Apple Pie Cheesecake

Apple Pie Cheesecake

Ingredients:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup melted butter
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans (optional)
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup white sugar
3 large eggs
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups chopped peeled apples
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
8 tablespoons caramel topping
whipped cream
4 tablespoons chopped pecans

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Lightly grease a 9 or 10-inch springform pan.
3. Combine the first six ingredients and press into the bottom of the prepared springform pan.
4. Bake for 10 minutes and cool on a wire rack.
5. In a large mixing bowl beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
6. Add the eggs and beat on low until just combined.
7. Stir in vanilla.
8. Evenly pour over the baked crust.
9. Toss the apples with lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon and carefully spoon over the cream cheese mixture.
10. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until center is almost set.
11. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
12. Carefully run a knife around the edge of cheesecake to loosen.
13. Drizzle with 4 T of the caramel topping.
14. Continue to cool for 1 hour.
15. Place in the fridge overnight.
16. Remove sides from the pan.
17. Just before serving garnish with whipping cream, chopped pecans and the remaining caramel.
    

Almond Cheesecake

Almond Cheesecake

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup melted butter
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
3 eggs
1 teaspoon almond extract or 2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300.
2. Combine graham crackers crumbs, sugar and butter.
3. Press into springform pan.
4. Beat cheese until fluffy in food processor.
5. Gradually beat in milk.
6. Add eggs and almond extract, mix well.
7. Pour into prepared pan.
8. Bake 45- 50 minutes.
9. Cool and chill.
10. Serve plain or with your favorite topping.
    

Brie Cheesecake with Raspberry Sauce

Brie Cheesecake with Raspberry Sauce

Ingredients:
12 ounces cream cheese, softened
5 ounces ripe brie cheese, rind removed, room temp
5 ounces ripe triple cream brie, rind removed, room temp
3/4 cup sugar
5 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 box frozen sweetened raspberries
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Lightly butter a 9 1/2 inch springform pan.
3. Cut a piece of wax paper or parchment to fit base of pan.
4. Butter it and line bottom of pan with this.
5. Put a piece of foil over outside of pan from the bottom in case the bottom seal is not tight.
6. Cheesecake: In a food processor, combine cheeses with 3/4 cup sugar.
7. Process until mixture liquifies, scraping down sides of the bowl.
8. Add eggs and remaining sugar and continue to process until very smooth.
9. Pour into prepared pan.
10. Set pan in a larger ovenproof pan and add enough hot water to reach halfway up the sides of the springform pan.
11. Bake 45 minutes, turn oven off, leave in an additional 15 minutes, then remove from oven and take out of water bath.
12. Cool.
13. Cover with saran wrap and refrigerate overnight.
14. To serve, remove pan sides and invert onto serving platter.
15. Smooth top, if necessary.
16. Serve with raspberry sauce on the side.
17. Raspberry sauce: Thaw raspberries.
18. Puree in blender.
19. Press through fine strainer to remove seeds.
20. Mix in Grand Marnier.

