THIRD BLOGIVERSARY WEEK CELEBRATION: DAY 7! BRUNCH WITH BINGO: JUNIOR'S DESSERT COOKBOOK- A GIVEAWAY AND A FOND MEMORY

 THIRD BLOGIVERSARY

 

For this year's BLOGIVERSARY I decided to highlight different  kinds of books/prizes each day of this week, and on this last day, I chose a cookbook for "BINGO BRUNCH" that has some very personal meaning to me.

 WELCOME TO BOOKIN' WITH BINGO'S

"BLOGIVERSARY BRUNCH WITH BINGO DAY"
TODAY'S SPECIAL COOKBOOK WILL END THE
WEEK LONG CELEBRATION OF MY THIRD

YEAR BLOGIVERSARY...IT IS:

GIVEAWAY ENDED
JUNIOR'S DESSERT 

COOKBOOK

75 RECIPES FOR CHEESECAKES, PIES, COOKIES, CAKES, AND MORE

BY ALAN ROSEN AND BETH ALLEN

ABOUT THE BOOK:

What would life be without dessert? 
With this book, you’ll never have to find out. Junior’s Restaurants, the landmark chain with four locations on the East Coast, are nationally known for their award-winning cheesecakes.

Make the desserts that made Junior’s deli famous. 
Along with their signature cheesecake, Junior’s is renowned for their iconic black ’n whites, towering cakes, flaky pies, and luscious sundaes. Learn the secrets to their success with Junior’s Dessert Cookbook – and duplicate 65 of their most-loved delights.

Many never-before-published recipes. 
Authors Alan Rosen and Beth Allen put together this incredible collection of recipes – many of them never published before – that range from simple cupcakes to elaborate multi-layer confections. These restaurant recipes retain their authentic flavors and yet they can be easily made in family-size portions right in your own kitchen.

Secret family recipes revealed. 
Rosen, a third-generation co-owner of Junior’s, enhances this cookbook with entertaining family tidbits, bits of history, and sidebars on “The Junior’s Way,” sharing what his family has learned about baking over the years.

Earn kudos for fabulous sweets. 
You’ll love Junior’s Dessert Cookbook because it’s your guide to creating show-stopping desserts for every taste, plus slimmed down, light versions sure to please calorie counters. Make a name for yourself with amazing desserts that rival the famous originals.

FROM ALAN ROSEN, AUTHOR:

After 60 years, we decided it was time to write our third cookbook, to celebrate with you—our readers and friends—what we’re all about . . . where we’ve been, what we’ve learned, how we’ve grown, what we’ve accomplished, and what makes us The Best. We wanted to pay homage to my grandfather Harry, my father Walter, and my uncle Marvin—for without them, there would not be a Junior’s at all…it would not exist.

So we’ve gathered together a collection of our very favorite Junior’s desserts. We’ve included recipes for our luscious lemon meringue pie (reimagined as individual tartlets), our mountain-high ice cream sundaes and triple-rich malteds, our famous fresh strawberry shortcake, creamy rice pudding, and, of course, the cheesecake that made us famous, our Original New York Cheesecake, all adapted for the home kitchen. In addition, we developed some brand-new recipes just for this book, desserts you won’t find on any of our Junior’s menus or via mail order, like Boston Cream Pie, Brioche Bread Pudding, and The World’s Smallest Hot Fudge Sundae. We’ve also brought back desserts Junior’s used to offer on its menu in the 1950s, when it first opened, like Banana Whipped Cream Pie and Nesselrode Whipped Cream Pie.

 We want to give a great big sweet thank you to all of our customers during these first 60 years—from our regulars who keep coming back and bringing their friends and family to our mail-order customers and visitors from other states and countries. And a sweet “hello” as well to those who are discovering Junior’s for the first time. We promise that, at Junior’s, you will always find great home-cooked food and great cheesecake, every day—as you want it, just as my Grandpa Harry promised! You are very important to us…for at Junior’s, we care.
    —Alan Rosen

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

ALAN ROSEN AND BETH ALLEN

(ABOVE) Alan Rosen, owner of Junior’s Cheesecake, and cookbook author Beth Allen pose with some desserts at Junior's on Flatbush Ave., Brooklyn.

Read the "New York Daily News " article about Alan Rosen and Beth Allen, authors of the cookbook and see all the WONDERFUL recipes they have there including the one for those yummy Black and White Cookies!

