food dessert. To add a further tropical touch to the crumble, I included some dried coconut but if you are not partial to coconut as many are, you can just substitute oatmeal instead. Wonderful with some good vanilla or coconut ice cream too.

Serves 8

• 3 large peaches diced
• 2 small mangoes diced

About 4 to 5 cups diced fruit in total.

Mix together:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tbsp corn starch
• pinch cinnamon
• pinch salt

Toss together with the fruit mixture and 

• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp lemon juice

Mix together well and pour fruit mixture evenly into the bottom of a 9x9 or 8x12 inch glass baking dish. A 10 inch deep dish pie plate works well too.

For the crumble, in a large bowl toss together:

• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/4 cups unsweetened dried coconut
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 3/4 cup brown sugar

Using your hands, rub thoroughly through the dry ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, cut in small cubes

When the butter has been fully incorporated you should be able to press it together in your hands and it should hold together. Break off small chunks and scatter them evenly over the surface of the prepared fruit. Press down lightly. Bake for 40- 50 minutes at 350 degrees F. The fruit should be bubbling and the crumble evenly golden brown when it is fully baked. Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.

Chocolate Orange Date Crumbles

Yes, I know I'm obsessed with chocolate-orange, we've covered that...but more than another excuse to indulge in one of my favorite dessert flavour combinations, this scrumptious square is a great example of how I like to play with a great recipe to create something new. After I recently re-shot and re-posted the photo for Newfoundland's favorite cookie square, the Date Crumble, a  reader wrote to say that she sometimes adds cocoa powder to her crumble to make a chocolate version of date crumbles to I know I had to try that idea but I also decided to really amp up the filling with intense orange flavour. I loved the result  and I know that this version will make it to my Christmas cookie freezer selection this year for sure. 

First prepare the filling. In a medium saucepan combine and gently boil until thickened (about 10-15 minutes).

18 ounces dates, chopped
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tbsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1/2 cup orange juice concentrate
finely grated zest of one small orange

The filling should be very thick; you will need to watch it carefully and stir constantly in the last few minutes of cooking time. Set aside to cool slightly while you prepare the crumble mixture.

Crumble:

In a large bowl toss together:

2 cups rolled oats (large)
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup unsweetened coconut
1 2/3 cups flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 cup brown sugar

Using your hands, rub thoroughly through the dry ingredients:

1 ½ cups butter, cut in small cubes.

Divide crumble mixture in half and press half into the bottom of a 9x13 inch greased baking pan. Spread date mixture over the base. Top with remaining crumb mixture, pressing it together in clumps in your hands and then breaking it into small pieces with your fingers. Press down lightly. Bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Bumbleberry Crumble

Bumbleberry Crumble

Who doesn't love a good crumble? Even though fresh, juicy, local summer fruits and berries are still a while away, thankfully we still had some frozen berries in the winter freezer which combined with a couple of fresh additions from the supermarket to make this phenomenal Bumbleberry Crumble. This recipe does not add a lot of sugar to the blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and cherries, letting the natural flavor of the fruits take center stage beside a nutty oatmeal crumble. We served this awesome dessert with some of our homemade Blueberry Ripple IceCream which took it completely over the top, to make what I would call the perfect summer barbeque dessert.

 Mix together:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tbsp corn starch
• pinch salt

Pour this mixture over

• 4 cups mixed berries

Stir well and pour into a deep dish pie plate or 9x9 square baking pan.

For the crumble mix together:

• 1 cup oats
• 3/4 cup flour
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Using your hands rub in until crumbly:

• 1/2 cup butter

Sprinkle the crumble over the fruit and press down slightly. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes or until the crumble is evenly golden brown and the fruit is bubbling well at the bottom of the dish. Serve warm with good ice cream.

Cherry Swirl Almond Crumble Coffee Cake

Cherry Swirl Almond Crumble Coffee Cake

Here's another flavor combination in our growing collection of coffee cakes. This delicious almond and vanilla flavored cake gets a swirl of sweet cherry compote through  the cake before being topped by a buttery almond shortbread crumble. This is one more addition to the many brunch ideas on Rock Recipes. Check out our Pinterest board of Best Brunch Ideas for more ways to make a favorite weekend meal truly special.

Cherry Compote

2 cups pitted cherries

½ cup sugar

3 tbsp water

Simmer together for only a few minutes.

Stir together:

1 ounce water

1 rounded tbsp corn starch

Add quickly to the simmering cherries stirring constantly. Cook for only a minute before taking off the heat and allowing it to cool to almost room temperature.

 
Coffee Cake

Sift together and set aside:

2 2/3 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder

In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment in place, whisk together on high speed until foamy and slightly stiffened.

2 eggs
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp almond extract (optional)

Mix together in a measuring cup with a spout:

1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Slowly add the oil and butter mixture to the egg mixture in a slow stream as the mixer continues to whisk.

Mix together

1/2 cup whipping cream

1/2 cup milk

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Add slowly to the mixing bowl continuing to mix but at a reduced speed.

Fold in the dry ingredients by hand with a rubber spatula being careful not to over mix. Don't worry about lumps in the batter, they are fine.

