Recommendations for CL Cheesecake Recipes

[Peggy]

Hello Everyone!

Once again I wish to benefit from all your experience and request your advise...

My daughter will be celebrating her 11th birthday next week. She has requested a cheesecake for her birthday cake. I have an entire cookbook dedicated to cheesecakes but they are all of the "high-fat" type. I have noticed several cheesecake recipes in the recent CL issues and think it would be fun to try one of them. Since there are many that look good, I would appreciate knowing which ones people have tried and liked. I also have all of the Cooking Light recipes from 1996 on up, in case there is another one you would recommend from earlier issues.

I must add that Sarah has a weakness for chocolate, but she is open to any kind of cheesecake... http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

Thank you so much in advance for your help!!

Peggy

P.S. It is sooooo good to get back on this board!!!

[Gail]

Before I put in another plug for the lemon swirl cheesecake I made two days ago, I should mention if you do a search (near preferences) and type in cheesecake, there are all sorts of past discussions on the subject.

Good luck!

...oh, and did I mention how really good that cheesecake is...? http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by Gail (edited 09-05-2000).]

[MrsReber]

Yes, the lemon swirl cheesecake is the best!! I have made 2 so far and my husband and I had to eat them both by ourselves. It was terrible http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif I also made the black forest cheesecake in the July (or was it June??) issue. That was very good. I brought it to a July 4th bbq and it disappeared very quickly while the other desserts sat there! Those are the only 2 CL cheesecakes that I have tried so I am sure the others are just as delicious, but there is something special about the lemon swirl! My husband says it tastes almost like a creamy danish filling.

[Grace]

I agree that the Lemon Swirl Cheesecake is wonderful. For a more traditional cheesecake, I think this one is CL's best, and everyone RAVED about it when I made it (including me!)

CookWare(tm) from Cooking Light(r)

New York Cheesecake

SOURCE: Cooking Light YEAR: April 1996 PAGE: 101

INGREDIENTS FOR 16 SERVINGS:
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons chilled stick margarine, cut into small pieces
1 tablespoon ice water
Vegetable cooking spray
3 (8-ounce) blocks nonfat cream cheese, softened
2 (8-ounce) blocks Neufchatel cheese, softened
1-3/4 cups sugar
3 Tblsp. all purpose flour
1 Tblsp. vanilla extract
1-1/2 tsp. grated orange rind
1 tsp. grated lemon rind
1/4 tsp. salt
5 eggs

INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place 2/3 cup flour and 2 tablespoons sugar in a food processor, and pulse 2
times or until combined. Add chilled margarine; pulse 6 times or until mixture
resembles coarse meal. With processor on, slowly pour ice water through food
chute, processing just until blended (do not allow dough to form a ball).
Firmly press mixture into bottom of a 9-inch springform pan coated with
cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes; let cool on a wire rack.

Preheat oven to 525 degrees or to highest oven setting. Combine cheeses in a
large bowl; beat at high speed of a mixer until smooth. Add 1-3/4 cups sugar
and next 5 ingredients (sugar through salt); beat well. Add eggs, 1 at a time,
beating well after each addition.

Pour cheese mixture into prepared pan; bake at 525 degrees for 7 minutes.
Reduce oven temperature to 200 degrees, and bake 45 minutes or until almost
set.

Remove cheesecake from oven, and let cool to room temperature. Cover and chill
at least 8 hours. Garnish with lemon zest, orange slices, and lemon slices, if
desired. Yield: 16 servings (serving size: 1 wedge).

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
CALORIES 261 (32% from fat); PROTEIN 11.7g; FAT 9.2g (sat 4.8g, mono 1.3g,
poly 0.7g); CARB 31.4g; FIBER 0.2g; CHOL 97mg; IRON 0.6mg; SODIUM 449mg; CALC
147mg

[shoyski]

My husband still prefers the Snickers Cheesecake that CL had. Maybe that would appeal to the younger crowd.

[Norma]

Grace, I'm so glad I read your post. I also made the New York cheesecake (April 1996) and loved it BUT the outer edge of the cheesecake was overdone and the middle was underdone--very loose--in fact the center ran all over the plate. I made it again and cooked it a little longer and it did the same thing. What was your experience with it. I wrote CL twice about it, but never got an answer. Would be interested in your comments because it is really wonderful tasting, but the appearance isn't very beautiful when cut.

[Ed]

Can someone comment on what issue of CL the recipe for Lemon Swirl cheesecake was in please?

