Stilton Cheese Pear And Toasted Walnut Cupcakes With Cream Cheese Cucumber Dill Topping Recipes

CUCUMBER AND LEMONY DILL CREAM CHEESE TEA SANDWICHES

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, fresh dill, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Season the mixture with salt and pepper.
• Lay the slices of bread on your work service and distribute the cream cheese evenly among each slice, spreading into a thin layer. Arrange the cucumber slices in rows over 3 slices of the bread. Top with the remaining bread, and cut into quarters so there are 4 pieces from each sandwich. Serve immediately.

CREAM CHEESE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line 2 (12 cup) muffin tins with paper liners.
• In a large bowl, combine cream cheese and sugar. Mix until soft. Add eggs and combine. Add vanilla.
• Distribute evenly into 2 (12 cup) lined muffin tins and bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 35 minutes.
• When done, the centers will fall in a bit while cooling. When cool, fill depressions with 2 to 3 tablespoons of your favorite fruit pie filling. Store in the refrigerator.

STILTON CHEESE PUFFS

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F.
• Combine beer, butter, and salt in a 1 1/2- to 2-quart heavy saucepan and bring to a full boil over high heat, stirring until butter is melted. Reduce heat to moderate and add flour all at once, then cook, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon, until mixture pulls away from side of pan, about 30 seconds. Continue to cook, stirring and flattening batter against bottom of pan, until excess moisture is evaporated and a film forms on bottom of pan. Remove from heat and cool 5 minutes.
• Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well with wooden spoon after each addition. (Batter will appear to separate initially but will become smooth once beaten.) Add cheese and stir until combined well.
• Spoon batter into pastry bag. Line a large baking sheet with a sheet of parchment paper, then secure parchment by piping a dab of batter under each corner. Pipe approximately 3-inch lengths of batter 1 inch apart on baking sheet, making about 40 total.
• Bake until puffed, golden, and crisp, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool slightly before serving.

CREAM CHEESE CUPCAKES WITH SOUR CREAM TOPPING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners.
• Beat cream cheese in a bowl using an electric mixer until smooth; add eggs, 1 at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Beat 1 cup sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract into cream cheese mixture until mixture is smooth; fill muffin cups to within 1/8 inch of the top.
• Bake in the preheated oven until set in the middle, about 35 minutes.
• Mix sour cream, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract together in a bowl. Drop a teaspoonful of sour cream mixture over cupcakes.
• Bake cupcakes in the oven for 5 minutes more. Cool cupcakes to room temperature and refrigerate until chilled.

BANANA WALNUT CUPCAKES WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• Cupcake batter: Cream butter and sugars, add mashed bananas. Add eggs and vanilla. Add flour, baking soda and salt. Stir in yogurt. Add walnuts.
• Scoop into 12 cupcake papers (I used an ice cream scoop.) Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Mine took 20 minutes.
• Frosting: Whip cream cheese, vanilla and confectioners sugar, by hand or electric mixer.

STILTON, PEAR AND WALNUT TEA SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Toast the walnuts, then finely chop.
• Remove the core from the pear and slice thinly. Set aside.
• In a bowl, combine the crumbled cheese and nuts.
• Add the butter, tarragon, shallot, optional salt and pepper to this mixture and mix well.
• Spread the seasoned butter onto 8 slices of bread.
• Lay thinly sliced pears on four of the bread slices.
• Cover with the remaining four slices of bread.
• Wrap each sandwich securely with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold and mixture is set.
• Unwrap the sandwiches and trim the crusts.
• Cut each sandwich into 4 triangles or squares.
• Note: To add a little color to the sandwiches, you might like to sprinkle a bit of the herbs on top of each square or trangle.

PEAR, DATE & WALNUT SALAD WITH CREAMY STILTON DRESSING

Steps:

• Cut the pear quarters into thin slices and toss in a bowl with the lime juice to help protect their natural colour. Blend the crème fraîche with half the stilton, ginger syrup to taste, and enough water (3-4 tbsp) to give a smooth, thick coating consistency. (Don't add too much water or it may separate.)
• Scatter the pear slices over six serving plates and follow with the walnuts, dates and remaining cheese. Can be prepared to this stage up to an hour ahead.
• Drizzle each salad with a little of the dressing and some walnut oil. Season with a grinding of pepper - you shouldn't need salt, as the cheese is salty. Mix the salad leaves and watercress very lightly with just a bit more dressing - some leaves should be touched by the dressing, some untouched. Gently pile the leaves on top of each salad.