Bready or Not Original: Earl Grey Cheesecake Bars
Earl Grey tea and cream cheese team up in delicious bar form in these delicious Earl Grey Cheesecake Bars.
Last August, I featured Matcha Cheesecake Bars. I decided to modify that recipe using Earl Grey.
The result: WOW. Earl Grey has a slight heat to it when eaten in baked goods (like, say, Earl Grey shortbread).
Here, that contrasts wonderfully with the smooth and creamy cheesecake swirls. I’m not a big cheesecake person, but I’m in awe of how good this basic recipe is.
This is a recipe to make cheesecake haters love cheesecake. That’s not a statement I’d make lightly.
I’ve been told these are excellent with coffee… but if I may, I suggest indulging while enjoying some Earl Grey tea. Hot. Captain Picard-style.
Bready or Not Original: Earl Grey Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 10 Tb unsalted butter softened
- 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar packed
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 1 Tb vanilla extract
Cheesecake layer
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 Tb unsalted butter softened
- 2 Tb all-purpose flour
- 2 tea bags Earl Grey scant 1 tablespoon
- 1 egg room temperature
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 325-degrees. Line an 8x8 or 9x9 pan with aluminum foil and apply nonstick spray.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixer bowl, cream together the softened butter and brown sugar for about 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add 2 eggs and the vanilla extract, followed by the combined dry ingredients.
- Use an uneven spatula to smooth out HALF of the batter in the prepared pan. Place the other half in another bowl for now. Clean the bowl before the next stage, if desired.
- To make the cheesecake layer, beat together the softened cream cheese, sugar, butter, flour, and the contents of two bags of Earl Grey. Mix in the egg and vanilla until it is mostly smooth.
- Pour about HALF of the cream cheese mix on top of the batter in the pan and smooth it out. Dollop the remaining crust and cheesecake batters over the top, and use a butter knife to swirl them together.
- Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until it passes the toothpick test in the middle. Let cool at room temperature for an hour, then place in fridge to continue to chill and set for another hour or two.
- Lift it up by the aluminum foil and place on a cutting board to slice into bars. Store in a lidded container in fridge, with waxed paper or parchment between stacked layers.
- OM NOM NOM!
Sunday Quote is so very weak
Read More“Where is human nature so weak as in the bookstore?”
~ Henry Ward Beecher
Tucson Festival of Books on March 10th
The Tucson Festival of Books is this weekend, and I’ll be attending on Saturday March 10th! (Psst. I’ll have cookies.) I will be wandering around, and then I have the main event:
– Magical History panel from 4-5pm
Gail Carriger, Beth Cato and Mindy Tarquini, authors of novels filled with magic and mystery will discuss alternative earth histories where magic, the paranormal or time travel are real. Assistive listening devices available.
Where: Student Union Santa Rita
A signing will immediately follow the panel at the UA BookStore Tent on the Mall
I hope to see you around!
#SFWAPro
Read MoreBready or Not: Maple Krispy Cookies [uses cake mix]
If you need a cookie recipe that comes together in five minutes, this recipe for Maple Krispy Cookies is perfect!
I love to highlight cake mix recipes every so often for a couple reasons. First of all, doctored cake mix can produce really tasty desserts. Second, it’s an ingredient that is cheap and accessible to people on a tight budget.
Third, it can be used as a fantastic shortcut in recipes like this, where everything comes together in a matter of minutes.
I used a French Vanilla Betty Crocker box for these, but any kind of white or vanilla mix should do. You want a good base to infuse with maple flavor.
My husband described these cookies as “maple krispies in cookie form.” (I do have a maple krispies recipe. It’s also included in my Sweet Maple cookbook.)
These cookies end up with a lovely, fresh maple flavor which does a good job of masking the undeniably chemical taste of cake mix. Plus, the cereal pieces give each cookie a lovely, light crunchiness.
Bready or Not: Maple Krispy Cookies [uses cake mix]
Ingredients
- 18 white cake mix or vanilla
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons maple flavor
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cup puffed rice cereal like Rice Krispies
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 350-degrees.
- In a large bowl, stir together the cake mix, butter, egg, maple flavor, and vanilla extract. When those are just combined, carefully stir in the cereal, trying not to crush it.
- Use a teaspoon scoop or spoon to dole out dough onto a cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes; also to set on sheet for about 10 minutes, then move cookies to a rack to finish cooling. Store in a sealed container.
- OM NOM NOM!
Catching Up on New Publications
I hate it when I fall behind on website updates, but sometimes it just can’t be helped. January brought a barrage of small projects, and then my edits for Roar of Sky dropped on me at the end of the month. February was alllll about book edits. I finally have those done–the first stage, anyway–and now I’m trying to catch up on the stuff I fell behind on during February. Whee! The grand circle of life, for a writer.
All that said, my bibliography page is now up-to-date with the latest fiction, poetry, and podcasts! Here are the newest additions:
Short story:
“The Library is Open,” Daily Science Fiction
Poetry:
“After Her Brother Ripped the Heads from Her Paper Dolls,” Mythic Delirium issue 4.3
“This Body Made,” Mythic Delirium issue 4.3
“Call Me Home Again, Child,” Spirit’s Tincture Issue 5
“Porom,” Special Feature for Skiffy and Fanty’s Month of Joy
“The Stars Sing,” Star*line 41.1
“So Old” and “Border Cowboy at the Border,” Grievous Angel
Podcasts:
Read for Pixels 2018 (IWD Edition): Beth Cato Reading+Q&A Session
O&F Podcast, Ep. 177: Beth Cato
#SFWAPro
Read More
