Strawberry Surprise Cheesecake

Looking at this cheesecake, no one would know there's a hidden layer of strawberry jam on the bottom.  This jam layer adds just enough pizazz to make this dessert extra special. Feel free to substitute the strawberry for another flavor.

Ingredients

1 1/2 c graham crumbs

1/3 c granulated sugar

4 T butter

1/2 c + 2 T strawberry jam

1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

1 lb. whole milk ricotta cheese, drained over a cheesecloth for several hours or overnight

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. almond extract

1/2 c sour cream

2 T granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

For the crust, mix together graham crumbs, sugar & better until mixture is moistened enough to hold together.  Press into an 8" springform pan. 

Heat the jam in the microwave about 30 seconds or just until it loosens up.  Stir until smooth.  Spread evenly over the crust. Set aside.

In a large bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment in place, beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add the sugar slowly, alternating with the eggs. Beat until smooth. Add the extracts and beat to incorporate.  Pour the batter into the prepared crust.  Bake for an hour or until the the outside is set but the middle 2" still jiggles.  Set cheesecake on a wire rack.  Combine the sour cream and granulated sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves.  Immediately spread over the top of the hot cheesecake. Allow the cheesecake to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate 3-4 hours before serving.  

Cheesecake will puff up in the oven and fall as it cools.

Enjoy!

 

3 Cheese No-Bake Cheesecake w Amaretti Crust

AMARETTI CRUST

3 ounces amaretti cookies (about 20)

2 ounces honey graham crackers (about 4 whole crackers), coarsely crushed

Pinch of kosher salt

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

CHEESECAKE

1 teaspoon unflavored powdered gelatin

3/4 cup chilled heavy cream

Two 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup fresh ricotta cheese

3/4 cup sugar

Pinch of kosher salt

1/4 cup mascarpone cheese or sour cream

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

MAKE THE CRUST Preheat the oven to 350°. In a food processor, pulse the amaretti with the graham crackers and salt until finely ground. Transfer the crumbs to a small bowl and stir in the butter. Press the crumbs evenly over the bottom and halfway up the side of an 8-inch springform pan. Bake for about 10 minutes, until the crust is set. Cool on a rack.

MAKE THE CHEESECAKE In a microwave-safe dish, sprinkle the gelatin over 2 tablespoons of cold water; let stand until the gelatin is softened, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, beat the heavy cream until soft peaks form; refrigerate.

 In a bowl, beat the cream cheese, ricotta, sugar and salt with an electric mixer at high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the mascarpone and lemon juice.

 Microwave the gelatin until melted, 5 seconds; scrape into the cream cheese mixture and beat until incorporated. Fold in the whipped cream. Pour the mixture into the cooled crust and smooth the surface. Refrigerate the cake until firm and set 3 hours.

 Unmold the cheesecake and serve with fresh fruit, if desired.

Adapted from Food and Wine.

Enjoy!

Caramel Apple Blondie Cheesecake

Ingredients

3/4 c toasted & chopped pecans
2 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 c granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
4 large eggs, divided
1/2 c firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 c butter, melted
1 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1-1/2 c peeled and diced Granny Smith Apples (about 2 apples)
Caramel Apple Topping
Caramel Sauce

Preheat oven to 325*.  Sprinkle pecans over bottom of a non-stick 9" springform pan.  If not non-stick, grease and flour the pan.
Beat cream cheese, granulated sugar, and vanilla at medium speed with an electric stand mixer until blended and smooth. Add 3 eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition.
Whisk together brown sugar, melted butter, and remaining egg in a large bowl until blended.
Stir together flour and next 3 ingredients; add to brown sugar mixture, and stir until blended. Stir in apples. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Carefully spoon cream cheese mixture over batter.
Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until set. Remove from oven, and gently run a knife around outer edge of cheesecake to loosen from sides of pan. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.  Transfer to a serving plate.
Meanwhile, prepare Caramel Apple Topping and Caramel Sauce. Spoon topping over cheesecake; drizzle with 1/2 c Caramel Sauce. Serve with leftover Caramel Sauce on the side.

Caramel Apple Topping

Melt 1/4 c butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add 1/2 c sugar and 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice, and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, 5 to 6 minutes or until mixture turns a light golden brown. Add 5 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges. Cook, stirring often, 15-18 minutes more or until apples are tender and caramelized. Remove from heat and cool 20 minutes.

Caramel Sauce
1 c firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 c butter
1/4 c heavy cream
1/4 c honey

Bring brown sugar, butter, heavy cream and honey to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly.  Boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat, and cool 15 minutes before serving. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 1 week. To reheat, microwave at HIGH 10-15 seconds or just until warm; stir until smooth.

(Recipe adapted from Southern Living Fall Entertaining Magazine)

Enjoy!

Lemon and Ricotta Cream Cheese Cake

This is a refreshing change from the classic New York style cheesecake as it incorporates ricotta cheese as well as cream cheese in a shortbread crust. I rate this a 5/5.

