Mini Pomegranate and Pistachio No-bake Cheesecakes

I've kind of been on a no-bake cheesecake spree these days. It all started innocently enough when I made mini peanut butter cheesecakes for my friends. Then, for my cousin's birthday, I made a nutella swirl no bake cheesecake. When the long weekend came around a few weeks ago, my parents were invited to a friend's house for dinner and asked to bring dessert. Even though I was scheduled to work the whole weekend, I had a few days off before it started and I asked my mom if I could make these mini cheesecakes for her to bring. She was more than enthused at the idea and agreed without any hesitation.

In my previous no-bake cheesecakes, I had used only whipping cream in the cake. However this recipe used gelatin instead and I was curious to see how it would turn out. Gelatin is great because it adds structure and shape to many desserts, but I am always cautious to use too much as it can also provide a bit of a slimy texture.

The original recipe called for cherry and pistachio flavors, but since I already had an open bottle of POM juice I decided to substitute it in. The cakes turned out quite cute and colorful, especially because I added a drop of gel-based food coloring. More importantly, they tasted great! My parents saved a few for me and my brother and I was impressed with how they turned out. Not only were the flavors of both the pomegranate and the pistachio pronounced, but my texture concerns were completely unfounded. These little cakes have a lot of potential to be featured again soon.

Mini Pomegranate and Pistachio No-bake Cheesecakes
Note: I used my mini cheesecake pan and was able to make 24 cheesecakes. I had a little extra and poured it into a few cupcake liners but unfortunately they didn't come well. If not making minis, the cheesecake could also be made in a larger, 9" size but would have to stay in the freezer longer to ensure that it sets properly.

For the crust:

• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1/6 cup sugar

Combine all of the ingredients and distribute evenly amongst the wells of the muffin/cheesecake pan. Lightly pat down the bottoms and bake for five minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Set aside to cool.

For the cheesecake:

• 2 lbs (4 blocks) cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 envelopes gelatin
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup pomegranate juice
• 1 cup water
• ½ cup pistachios
• Optional: red and green food coloring (to make the color stand out more)

1. Finely grind the pistachios until they become almost like a paste. Set aside.
2. Mix one envelope of the gelatin with ½ cup of the sugar in a small bowl. Bring one cup of water to a boil and add to the sugar-gelatin mixture. Stir well for about five minutes or until the gelatine is completely dissolved.
3. Repeat the same process with the second envelope of gelatin and remaining ½ cup of sugar, this time using the pomegranate juice instead of water.
4. Beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed for a few minutes, until whipped and smooth.
5. Divide the cream cheese in half. With one half, beat in the pistachio paste and, if using, a drop of green food coloring. Continue to beat until it is smooth and all the color has been evenly incorporated. 
6. Slow down the speed and gradually beat in the plain sugar-gelatin mixture. Continue beating until the gelatin water has been completely mixed in. 
7. Divide the batter amongst the wells of the pan, filling them halfway to the top. Place the pans in the freezer while finishing the pomegranate batter.
8. With the remaining half of the cream cheese, beat in the drop of red food coloring, if using, and slowly mix in the pomegranate-gelatin mixture.
9. Once again, divide the batter evenly amongst the wells, this time filling each completely to the top. Use a spoon or spatula to even out the tops, making them smooth. Return the pans to the freezer for about two hours, or until firm. 
10. Once firm, carefully remove from the pans. The cakes can be stored in the fridge until ready to serve.

Nutella Swirl No-bake Cheesecake

Back in the beginning of the month it was my lovely cousin's twentieth birthday and we had, as per usual, a big family celebration. For most family occasions, I am given free reign over what kind of dessert to make and my cousin's only request was for something either with chocolate or nutella. I decided to include both, though mostly focusing on the nutella with this no-bake cheesecake.

Funny enough, even though I consider myself to be quite the cheesecake expert having baked dozens over the years, I have only recently started to foray into the world of no-bake cheesecakes. It all started with the mini peanut butter cheesecakes I made a few months ago when my friends came over. Since then, I have come to the realization that there are many flavor combinations I have yet to explore in the no-bake category which makes me quite excited because I now have a whole new world of cheesecake possibilities open to me.

With this cake in particular, I tried to model it somewhat after the pecan pie cheesecake I made for my own birthday, except I made a chocolate ganache layer with chopped hazelnuts over the crust rather than a caramel layer with pecans. The result, however, did not turn out quite as I anticipated as the ganache froze and became difficult to cut into. Since the cake was set in the freezer and not baked like the previous cheesecake, I had not taken that into account.

Also, to make this cake I adapted the recipe from the mini peanut butter cheesecakes but substituted nutella in for the peanut butter. Unfortunately, I don't think my proportions translated well when I converted the recipe from "mini" form into one big ten inch cake. Since there was no gelatin in the cake and it relied purely on whipped cream to give it structure, the resulting cheesecake was very soft, almost like ice cream. Everyone in my actually loved this "soft serve" texture but I wish it had a little more shape to it. I tried to keep it in the freezer as long as possible, transferring it to the fridge mere hours before the party once I piped on the whipped cream topping. Still, even the six hours it spent in the fridge softened the cake and likely it would have had more structure had we eaten it straight from the freezer.

Overall, it was a good venture into the world of no-bake cheesecakes and I will continue to try out new recipes to create the perfect base cake, just as I have with my regular cheesecakes. After that, I'm confident I will truly be the cheesecake queen!

Nutella Swirl No-bake Cheesecake
Note: I think it best to omit the ganache/hazelnut layer from the crust since it clearly did not work for this type of cheesecake. Therefore, I have included the recipe for just a simple crust.

For the crust:

• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs 
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ⅓ cup butter, melted

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and then transfer to an 10" springform pan. Gently press down all along the bottom and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 minutes.

