pistachio

Spumoni Cake

April 4, 2016 by rachelle 32 Comments

Spumoni Cake

I’m baaaaaaack!

And I’m back with a bang! I totally missed you guys, but I enjoyed my vacation, and now I’m all rested up and refreshed from a very much needed break. I decided that my return should be impressive, so here we are with a Spumoni Cake.

This cake, y’all – I can’t even!

It’s no secret that I love all things spumoni. I’ve made No-Churn Spumoni Ice Cream and Spumoni Cheesecake, but I’ve never made anything like this Spumoni Cake before.

This all started because of my recent St. Patrick’s Day birthday and the party we had to celebrate all things me! A couple of years ago, we went to a local restaurant for my birthday (that’s now closed, so sorry to see you go Villa Antonio) and they gave me the most delicious spumoni cake for dessert.

Actually, I went to powder my nose and while I was gone Chris told our server that it was my birthday, which he is never allowed to do because I do not want the entire restaurant singing to me. #soembarrassing

Given that this was St. Patrick’s Day and the rest of Charlotte was doing the pub crawl, there wasn’t much risk of being humiliated because we pretty much had this Italian restaurant to ourselves.

The server asked Chris what kind of birthday dessert I would like and he just said that I like spumoni. Then like magic a slice of spumoni cake appeared with a simple happy birthday from our kind server.

Chris, of course, got the stink eye, but I couldn’t stay mad after he brought spumoni cake into my life.

So when we started planning my birthday party this year I tried to find that dang cake on the interwebs. Google couldn’t find that specific cake from the now defunct Villa Antonio, but it brought magic back into my life when it led me here and showed my the most beautiful cake I’ve ever seen in my life.

I totally had to have it for my birthday cake! I actually made the cake 3 times because I’m not much of a cake baker or decorator, so I needed a trial run to see if I could pull it off. The first time I made it exactly the way the recipe was written, but then Chris pointed out his surprise that I didn’t put any Southern Tier Creme Brulee Stout in it since I was putting it in everything else these days.

Zoink! Head smack! DO OVER!

The second time I swapped out the coffee from the original recipe with my favorite beer of the cold season and I made cream cheese frosting instead of the original buttercream.

I also swapped out the pudding mix for homemade pistachio pudding in the pistachio cake layer and the frosting. That is the reason for the different colors in the photos. The pudding mix makes a much brighter green color in the cake and the frosting.

I ended up serving two spumoni cakes at my party because why not?

One had all three colors of frosting and the other I just covered in chocolate buttercream flowers. Sadly, I was running behind on party day and I forgot to take a picture of that one. Just imagine this cake, but all chocolate. They were both a hit with my friends and family!

I knew I needed this Spumoni Cake in my life the minute Google uncovered this wonder to me. And I can tell you that it was just magical to see all my party guests’ faces light up when we walked in with these gorgeous cakes for dessert!

I’ll be the first to admit that my cake decorating skills are pretty much non-existent, but I do have to say I’m pretty proud of this cake and it’s not bad for a beginner!

[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:158]

Spumoni Cake inspired by and adapted from I am Baker

Chocolate layer adapted slightly from I am Baker

Pistachio and Cherry layers process adapted from I am Baker and cake base adapted from Martha

Homemade Pistachio Pudding Recipe here

NOTES:

The original recipe uses packaged pudding mix which is how I made it the first time and has the brighter green color in the photos of both the frosting and the cake. The second and third times I used homemade pudding in the cake and the frosting. The photos of the steps (including the photo of the inside) are with the pudding mix and the finished cake with the lighter colored pistachio frosting are with the homemade pudding.
This cake is kind of a project, so I made the cakes, wrapped them tightly in layers of plastic wrap and heavy duty foil and froze them until the day before I was going to serve the cake. The day before I just removed them from the freezer and left them on the counter overnight. Then made the frosting and assembled and finished it.
You will have an extra layer of the chocolate cake that you can either double the chocolate frosting and add a fourth layer or keep it in the freezer for another day.
You can watch a video here for instructions of how to make cake roses.

Homemade Pistachio Pudding

March 10, 2016 by rachelle 30 Comments

Homemade Pistachio Pudding

My ongoing St. Patrick’s Day birthday celebration continues. You may be seeing a theme here.

I’m keeping with my who knows how many week celebration of my St. Patrick’s Day birthday party and sharing things that make me happy and are totally my jam.

Come on ride this train.