Pour the batter into a greased and floured 10 inch springform pan. Dot the surface of the batter, a heaping tablespoon at a time with

1 1/2 cups Cherry Compote

using the handle of a wooden spoon, swirl the cherry compote through the batter. 

Almond Shortbread Crumble

1/3 cup ground almonds
2/3 cup flour
1/3 cup butter
½ tsp vanilla extract

Pulse together in a food processor or rub the butter into the flour with your hands until fully incorporated.

Add the crumble topping by squeezing together handfuls of the crumb mixture and breaking off small pieces, which get scattered all over the surface of the batter.  You can also add in some slivered almonds and a few extra cherry pieces with the crumble for an extra flourish of garnish. 

Bake for 50-60 minutes at 350 degrees F or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The toothpick test is definitely the best way to ensure that this cake is fully baked. Cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.

Nutella Fudge Crumble Bars

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Nutella Fudge Crumble Bars

Crumble bars have been a favorite of mine since childhood. As a beginner baker when I was still a child, I remember experimenting with the filling for the iconic Newfoundland favorite Date Crumbles , adding many different fillings from blueberry to apple to apricot and that experimental inspiration hit me again this week. I originally intended to make a plain chocolate fudge filling for these delicious buttery, crunchy bars but spied a Nutella bottle at the last minute and decided that I just had to add some of that to the mix as well. The result was amazing! The kids absolutely love them and Spouse, who normally can show great restraint, had more than her fair share too. We will be making these again and again, I just know it.

In a large bowl toss together:

• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 cups rolled oats (large)
• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup brown sugar

Using your hands, rub thoroughly through the dry ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups butter, cut in small cubes

This mixture should hold together when squeezed in your fist.

Divide crumble mixture in half and press half into the bottom of a 9x13 inch greased or parchment lined baking pan. Spread fudge filling mixture over the base. Top with remaining crumb mixture, breaking it into small pieces with your fingers. Bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees F or until golden brown.

Nutella Fudge Filling

In a double boiler melt together until smooth:

• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup whipping cream (or evaporated milk)
• 1 cup Nutella

Don't let this mixture get too hot, as soon as the chocolate is melted, take it off the heat. Add:

• 1 cup icing sugar ( i.e. powdered sugar, confectioners sugar) 

Blend in until smooth.

Blueberry Crunch Muffins

Blueberry Crunch Muffins

Here's a twist on a real breakfast classic, the blueberry muffin. I have added a very crunchy oatmeal crumble baked right on top of the muffins for extra flavor and texture. The basic recipe makes amazingly moist and delicious plain blueberry muffins too, if you prefer not to add the crumble. A sprinkle of turbinado sugar on top of the batter before baking is great on the plain muffins too.

Makes about 18 muffins

Sift together and set aside:

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 3 tsp baking powder

In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment in place, whisk together on high speed until foamy and slightly stiffened.

• 2 eggs
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Mix together in a measuring cup with a spout:

• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil

Slowly add the oil and butter mixture to the egg mixture in a slow stream as the mixer continues to whisk.


Mix together

• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Add slowly to the mixing bowl continuing to mix but at a reduced speed.

Fold in the dry ingredients by hand with a rubber spatula being careful not to over mix. Don't worry about lumps in the batter, they are fine. When the dry ingredients are almost incorporated, gently fold in

• 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

Spoon batter into well greased muffin tins, filling them to the top.

Oatmeal Crunch Topping

In a large bowl toss together:

• 1 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 cups oats (large)
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar

Using your hands, rub thoroughly through the dry ingredients:

• 3/4 cup butter, cut in small cubes

Sprinkle the crumble mixture evenly over the tops of the muffins.

Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for about 20-25 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. The baking time may vary depending on whether fresh or frozen berries are used.

Chocolate Swirl Vanilla Crumble Coffee Cake

 

What a great centerpiece to a weekend brunch this amazing coffee cake would make. Everyone at that table would surely be appreciative of this moist, delicious collision of chocolate and vanilla. I've always considered coffee cake to be a big slice-able muffin and as I'm writing this, I am thinking, "Maybe I should have made this as coffee cake muffins."; perhaps that's an idea for the future.

There is also a great combination of textures in this cake with the addition of a vanilla shortbread crumble topping and a drizzle of melt-in-your-mouth chocolate ganache. This new recipe may well be my new favorite go-to coffee cake for my weekend brunches.

Grease and flour a 10 inch tube pan or bundt cake pan very well and preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Prepare the vanilla crumble by pulsing together in a food processor until well combined.

2/3 cup flour
1/3 cup butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

To prepare the cake batter begin by sifting together

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together at high speed until very foamy

4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 & 1/2 cups sugar
2 tbsp vanilla extract

 

In a large measuring cup melt
1/2 cup butter, then mix in

1/2 cup vegetable oil

Slowly add this butter and oil mixture to the egg and sugar mixture as it continues to beat.

Fold in the dry ingredients alternately with

1 cup whole milk, at room temperature

When alternating wet and dry ingredients, always begin and end with the dry mixture. Here I folded in the flour in three divisions and the milk in two divisions.