My Daughters Birthday is coming up on the 17th and she, like Peggys daughter, also requested a Cheesecake for her Birthday cake.

She's a bit older than Pegggy's daughter
(She'll be 34)and I'd like to make a real good Cheesecake for her and her family.

Thanks,

Ed

[Peggy]

Hello! Thank you all for your replies! That Lemon-Swirled Cheesecake sounds like the big winner!!! My Sarah is considering it but has also shown a definate interest in the Snickers Cheesecake. The age, I guess. Anyone out there tried any of the chocolate ones???

Ed - The Lemon-Swirled Cheesecake is in the May 2000 issue, (it is also shown on the cover). My daughter's birthday is on the 16th. I'm sure when she is 34 she will still be requesting a cheesecake for her birthday ! One of her favorite desserts...

Grace - Thanks for pointing out the New York Cheesecake recipe. I will definately keep it in mind for another occasion.

Peggy

[kendra]

I made the triple chocolate cheesecake back in a 1998 issue. It was very good if your daughter has a hankering for chocolate.

[hshaner]

I made the mint chocolate cheescake that is in a recent issue and it was pretty good. It's a typical cheesecake with bits of Andes mint in it.... I think it's from the August magazine...

[MrsReber]

The black forest cherry cheesecake has a chocolate grahm cracker crust and I believe it has some chocolate chips in the cheesecake itself. I really liked that one. It was worth the effort of pitting the cherries. I did recently buy a cherry pitter, but not before I made the cake. I like the whole experience of baking, so the chopping and pitting doesn't bother me too much.

[Lisa D]

I have to put in a major thumbs up for the brownie cheesecake torte. I have made it several times now. It is a marble cheesecake batter with a brownie crust--how could you possibly go wrong!!! You can find this one in the recipe search ENJOY
Lisa

[Leanne]

Triple Chocolate Cheesecake is the best!!!!!
I can't say anymore than that.

[Grace]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Norma:
[B]Grace, I'm so glad I read your post. I also made the New York cheesecake (April 1996) and loved it BUT the outer edge of the cheesecake was overdone and the middle was underdone--very loose--in fact the center ran all over the plate. I made it again and cooked it a little longer and it did the same thing. What was your experience with it.

Norma, I didn't have this problem at all. And I use a smaller pan, so mine is always taller and thicker in the middle. It sounds to me like your oven is too hot. Turn it down 25º or 50º, and definitely cook it longer than CL recommends. (I have always found their times for cheesecakes to be off, at least with my pans and ovens). Leave it in until only about 1"-2" of the center still jiggles a little. Then, I would probably turn the oven off and open the oven door a little and leave the cheesecake in for another hour or so. This should set up the middle even more without burning the outside edges. Then lastly, make sure you cool it for at least 8 hours, possibly even longer. Getting it nice and cold in the center should make it firmer, too. Hope that helps you, and I want to make this one again soon. It's really good, as is the old CL Cherry Cheesecake recipe. It's basically a plain cheesecake, but with cherry pie filling on the top - outstanding! If you make the NY one, let me know how it turns out for you!

Grace

[Ed]

Peggy,

Thanks for the reply & the information. As it happens I mentioned this post to Sharon, my wife, and showed her the recipe I had printed from Grace for the new york Cheese Cake. Well she went to where the CL Magazines are and handed me the one with the Lemon Swirl Cheescake on the cover. Of course she had a big grin on her face when she did this.

Well anyway today we went to the store and bought the stuff we need to make it, I figured I better make it once before Heather's Birthday, just to make sure I can do it all right. Then I'll make a second one for her Birthday.

I did buy a new Cheescake pan so it will get a workout in the next couple of weeks.

Best Wishes,

Ed

[Stacey Strawn]

I made this one last week for my Mom's BIG 50--she too requested cheesecake and loves chocolate--and it was a hit. Since we had lots of people at the party, there was also one of those big decorated sheet cakes. Let me just say that the cheesecake was a much bigger success--people were fighting over the last piece!!

German Chocolate Cheesecake

SOURCE: Cooking Light YEAR: 2000 ISSUE: August PAGE: 135

INGREDIENTS FOR 16 SERVINGS:
Crust:
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons chilled butter or stick margarine, cut into small pieces
1 tablespoon ice water
Cooking spray
Filling:
1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa
1/2 cup fat-free hot fudge topping
1/4 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
2 (8-ounce) blocks fat-free cream cheese, softened
1-1/2 cups (12 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
1-1/2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon coconut extract
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
Topping:
2/3 cup fat-free caramel sundae topping
1/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1/3 cup flaked sweetened coconut, toasted

INSTRUCTIONS:
Spread the coconut-pecan caramel topping over the cooled cheesecake, almost like frosting on a cake.

