Cheddar Cobwebs Recipes

NO-BAKE SPIDERWEB CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Make the crust: Coat a 10-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Mix wafers, sugar, butter, and salt in a medium bowl. Pat mixture into pan, pressing firmly into bottom and all the way up sides. Cover, and refrigerate until ready to fill.
• Make the ganache: Place chocolate in a food processor. Bring cream to a simmer in a small saucepan, then pour over chocolate. When chocolate begins to melt, process until smooth. Reserve 2 tablespoons ganache for decorating, and spread the remainder evenly on bottom and all the way up sides of crust. Cover, and refrigerate until ready to fill.
• Make the filling: Beat cream cheese with a mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low, and slowly add sugar and salt. Raise speed to medium-high, and beat until very fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in lemon juice.
• Whisk cream until medium-stiff peaks form. Whisk 1/4 of the whipped cream into cream cheese mixture, then fold in remaining whipped cream. Pour filling into crust, and spread evenly. Gently tap bottom of pan on counter to release air bubbles.
• Transfer reserved ganache to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch round tip. Starting in the center of the cheesecake, pipe a spiral, spacing lines about 1/2 inch apart. Pull the tip of a paring knife in a gently curved line from the center of the spiral to outer edge. Wipe knife clean, and repeat every inch or so to form a web.
• Cover, and freeze for at least 1 hour or overnight. Unmold cheesecake, garnish with candy spiders if desired, and serve immediately.

CARAMELIZED COBWEBS AND LICORICE SPIDERS

Steps:

• Lightly butter 2 large sheets of parchment paper; set aside. Prepare a large ice-water bath; set aside.
• Pour 3 tablespoons water into a medium heavy-bottom saucepan. Add sugar. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved and syrup is clear. Continue to cook, without stirring, until syrup comes to a boil, washing down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush 2 or 3 times to prevent crystals from forming. Let syrup boil, gently swirling pan occasionally, until syrup is medium amber.
• Immediately remove from heat; set pan into ice-water bath to stop the cooking.
• Working quickly, drizzle caramel with a spoon onto buttered parchment paper, forming cobwebs. Garnish with small licorice spiders, if desired. Let stand until hardened and cooled.
• For the spiders, cut licorice into 12 1-inch pieces; split horizontally. On each end, cut out 2 triangles, forming an M. On each side, cut out 1 triangle from middle. Use caramel to stick to webs.

SHARP CHEDDAR CUPCAKES

Steps:

• For the cake batter: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F; line cupcake pans with 24 cupcake liners.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the pastry flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt and set aside. Using an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter until smooth. Gradually add the granulated sugar and mix until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla. Alternately add the flour mixture and the buttermilk, starting and ending with the flour mixture and beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides, and then fold in the Cheddar, dried cherries and green onions.
• Spoon the batter into the liners and bake until an inserted toothpick comes out clean, at least 20 minutes. Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting.
• For the candied ham: In a skillet set over medium heat, add the apple juice, brown sugar and maple syrup and cook until the mixture gets really thick. Add the diced ham and stir until coated.
• For the frosting: Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, honey and hot sauce in a bowl until smooth. Fold in the chives.
• For the honey simple syrup: In a bowl, combine the honey and 1/2 cup hot water and stir.
• To assemble: With a pastry brush, brush each cupcake with the honey simple syrup. Add some frosting to the top of each cupcake, and garnish with the candied ham.