Sopaipilla Cheesecake

July 30: National Cheesecake Day

Sopaipillas are the official state pastry of Texas, where we currently live. Those puffy pieces of bread are sprinkled with cinnamon sugar and taste muy delicioso on their own. When made into a cheesecake, it becomes a doubly delightful dessert!

We got the recipe for sopaipilla cheesecake squares from una amiga at a fiesta and, in turn, we baked it for another gathering and got rave reviews! This crowd-pleasing confection is easy to make, especially when using ready-made refrigerated crescent dinner rolls, which puff up like sopaipillas.

Try a Tex-Mex creation for National Cheesecake Day and make sopaipilla cheesecake.

Recipe

(Adapted from Brooke H.)

Ingredients

• 2 packages (8 ounces each) refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
• 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup sugar, granulated white
• 1 teaspoon vanilla (we used Mexican vainilla)
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted
• 1/2 cup cinnamon sugar* (we used McCormick brand)

Directions

Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with foil and mist with cooking spray. Unroll one package of the refrigerated crescent dinner rolls and flatten the seams together to make the dessert base in the prepared pan. Set aside. In a mixing bowl, stir the cream cheese with the sugar until smooth.

Add the vanilla extract and continue to blend well. Spread over the dessert base.

Unroll the other package of refrigerated crescent dinner rolls and pinch- flatten the seams together and place over the cream cheese mixture. Pour the melted butter or margarine over the top and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely to let the filling set (otherwise it will be runny). Refrigerate until ready to serve. Slice into squares and arrange on a platter or tray.

Notes

• Cinnamon sugar may be made by mixing 1 cup sugar to 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon.
• Muchas gracias to Brooke H. for sharing the recipe for sopaipilla cheesecake with us.

Magdalenas

July 22: Feast Day of St. Mary Magdalene

In a previous post for the Feast Day of St. Mary Magdalene, we shared a recipe for a shell-shaped sweet called madeleines. The tasty tea cakes from France require a special baking mold to get their distinctive scallop form. For those who like madeleines but do not have that particular pan can still enjoy something similar called magdalenas. The cute cupcakes from Spain taste just like its French counterpart but can be baked in standard muffin tins. Make magdalenas for a traditional Spanish breakfast treat and for observing the Feast Day of St. Mary Magdalene. ¡Buen apetito!

Recipe

(Adapted from Spain-Recipes)

Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sugar, divided use
• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 1 lemon, zested
• 1 2/3 cup flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon milk

Directions

Melt the butter and zest the lemon. Set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs with ¾ cup sugar until light.

While still beating the eggs and sugar, stream the butter and mix thoroughly. Stir in the lemon zest. In another bowl, combine the flour and baking powder. Gradually blend this into the egg mixture.

Add the milk and mix until smooth. Scoop no more than half the batter into cupcake papers to allow for rising when baking. Sprinkle each of the tops with a bit of the remaining sugar.

Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees F for 18-20 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven. Cool for five minutes in the pan before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

• Savor the citrus! Magdalenas may be flavored with orange zest instead of lemon.

Dundee Beef Stew

July 21, 1648: Birth Date of Bonnie Dundee (John Graham, 1st Viscount of Dundee, 7th Laird of Claverhouse)

Through her media work with a Scottish clan, Islander corresponds on occasion with a laird (Scottish lord), editing a few of his news articles. She even met a duke and duchess from Scotland at one of the clan’s annual general meetings! These titled Scots are relatives of the legendary Bonnie Dundee.

There is a town in Scotland named Dundee where it manufactures its world-famous orange marmalade. We added it to a beef stew for a surprisingly sweet citrus taste. As a tribute to Bonnie Dundee, who was born on July 21, 1648, and died on July 27, 1689, we made Dundee Beef Stew (below are two cooking methods: crockpot and oven).

For a hearty (and historical) Scottish meal, make a marmalade-flavored beef stew inspired by Dundee (the town and/or the Viscount/Laird).

Recipe

(Adapted from “Scottish Heritage Food and Cooking” by Carol Wilson and Christopher Trotter)

Ingredients

• 2 pounds beef, cut into bite-sized cubes
• ½ cup flour
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 2+ tablespoons oil
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 cup onions, chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter, divided use
• 1 cup button mushrooms, cut in quarters
• 3-4 tablespoons of bitter marmalade (we used Mackays brand orange marmalade with champagne)
• 1 ¼ cup red wine
• 2/3 cup beef stock
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions for the crockpot method

In a shallow dish, mix the flour with the paprika. Dredge the pieces of beef in the flour mixture, shaking off excess. In a skillet, heat the oil and brown the beef. Drain on paper towels. Continue to cook the other pieces of beef, adding a little more oil if necessary. Place the beef on the bottom layer of a crock pot/slow cooker.

Cbop the onions and quarter the mushrooms.  In the same skillet where the beef was browned, melt one tablespoon of butter. Saute the garlic and onions until soft. Discard the garlic. Layer the onions over the beef in the crock pot/slow cooker. Saute the mushrooms with the remaining tablespoon of butter until golden brown.

Layer the mushrooms over the onions. Stir in the marmalade. Pour in the red wine.

Pour in the beef stock. Gently stir to mix the ingredients. Cover and cook for three hours or until the meat is tender. Season with salt and pepper and stir again. Serve hot in bowls.

Directions for the oven method

In a shallow dish, mix the flour with the paprika. Dredge the pieces of beef in the flour mixture, shaking off excess. In a large pan, heat the oil and brown the beef. Drain on paper towels. Continue to cook the other pieces of beef, adding a little more oil if necessary.

Cbop the onions and quarter the mushrooms.  In the same skillet where the beef was browned, melt one tablespoon of butter. Saute the garlic and onions until soft. Discard the garlic. Set aside. Saute the mushrooms with the remaining tablespoon of butter until golden brown. Put the beef and onions back into the same pan. Stir in the marmalade. Pour in the red wine. Pour in the beef stock. Gently stir to mix the ingredients. Bring to a boil. Salt and pepper to taste.

Place everything in a casserole or deep glass dish. Cover tightly with foil. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for three hours or until the meat is tender. Remove from the oven and uncover (beware of escaping heat when lifting off the foil). Season with salt and pepper and stir again. Serve hot in bowls.

Notes

• “Bonnie Dundee” is a traditional Scottish poem and song written by Sir Walter Scott in honor of Bonnie Dundee.
• The Graham tartan is part of the background of the final food photo above.
• Search our site for other Scottish-inspired or beef recipes.