Showstopper Eggnog Cheesecake Food

EGGNOG CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• CRUST:
• Using a lightly greased, 10 inch Springform pan, combine crumbs, cinnamon, nutmeg and melted butter and press firmly into pan, coming up sides 1-2 inches, depending on how thick you like your crust. Press firmly into and up the sides of the pan using a measuring cup or other flat, round utensil. Chill in freezer while you make the filling.
• FILLING:.
• Place a full kettle of water on to boil.
• Beat Philadelphia cream cheese for one minute until smooth and free of any lumps. Scrape bowl.
• Add large eggs one at a time, beating well in between. Scrape bowl.
• Gradually add sugar and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Scrape bowl.
• Add sour cream, extracts and spices and mix well. Scrape bowl making sure all of the ingredients are WELL incorporated.
• Before filling pan, wrap outside of spring form pan with tinfoil.
• Pour filling into spring form pan, and tap lightly on counter to remove any air bubbles.
• Place springform pan into a large baking pan and place it in preheated oven. Then fill baking pan with boiling water, so that it comes up about half way up the springform pan. (It is easier to fill the pan with water after the cheesecake is in the oven than trying to fiddle with getting a baking pan INTO the oven that is full of boiling water).
• Bake 325 degrees for 75 minutes.
• When done baking, turn off oven and crack open oven door slightly, and leave it cracked open while oven cools.
• DO NOT DISTURB CHEESECAKE.
• Remove the cheesecake when the oven is completely cooled.
• Remove tinfoil and dry off the outside of the springform pan.
• Place in refrigerator and chill at least 4 hours before serving.

SHOWSTOPPER EGGNOG CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• For the crust: In a medium bowl, stir together the ground cashews, graham crackers and the 1/2 cup sugar.
• Drizzle the melted butter over the cashew mixture.
• Toss till mixed well.
• Press the cashew mixture onto the bottom and about 1 1/2 inches up the sides of a 10-inch springform pan.
• Wrap outside of the springform pan securely with heavy foil.
• Set aside.
• For filling: In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium-high speed 3 to 4 minutes or till mixture is completely smooth, scraping sides of bowl.
• Reduce speed to medium, beat in rum (if you like), sugar, vanilla and nutmeg.
• Add eggs all at once, beat on low speed till just combined.
• Stir in eggnog.
• Pour filling into crust-lined pan.
• Place springform pan in a large roasting pan.
• (Make sure there's at least 1 inch between the springform pan and the edges of the roasting pan).
• Place roasting pan on oven rack.
• Carefully pour enough hot tap water into roasting pan to come halfway up side of springform pan.
• Bake in 350 oven 60 to 70 minutes or till edge of cheesecake is firm and center appears nearly set when lightly shaken.
• Carefully remove pan from water bath, transfer to a wire rack.
• Cool 15 minutes.
• Remove foil.
• Lossen crust from sides and cool 30 minutes.
• Remove sides of pan, cool.
• Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 2 days.
• Garnish with cashew brittle, if you like.
• To bake without the water bath: Prepare cheesecake as above, except omit the foil; place the pan with filling in a shallow roasting pan.
• Bake without water bath 45 to 50 minutes or till center appears nearly set when shaken.
• Surface will have a more golden color than cheesecake baked in a water bath.

NO-BAKE EGGNOG CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• In a small mixing bowl combine the 1 1/4c crushed wafers and melted butter; toss to thoroughly combine. Press crumb mixture into bottom and 1/2" up sides of a 9" spring form pan to form a firm, even crust. Chill about 1 hr or till firm.
• Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan combine the 1/3c. sugar and gelatin. Stir in eggnog, egg yolks, and nutmeg. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, till mixture just comes to a boil. Remove from heat.
• In a large mixer bowl beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed for 30 sec. or till softened; gradually beat in gelatin mixture. Stir in rum or milk. Chill till partially set.
• In a medium mixer bowl beat egg whites on medium speed of mixer till soft peaks form (tips curl). Gradually add remaining sugar, beating till stiff peaks form (tips stand straight).
• In a small mixer bowl beat cream to soft peaks. Fold whites and whipped cream into gelatin mixture. Turn into crumb-lined pan. Cover; chill till firm, several hours, or overnight.
• Loosen sides of cheesecake from pan with a spatula; remove sides. Sprinkle shaved chocolate or wafer crumbs around the top edge of the cheesecake.

LIGHT EGGNOG CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• Combine crumbs, Splenda and butter. Press into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan that is lined with parchment paper.
• Bake for 10 minutes. Cool.
• Preheat oven to 425 F (400 F convection).
• Beat remaining ingredients until very smooth.
• Bake for 10 minutes.
• Reduce heat to 250 F (225 F convection).
• Bake for 45 minutes or until center of cheesecake is firm but wiggly.
• Remove from oven, immediately run knife around edges to loosen cheesecake.
• Cool completely at room temperature before removing rim.
• Refrigerate overnight before serving.

HOLIDAY EGGNOG CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Combine crumbs, sugar, nutmeg and margarine;press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan.
• Soften gelatin in water; stir over low heat until dissolved.
• Combine cream cheese and sugar at medium speed on electric mixer until well blended.
• Gradually add gelatin and eggnog, mixing until blended.
• Chill until slightly thickened; fold in whipped cream.
• Pour over crust; chill until firm.
• VARIATION: Ingrease sugar to 1/3 Celsius.
• Substitute milk for eggnog.
• Add 1 t vanilla and 3/4 t rum extract.
• Continue as directed.