Cake Decorating Community - Cakes We Bake

Hi! So cream cheese is on sale at my local grocery store and Im in the mood to make a cheesecake =)

Ive only made cherry cheesecake & chocolate cheesecake. And was hoping someone had some good cheesecake recipes to share? Thanks so much =)

 

Have a sweet dayy everyone =)

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My basic cheesecake recipe. You can use this as a base to make just about any flavor:

Basic Cheesecake

4- 8 oz packages full fat cream cheese room temperature
4 eggs room temperature
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
½ cup half and half or evaporated milk room temperature
1 tbsp vanilla

Crust
1 ½ cups crushed graham crackers or wafer cookies
¼ cup melted butter
¼ cup granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Grease a 9” spring form pan. Set a pan of hot water in the bottom rack of the oven to humidify it. Leave in while baking.
Combine crust ingredients and press in the bottom of the pan and about an inch up the sides. Bake for 15 minutes or until set. Let cool completely.
In mixer with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese on LOW speed until smooth about 1-2 minutes. Add the sugar and beat on LOW until smooth. Add eggs one at a time until fully incorporated scraping after each addition. Turn off mixer, combine half and half and vanilla and add to cream cheese and mix until just combined. Do NOT turn mixer above LOW. Cracks form when air is beaten into the cheesecake batter. Scrape down to the bottom of the mixer and mix on low for another minute to make sure batter is smooth. Pour into prepared pan and bake about 50 minutes or until the center is almost set. Turn off oven and prop the door open do NOT remove cake until the oven is cool. Cool cake completely on a wire rack. Refrigerate uncovered at least 6 hours or overnight. Do not cover or the top of the cheesecake or it will be sticky from condensation.
Variations:
Lemon, orange lime or grapefruit: Add 2 tbsp finely minced zest and ¼ cup defrosted juice concentrate along with the other liquids. Omit vanilla. You can add a few drops of the appropriate food color.
Chocolate: Add 8 oz melted dark chocolate after the milk.
Praline: Substitute brown sugar for granulated and fold in 1 cup chopped pecans at the end.
Pumpkin: Combine 1 small can of pumpkin, 1 additional egg and increase half and half to ¾ cup. Add 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice with the vanilla.
Apple: spread 1 can apple pie filling on the bottom before adding the batter. Add 1 tbsp apple pie spice to batter.
Raspberry Swirl: Stir 1 cup seedless raspberry jam until smooth. Pour in ribbons over batter.
Take a table knife and swirl gently. You can do this with any jam or preserves. Try blueberry or strawberry.
Coconut: substitute 1 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk for the half and half and add 2 tsp coconut extract plus 1 cup shredded coconut to the batter.
Pina colada: Add 1 cup very well drained crushed pineapple, ½ cup shredded coconut and 1 tsp coconut extract.
White chocolate: Add 8 oz melted and cooled white chocolate. Do NOT use white almond bark or candy melts. Baker’s makes a white chocolate you can bake with.
Lemon curd: Add ½ jar prepared lemon curd and 1 tbsp lemon zest to the batter. Spread the other half of the jar on the top of the cheesecake right before serving.
Any can of pie filling can be added either on the bottom before pouring the batter in the pan or as a topping after the cheesecake is being served.
You can add 1 cup of any fruit puree to the batter like mango, raspberry, coconut etc.
Any kind of very well drained chopped fruit can be added like peaches, apricots, pears. Add 1 cup to the batter.
Cinnamon Roll: Substitute 1 cup packed brown sugar for the granulated sugar, add 2 tsp ground cinnamon and 1/2 cups raisins that have been plumped in a little hot water and drained very well.
Has anyone read this or at least copied it? By the way if you are doing some of the variations you may need to add an additional egg or the cake may be too soft....if you add over 1/2 cup extra liquid you will need one extra egg.
Hiya Tina:

Instead of putting chopped up candies I would make the flavors of the Snickers...

For the crust grind up some peanuts and combine 1/4 cup peanuts, 1 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup melted butter

I would mix some peanuts with melted caramels then spread it over the crust and under the filling (or pour half the filling then pour the peanut caramel over it then top with the remaining filling)

Substitute one cup brown sugar for the granulated in the filling and pour over the caramel

Make some soft ganache (equal amounts of heavy cream to chocolate....8 fl oz heavy cream to 8 oz dark chocolate) and pour over the cake after it cools and before you refrigerate it.