For the cheesecake:

• 2 blocks (16 oz) cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup nutella
• 1½ cups powdered sugar

1. Whip the heavy cream on medium-high speed until light and fluffy with soft peaks. Set aside in the fridge.
2. Beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed for a few minutes, until whipped and smooth.
3. Turn down the speed to low and beat in the sugar. Increase the speed and continue mixing for a few minutes until well mixed.
4. Divide the batter in half. To one half, beat in the nutella until completely smooth and incorporated. 
5. Using a spatula, gently fold the half the whipped cream into the plain batter and the other half into the nutella batter. Make sure all of the whipped cream is incorporated but try not to overmix so that it keeps its airiness. 
6. Pour half the nutella batter into the pan over the crust. Carefully spoon half of the plain batter in small dollops over top. Use a thin spatula or knife to swirl the two mixtures. Repeat the process and swirl again.
7. Put the pan in the freezer for at least four hours, though preferably overnight. Touch the top of the cake to make sure it is solid before removing from the pan and transferring to the fridge.

For the whipped cream topping:
Note: The topping is completely optional. I made stabilized whipped cream and then piped it in a circular pattern across the top. However because the whipped cream cannot be frozen, the cake had to be returned to the fridge rather than the freezer. If you will be wanting to serve the cake much later, I suggest skipping the topping and simply serving the cake as is from the freezer.

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
• ¼ cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp unflavored gelatin
• 4 tsp cold water

1. In a small pan, combine the gelatin and cold water and let it stand for a minute until thick.
2. Place the pan over low heat, stirring constantly, until the gelatin dissolves. 
3. Remove from the heat and set aside so that it cools to room temperature, but do not let it set.
4. Meanwhile, start whipping the cream on low speed. Once bubbles start to form, add the powdered sugar and vanilla and increase the speed slightly.
5. Slowly pour in the gelatin while continuing to whip the cream. If the gelatin has set, place it briefly over the heat to loosen it again, however make sure it is not hot when adding it to the cream as it will set upon contact with the cold cream and create chunks.
6. Once all the gelatin has been added, increase the speed to high and continue to whip until stiff peaks form.
7. Transfer the whipped cream to a piping bag fitted with a decorative nozzle and pipe in any design across the top of the cake. Once finished, return the cake to the fridge until ready to serve. 

Mini Peanut Butter Cheesecakes

If anyone were to ask me what is my favorite TV show I would not even hesitate before responding...Friends. I've long lost track of how many times I have seen each episode, but let's just say I can quote every single one. My friend recently just finished watching all ten seasons and was super excited when I told her that I own the Friends Scene-it DVD game. She insisted that we play it even though I warned her no one can beat me. In fact I haven't played the game in over six years because everyone refuses to play with me. Still, she begged me to play so I invited her and a few others over and ordered in some sushi.

Seeing as I had the day off I thought it would be nice to make something for dessert and we could eat it while playing the game. I decided to make something easy and had one block of cream cheese left over from my birthday cake. I found a simple recipe online and used my mini cheesecake pan. At first I was a little confused why there were no eggs listed, but then I realized that it was actually a no-bake cheesecake. This made me excited because, despite the fact that I have made many cheesecakes, I have never made a no-bake cheesecake.

The recipe was quick and easy to follow and the cakes were ready after two hours in the freezer. I'm sure the recipe could be adapted to other flavors as well. To top them I made "stabilized whipped cream". I had heard of the concept before and wanted to try it out. Basically, it is whipped cream that has a little bit of gelatin added to it so that it can keep its shape, making it ideal for frosting or decorating cakes ahead of time. The whipped cream held up for days afterward in the fridge and still tasted just as good. My mom pointed out that if you think about it, it's kind of like a semi-mousse because it uses all the same ingredients, just much less gelatin. Even so, it's a great way to be able to make whipped cream and save it for later use.

Mini Peanut Butter Cheesecakes
Note: I used my mini cheesecake pan and was able to make 18 cheesecakes. A cupcake pan with liners would also work. The cheesecake could also be made in a larger, 9" size but would have to stay in the freezer longer to ensure that it sets properly.

For the crust:

• 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1½ tbsp sugar
• ¼ cup (4 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted

Combine all of the ingredients together in a small bowl. Add one tablespoon into each well of a lined cupcake tray. Press down gently. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for seven minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

For the cheesecake:

• 1 block (8 oz) cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter (make sure it is smooth!)
• 1 cup powdered sugar

1. Whip the heavy cream on medium-high speed until light and fluffy with soft peaks. Set aside in the fridge.
2. Beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed for a few minutes, until whipped and smooth.
3. Turn down the speed to low and beat in the sugar and peanut butter. Increase the speed and continue mixing for a few minutes until well mixed. 
4. Using a spatula, gently fold the whipped cream into the cheesecake mixture. Make sure it is all incorporated but try not to overmix so that it keeps its airiness. 
5. Divide the batter amongst the wells of the pan, filling them completely to the top. Use a spoon or spatula to even out the tops, making them smooth.
6. Put the pan in the freezer for two hours. Touch the tops of the cakes to make sure they are solid before removing from the pan and transferring to the fridge. 

For the whipped cream:

Makes approximately 2 cups.

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
• ¼ cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp unflavored gelatin
• 4 tsp cold water

1. In a small pan, combine the gelatin and cold water and let it stand for a minute until thick.
2. Place the pan over low heat, stirring constantly, until the gelatin dissolves. 
3. Remove from the heat and set aside so that it cools to room temperature, but do not let it set.
4. Meanwhile, start whipping the cream on low speed. Once bubbles start to form, add the powdered sugar and vanilla and increase the speed slightly.
5. Slowly pour in the gelatin while continuing to whip the cream. If the gelatin has set, place it briefly over the heat to loosen it again, however make sure it is not hot when adding it to the cream as it will set upon contact with the cold cream and create chunks.
6. Once all the gelatin has been added, increase the speed to high and continue to whip until stiff peaks form. 

