This month's featured Finger Lakes Celebrity Chef is Debra Whiting, Executive Chef at Red Newt Bistro at Red Newt Wine Cellars. 

Red Newt Cellars is located on the east side of Seneca Lake in the hamlet of Hector in Finger Lakes Wine Country. In addition to producing world class wines from east Seneca Lake vineyards, Red Newt Cellars offers innovative Finger Lakes cuisine in the Red Newt Bistro and exquisite catering services with Exclusively Newt.

Below are two recipes to spice up your holiday desert menu. Bon appetit!

HERMIT BAR CHEESECAKE

This cheesecake incorporates several dried fruits and lots of spice, but the creaminess of the cake gives it a certain elegance. I encourage you to try this cheesecake- I call it a Hermit Cheesecake and do away with the dreaded fruit cake! Now, for those of you who do like fruit cake, you will also love this cheesecake and so will your dinner guests. 

    Ingredients

• 40 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/cup brown sugar, packed
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1/2 tsp each, cinnamon and ginger
• 1/4 tsp each, nutmeg and cloves
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 5 eggs
• 1/2 cup cranberries, finely chopped
• 1 cup dried apricots, finely chopped

    Crust

• about 24 gingersnaps, finely ground
• 4 tbsp margaine, melted
• 1/4 cup dried currants

Method:

Crust- Mix all ingredients in bowl. Press into bottom of 9in. springform pan that has been sprayed with pan spray. Set aside in refrigerator.

Cake-Using a mixer or food processor, cream the cream cheese, sugar, flour and spices until smooth. Add the eggs and vanilla to the bowl and mix until blended. Add the cranberries and apricots and mix thoroughly. Pour mixture into prepared pan with crust and bake at 300 for one hour. Cake should be just set in the center. Turn off oven and leave cake in oven with the door cracked for about one hour, or until cake is almost room temperature. Refrigerate at least 12 hours before serving.

FRENCH DIPPED EMPIRE APPLE BREAD PUDDING
WITH A RIESLING APPLE CIDER SYRUP

    Ingredients:

• 5 Empire apples, peeled, cored, ½” slices
• 4 tablespoons butter, unsalted
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• pinch of salt
• 1/3 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
• 8 cups bread, cubed, 1” in size
• 10 eggs
• 6 cups heavy cream
• 1½ cups brown sugar, packed
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 vanilla beans, scraped inside (or 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract)
• ¼ cup flour

French Dip

    Ingredients:

• 4 eggs
• 1 cup half and half
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch nutmeg
• - whisk all ingredients in separate bowl
• butter for final searing

Method:

Sauté apples on medium-high heat in the butter, ½ teaspoon vanilla, brown sugar and pinch of salt until caramelized (butter has begun to brown and the sugar becomes thick like caramel). Set aside to cool. In large bowl, whisk the eggs, heavy cream, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla beans contents, and flour until well mixed.

Coarsely chop caramelized apples and add to whisked mixture, add cubed bread and mix well.

Pour entire contents into a 13”x9” glass pan. Place in refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Loosely cover pan with foil and bake in water bath at 300º F for about 1 hour (liquid should be set). Cool to room temperature.

Refrigerate pan overnight. Portion into 8 to 10 servings.

Dip each portion into the French Dip and sear in pan with 1 tablespoon butter.

Serve immediately with the Riesling Apple Cider Syrup drizzled on top or refrigerate the seared bread pudding to serve later.

Microwave refrigerated portions for 1 ½ minutes on high and serve with syrup. Seared bread pudding will keep for several days in the refrigerator.

Riesling Apple Cider Syrup

    Ingredients:

• 2 cups Red Newt Cellars Riesling
• 1 cup apple cider, Red Jacket Orchards (Geneva)
• 2½ cups dark brown sugar, packed
• pinch of salt

Method:

Mix all ingredients in saucepan. Bring to a boil and continue to simmer until reduced by half. Cool syrup.

Syrup will keep for several weeks in the refrigerator.