Basic Cheesecake With Flavor Variations Food

4-FLAVOR CHEESECAKE RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter until combined.
• Pour the crust mixture into a 9-inch (23 cm) springform cake pan. Press crumbs down firmly with the bottom of a small ramekin or glass to form an even base.
• Carefully break the remaining graham crackers in half, so that you have 8 squares.
• Push the graham crackers into the crust with the split line facing upwards to form an X shape, dividing the crust into four equal sections.
• Press down on the crust one more time to ensure the graham crackers are secure. Cover and chill in the freezer for at least 10 minutes while preparing the fillings.
• In a small bowl, dissolve the gelatin in the water. Set aside to bloom.
• In a large bowl, beat together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
• Add 2½ cups (720 ml) whipping cream and beat until the batter is light and fluffy.
• Warm the gelatin in the microwave for about 15 seconds so that it's fluid, and incorporate into the batter.
• Divide the cheesecake batter evenly between 4 medium bowls.
• In the first bowl, whisk in the vanilla extract and remaining whipping cream.
• In the second bowl, whisk in ⅓ cup (80 grams) lemon curd.
• In the third bowl, whisk in the dulce de leche.
• In the fourth bowl, whisk in the chocolate hazelnut spread.
• To assemble the cheesecake, slowly pour the contents of bowl #1 into a quarter of the pan. Repeat with remaining flavors. Use a spatula to smooth the tops.
• Carefully dollop the raspberry jam in small circles on top of the vanilla cheesecake. Use a toothpick or knife to carefully swirl it into the filling. Garnish the outer border with fresh raspberries.
• Garnish the outer border of the chocolate hazelnut cheesecake with the chocolate hazelnut truffles.
• Garnish the outer border of the dulce de leche cheesecake with the chopped pecans and drizzle with dulce de leche
• Pour the remaining lemon curd on top of the lemon cheesecake and smooth with an offset spatula or spoon. Garnish the outer border with candied lemon slices.
• Cover the top of the pan tightly with plastic wrap and chill for 4 hours or overnight in the fridge before slicing and serving.
• Enjoy!

BASIC CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, chopped walnuts, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and melted butter. Mix well and press into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
• In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar together until smooth. Beat in sour cream and heavy cream. Blend in the flour and vanilla. With mixer on low speed, add eggs one at a time. Pour batter over crust.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 60 to 70 minutes, or until center is almost set (filling will be soft). Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight before removing from pan.

BASIC CHEESECAKE WITH FLAVOR VARIATIONS.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 for standard baking, or 375 for a convection oven.
• Melt butter, and mix crust ingredients, press into the bottom, and up the sides of a springform pan. You can use whatever size you have from 8 to 12 inches, the smaller the pan, the higher the cake, but I like a wide, low one, too. Chill the crust while you make the filling.
• Cream together cream cheese and sugar.
• Add eggs one at a time.
• Add extracts and zest, mix well, be careful not to incorporate too much air, so you don't get cracks on the top of the custard.
• Pour filling into crust. For better texture, you may choose to first wrap the pan in foil, and place into a large baking dish of hot water. The recipe works both ways, but I like the results from a waterbath.
• Bake the cheesecake for an hour, then turn off the oven, and don't open it for 30 minutes.
• If using sour cream topping, spread it on top of the cheesecake ten minutes before the hour bake time is up.
• Cool cheesecake completely, and refrigerate for a few hours before slicing. Fishing line makes a great slicer, since the cheesecake will be very sticky to your knives.
• Variations: This is the fun part. As long as you stick to the basic proportions, you can do lots of flavors. I'm up to 17 personally.
• Use chocolate cookie crumbs for the crust, leave out the lemon, and add 1/4 cup pf cocoa to the filling for chocolate cheesecake.
• Add a teaspoon of lime zest to the crust, leave out the cinnamon, and sub 1/4 cup key lime juice for vanilla and lemon in the filling for key lime cheesecake.
• Sub one of the packages of cream cheese for a can of pumpkin, add cinnamon, ginger, and clove to the filling, use gingersnap crumbs for the crust. This one is especially good if you add a lot of cinnamon to the sour cream topping, and drizzle the slices with some caramel sauce and more gingersnap pieces.
• Leave out the lemon, and sub one of the packages of cream cheese for a cup of peanut butter, use a chocolate cookie crust, and top it with chopped up peanut butter cups.
• Use a chocolate crust, leave out the lemon, and use mint extract and green food color in the filling for grasshopper cheesecake. Add chocolate chips if you like.
• Sub the sugar in the filling for 1 cup brown sugar caramelized with 1/2 a stick of butter for a caramel cheesecake.
• Sub half the sugar in the crust for sweetened flaked coconut, leave out the cinnamon, sub vanilla and lemon for rum extract and lime, make sour cream topping with half sour cream, half Thai Kitchen coconut milk (it's the only one I've found thick enough) add the juice of the lime instead of lemon and more flaked coconut to topping. this is the one my brother always wants instead of a birthday cake.
• If you try your own variant, I'd love to know what it was, and how it turned out. Have fun!

SIMPLE BASIC UNBAKED CHEESECAKE WITH VARIATIONS.

Steps:

• BASE:.
• In a food processor or blender combine the biscuits and melted butter until fine crumbs.
• Press the crumbs evenly and firmly into a 23cm (9") round springform tin or one with a removable base.
• Smooth with a spoon and place in fridge.
• FILLING:.
• Beat the cream cheese for a few mins on low speed with an electric beater until soft and lump free.
• Slowly add the sugar while continuing to beat on low.
• Once the sugar is incorporated slowly pour in the cream while still beating on low.
• On a higher speed whip the cream cheese & cream mixture til it holds its shape completely when the beater passes through the mix and it looks a little grainy.
• Spoon into the chilled base and smooth with a spatula.
• Chill for at least 4hours or overnight.
• Remove from tin and place on serving dish.
• Cut into portions using a hot dry knife. Between each slice, clean & reheat knife by dipping into hot water & drying. This makes neater portions.
• VARIATION #1.
• RIPPLED JELLY CHEESECAKE:.
• Make a basic cheesecake and place in fridge while you prepare jelly.
• Place 250mls water, 90g raspberries or other berries and 3Tblsp sugar into a pot and simmer for 2mins.
• When cooled a little, puree in a blender until smooth and return to clean pot on the stove and over a low heat stir in 1tsp gelatine until dissolved.
• Pass the mixture through a fine sieve into a metal bowl and chill until it reaches a thick soup like consistency.
• Pour this over the chilled cheesecake and use a fork to fold in the jelly by working in circles.
• When the jelly is partially worked in, tap the tin on the bench until the surface flattens, then place in fridge for at least 4hrs to set.
• VARIATION #2:.
• CHOCOLATE CHIP CHEESECAKE.
• Make basic cheesecake using either plain or chocolate biscuits for base.
• Melt 120g dark chocolate, then squiggle onto the surface of made cheesecake before chilling.
• Using a fork, quickly work circles of chocolate through the cheesecake. The chocolate will set while you are doing this.
• Tap the tin on the bench to settle & flatten the surface then chill for 4hrs or overnight.
• For a real treat you can use both the jelly and chocolate in the one cheesecake to make it a "Rippled Jelly & Chocolate Chip Cheesecake :).