New York Cheesecake Squares Food

CHEESECAKE BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Line an 8-inch baking dish with heavy-duty aluminum foil (so that there is an overhang on at least 2 sides) and spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
• Make the crust: In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, brown sugar, and salt. Stir until well combined, using your fingertips if necessary to be sure no lumps of brown sugar remain. Press into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of the prepared pan. Bake the crust for 10 minutes, until set. Remove the crust from the oven and set aside. Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.
• Make the batter: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with beaters or the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, granulated sugar, and flour together on medium speed until just smooth, about 1 minute. Add the sour cream, eggs, vanilla, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt; beat on low speed until just combined, about 1 minute. Do not over-mix.
• Pour the batter into the slightly cooled crust. Check to make sure your oven has cooled to 325°F, then bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the filling is set but still a little jiggly in the center. (An instant-read thermometer, inserted into the filling about 1" in from the edge, should read between 180°-190°F.) The cheesecake will continue to cook as it cools. Remove the bars from the oven, and cool at room temperature for 30 minutes. Refrigerate until cold, at least 6 hours but preferably overnight.
• Use the foil overhang to lift the cheesecake out of the pan and onto a cutting board. Cut into squares, wiping the knife clean with a damp cloth between slices. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Note: The cheesecake bars can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cheesecake bars can be frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze, place the cooled cheesecake (cut or uncut) on a plate and freeze, uncovered, until firm. Remove the cheesecake from the freezer, wrap it in heavy-duty aluminum foil and place in a freezer bag. Seal and return to freezer for up to 3 months. Remove the foil before defrosting.

PHILADELPHIA NEW YORK CHEESECAKE SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F Line 31x9-inch baking sheet with foil, wiht ends extending over sides of pan.
• Mix graham crumbs and butter; press firmly onto bottom of prepared pan.
• Beat cream cheese, sugar, flour and vanilla in large bowl, with elecric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add sour cream; mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition, just until blended. Pour over crust.
• Bake 40-45 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool completely. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. Remove cheesecake from pan using foil handles. Top with pie filling before serving. Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.
• JAZZ IT UP: Omit cherry pie filling. Prepare and refrigerate cheesecake as directed. Top with 2 cups mixed berries. Brush with 2 tablespoons strawberry jelly, melted.

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.

PHILADELPHIA NEW YORK CHEESECAKE BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F.
• Line 13x9-inch pan with Reynolds Wrap® Aluminum Foil, with ends of foil extending over sides. Mix graham crumbs, 3 Tbsp. sugar and butter; press onto bottom of pan. Bake 10 min.
• Meanwhile, beat cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, flour and vanilla with mixer until blended. Add sour cream; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low after each just until blended; pour over crust.
• Bake 40 min. or until center is almost set. Cool completely. Refrigerate 4 hours. Use foil handles to lift cheesecake from pan before cutting to serve. Top with pie filling.

STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE BARS

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9-by-13-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• Make the crust: In a food processor, pulse the cookies until they form fine crumbs (you should have about 2 1/2 cups). Add the salt and pulse briefly to combine, then add the melted butter and pulse until uniformly incorporated. Press the crust into an even layer on the bottom of the prepared pan and wipe out the bowl of the food processor. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake until the crust has browned slightly and appears set, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool completely. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.
• Make the filling: In a medium pot, toss the strawberries with 1/4 cup/50 grams granulated sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the strawberries begin to soften and the mixture becomes juicy, 4 to 8 minutes, depending on the firmness of the berries. Cool for 15 minutes.
• Transfer the strawberries and their juices to the food processor and purée until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer the berry purée to a large bowl and set aside. Add the remaining 1 1/4 cups/250 grams granulated sugar and the cream cheese to the food processor bowl and blend until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time and pulse until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the food processor bowl as needed.
• Add the vanilla and pulse to combine. Scrape the custard into the berry purée and stir to combine. The batter should be a pale pink. If it's not, add 3 to 5 drops red food coloring and mix to combine. Pour the cheesecake custard into the cooled crust.
• Bake the cheesecake until the edges appear set and the center still appears slightly jiggly, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool at room temperature for 45 minutes, then refrigerate until firm (at least 4 hours, and up to overnight).
• Make the topping: In an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream and confectioners' sugar to medium peaks, 3 to 4 minutes. Spread the whipped cream on the chilled cheesecake in an even layer. Arrange the sliced strawberries on top. (Arranging them in stripes makes it a bit easier to cut rows out of the bars later.) Use a sharp knife to release the edges of the cheesecake from the pan. Slice into 15 even pieces, wiping the knife clean between cuts for the clean, sharp edges.

