Cheesecake Pizza Food

RASPBERRY CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• To make the crust, combine the graham crackers, sugar, and melted butter until moistened. Pour into a 9-inch springform pan. With your hands, press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan and about 1-inch up the sides. Bake for 8 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
• Raise the oven temperature to 450 degrees F.
• To make the filling, cream the cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Reduce the speed of the mixer to medium and add the eggs and egg yolks, 2 at a time, mixing well. Scrape down the bowl and beater, as necessary. With the mixer on low, add the sour cream, lemon zest, and vanilla. Mix thoroughly and pour into the cooled crust.
• Bake for 15 minutes. Turn the oven temperature down to 225 degrees F and bake for another 1 hour and 15 minutes. Turn the oven off and open the door wide. The cake will not be completely set in the center. Allow the cake to sit in the oven with the door open for 30 minutes. Take the cake out of the oven and allow it to sit at room temperature for another 2 to 3 hours, until completely cooled. Wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• Remove the cake from the springform pan by carefully running a hot knife around the outside of the cake. Leave the cake on the bottom of the springform pan for serving.
• To make the topping, melt the jelly in a small pan over low heat. In a bowl, toss the raspberries and the warm jelly gently until well mixed. Arrange the berries on top of the cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Note: Measure your springform pan. The bottom of mine measures 9 inches, but it says 9 1/2. I put the springform pan on a sheet pan before putting it in the oven to catch any leaks.

LIGHT LEMONY BERRY CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Spray a 9-inch (23-cm) springform pan with cooking spray.
• Use a measuring cup to gently press the graham cracker crumbs into the bottom of the prepared pan. Spray the crust with cooking spray. The crust will not be very thick.
• In a blender, combine the cottage cheese, cream cheese, eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, flour, and vanilla and blend until smooth. Pour into the crust and bake for 40 minutes. Let cool completely. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or up to overnight.
• Toss the berries with a pinch of sugar. Serve the cheesecake cold, topping each slice with some of the berries.

OVER-THE-TOP REESE'S CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.
• For the crust: Pulse the cookies and sugar in a food processor to fine crumbs. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture holds together when squeezed. Firmly press the crumb mixture into the bottom and 1 inch up the side of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake until crisp and set, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool completely, about 30 minutes. Cover the crust with the peanut butter cups. Wrap the bottom and sides of the pan with a large piece of foil and put it in a large roasting pan.
• For the filling: Beat the cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed in a large bowl for 1 minute. Add the sour cream and beat until just combined. Mix in the eggs by hand, one at time. Mix in the vanilla by hand until just combined. (Take care not to overmix, or the cheesecake will puff up and crack.)
• Put the chocolate chips and peanut butter in 2 separate large microwave-safe bowls. Microwave each in 30 second intervals, stirring between each, until the chips and peanut butter are smooth and pourable, about 2 minutes.
• Ladle 2 cups of the cheesecake batter into the bowl with the chocolate and fold until combined. Fold the remaining cheesecake batter into the bowl with the peanut butter until combined.
• Use an ice cream scoop or large spoon and drop alternating scoopfuls of the batter onto the crust. Drag a long wooden skewer through the batter, making sure the skewer reaches the bottom, to marble the colors in a tie-dye effect. Add enough hot water to the roasting pan to come about halfway up the side of the springform pan.
• Bake until the outside of the cake is set, but the center is still slightly loose, about 1 hour 20 minutes. Turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake in the oven for another hour. Remove the cheesecake from the roasting pan to a cooling rack. Run a knife around the edge and cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours.
• Run a knife around the edge of the pan once more, unmold the cheesecake and transfer to a serving plate or cake stand. Smooth the edges with the knife. Drizzle the hot fudge sauce around the edge of the cake, letting it drip slightly over the sides. Make a decorative ring around the edge of the cheesecake with the miniature peanut butter cups, overlapping them slightly. Make another ring on the inside of the peanut butter cups with the Reese's Pieces. Slice and serve cold with whipped cream and more hot fudge sauce.

