Cheesecake Tips
BEST Cheesecake Recipe
Cappuccino Chocolate Cheesecake
Cherry Cheesecake Tarts
Chocolate Marbled Cheesecake
Cyndi's Candy Cane Cheesecake
Double Chocolate Cheesecake
Heavenly Chocolate Cheesecake
Jake’s Oreo Cream Cheese Bites
Mini Cheesecakes
Minute Cheesecake
New York Styled Cheesecake
Philadelphia Cheesecake
Cheesecake Tips
Here are some tips to keep your cheesecake from cracking:
BEST Cheesecake Recipe
Oh. My. Gosh. This is the BEST cheesecake I've ever eaten! So creamy, so good! You'll need a 9" springform pan
for this and make sure ALL of your ingredients are room temperature. I found this recipe at
SugarSpunRun.com
Crust ingredients:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
7 tablespoons butter, melted
Cheesecake ingredients:
4 (8oz) packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup sour cream, room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs, lightly beaten and room temperature
Preheat oven to 325F.
Prepare crust first by combining graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and brown sugar, stirring well. Add melted butter and use a fork to combine ingredients well. Texture will be like wet sand.
Pour crumbs into a greased 9" springform pan and press firmly into the bottom and up the sides of your pan. Set aside.
Add cream cheese to large bowl and using a hand or stand mixer, stir until smooth and creamy - don't over beat or you'll add too much air.
Add sugar to cream cheese and stir again until creamy. Add in sour cream, vanilla extract, salt, and stir until well combined. Make sure you pause occasionally to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula to make sure the ingredients are evenly distributed.
With mixer on low, gradually add lightly beaten eggs, one at a time, stirring just until each egg is just incorporated. Once all eggs have been added, use a spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl again and make sure all ingredients are well combined.
Pour cheesecake batter into prepared springform pan. To insure against leaks, place pan on a cookie sheet that's been lined with foil.
Transfer to the center rack of your oven and bake for about 75 minutes. Edges will likely be slightly puffed and might have just begun to turn a light golden brown. The center should spring back to the touch, but should still be Jello-jiggly. Don't over-bake! Try not to open the oven door too often.
Remove from oven and allow to cool on top of stove for 10 minutes. You don’t want to cool too rapidly because it may cause cracking.
After about 10 minutes, use a knife to gently loosen the crust from the inside of the springform pan (this will also help prevent cracks as your cheesecake cools and shrinks).
Allow cheesecake to cool another 1-2 hours until it reaches room temperature before transferring to fridge. Cool overnight or at least for 6 hours before serving.
Cappuccino Chocolate Cheesecake
Instead of making the chocolate and cinnamon crust, make an Oreo crust by crushing 3/4 package of Oreo cookies, adding 1/4 melted butter to it and then pressing it into bottom of pan. You can also use graham crackers if you can't find chocolate wafers.
1 1/4 cups chocolate wafers, crushed (I used chocolate graham crackers)
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 (8-oz.) package light cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for garnish
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 1/2 cups sour cream
2 tablespoons instant coffee
1 teaspoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 325F. Stir together wafer crumbs and cinnamon. Pat into bottom of a 9-inch spring form pan. Beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. Beat in sugar and cocoa powder. Beat in eggs. Stir in 2 cups of sour cream, instant coffee and vanilla. Turn into prepared pan. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until set.
Spread remaining 1/2 cup of sour cream evenly over top. Return to oven one minute to glaze top. Cool to room temperature, then chill thoroughly, covered. Remove from spring form pan. Just before serving, dust top with cocoa powder in decorative pattern, if desired.
Cherry Cheesecake Tarts
Almond pastry:
1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons finely chopped almonds
1 tablespoon sugar
Dash of salt
Maraschino cheesecake tarts:
1 package low fat cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup drained chopped cherries, fresh or frozen
Apricot preserves
Almond pastry for tarts: (if you make this and it actually works, I'll be real proud of you) mix together flour, chopped almonds, sugar, and salt. Cut butter into mixture until texture resembles coarse crumbs.
Tarts: preheat oven to 400F.
Press one tablespoon almond pastry into 2 1/2-inch tart pans. Prick pastry with fork. Bake 5-10 minutes until lightly browned. Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add egg, lemon juice, lemon peel and almond extract and blend well. Spoon one teaspoon cherries over pastry. Pour cream cheese mixture over cherries. Reduce oven temperature to 350F. Bake twelve to fifteen minutes or until cream cheese layer is set. Cool completely before removing from tar pans. Top each with warmed apricot preserves.
Chocolate Marbled Cheesecake
This makes one 9-inch cheesecake.