Enter the pistachio. One of my one and only true loves.

Yes. I have more than one. Don’t judge me.

Now, I know some of y’all may not think that pistachio pudding is the sexiest dish on the planet. But, dude, really? Pistachio!!!!!

I’m also continuing with my theme of my St. Patrick’s Day birthday other theme of ungreen green things. And here we are.

Like Annie pointed out in her comment on this post – pistachio pudding should not be green.

I couldn’t agree more. And the same goes for mint chocolate chip ice cream.

I’m just sayin’

Okay, okay, I admit that there is some tiny bit of green tint going on here in this pudding. Well, yeah! There are pistachios in there! But seriously, your pudding should not be something that looks like it came right out of Ghostbusters.

A tint of green if you smash or chop your pistachios is totally legit!

Either way, if you’re using this recipe you’ll be making a paste which is going to make your pudding DELICIOUS!

Sorry. Totally not trying to yell. Pistachios just get me all kinds of excited. And don’t even get me started on pudding.

I’m a huge lover of the stuff and have shared a few of my faves Homemade Butterscotch Pudding and White Chocolate Pudding.

This pistachio pudding is delicious on its own, but I’ve also used it several times in other No-churn Spumoni and Spumoni Cheesecake recipes. Check back next week to see what St. Patrick’s Day and birthday excitement we have going on!

Cheers and have a fantastic weekend, y’all! XO

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Adapted (very slightly) from Joy The Baker

Roasted Beet, Roasted Garlic, Goat Cheese, and Pistachio Crostini

February 4, 2016 by rachelle 24 Comments

I know I’m kind of on a crostini kick lately. Today just seemed like the perfect time to share this Roasted Beet, Roasted Garlic, Goat Cheese, and Pistachio Crostini. We’re just days away from the Super Bowl and Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, so in my world this works for both!

It’s such an exciting time right now because we have this awesome Valentine’s Day $1000 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway happening – use the Rafflecopter below to enter! And be sure to check out all the other fantastic recipes my blogger friends have made – the links are below the Giveaway details. GOOD LUCK!

And we’re just days from Super Bowl 50! This roasted beet crostini is a lovely and colorful appetizer idea for a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner AND it’s a perfect Super Bowl food for the big day. I mean, seriously, it’s not a party in our house unless there are roasted beets! Your veg friends will thank you too!

If y’all are still planning your Super Bowl menus, be sure to check out these game day roundups that totally have you covered! There’s something here for everyone!

Karrie from Tasty Ever After has 50 Super Bowl Recipes for Super Bowl 50

Cheyanne from No Spoon Necessary has a Super Bowl Recipe Huddle

Keri from Fashionable Foods has a Healthy Super Bowl Snacks collection

Everyone in Charlotte is super excited for the big game and I certainly hope our Cardiac Cats don’t kill me on Sunday. #KeepPounding #PanthersNation

Have a great weekend, y’all!

[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:138]

If you’ve never roasted beets or garlic before, instructions can be found Roasted Beets and Mashed Red Potatoes with Goat Cheese and Roasted Garlic.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Seduction Meals – Romantic Apple Rose Tarts

Food Fashion & Fun – Sweet Beet Juice

The Merchant Baker – Valentine Meringues

BBritnell – January Smoothie Roundup

Green Healthy Cooking – Healthy Spelt Oat Cookies

Kim’s Cravings – Easy Cream Cheese Pie

No Spoon Necessary – Champagne Sangria with Blood Orange, Pomegranate, and Strawberry

Tasty Ever After – Preserved Lemon Spicy Margarita

Taste and See – Amazon Giveaway

Just So Tasty – Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies

The Skinny Pot – Large Batch Tasty Fried Chicken

Jar Of Lemons – Chocolate Banana Chi Seed Pudding

Roasted Butternut Squash, Pumpkin, and Carrot Soup

October 23, 2015 by rachelle 32 Comments

Have I ever told you how back in high school a nun almost busted me for smoking behind the school?

Yeah. I didn’t think so. Sorry, Mom! I don’t think I ever told you either! Ummm…. probably because I valued my life?

True story. I went to this very small Catholic high school in the middle of nowhere. Seriously, there was a total of 39 kids in my graduating class. And there wasn’t a lot to do in this little place, so you can imagine how we had to make our own fun.

