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Archive for the ‘Cheesecake’ Category

New York Cheesecake

Posted in Cheesecake, Desserts, tagged , on February 7, 2012 | 4 Comments »

If you’re looking for the best recipe for a classic cheesecake, then this is it. I am very cautious about calling any recipe “the best,” but I am confident in this case, especially since this New York Cheesecake recipe comes from one of my most trusted sources, Baking Illustrated.

The cheesecake is incredibly light and creamy in texture. I served it drizzled with some strawberry sauce, and it was an amazing end to our meal. (I’ll post the strawberry sauce recipe next time. :) )

Cheesecake is one of my absolute favorite desserts, and whenever I bake one, I pretty much enjoy a slice each day until it’s all gone. (Usually, I start by serving the cheesecake when we have dinner guests, so that I only have enough slices left to myself for a few days afterwards.) If you want to make this cheesecake for just you and your Valentine, you could halve the recipe and bake it in mini springform pans. Heart-shaped springform pans would be especially cute. I don’t have any, but I’m sure someone makes them. Maybe I’ll have to look into that…

One year ago:  Giant Double Chocolate Cookies and Spaghetti with Chicken, Tomato Sauce, and Olives

New York Cheesecake

Printable Recipe

Makes 12 to 16 servings

Ingredients:

For the graham cracker crust:

  • 5 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted, plus 1 tbsp. melted unsalted butter for greasing the pan
  • 8 whole graham crackers (4 ounces), broken into rough pieces and processed in a food processor to fine, even crumbs
  • 1 tbsp. sugar

For the filling:

  • 2 1/2 pounds (five 8-ounce packages) cream cheese, cut into rough 1-inch chunks, at room temperature
  • 1/8 tsp. salt
  • 1 1/2 cups (10.5 ounces) sugar
  • 1/3 cup sour cream
  • 2 tsp. lemon juice from 1 lemon
  • 2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2 large egg yolks plus 6 large eggs, at room temperature

Directions:

  1. For the crust: Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 325 degrees. Brush the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan with 1/2 tablespoon of the melted butter. Combine the graham cracker crumbs and sugar in a medium bowl; add 5 tablespoons of the melted butter and toss with a fork until evenly moistened. Empty the crumbs into the springform pan and press evenly into the pan bottom. (You can use the bottom of a glass to press the crumbs down, and then a spoon to press the crumbs into the corners of the pan to create a clean edge.)
  2. Bake crust until fragrant and beginning to brown around the edges, about 13 minutes. Cool on a wire rack while making the filling.
  3. For the cheesecake filling: Increase the oven temperature to 500 degrees. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese at medium-low speed to break up and soften it slightly, about 1 minute. Scrape the beater and the bottom and sides of the bowl well with a rubber spatula; add the salt and about half of the sugar and beat at medium-low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape the bowl; beat in the remaining sugar until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape the bowl; add the sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla, and beat at low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape the bowl; add the egg yolks and beat at medium-low speed until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. Scrape the bowl; add the remaining eggs 2 at a time, beating until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute, scraping the bowl between additions.
  4. Brush the sides of the springform pan with the remaining 1/2 tablespoon melted butter. Set the springform pan on a rimmed baking sheet (to catch any spills if the pan leaks). Pour the filling into the cooled crust and bake 10 minutes; without opening the oven door, reduce the oven temperature to 200 degrees and continue to bake until the cheesecake reads about 150 degrees on an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center, about 1 1/2 hours.
  5. Transfer the cake to a wire rack and cool until barely warm, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Run a paring knife between the cake and the springform pan sides. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, at least 3 hours. (The cheesecake can be refrigerated up to 4 days.)
  6. To unmold the cheesecake, remove the sides of the pan. Slide a thin metal spatula between the crust and the bottom of the pan to loosen, then slide the cake onto a serving plate. Let the cheesecake stand at room temperature about 30 minutes, then cut into wedges. Serve with strawberry sauce, if desired.

Source: Baking Illustrated

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Chocolate-Cherry Cheesecake Tart

Posted in Cheesecake, Desserts, tagged , on June 23, 2011 | 2 Comments »

Chocolate-Cherry Cheesecake Tart

Last May my family and I went cherry picking. We had a fabulous time and came home with some delicious cherries, many of which I baked into cherry pies. Since we’re nearing the end of June and have yet to make the trip to the orchard, I don’t think cherry picking is something we’ll be able to do this year. We were still craving a cherry dessert, though, and this cheesecake tart recipe had been sitting in my cookbook holder for weeks. Brad requested this for dessert on Father’s Day and so I of course had to bake it for him.