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. To prepare crust, lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Place 2/3 cup flour and 2 tablespoons sugar in a
food processor; pulse until combined. Add butter; pulse 3 times or until the mixture resembles coarse meal. With processor on, pour ice water through chute, processing just until blended (do not form a ball). Press into bottom of a 9-inch springform pan coated with
cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees for 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.

3. To prepare filling, combine cocoa, fudge topping, and milk in a small bowl. Beat cheeses at high speed of a mixer until smooth. Add 1-1/2 cups sugar, 3 tablespoons flour, and extracts. Add eggs and egg whites, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add chocolate mixture; beat well.

4. Pour cheese mixture into prepared pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 5 minutes or until almost set. Cheesecake is done when the
center barely moves when pan is touched. Remove cheesecake from oven; run knife around outside edge. Cool to room temperature.

5. To prepare the topping, combine caramel sundae topping, chopped pecans, and toasted coconut; spread over cheesecake. Cover cheesecake, and chill at least 8 hours. Yield: 16 servings (serving
size: 1 wedge).

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
CALORIES 314 (29% from fat); FAT 10g (sat 5.3g, mono 3.2g, poly 0.8g); PROTEIN 9.7g; CARB 46.1g; FIBER 1.1g; CHOL 53mg; IRON 1.2mg;
SODIUM 352mg; CALC 128mg

[Susann]

Fellow BB junkies-I do believe we have now managed to get even CL employees addicted to this wonderful board!!!! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[CrystalB]

I haven't tried it yet but the Banana Split Cheesecake from the Aug 2000 issue sounds like a hit for a younger crowd.

[Gail]

Peggy and Ed,

Since it sounds like you're planning on doing the lemon swirl cheesecake, I should warn you. Prior to our move to this new board in June, we had quite a lengthy thread regarding this cake based upon LauraB's experiences. And while this cake is excellent, the consensus of opinion was that the cake needed anywhere from fifteen minutes to a half-hour more baking time than indicated in the recipe. So, watch the cake. Jiggle it. If it's still jiggly all over, bake it a bit longer and try something similar to what Grace suggests. If anyone is REALLY curious as to the comments on the original thread, I'd be happy to e-mail it! (I saved it before baking the cake my first time.)

Good luck!

[BethH]

Could someone please post the Triple Choc. Cheesecake recipe for me? I couldn't find it in the recipe finder. Thanks!

[Norma]

Triple Chocolate Cheesecake(April 1996,p 101)
This tastes like a creamy frozen fudge pop.

1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon stick margarine
1 tablespoon egg white
1 1/3 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs (about 16 crackers)
Vegetable cooking spray
3 tablespoons dark rum
3 (1-ounce) squares semisweet chocolate
1/4 cup chocolate syrup
1 (8-ounce) block nonfat cream cheese, softened.
1 (8-ounce) block Neufchatel cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup low-fat sour cream
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa
Chocolate curls (optional)

Preheat over to 350.

Place first 3 ingredients in a bowl; beat at medium speed of a mixer until blended. Add crumbs; stir well. Firmly press mixture into bottom and 1 inch up sides of an 8 inch springform pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes; let cool on a wire rack.

Combine rum and chocolate squares in the top of a double boiler. Cook over simmering water 2 minjtes or until chocolate melts, stirring frequently. remove from heat; add chocolate syrup, stirring until smooth.

Preheat over to 300. Place cheeses in a large bowl; beat at medium speed of a mixer until smooth. Add 1 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons cocoa, vanilla, and salt; beat until smooth. Add rum mixture; beat at low speed until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

Pour cheese mixture into prepared pan; bake at 300 for 40 minutes or until almost set. Combine sour cream, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 2 teaspoons cocoa; stir well. Turn oven off, and spread sour cream mixture over cheesecake. Let cheesecake stand for 45 minutes in oven with door closed. Remove cheesecake from oven, and let cool to room temperature. Cover and chill at least 8 hours. Garnish with chocolate curls, if desired.

Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 1 wedge.

Calories 260 (35% from fat); Protein 7.5g; Fat 10.1 g (sat 5.5g, monmo 2g, poly 0.5g); Carb 35.9g; Fiber 0.1g; Chol 57 mg; Iron 0.7mg; Sodium 205 mg; Calc 85 mg.