This little school clearly trusted us too much. We had a senior lounge down in the basement by the cafeteria. It had couches, a television, and a coke machine. We were allowed to hang out there during lunch and study hall. SENIORS ONLY! It was totally isolated in the afternoon which just opened the door to teenage shenanigans. We used to sneak out all the time. Most of us had cars, so we would all jump in someone’s car and take off to scandalous places like Wendy’s, the pizza joint or the corner store. Although the corner store is where we bought our smokes.

Right. I was confessing about smoking. So, my friend Mary Beth and I were hanging out in the senior lounge. And because high school is soooooo dang hard we decided we needed a smoke break. There wasn’t enough time before our next class to actually get in the car, fire up a couple of Virginia Slims menthol foot-longs, drive around the block, and head back to school.

Well, of course we did the next best thing. We snuck out the back door of the cafeteria, fired up the foot-longs, leaned our tired selves against the building in our plaid skirts, cardigans, knee socks, and penny loafers, and blew out a plume of smoke in satisfaction. Ahhhhhh!

Then the door opened.

Fortunately, we had the good sense to be on the side of the door that hid us behind it as it opened. And thank goodness that Sister Celeste was about 100 years old and kind of….well, old? We saw her black habit peek out the door, sniff the air, give a hmmp, and go back inside. You can imagine the relief we felt.

Ahhhh. High school. There’s just something about the fall, pumpkins and butternuts, football season, and cooler weather that just sends me back in time to the days of innocence (ok not so innocent?) and carefree comfort of having no responsibilities. The perfect time of year for silly memories and comforting soup.

P.S. Dont’t judge me. Y’all will be glad to know that I no longer smoke Virginia Slims foot-longs or any other carcinogen.

Soup Draft

Ingredients

2 small pie pumpkins
1 butternut squash
3-4 large carrots
2 onions
3-4 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
3-4 cups water
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon ginger
salt and white pepper to taste
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cups heavy cream plus another 1/4 cup or so for serving
pistachios and sour cream to garnish optional

Honey Roasted Peaches with Mascarpone

September 14, 2015 by rachelle 39 Comments

Happy Monday, friends! I’ve missed you!

I’m sorry I didn’t warn you about my staycation. I actually fully intended to continue posting on this here blog during my vacay, but I changed my mind because I was in serious need of some good ole R&R.

Corporate America kicked my butt in the weeks leading up to my vacation and my fellow blogger friends know that blogging is also a full time job.

Don’t get me wrong – I’m totally not complaining here. I LOVE this here website and I LOVE LOVE LOVE all of you!

Sometimes you just need to take a break from life, right?

While I would not refuse another week of paid vacation, I am feeling rested, refreshed, and recharged. I almost completely disengaged from all things internet and work related. I finally saw Fargo in its entirety, went to a party, hosted a dinner party, took a nap, slept in, and saw Van Halen in concert.

I also went for a bike ride without injury – those of you that have followed this here website know that’s a miracle in and of itself and worthy of a vacation.

My vacation may be over and the transition to fall is becoming more obvious, but I’m hanging on to vacation mentality and the spirit of summer for a little while longer. We have delicious summer peaches, my tomato plants are troopers and still producing new fruit (we are in the south afterall!), even though my pumpkin patch is growing out of control – we are the epitome of contrasts and contradictions over here.

Cheers to taking time to center yourself when needed and to a fantastic week ahead!

Roasted Peaches with Mascarpone

Ingredients

4 peaches halved and pitted, cut a little more out from where the pit was to make room for more mascarpone
8 ounces mascarpone at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons honey
5 tablespoons melted butter
Fresh tarragon and chopped pistachios for garnish optional

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350
Stir together mascarpone, vanilla bean paste and cinnamon and refrigerate at least 30 minutes
Brush a baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the butter and arrange peaches in the baking dish cut side up - you can slice of a small piece of the back for them to sit flat in the dish
Whisk together honey and butter and pour over the peaches, use a pastry brush to make sure they are covered all over
Roast until softened and somewhat browned, 25 - 30 minutes
Fill each of the peach halves with the mascarpone mixture
Garnish with chopped tarragon leaves and pistachios, if using
Serve immediately

Adapted from Bobby Flay

Blueberry Mousse Shooters

August 24, 2015 by rachelle 56 Comments

Dontcha just love purple? And blueberries? Gah and mouse?

I actually made these about 2 weeks ago when Lisa came over to brew some beer. Yes. We FINALLY found some time to brew some dang beer! Thank goodness, because our kegerator is sadly and embarrassingly empty, but for one lonely little bit of cider.