Read more here: http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/eats/alan-rosen-beth-allen-shares-cheesecake-recipe-junior-dessert-cookbook-article-1.981119#ixzz1jDL1iw

ABOUT JUNIOR'S RESTAURANT:

Founded by Harry Rosen in 1950, Junior's landmark restaurant is known as the home of New York's best cheesecake. From the very first day Junior's opened its doors in 1950 on the corner of DeKalb and Flatbush Avenue Extension in Brooklyn, the Rosen family has worked hand in hand to build the restaurant into one of the most popular eateries in the city. For decades residents of Brooklyn (and other New Yorkers) have come here to eat, laugh, argue, and kibitz over cheesecake. In the 1950s an entire generation came of age at Junior's.

Since the opening, Junior's has been serving the "World's Most Fabulous Cheesecake." Harry Rosen perfected his recipe for the perfect New York–style cheesecake with a master baker named Eigel Peterson. After much trial and error, they had it – a delicious layer of buttery light sponge cake with the perfect cheesecake – creamy but not heavy, light without falling apart, and of course that rich, creamy flavor. To this day, the third generation of Rosens still uses the same recipe.

In 1995, Junior's began selling its fabulous cheesecakes on QVC. Many of the selections are exclusive to QVC – you can't even get them in our restaurant!

Today, loyal customers still come from all over and all walks of life – Supreme Court justices, famous mayors, Hall of Fame athletes, authors, singers, and movie stars – each with his or her favorite Junior's cheesecake. In fact it's as true today as it was 50 years ago: You haven't really lived until you've had cheesecake from Junior's.

A RECIPE FROM JUNIOR'S DESSERT COOKBOOK:

JUNIOR'S FAMOUS 
STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE 

(From GOOD MORNING AMERICA Website HERE)

Ingredients for One 9-inch Sponge Cake Layer 

• 1/2 cup sifted cake flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 3 extra-large eggs separated
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3 drops pure lemon extract
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar 

Directions for the Thin Sponge Cake Layer for Cheesecake 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and generously butter a 9-inch springform pan. Sift the cake flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium-sized bowl and set aside.

2. Beat the egg yolks together in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high for 3 minutes. Then, with the mixer still running, gradually add the 1/3 cup of sugar and continue beating until thick light-yellow ribbons form in the bowl, about 5 minutes more. Beat in the vanilla and lemon extracts.

3. Sift the flour mixture over the batter and stir it in by hand until no more white flecks appear. Then blend in the butter.

4. In a clean bowl, using clean dry beaters, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar together on high until frothy. Gradually add the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form (the whites should stand up in stiff peaks, but not be dry).

5. Stir about 1/3 cup of the whites into the batter, then gently fold in the remaining whites (don't worry if a few white specks remain).

6. Gently spoon the batter into the pan. Bake the cake just until the center of the cake springs back when lightly touched, only about 10 minutes (watch carefully!). Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack while you continue making the cheesecake filling. Do not remove the cake from the pan.

Makes Enough for One Cheesecake.

Ingredients for Cream Cheese Filling 

• 4 8-ounce packages cream cheese (the regular variety not light Neufchatel cream cheese), at room temperature
• 1 2/3 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 extra-large eggs
• 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions for the Cream Cheese Filling

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and generously butter a 9-inch springform pan. Make the batter for the sponge cake as the recipe directs Evenly spread the batter on the bottom of the pan, and bake just until set and golden, about 10 minutes. Place the cake on a wire rack to cool (do not remove it from the pan).

2. While the cake cools, make the cream cheese filling: Place one 8-ounce package of the cream cheese, 1/3 cup of the sugar, and the cornstarch in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low until creamy, about 3 minutes, then beat in the remaining 3 packages of cream cheese.

3. Increase the mixer speed to high and beat in the remaining 1 1/2 cups of the sugar, then beat in the vanilla and heavy cream. Blend in the eggs, one at a time, beating the bating only until completely blended (just like they do at Junior's). Be careful not to over mix the batter.

4. Gently spoon the cheese filling on top of the baked sponge cake layer. Place the springform pan in a large shallow pan containing hot water that comes about 1 inch up the sides of the pan. Bake the cheesecake until the center barely jiggles when you shake the pan, about 1 hour.

5. Cool the cake on a wire rack for 1 hour. Then cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate until it's completely cold, at least 4 hours or overnight. Remove the sides of the springform pan.

6. Slide the cake off of the bottom of the pan onto a serving plate. Or if you wish, simply leave the cake on the removable bottom of the pan and place it on a serving plate. If any cake is left over, cover it with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator.