4 Cheese Cheesecake

4 Cheese Cheesecake

Ingredients:
8 ounces ricotta cheese, drained
8 ounces baker cheese (can substitute Farmer's cheese, pot cheese, or cottage cheese)
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
8 ounces mascarpone cheese, drained if wet
1/2 cup sweet unsalted butter, melted
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 medium lemon, juice of
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (good quality)
3 tablespoons flour (all-purpose)
3 tablespoons cornstarch
16 ounces sour cream
1 1/2 cups very finely crushed zwieback crackers or graham cracker crumbs, approximately
topping of sliced fresh fruit or pie filling or fruit, glaze (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Thoroughly butter the bottom and sides of a 9x3-inch (12 cup) springform pan.
3. Dust pan well with fine Zwieback crumbs, pressing any remaining crumbs into the bottom of the pan and about 1/2 to 1 inch up the sides; set aside.
4. Sift flour and corn starch together into a small bowl or cup, and set aside.
5. In a small bowl, beat eggs and sugar together until thick and sugar is dissolved, set side.
6. Mix together ricotta and baker's cheese, place into a fine sieve and using a wooden spoon, force the cheeses through the sieve into a large bowl.
7. With mixer on medium speed, beat cheeses for about 2 minutes or until creamy.
8. Add cream cheese, and beat on low speed for about 1 minute, or until well blended.
9. Add mascarpone, and beat by hand with a wooden spoon or spatula until well blended.
10. Add melted butter, mixing by hand until well blended.
11. Add egg/sugar mixture, mixing by hand until well blended.
12. Add flour/corn starch mixture, stirring until thoroughly incorporated.
13. Add lemon juice and vanilla, stir until well blended.
14. Fold sour cream into cheesecake batter.
15. Tap bowl of batter on counter several times to get any bubbles in the batter to the top.
16. If necessary, run the spatula through the batter to break up any air bubbles.
17. Slowly pour the batter into prepared pan, lightly tap pan on counter to remove any remaining bubbles.
18. Place cheesecake on middle rack in oven and bake at 350°F for 50 to 60 minutes.
19. Turn off oven, and let cheesecake sit undisturbed (do not open oven door), 60 minutes longer.
20. Remove from oven and continue to cool on wire rack.
21. When completely cooled, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
22. When ready to serve, run a thin bladed knife or icing spatula between the cake and sides of pan to loosen cake from the sides.
23. Remove the side of the springform pan, leaving the cake on the pan base/bottom to serve.
24. (Optional) Cake may be topped with fresh fruit, pie filling or your favorite fruit glaze.
    

Brownie Caramel Cheesecake

this really sounds yummy :)

Brownie Caramel Cheesecake

Ingredients:
1 (9 ounce) package brownie mix
1 egg
1 tablespoon cold water
1 (14 ounce) package individually wrapped caramels, unwrapped
1 (5 ounce) can evaporated milk
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 cup chocolate fudge topping

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Grease the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan.
3. In a small bowl, mix together brownie mix, 1 egg and water.
4. Spread into the greased pan.
5. Bake for 25 minutes.
6. Melt the caramels with the evaporated milk over low heat in a heavy saucepan.
7. Stir often, and heat until mixture has a smooth consistency.
8. Reserve 1/3 cup of this caramel mixture, and pour the remainder over the warm, baked brownie crust.
9. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer until smooth.
10. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
11. Pour cream cheese mixture over caramel mixture.
12. Bake cheesecake for 40 minutes.
13. Chill in pan.
14. When cake is thoroughly chilled, loosen by running a knife around the edge, and then remove the rim of the pan.
15. Heat reserved caramel mixture, and spoon over cheesecake.
16. Drizzle with the chocolate topping.

How to Make Ricotta Cheese

Sometimes a cheesecake recipe will call for Ricotta which is a bit more buttery than Cottage Cheese IMO. it also makes an excellent addition to cheese blintzs.


Homemade Ricotta Cheese Recipe
Ingredients:
3 quarts milk
2 tablespoons lemon juice
8 ounces plain unsweetened yogurt

1. Place milk and lemon juice in a bowl, cover and allow to sit for 36 hours - in the lower part of the refrigerator.
2. After the setting time mix in yogurt and bring mixture to a rolling boil until it clearly cuts.
3. If the mixture doesn't cut after reaching a boil add a little more lemon juice and boil again.
4. Drain off the whey using a large strainer lined with cheese cloth, gauze or similar material.
5. Pull up the corners of the cloth, tie and let the ball of cheese hang for one hour.
6. Refrigerate.
7. Makes over a pound of good sweet ricotta-type cheese
8. Keeps refrigerated for about 2 days.
   

How To Make Sour Cream

The next installment of our how to series is how to make Sour Cream. It looks really easy, do not put your jar on the heat register or else you'll end up with ricotta cheese.


Sour Cream:

Ingredients:
2 cups light cream
2 tablespoons buttermilk

Directions:

1. Combine cream with buttermilk in hot, clean glass canning jar that has been heating in boiling water.
2. Cover tightly and shake gently to thoroughly mix.
3. Let stand in a warm place - like where you put bread to rise) till thickened (24-48 hours).
4. Store, covered in refrigerator.
5. Stir before serving.
6. Use within three weeks.