This tart has a buttery chocolate graham cracker crust and a cool, creamy cheesecake filling with little drops of cherry sauce swirled on top. I was a little disappointed with the amount of cherry flavor in the tart, but that was probably my fault. I was trying to go for a pretty presentation, so I only used about half of the cherry sauce that the recipe made. Next time, I think I’ll use more of the sauce and just swirl it into the top of the cheesecake batter, rather than trying to make the heart design.

While I was somewhat disappointed by the amount of cherry flavor, I loved this tart as a whole. The crust was delicious, and the cheesecake filling is one of the best I’ve had. I’ll surely be going back to this recipe again and again. I think it would be wonderful with some blueberries scattered over the top before baking, or with fresh strawberries or raspberries placed on top after baking.

One year ago:  Open-face Steak Sandwiches with Herbed Goat Cheese and Tomatoes

Chocolate-Cherry Cheesecake Tart

Printable Recipe

Makes 8-10 servings

Ingredients:

  • 6 oz. (1 1/3 cups) chocolate wafers, finely crushed- I used chocolate graham crackers
  • 1/3 cup plus 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar
  • 2 1/2 oz. (5 Tbsp.) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 cup pitted fresh or frozen sweet cherries, pureed
  • 3 Tbsp. cherry preserves
  • 1 Tbsp. kirsch (I omitted this)
  • 12 oz. cream cheese, softened
  • 4 oz. sour cream (1/3 cup plus 1 Tbsp.), at room temperature
  • 1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature

Directions:

  1. Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350.
  2. In a small bowl, mix the crushed cookies with 2 Tbsp. of the sugar. Add the melted butter and toss with your fingers until evenly moistened. Transfer the crumbs to a 9 1/2-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. With your fingers, gently pack the crumbs into the bottom and up the sides to form the crust. Bake on a rimmed baking sheet until set, 10 to 12 minutes. Set aside to cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 325.
  3. Meanwhile, in a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat, bring the cherry puree to a simmer. Whisk in the cherry preserves and continue to simmer until the mixture thickens slightly, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.
  4. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and remaining 1/3 cup sugar on medium-low speed until the mixture is smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the sour cream, flour, vanilla, and salt and beat until well combined, about 1 minute more. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until just combined, about 15 seconds for each egg (do not overbeat).
  5. Pour the batter into the crust and distribute evenly. Dot the batter with the cherry mixture and gently drag a butter knife through the filling to form decorative swirls. (I found it worked best when I had the flat, non-serrated side of the knife pointed toward me and I dragged the knife through a cherry dot towards me, starting a little bit above the dot.  Next time, I might try using a toothpick instead of a knife.)
  6. Bake until the tart is just set but still slightly moist in the center, 18 to 24 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Serve cold. The tart may be made up to 1 day ahead.

Recipe slightly adapted from Fine Cooking, May 2011

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Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars

Posted in Bar Desserts, Cheesecake, Desserts, tagged , , , on June 15, 2011 | 3 Comments »

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars

If you ask me, it’s hard to find a dessert more irresistible than a cheesecake bar. First, there’s the cheesecake. I know some people don’t care for cheesecake, but if you’re a cheesecake lover, then making it in bar form is far quicker, easier, and more foolproof than baking a regular cheesecake.

Second, cheesecake bars are so adaptable: you can make them with fruit (like these Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Bars), with chocolate and caramel (these Dulce de Leche Cheesecake Bars are amazing), with brownie batter swirled in (as in these Cheesecake-Swirled Brownies)… as you can see I really have a weakness for cheesecake bars!

So you can imagine that it didn’t take me long to decide to make these cookie dough cheesecake bars. In fact, I had another baking project planned the day I made these, but when I opened my Google Reader that morning and saw these treats posted, my baking plans immediately changed.

These bars have a graham cracker crust, which is topped with a layer of cheesecake, and then pieces of chocolate chip cookie dough. How can you go wrong with a combination like that?