Let me tell you that it was pretty stinking hot. For some reason I thought it was a brilliant idea to make a brisket stew. There’s nothing like a hot bowl of heavy, meaty, stew on a lovely 100 degree super humid Charlotte afternoon after you have been standing outside over a hot brew kettle on a propane burner.

Don’t be judging me. I’m very proud of that run on sentence.

At least I had the good sense to make some blueberry mouse shooters for a refreshing finish to a hot (but productive!) day of brewing. It happens every now and then.

Recipe from Food & Wine

Blueberry Mousse

Ingredients

1 cup blueberries plus a hand full extra for garnish
1/2 cup sugar
Zest and juice of one lemon
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream
8 ounce block of cream cheese at room temperature
1 cup heavy cream cold
chopped pistachios for garnish optional

Instructions

Chill the bowl and whisk of a stand mixer in the freezer
Combine 1 cup of blueberries, lemon juice and zest, and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat and smash together with the back of a spoon or a potato masher
When mixture reaches a simmer, continue to cook, stirring often, until sort of thick and syrupy
Remove from heat, transfer to the bowl of a food processor, and cool completely
When blueberry mixture is cooled, add the sour cream and cream cheese to the food processor and puree with blueberries until smooth
Add heavy cream to the chilled bowl of a stand mixer, attach whisk, and beat on medium high until soft peaks form.
Fold the whipped cream into the berry mixture until well combined
Transfer the mousse to a zip top bag and cut a small piece of the corner completely off
Pipe mousse into small dessert cups or shooter glasses, cover and chill for at least an hour or overnight
Garnish with blueberries and chopped pistachios, if desired

Note: I ordered a package of small 5.1 ounce plastic disposable shooter type cups from Amazon after Jennifer gave me her July issue of Food & Wine and I saw this recipe.

No-Churn Spumoni

August 20, 2015 by rachelle 42 Comments

Y’all, I’m totally headed into this weekend with my favorite dessert in the whole entire world. SPUMONI! And since It has come to my attention that Friday is National Spumoni Day we are in a Win! Win! Situation over here!

I have LOVED spumoni my whole entire life. Layers of pistachios, chocolate, cherries, and ice cream? Seriously, what’s not to love?

I can’t actually remember the first time I had spumoni, but I know it had to have been love at first bite. One of the first places I can remember having spumoni is this Italian restaurant called Tags. We used to go there when I was a kid and I have several memories of the place.

I remember when the server asked what we would like to drink and my 5 year old sister Molly ordered a Harvey Wallbanger – which is what my gram called Shirley Temples. Please don’t confuse Molly with my other sister Katie who liked to swim naked in beer coolers at Cape Cod.

Most of the spumoni I’ve had use maraschino cherries. I had fresh ones, so that’s the way we rolled.

Full Disclosure: Making spumoni is a huge pain in the ass, but totally worth it.

Just keepin’ it real around here. Happy spumoni weekend!

No-Churn Spumoni

Ingredients

For the Pistachio Pudding

Pistachio Paste
1/2 cup salted pistachio nuts
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 cups whole milk
2 large egg yolks
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons corn starch
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
2 tablespoons butter room temperature

For the Ice Cream

1 14 ounce can of sweet condensed milk
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
2 cups very chilled heavy cream

For the Cherry Stuff

1 pound of fresh cherries pitted and halved
1/3 cup sugar
Juice and zest of 1 lemon

For the Chocolate

1/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons heavy cream

Instructions

For the Pistachio Paste

Put pistachios in the food processor and pulse until they are in small pieces. Add water and sugar and pulse until combined into a paste
Transfer paste to a small saucepan over medium heat, add milk and whisk until steamy and hot
Whisk egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt
The mixture will be thick, but keep whisking until smooth
You need to temper the eggs at this point by adding 1/2 cup of the steaming milk to the egg mixture and whisking to combine. Do it again, then add the entire mixture back into the pistachio-milk mixture
Whisk constantly over medium heat until thick and bubbly
Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla bean paste until butter is melted
Pass pudding through a fine mesh strainer
Transfer to a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap, pressing it onto the top of the pudding to prevent the weird skin situation
Refrigerate overnight

For the Cherries

Combine cherries, sugar, zest and lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium heat
BE CAREFUL! They will overflow, stir and smash until thick-ish, set aside and cool

For the Ice Cream

Combine condensed milk and vanilla bean paste
In a stand mixer or using a hand mixer, beat cream on medium for 2-3 minutes, until stiff peaks form
Fold whipped cream into condensed milk mixture and divide into thirds
Heat heavy cream in a pot or microwave and pour over chocolate chips, stir to combine
mix into 1/3 of the ice cream mixture
Spread into the bottom of a loaf pan
Mix 1.5 cups pistachio pudding into another third of the ice cream mixture
Mix the cooled cherry jam mixture into the last third of the ice cream
Spread the cherry ice cream mixture over the chocolate, then the pistachio on top (or whatever order you want) and wrap securely with plastic wrap. Chill overnight.

