It seems as if I am on a cheesecake kick lately! I’ve made 4 in the past month when everyone is supposed to be eating healthy 😮 To be honest, I have no idea why the sudden rise in cheesecake recipes other than I make what I feel like. So far you’ve only seen one, this mini red velvet cheesecake  which you should make  for your Valentine, but the others are on their way starting with this Greek Yogurt Cheesecake with Pomegranate Syrup.

I first saw the recipe as an insert in a magazine. One of those annoying subscribe inserts that falls out every time you open up the magazine. But this time, it has a Greek yogurt cheesecake recipe on one side. I stopped and thought “hmmm, i’ve never had yogurt in my cheesecake. I bet that’s lighter and slightly tangy”. And of course I went straight to testing it out!

It’s exactly as I expected! The cheesecake is lighter than my usual rich cheesecake base but it was for a good reason. The Greek Yogurt gives this cheesecake a slightly tangy flavor and the texture is silky smooth with the cream cheese. To make it “healthier” (because some people roll that way!), I used reduced fat cream cheese and I couldn’t tell a difference in the silky texture.

I think the killer here is that pomegranate syrup to top off a slice. It’s sweet and can be made thicker than pictured…I was not too patient when finishing off the recipe but the taste was still superb.

Wouldn’t this be perfect for Valentine’s Day?

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Yield: 1 9-inch cheesecake

Greek Yogurt Cheesecake with Pomegranate Syrup

Prep Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

For Crust:

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• 1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• ¼ cup sugar

Filling:

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• 2 teaspoon powdered unflavored gelatin
• 24 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 ½ cups plain Greek yogurt
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon salt

Pomegranate Syrup

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• 2 cups pomegranate juice (use a flash pasteurized juice not fresh as it could turn brown when cooked)
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• Pomegranate seeds (for topping)

Instructions

For Crust:

1. Spray the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick spray. Line the bottom with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, mix together the crumbs, melted butter and sugar. Mix until the mixture holds up together. Spread the crust at the bottom of pan and press into an even layer. Chill the crust until firm, at least an hour. (Alternatively, bake crust at 350 degrees F until golden and firm, about 10-15 minutes. Let cool completely).

For Filling:

1. Place the gelatin and 1 ½ tablespoon cold water into a small heatproof bowl. Let stand for 5-10 minutes until softened. In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the cream cheese, yogurt, sugar, lemon juice, extract and salt until smooth. Melt the gelatin by setting the bowl over simmering water. Stir until dissolves, about 2 minutes. With the processor still running, drizzle the gelatin into the cream cheese mixture. Pour the cream cheese filling into the prepared crust. Smooth the top and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Chill for at least 6 hours or overnight before serving.

For Syrup:

1. Combine the pomegranate juice, sugar and corn syrup in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, until syrup thickens and reduces to ½ cup, about 30-40 minutes. Let cool completely.
2. Serve cheesecake with syrup and top with fresh pomegranates seeds.

Notes

Adapted from bon appetit

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The post Greek Yogurt Cheesecake with Pomegranate Syrup (No Bake) appeared first on A Classic Twist.

A stunning raspberry swirl pavlova with pomegranates will make a stunning dessert centerpiece! #DriscollsBerry

The first week of December always gets me excited about the holiday season. Who am I kidding, I’ve been excited about holiday baking since mid-November and a slew of eggnog and peppermint recipes are already winning my heart.

The holiday season also brings with it gatherings with friends and family. It’s my favorite time of the year because of all the family I get to see annually. This year, in addition to holiday parties, I am planning on bringing baked goods to a few dinner parties with my friends. I always try to keep things simple, exciting and very elegant. That’s why I thought this year I will give pavlova a try and made this raspberry swirl pavlova with pomegranates for a practice run!

Coincidentally, it’s been a few weeks of new challenges in my kitchen! Starting with these homemade peppermint marshmallows to cranberry hazelnut crepe cake and now pavlova. If you are not sure what this is, let me tell you! Pavlova is a meringue based dessert with a crisp shell and a light and soft sweet marshmallow center. I’ve always been a fan of how stunning pavlova looks on a dinner table and it’s been on my bucket list for a while.

I was extremely happy to find out that making Pavlova is not as hard as I thought, you just need to whip up a meringue. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Then add in superfine sugar gradually until the meringue forms stiff peaks. The last step is to fold in cornstarch and vinegar into the meringue. These two will give the pavlova it’s dry and crisp crust. And you bake the meringue on low heat for an hour. It’s just so simple. Topped with whipped cream and fresh Driscoll’s Berry raspberries from Whole Foods, you get one elegant dessert to bring to your holiday parties.