Ingredients

1 c flour
1/4 c granulated sugar
6 T unsalted butter, chopped

12 oz. cream cheese, softened
16 oz. ricotta cheese
4 eggs
1/2 c freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 T lemon zest
1 c granulated sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 T cornstarch
1 1/2 T cold water

1 c sour cream
1/4 c granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 300*.
In a large bowl add flour, sugar & butter.  Rub together between fingers until course crumbs form. Press in the bottom of a 9" springform pan.  Bake approx. 30 minutes until golden.  Set aside to cool.

In a food processor place cream cheese, ricotta cheese, eggs, lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar and vanilla and process until smooth.  In a small bowl mix cornstarch with water.  Add to mixture and process until blended.  Pour into cooled crust and bake 1 hr. 30 minutes until golden brown and slightly wobbly in the very center.  Turn oven off.

Mix sour cream and sugar together.  When cheesecake is done, spread sour cream over the top and return to the oven, heat off and door closed, for an hour.

Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

This recipe is adapted & converted from Donna Hay's Classic Lemon Cheesecake.

Hazelnut Zebra Cheesecake

I needed a dessert to bring to a Halloween Party and decided on a Hazelnut Zebra Cheesecake decorated on top with a chocolate web and a glittery spider.  I love the "zebra" effect, which can be done to any 2-tone cheesecake.  Halloween design on top can be changed up appropriately or omitted completely.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c graham crackers
1/4 c unsweetened cocoa
1/3 c granulated sugar
5 T melted butter

5 8 oz. pkgs. cream cheese, room temperature
3 T flour
2/3 c granulated sugar
5 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 c + 2 T Frangelico, divided
1/4 c heavy cream, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 c hazelnut spread
1/2 c semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tsp shortening
14 Hazelnut Pirouette cookies, cut in half

Heat oven to 500*F.

Combine first 4 ingredients and mix until moistened.  Press into the bottom and halfway up sides of a 10" springform pan.  Wrap the pan with 2 layers of heavy duty aluminum foil.  Place in a roasting pan and set aside.  In the meantime, heat up enough water to come half way up the sides of the cheesecake pan.

In the large bowl of a stand mixer, beat cream cheese and flour until smooth.  Add eggs 1 at a time alternating with sugar.  Mix well after each addition. With mixer on low, add 1/2 c Frangelico, heavy cream and vanilla. Mix until combined.
Remove a little more than half of the batter into a separate bowl.  To the original bowl of batter add remaining 1/3 c Frangelico and the hazelnut spread.  Mix on low until well combined. Amounts of each batter should be about equal.  With a large muffin scoop or 1/2 c measuring cup, start with white batter and pour 1 measure into center of crust, then carefully add the chocolate batter using the same measurement to the center of the white.  Add the same measurement of white to the middle of the chocolate and so on, alternating until all the batter is used.  This technique pushes the batter of each circle towards the edge of the pan.  It takes a while to do, but the result is worth it. DO NOT shake the pan or move the batter or it will disturb the "zebra" effect.  When you slice the cheesecake, you will see the zebra affect shown in the photos.
Please roasting pan with cheesecake on middle rack in oven.  Slowly pour the hot water into the roasting pan. Bake the cheesecake for 10 minutes.  Lower heat to 300*F and continue baking for an additional hour and 10 minutes.  Turn off oven and let cheesecake sit inside for an hour.  Remove cheesecake from roasting pan and place on oven rack with door propped open for an additional hour.  Refrigerate cheesecake for 4 hours or overnight.
Melt the chocolate chips and shortening in a microwave safe bowl. Take half a Hazelnut Pirouette cookie, and with a knife spread some melted chocolate on the side of the bottom half and attach cookie to side of cheesecake.  The chocolate works like glue so the cookies will stick to the cheesecake. Take a 2nd cookie with melted chocolate and attach that directly across from the first cookie.  Continue, placing each cookie halfway between 2 cookies until cookies go around entire cheesecake at even intervals.  You can make it as close together or spaced apart as you like.  I left a little bit of space.  Decorate or serve with dollops of sweetened whipped cream if desired.

 Say CHEESEcake!

Mini Cheesecakes with Chocolate Strawberry Jam

I bought a jar of  Stonewall Kitchen Chocolate Strawberry Jam over the weekend and knew I had to make something sweet, but not too sweet, where it could be the star.  Rather than lose it baked inside of brownies, or cake, etc. I decided to make mini cheesecakes and use it as the topping.  Because of the decadence of the jam, I used Neufchatel rather than regular cream cheese, and baked them without a crust.  Of course, you are welcome to change it up as you see fit.  I'm enjoying them on the lighter side - albeit, rich and still high in calories and absolutely yummy!

