2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
2 1/2 cups white sugar
1 egg, beaten
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 cup butter, melted
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 teaspoon salt
4 pieces chopped raw mushrooms
1 egg, beaten
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup currants, drained and chopped
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup chopped dates
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
1 cup chopped almonds
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons white sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup currants, drained and chopped
1 3/4 cups currants, chopped
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup chopped dates
1/4 cup chopped almonds
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spread a layer of the cream cheese evenly over the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and lightly browned. Remove from oven and brush with melted butter.
In a medium bowl, beat together sugar, egg, cinnamon and vanilla extract. Add this into the creamed mixture and mix with the lemon zest, cherries, orange zest and salt. Stir until the mixture is all mixed together.
Layer the cream cheese and sour cream mixture over the cream cheese layer. Place the mushrooms over the cream cheese layer. Using a 2 quart resealable plastic bag, squeeze lemon juice into the creamed mixture until completely absorbed. Taste and season with sugar, lemon juice and orange zest.
Line a lightly greased 8x8 inch dish with foil. Place a layer of cream cheese over the foil, then cut the foil and separate the layers to form one pan. Cover the entire pan with foil. Place the cream cheese layer over the foil and sprinkle each layer with a tablespoon of cream cheese.
Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until the top is browned and golden brown. Remove foil and continue baking for an additional 25 to 30 minutes a side.
Remove pan from oven and brush with lemon juice to give the dish a golden heirloom flavor. Brush with currants. Place dish on a wire rack and cool completely.
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy and smooth. Whip egg and lemon zest until fluffy. Beat in sour cream and cream cheese mixture. Fold in lemon juice, orange zest and maraschino cherry slices.
Remove foil from pan and allow the cream cheese layer to cool completely. Place pan in a large roasting pan. Place roasting pan over a cold oven rack. Place roasting pan over hot oven rack and place roasting pan over hot oven rack while still warm.
Remove roasting pan from oven and brush with butter. Spoon the cream cheese layer into the roasting pan. Pour orange and cherry mixture over the cream cheese layer. Cover roasting pan and refrigerate for 3 hours.
Remove roasting pan from refrigerator and place roasting pan on a large dish placed on a rack above the roasting pan. Place roasting pan on rack in a large plastic bag. Place roasting pan over hot oven rack and gently heat through. Place roasting pan on rack in a large plastic bag and pour warmed lemon juice over roasting pan.
It wasn't quite like a traditional pumpkin pie, it was more like a caramel apple pie. Very little of the chocolate filling, just enough to have the pie proper. The crust was ok, nothing spectacular, but it wasn't terrible either. I wouldn't change a thing.
Experimentally, this looked and tasted great - I cooked it in a cast iron skillet and it came out fantastic (however, I overcookedly cooked it, because my cast iron skillet was half-filled with batter). I cooked it longer than the recipe stated and it came out bland, but it was still tasty. Next time I may add some lobster or scallops, depending on the amount of flavor I get from the ingredients. Anyway, this was fun and surprisingly good - I'll probably make it over and over. The recipe is a little long, but in any event, it's a great way to set in the holiday dessert mood.
What is a good egg sandwich without the bread? This is my standard breakfast cheese sandwich, and I'm always going to get me some McMurdo. Why use any toast at all? Bacon would be even better.
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