ISO: Mexican/ Tex - Mex Dessert Ideas - do you have a fav?

[Lys]

Hi all!!!

I am having a small gathering at my house Fri night for a frined of mine who is moving to LA to pursue a life of music and stars :D !! Anyway, I am having a tex - mex type dinner (very casual). I am making the tequila - lime chicken (from Barefoot Contessa - yummy!!!), guacamole, salsa and maybe a rice or salad.... homemade margaritas... so, I was hoping for any suggestions for a mexican - themed dessert - maybe a margarita cheesecake or something? Any suggestions/ recipes would be more than welcome and much appreciated!!! Thanks in advance!!!

[yorkshirepud]

When I saw the title of your thread, the first thing I thought was margarita cheesecake. It sounds so unique and I think it would be a nice surprise for your guests. It's certainly something you don't see on mainstream restaurant menus. Do you have a recipe? I believe there is one floating around on the boards.

Also, I believe Valchemist posted a Mexican Chocolate Cake - or something like that. Don't know if you have a need for 2 desserts, but there's some options at least.

You may also want to try marthastewart.com. She always has that Rick Bayless on who's famous for his Mexican, so perhaps some of his desserts are posted on her website.

HTH!
Adele

[CompassRose]

Flan. Mmm, flan.

Or anything with Dulce de Leche. Mm, dulce de leche! Or what about a Tres Leches Cake?

Here's a not light recipe (http://community.cookinglight.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=27842) and here's the CL recipe. (http://community.cookinglight.com/showthread.php?threadid=15953) The CL one seems to have had mixed reviews, though.

Oh, and hey, here's a cool old thread (http://community.cookinglight.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=33113) seeking Mexican dessert suggestions!

And, of course, anything with spicy chocolate. (Chocolate! Always in season!) Me, I'd say margaritas AND margarita cheesecake might be a bit much.

[Lys]

If anyone has a good, tried and true recipe for a margarita cheesecake that would be much appreciated. CompassRose, I am thinking about doing a tres leches cake... I recently was sent the magazine Saveur and there was a recipe in it for a tres leches cake that looked great!!! Thanks for the feedback so far - it's been helpful!!!!

[yorkshirepud]

Lys, here's the cheesecake recipe:

MARGARITA CHEESECAKE

Made with reduced-fat cream cheese and light sour cream, this cheesecake is irresistible - just like its namesake cocktail.

CRUST
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted


FILLING
3 8-ounce "bricks" Neufchâtel cheese (reduced-fat cream cheese),
room temperature
1 1/4 cups light sour cream
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons triple sec or other orange liqueur
2 1/2 tablespoons tequila
2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
4 large eggs


TOPPING
3/4 cup light sour cream
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon sugar


Very thin lime slices, cut in half
Very thin lime peel strips

FOR CRUST: Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Spray 9-inch springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides with vegetable oil spray. Mix graham cracker crumbs and butter in medium bowl until blended. Press crumbs over bottom and 1 inch up sides of prepared pan. Refrigerate crust.


FOR FILLING: Using electric mixer, beat cheese in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in sour cream, then sugar, triple sec, tequila and lime juice. Beat in eggs.

Pour filling into crust. Bake until outside 2 inches are set and center moves only slightly when pan is shaken, about 50 minutes. Remove from oven; turn off oven.


FOR TOPPING: Whisk sour cream, lime juice and sugar in small bowl to blend. Spread evenly over cheesecake. Return cheesecake to hot oven. Let stand 45 minutes or less (Cheesecake will look very soft, but will set up when chilled.) Refrigerate cake until well chilled, up to 1 day.

Run knife around pan sides. Remove pan sides. Place cake on platter. Arrange lime half-slices and peel around top edge of cheesecake.

Serves 10 to 12.


If you run a serve on this board under MARGARITA CHEESECAKE you'll be able to read some reviews.

[CompassRose]

Wasn't there someone who tried the cheesecake using salty pretzels instead of graham crackers for the crust and said it was awesome? I always meant to give that a flight!

[yorkshirepud]

CompassRose, yes there was. If you run a search under MARGARITA CHEESECAKE that will pop up also. It does sound interesting, although I do love those graham cracker/oreo crusts.

