Need your best cheese cake recipe

[ctd1103]

I need to find a t&t cheese cake recipe, and if possible, something seasonal as well - I have this great idea of a caramel apple cheese cake, but can't seem to find one on line that isn't very labor intesive (aka Bobby Flay's) or one that doesn't use jarred apple pie filling.
Anyone have an easy, seasonal and exceptionally delicious cheese cake? I'd be eternally gratefull.......

[testkitchen45]

My grandma's cheesecake is a not-to-be-missed TNT at our house; very dense & rich. But it's not "seasonal." It's just great. 'll share if you wish! I have an easy Ladyfinger Cheesecake that's very pretty, but again it isn't pumpkin or anything. By "seasonal," I assume you mean fall, not Xmas. If you need a good Xmas one, then I sometimes serve mine with cherry pie filling or homemade strawberry sauce, but I don't have a good autumn option--I just think these two are very delicious.

[fstrpstr]

Martha Stewart has a good cheesecake recipe. You can get the recipe on her website.

[bekki]

I made this for Thanksgiving, it's not only pretty straight forward, it's delicious, and very seasonal. The topping is slightly tart, but it's a great contrast with the cheesecake.

Vanilla Bean Cheesecake with Cranberry Jewel Topping
Bon Appétit, November 1994

12 Cookies; vanilla sandwich, broken
5 tablespoon Unsalted butter cut into pieces; room temperature
¼ cup Sugar
2 Vanilla beans (I used vanilla paste)
½ cup Whipping cream
1½ pounds Cream cheese
1 cup Sugar
1 pinch Salt
4 large Eggs
1 Bag cranberries; fresh or frozen
¾ cup Cranberry juice; thawed
¼ cup Water

FOR CRUST; Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350F. Wrap outside of 9"diameter springform pan with 2 3/4" high sides with foil. Blend cookies, butter and sugar in processor until crumbs stick together. Press crumbs on bottom and halfway up side of prepared pan. Bake crust 10 minutes. Set aside. Maintain oven temperature.

(I made the crust by hand in a large pastic bag)

FOR FILLING: Using tip of small sharp knife, scrape seeds from vanilla beans into small saucepan;add beans. Add cream. Bring to simmer over medium heat. Sit aside uncovered, and cool to room temperature. Discard beans. Blend cheese, sugar and salt in processor until very smooth, stopping often to scrape down sides of the work bowl. Add vanilla cream and blend. Add eggs; process 5 seconds. Scrape down sides of work bowl; process just until blended, about 5 seconds. Transfer filling to crust.

(I did the filling in my KitchenAid mixer)

Bake cake until sides puff slightly and center is just set, about 50 minutes. Place uncovered HOT cheesecake directly into refrigetator and chill throughly, at least 6 hours or overnight.

FOR TOPPING; Stir all ingredients in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat; boil 3 minutes. Press mixture through sieve set over large bowl, pressing firmly on solids. Spoon warm topping over cold cake; spread evenly. Chill until topping is set at least 2 hours.(Can be made one day ahead. Cover and keep chilled.)

[springsgourmet9]

I'll second Martha's New York Cheesecake, its labor intensive but fabulous!

[luvItalian]

This is a standard for us this time of year.


GINGERBREAD CHEESECAKE SWIRL

1-pound cream cheese, room temperature
½ t vanilla extract
4 eggs
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
¼ cup molasses
4 Tbl butter at room temperature
1 t ground ginger
1 t ground cinnamon
¼ t nutmeg
1/8 t ground cloves
¼ t salt
½ cup light brown sugar
1 ½ t baking soda
1-cup flour


1. Preheat oven to 350. Butter spring pan. Beat cream cheese on high for 3 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Beat in 2 of the eggs. Gradually add sugar and beat for 3 minutes; set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan heat molasses over low heat until bubbles form on side. Remove from heat and stir in butter until melted. Scrape molasses into a medium bowl and stir in ginger through salt. Add the brown sugar and beat with a spoon until smooth. Let cool to room temperature.
3. Beat the remaining 2 eggs into the gingerbread batter until blended. Stir in the baking soda, and then beat in the flour gradually until well blended.
4. Using a tablespoon, drop half of the gingerbread batter in dollops into the pan. Using ¼ of the cream cheese mixture to fill in the empty spaces. Dollop the remaining gingerbread batter on top of the cream cheese mounds. Fill in another ¼ cream cheese mixture. Swirl with the flat edge of a knife to marbleize batters. Smooth the remaining cream cheese mixture over the top.
5. Bake in the middle of the oven for 50 minutes, or until the top of the cake begins to crack in the center. The cake may seem lumpy since the gingerbread rises and the cheese cake falls

[funniegrrl]

I've posted this several times before. I served with whipped cream; I always thought it would be good with some caramel sauce as well.