Crust:
2 cups crushed chocolate sandwich cookies
5 tablespoons melted butter
Filling:
3 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, at room temperature (wouldn't that be the same as "softened"?)
1 cup granulated (not smack-u-lated, now) sugar
5 large eggs
2 oz. (2 squares) semisweet chocolate, melted
Frosting:
6 oz. (6 squares) semisweet chocolate, melted
1/2 cup sour cream
For crust: in a medium bowl, mix together crumbs and butter until well blended. Press into a 9-inch spring form pan.
Preheat oven to 300F.
For filling: in a large bowl, beat together cream cheese, sugar, and eggs at medium speed until smooth and fluffy. Spoon half of this mixture into crust. Stir chocolate into remaining cream cheese mixture until well blended. Drizzle over batter in crust to make swirls.
Bake cake for 50 minutes. Transfer pan to wire rack and cool completely. Transfer cooled cheesecake to a serving plate, cover with plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours.
Uncover cheesecake; carefully remove from the pan.
For frosting: in a small bowl, mix together chocolate and sour cream. Spread over cake; chill briefly until frosting is set. Optional: shove as much cheesecake in your mouth as you can and then grin widely at your Mom as she takes your picture.
Cyndi's Candy Cane Cheesecake
Cyndi makes this cheesecake every Christmas. She says, "A round candy cane atop our cheesecake is the perfect
garnish for this minty treat. I have made this in a regular deep dish pie plate instead of a spring form pan and
it was just as good."
1 1/3 cups chocolate cookie crumbs
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
11/2 cups sour cream
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
3 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons butter, softened
2/3 cup crushed peppermint candy
Whipped cream
Preheat oven to 325F. Combine first 3 ingredients and press into the bottom of a 9-inch spring form pan. Set aside.
In blender or food processor, blend sour cream, 1/2 cup sugar, eggs, flour, and extracts until smooth. Add cream cheese and 2 tablespoons butter, blending until completely smooth. Stir in crushed candy. Pour into crust. Bake on lowest rack of oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until firm.
Allow to cool (cheesecake may crack while cooling), then refrigerate overnight. To serve, use knife to loosen sides of cheesecake from pan; remove spring form. Spread top of cheesecake with whipped cream. Yield: 10 to 12 servings.
Double Chocolate Cheesecake
This recipe is from Sherri's files and my feelings are very hurt that she hasn't made this for me yet.
6 tablespoons butter, melted
1 1/2 teaspoons mint extract, optional
2 cups chocolate wafer crumbs (about 20 wafers)
4 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
6 squares (6 oz.) semisweet chocolate, melted
1 1/3 cups sugar
3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 eggs
2 cups sour cream
4 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Chocolate curls, optional
Preheat oven to 500F.
Stir together butter and mint extract (if used). Stir in crumbs until well blended. Press crumb mixture evenly over bottom and about one half inch up sides of greased 9-inch spring form pan. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese, chocolate, 1 1/3 cups sugar, flour, and one teaspoon vanilla at low speed until blended. Beat at high speed until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Pour into prepared pan. Bake at 500F for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 250F and continue baking until cake tester inserted near center comes out clean, an additional 50 to 60 minutes. Cool on wire rack 10 minutes. Leave oven on.
Blend together sour cream, 4 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Spread evenly over cake. Bake an additional 5 minutes. Cool on wire rack 45 minutes to one hour.
Refrigerate until firm, at least 8 hours or overnight. Garnish with chocolate curls.
Heavenly Chocolate Cheesecake
This no-bake cake is relatively easy to make and it tastes, well, heavenly!
Crust:
3 cups crushed vanilla wafers
1 1/2 cups ground pecans
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup margarine, melted
Filling:
3 cups (11 1/2-oz. package) milk chocolate chips
1 1/2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
3/4 cup skim milk
3 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sour cream
3/4 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 cup whipping cream, whipped
For the crust: In a medium bowl, combine crumbs, pecans, sugar and margarine; mix well. Press firmly into bottom of 12-inch spring form pan and 2 inches up sides.
For the cake: In a small heavy saucepan and over low heat, melt chocolate chips, stirring frequently. In small saucepan, sprinkle gelatin over milk; let stand for one minute. Warm over low heat, stirring frequently, until gelatin is dissolved. In larger mixer bowl, beat cream cheese, sour cream and chocolate until fluffy. Beat gelatin mixture and almond extract. Fold in whipped cream; pour into crust.
Chill about 3 hours or until firm. Run knife around edge of cheesecake; remove rim.
Jake’s Oreo Cream Cheese Bites
He usually triples this recipe - he has to because it’s a favorite!
12 Oreo cookies
2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup plain, fat-free Greek yogurt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
Preheat oven to 350º and line each muffin tin with a cupcake liner. Place one Oreo in each liner.