One year ago: Zucchini Sub Sandwiches

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars

Printable Recipe

Makes 12 bars

Ingredients:

For the Crust:

  • 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the Cookie Dough:

  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

For the Cheesecake:

  • 10 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line an 8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper or foil, allowing a little overhang, and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
  2. Mix the melted butter and graham cracker crumbs until thoroughly combined. Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 6 minutes. Remove pan to a cooling rack. Maintain oven temperature.
  3. While the crust is cooling, prepare the chocolate chip cookie dough. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, and vanilla until smooth and thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. Mix in flour on low speed, and mix until just incorporated. Mix in the chocolate chips. Set aside.
  4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Mix in the egg and vanilla on low speed just until incorporated. Pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared crust. Using your hand to form clumps, distribute the cookie dough onto the top of the cheesecake batter in teaspoon-sized clumps. Be sure to use all of the dough. You will cover most of the cheesecake batter.
  5. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the top feels dry and firm (the cookie dough) and the entire pan looks set if given a gentle shake. Move pan to a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.
  6. Lift the bars out by the overhang; slice into desired size and store in the refrigerator. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Recipe from My Baking Addiction, originally adapted from The Essential Chocolate Chip Cookbook

 

 

Linked to Sweets for a Saturday

 

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Cheesecake-Swirled Brownies

Posted in Bar Desserts, Cheesecake, Desserts, tagged , on January 26, 2011 | 3 Comments »

Cheesecake-Swirled Brownies

Eat one of these brownies, and you will find it very hard to resist going back for a second. The brownie layer of these cheesecake-swirled brownies is moist, rich, and fudgy, and the cheesecake swirl is, well, cheesecake, so of course it is delicious. I almost left off the chocolate chips on top, and I’m so glad I didn’t because they add yet another chocolate dimension to this dessert. And you can never have too much chocolate, can you?

Cheesecake-Swirled Brownies

Printable Recipe

Makes 16 2-inch square, thick brownies

Brownie Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2/3 cup all-purpose flour

Cheesecake Ingredients:

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, well softened
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Additional Ingredient:

  • 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Make brownie batter: Place oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan (or spray with cooking spray). Heat butter and chocolate in a heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, whisking occasionally, just until melted. Remove from heat, cool slightly, and whisk in sugar, eggs, vanilla, and a pinch of salt until well combined. Whisk in flour until just combined and spread in baking pan.

Make cheesecake batter: Whisk together cheesecake batter ingredients in a small bowl until smooth. Dollop over brownie batter, then swirl in with a knife or spatula. Use the tip of the knife to fold bits of the brownie batter over the cheesecake batter to create a marbled effect. Sprinkle chocolate chips over cheesecake/brownie swirl.

Bake brownies: Bake until edges are slightly puffed and center is just set, about 35 minutes. Cool completely before slicing. Store brownies in refrigerator.

Recipe from Smitten Kitchen, originally adapted from Gourmet, June 2007

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Dulce de Leche Cheesecake Squares

Posted in Bar Desserts, Cheesecake, Desserts, tagged , , , , , on October 16, 2010 | 5 Comments »

Dulce de Leche Cheesecake Squares

As soon as I saw the picture of these cheesecake squares while doing my morning blog reading, I knew I had to make them. Cheesecake, caramel, and chocolate are a few of my very favorite things. Combined into one dessert, they are irresistible.

In case you aren’t familiar with it, dulce de leche is a milk caramel sauce made by slowly heating sweetened milk. If you can’t find it in your grocery store, you can make your own by slowly heating sweetened condensed milk until it is thick and light caramel colored. Or, you can use caramel sauce instead. Brad was able to find dulce de leche in our grocery store- it came in a small can (like sweetened condensed milk does) and was located near the Hispanic foods in the international foods aisle.

Each part of these cheesecake bars is perfect. The graham cracker crust is made even better because some of the dulce de leche soaks into it. The dulce de leche itself is sweet and caramely. The cheesecake layer is so delicious all on its own. Finally, the chocolate glaze adds just the right amount of sweetness, since it is made with bittersweet chocolate. I think these may be one of the best desserts I’ve ever made. Maybe that’s why Brad and I each ate one (sometimes two) every day until they were gone?

