Momma Told Me: Bake from the heart.
Baking is something I have enjoyed since I was a young girl. The satisfaction of beginning with several mundane ingredients and finishing with a work of art that is not only tantalizing but wholly indulgent just speaks to my soul. I take pride in doing things 'by hand' and from scratch, whether it's sifting my flour or giving batter 200 stirs. Even in Momma's kitchen, making boxed brownies (the kind that was favored for a 'just ad water' recipe which enabled gratuitous spoon licking,) I would patiently mix the lumps and bubbles out of our batter until it was perfectly smooth. And, as I shoved an always crumbly, misshapen, square of brownie in my father face, as he arrived home, I would beam with pride, declaring, "I made these!"
But the end result is not the only satisfaction I find in baking. There are numerous techniques and methods that prove much harder to master than they sound. The trials and tribulations of substitutes, measurements, and appliances with finicky temperatures all provide a challenge I happily embrace. Then there's the rhythm of the kitchen how the measuring and prep to end result has a comforting ebb and flow; an exact science that must be done just right. In fact, baking IS a science. And one of my favorite recipes, Red Velvet Cheesecake Bars, clearly resembles this with mad scientist like preparation.
The Red Velvet portion of this particular recipe is more of a brownie in end result- and requires a thick batter that presents a very fun preparation. Because all the wet ingredients for the batter are combined, yet different densities, the level of microscopic separation in 'mixing' makes for an almost surreal and very romantic show. I like to play around, adding each wet ingredient into a different corner of the vegetable oil, watching the playful bubbles absorb the red food coloring with different intensities. Adding the milk last introduces tiny bubbles of white for added depth to your kitchen creation.
When the wet ingredients are introduced to the dry ingredients of your batter the Red Velvet mixture becomes quite elastic. It will hold shapes and forms for several seconds before sinking back to it's original form, and appears alarmingly thick and dough like, yet free flowing and malleable. I had fun mixing this batter with gloves (to prevent staining from the food coloring) and now any child would be equally transfixed by it's unique properties.
Next, a portion of the red velvet batter gets gently spread into the bottom of a spring form pan, reserving a 3/4 cup for the final preparation step. Blending the cheesecake mixture is best done in a stand mixer, where it can be left unattended for several minutes to whip and fill with air. Refrain from licking the blade, though, there are eggs in this cheesecake batter! Next, I poured the cheesecake over the Red Velvet base and added the last of my milk to my reserve Red Velvet batter. This helps thin out the dough like mixture to allow easier dolloping. Evenly drop the remaining Red Velvet batter in rows of dots along the top of the Cheesecake layer.
Next you are allowed more artistic creativity as you drag a butter knife through the red and white batters to create a romantic marble pattern that will sit atop your bars. Bake your pan for about 30 minutes at 350F, or until the outer edges begin to separate and brown. If the center of your cheesecake bars begins to crack or ripple you have cooked it a little too long and should remove the pan from the oven immediately. Allow cheesecake bars to cool entirely before cutting; use a stainless steel cookie cutter to cut shapes if desired.
This dessert not only turns out satisfying to behold, but is equally indulgent in taste with a rich later of cheesecake atop; a small wedge is more than enough!
What Daughter Says: I enjoy baking more than eating that which I bake!
Red Velvet Cheesecake Bars