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Yield: 1 pavlova

Raspberry Swirl Pavlova with Pomegranates

A stunning raspberry swirl pavlova with pomegranates will make a stunning dessert centerpiece!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

For the Raspberry Sauce:

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• ½ cup Driscoll’s Berry raspberries
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

For the Pavlova:

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• 5 large egg whites
• 1 ¼ cups superfine sugar
• 1 ¼ teaspoon cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons vinegar

Topping:

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• 1 cup heavy cream, cold
• 1 cup fresh raspberries
• ½ cup pomegranate seeds

Instructions

1. In a small saucepan, combine the ½ cup raspberries with lemon juice and sugar. Cook until berries break down and thickens. Remove from heat and pass the raspberry sauce through a fine sieve. Set the juices aside.
2. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Trace a circle on the parchment paper using a 8-inch cake pan.
3. Using a large clean bowl, beat the egg whites with a whisk until stiff peaks form. With the mixer running gradually add in the sugar, one tablespoon at time. Beat until glossy and stiff peaks form. Add the vinegar and cornstarch into the mixture and gently fold to incorporate. Drizzle two tablespoons of the raspberry sauce over the meringue in the bowl. Do not mix.
4. Using a rubber spatula, scoop out the meringue and pile onto the prepared pan, making sure to evenly spread within the traced circle. Make swirls and peaks on the meringue.
5. Transfer the meringue to oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 250 degrees F. Bake for an hour. Turn off the oven and let meringue cool completely in the oven.
6. When ready to serve, whip the heavy cream to soft peaks. Once cooled and dried, top the meringue with freshly whipped cream , the remaining raspberry sauce, fresh raspberries and pomegranate seeds.

Making this Recipe?

Share it with us on Instagram using #aclassictwist so we can see what you are baking up in your kitchen!

Disclosure: I participated in this sponsored campaign on behalf of Kitchen PLAY for their client Whole Foods Market and Driscoll’s Berry. All opinions stated are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep me inspired!

The post Raspberry Swirl Pavlova with Pomegranates appeared first on A Classic Twist.

One of my favorite things about the food blogging community is getting to build relationships with wonderful ladies and it doesn’t get any better than when you get to meet these online friends in real life. This weekend I was lucky to attend Mixed Conference (thanks Paula) where I met a few blogging friends at the beautiful Mountain Lake Lodge Resort (where Dirty Dancing was shot!!).

Spending time with folks that are just as passionate about food and creating recipes was a dream come true. I got to meet Erin, Carrie, Emily, Liz, Tracey, and many more after following each other online for a while.

These conferences are not all about socializing with fellow foodies and there is a lot of learning. We had experts in different things leading sessions from SEO optimization, to media marketing and photography and food styling. I learned so much from each of these sessions and left inspired and armed with new tools to make this space a better place for all of you.

But enough about my conference. Let’s talk about this beautiful fruit in front of us! I love pomegranates for no other reason than their color. Just seeing those arils make me happy.

I bought my first two of the season last week and after throwing some on this kale salad and baked some in these pomegranate oatmeal cookies, I still had a few left to play around with. A cocktail was definitely in order.

It’s been a while since we had a cocktail around here and we can only toast the upcoming holiday season with a sparkler. Pomegranate sparklers to enjoy one of winter’s prettiest fruits!

Pomegranate juice + vodka +  lime juice + sparkling soda make for a smooth refreshing seasonal cocktail. Entertain your guests this holiday season with this bubbly!

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Yield: 1 cocktail

Pomegranate Sparkler

With the holidays, comes the need for entertaining cocktails! This pomegranate sparkler with it's sweet and bubbly nature is perfect for holiday festivities!

Prep Time 5 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 parts pomegranate juice
• 1 part lime juice
• 2 parts vodka (or to taste)
• Sweetened with simple syrup to taste (optional)
• Club Soda
• To garnish: Pomegranate arils, Lime wedges

Instructions

1. If using simple syrup: combine equal parts of sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil until sugar dissolves and remove from heat. Cool completely.
2. In a cocktail mixer, combine the pomegranate juice. lime juice, vodka and simple syrup. Add 4-6 ice cubes and shake for about 20 seconds.
3. Strain juice into cocktail glasses and top off with club soda or sparkling water. Garnish with pomegranate arils and lime wedges.
4. Enjoy!

Making this Recipe?

Share it with us on Instagram using #aclassictwist so we can see what you are baking up in your kitchen!

The post Pomegranate Sparkler appeared first on A Classic Twist.

Happy Monday!! I am very excited about a Monday (so rare) because today is a special day! We are having a virtual bridal shower for a dear and special friend. You are invited to the surprise shower for Joanne of Eats Well with Others hosted by her blogging friends!! (Surprise Joanne!!).