NOTE: It FILLS a 9-in springform, so you really have to use that size; in fact, if I remember correctly I had a little batter leftover that I cooked in a couple of ramekins.

Bailey’s Irish Cream Cheesecake
Josh Weekley, Executive Chef, Lowe’s Vanderbilt Plaza Hotel, Nashville

For Crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ lb (one stick) butter, melted
1 Tbsp honey

Combine ingredients, mixing by hand until crumbs are moist and sticky. Butter inside of a 9-inch springform pan. Press crumbs into bottom and along sides. Set aside.

For Cheesecake Filling:
2 ¼ lbs Philadelphia® (or other high-quality) cream cheese, softened
1 ½ cups sugar
5 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
¼ tsp vanilla extract
1 cup Bailey’s Irish Cream® liqueur (no substitutions)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Blend cream cheese and sugar with mixer until creamy. Add eggs and egg yolks, one at a time, mixing well, scraping sides of bowl frequently to incorporate all ingredients. Add vanilla extract and liqueur, mixing well again. Pour into prepared crust. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Let cheesecake cool slightly at room temperature, then chill completely – preferably overnight. The cheesecake will have a mousse-like texture when it comes out of the oven and requires thorough chilling to set. Serves 12.

[cumulus]

This is off the Cookie Madness Website, and I absolutely love it. I get the ugly crack like Anna, but use some sort of raspberry or chocolate sauce on the top anyway. The flavor is outstanding.

The Best Cheesecake Ever

Crust:
1 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons melted butter

Filling:
4 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1 1/3 cups plus 1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon lemon extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons fresh orange juice
3 tablespoons heavy cream
2 1/2 tablespoons flour
2 egg yolks
4 eggs

Topping: Whatever you want to use to cover the crack.

Preheat oven to 475 degrees F.

Prepare crust. Mix crumbs, sugar, and butter and press into bottom of a 9 inch springform pan.

In large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat cream cheese just until smooth; slowly beat in sugar, scraping bowl often with rubber spatula. Add extracts, orange juice, cream, flour, egg yolks, and eggs; Stir until smooth. Do not beat the eggs, just stir them and try not to whip any extra air into the batter.

Pour filling over crust.

Bake cheesecake 12 minutes. Reduce oven heat to 300-degrees; bake 35 minutes longer. Turn off oven; let cheesecake remain in oven 30 minutes.

Remove cheesecake from oven; cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or until well chilled.

When cheesecake is firm, with spatula, loosen pan side from cheesecake and remove cake from pan bottom; slide onto serving plate. Pour topping over center.

If you used parchment, you can gently pull the cake onto a beautiful serving platter. Otherwise, just serve it off the pan bottom.

[Barrie]

I made this one for Thanksgiving a couple years ago, and it is as delicious as it is beautiful.

Cranberry-Orange Cheesecake with Chocolate Crust
Bon Appétit | December 2002

Cape Cod's cranberry bogs — which supply the crowning glory of countless holiday desserts — provided the inspiration for this festive and luscious cheesecake. Chocolate wafer cookies (used in the crust) are sometimes located in the ice cream section, displayed above the freezer case.

Servings: Makes 12 servings.

Crust
1 9-ounce box chocolate wafer cookies, broken
2 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Filling
4 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons grated orange peel
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon water
2 cups fresh cranberries
1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel

For crust:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Finely grind cookies and chocolate in processor. Add butter; blend until moist clumps form. Using plastic wrap as aid, press crumb mixture onto bottom and 1 1/4 inches up sides of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Bake until set, about 8 minutes. Cool completely.

