Category Archives: Wine and Unwind

Get Ready for James’ Annual Cheesecake Bakeoff!

Cakes, Cookies, Wine and Unwind March 1, 2013 Leave a comment

Those of you that know James know that every year, no matter where he is, he hosts a decadent Cheesecake Bakeoff.  This year, the Bake-off returns to New York and has a charitable twist — all proceeds will go to Broadway Care/Equity Fights AIDS.

Here’s the invitation:

Cheesecake Bake-Off 2013 Returns to New York

A Benefit for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS

Monday Night March 4, 2013
1560 Broadway, 14th Floor
(Seventh Avenue between West 46th Street and West 47th Street,
Entrance in the Times Square Visitors Center.)

Baker’s registration between 7:00 – 7:30pm Doors open 7:30pm
Tasting and judging to follow

The rules are simple:  either BAKE a cheesecake or make a $20 donation to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

Wine and soda will be provided. Everyone tastes and votes for their favorites and the cake with the most votes gets the crown. Judging will be in 10 categories: CREAMIEST, CHEESIEST, BEST TOPPING, BEST HOMEMADE CRUST,BEST PRESENTATION, MOST SEASONALLY APPROPRIATE, MOST ORIGINAL FLAVOR, MOST DECADENT, BEST CLASSIC CHEESECAKE AND THE VIRGIN PRIZE FOR BEST FIRST EFFORT.

Because space is limited you must RSVP by March 1st.

Please indicate if you are baking or just tasting.
Phone RSVP- 917.716.8005
Email RSVP- jameslatus.nyc@verizon.net or
Facebook events

And now on to today’s recipe:  “Bottom’s Dream” Cupcakes!  These were James’ offering for last week’s Wine and Unwind at “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf.”  (By the way, last chance for tickets, because the show closes this Sunday, March 3!)

Bottom2

James first made these cupcakes for a production of MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM in Central Park at the Delacorte. Jay O. Sanders played Bottom. James called these “Bottom’s Dream” because the cupcakes have a rich, chocolate bottom and a light, dream-like cheesecake topping.

Bottom1

James’ delightful Sunday evening spread!

“Bottom’s Dream” Cupcakes

Ingredients:

Cupcake Mixture:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup water
1/3 cup canola oil
1 Tablespoon vinegar
1 tsp vanilla

Cheesecake Mixture:
1- 8 oz. pkg Cream Cheese
1 egg
1/3 cup sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1 cup mini-chocolate chips

Topping:
Chopped nuts
Granulated sugar

Method:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2.  Line a cupcake tin with paper liners.  Mix up cupcake and cheesecake ingredients in separate bowls.   Fill each cup 1/3 full of cupcake batter. Drop one heaping teaspoon of cheesecake mixture into each cup and sprinkle the tops with chopped nuts and granulated sugar.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30- 35 minutes.

Makes 18 – 22 cupcakes

Chocolate Chip Blondies with Praline Topping

Bars, Chocolate, Wine and Unwind January 29, 2013 1 Comment

Last Sunday was hair supervisor Monica Costea’s last day at Virginia Woolf and she aptly requested “Blondies.”  Monica’s moving next door to the Shubert to work on the new musical Matilda  (previews start on March 4.)  But she’ll still be able to stop over and enjoy WINE AND UNWIND on Sundays.

Monica not only styled the women’s hair for Woolf, she also cut the male actor’s hair and has been a Broadway fixture for almost three decades.   Her first show was Alfred Uhry’s The Last Night at Ballyhoo, and she’s worked steadily ever since, doing hair on Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake, Lion King, Wicked, The Music Man, A Class Act, Ghost, Sister Act and Hair, to name just a few.

Since she is a Southern girl, James decided to top the Blondies with a praline topping.  (He would usually use pecans but Monica wanted walnuts, so he substituted.)

blondies

Chocolate Chip Blondies with Walnut Praline Topping:

Ingredients

nonstick cooking spray
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Topping:
3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 Tablespoon water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Method

1.  Heat oven to 350° F. Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with the cooking spray. Line the pan with 2 crisscrossed pieces of parchment, leaving an overhang on all sides; spray the parchment with the cooking spray.

2.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Then, in a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Remove from heat and mix in the brown sugar and vanilla. One at a time, mix in the eggs; mix in the flour mixture until just combined (do not over mix). Add the pecans or walnuts and chocolate chips.

3. Spread the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it, 25 to 28 minutes. Cool completely in the pan.

4.  Make the praline topping: In a small saucepan, heat the brown sugar and butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until bubbling, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the vanilla, 1 tablespoon of water, and confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Spread over the cooled blondies and sprinkle with the nuts. Let the topping set, 10 to 15 minutes.

5.Holding both sides of the paper overhang, lift the cake out of the pan, transfer to a cutting board, and cut into 16 squares. Store the blondies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Flourless Chocolate Cake with Bittersweet Chocolate Glaze

Cakes, Chocolate, Gluten-free, Wine and Unwind January 15, 2013 Comments: 3

Flourless Chocolate Cake with Bittersweet Chocolate Glaze

On Sunday morning, James posted the following to his Facebook page:  “With complaints that the sweets at WINE AND UNWIND were causing distress to waistlines, I respond with a new version of a flourless chocolate cake. I pray I will not be serving a giant hockey puck.”

Well, James outdid himself for this past Sunday’s “Wine and Unwind”.  No hockey puck here (although, it would be a cool thing to serve at a hockey-themed birthday party.  Just sayin’.)  Not only is this recipe super easy to make (the cake itself only has six ingredients) but it’s also gluten-free!

Flourless Chocolate Cake with Bittersweet Chocolate Glaze

Ingredients:

4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
3 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Glaze:

2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon corn syrup
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
1 tablespoon butter

Method:

1.   Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Grease an 8 inch round cake pan, and dust with cocoa powder.
2.   In the top of a double boiler over lightly simmering water, melt chocolate and butter. Remove from heat, and stir in sugar, cocoa powder, eggs, and vanilla. Pour into prepared pan.
3.   Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

For the Glaze:

1.   In a small saucepan, combine 2 tablespoons sugar, the corn syrup and 1/4 cup water. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat. Add 4 ounces chopped chocolate, swirl pan to mix, do not mix, and allow to stand until melted, about 3 minutes.
2.  Whisk 1 tablespoon butter into icing until melted and the chocolate is shiny and smooth.. Put wax paper under the cooling rack then pour glaze evenly over cake. Use a spatula to ease icing out to edges of cake and down the sides. Sprinkle the ground almonds around the top edge of the cake. Allow icing to cool and set before slicing.