Beat together cream cheese, sugar, and yogurt until smooth. Mix in vanilla. Add in eggs, one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each.
Spoon cheese mixture into each liner, over the cookie, and then bake for 20 minutes, or until center of each cheesecake is set. Cool and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving.
Mini Cheesecakes
These freeze well (up to two months) and are very easy to make. Just remember to take them out of the freezer and eat
them. I just threw away some that I put in there two years ago -- I should've pinned a note to my shirt or something.
12 vanilla wafers
2 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
Preheat oven to 325F. Line muffin tin with foil liners. Place one vanilla wafer in each liner. Mix cream cheese, vanilla and sugar on medium speed until well blended. Add eggs and mix well. Pour over wafers, filling 3/4 way full. Bake 25 minutes. Remove from pan when cool. Chill. Top with fruit, preserves, nuts, or something chocolate.
Minute Cheesecake
This is the fastest dessert recipe. This can be whipped up in 3 to 5 minutes and it is very light.
1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup sour cream
1 (8-oz.) container Cool Whip
1 graham cracker crust
3 tablespoons lemon juice, optional
Cream sugar and cream cheese. Add in sour cream, vanilla, and lemon juice (if desired). Fold in Cool Whip. Spoon into crust and refrigerate.
New York Styled Cheesecake
This recipe takes 5,353,584,485 hours to make and is a pain in the patootie. Just sayin'.
Crust ingredients:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs about 12 crackers
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter melted
1 Pinch salt
Filling ingredients:
4 (8oz) packages cream cheese, softened
8 ounces sour cream
1 1/2 cups sugar
5 eggs
1 Tablespoon Vanilla
1 Tablespoon lemon zest
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Prepare your springform pan by spraying with cooking spray, placing a parchment round on the bottom then spraying the top of the parchment with cooking spray.
For the crust, mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter together. This should resemble damp sand. Pour your crumb mixture into the prepared springform pan and press evenly into the pan. You can use the bottom of a flat glass or a flat measuring cup to really press it in well and get a nice, even crust.
Bake for 10 minutes. Allow to cool completely.
For the filling, add your softened cream cheese to the mixing bowl of your stand mixer and beat with a paddle at medium/high speed for about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and beat for a few seconds more.
Add sugar and sour cream and mix at medium/low speed until just combined. Scrape the bowl again and mix 10 seconds.
Add eggs and beat on low speed until combined, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Scrape the bowl again.
Add vanilla and lemon zest. Beat until just combined. At this point, your batter should be smooth and fairly runny.
Using 18” heavy duty aluminum foil, wrap the outside of your springform pan with 4 sheets of foil. (You can use regular foil, but it may take a couple more sheets to ensure the water does not get into your pan.)
Place your wrapped pan in a deep roasting pan. You can alternatively use a baking sheet, so long as the sides are about 2 inches deep.
Add your cheesecake batter to the springform pan.
Using very hot water, add water to the baking sheet/ until there is about 1 1/2 inches of water around the springform pan. On a rack in the lower 3rd of the oven, carefully move your pan into the oven.
Bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. After about an hour of baking, check the cheesecake’s consistency. A slight jiggle of the pan (while still in the oven) should tell you if it’s ready or needs more time. The cheesecake should be jiggly, but not liquid. If still it seems very liquidy, give it 10 more minutes and check it again.
Once the cheesecake is firm, yet jiggly, turn the oven off but leave the cheesecake in the oven for another hour or so, until the oven has cooled down. Resist the temptation to open the oven during this time! The purpose of this step is to allow the cheesecake to cool slowly as the oven cools. Doing this will prevent it from cracking, as one of the biggest reasons cheesecakes crack is the drastic temperature change going from the hot oven into the much cooler kitchen.
Once the oven and the cheesecake are cooled, remove from the oven and carefully remove the foil lining the pan. Chill in the fridge for at least 6 hours.
Before serving, run a knife around the edge of the pan to ensure an easy release when the springform is removed.
Top with desired toppings and enjoy!
Philadelphia Cheesecake
I got this recipe while clipping coupons. The first time I made it, I think it was either Thanksgiving or Christmas
of 1991. It isn’t as dense as the New York Styled Cheesecake, it's much lighter and sort of dry.
6 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
3 teaspoons lemon zest (this is lemon rind), grated
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
6 eggs separated
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons margarine, melted
1/4 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped fine
Crust: combine crumbs, nuts, and margarine; press onto bottom of 12-inch spring form pan.
Cake: combine cream cheese, sugar, juice, zest, and vanilla, mixing at medium speed on electric mixer until well blended. Add egg yolks one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites; pour over crust. Bake at 300F for an hour or more. The center should be set.
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