For filling:
Increase oven temperature to 350°F. Wrap 2 layers of heavy-duty foil around bottom and up sides of springform pan. Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until light. Beat in flour. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, just until blended. Beat in orange peel and vanilla.

Pour filling into crust. Place springform pan in large roasting pan. Fill roasting pan with enough hot water to come halfway up sides of springform pan. Bake until filling is just set in center but still moves slightly, about 55 minutes. Remove cake from water bath; transfer to rack and cool completely, about 4 hours. Cover and chill overnight.

For topping:
Stir sugar and water in medium saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium; add cornstarch mixture and bring to simmer. Add cranberries; cook until beginning to pop, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Stir in orange peel. Cool completely. Cover and chill overnight. (Cheesecake and cranberry mixture can be made 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.)

Run knife around top edge of cheesecake to loosen. Release pan sides. Top cheesecake with cranberry mixture. Chill until set, about 1 hour.


This is is my go-to cheesecake recipe. It is absolutely scrumptious!

Double-Chocolate Cheesecake

Servings: Serves 10 to 12.

Crust
1 9-ounce box chocolate wafer cookies
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
For filling
1 1/2 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon instant coffee powder
12 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 large eggs

For glaze
1/2 cup whipping cream
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

Make crust:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Wrap outside of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides with double thickness of foil. Spray bottom of pan with vegetable oil spray. Finely grind cookies in processor. Add butter and process until blended. Press mixture onto bottom (not sides) of prepared pan. Refrigerate while preparing filling.

Make filling:
Combine cream and coffee powder in medium saucepan. Stir over medium heat until coffee powder dissolves. Reduce heat to low. Add chocolate; whisk until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Cool 10 minutes.

Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until well blended. Beat in cornstarch. Add sour cream and vanilla; beat well. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Whisk 1 cup cheese mixture into chocolate mixture. Return chocolate mixture to remaining cheese mixture; whisk until smooth.

Pour batter into crust. Place springform pan in large baking pan. Add enough hot water to baking pan to cone halfway up sides of springform pan. Bake cheesecake until softly set and slightly puffed around edges, about 1 hour. Turn off oven. Let cake stand in oven 45 minutes. Transfer springform pan t rack and cool. Cover; chill cake overnight.

Make glaze:
Bring cream to boil in heavy small saucepan. Remove from heat. Add 4 ounces chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Pour glaze over top of cake. Using spatula, smooth glaze evenly over top. Refrigerate until glaze is set, at least 2 hours. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Using knife, cut around sides of pan to loosen cake. Remove pan sides. Cut into wedges and serve.

[testkitchen45]

This is a standard for us this time of year.


GINGERBREAD CHEESECAKE SWIRL

1-pound cream cheese, room temperature
½ t vanilla extract
4 eggs
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
¼ cup molasses
4 Tbl butter at room temperature
1 t ground ginger
1 t ground cinnamon
¼ t nutmeg
1/8 t ground cloves
¼ t salt
½ cup light brown sugar
1 ½ t baking soda
1-cup flour


1. Preheat oven to 350. Butter spring pan. Beat cream cheese on high for 3 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Beat in 2 of the eggs. Gradually add sugar and beat for 3 minutes; set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan heat molasses over low heat until bubbles form on side. Remove from heat and stir in butter until melted. Scrape molasses into a medium bowl and stir in ginger through salt. Add the brown sugar and beat with a spoon until smooth. Let cool to room temperature.
3. Beat the remaining 2 eggs into the gingerbread batter until blended. Stir in the baking soda, and then beat in the flour gradually until well blended.
4. Using a tablespoon, drop half of the gingerbread batter in dollops into the pan. Using ¼ of the cream cheese mixture to fill in the empty spaces. Dollop the remaining gingerbread batter on top of the cream cheese mounds. Fill in another ¼ cream cheese mixture. Swirl with the flat edge of a knife to marbleize batters. Smooth the remaining cream cheese mixture over the top.
5. Bake in the middle of the oven for 50 minutes, or until the top of the cake begins to crack in the center. The cake may seem lumpy since the gingerbread rises and the cheese cake falls

Do you have a photo? Did all the recipe end up getting into your post (the last sentence kind of ends abruptly; does the cake smooth out as it cools)? It sounds really pretty; I love swirl cheesecakes and would like to try this one. :) Oh--what's the recipe source? Thanks!