[aggie94]

I have made the margarita cheesecake that YP posted, only with some changes to lighten it up a bit. It was VERY good:

For the crust, I used a different CL recipe that called for 1 cup of graham cracker crumbs, 2 tbsp sugar, and 1-2 tbsp melted butter (enough to make it stick). I subbed one of the bricks of Neufchatel cheese with nonfat cream cheese. I subbed two of the large eggs with 3 egg whites. Otherwise, I left the recipe the same (light sour cream, not nonfat - I think the difference was pretty minimal). The cheesecake was very tasty and was slightly lighter than the original -- (based on 12 servings and 2 tbsp butter in the crust) 268cal (38% from fat), 11g fat, 62mg chol, 461mg sodium, 30g carb, 10g protein, 100mg calcium.

[mandarin2j]

I've made both the CL Plantain Empanaditas (not sure if that's the actual name…seems like it was longer) and the CL Vanilla Bean Crème Brulee (very flan-like) for supper club gatherings, and both were a hit. They're both pretty easy, too. I think they're both in the 2002 annual. Have fun & good luck!

-Amanda

[krispy spo]

I made a margarita pie recently, which was quick and easy. It had a pretzel crust. If you want the recipe just let me know and I'll post it.

[RebeccaT]

Not to be contentious, but I made the Margarita Cheesecake last month to take to a dinner party and I didn't love it. It just tasted like an ok lime cheesecake, nothing to write home about. If you want something a little more authentic, I would definitely go with a Tres Leches or a Flan. Yummy!

[aggie94]

Flan is definitely authentic, but I know it's kind of a love-it or hate-it thing. Personally, I don't care for it. It reminds me of egg jello :eek:. Anyway, if you want a good flan recipe, let me know. DH makes a mean flan, from what I hear. People who like flan are always very complimentary of his.

[LaraW]

Originally posted by CompassRose
Wasn't there someone who tried the cheesecake using salty pretzels instead of graham crackers for the crust and said it was awesome? I always meant to give that a flight!

I am the one who did this last summer, and we really liked it. The saltiness of the pretzels was a nice contrast to the filling.

I used the same amount of pretzel crumbs as the recipe calls for graham cracker crumbs, but the crust was too dry and it fell apart, so you'd need to use more butter for it to stick together.

[Lys]

I am now torn between the margarita cheesecake and a Tres Leches Cake.... does anyone have a Tres Leches Cake that they love? I may try the one from Saveur. Thanks for all the suggestions!!!

[hAndyman]

Here are some recipes I collected while, like you, looking for a MExican or Tex-Mex dessert. I made the first one.

Mexican Chocolate Torte
(Toasted Almond, Cinnamon and Chocolate Torte)

1 cup (about 5 ounces) natural (with skins) whole almonds, toasted and cooled completely
1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
5 ounce fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), chopped
5 large eggs, separated
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup granulated sugar

For the glaze
4 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
For the icing 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons milk

Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Butter an 8 1/2-inch springform pan and line it with a round of wax paper. Butter the paper and dust the pan with flour, knocking out the excess. In a food processor blend together the almonds, the brown sugar, the cinnamon, and the salt until the almonds are ground fine, add the chocolate, and blend the mixture until the chocolate is ground fine. Add the egg yolks and the vanilla, blend the mixture until it is combined well (it will be very thick), and transfer it to a bowl. In another bowl with an electric mixture beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they hold soft peaks, beat in the granulated sugar gradually, and beat the meringue until it just holds stiff peaks. Whisk about one third of the meringue into the chocolate mixture to lighten it and fold in the remaining meringue gently but thoroughly. Pour the batter into the pan, smoothing the top, and bake the torte in the middle of the oven for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Let the torte cool in the pan on a rack for 5 minutes, run a thin knife around the edge, and remove the side of the pan. Invert the torte onto the rack, discarding the wax paper, and let it cool.

Make the glaze: In a metal bowl set over barely simmering water combine the chocolate, the butter, the cream, and the corn syrup, stir the mixture until it is smooth, and let the glaze cool until it is just lukewarm.
Set the torte on the rack over wax paper and pour the glaze over it, smoothing the glaze with a spatula and letting the excess drip down the side.