Note: The whipped cream can be set aside in the fridge for later use though I suggest if using it for decoration, such as piping, use it right away. 

Pecan Pie Cheesecake

Yes, that's right. I am once again posting another cheesecake recipe. In my opinion, cheesecakes are the best type of cake so it's no wonder I chose to bake one for my birthday. In the weeks leading up to my birthday this year I was actually quite busy so I didn't have too much extra time to browse through recipes. At first I was just going to make a simple chocolate cheesecake since it's always popular with my family, but then I happened upon this recipe and I decide to give it a shot.

I know I may have said this in the past, but this was the BEST CHEESECAKE EVER!!! The bottom
half consisted of a pecan pie filling (yum) and the top half was the creamy cheese layer. It was amazing! The pecan pie portion had this rich, caramel type flavor and the top half was so smooth it melted in your mouth. Not only did certain members of my family help themselves to seconds, but the leftovers were finished super fast the next day. My mother has already requested that I make it again with no occasion in mind, just because.

Pecan Pie Cheesecake

For the crust:

• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs 
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ⅓ cup butter, melted

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and then transfer to an 11" springform pan. Gently press down all along the bottom and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 minutes.

For the pecan pie layer:

• 1½ cups sugar
• 1 cup corn syrup
• ½ cup butter, melted
• 3 large eggs
• 2 cups chopped pecans
• 1 tsp vanilla 

1. Combine all of the ingredients except the pecans together in a medium saucepan. 
2. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring well, until it comes to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat so that it is gently simmering, and continue cooking and stirring until the mixture thickens, about 8-10 minutes.
3. Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the chopped pecan pieces. Pour the mixture into the springform pan over the crust.

For the cheesecake layer:

• 2 lbs (4 blocks) cream cheese, room temperature
• 1½ cups brown sugar
• 3 tbsp flour
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp vanilla

1. Beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed for about a minute, until smooth.
2. Beat in the sugar and flour and continue beating on medium speed until the cream cheese is fluffy. Scape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
3. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, making sure to incorporate each one before adding the next.
4. Reduce the speed to low and beat in the heavy cream and vanilla. Make sure everything is incorporated but do not overmix the batter.
5. Pour the mixture into springform pan over the pecan pie layer. You may see the pecan mixture shift and come up the sides a little, just make sure the cheesecake batter covers the entire surface. 
6. Bake for 50 minutes at 325 degrees Fahrenheit using a hot water bath or by placing a pan of hot water on the lowest rack beneath the cake.
7. Without opening the oven door, turn off the oven and leave the cake to cool for 1½-2 hours inside the oven. Afterward, remove from the oven and cool to room temperature before refrigerating for at least 4 hours, though preferably overnight.

New York Cheesecake with Strawberry Sauce

Despite being well known amongst my friends and family for making all sorts of cheesecakes, I realized that I have never made the most traditional type: New York Cheesecake. Sure, I've made variations of it, but never a true New York Cheesecake. I decided that I would remedy that by making it for my birthday this year when my family came over to celebrate.

Normally when it comes to making cheesecake for family gatherings I use an 11" pan, my biggest one, and 2 lbs of cream cheese. This recipe used a 9" pan and 3 lbs of cream cheese. Not only that, but it also used 7 whole eggs and 2 egg yolks in addition to sour cream. As you can imagine, the resulting cake was super rich and extremely tall. In fact, when I was pouring the batter into the pan I was afraid of how full it was so I scooped about two cups out and made them into mini cheesecakes.

In my opinion, the perfect New York cheesecake is always accompanied by a fresh fruit sauce and the

classic is always strawberry. I have to admit that once I poured it onto the cake, the sauce kind of made it look sloppy because the strawberries had somewhat discolored and were breaking down. However the taste more than made up for it because it was delicious!

The cake was well received by my family and I was happy to cross such an iconic cake off my list. I don't know if I will repeat the recipe,  because it is truly an extremely rich cake, but I would definitely recommend it for its ease and simplicity.

New York Cheesecake

For the crust:

• 1 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 2½ tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 1½ tbsp sugar

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and then transfer to a 9" springform pan. Gently press down all along the bottom and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 minutes. Set aside to cool.

For the cheesecake:

• 3 lbs (6 blocks) cream cheese, room temperature
• 1½ cups sugar
• 7 large eggs + 2 egg yolks
• 1 cups sour cream
• ½ tsp salt
• Zest of one lemon

1. Beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed for about a minute, until smooth.
2. Beat in the sugar and salt and then the sour cream. Scape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
3. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, at low speed. Beat in the lemon zest and continue mixing until everything is combined.
4. Pour the mixture into the cooled springform pan and bake for 60 minutes at 325 degrees Fahrenheit using a hot water bath or by placing a pan of hot water on the lowest rack beneath the cake.
5. Without opening the oven door, turn off the oven and leave the cake to cool for 2½-3 hours inside the oven. Afterward, remove from the oven and cool to room temperature before refrigerating for at least 4 hours, though preferably overnight.

For the strawberry sauce:

• 2 lbs fresh strawberries, cut into halves or quarters
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 cup water

1. Combine the strawberries, sugar, and water in a saucepan and heat over medium heat until the berries start to break down. 
2. Reduce the heat to a simmer and continue cooking for another 15-20 minutes while the sauce thickens. 
3. Remove from the heat and allow to cool before straining strawberries and spooning over top of the cheesecake. 
4. Optional: the leftover liquid strawberry sauce can be served on the side to pour over individual slices.

Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake

I had a particularly difficult time deciding on what type of cake to make for my grandmother’s 70^th birthday this year. When she originally called me and requested I make a cake, she gave me no guidance and said she would be pleased with anything I baked. Although I make plenty of birthday cakes for my family I felt that for such a special birthday I needed to make an extra special cake.

I solicited the opinions of many people but still I wasn’t satisfied with any of their suggestions. I almost started to make a traditional Russian cake that my mom told me about but later decided against it. The recipe used agar agar, an ingredient I had heard of but never worked with before. I thought it best to gain some experience with it before I tried making a cake for such a big occasion.

With only days left until the birthday, I was quickly running out of options and settled on repeating a previous cake I had made for my mom’s birthday, a white chocolate raspberry cheesecake. But then, just as I had conceded in my recipe search, I found a recipe for a cake that sounded like a slice of heaven.

This cake was everything I had hoped it would be for my grandmother’s birthday. It featured a chocolaty Oreo crumb crust, followed by a smooth white chocolate cheesecake, then a lighter than air French chocolate mousse, and topped with a rich dark chocolate ganache. According to my aunt…it was magnificent.

Even though it took my so long to find the perfect recipe, I was so satisfied in the end. As was everyone else at the party it seemed. In addition to the cake I also made cherry-filled and mango/peach-filled macarons. The party was a big success and my grandmother thanked me for contributing with my dessert. 

Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake

Note: This recipe uses a French chocolate mousse, which is produced using raw eggs. If concerned, you can substitute with a gelatin-based mousse, such as this one, but I do not know how it will taste within this recipe. 

For the crust:

• 2 cups chocolate wafer crumbs
• ½ cup unsalted butter, melted

Combine the Oreo crumbs and melted butter and transfer to an 11" springform pan, pressing down gently along the bottom and sides. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 minutes then set aside to cool.

 

For the cheesecake:

• 24 oz (3 x 8 oz packages) cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 100 g white chocolate, melted 

1. Beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed for about a minute, until smooth.
2. Beat in the sugar and salt and continue beating on medium speed until the cream cheese is light. Scape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
3. Beat in the vanilla and then the eggs, one at a time, making sure to incorporate each one before adding the next.
4. Reduce the speed to low and beat in the heavy cream, then the melted, and slightly cooled, white chocolate. Make sure everything is incorporated but do not overmix the batter.
5. Pour the mixture into the cooled springform pan and bake for 50 minutes at 325 degrees Fahrenheit using a hot water bath or by placing a pan of hot water on the lowest rack beneath the cake.
6. Without opening the oven door, turn off the oven and leave the cake to cool for 1 1/2 hours inside the oven. Afterward, remove from the oven and cool to room temperature before refrigerating for at least 4 hours, though preferably overnight.

 For the French chocolate mousse:

• 8 oz (224 g) dark chocolate
• 4 tbsp butter
• 4 large eggs, separated
• ⅔ tsp cream of tartar
• ⅓ cup + 2 tbsp sugar
• ⅔ cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp vanilla

1. Melt the chocolate and butter together in a small heat-proof bowl set over gently simmering water. Once completely melted, set aside to cool slightly.
2. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, using a whisk to fully incorporate. Set aside.
3. In another bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue to beat.
4. Gradually add in the ⅓ cup of sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
5. In a separate bowl, beat the heavy cream until it begins to foam. Add the vanilla and remaining
   2 tablespoons of sugar. Continue to whip the cream until it holds soft peaks. Set aside.
6. Gently fold ¼ of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold in the remaining egg whites. Then, delicately fold in the whipped cream. Try not to overwork the mousse, but make sure the cream is blended in well and no white streaks remain.
7. Using a rubber spatula, spread the mousse on top of the cooled cheesecake while still in the springform pan. Return the cake to the refrigerator to allow the mousse to set.

For the chocolate ganache:

• ¾ cup heavy cream
• 210 g dark chocolate, broken into pieces
• 1½ tsp vanilla

1. Heat the cream and vanilla in a small sauce pan over medium-low heat just until it almost starts to boil. 
2. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate pieces and whisk the mixture until smooth. Allow the ganache to cool slightly.
3. Remove the cake from the refrigerator and, using an offset spatula, carefully spread the ganache over top of the mousse. Start at the center of the cake and work outward but be aware that the cold temperature of the cake will cause the ganache to firm up, so work fairly quickly.
4. Return the cake to the refrigerator for at least an hour for the ganache to set.

Caramel Latte Cheesecake

This year while many families were celebrating Christmas Eve on December 24th, our family was celebrating the silver wedding anniversary of my aunt and uncle. They decided on hosting a big party with many of their closest friends and family and I contributed with my baking. Together with my mom, we baked three cakes for the event over the span of three days. Two of them were well-trusted recipes: my lemon cheesecake and my mom's chocolate cheesecake. The third was a new recipe and also a new shape for me: a caramel latte cheesecake made in a square springform pan.

I was a little hesitant when using the new pan because I had never made a square cheesecake before and I didn't know what proportions to use when scaling the recipe. For example, I doubled the amount of crust and ended up with way too much and was scooping it out of the pan. However doubling the cake batter itself was just perfect and gave me exactly the right amount to fill the pan.

When we brought out the cakes for dessert everyone was thoroughly impressed, especially when they found out we had made all three. They looked beautiful and appealed to people's different tastes with three different flavors. I must say that the chocolate was the biggest hit but this caramel latte cheesecake came in for a close second. I was told by one of my family members that on a scale of 1 to 10 the cheesecake was a 15. My cousin, who loves caramel, was quite pleased when I admitted that I had him in mind when I found the recipe.

Overall the party was a big success and I give kudos to my aunt and uncle for pulling it off. I think that the guests all enjoyed themselves and were genuinely happy to celebrate such a special occasion with their friends. The night had a very festive and happy tone and I was so touched by the warm thanks I received from my aunt and uncle in the end. I hope that one day I too will be celebrating my silver wedding anniversary surrounded by so much happiness and joy.