Cumulus, do you just make a standard dark chocolate sauce to serve with cheesecake, or something different? Oddly, I never thought to serve a chocolate sauce with cheesecake (I always go with cherry or strawberry, or none), and it sounds great. Thanks.

[Alleycat]

While I love to cheesecake, I am not much of a cheesecake maker. Mine always crack! But I did make this one for a party in September -- it too cracked, but it was very good anyway. I used 2 blocks of 1/3 reduced fat cream cheese and regular caramel sauce instead of the fat free as listed in the recipe. And I had a bowl full of Ginger Gold apples, so used those in lieu of the Golden Delicious.

There are a number of reader reviews at myrecipes.com


Caramel Swirl-and-Apple Cheesecake


So that the yogurt has ample time to drain and become yogurt cheese, start this cheesecake a day ahead.


1 (32-ounce) carton vanilla low-fat yogurt
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon stick margarine, softened
1 egg white
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 40 crackers)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Vegetable cooking spray
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup orange juice
3 cups cubed peeled Golden Delicious apple (about 1 1/4 pounds)
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (8-ounce) block Neufchâtel cheese, softened
1 (8-ounce) block nonfat cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1/3 cup fat-free caramel-flavored sundae syrup
2 tablespoons fat-free caramel-flavored sundae syrup
Cinnamon sticks (optional)

Place colander in a 2-quart glass measure or bowl. Line colander with 4 layers of cheesecloth, allowing cheesecloth to extend over edge of bowl. Spoon yogurt into colander. Cover loosely with plastic wrap; refrigerate 12 hours. Spoon yogurt cheese into a bowl; discard liquid. Cover and refrigerate.
Preheat oven to 350°. Combine 1/4 cup sugar, margarine, and egg white in a bowl; beat at medium speed of a mixer until blended. Add crumbs and cinnamon; stir well. Firmly press mixture into bottom and 1 1/2 inches up sides of a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes; let cool on a wire rack.

Preheat oven to 300°. Combine brown sugar and orange juice in a large nonstick skillet; bring to a boil. Add apple; cook 8 minutes until apple is tender and liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally. Set aside.

Combine yogurt cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, and next 5 ingredients (1/2 cup sugar through nonfat cream cheese) in a bowl; beat at medium speed of a mixer until smooth. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

Spoon apple mixture into prepared pan. Pour cheese mixture over apples; top with 1/3 cup sundae syrup, and swirl with a knife to create a marbled effect. Bake at 300° for 1 hour until almost set. Turn oven off; loosen cake from sides of pan using a narrow metal spatula or knife. Let cheesecake stand for 40 minutes in oven with door closed. Remove cheesecake from oven, and let cool to room temperature. Cover and chill at least 8 hours. Drizzle remaining 2 tablespoons sundae syrup over top; garnish with cinnamon sticks, if desired.

Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 1 wedge)

CALORIES 286 (25% from fat); FAT 8g (sat 3.7g,mono 1.3g,poly 0.5g); PROTEIN 10.4g; CHOLESTEROL 55mg; CALCIUM 160mg; SODIUM 384mg; FIBER 0.9g; IRON 0.7mg; CARBOHYDRATE 44.2g

Cooking Light, APRIL 1996

[gracey]

I made this one last month -- it is out of the Junior's Cheesecake Cookbook. If it cracked, you couldn't tell b/c of the apple topping. I skipped the last topping of raw apples and I think they would be overkill anyway. Did do the caramel ice cream topping drizzle and it is a pretty touch. I used just a regular shortbread crust instead of the spongecake one. It was pretty simple for a cheesecake recipe.

Oh -- I also promptly ignored the "don't freeze the cake" warning and froze leftover slices. They were fine.

