Boston Cream Cheesecake

Boston Cream Cheesecake

Ingredients:

1 (18 ounce) box yellow cake mix
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla, divided
3/4 cup sour cream 3 eggs
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate squares
3 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Grease bottom of 9-inch springform pan.
2. Prepare cake batter as directed on package; pour into prepared pan.
3. Bake at 325°F for 25 minutes if using a silver springform pan. (Bake at 300°F for 20 minutes if using a dark nonstick springform pan.)
4. Cool.
5. Beat cream cheese, granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended.
6. Add sour cream; mix well.
7. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended.
8. Pour over cake layer in pan.
9. Bake at 325°F for 40 to 45 minutes or until center is almost set if using a silver springform pan. (Bake at 300°F for 40 to 45 minutes or until center is almost set if using a dark nonstick springform pan.).
10. Run knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim of pan.Place chocolate, milk and butter in medium microwavable bowl.
11. Microwave on HIGH 2 minutes or until butter is melted, stirring after 1 minute.
12. Stir until chocolate is completely melted.
13. Add powdered sugar and remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla; mix well.
14. Spread over cooled cheesecake.
15. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

Strawberry Vanilla Cheesecake

Strawberry Vanilla Cheesecake

Ingredients:
2 cups graham crackers, crushed
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoons butter, melted
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
3 large eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup whipping cream
3 cups strawberries (fresh or frozen)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar (omit if using sweetened, frozen berries)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2-3 drops red food coloring
1 cup berries (fresh or individually frozen, cleaned and hulled use whole or if preferred, cut into smaller pieces)

Directions:

1. Crush the graham crackers.
2. Mix the crumbs with the cinnamon, sugar, and melted butter in a nine or ten-inch springform pan.
3. Press the mixture into a crust across the bottom of the pan and up the sides.
4. Put the crust in the refrigerator to set up while you prepare the filling and the topping.
5. Make the topping.
6. Puree the strawberries in a blender with the lemon juice.
7. You should have about 1 1/2 cups of purée.
8. If you would like to remove the seeds, run the puree through a sieve.
9. Place the puree in a small saucepan.
10. Add the sugar, food coloring, and cornstarch.
11. Cook over medium heart, stirring often, until thickened and bubbly.
12. Set aside to cool.
13. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
14. Mix the cream cheese with the paddle attachment of your stand-type mixer set at medium speed until smooth and creamy, about five minutes.
15. Add the eggs, granulated sugar, flour, salt, vanilla, and whipping cream, and gently cream together until smooth.
16. Do not over beat.
17. Pour one half of the cream cheese filling into the crust.
18. Spoon about 2/3’s of the strawberry sauce onto the filling then spoon the remaining cream cheese over the strawberry sauce.
19. Refrigerate the remaining sauce.
20. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until almost set (the top just starts to turn golden and the center of the cake is just barely jiggly.)
21. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for ten minutes.
22. Run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen.
23. Remove the ring and let the cheesecake cool completely.
24. Refrigerate for several hours.
25. To serve, stir the berries into the remaining sauce and spoon over the cheesecake.

Best Lemon Sour Cream Cheesecake

Best Lemon Sour Cream Cheesecake

Ingredients:
Crust:
2 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
6 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
Filling:
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened 8 hours
3 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice, strained
2 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
1 teaspoon lemon zest, finely grated
1 pint sour cream
3 tablespoons sugar
Glaze:
1/2 cup sugar
4 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Using your hands or the back of a spoon, mix all crust ingredients in a bowl until well combined.
3. Press into bottom of an 11 to 12-inch spring form pan.
4. Bake for 5 minutes.
5. Let cool; refrigerate until needed.
6. Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese at high speed until completely smooth.
7. Add eggs one at a time, beating until smooth after each addition.
8. Beat at medium speed as you gradually add the sugar, then flour, lemon juice and 1 teaspoon vanilla, mixing until well blended.
9. Stir in lemon zest.
10. Pour into crust; bake at 350°F for 35 minutes.
11. Blend sour cream with remaining teaspoon vanilla and 3 tablespoons sugar; set mixture in warm place.
12. Remove cake from oven, and gently spread sour cream mixture on top.
13. Return to oven and bake for another 12 minutes.
14. Cool on rack for 30 minutes.
15. Refrigerate until topping is cool, but not completely chilled.
16. Combine all glaze ingredients and blend until smooth.
17. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly until thickened (3 minutes).
18. Chill until cool, but not set.
19. Spread on top of cheesecake.
20. Chill overnight.

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.