Makes Enough for One 8-Inch Cake, About 2 1/2 Inches High 

Ingredients for the Macaroon Crunch

• 1/2 cup chopped mixed nuts (almonds, pecans, and/or walnuts)
• 1/2 cup angel flake coconut 

Ingredients for the Strawberry Topping 

• 1 quart large ripe strawberries
• 1 cup strawberry jelly
• 1/2 cup apricot preserves
  

Directions for the Fresh Strawberry Cheesecake

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and butter a 9-inch springform pan. Make and bake the sponge cake layer. Make the cheesecake filling and bake the cake as for Junior's Famous No. 1 Pure Cream Cheesecake. Transfer the baked cake to a wire rack to cool, about 1 hour.

2. While the cake is baking and cooling, make the macaroon crunch: Spread the nuts and coconut on a baking sheet and toast in a 350 F oven until golden and crunchy, about 10 to 15 minutes. Set the crunch aside to cool.

3. To prepare the strawberries: Wash, hull, and sort through the strawberries, then pat them dry with paper towels. Starting at the outside edge of the cheesecake, arrange the berries on their sides, in rows, with ends pointing toward the edge of the cake. Continue until the top of the cake is completely covered by strawberries.

4. Now make the strawberry topping: Melt the strawberry jelly and apricot preserves together in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Strain and drizzle the warm jelly over the berries.

5. Sprinkle the macaroon crunch in a 1 1/2-inch border around the edge of the cheesecake, covering the berries around the outside edge. Loosely cover the entire cake with plastic wrap, being careful not to let the glaze stick to the wrap.

6. Refrigerate the cake until it's completely cold, at least 4 hours or overnight. Remove the cake from the pan and serve it chilled. Wrap any leftover cake in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator.

  
BINGO'S PERSONAL NOTE:

Those of you who have been with me these 3 years, know I was born in Brooklyn and grew up there and later lived in Yonkers, NY, before heading south in my late elementary school years. I have so many fond memories of Brooklyn and remember Flatbush Avenue well where Junior's is located. But my best Junior's memory was the early years when it was first opened and Alan Rosen's grandfather, father, and uncles ran the business. At that time, my father was the manager of the restaurant. A self-made man who left school at an early age to help bring in money for the 11 children in his family, my father was a natural in this business. I remember when we left Brooklyn and moved out to Yonkers, Dad would come home very late nights from the city but when we went to bed on Saturday night, we always knew there would be something special the next day to look forward to. Sure enough, every Sunday I can remember, my father would have brought home dessert from Junior's for our Sunday dinner. He would see what kind of desserts, usually cheesecake, were left at the end of the night and was allowed to bring home some pieces for us. These were tough times and having something as special as my favorite, the strawberry cheesecake, was so amazing that I can taste it today. I have visited Junior's when in New York on trips and have also ordered from there to have desserts delivered. I always order the cheesecake and although I am sure it has changed some, it surely brings back so many memories to me even just writing about it and looking at the pictures now I can see my dad at the head of the table unveiling the special Sunday dinner dessert. YUM! I hope whoever wins this cookbook will whip up one of these AMAZING cheesecakes and let me know how good it is! 

 GIVEAWAY

I AM SO THRILLED (AND HUNGRY)

AS I WRITE ABOUT THIS GIVEAWAY!

I HAVE ONE COPY OF THIS AMAZING

JUNIOR'S DESSET COOKBOOK TO GIVE

AWAY MYSELF TO ONE LUCKY WINNER!

 
--U.S. RESIDENTS ONLY
--NO P. O. BOXES
---INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS
IN CASE YOU WIN!
--ALL COMMENTS MUST BE SEPARATE TO 
COUNT AS MORE THAN ONE!

HOW TO ENTER:

+1 ENTRY: COMMENT ON WHAT YOU THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT YOU READ ABOVE ABOUT JUNIOR'S RESTAURANT AND THIS COOKBOOK THAT MADE YOU WANT TO WIN THIS BOOK, AND DON'T FORGET YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS

+1 MORE ENTRY: BLOG AND/OR TWEET ABOUT THIS GIVEAWAY AND COME BACK HERE AND LEAVE ME YOUR LINK

+1 MORE ENTRY: COMMENT ON SOMETHING YOU FIND INTERESTING BY VISITING THE JUNIOR'S WEBSITE HERE

+1 MORE ENTRY: COMMENT ON THE KIND OF DESSERT YOU WOULD MOST LIKE TO LEARN TO MAKE

+1 MORE ENTRY: COMMENT ON ONE WAY THAT YOU FOLLOW MY BLOG. IF YOU FOLLOW MORE THAN ONE WAY, YOU MAY COMMENT SEPARATELY FOR EACH TO RECEIVE MORE ENTRIES

 

GIVEAWAY ENDS AT

6 PM, EST, JANUARY 21

 GOOD LUCK!