LOL that sounds yummy...think I will make it....Oh and garnish with chopped peanuts and drizzle some caramel over the top...You can use good quality caramel for ice cream or melt some caramel candies and add a little cream to make a sauce.

Now if you have your heart set on adding candies instead of all that, about a cup of chopped up candies should be enough...small pieces.....then you can garnish with the ganache and chopped nuts and drizzle caramel sauce on top. No need to adjust the filling unless you want to substitute brown sugar in the filling as above to give it a more caramel-y taste.

Tina T said:
Hi Karen,

I just read this..... I have made pumpkin cheesecakes and a peppermint cheesecake for the Holidays and was looking for variations for this year. A friend of my sister said he has tasted a snickers candy bar cheesecake and I was thinking about trying it. If I used your Basic Cheesecake recipe how much candy do you think I would need and do you think I would need to change anything with the basic recipe? Thanks so much.
Let me know when it's done I'll be right over :D !

Tina T said:
Hi Karen,

Oh my goodness! That sounds delicious. I think I will make it this weekend instead of waiting closer to the Holidays. I have to test it out ya know. LOL. Thank you sooooo much. It sounds scrumptious.
I just thought of another few variations to my basic cheesecake. Just to let you know I dont put flour or cornstarch in my cheesecakes. I love them really creamy not cakey but if you MUST then sift (if you dont sift you will have lumps) 2 tbsp and mix in with the batter....

Almond Joy:
crust: substitute crushed chocolate wafer cookies for the graham crackers plus add 1/4 cup finely chopped almonds
Filling: Substitute unsweetened coconut milk for the half and half (in the asian or latin section), add 1 tsp coconut extract, 1/2 tsp almond extract and stir in 1 cup of shredded coconut to the batter at the end
Topping: soft ganache use 8 fl oz heavy cream to 8 oz dark chocolate. Spread on cooled cake and garnish with chopped almonds

For the Mounds flavor omit the almonds and almond extract

Eggnog Cheesecake: Add 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg and 1 tsp rum flavor to the batter. Garnish with rum flavored whipped cream and sprinkle lightly with nutmeg

Creme de Menthe: Make the crust with crushed chocolate wafers instead of the graham crackers. Use heavy cream instead of half and half, add 1 tsp peppermint extract and a few drops of green food color to the batter.

Peach Melba: Drain canned peaches well and measure one cup. Mash them to make a chunky puree. fold into the batter at the end. Pour into crust. Stir 1/2 cup raspberry preserves until smooth and pour in ribbons over batter. Take a knife and swirl gently. Bake
I am going to print these out and start baking! To hell with this business of buttercream cracking-wrist exhaustion from piping the frosting-stress trying to make even tiers and perfect designs! Cheesecake sounds sooooooooo creamy and delicious and COOL right now!
And so easy lol!

Jennifer Cintron said:
I am going to print these out and start baking! To hell with this business of buttercream cracking-wrist exhaustion from piping the frosting-stress trying to make even tiers and perfect designs! Cheesecake sounds sooooooooo creamy and delicious and COOL right now!
Sorry been computerless for a little while!! But yes... printed these out and added them to my good ol recipe book!! thanks alot!
Hi Samantha! I have a recipe for you if you feel ambitious with it! I've done just about every type of cheesecake recipe, and have come up with my own....my friends call me "the Cheesecake Lady!" This one is my favorite....Black Forrest Cherry Cheesecake. I'm a dasher and pincher, so forgive me!

5 pkgs. cream cheese - no low fat
1 cup brown sugar
2 Tbs. Whipping Cream (liquid form)
2-3 tsps. Vanilla
4 eggs
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 can cherry pie filling
chocolate chips
1 pkg. oreo cookies
3 Tbs. Butter - melted
2-3 Tbs. white sugar