Junior's Apple Caramel Cheesecake

- makes one 9-inch cheesecake, about 3 inches high -

Ingredients
Junior's Sponge Cake Crust (recipe follows)

For the apple filling:
3 large firm, crisp red-skinned apples
1/2 cup apple cider or apple juice
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the cheesecake:
Three 8-ounce packages cream cheese (use only full fat), room temperature
1 1/3 cups sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 extra-large eggs
2/3 cup heavy or whipping cream

For the apple-caramel topping:
2 large firm, crisp red-skinned apples
Juice of one large lemon
1 cup caramel or butterscotch ice cream topping

1. Make and bake the Sponge Cake Crust, and leave it in the pan. Keep the oven on.

2. To make the filling, peel and core the apples for the filling into ½-inch, bite-size pieces. Combine the cider, cornstarch, sugar, and cinnamon in a small saucepan and whisk until completely dissolved. While stirring constantly, bring to a full boil over medium heat and continue to boil until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the apples. Set aside to cool while you make the cake.

3. Put one package of the cream cheese, 1/3 cup of the sugar, and the cornstarch in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low until creamy, about 3 minutes, scraping the bowl down several times. Blend in the remaining cream cheese, one package at a time, scraping down the bowl after each one. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat in the remaining 1 cup of sugar, then the vanilla. Blend in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after adding each one. Beat in the cream just until completely blended. Be careful not to overmix! Gently spoon the batter on top of the crust, then spoon the apple mixture over the batter, gently spreading it almost to the edge of the pan, completely covering the cake.

4. Place the cake in a large shallow pan containing hot water that comes about 1 inch up the sides of the springform. Bake until the edges are light golden brown and the top is slightly golden tan, about 1 1/4 hours. Remove the cheesecake from the water bath, transfer to a wire rack, and let cool for 2 hours (just walk away—don’t move it). Leave the cake in the pan, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until completely cold, preferably overnight or at least 4 hours. Transfer the cake to the freezer for 1 hour.

5. For the prettiest cake, decorate within a few hours of serving, so the apples stay fresh and crisp. To make the topping, core the apples and thinly slice them or cut them into bite-size pieces (leave the peel on if you like). Toss the apples with the lemon juice (this keeps them from turning brown). Release and remove the sides of the springform, leaving the cake on the bottom of the pan. Place on a serving plate. Top the cake with the apples (wipe them with a paper towel first).

6. Warm the caramel ice cream topping (don’t let it boil), then drizzle it from the tip of a small spoon in stripes across the top of the cake, all around the edges, and some down the sides. Return the cake to the freezer until the caramel has set, 30 minutes. Refrigerate the cake until ready to serve. Slice with a sharp straight-edge knife, not a serrated one. Cover any leftover cake and refrigerate. Do not freeze this cake.

Junior’s Sponge Cake Crust

- makes one 9-inch crust

Ingredients
1/3 cup sifted cake flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
2 extra-large eggs, separated
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 drops pure lemon extract
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Procedure
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and generously butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan (preferably a nonstick one). Wrap the outside with aluminum foil, covering the bottom and extending all the way up the sides.

2. In a small bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together.

3. Beat the egg yolks in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high for 3 minutes. With the mixer running, slowly add 2 tablespoons of the sugar and beat until thick light yellow ribbons form, about 5 minutes more. Beat in the extracts.

4. Sift the flour mixture over the batter and stir it in by hand, just until no more white flecks appear. Now, blend in the melted butter.

5. Now wash the mixing bowl and beaters really well (if even a little fat is left, this can cause the egg whites not to whip). Put the egg whites and cream of tartar into the bowl and beat with the mixer on high until frothy. Gradually add the remaining sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form (the whites will stand up and look glossy, not dry). Fold about one-third of the whites into the batter, then the remaining whites. Don’t worry if you still see a few white specks, as they’ll disappear during baking.

6. Gently spread out the batter over the bottom of the pan, and bake just until set and golden (not wet or sticky), about 10 minutes. Touch the cake gently in the center. If it springs back, it’s done. Watch carefully and don’t let the top brown. Leave the crust in the pan and place on a wire rack to cool.

[HealthyinMN]

I made this one for Thanksgiving a couple years ago, and it is as delicious as it is beautiful.

Cranberry-Orange Cheesecake with Chocolate Crust
Bon Appétit

I made this in December of last year (http://desertculinary.blogspot.com/2006/12/fresh-cranberries-part-two.html) and agree it was great!

I did make a homemade Oreo crust instead though!

http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/5983/1265/400/406433/CranberryCheesecake-4.jpg

[ctd1103]

Wow, these look fantastic!!! Now I'm stumped on which one to try first....