12 Pitted dates

8 oz Mascarpone cheese

12 large pecan halves

Spiced Sugar [vanilla sugar, cinnamon, cardamon]

Open pitted dates and lay flat on cutting board.

Add small dollop of mascarpone cheese and then top with one pecan half.

Close date sealing cheese add pecan inside date.

Sprinkle with spiced sugar.

Chill for 1 hour and serve.

1 cup walnuts
1 cup cake flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 Tbsp brewed coffee
1/2 tsp cardamon
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp salt
Syrup
1 cup water
2/3 cup sugar
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp brewed coffee
1  tsp cinnamon
Mascarpone Cream
1 cup chilled whipping cream
1/2 cup chilled Mascarpone cheese*
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350° F.
Butter and flour torte pan with removable side.
Toast walnuts about 8 minutes, and cool.
Grind walnuts fine.
Sift together flour, baking powder, and a pinch salt.
Beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy; add eggs, then coffee and oil.
Add flour mixture, walnuts until just combined.
Bake in middle of oven about 25 minutes at 350F.
Cool cake on a rack 15 minutes.
Remove side of torte pan.
Brush top with maple syrup mixture.
Prepare mascarpone cream by whipping cream in medium bowl; add mascarpone cheese, sugar and vanilla until you get stiff peaks.
Top torte with cream and serve.

Nutritional facts per serving (daily value): Calories 526kcal; Protein 6g (12%); Total Fat 31g (48%)(Sat. 13g (63%)); Chol. 125mg (42%); Carb. 58g (19%); Fiber 1g (6%); Sugars 43g; Calcium 88mg (9%); Iron 2mg (13%)

Coconut Cake

3 Cups of cake flour

1/2 tsp seasalt

1 Cup unsalted butter [2 sticks], room temperature

2 1/2 Cups sugar

5 Large eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp coconut extract

1 Cup unsweetened coconut milk

2 Cups sweet flaked coconut

Mascarpone Frosting

4 Tbsp soften butter

3/4 Cup mascarpone cheese

1 tsp lemon zest, finely grated

1/4 tsp ground clove

2 2/3 Cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350F. Butter bundt pan then dust with flour.

Blend cake flour and salt together in medium bowl.

Beat butter adding sugar slowly until well blended.

Add eggs one at a time. Add extracts.

Beat into butter batter flour/salt mixture in two additions alternating with coconut milk.

Fold in coconut flakes and transfer to bundt pan smoothing top.

Bake for 70 minutes checking the center for doneness, cook additonal 5 minutes if needed.

Cool for 10 minutes. Remove cake from pan onto rack.

Cool completely.

Prepare frosting by beating butter and mascarpone cheese. Add lemon zest and ground clove.

Add powdered sugar until smooth.

Frost cake and add 1/2 cup of remaining coconut flakes on frosted cake.

Crust

3 Cups of cinnamon graham crackers

12 Tbsp melted butter, cooled

Filling

24 oz cream cheese, sofetened

8 oz mascarpone cheese softened

1 cup granulated sugar

3 eggs, separated into beaten yolks & whipped egg whites

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp lemon juice

1/4 tsp salt

Topping

1 -1/4 cup sour cream

1/3 cup dark brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp lemon juice

1/8 tsp salt

For the crust place the rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350F. Butter bottom and sides of 9 inch springform pan. Stir finely ground graham cracker crumbs with butter in a bowl. Reserve 1/3 cup placing the rest of the crumb mixture in the springform pan bottom and 1inch up the side of the pan. Place pan on a cookie sheet with sides and bake crust for 12 minutes. Cool completely on a rack for 25-30 minutes.

For filling beat cream cheese, mascarpone and sugar in a bowl. Beat yolks on low speed and add to cream cheese. Add vanilla, cinnamon, lemon and salt mixing until well blended. Beat egg whites to a soft peak and fold into filling mixture. Pour filling mixture into cooled crust and bake for 32 minutes, sides will be puffy and center will wiggle slightly when shaken. Cool for 20 minutes. Leave oven on.

For topping stir sour cream, brown sugar, vanilla, lemon juice and salt, blend well. Pour gently and evenly over the top of cheesecake. Bake for additional 12 minutes until topping sets.

Remove from oven and cool of wire rack. Run a butter knife alone the edges of the cake. Sprinkle top with remaining graham craker crumbs. Remove pan side and cool for at least 5 hours before serving.

This is a very rich cheesecake and can be served as is or with your favorite fruit topping.