No-Churn Ice Cream adapted from Martha Stewart

Pistachio Pudding adapted from Joy the Baker

Stuffed Leg of Lamb – Pinot Noir Soaked Fig and Dates with Gorgonzola and Pistachios

March 26, 2015 by rachelle 4 Comments

I highly recommend that you ask the butcher to butterfly your lamb for you. I speak from experience here.

I tried to figure it out, consulted Google, and watched a video. No luck. Chris had to do it.

He doesn’t mind though. It makes him feel all cave-manly to cut meat and wield a knife.

Speaking of meat – it never looks as good in pictures as it does in real life. At least not in my pictures. I’m not going to burden you with ugly meat pictures with unappetizing juices leaking out. I’m just going to tell you to make this dang roast. It’s totally awesome.

You don’t care for lamb, you say? Well, big whoop? It’s all about this booze-soaked fig and date stuffing with Gorgonzola and Pistachios anyway. Don’t get me wrong – it’s fantastic with the lamb, but it would be good in just about any other kind of meat you like. I think it would be awesome in pork chops or a pork loin too.

If I were going to stuff this into a pork chop, I would probably just cut a pocket and jam it in there. For a pork loin, I’m thinking maybe the way to go would be to ~~butterfly it~~ have Chris butterfly it, pound it out flat, stuff it and roll it. No matter what kind of meat blows your dress up, this stuffing is totally awesome. You need to do this!

And that’s all I’ve got to say about that.

Stuffed Leg of Lamb – Pinot Noir Soaked Fig and Dates with Gorgonzola and Pistachios

Ingredients

4.5 pound leg of lamb butterflied (do yourself a favor and have the butcher do it)
1/2 cup bread crumbs
5 garlic cloves
1/2 cup salted pistachios
2 tablespoons olive oil plus more to rub on lamb
3-4 ounces Gorgonzola crumbled
6-8 dried figs soaked in Pinot Noir for at least 4 hours, chopped
6-8 dried dates soaked in Pinot Noir for at least 4 hourschopped
4-5 sprigs fresh rosemary
2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
salt and pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350
In the bowl of a food processor combine dates, figs, Gorgonzola, pistachios, garlic and bread crumbs. Pulse until combined and nuts and garlic are roughly chopped.
Drizzle in olive oil and pulse until combined and the mixture is sort of damp and pasty
Spread stuffing mixture on inside of lamb fold top of lamb over, tie with kitchen twine to keep together, rub outside of lamb with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Roast at 350 15-20 minutes per pound, until rare or preferred temperature

Spumoni Cheesecake

February 23, 2015 by rachelle 34 Comments

Happy Monday! I baked you a cake. I hope you like cheesecake. And Spumoni!

I have been a huge Spumoni lover ever since I was a little kid. It was usually a delicious mixture of cherry, chocolate, and pistachio ice cream.

And let me tell you, it is hard to find in this here southern state. So, for the last few weeks I have been contemplating making my own.

But, Jiminy Cricket it has been cold? Who wants ice cream during an ice storm? Or when it is 12 degrees outside?

Well, except on Friday when I was having a bad day and Jennifer and I thought it was a good idea to go to Chick-fil-A for Ice Dreams? Yeah, that happened. The Chick-fil-A lady totally laughed and made fun of us.

But I felt better.

So then I had an epiphany! Spumoni Cheesecake! I started thinking about this Spumoni cake I had in a restaurant last year on my birthday. It was some kind of white cake with Spumoni like features in it. That’s all I can really remember except that I loved it. So my ~~crazy brain~~ thought process went along the lines of Spumoni – ice cream – Spumoni – cake – what the heck was in that? It was kind of like that scene in Working Girl when Tess (Melanie Griffith) has to explain how she came up with the merger idea and she’s all “Trask-Radio-Trask-Radio” – if you haven’t seen the movie, you should. It’s an oldie but goodie. Anyway, that’s when I had an epiphany to make a Spumoni Cheesecake.