RICOTTA CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spray the springform pan with cooking spray. Separate the eggs, placing the whites in one of the large bowls and the yolks in the work bowl of a food processor.
• Add the sugar and vanilla to the work bowl of the food processor and process until thick and light yellow, about 1 minute. Add the ricotta and zest and process until smooth, another 30 seconds. Scrape the mixture into the other large bowl.
• Beat the whites on high speed with the mixer until they hold stiff peaks. Fold the whites into the ricotta mixture and scrape into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with the spatula.
• Bake until the cake is deep golden brown and the sides begin to pull away from the pan, about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Transfer to the rack to let cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until serving, at least 6 hours and up to 1 day. To serve, release the sides of the springform pan, dust with confectioners' sugar using the strainer, and cut into wedges.

PALACE CAFE CRABMEAT CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preparing the Pecan Crust:
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Finely grind pecans in a food processor. Add flour and salt. Mix well. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and cut in butter, working butter into flour with 2 knives until dough is in crumbs the size of small peas. Add ice water and evenly incorporate into the mixture, which should remain fairly crumbly. Roll out dough to a 1/8-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Press dough into a lightly greased 9-inch tart pan, starting with the sides and then the bottom. Bake crust for 20 minutes, or until golden.
• Preparing the Filling:
• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
• In a skillet, saute onion in butter until translucent. Add crabmeat and cook just until heated through, then remove from heat. Blend cream cheese until smooth in a mixer fitted with a paddle, or by hand using a wooden spoon. Add Creole cream cheese and mix well. Mix in eggs 1 at a time. Gently fold in the crabmeat mixture. Stir in hot sauce and season, to taste, with salt and white pepper. Spoon filling into prepared crust. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until firm to the touch.
• Preparing the Meuniere Sauce and Garnish:
• Combine lemon, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce in a heavy saucepot. Reduce over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wire whisk until mixture becomes thick and syrupy. Whisk in heavy whipping cream. Reduce heat to low and slowly blend in butter, 1 cube at a time, adding additional butter only after each cube has been completely incorporated into the sauce. This process is called "mounting the butter." Remove from heat and continue to stir. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Strain through a fine strainer and keep warm.
• Saute mushrooms in 2 tablespoons butter until tender and all moisture has cooked off. Excess water from the mushrooms may break your sauce if it isn't cooked off. Stir mushrooms into Meuniere sauce. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a saute pan and warm crab fingers over low heat. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• To serve:
• Slice cheesecake and top each piece with warm Meuniere sauce and 3 crab claws.

CLASSIC CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.
• For the crust: Melt the butter, covered in the microwave, in a medium microwave-safe bowl, or a saucepan. Brush a 9-inch springform pan with some of the butter. Stir the remaining butter together with the crumbs, sugar, and salt. Press the crumb mixture over the bottom of the pan, taking care to get the crust evenly into the edges. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool. Wrap the bottom and up the sides of the pan with foil and put in a roasting pan.
• For the filling: Beat the cream cheese on medium speed with a hand-held mixer until smooth. Add the granulated sugar and beat just until light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl and beaters as needed. Slowly beat in the sour cream, then eggs, vanilla and both citrus zests; take care not to over whip. Pour into the cooled crust.
• Bring a medium saucepan or kettle of water to a boil. Gently place the roasting pan in the oven (don't pull the rack out of the oven). Pour in enough hot water to come about halfway up the side of the springform pan. Bake the cheesecake for about 1 hour and 10 minutes---the outside of the cake will set but the center will still be loose.
• For the topping: Stir together the sour cream, confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Spread over the top of the cooked cheesecake and return to the oven for 5 minutes. Turn the oven off, cook the cheesecake in the residual heat in the oven for about 1 hour. This gentle finish minimizes the risk of the dreaded crack in your cheesecake.
• Remove cheesecake from the roasting pan to a rack. Run a knife around the edges and cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.
• Bring cheesecake to room temperature 30 minutes before serving. Remove the springform ring. Dip a knife in warm water, wipe dry before slicing each piece. Serve with berries, if desired.

