Thanksgiving Dinner Cheesecake With Gingersnap Crust Food

THANKSGIVING DINNER: CHEESECAKE WITH GINGERSNAP CRUST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350ºF. Wrap 3 layers of foil around the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. In a blender or food processor, pulse the crust ingredients together until combined. Press into the bottom of the springform pan and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven onto a cooling rack. Reduce the oven temperature to 325ºF. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese on low speed until no lumps remain. Add in the sugar and salt; continue mixing on low until the ingredients are incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition until fully incorporated. Continue scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Keeping the mixer on low speed, add in the lemon juice, vanilla, and Greek yogurt. (Stir the yogurt first if it has separated while coming to room temperature.) Mix just until combined. Pour the filling into the pan and place it into a large roasting pan. Place the pan into the oven and quickly pour hot water into the roasting pan so that it comes up about 1 inch up the foil-wrapped springform pan. Bake for 55-70 minutes or until the cheesecake is set on the sides and just jiggles a bit in the center when the pan is shaken. Remove the cheesecake from the water bath and place back in the warm oven. Turn the oven off and crack the oven door. Leave the cheesecake in the oven for 1 hour. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and run a thin knife along the edge of the pan. Let the cheesecake continue to cool to room temperature. Place in the refrigerator for several hours to chill completely. Before serving, make the whipped cream. Place a mixing bowl and mixer's whisk attachment in the freezer for a few minutes. Pour the whipped cream into the chilled bowl and add the sugar and vanilla. Beat just until stiff peaks form. Place in a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Run a thin knife along the edge of the pan once more before removing the sides from the pan. Pipe whipped cream across the top. Serve with more whipped cream on the side if desired.

LIME CHEESECAKE WITH GINGERSNAP CRUST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 to start. You will turn it down to 350 after 15 minutes.
• Position your oven rack to center.
• Butter the bottom of 9 inch springform pan.
• NOTE: Your ingredients should be room temperature.
• Crust:.
• In a small bowl, combine softened butter with crumbs and sugar (first 3 ingredients). Press into the bottom of the prepared pan. Set aside or if you want, you can bake this for about 10 minutes to give it a brown crust.
• Filling:.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat softened cream cheese on low until very smooth. Gradually add the sugar beat well. Add the eggs one at a time (blending well after each egg). Scrape down sides of bowl when neccessary (turn off machine when doing this or you'll have batter on your ceiling). Stir in the lime juice and zest until well combined. Then stir in the sour cream and mix thoroughly until light and fluffy. You need to have some air in the batter, which gives it a fluffy texture.
• Wrap the bottom of the pan with aluminum foiland then pour batter into prepared pan . Set the pan in a 1 inch water bath. (place pan in larger baking pan and add just 1 " of water to bottom pan) Bake for 15 minutes at 400 THEN reduce to 350 and DO NOT OPEN DOOR! Bake until edges are set and center moves only slightly when pan is shaken, about 50-60 minutes. During last 10 minutes open to GENTLY shake to see if slightly set.
• LEAVE OVEN DOOR OPEN SLIGHLY and turn off the heat while cooling the cake in the oven for about 1 hour. Cover in platic wrap and refrigerate over night to completely set about 6-8 hours.
• To serve:.
• About 20 minutes prior to serving, remove from refrigerator and garnish with a sprinkling of powdered sugar and thin slices of lime on the edges.
• NOTE: If your cake cracked - it's ok you can add cherry topping or lemon curd on top and then sprinkle powdered sugar on top. No worries, it's happened to me a few times too but didn't fail to disappear quickly! :).

PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE WITH GLUTEN FREE GINGERSNAP CRUST

Steps:

• FOR CRUST: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Wrap outside of a 9-inch diameter springform pan with foil to catch drips. Place Midel brand gingershaps into a 1-gallon plastic freezer bag and crush with a rolling pin. Measure out the 1 1/2 cups and combine them with the butter and sugar in a bowl. Press mixture into bottom and about 2 inches up the sides of the springorm pan. Bake crust about 5 minutes until slightly darkened. Set aside. Maintain oven temperature.
• FOR FILLING: Blend the room temperature cream cheese and sugar in a food pocessor or heavy duty mixer until smooth. Add pumpkin, eggs, vanilla, and spices. Mix or Process until very smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl for a nice homogenous mixture. Pour the filling into the crust.
• Bake cheesecake until the center is set (doesn't slosh around AT ALL in the middle when the pan is wiggled) and edges begin to crack, about 1 hour and 5 minutes. Cool in the springormpan on a rack. Chill uncovered until cold, at least 6 hours. (Can be made a day ahead, cover and keep it chilled, but don't make it any more than a day in advance.).
• Run a knife around between the crust and side pan sides; remove sides. Arrange pecans decoratively on cake.
• Great served plain or with a dollop of real whipped cream spiked with whiskey.

GINGERSNAP CHEESECAKE CRUST

Steps:

• Stir together the gingersnap crumbs, melted butter, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Press onto the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of a buttered 9-inch springform pan. Fill right away or chill up to 2 hours.

RHUBARB CHEESECAKE BARS WITH GINGERSNAP CRUST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Prepare a 8-inch square baking pan by lining the pan with aluminum foil, leaving 3-4 inches of foil draping over the sides of the pan.
• Place graham crackers and gingersnaps into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the crackers form fine crumbs, about 30 seconds. To the crumbs, add butter, brown sugar, flour, and salt. Pulse until the ingredients are fully combined. Using the bottom of a measuring cup or your fingers, press the crumbs into the bottom of the prepared pan.
• Bake until the crust is beginning to brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Let the crust cool on a cooling rack for about 30 minutes.
• In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until it is very smooth, about 3 minutes. Scrape the beaters and sides of bowl frequently. Gradually beat in granulated sugar until the mixture is combined, about 1 minute. Beat in eggs, one a time, making sure that each is fully incorporated. Beat in sour cream and vanilla extract until fully combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape the cream cheese mixture into the baking pan, over top of the cooled crust. Spread evenly.
• In a medium saucepan, combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup water. Simmer, stirring frequently, until the sugar dissolves. Add it rhubarb and ginger to the water and sugar syrup. SImmer, stirring occasionally, until the rhubarb is very soft and falling apart, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove and discard the piece of ginger. Cool for about 10 minutes.
• Using a teaspoon, spoon 1/2 cup of the rhubarb mixture gently onto random places over the surface of the cheesecake. Using a small knife, gently swirl the rhubarb mixture into the cream cheese mixture.
• Bake until the edges are set but the middle still jiggles slightly when the pan is shaken slightly, 35 to 40 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking.
• Place the pan on a cooling rack and allow the bars to cool for 2 hours. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, and up to 24 hours.
• Using the overhanging foil, lift the bars from the pan. Gently remove the foil and cut into 16 bars.
• Top the bars with the remaining rhubarb sauce immediately before serving.