CRUST: Crush the entire pkg. of oreos (or any brand of that cookie), add in 2-3 Tbs. sugar and add melted butter. I use either a food chopper or processor. The oreo filling will add some moisture, but if it doesn't look like that is enough butter, you can add more a little at a time. You can tell when it sticks together without looking wet. Press the mixture into the bottom of a spring form pan. Don't use all the mixture, just enough to cover the bottom. Don't pull it up the sides - you'll want them to see the layers!
FILLING: Beat the cream cheese until fluffy, add in the brown sugar and beat until well blended, add in the whipping cream and vanilla, add the eggs one at a time blending each one separately into the filling. Pour half of the vanilla filling into a separate bowl and mix in chocolate chips - the amount is your preference, I like to use mini chips. Blend the cocoa into the remaining vanilla batter - again, you may want to add more for your preference, you can tell by just smelling it if it's enough! Pour the chocolate batter into the pan. Take the remaining oreo crumb mixture and place by spoonful on top of the batter in the pan until the batter is covered - save about 1/4 cup of the remaining crumbs. On top of this, place some of the cherries from the pie filling mixture on top of the cookie crumb layer. (I use a fork to pick the cherries out of the can.) The remaining filling will be for the top after it's cooked, you won't need too many cherries for this, so you can use quite a few cherries here! Place the vanilla batter on top of this - you may want to use a spatula or spoon to do this so you don't move around the cherries.
BAKE: Bake at 325 for 60-70 minutes. You can bake it in a water bath, or with a pan of water - but with this one, it doesn't matter if it "sinks", it's actually good if it does! And if there's a crack, it just shows them it's homemade! I let mine cool on top of the stove, and then in the refrigerator - overnight if possible. After it's set, add the remaining pie filling on top, and then place small mounds of the remaining cookie crumbs here and there on top.

It may sound like a lot of work, but it really isn't!!

If you want to go simpler...my friends love my Lemon Cheesecake.
Use Pecan Sandies for the crust.
5 pkgs. cream cheese
1 cup white sugar
2 Tbs. Whipping Cream (liquid form)
2-3 tsps. Vanilla
4 eggs
1 small pkg. instant lemon pudding (dry)
TOPPING:
8 oz. sour cream
2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup white sugar

Beat the cream cheese, add in the sugar and blend, add in the vanilla and whipping cream, add in the eggs one at a time, and then add in the pudding mix. It will be thick, if it seems too thick add another Tbs. or 2 of whipping cream.
Place the mixture in the crust and bake at 325 for 45 minutes. Again, it's up to you if you want to put it in a water bath....this one does look better if you do! While it's baking, mix together the topping ingredients. After the cheesecake has baked for 45 minutes, spread the topping on it and bake for an additional 15 - 25 minutes. Cool overnight, and serve. As a different twist, once the cheesecake has cooled completely, freeze it! Take it out about 1/2 hour before serving so that it's easier to cut...but it's great partially frozen. It keeps longer frozen, too!

I have a million of these recipes...let me know if you have one you were kind of wanting! Happy Baking!
Karen - I baked the peach melba for my sister this weekend. She is 8 months pregnant and left for home (CA) today and specifically requested a cheesecake before she left. OH MY GOD ... soooo good!! I didn't write down the recipe exactly so I didn't completely drain the peaches and there may have been more than one cup, resulting in a very soft cheesecake (even after I baked it a good 20 minutes longer than you said) ... but the flavor is wonderful and I prefer a creamy, rather than cakey, cheesecake.

Thanks again!!!

Karen Marie said:
And so easy lol!

Jennifer Cintron said:
I am going to print these out and start baking! To hell with this business of buttercream cracking-wrist exhaustion from piping the frosting-stress trying to make even tiers and perfect designs! Cheesecake sounds sooooooooo creamy and delicious and COOL right now!
I am really glad you tried that one...I am gonna make it next weekend for Labor day....glad it turned out ok!

Jennifer Cintron said:
Karen - I baked the peach melba for my sister this weekend. She is 8 months pregnant and left for home (CA) today and specifically requested a cheesecake before she left. OH MY GOD ... soooo good!! I didn't write down the recipe exactly so I didn't completely drain the peaches and there may have been more than one cup, resulting in a very soft cheesecake (even after I baked it a good 20 minutes longer than you said) ... but the flavor is wonderful and I prefer a creamy, rather than cakey, cheesecake.

Thanks again!!!

Karen Marie said:
And so easy lol!

Jennifer Cintron said:
I am going to print these out and start baking! To hell with this business of buttercream cracking-wrist exhaustion from piping the frosting-stress trying to make even tiers and perfect designs! Cheesecake sounds sooooooooo creamy and delicious and COOL right now!

I love cheesecake!!! I think I'll try one,not sure which one they all sound wonderful. Yes, sometimes it's good to just bake without the worry of decorating.

 

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