Toaster Oven Food: Cheesecake Bars

I cannot believe how fast time flew by.  This Friday marks the end of the first quarter of the school year.    Soon it will be time to buy Halloween candy (to be consumed before Halloween!).

Last weekend, The Help, D2, and I went to Honolulu.  I had my ophthalmologist appointment, and it was also a belated back-to-school shopping trip for D2.

We stayed at the Hawaii Prince Hotel.  This was our first stay there since the renovations.  I was very impressed with the transformation.  While the lobby had a more contemporary, open feel, the room transformation was nothing short of amazing:  lots of granite and very clean lines.  They bathroom even contained a Toto washlet!

In spite of going to Honolulu for the purpose of shopping, we seemed to spend a lot of time eating.  We arrived early enough to walk over to Tonkatsu Ginza Bairin, arguably the best tonkatsu restaurant in Honolulu.

I didn't realize how much D2 likes curry.  I expected her to order chicken katsu, and I was surprised when she ordered chicken katsu CURRY.

After an unmemorable lunch at Liliha Bakery, we knew we had to redeem ourselves with dinner.  We enjoyed a steaming hot bowl of ramen at Wagaya, one of the 9 best ramen places in Honolulu according to Thrillist.  Since we were done early enough, we decided to have dessert at a place we've been wanting to try for a while, Marion Crepes.

Marion Crepes Hawaii is located in Shirokiya Japan Village Walk.  They serve crepes with various fillings.  I'm quite sure I saw savory fillings on the menu, but since this was dessert, we had to go with sweet fillings.  The Help selected a yummy-looking-but-rather-uninteresting strawberry crepe.  D2 ordered a fruit crepe with a substantial scoop of green tea ice cream. 

I didn't realize how much D2 likes green tea sweets. 

I ordered a strawberry crepe with a piece of cheesecake.  It was absolutely delicious.  In fact, all of us enjoyed our crepes, but the prices are not for the faint of heart.  Our dessert cost nearly $30!

After a week back at work, I'm ready for another vacation. 

I am looking forward to Fall intersession and the adventures that await.  I'm hoping I won't forget to pack everything I need.  I have some sweaters, a shawl, and a new hat I can't wait to use!

Meanwhile, I need to concentrate on getting through this week.  I have progress reports and grades to do.  And I have to feed KikukatDad.  KikukatDad isn't too picky about food, but he likes to have dessert after his dinner.

Inspired by the yummy cheesecake in my dessert crepe, I wanted to make a simple cheesecake to serve KikukatDad.  Square desserts are so unfussy, and they fit nicely in the toaster oven...no need to heat the big oven to make this.

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Cheesecake Bars

     1 1/3-1 1/2 c graham cracker crumbs

     1 tbsp sugar

     4 tbsp melted butter

     16 oz cream cheese

     1 c sugar

     2 tsp vanilla extract

     2 tsp lemon juice

     3 eggs

     1 c sour cream

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Combine graham cracker crumbs, 1 tbsp sugar, and 4 tbsp melted butter.  Press into an 8 x 8" baking pan (for easy clean up, line pan with foil before pressing in crumbs).  Bake for 10 minutes.  While crust is baking, prepare filling by beating cream cheese until fluffy.  Gradually add sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice.  Beat in eggs, one at a time.  Blend in sour cream.  Pour over baked crust and bake for 70 minutes.  Turn oven off, leave door slightly ajar, and leave cheesecake in oven for 1 hour.  Remove from oven and chill at least 4 hours or overnight.

Whole Wheat Milk Bread or Rolls

The foundation for these rolls comes from Mika's blog, The 350 Degree Oven.  Like Mika, I admired "Japanese milk bread".  There was/is nowhere in Hilo which makes Japanese milk bread.  I first had this kind of bread from Panya in Honolulu.  The pillowy softness is what separates it from other local breads (Portuguese sweet bread, shokupan, etc.).  The key to the softness is using a cooked starter called "tangzhong".  Please read Mika's blog for a detailed explanation of what it does.

I must've inadvertently copied Mika's recipe incorrectly.  Only when I went back to her blog to check on something did I realize what I had done differently.  This was AFTER I had made both a loaf of hybrid whole wheat milk bread and a batch of hot cross buns (I will post this recipe another time)!  In spite of my oversight, both turned out great, and I'm posting the full recipe (the ingredients differ slightly from Mika's version).

Please don't be put off by the long recipe.  I've been wanting to do this post for a while, so all the baking times and temperatures for the variations are in the same place.  This is a recipe I use frequently, but I make shaping changes according to how we plan to eat this.  The standard shape for us is the sandwich roll.  These round rolls are perfect for stacking slices of salami or some of the round, paper-thin cold cuts.

I purchased an 11x11" square pan from Amazon.com just so I had a good pan to make these rolls.  When made in the square pan, the rolls touch each other and are great for having with soup, pasta, or stew.

I have even given loaves away as thank you gifts (seriously).  If you can spare a few minutes to learn a braiding technique, an oblong loaf or a round loaf can look unbelievably impressive.  One recipient told me she and her daughter finished the entire loaf in half-a-day (I gave it to her at work and the next morning, she told me it was gone).

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Whole Wheat Milk Bread or Rolls

     1/2 recipe of tangzhong (see below)

     1/2 c milk

     1 egg

     3 tbsp butter

     2 c bread flour

     1/2 c whole wheat flour

     4 tbsp sugar

     1/2 tsp salt

     2 tsp yeast

Place all ingredients in bread machine pan, following the manufacturer's ingredient order.  Start dough cycle.  Grease a large loaf pan (9 x 5"), a square pan (11 x 11"), an oblong pan (9 x 13"), a round pan (9"), or a flat, sheet pan.  When dough is done, divide dough and shape as desired.  
large loaf pan (grease and flour pan):  Shape dough into a traditional loaf shape or make a short, 6-strand braid).  Let rise for 40 minutes.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
square pan:  Divide dough into 16 pieces.  Shape into balls and place in 4 x 4 arrangement.  Let rise for 30-40 minutes.  Bake at 375 degrees for 13 minutes.
oblong pan:  Divide dough into 15 pieces.  Shape into balls and place in 3 x 5 arrangement.  Let rise for 30-40 minutes.  Bake at 375 degrees for 13-15 minutes.
round pan:  Shape dough into round ball or make a fancy braided round.  Let rise for 40 minutes.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
flat, sheet pan:

• sandwich rolls:  Divide dough into 12 pieces.  Shape into balls and flatten.  Place in 3 x 4 arrangement.  Let rise 30-40 minutes  Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.
• hotdog buns:  Divide dough into 10 pieces.  Shape into ropes.  Place in 2 x 5 arrangement.  Let rise 30-40 minutes.  Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.
• hoagie rolls:  Divide dough into 8 pieces.  Shape into long ovals and flatten slightly.  Place in 2 x 4 arrangement.  Let rise 30-40 minutes.  Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.

Loaves/Rolls may be finished with a "wash".

• melted butter:  brush on for a soft finish
• milk:  brush on for a soft finish
• egg yolk + 1 tbsp water:  brush on for a shiny glaze
• egg white + 1 tbsp water:  brush on for a binder to adhere sesame seeds, poppy seeds, rock salt, etc.

Tangzhong (cooked starter)

     1/3 c flour (original recipe called for bread flour)

     7/8 c water (original recipe called for 1 cup)

Heat flour and water in a small saucepan, whisking constantly, until thickened to a paste.  Set aside to cool or refrigerate if not using immediately.