Make the icing: In a bowl whisk together the confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon of the milk and add enough of the remaining milk, drop by drop, to form a thick icing.
Transfer the icing to a small pastry bag fitted with a 1/8-inch plain tip and pipe it decoratively on the torte. Transfer the torte to a serving plate and let it stand for 2 hours, or until the glaze is set.


...From Gourmet, March, 1993.
*******************************
Recipe & story at:
http://www.auschron.com/issues/annual/hotsauce/97/chocolate.html

Aztec Torte

3/4 lb semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
(I use Callebaut)
6 tbs butter
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1-1/2 tsp chipotle chile puréed
4 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup honey roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
8"( x 3" high) cake pan or springform pan

Preheat the oven to 425°.
Cut a circle of baker's parchment or waxed paper to line the bottom of the 8" cake pan or springform. Butter the bottom and sides of the pan, then insert the paper and butter it also. If using the springform, wrap the outside of the pan with tinfoil to make it watertight. Melt the chocolate and butter in the top of a double boiler over gently simmering water. Remove from the heat, whisk until smooth, then whisk in the peanut butter and chile purée. In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs until they are light and have increased in volume, two to three minutes. Carefully fold the eggs into the chocolate mixture in three batches until no streaks of egg are visible. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Pour about one inch of hot water into a larger baking pan and set the cake pan or springform in it. Place the pans in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and set the torte on a rack to cool. Sprinkle the chopped peanuts on the top of the torte, pressing very gently so they will adhere. When the torte has cooled, cover and refrigerate at least four hours or overnight. To unmold, dip a sharp knife into hot water, dry it, and run it around the edge of the torte pan. Immerse the base of the pan in hot water for a few seconds, dry it well, then turn it out onto a serving plate so that the chopped nuts become the crust.

Presentation: I cut a chile pepper stencil out of parchment, place it on top, and dust it with powdered sugar or cocoa. Serve plain, with shortbread cookies or sweetened whipped cream. Yields eight generous servings.
**************
This looks wonderful!

Mexican Chocolate Icebox Cake

There's a hint of cinnamon in the chocolate filling and the whipped
cream topping.
60 sponge-cake-type ladyfingers (from three 3-ounce packages) - not
dry tiramisu-style ladyfingers!
2-3/4 cups chilled whipping cream
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 ounce semisweet chocolate, grated

Line bottom of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with ladyfingers. Line
sides of pan with ladyfingers, standing ladyfingers side by side and
rounded side out. Stir 3/4 cup whipping cream, unsweetened chocolate
and 1/4 cup sugar in heavy small saucepan over low heat until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Remove saucepan from heat and cool to room temperature.

Using electric mixer, beat 1 cup powdered sugar, butter and 1 teaspoon
vanilla in large bowl until blended. Beat in cooled chocolate mixture.
Combine remaining 2 cups cream, 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, 1
teaspoon vanilla and cinnamon in another large bowl. Using clean dry
beaters, beat until firm peaks form. Fold half of whipped cream mixture into chocolate mixture.
Spread half of chocolate filling in ladyfinger-lined pan. Top with layer of ladyfingers, then remaining chocolate filling. Pipe or spread
remaining whipped cream mixture over filling. Sprinkle with grated
semisweet chocolate. Refrigerate until firm, at least 3 hours. (Can be
made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.) Remove pan sides
from cake and serve.
Serves 12.

To see a picure of this spectacular dessert go to http://www.epicurious.com/run/recipe/view?id=101955&action=filtersearch&filter=recipe-filter.hts&collection=Recipes&ResultTemplate=recipe-results.hts&queryType=and&keyword=Mexican+Icebox+cake and click on the little image of a camera below the recipe title.

Cheers! Andy

[Lys]

Andy -

Was the almond flavor in the torte very pronounced? One of my friends is not a fan of almond flavoring, but if it's subtle, I may go with this. Thanks for the recipes!!!

[hAndyman]

Alyssa, the almond flavouring is not pronounced; the flavour will be of toasted almonds (I bake them til they are just nicely browned inside) and certainly won't have a taste at all like almond extract (if that is the flavour that your friend dislikes). The predominant flavour is not almond, rather it's the chocolate/cinnamon combination; very richly decadent.
Cheers! Andy