I’ve had the pleasure of calling Joanne a dear friend for the past year and a half. She is a Ph.D. (and MD) student like myself and we bonded over that right away but despite our misery over failed experiments, we both love food! How she juggles blogging every day and being a scientist beats me. She is seriously a powerhouse of a chick and just so down to earth.

I was so lucky to meet her twice this summer! Once in NYC over coffee and almond croissant and a few weeks later in Philly when we attended The Big Traveling Potluck. She is just as sweet and hilarious in person and I’m so excited for her upcoming nuptials to the boy. He is one lucky man!!

Joanne’s favorite season is fall and that’s the theme of her shower!! Check out all the amazing recipes at the end of the shower attendees. Naturally, I wanted to make a super decadent fall dessert but when I think of Joanne, I think of kale, squash (all varieties, she doesn’t discriminate), and chocolate. Things like massaging kale, the uselessness of romaine, or just how you need a chocolate slab pie on those terrible weeks are a few of the things I’ve learned from her. She is all about balance while staying healthy. How can you not love that?

She doesn’t know this but she has inspired me over the past year to try new-to-me superfoods like kale. I’ve been enjoying cooking my way through her extensive salad archive and spicing up my lunches. I decided to whip up this kale salad with maple roasted butternut squash and pomegranate vinaigrette. Massaged kale is tossed with a crunchy (slightly spicy) pomegranate vinaigrette and butternut squash roasted in maple syrup. The salad is finished with fresh pomegranate seeds, goat cheese, and walnuts! It’s a powerhouse salad!!

Joanne – I wish you and the boy a happy and blessed marriage!! Have fun at the wedding and I can’t wait to see your gorgeous pictures. You are one stunning bride 🙂 Love you!

Print

Yield: Serves 4

Kale Salad with Maple Butternut Squash and Pomegranate Vinaigrette

Spice up your salads this fall with a kale salad bursting with sweet roasted maple butternut squash, goat cheese and a crunchy pomegranate vinaigrette! 

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

For Salad:

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• 1 pound butternut squash, peeled and cut into 2-inch cubes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 pound kale, chopped
• Juice of 1 lemon
• ¼ cup chopped walnuts
• Goat cheese, to taste

For Dressing:

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• ½ cup pomegranate seeds
• 1 teaspoon honey mustard
• 2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ¼ cup olive oil

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Toss squash with olive oil, maple syrup and salt and pepper. Bake on a lined baking sheet 20-30 minutes.
2. In the bowl of a food processor, process pomegranate seeds, mustard, vinegar and sugar until smooth. With processor going, gently pour the olive oil into bowl and pulse until combined. Pour into a jar and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, sprinkle kale with lemon juice and salt. Massage (by rubbing) kale until it reduces in volume by half and soft, about 3 minutes. Toss kale with dressing and squash. Top with walnuts and goat cheese.

Making this Recipe?

Share it with us on Instagram using #aclassictwist so we can see what you are baking up in your kitchen!

Cocktails:

Pumpkin Spice White Russian – Nutmeg Nanny

Warm Apple Pie Cocktail – Miss In The Kitchen

Bourbon Apple Cider Cocktail– Cook Like Champion

Snacks/Savory:

Baked Brie with Honey and Sliced Almonds – The Lemon Bowl

Butternut Squash and Apple Galette – Warm Vanilla Sugar

Roasted Pumpkin Crostini – Annie’s Eats

Kale Salad with Maple Butternut Squash and Pomegranate Dressing – Blahnik Baker

Lemony-Pasta Stuffed Zucchini – Very Culinary

Pumpkin Dip with Apple Chips– Meadows Cooks

Sweet:

Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Cake – The Baker Chick

Peanut Butter Fudge Pie with Salted Peanut Butter Caramel– Taste and Tell

Caramel Apple Upside Down Cake – The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen

Snickerdoodle Bundt Cake – Chocolate and Carrots

Roasted Butternut Squash Pie with Brown Sugar Marshmallow Topping – Keep It Sweet

Caramel Corn Chocolate Chip Cookies – The Cooking Actress

Caramel Cranberry Apple Galette – Bakeaholic Mama

Coconut Pecan Tarts – Bake or Break

Cranberry Margarita Cupcakes – Baker by Nature

Gingerbread Truffles – Dinners Dishes and Desserts

The post Kale Salad with Maple Butternut Squash and Pomegranate Vinaigrette appeared first on A Classic Twist.

Hi friends! Happy Monday, let’s have cake! A slice of this white chocolate vanilla cake to be exact. It’s a simple cake with wonderful flavors that can be festive and a table show stopper. 

This holiday season is my first year of baking and blogging, and in the next two weeks, I will be sharing some of my favorite holiday recipes with you. These are the classic recipes I make for our holiday gatherings and comfort eating. 

(more…)

The post White Chocolate Vanilla Cake appeared first on A Classic Twist.