Dulce de Leche Cheesecake Squares

Makes 36 small squares or 16 dessert-size pieces

For the Crust:

  • 3 1/2 ounces graham crackers, crushed (1 cup of crumbs)
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 3 tablespoons butter, melted

For the Filling:

  • 12 ounces, or 1 cup, dulce de leche (or caramel)
  • 16 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the Glaze:

  • 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used bittersweet chocolate chips)
  • 1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 2 teaspoons light corn syrup
  1. Make the Crust: Position an oven rack in the middle position and preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides. Spray parchment with non-stick spray.
  2. Finely grind the graham crackers with the sugar in a food processor. With the motor running, add the butter, blending until combined. Press mixture evenly onto bottom of baking pan. Bake 10 minutes, then cool on a cooling rack for 5 minutes.
  3. Make the Filling: Spread the dulce de leche evenly over the graham crust. (Note: I had a really hard time spreading the dulce de leche without breaking up the graham crust. Next time, I might try slightly warming the dulce de leche in the microwave to make it spread more easily. I also suggest using a spatula sprayed with cooking spray to help spread the caramel into an even layer.) Place the pan in the refrigerator while you prepare the cream cheese layer.
  4. Beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the sugar and continue to beat on medium-high for another 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition and scraping down sides of bowl. Beat in the vanilla extract.
  5. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the dulce de leche layer. Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until the center only slightly jiggles. Remove from the oven and cool completely before refrigerating for at least 3 hours.
  6. Glaze the cake: Heat the chocolate, butter, and light corn syrup in a double boiler or in a microwave at 30-second intervals, stirring until smooth. Pour the glaze over the cheesecake, coating evenly. Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.
  7. Lift the cheesecake from the pan using the parchment paper and slice into squares using a sharp knife, wiping it clean after each cut.

Recipe from Brown Eyed Baker

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Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Bars

Posted in Bar Desserts, Cheesecake, Desserts, tagged , , , on July 15, 2010 | 3 Comments »

Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Bars

I love cheesecake and have been wanting to make one at home for some time now (I think it’s been over a year since I made my last cheesecake- too long!). I just haven’t had the motivation to commit to making a whole cheesecake- I know it’s not that difficult, but I have issues with the water bath that most recipes call for. More on that another time. When I rediscovered this recipe for lemon blueberry cheesecake bars in my recipe binder, I knew that I would be making them for dessert when we had company over for dinner. They were so easy to make and serve, I’ll definitely be making them again sometime.

These bars are so good.  I debated about exactly how much lemon juice to include (the original recipe was not very specific on the amount) and I think the 1/4 cup that I used was perfect. The cheesecake had just a hint of lemon flavor, perfect for someone like me who usually prefers a plain cheesecake over a flavored one. If you want more of a lemon flavor in your cheesecake bars, go ahead and add more lemon juice.

We really enjoyed the combination of the lemon and blueberries. If you’re not a blueberry fan, or just want to try something different, I think raspberries or strawberries would also be delicious. I might even add them on top after baking, to keep their flavor fresh (baked strawberries just sound a bit strange to me). If you’re looking for a quick and easy means to great cheesecake flavor, try this recipe. Yum!

Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Bars

Makes 10 bars

For the crust:

  • Butter, for greasing
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 9 graham cracker sheets (18 squares)
  • 1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:

  • 16 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
  • 2 eggs
  • Zest of 2 lemons
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice (or more if you want a stronger lemon flavor)
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 cup fresh blueberries

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
  2. Grease the bottom of a 9 by 9-inch baking pan with butter. Then place parchment paper over the top, pressing down in the corners and against the sides. In a food processor, process the sugar, cinnamon and graham crackers until you have the texture of bread crumbs. Add the melted butter and pulse a few times to fully incorporate. Pour into the lined baking pan and gently pat down. Bake in the oven for 12 minutes until golden. When done set aside to cool.
  3. Add the cream cheese, eggs, lemon zest, lemon juice and sugar to the food processor and mix until well combined. It should have a smooth consistency. Pour onto the cooled crust and then cover with blueberries. They will sink slightly but should still be half exposed- as the cake bakes they will sink a little more and break down.
  4. Bake in the oven for 35 minutes or until the center only slightly jiggles. Remove from the oven and cool completely before refrigerating for at least 3 hours. Once set, slice into 10 rectangular bars.

Recipe adapted from Tyler Florence, Food Network

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