Caramel Latte Cheesecake
Note: I have adapted the recipe for an 10" or 11" round springform pan as they are more common than square shaped pans.

For the crust:

• 1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
• 2 tbsp light brown sugar
• ⅛ tsp salt
• ¼ cup (4 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted
• ½ cup toffee bits

1. Combine all of the ingredients except for the toffee bits in a bowl and then transfer to an 11" springform pan. Gently press down all along the bottom and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 minutes. 
2. Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle the toffee bits in an even layer on top of the crust and press down lightly. Set aside to cool.

For the cheesecake:

• 2 lbs (4 blocks) cream cheese, softened
• ⅔ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup sugar
• 4 large eggs
• ½ cup sour cream
• 4 tsp vanilla
• 2 tbsp instant espresso

1. Dissolve the instant espresso in the vanilla and set aside.
2. Beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed for about a minute, until smooth.
3. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, at low speed. Beat in the sugar. Scape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
4. Beat in the sour cream and then the vanilla and coffee and mix on medium speed until everything is well incorporated. The batter will be fairly liquidy.
5. Pour the mixture into the cooled springform pan and bake for 55 minutes at 325 degrees Fahrenheit using a hot water bath or by placing a pan of hot water on the lowest rack beneath the cake.
6. Without opening the oven door, turn off the oven and leave the cake to cool for 1 1/2 hours inside the oven. Afterward, remove from the oven and cool to room temperature before refrigerating for at least 4 hours, though preferably overnight.

For the topping:

Note: There will be extra nuts left over as this recipe makes more than enough to use as a topping for the cake.

• ⅓ cup sugar 
• 3 tbsp water
• 1½ cups salted peanuts
• Dulce de leche (or caramel)

1. Put the sugar and water in a 2-quart saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until
   
   the sugar dissolves. 
2. Keeping the heat fairly high, continue to cook the sugar, without stirring, until it just starts to color. 
3. Toss in the peanuts and immediately start stirring. Keep stirring, to coat the peanuts with the sugar. Within a few minutes, they will be covered with sugar and turn white but keep stirring until the sugar turns back into caramel. 
4. Once the peanuts are coated with a nice deep amber caramel, remove the pan from the heat and turn the nuts out onto a baking sheet covered with parchment paper, using a wooden spoon to spread them out as best you can. 
5. Cool the nuts to room temperature and then chop them into small pieces. Sprinkle over top of the cheesecake and drizzle the dulce de leche or caramel sauce on top.

Mini Cheesecakes

Last week was a big event in my family...my dad's 50th birthday. We were preparing for this for the past year and my brother jokingly nicknamed it "Party of the century". We had upwards of seventy five people in attendance, including many out-of-town guests, and the evening was filled with memorable speeches and entertaining performances.

Although we had ordered a large cake for the event I still wanted to do something special and months ago came up with the idea of making miniature cheesecakes after buying special pans from amazon.com (click here). These pans are unique and designed specially to bake mini cheesecakes as each well has a removable disc at the bottom.

When I first ordered the pans my mom was a little skeptical as to how well the cheesecakes would actually come out and whether it would be as easy as promised. We decided to test the pans by baking a batch for one of our many family get-togethers. Happily we discovered that the cheesecakes came out perfectly and were beautifully smooth all around.

Unfortunately I didn't think to write down the recipe that I used at the time because I had simply altered the quantities from my lemon cheesecake. Apparently that was a mistake because my memory did not serve me well and when I tried making the cheesecakes again for my graduation they ended up all cracked and lopsided.

When it came time for me to make the cheesecakes for a third time for "Party of the century" I was a little nervous that they wouldn't turn out because I still wasn't 100% sure of what I had done the first time. However after doing some research online and talking it over with my mom we settled on the recipe and luckily they turned out great...which was a relief because I had to make three batches in order to have enough for the party.

To make the cheesecakes even cuter, and to add an air of sophistication, I made a fruit gelee then
topped it with some blueberries. The idea for the gelee came from when I had made the second, unsuccessful cracked/lopsided batch and was looking for a way to cover it up. At the time I had used berries, which tasted delicious, but the gelee was dark colored and stained the sides of the cheesecake. For the party I decided to use mango instead, due to its light color, and I had no problems.

In addition to the mini cheesecakes, I also baked almond florentines that were topped with little meringues. Both desserts were a hit and I received many compliments. Most importantly, the party was a huge success and lived up to its moniker.

Mini Cheesecakes
Note: The cheesecakes can be prepared in a muffin pan using liners for easy removal. The gelee can also be used but be prepared for it to stick to the liner a little bit, though it can still be peeled away before serving. The recipe makes 24 mini cheesecakes.

For the crust:

• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1/6 cup sugar

Combine all of the ingredients and distribute evenly amongst the wells of the muffin/cheesecake pan. Lightly pat down the bottoms and bake for five minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Set aside to cool.

For the cheesecake:

• 24 oz (750 grams) cream cheese, room temperature
• 3 large eggs
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 lemon, zested

1. Beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed for about a minute, until smooth. 
2. Beat in the sugar and then the eggs, one at a time, scraping the bowl as necessary.
3. Beat in the vanilla, sour cream, and lemon zest.
4. Divide the cheesecake batter evenly amongst the wells of the pan, filling them about ¾ full. (You may have some batter left over but it's best not to overfill the wells otherwise the cakes will puff up too much in the oven).
5. Bake the cheesecakes at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave the pans inside with the door closed for 10 minutes and then an additional 10 minutes with the oven door slightly ajar. Remove and let cool to room temperature before refrigerating for at least four hours.

The recipe for the gelee can be found here. I used exactly the same proportions as in the original recipe and it worked out perfectly to cover all 24 of the mini cheesecakes.