CHEESECAKE-CHOCOLATE PUDDING BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the crust: In a large bowl, combine the flour, pecans, salt and melted butter; mix with a fork until everything is evenly moistened. Tip the mixture into an 8-by-8-inch baking dish and spread into an even layer. Press the mixture into a flat, even layer using your fingertips. Bake until dry and golden, about 25 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• While the crust cools, prepare the cheesecake layer: In a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium, beat the cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until fluffy and smooth, about 2 minutes. Beat in the vanilla. In a separate bowl, beat the heavy cream with an electric mixer on medium until stiff peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture. Spread evenly over the prepared crust. Cover and refrigerate until firm, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Prepare the pudding: Set the chopped chocolate and butter in a medium bowl. Place a fine-mesh sieve over the bowl and set aside. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch and salt. Add the milk, little by little, while whisking to incorporate it fully. Whisk in the egg yolks.
• Heat the mixture over medium, whisking constantly, until it has thickened and just come to a low boil. Continue to cook the pudding, whisking, for another minute, then immediately pour it into the sieve, pushing it through with a small spatula. Let the pudding stand for 1 minute, then whisk it with the butter and chocolate until smooth. Refrigerate until cool, about 1 hour. (To speed up the process, spread the pudding into an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Stir often until the pudding has cooled, about 10 minutes.)
• Whisk to remove any lumps that may have formed while cooling. Dollop the cold pudding over the top of the cheesecake. Carefully spread the pudding out into an even layer. Cover and chill until set, at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
• Whip the remaining heavy cream and confectioners' sugar to stiff peaks. Spread on top of the pudding. Garnish with chocolate shavings and cut into squares to serve.

MINI NEW YORK CHEESECAKES

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Line the base and sides of a 20x30cm shallow cake tin with baking parchment.
• Put the ginger biscuits into a food processor and whizz to very fine crumbs. Add the melted butter, using the pulse until well mixed. Tip the mixture into the tin and spread out evenly. Using the back of a metal spoon, press the mixture down firmly.
• Clean the food processor bowl and add the ricotta, cream cheese, soured cream, eggs, caster sugar, cornflour, vanilla extract, lemon rind and juice. Whizz until smooth, then pour the mixture into the cake tin. Bake in the oven for about 40 mins until the mixture is lightly set all over. Remove and allow to cool to room temperature.
• Whisk the cream to soft peaks. Spread thinly over the top of the cheesecake. Chill the cheesecake overnight.
• To serve, remove the cheesecake from the tin and peel the paper from the sides. cut into 48 small squares or halve again to make 96 rectangles. Arrange on a serving plate. Put the lemon curd into a small disposable piping bag. Snip off the end and pipe zigzags on the cheesecakes. Alternatively, place a small raspberry on top of each square.

NEW YORK CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Position an oven shelf in the middle of the oven. Heat the oven to 180C/ 160C fan/ gas 4.
• Line the base of a 23cm springform cake tin by putting a square piece of parchment paper or foil on top of the tin base and then clipping the side on so the paper or foil is trapped and any excess sticks out of the bottom.
• For the crust, melt 85g butter in a medium pan. Stir in 140g digestive biscuit crumbs and 1 tbsp golden caster or granulated sugar so the mixture is evenly moistened.
• Press the mixture into the bottom of the pan and bake for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack while preparing the filling.
• For the filling, increase the oven temperature to fan 220C/ 200C fan/ gas 7. In a table top mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat 900g full-fat soft cheese at medium-low speed until creamy, about 2 minutes.
• With the mixer on low, gradually add 250g golden caster sugar, then 3 tbsp plain flour and a pinch of salt, scraping down the sides of the bowl and the paddle twice.
• Swap the paddle attachment for the whisk. Continue by adding 1½ tsp vanilla extract, 2 tsp lemon zest and 1½ tsp lemon juice. Whisk in 3 large eggs and 1 yolk, one at a time, scraping the bowl and whisk at least twice.
• Stir a 284ml carton of soured cream until smooth, then measure 200ml (just over ¾ of the carton). Continue on low speed as you add the measured soured cream (reserve the rest). Whisk to blend, but don't over-beat. The batter should be smooth, light and somewhat airy.
• Brush the sides of the springform tin with melted butter and put on a baking sheet. Pour in the filling - if there are any lumps, sink them using a knife - the top should be as smooth as possible. Bake for 10 minutes.
• Reduce oven temperature to 110C/ 90C fan/ gas ¼ and bake for 45 minutes more. If you gently shake the tin, the filling should have a slight wobble.
• Turn off the oven and open the oven door for a cheesecake that's creamy in the centre, or leave it closed if you prefer a drier texture. Let cool in the oven for 2 hours. The cheesecake may get a slight crack on top as it cools.
• Combine the reserved soured cream with a 142ml carton soured cream, 1 tbsp golden caster sugar and 2 tsp lemon juice for the topping. Spread over the cheesecake right to the edges. Cover loosely with foil and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
• Run a round-bladed knife around the sides of the tin to loosen any stuck edges. Unlock the side, slide the cheesecake off the bottom of the tin onto a plate, then slide the parchment paper out from underneath.

NEW YORK CHEESECAKE SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a large bowl, combine the flour, butter and brown sugar; beat for about 3 minutes.
• Stir in the walnuts.
• Measure out 1 cup of the flour mixture and set aside.
• Press the remaining flour mixture into an ungreased 8 inch square baking pan to form a crust.
• Bake for 12 minutes or until light brown.
• In the same bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and blend well.
• Pour the cream cheese mixture over the baked crust and sprinkle with the reserved 1 cup flour mixture.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes or until firm in the center. Let cool on a baking rack then cut into 2 inch squares.
• Top with favorite pie filling.