I’m so glad I did!

Spumoni Cheesecake

Ingredients

For the Crust

2 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup dark chocolate cocoa I used Hersey's Special Dark
10 tablespoon butter melted

For the Cheesecake

5 8 oz blocks of cream cheese room temperature
1 2/3 cups sugar
1/2 cup flour
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
5 eggs
2/3 cup milk chocolate chips
1/4 cup plus 2 splashes of heavy cream
1 cup maraschino cherries halved
1/4 cup maraschino cherry juice
1 cup pistachio pudding adapted slightly from Joy The Baker, recipe included

For the Pistachio Pudding

Pistachio Paste

1/2 cup salted pistachio nuts
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbs water

Pudding

2 cups whole milk
3 large egg yolks
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract

Instructions

Put the pistachios and sugar to the bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. Add water and blend until it resembles a chunky paste
Move the pistachio paste to a small saucepan on medium heat, add milk and whisk over medium heat until hot
Whisk together sugar, egg yolks, and cornstarch until combined - it will be thick
Pour 1/4 cup of the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture and whisk, continue adding 1/4 cup of milk to eggs at a time 3 more times
Return the milk with egg mixture to the saucepan on medium heat
Heat until thick and bubbly, constantly whisking for about 1 minute or until thick
Remove from heat, stir in butter, vanilla and almond extracts
Push pudding through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl or container to make sure any cooked eggs are left behind, toss any nuts from the strainer into the bowl with the pudding
Cover pudding with plastic wrap so that the plastic is on top of and touching the pudding (this will prevent the weird pudding skin from forming)
Put the pudding into the freezer for about 15-20 minutes to get it to room temperature quickly
While the pudding is chilling make the cheesecake and the crust
Combine graham crumbs, chocolate, sugar, and melted butter
Press into the bottom of and up the sides of a spring form pan
Add all 5 blocks of cream cheese to the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment
Whip the cream cheese on low for 2-3 minutes, until fluffy
Sift flour and sugar together and add to cream cheese a little at a time until combined
Add vanilla
Crack eggs into a measuring cup and add to cream cheese one at a time, until combined -- CAREFUL not to over mix them or your cheese cake will have cracks, rise and sink
Remove the bowl from mixer, tap on counter a few times so the air bubbles will rise, let sit for 20-30 minutes
Melt chocolate chips and 1/4 cup of heavy cream in a small saucepan, stir to combine
When melted and combined, add a couple of splashes of cream and combine, let cool to room temperature
Divide cheesecake batter between 3 bowls evenly
Fold in cherries and juice to the first bowl
Fold in 1 cup of pistachio pudding to the second bowl
Fold in melted chocolate to the third bowl
Pour the cherry batter into the prepared crust and set on a flat surface in the freezer for 20 minutes, remove from freezer
Using a soup ladle or large spoon and a spatula with wide holes, hold the spatula about 1 inch above the cherry batter and pour the pistachio batter over the spatula moving slowly around the pan until all pistachio batter is covering the cherry batter - this keeps them in layers
Preheat oven to 350
Put the pan back into the freezer for another 20 minutes
Add the chocolate batter using the same process as with the pistachio
Lay out 2 pieces of heavy duty foil in a deep roasting pan
Carefully set the spring form pan on top of the foil and secure around the sides to keep the water bath separated
Pour hot water into the roasting pan about halfway up the sides of the spring form pan
Bake at 350 for 45 minutes
Lower the heat to 325 for another 60 minutes or until set, checking after each 20 minute period
Remove from heat, cool completely and refrigerate uncovered overnight

Pistachio Pudding adapted from Joy The Baker

A lot of the technical information I learned from this video

pistachio

Soup Draft

Ingredients

Roasted Peaches with Mascarpone

Ingredients

Instructions

Blueberry Mousse

Ingredients

Instructions

No-Churn Spumoni

Ingredients

For the Pistachio Pudding

For the Ice Cream

For the Cherry Stuff

For the Chocolate

Instructions

For the Pistachio Paste

For the Cherries

For the Ice Cream

Stuffed Leg of Lamb – Pinot Noir Soaked Fig and Dates with Gorgonzola and Pistachios

Ingredients

Instructions

Spumoni Cheesecake

Ingredients

For the Crust

For the Cheesecake

For the Pistachio Pudding

Pistachio Paste

Pudding

Instructions

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