Chocolate Dream Cheesecake

Recently my aunt told me about a cheesecake baking competition that is coming up at our synagogue. I looked through all of my cheesecake recipes and considered which one would be worthy of entering into a contest. Then I thought that maybe I should try a new cheesecake recipe during my birthday celebration with my family and see if it was worthy of a contest entry. 

The recipe that I found was from the Godiva website and it was entitled “Dream Cheesecake”. With three different cheesecake layers and a chocolate glaze it was, in fact, a dream to eat. The chocolate wafer crust was topped with a layer of chocolate cheesecake, followed by a slightly caramel-reminiscent pecan layer, then a classic vanilla layer and finished with the chocolate glaze on top.

Unfortunately, all of this layering made for a nightmare when it came time to slice and serve the cake. The crust came away from the cake and crumbled on the plate rather than staying together, probably a result of too little butter. Even though the cake tasted delicious it was too messy to serve neatly and eating it was a little difficult as well. 

Due to serving difficulties I took this cake out of the running as a potential contest entry. However I liked the idea of adding chopped nuts to the middle layer and using brown sugar instead of the usual white granulated sugar. I may have to go back to the drawing board and create a new cheesecake that features these flavors more prominently.

Chocolate Dream Cheesecake

Note: The original recipe was for a 9" cake. I altered the quantities so that I could make it in my 11" pan. The original recipe can be found here. I also used my own chocolate glaze recipe which can be found here. I recommend to work from the bottom up and make one layer at a time, as each needs time to set before the next one goes on.

For the crust:

• 2 cups chocolate wafer crumbs
• ½ cup unsalted butter, melted

Combine the Oreo crumbs and melted butter and transfer to an 11" springform pan, pressing down gently along the bottom and sides. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 minutes then set aside to cool.

For the chocolate layer:

• 10 oz cream cheese, room temperature
• ½ cup sugar
• 105 grams dark chocolate, melted
• 1 large egg
• ½ tsp vanilla
• ½ cup sour cream

1. Beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed for about a minute, until smooth. 
2. Beat in the sugar and then the egg, scraping the bowl as necessary.
3. Beat in the vanilla and sour cream. Once incorporated, beat in the chocolate. 
4. Continue to mix until the chocolate is well incorporated and no streaks remain. Pour the filling into the cooled pan and put in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes to slightly set.

For the pecan layer:

• 10 oz cream cheese, room temperature
• ½ cup brown sugar, tightly packed
• 1¼ tbsp flour
• 1 large egg
• ½ tsp vanilla
• ½ cup chopped pecans

1. Beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed for about a minute, until smooth. 
2. Beat in the brown sugar and flour, then the egg, scraping the bowl as necessary.
3. Beat in the vanilla. Once incorporated, use a spatula or wooden spoon to gently mix in the chopped pecans.
4. Pour the pecan layer over top of the chocolate layer and use a spatula to spread evenly across so that none of the chocolate layer is showing. Return the pan to the refrigerator again for 10 minutes.

For the vanilla layer:

• 6.25 oz (175 grams) cream cheese, room temperature
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• ½ tsp vanilla
• ½ tsp almond extract
• 1¼ cup sour cream

1. Beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed for about a minute, until smooth. 
2. Beat in the sugar and then the egg, scraping the bowl as necessary.
3. Beat in the vanilla, almond extract, and sour cream.
4. Spread the vanilla layer evenly over the pecan layer, making sure none of the previous layer is visible. 
5. Bake the cheesecake for 50 minutes at 325 degrees Fahrenheit using a hot water bath or by placing a pan of hot water on the lowest rack beneath the cake.
6. Without opening the oven door, turn off the oven and leave the cake to cool for 1 1/2 hours inside the oven. Afterward, remove from the oven and cool to room temperature before refrigerating for at least 4 hours, though preferably overnight.

Coffee Cheesecake with Chocolate Glaze

If there's anything my brother loves it's coffee and chocolate...so when it came time to bake him a cake for his birthday there was no doubt in my mind that a coffee cheesecake with a chocolate crust and glaze would be perfect. Considering how long I have been baking cheesecakes it's actually surprising I have yet to make a coffee flavored one. But I guess that's not the case anymore since we all celebrated my brother's 16th birthday with the family last night and capped the evening with my cheesecake.

I really wanted to make sure that the cake had a strong coffee flavor which I achieved by adding ¼ cup of strongly brewed espresso. However I think everyone would agree that what really made the cake shine was the chocolate glaze, courtesy of my mom. Not as much anymore, do to my excessive baking, but in the past my mom used to make her famous "Chocolate Festival Cheesecake". The cake was incredibly rich and chocolatey with a chocolate graham cracker crust, chocolate cheesecake, and a chocolate glaze. I basically recreated her cake but I substituted the chocolate middle for a coffee cheesecake instead.

Everyone enjoyed the case, especially my mom and my brother as they are such coffee and chocolate lovers. In fact my mom even came home during her lunch break from work the next day to have some cake. She claimed she also came to see us but I wonder if the cake in the fridge held the bigger appeal ; )

Coffee Cheesecake with Chocolate Glaze

For the crust:

• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• ⅓ cup powdered sugar
• ⅓ cup cocoa powder
• ½ cup unsalted butter, melted

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and then transfer to an 11" springform pan. Gently press down all along the bottom and sides and then bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 minutes. Set aside to cool.