THE ULTIMATE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• For the Crust:
• In a mixing bowl, combine the ingredients with a fork until evenly moistened. Lightly coat the bottom and sides of an 8-inch springform pan with non-stick cooking spray.
• Pour the crumbs into the pan and, using the bottom of a measuring cup or the smooth bottom of a glass, press the crumbs down into the base and 1-inch up the sides. Refrigerate for 5 minutes.
• For the Filling:
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese on low speed for 1 minute until smooth and free of any lumps. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and continue to beat slowly until combined. Gradually add sugar and beat until creamy, for 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add sour cream, lemon zest, and vanilla. Periodically scrape down the sides of the bowl and the beaters. The batter should be well-mixed but not over-beaten. Pour the filling into the crust-lined pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
• Set the cheesecake pan on a large piece of aluminum foil and fold up the sides around it. Place the cake pan in a large roasting pan. Pour boiling water into the roasting pan until the water is about halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan; the foil will keep the water from seeping into the cheesecake. Bake for 45 minutes. The cheesecake should still jiggle (it will firm up after chilling), so be careful not to overcook. Let cool in pan for 30 minutes. Chill in the refrigerator, loosely covered, for at least 4 hours. Loosen the cheesecake from the sides of the pan by running a thin metal spatula around the inside rim. Unmold and transfer to a cake plate. Using a spatula spread a layer of Warm Lemon Blueberry topping over the surface.
• Slice the cheesecake with a thin, non-serrated knife that has been dipped in hot water. Wipe dry after each cut.
• In a small saucepan add all the ingredients and simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes or so until the fruit begins to break down slightly. Leave to cool before spreading on cheesecake.

THE BEST NEW YORK-STYLE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• For the crust: Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.
• Mix together the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, brown sugar and salt in a medium bowl until evenly moistened.
• Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and halfway up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake the crust until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes.
• Cool completely on a rack. Wrap the bottom and up the sides of the pan with foil and place in a roasting pan.
• For the filling: Add the cream cheese to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until smooth. Add the granulated sugar and beat, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed, until light and fluffy. Gradually add the cream, beating until combined. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the lemon zest and juice, vanilla and salt and beat just until combined, taking care not to over whip. Pour into the crust.
• Bring a kettle of water to a boil. Carefully place the roasting pan in the oven (don't pull the rack out of the oven). Pour enough hot water in the roasting pan to come about halfway up the side of the foil-wrapped springform pan.
• Bake until the top of the cheesecake is lightly browned around the edges, but the center still jiggles slightly, about 2 hours.
• Remove the cheesecake from the roasting pan to a rack. Run a knife around the edges and cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours and up to overnight.
• Bring the cheesecake to room temperature 30 minutes before serving. Remove the springform ring. Dip a knife in warm water and wipe dry before slicing each piece.

CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.
• To make the crust: In a small bowl, mix the cracker crumbs with the melted butter and the sugar together until evenly moistened. Press the crumb mixture onto the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake the crust until golden brown, about 10 to 12 minutes. Cool the pan on a rack.
• Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand-held mixer, cream the cream cheese on medium speed until smooth. Gradually add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. (Stop mixing and scrape down the sides of the bowl and beaters as needed.) Beat in the sour cream. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla and cream. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake until the top of the cheesecake is lightly browned, but the center still jiggles slightly, about 45 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan on a rack. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight before serving.
• To remove the cake from the pan, run a knife or offset spatula around the edges to release the edges from the pan. Open the springform pan and remove the ring.
• Cut the cheesecake into wedges and serve with berries or a raspberry sauce if desired.