Divide the batter in two equal portions and pour half of the batter into the greased and floured pan.

To the remaining half of the batter quickly beat in

1/3 cup cocoa

3 tbsp milk

Spoon the chocolate batter in large spoonfuls all over the surface of the vanilla batter in the pan. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, swirl the chocolate batter through the vanilla batter in a random pattern.

Add the crumble topping by squeezing together handfuls of the crumb mixture and breaking off small pieces which get scattered all over the surface of the batter.

Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The toothpick test is definitely the best way to ensure this cake is fully baked. Cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack covered in a clean tea towel. Remove the pan and then placing another wire rack on top and flipping the cake again so that the crumble is on top. Serve warm or cold. You can drizzle some chocolate ganache over the top if you like.

Chocolate Ganache

In a double boiler melt together

1 cup dark chocolate chips

1/4 cup whipping cream

Spoon the ganache into a Ziploc bag and snip off a corner with scissors, then squeeze the ganache through the hole all over the surface of the cake.

Strawberry Apple Graham Crumble

Strawberry Apple Graham Crumble

I had my daughter in mind when I came up with this tempting crumble recipe. Olivia loves anything with a graham crumb base so I decided to turn that idea on it's head and incorporate the crumbs into a buttery crumble topping for some apples and strawberries. Delicious with some ice cream or whipped cream, this dessert was well appreciated as the end of a weekend family brunch we hosted this weekend. This would also make a great pot-luck dish to take along, warm out of the oven.

Serves 12

Mix together:

2/3 cup sugar

2 tbsp corn starch

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Toss together with

4 cups ripe strawberries

5-6 apples, peeled and cut into wedges

Spread evenly into the bottom of a deep dish 9x13 glass baking pan (or similar large sized pan)

Crumble

In a large bowl toss together:
2 tsp baking powder
1 2/3 cups graham cracker crumbs ( digestive biscuit crumbs work well too)
2 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar
Using your hands, rub thoroughly through the dry ingredients:
1 ½ cups butter, cut in small cubes.

 Press the crumble mixture together in handfuls so that it holds together and break off chunks of crumble all over the top of the prepared fruit. Bake for about 45 minutes at 350 degrees or until the top is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling, even at the center of the dish as well as the sides. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.

Lemon Coconut Crumble Bars

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Lemon Coconut Crumble Bars

This is a very old family recipe of mine but I have often seen them in local bakeries across Newfoundland. I have often seen versions without the coconut but we always had them with coconut in our family. Many people use a packaged lemon pie filling in their versions but I like to make my own from scratch. This recipe works well with other citrus fruits like orange and lime as well.

Lemon Coconut Crumble Bars

Recipe by Barry C. Parsons

Lemon Coconut Crumble Bars - a 35+ year old family recipe that combines coconut and tangy lemon filling in a buttery crumble bar cookie. Freezes quite well too.

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield: About 36 bar cookies
Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 cups dried coconut, medium cut
• pinch salt
• 1 cup butter, cut in small pieces
• FOR THE LEMON FILLING
• 1/3 cup cake flour
• 1/3 cup corn starch
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 5 egg yolks, slightly beaten
• Zest of 2 large (or 3 small) lemons, very finely chopped
• Juice of 2 large (or 3 small) lemons
• 2 cups water
• 3 tbsp butter
• pinch salt

Directions

1. TO MAKE THE LEMON FILLING combine the corn starch, salt, cake flour, sugar and water in a medium saucepan.
2. Cook over medium-low heat until the mixture thickens, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
3. Pour about 1/2 cup of the thickened mixture over the beaten egg yolks and whisk together quickly. This tempers the egg yolks so that they do not scramble.
4. Pour this mixture back into the pot and whisk it in quickly. Return the pot to the heat and stir constantly for a few minutes until the mixture is thick and evenly smooth.
5. Whisk in the lemon juice and zest and remove from the heat.
6. Finally whisk in the butter and set aside to cool while you prepare the crumble mixture.
7. FOR THE CRUMBLE sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, coconut and salt.
8. Using your hands or a pastry blender cut in the butter until the it is completely incorporated into the dry ingredients.
9. Press half of the crumb mixture into the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch well greased baking pan. Pour the lemon filling evenly over the bottom crumbs. Gently sprinkle the remaining crumbs over the lemon filling and press down gently.
10. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 40 - 45 minutes or until light golden brown in color. Cool completely in the pan before cutting into squares and serving.

Peach Crumble

With great peaches still available, here is another easy dessert suggestion that features them at their best. I love peaches and this is one of my very favorite desserts.

Peel and slice

8 large ripe peaches

Mix together:

½ cup brown sugar
1 tbsp corn starch
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp freshly ground nutmeg

Toss with the sliced peaches and spread evenly in the bottom of a 9x9 inch glass baking pan.

In a large bowl toss together:
1 tsp baking powder
1cups rolled oats (large)
1 cups flour
½ cup brown sugar
Using your hands rub thoroughly through the dry ingredients:
¾ cup cold butter, cut in small cubes.

Press the crumble mixture together in handfuls then break it apart in bite sized pieces evenly over the top of the prepared peaches. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 40 minutes. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.