For the cheesecake:

• 2 lbs (4 blocks) cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 2 cups sour cream
• ¼ cup brewed espresso, cooled
• 1 tsp vanilla

1. Beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed for about a minute, until smooth.
2. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, at low speed. Beat in the sugar. Scape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
3. Beat in the sour cream and then the vanilla and coffee and mix on medium speed until everything is well incorporated. The batter will be fairly liquidy.
4. Pour the mixture into the cooled springform pan and bake for 55 minutes at 325 degrees Fahrenheit using a hot water bath or by placing a pan of hot water on the lowest rack beneath the cake.
5. Without opening the oven door, turn off the oven and leave the cake to cool for 1 1/2 hours inside the oven. Afterward, remove from the oven and cool to room temperature before refrigerating for at least 4 hours, though preferably overnight.

For the chocolate glaze:

• 1 cup sugar
• ⅔ cup milk
• ¾ cup cocoa powder
• ½ cup unsalted butter

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until the butter melts entirely and the glaze starts to boil.
2. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and continue to simmer and stir the glaze as it thickens. Try to break up any clumps formed by the cocoa powder. 
3. Take the glaze off the heat once it has thickened and coats the back of a spoon with slow trails. If desired, add more cocoa powder to create more thickness.
4. Strain the glaze to remove any clumps and cool it before spreading it over top of the cake. 

Cheesecake Filled Strawberries

Over the weekend I had the pleasure of attending a baby shower for my aunt's cousin who is about to have a baby girl. Ever since I found out she was pregnant with a girl I immediately knew I wanted to prepare some sort of pink dessert for the baby shower. After making macarons for my friend's birthday back in April I thought it would be cute to make them again for the shower, only this time use food coloring and have them be pink.

Unfortunately my macaron shells did not turn out correctly and I didn't have enough time to make another batch. Although they tasted fine they were not visually appealing and I felt wrong bringing them to the event. Instead I brought strawberries which were filled with a cheesecake-like filling. I think the macaron slip-up ended up being a blessing in disguise because the strawberry dessert took very little effort to create and was a big hit with the crowd.

I didn't quite know how much filling would go into each strawberry and afterward I was left with quite a bit so my mom and I decided to pipe it onto little mini-meringues that she had baked as well. The meringues with the filling were also well received and withstood the warmer temperature, unlike the typical whipped cream my mom usually uses.

Overall the baby shower was a success and everyone enjoyed both the food and the games. The next day I got a call from the mom-to-be thanking me for bringing the strawberries and leading some of the games. It was definitely fun and now I can't wait until the new baby is born and we all get to meet her!

Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries
Note: I had a lot of filling left over, even with four pounds of strawberries. Therefore, the recipe below reflects half of the amount I had initially made.

• 4 lbs fresh strawberries
• 16 oz (2 cups) cream cheese, room temperature
• 6 tbsp powdered sugar
• Optional: A few drops red food coloring (to make pink)

1. Wash all of the strawberries and pat dry. Carefully cut the tops off and hull out the insides, making sure to leave about 1/4" on all sides.
2. Beat the powdered sugar with the softened cream cheese. If you don't want the filling to be too sweet, start with four tablespoons of powdered sugar and add more if necessary.
3. If you want to add color to the filling start with 2-3 drops and continue to beat the cream cheese until no streaks remain. Add more if desired.
4. Transfer the filling to a piping bag or plastic ziploc bag with the tip cut off. Carefully pipe the filling into each strawberry until the filling is even with the top. Lay out on a platter and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Triple Berry Cheesecake Ice Cream

This ice cream is bad...it's bad because it tastes sooooo good. A little part of me actually wishes that I hadn't made this ice cream because now that I know how easy and delicious it was I have a feeling it will be making a repeat appearance, something my hips definitely won't agree with. But honestly I couldn't help myself...I constantly see recipes for ice cream on tastespotting.com and am always tempted by them but can never try them out because they all require an ice cream maker. Then one day I stumbled upon a recipe for a no-churn blueberry cheesecake ice cream. Like with many others, I saved the recipe on my computer to eventually try out.

Well the perfect opportunity presented itself last week after a trip to the States including a visit to Costco. Unlike the heavy cream here, capping out at 33% milk fat, the cream my mom bought in Bellingham was a whopping 40%. Pouring the cream was not like pouring any regular liquid; I literally was scooping the cream out of the measuring cup. Knowing how fatty this cream was I figured it would make an extra creamy ice cream.

My assumptions were totally true and the ice cream ended up very rich and indulgent. The cream cheese mixed in also helped to create an amazing flavor. The ice cream truly melted in my mouth and I found myself licking the bowl way too soon. I think that for the sake of my own sanity I should probably wait a little before I make another batch, as well as increase my gym outings.

Triple Berry Cheesecake Ice Cream

• 1  1/2 cups berries (raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, etc), fresh or frozen
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp corn starch
• 6 oz (3/4 cup) cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 cups heavy cream, cold
• 1 tsp vanilla

1. In a small saucepan combine the berries and sugar and cook over medium heat until berries start to break down and release their juices. 
2. Add the cornstarch and continue to cook for 1-2 minutes so that the mixture may thicken. Remove from the heat and put the berries in the freezer so that the mixture may cool down.
3. Meanwhile beat the cream cheese with the brown sugar until smooth. Add 1/2 cup of the cream and whip until the cream cheese mixture is evenly incorporated.
4. Add the remaining cream and vanilla and whip until stiff peaks form.
5. Spread half of the whipped cream into a seal-able container. Top with half of the berry mixture. Spread the remaining whipped cream and top with the rest of the berry mixture. Use a knife to swirl the ice cream and seal the container. Freeze for at least six hours, though preferably longer, before serving.

Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake with Sour Cherry Glaze

Many months ago I came across this recipe and I instantly knew the occasion I would save it for...my cousin's birthday. She is a big fan of my cheesecakes and always tells me that she really has no preference for flavor, as long as I make it with the crust that she loves. At the time when I found the recipe it appealed to me because it was slightly different than my usual cheesecake base recipe since it used heavy cream in combination with cream cheese, rather than sour cream. I was curious as to how this would manifest in terms of texture and density of the cheesecake.