Ingredients
2 8 oz. pkgs. Neufchatel or Cream Cheese, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 c sugar
1/4 c heavy cream
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp lemon zest
1 8 oz. jar Stonewall Kitchen Chocolate Strawberry Jam

Preheat oven to 350* F.  Line 12 cupcake cups with paper liners, set aside.
In electric mixer beat Neufchatel until creamy.  Add eggs, alternating with sugar and mix until well combined.  With mixer running, add heavy cream, vanilla and zest and continue mixing until combined.

Using a large scoop, fill each cup 3/4 full.  Bake for 25 minutes.  Cheesecakes will be puffy.  Turn off oven and leave cheesecakes in for about 30 minutes.  They will deflate as they cool, leaving a well in the middle (perfect for filling).  Refrigerate until chilled, about an hour.  Spoon jam into each well.  You can top with a dollop of whipped cream and/or sprinkles if desired.  Enjoy!

Unwrapped!

Nothing says lovin' like these little gems!

Nutella Cheesecake & Oreo Brownies

Ingredients:

1 1/4 C butter, melted & cooled
2 C flour
1/2 C unsweetened cocoa
10 Oreo cookies, crushed
1 C sugar
8 eggs, divided
1 13oz. jar Nutella, divided
2 8 oz. pkgs. cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 C sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Line a 13 x 9 pan with aluminum foil large enough to hang over the sides and spray with nonstick baking spray. Set aside.

Melt the butter and set aside to cool.  In a medium bowl add flour, cocoa & crushed Oreos. Set aside.  In a large bowl of an electric mixer beat sugar, eggs, butter & 1/2 C Nutella on low until well blended.  Add the dry ingredients. Spread evenly in prepared pan.

In a separate bowl beat cream cheese, 1/2 C sugar, 4 eggs & remaining Nutella until smooth. Pour over brownie batter and smooth carefully.

Bake 40-50 minutes or until cream cheese layer is set & firm to the touch.

Cool completely and remove from pan using foil overhang as handles.  Cut into squares.

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cheesecake

Ingredients:

24 Oreo cookies, crushed fine
5 T butter, melted

5 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, room temperature
3 T flour
1-3/4 C sugar
5 large eggs
1/3 C heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla
2/3 C peanut butter chips, melted
2/3 C semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted

Preheat oven to 500.
Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit in the bottom of a 10" springform pan. Wrap the pan well with heavy duty aluminum foil.  Set aside.

For the crust, in the bowl of a food processor, process the cookies into small crumbs. In a medium bowl, add the processed cookie crumbs and the melted butter.  Stir until well combined. Pat into the bottom of springform pan. Set aside.

In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and flour until creamy.  Slowly add sugar, alternating with an egg, mixing until well combined. Continue until you've added all the sugar and all 5 eggs.  Beat in heavy cream and vanilla.

Divide batter evenly into 2 bowls. Melt the peanut butter chips for 30 seconds in the microwave.  Stir and continue to microwave up to 60 seconds total. Stir the chips until there are no lumps.  Whisk into half the cheesecake batter in one bowl.  Do the same for the chocolate chips and add to the second bowl.

Carefully place the springform pan into a baking pan about the same height as the springform pan.  Place on center rack in oven, and fill halfway up the sides with hot water.

Bake for 10 minutes; lower heat to 325 and continue baking for 1 hour or until center of cheesecake is slightly wobbly.  Turn off oven and with the door closed, let cheesecake sit in oven for an hour.  Crack oven door and leave cheesecake for another hour.  Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

Remove from springform pan and place on serving platter.  If desired, decorate with mini Reeses Peanut Butter Cups.

Say Cheese...cake!

Pecan Pie Cheesecake

Crust:
1-3/4 C vanilla wafer crumbs (you can substitute Lorna Doones if desired)
1/4 C firmly packed light brown sugar
1/3 C butter, melted

Pecan filling:
1 C sugar
2/3 C dark corn syrup
1/3 C butter, melted
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1-1/2 C chopped pecans
1 tsp vanilla

Cheesecake filling:
3 (8oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, softened
1-1/4 C firmly packed light brown sugar
2 T all-purpose flour
4 large eggs
2/3 C heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. In a medium bowl, combine vanilla wafer crumbs and brown sugar for crust. Add melted butter, stirring to combine. Press evenly into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch springform pan.
3. Bake for 6 minutes. Let cool.
4. In a medium saucepan, bring sugar, corn syrup, melted butter, eggs, pecans and vanilla to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring well. Reduce heat, and simmer, stirring constantly until thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Pour into prepared crust. Set aside.
5. Reduce oven temperature to 325.
6. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add brown sugar and flour, beating until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until combined after each addition. Stir in cream and vanilla. Pour over pecan filling.
7. Bake for 1 hour. Turn oven off and leave cheesecake in oven with oven door closed for 1 hour.
8. Run a knife around edges of cheesecake to release.  Let cool completely. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight before serving.
9. Decorate with sweetened whipped cream or mascarpone cheese whipped with heavy cream and pecan halves.

Yield: 1 9-inch cheesecake

This recipe adapted from the Pecan Pie Cheesecake recipe in Fall Baking 2013 edition of the Taste of the South Magazine.