| CHOCOLATE
TRUFFLE CHEESECAKE |
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A
bit of work, a little messy, but you will think you’ve
died and gone to heaven. This recipe makes one large
(10-inch) or 2 small (8-inch) cheesecakes. The 8-inch
probably serves 12 because you can only eat a tiny
piece.
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Chocolate
Crust:
2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs (I use Oreo's)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Combine
crumbs and butter. Press firmly into bottom
and 2 ½ “ up sides of a 10-inch
spring form pan. Refrigerate.
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Chocolate
Ganache:
2
lbs. Bittersweet chocolate finely chopped.
2 cups heavy cream
Bring cream
to gentle boil in a small saucepan. Pour over chocolate
and let stand one minute to melt chocolate. Whisk
until smooth. This is the ganache. Measure 2 cups
for cake filling and set aside. Measure 1 cup for
truffles and refrigerate until firm enough to handle.
Set remainder aside at room temperature.
Truffles:
Put
1 cup chilled ganache in pastry bag with ½”
star tip. Pipe 1” mounds with pointed peaks
onto wax paper. Refrigerate 15-20 minutes. Dust
with powdered sugar and then cocoa powder. |
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Filling:
1/4
cup cornstarch
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 teaspoons vanilla
1-1/2 lb. (3-8 ounce packages) cream cheese
1-1/2 cup sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
Place
cornstarch in small bowl and whisk in heavy cream
and vanilla until smooth. Set aside.
Beat
softened cream cheese at low speed until creamy. Gradually
add sugar, then eggs one at a time. Slowly beat in
reserved ganache. Beat in cornstarch mixture. Pour
into prepared crust. Bake at 325°F for 60 minutes
or until just firm. Prop open oven door and allow
to cool for 1 hour. Cool to room temperature. Spread
remaining ganache over top of cheesecake and garnish
with truffles. Refrigerate. Serves 20
Recipe
adapted by Sara MacLean, Northboro Ward, Boston Stake,
original recipe posted years ago on Godiva's website.
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| CRANBERRY
WHITE CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE |
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1-1/4
cups graham crackers crumbs
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
3 (8 oz) packages cream cheese
3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 (2 oz) squares White Chocolate, melted
3/4 cup dried cranberries, separated |
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Combine
crumbs, butter and sugar. Press firmly onto bottom
of 9-inch spring form pan.
Beat
cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with electric
mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs,
one at a time, mixing just until blended after each
egg. Stir in chocolate and ½ cup cranberries.
Pour over crust. Sprinkle 1/4 cup cranberries on top.
Bake
in preheated oven at 350°F for 45-50 minutes or
until center is almost set if using a silver spring
form pan. Bake at 325°F for 45-50 minutes if using
a dark non-stick spring form pan. Cool completely,
then refrigerate 3 hours or overnight before serving.
Serves 12.
Recipe
from Ruth Mayhew, Northboro, Massachusetts, USA
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| DECADENT
CHOCOLATE CHUNK CHEESECAKE |
| 18
OREO chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed (about
1-1/2 cups)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
3 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
3 eggs
12 squares (1-1/2 pkg. [8 squares each]) Semi-Sweet
Baking Chocolate, divided
1/2 cup whipping cream
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PREHEAT
oven to 350°F if using a 9-in. silver spring form
pan (or to 325°F if using a 9-in. dark nonstick
spring form pan.) Combine crumbs and butter. Press
firmly onto bottom of pan.
BEAT cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with electric
mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add sour
cream; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating on
low speed after each addition just until blended.
Chop 8 of the squares of chocolate; stir into batter.
Pour over crust.
BAKE 45 to 50 min. or until center is almost set.
Run knife or metal spatula around side of pan to loosen
cake. Cool completely.
CHOP remaining 4 squares of chocolate. Bring cream
to simmer in small saucepan on low heat. Remove from
heat. Add chocolate; stir until completely melted.
Cool slightly. Pour over cheesecake. Refrigerate at
least 3 hours or overnight. Remove side of pan before
serving. Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.
Recipe
from Kathleen Gordon-Ross (Wakarusa
Valley Ward, Topeka Stake, USA),
taken from
December 2003 Kraft Food & Family Magazine.
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Crust:
2/3 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/3 cup flour
Cream
butter into sugar. Add vanilla and flour. Press into
9” spring form pan. Cover bottom and ¾
of the way up the sides.
Filling:
1 8-ounce package cream cheese
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg, room temperature
Beat cream
cheese, sugar, vanilla and egg. Pour onto crust.
