Deconstructed Italian Cheesecake Food

DECONSTRUCTED STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Cohere the graham cracker crumbs and butter into a dampened sand.
• In a bowl, cream together the cheese, sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice. In a larger bowl, whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Fold the cheese mixture into the whipped cream until combined.
• To plate, start with a portion of the cheesecake cream, smearing it with a spatula. Next, decorously arrange the fresh berries and dust with the graham cracker sand and crushed freeze-dried strawberries. For a temperature contrast, finish with a scoop or two of the sorbet or ice cream.

A NEW YORKER'S REAL ITALIAN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Wrap the outside of a 10-inch springform pan with foil to prevent water from seeping in while baking.
• Mix sugar, crumbs, and melted butter together well to form crust.
• Press this mixture into the bottom of the springform pan and up the sides until you run out.
• Bake crust for about 7-10 minutes or until golden brown.
• Cool on wire rack while preparing the batter.
• With a mixer, cream together ricotta cheese, cream cheese, flour, and sugar until very smooth.
• Mix in the eggs one at a time, blend well but DO NOT OVER MIX THE BATTER!
• Stir in the sour cream and vanilla by hand.
• Pour mixture into cooled crust.
• Place cheesecake into a large rectangular pan filled with about 1 1/2 inches of hot water.
• Make sure foil is high enough around the springform pan so that no water seeps into it while baking.
• Bake for 90 minutes.
• After 90 minutes, turn oven off but leave cake in oven for another 60 minutes (DO NOT OPEN OVEN DOOR).
• Carefully remove cake from water pan and remove foil from springform pan.
• Cool on wire rack for 1 hour.
• Cover cake with plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator overnight.
• Enjoy!

ITALIAN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• For the dough: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and granulated sugar together. Scrape down the sides and add the lemon and orange zests. Turn the mixer back on to low speed. Add the milk and egg. Turn the speed to medium and mix until well combined (scrape the sides of the bowl if necessary). Turn the mixer off and add the flour. Carefully turn the mixer on a slow speed and mix just until a dough forms, scraping down the sides as necessary.
• Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface dusted with flour. Knead until it forms a ball. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until firm.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• For the filling: Combine the ricotta cheese, granulated sugar, custard/pudding, lemon zest, orange zest and semolina flour in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until combined. Add the vanilla orange and blossom water. Add in the whole eggs and egg yolks in 3 batches. Mix on slow speed in between each addition.
• Grease the inside of a 9-inch nonstick springform pan with pan spray. Roll the dough into a circle approximately 14 inches wide. Roll the dough into the pan and press it out into an even layer across the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
• Pour the filling into the pan and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until cheesecake is golden brown, 80 to 90 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before removing from the pan.
• Remove from the pan and put onto a decorative plate or platter. Dust the top with powdered sugar using a small mesh strainer. Decorate the center with fresh cranberries and sprigs of rosemary.

CLASSIC ITALIAN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F if using a silver 9-inch springform pan (or to 325°F if using a dark nonstick 9-inch springform pan). Mix crumbs, butter and 2 Tbsp. sugar. Press firmly onto bottom of pan. Bake 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, beat ricotta cheese, 1-1/4 cups sugar and flour in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add whipping cream, vanilla and zest; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing just until blended after each addition. Pour over crust.
• Bake 1 hour and 20 minutes or until center is almost set. Run knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim of pan. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.

"DECONSTRUCTED" ITALIAN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Mix ricotta cheese, sunflower seeds, currants and honey in a bowl. Divide among 4 dessert dishes.

DECONSTRUCTED CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl mixer until blended. Stir in COOL WHIP and vanilla.
• Spread 1 Tbsp. of the cream cheese mixture onto each graham square just before serving.
• Top each cracker with caramel sauce and nuts.

DECONSTRUCTED CHERRY CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• DECONSTRUCTED CHEESECAKE: Whip mascarpone in a stand mixer or with electric mixer until softened and creamy. Add stilton and whip until incorporated. Add whipping cream and whip until incorporated. NOTE: it's OK if the mixture is a little lumpy with bits of Stilton. Add dollop to tiny ramekin or just add to the serving plate. Refrigerate and serve chilled.
• SOURCHERRY AND THYME SAUCE: In a saucepan over medium high heat, combine the cherries, thyme and Port. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until thickens slightly, about 2-4 minutes. Remove from heat. Let cool to room temperature before using.
• ALMOND CRUNCH: Preheat oven ot 350°F.
• Whisk the egg white by hand until frothy. Add almonds, orange zest, sugar and salt. Toss to combine well. Transfer to a baking sheet, lined with parchment paper and spread mixture out in a single layer. Bake in oven until golden and crisp, about 15-20 minutes, until golden brown and crisp. Cool.
• ASSEMBLY: To serve, add the following to individual plates, ramekin filled weith the deconstructed cheesecake garnished with a sprig of thyme, a spoon of the sauce and a piece of the almond crunch - Simply Delicious!

NO-BAKE CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Make the cheesecake base: melt the butter in a small pan over a medium heat. Blitz the biscuits in a food processor to a fine crumb, add the melted butter and pulse until well combined. Tip into a 23cm springform cake tin and press down firmly into the base. Chill while you make the filling.
• Beat the cream cheese and icing sugar in a bowl to soften. Whisk the cream and vanilla in a separate bowl until soft peaks form, then fold into the cream cheese. Stir through the chopped chocolates. Spoon over the biscuit base and smooth with a spatula. Cover with cling film and chill for at least 6 hrs, or overnight.
• Once it has set, place the chocolate hazelnut spread in a saucepan and melt over a low heat for 3-4 mins until runny. allow to cool slightly before spreading over the top of the cheesecake. Decorate with remaining chocolates and some chopped hazelnuts. Chill until ready to serve.

ITALIAN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Grease and flour one 9 inch round springform or regular pan.
• Combine the ricotta, confectioners' sugar and eggs. Blend well. Stir in vanilla, almond extract, rum extract, lemon juice, lemon zest and orange zest. Beat by hand until smooth and creamy. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 40 minutes, until golden. Place on a rack and cool.