Vanilla Chai Cheesecake Food

VANILLA CHAI CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Place yogurt in a strainer lined with a coffee filter and set over a bowl. Refrigerate for at least 40 minutes to allow liquid to drain. Discard liquid and set yogurt aside.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Combine gingersnap cookies, amaretti cookies, and butter in a bowl; mix well. Press crust into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden, about 12 minutes.
• Remove crust from oven and reduce temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Let crust cool completely.
• While crust cools, beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and salt together in a mixing bowl using an electric mixer until well blended. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating on low speed and scraping the sides of the bowl after each addition. Stir in yogurt. Pour filling into the cooled crust.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cake is set on sides but slightly shimmers in center, about 50 minutes.
• Let cool completely and remove from pan. Serve with caramel sauce.

CHAI CHEESECAKE BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F and line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. For the crust, whisk together flours, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Combine melted butter, sugar, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Add flour mixture and fold in until incorporated. Use a piece of parchment paper lightly coated with nonstick spray to press dough evenly into bottom of prepared pan. Bake crust for 18 minutes, until golden and set. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, and reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
• Place chocolate in a double boiler or in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water. Slowly melt the chocolate, stirring occasionally until glossy and smooth. Set aside to cool to room temperature. Place cream cheese and yogurt in afood processor and process until combined. Add sugar, spices, salt, and egg; process until smooth. Spoon cream cheese mixture over cooled crust and spread evenly. Dollop cooled chocolate by teaspoons over cream cheese layer and swirl together with a toothpick or wooden skewer; gently tap pan once to remove air bubbles.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until set. Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack; cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 3 hours. Just before cutting, chill in the freezer for 15 minutes. Carefully lift parchment and place bars on a cutting board; use a sharp knife to trim away raised edges, then cut into bars. Store leftover bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 2 days.

VANILLA CHAI CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Simmer 1 cup Oregon Chia Original Concentrate until reduced to 1/2 cup.
• Cool.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Mix together crust ingredients.
• Press well into the bottom of a greased 9-inch springform pan.
• Bake for 12 minutes.
• When you take pan out of the oven, reduce heat to 290 degrees.
• Beat cream cheese with mixer until smooth.
• Add chai reduction and vanilla, blend just until smooth, scraping down sides as you go.
• Add sugar, cornstarch, and spices. Taste to adjust flavors, but be aware that spices will intensify in the oven.
• Add eggs, stir by hand until just incorporated.
• Pour into springform pan, sprinkle a little cardamom on top.
• Put a baking dish with 1 inch water in the bottom of your oven.
• Cook cheesecake on middle rack for 55 minutes.
• Turn off oven, just barely crack oven door until steam stops coming out (30 seconds or so).
• Close it back up and let it go for another 55 minutes.
• Take out of oven, slide knife around the edges of the pan to release cake and allow for contraction while cooling.
• Place on a cooling rack and cover with a large bowl. Let cool until it's room temperature, then move to refrigerator.
• When cold, you can freeze it for longer storage.

CHAI CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Place the six Chai tea bags in a cup with 1/2 cup boiling water. Let steep for 5 minutes. In a large bowl, combine the concentrate of Chai tea, cream cheese and sugar. Blend well with an electric mixer. Add eggs and mix again until blended smooth. Pour mix into pie crust and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Cool in refrigerator approximately 3 hours or overnight.

CHAI CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Wrap outside bottom and side of 10-inch springform pan with heavy-duty foil to prevent leaking. Spray inside bottom and side of pan with cooking spray. In small bowl, mix crust ingredients. Press in bottom of pan. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F. Cool crust 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in microwavable measuring cup, microwave 1 cup whipping cream on High 1 minute 30 seconds to 2 minutes or just until it begins to boil. Place tea bags in hot cream; let stand 15 minutes.
• In large bowl, beat cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and the vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time, just until blended. Remove tea bags from cream and squeeze extra liquid from tea bags; discard bags. Stir cream and orange peel into cream cheese mixture until well blended. Pour filling over crust.
• Bake at 300°F 55 to 65 minutes or until edge of cheesecake is set at least 2 inches from edge of pan but center of cheesecake still jiggles slightly when moved. Turn oven off; open oven door at least 4 inches. Let cheesecake remain in oven 30 minutes. Run small metal spatula around edge of pan to loosen cheesecake. Cool in pan on cooling rack 30 minutes. Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.
• To serve, run small metal spatula around edge of pan; carefully remove foil and side of pan. In chilled medium bowl, beat 1 cup whipping cream and 1 tablespoon sugar with electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Spread over cheesecake. Garnish with orange peel twists. Cover; refrigerate any remaining cheesecake.