Topping:
5-6 sliced apples (peeled & cored)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup sugar
squirt of lemon juice
1/4 cup sliced almonds
Combine
apples, sugar, cinnamon and lemon juice. Arrange apples
over filling and top with almonds. If crust sides
are too high, push them down to the level of the apples.
Bake 10 minutes at 450°F. and 25 minutes at 400°F.
Cool and refrigerate. Serve chilled. Serves 12.
Recipe
from Edith Ackerman, Massachusetts, USA
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1
package white cake mix
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
1 pint whipping cream, whipped
2 cans (21 oz. Each) Cherry Pie filling
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Prepare
cake mix according to directions on the box. Pour
the batter into 2 greased 9 x 13” pans. Bake
at 350° F for 20 minutes. Cool completely.
Beat cream
cheese and sugar until fluffy. Fold in the whipped
cream. Spread over each cooled cake. Top with pie
filling. Chill four hours or overnight. Serves 24-30.
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Crust:
1 cup sifted all purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter or margarine
2 to 3 tablespoons milk |
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Sift flour
with sugar, baking powder, and salt into mixing bowl.
Cut
in butter until particles are fine. Sprinkle milk
over mixture until
dough is just moist enough to hold together. Form
into a ball. Press
mixture evenly over bottom and 2 1/2 inches up sides
of ungreased 10
inch spring-form pan. Chill while preparing filling.
Cream Cheese
Filling
5 (8 ounce
) packages Philadelphia cream cheese, softened
1-3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel or 1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 eggs
1/4 cup heavy cream
Cream
the cheese in mixing bowl. Add sugar, flour, lemon,
vanilla and
salt: beat well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating
well after each.
Blend in cream. Pour into prepared pan. Bake at 500°
F for 10
minutes, then reduce heat to 200°F for 65 to 70
minutes, until
filling is almost set and golden brown. Cool. Chill
several hours or
overnight before serving. Serves 16
Recipe
from Wendy Blackett, Cedar Hills 11th Ward, Cedar
Hills Stake.
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1
cup Semi-sweet chocolate morsels
1 cup flour
2 tablespoons + 1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter
3 (8oz) pkgs cream cheese, room temp
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup dairy sour cream
6 eggs
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Melt
chocolate morsels in top of double boiler. Combine
3/4 cup flour, 2 tablespoons sugar and salt. Cut in
butter until particles are fine. Stir in 2 tablespoons
melted chocolate. Press into bottom of 9" spring
form pan. Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes.
Soften
cream cheese with 1cup sugar in large mixing bowl.
Blend in 1/4 cup flour and vanilla extract. Blend
in sour cream. Beat in 6 whole eggs, one at a time
(beat well after each egg).
Combine
remaining chocolate with 1-1/2 cups of cheese mixture.
Pour 1/2 of plain mixture onto baked crust. Top with
spoonfuls of half the chocolate mixture. Cover with
remaining plain mixture - Then chocolate mixture.
Cut through batter with spatula to marble.
Place
in 400°F oven. Then immediately set at 300°F.
Bake 1 hour. Turn off oven; let remain in closed oven
for 1 hour. Cool away from draft 2-3 hours. Chill
at least 8 hours before serving. To cut, use a wet,
hot, sharp knife.
Best
when served cold.
Recipe from Kathleen Gordon-Ross,
Wakarusa Valley Ward, Topeka Stake, USA..
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Baking
Better Cheesecakes
Cheesecakes
can pose a bit of a challenge, but once you’ve mastered
the art you’ll be amazed at your masterpieces.
1. Plan ahead. Cheesecakes are best if
prepared 24-48 hours before serving.
2. Start with the right pan. You will need a spring
form pan or a professional cheesecake pan.
3. Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature
when you begin.
4. Add eggs one at a time and beat thoroughly
between each egg.
5. Follow the time and speed recommended in the recipe. Overbeating
or mixing at too high a speed, incorporates too much
air, which can make a cheesecake collapse.
6. Many recipes call for moisture while baking
your cheesecake. This is accomplished by either placing a
shallow pan of hot water on the bottom oven rack during baking,
or by baking the cheesecake in a hot water bath. The moisture
helps keep a cheesecake from cracking.
7. Don’t peek during baking. Cheesecakes
can crack from a sudden shock of cold air.
8. Cheesecakes are baked at lower temperatures
than regular cakes. This helps to keep them from shrinking.
9. Check to see if your cheesecake is done by touching the
top lightly or gently shaking the pan. A properly cooked cheesecake
will still have a wobbly 2 or 3 inch circle in the center.