[This message has been edited by Norma (edited 09-08-2000).]

[Kerri]

I made the Zebra striped cheesecake from, when was that, August? It was pretty good and the chocolate flavor covered up the low fat of the cheesecake. It really wasn't that hard and looked impressive. However, I don't like semi-sweet chocolate and if I made it again, I would make it with dark chocolate.

[Carrie W]

Here's another vote for the Triple Chocolate Cheesecake. My hubby requests it every few months, and we're always impressed with how creamy and chocolaty it is. It's still hard to believe that it is a light recipe!

[Ed]

Hello to Peggy and everyone,

When I posed on this thread before I mentioned I would be making the "Lemon Swirl Cheesecake" for my Daughters Birthday. Well I did and I thought I would report back to tell you all how it turned out.

This was my 1st attempt ever at making a Cheesecake.

I 1st made one a week ago to make sure it was someting I could do and have it turn out O.K. I used Parchment paper on the bottom of the pan thinking it would slide off the bottom of the baking pan easier. It didn't, so that was a mistake.

At the recommended baking time and temp the cheesecake was way to giggly as many have said. So I boosted the temp to 375° and kept it in for another 30 minutes and then took it out. The directions say to bake at 350° for 1 1/4 hours (75 minutes) or until almost set. Well when I added the time and the temp and took it out then, it was almost set.

Except for the parchment paper being a nuisance it turned out just fine.

The second one I made, so we could have it today, turned out great. I did it the same way except I didn't mess with the parchment paper. Everyone who was here for Heathers Birthday thought it was real good, and Heather was quite pleased with it which made me happy.

Just as a side note, it's my birthday too, Heather was born on my Birthday. Well, my 7 year old grandson, made me a cake and brought it up when they came up to see us.
He mixed it up and frosted it although he told me his mom had to pour it in the pan and put it in the oven.

It looks like my having him help me in the kitchen sometimes when he's here is starting someting that should do well for him in the future.

Well I just wanted to report back and brag a little.

Thanks for reading this far.

Ed

P.S. BTW Gail, Those comments and sugestions you e-mailed me about this cheesecake were very helpful. I appreciate your doing that, it was real nice of you.

Ed

[Natasha]

Ed,

Happy birthday to you and Heather! Glad to hear that the cheesecake you made was a big success (and that you got a cake of your own too) http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif . I always enjoy your posts. Your family sounds like it has a lot of fun!

[Peggy]

Ed!

I was thinking about you and your cheesecake this morning and was planning to write you to see how it went. You beat me to it!! So glad to hear your cheesecake was a success. And Happy Birthday!

My daughter's birthday was yesterday and she FINALLY decided on the Triple Chocolate Cheesecake. Friday night I realized that the recipe called for an 8-inch springform pan and I had a 9 1/2 inch! Panic!!! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/eek.gif I called all of my cooking friends to try to borrow one, but was unsuccessful. One friend suggested increasing the recipe... Out came the calculator and my husband and I calculated the area of an 8" versus a 9 1/2" circle and then figured the percentage difference. It was about 43% more area so I ended up increasing the recipe by 50% to keep it simple.

Well, to make a long story shorter... I also had a jiggly cheesecake after the cooking time stated in the recipe. I cooked it about 30 minutes longer and it came out great.

Well, Sarah LOVED her birthday cheesecake. It was delicious and did taste like a creamy frozen fudge pop just like the cookbook said. Everyone was amazed that it was a "light" recipe, and her friend Elise, who hates anything with cream cheese, loved it!! Her approval is always the true test of success!

Thank you again to everyone for all of your recommendations! Our cheesecake adventure was also a great success!

Peggy

[food girl]

I am eating the mocha cheesecake right now. It is verrrry rich. Needs 2 glasses of milk!
Lisa

[Beth]

With all the talk about cheesecakes here, I've been looking for a reason to bake one, or two or more. We had a group meeting change and needed to come up with dinner plans. I'll probably need 2 deserts, so one will have to be a cheesecake. Tough choice ahead!

[Ed]

Hi Natasha & Peggy,

Thank you for the kind words and good wishes. We had a great birthday, Heather & I.

Now it's on to planning the Birthday party for the middle daughter and my wife's, both in November.

I sure do enjoy visiting with all of you over this Cooking Light Bulletin Board.

Thanks again,

Ed

[Kristilyn1]

Too late for the parties--but I LOVE the lemon swirled cheesecake!

I am lazy so I usually make a graham cracker crust though.

Kristi