It will continue to set during chilling.
10. After the recommended baking time, prop open the door
of the oven and leave the cheesecake to cool for an
hour.
11. Refrigerate the cheesecake, uncovered, for 2 to 3 hours
before serving. Don’t cover a warm cheesecake
or moisture will drip onto the surface.
12. When totally chilled, cover the cheesecake.
13. When serving, first dip the knife into water,
and clean it after every cut. The chefs at www.pastrywiz.com
suggest using a piece of dental floss to cut cheesecake.
From
Betty Crocker, TM of General Mills, Inc.
Waterbath
Basics
Cheesecake
can be a delicate thing; you want to bake it slowly and evenly
without browning the top. The most effective way to do this
is to bake it in a water bath. This means that your cheesecake
pan is surrounded by water as it bakes, receiving the more
gentle, even heat of the water rather than the direct and
uneven heat of the oven coils. To make a water bath, you set
the cheesecake pan inside a roasting pan on the oven rack,
then pour boiling water into the roasting pan until the water
is at least halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan (but
NOT spilling over the top!).
Water
bath pointers:
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You should use a roasting pan that allows at least 2 inches
of space between the edge of the cheesecake pan and the
edge of the roasting pan. For example, if your cheesecake
pan is 9 inches in diameter, use a roasting pan that's at
least 13 inches across.
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Place a heavy dishtowel in the bottom of the roasting pan
before you set the cheesecake in it. This will protect the
bottom of the cheesecake from receiving any direct heat
from the oven coils.
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Finally, be sure you fill the bath with water that is already
boiling (heat a pot-full on the stovetop). If you don't
start with boiling water, it will take a very long time
for the water to get hot in the oven, and will throw off
your baking time.
From
allrecipes.com. For more tips on baking the perfect Cheesecake
visit allrecipes.com.
Planning
Ahead
Cheesecakes
are best if made 24-hours before serving. When planning a
party or special gathering, there are lots of other things
you need to be doing 24-hours before your guests arrive then
making the cheesecake.
Cheesecakes
freeze beautifully. For best results, make up to one month
before the event. Bake and cool as directed on the directions
and in the advice noted in this column. Once completely cooled,
run a knife around the inside edge of the pan, wrap in aluminum
foil and 3-4 layers of plastic wrap. Place in freezer.
24-48
hours before the event, remove cheesecake from freezer. Remove
side of spring form pan. To remove bottom of pan, carefully
pry the cake loose using a butter knife. Ease the knife around
the cake and then slide onto serving platter or cake plate.
Wrap with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator until time
to serve.
If
your are planning to garnish your cheesecake with carmel,
fruit topping or anything else 'sticky.' Do so as close to
serving time as possible. Once a 'sticky' or 'gooey' garnish
is on the cheesecake, keeping it covered in the refrigerator
is more difficult.
So
What if it Cracks?!
Just
because you followed every possible suggestion available doesn't
mean your cheesecake won't develope a crack the size of the
grand canyon. And when it does, have a good cry, and then
get innovative! All is not lost, here are some ways of hiding
the crack:
- Make
a ganashe (there are a couple of recipes listed on this
page), and cover that puppy in lots and lots of chocolate.
- Pile
it high with fresh berries or cover with your favorite flavor
of fruit pie filling.
- Serve
it pre-cut. Cutting a cheesecake is a time consuming process
- keeping the knife hot and cleaning it after every cut
- pre-cutting, makes the crack practically disappear.
- We
loved this cover up idea from Deb Moore. When her cheesecake
cracked, she simply found something cute to cover it up.
In her case she used a gingerbread ornament (she protected
the ornament and the cheesecake with a small piece of plastic
wrap), but just about anything would work... baby booties,
fresh or silk flowers, etc.
Cheesecake
Tarts
These
cute little mini-cheesecake tarts are simple and the perfect
size for individual servings. They make a great addition to
a shower, brunch, or Enrichment night. Top with your favorite
fruit topping, or create a topping bar and allow guests to
choose their own.
2
(8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 box of vanilla wafers.
Place
vanilla wafers in the bottom of a cupcake lined muffin tin.
(This will be the crust of the cheese cake tart.) Mix all
the other ingredients together and scoop 1/4 cup of the batter
into each muffin. Bake at 375°F for 20 minutes or until
golden.
Top with
cherry or blueberry pie filling.
Better
if made the night before so the vanilla wafer can become a
softer crust.
Recipe from the Liberty 1st Ward, Liberty,
Stake USA, cookbook.
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