While I was preparing the batter I noticed that my chocolate had separated and I was afraid that this would impact the smooth texture. I'm happy to report that it did not...the cheesecake was velvety smooth and melted in the mouth. The substitution of heavy cream for sour cream made the cake less dense than my usual cheesecake. Flavor wise, the sour cherry glaze paired very nicely with the chocolate cheesecake and seemed appropriate for the gorgeous spring day. Everyone at the party enjoyed the cake and it was the first time that an entire cake I had made was devoured without any leftovers.

Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake with Sour Cherry Glaze

For the crust:

• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and then transfer to an 11" springform pan. Gently press down all along the bottom and sides and then bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 minutes. Set aside to cool.

For the cheesecake:

• 2 lbs (4 blocks) cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 300grams dark chocolate, melted

1. Beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed for about a minute, until smooth.
2. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, at low speed. Beat in the sugar. Scape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
3. Add a small amount of the cheesecake mixture to the melted chocolate and mix until it starts to look like dough. 
4. Add the chocolate-dough mixture to the mixer and mix on medium speed until fully incorporated.
5. Beat in the vanilla and heavy cream on medium speed until it is fully blended and thick, almost mousse-like. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
6. Pour the mixture into the cooled springform pan and bake for 55 minutes at 325 degrees Fahrenheit using a hot water bath or by placing a pan of hot water on the lowest rack beneath the cake.
7. Without opening the oven door, turn off the oven and leave the cake to cool for 1 1/2 hours inside the oven. Afterward, remove from the oven and cool to room temperature before refrigerating for at least 4 hours, though preferably overnight.

For the Sour Cherry Glaze

• 1 32 oz jar sour cherries
• 2 tbsp corn starch

1. Separate the cherries from the liquid in the jar and pour out the liquid into a medium-sized saucepan.
2. Add the cornstarch to the liquid and whisk until dissolved.
3. Add the cherries back to saucepan and heat on low heat for 6-10 minutes or until the mixture starts to bubble and thicken. 
4. Remove from the heat and cool slightly before spreading over top of the cheesecake.

White Chocolate and Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake

Looking back over my posts, I can't believe that I haven't baked a cheesecake since the beginning of July, when I made a lime cheesecake with blackberry sauce for my grandfather's birthday. Granted, I have baked plenty of other goodies since then but no cheesecakes, something I used to bake quite often when I first started out in the kitchen. Luckily, this week we celebrated another birthday in the family and I took my chance to create a new cheesecake for the event.

I decided to pair white chocolate with raspberries, creating one batter base and then dividing it in half and mixing in the separate flavors. Since I'm always looking to create not only new flavors but new designs as well, I decided to try a swirl design. I have been to many a restaurant and seen cheesecake served with an interesting swirl on top. Curious, I looked up how to create the swirl and found out that the technique is actually quite easy. The basic concept is to place several polka dots of whatever you want to swirl in on the top of the cake and then use a toothpick or knife to drag it through. This creates a swirl design, so long as you don't mix it around too much. Unfortunately, I think I placed too many polka dots because once the cake went into the oven my swirls kind of blended together and disappeared from the middle. However the edge still showed the design and even though the cheesecake cracked, it actually contributed to the look of the cake.

As for the taste...it was divine! The cake turned out velvety smooth and the white chocolate balanced the slight tartness of the raspberries perfectly. Normally when I bake cheesecakes, or any cakes for that matter, I use a large pan because of the size of my family. Still, there are usually plenty of leftovers because in today's diet conscious world no one wants to take too big of a slice. This time there was no such problem; everyone wanted big pieces and even couples who often share a slice each took their own instead. I think my brother was most disappointed because he always loves having the leftovers of my cakes for several days afterward but this time there was only one piece left. I am so happy that I came up with such a winning combination and hopefully, with more practice, I'll be able to master the technique of swirling in the near future.

Update: I recently made this cake again for my mom's birthday, as per her request. However this time I made a design of concentric circles with hearts instead of the swirl and it looked very nice. To achieve this, I made little dots on the top of the cake with the raspberry sauce going around in a circle. I repeated this until I had several circles and then I used a toothpick and dragged it through the center of each dot along the circle, not lifting the toothpick until I completed the circle. In the end it created little tails that resembled hearts going around the surface of the cake.

White Chocolate and Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake

For the crust:

• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and then transfer to an 11" springform pan. Gently press down all along the bottom and sides and then bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 minutes. Set aside to cool.

For the cheesecake:

• 2 lbs (4 blocks) cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 2 cups sour cream
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 100 grams white chocolate, melted
• 2 cups frozen raspberries, thawed
• 1 tbsp sugar

1. To create the raspberry sauce, combine the thawed raspberries with the tablespoon of sugar in a small saucepan over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium once the mixture starts to boil and continue to heat until the raspberries break down completely. 
2. Strain the seeds out of the sauce using a fine mesh sieve and set it aside to cool. Reserve about 1/8 cup of the sauce for the swirl at the end.
3. Beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed for about a minute, until smooth.
4. Beat in the cup of sugar and then the eggs, one at a time, at low speed. Scape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
5. Beat in the sour cream and then the vanilla and zest and mix on medium speed until everything is well incorporated.
6. Split the batter in half. To one half, add the melted white chocolate and mix well to fully incorporate. To the other half, add the raspberry sauce and mix well to combine.
7. Pour the raspberry batter into the cooled springform pan, making sure it doesn't reach over halfway up the sides. Place the pan in the freezer for about 10 minutes, allowing the raspberry layer to firm up a little before pouring the white chocolate layer on top.
8. Pour the white chocolate layer on top of the raspberry. Then, using the reserved raspberry sauce, dot a ½ teaspoon of the sauce in a few dots over the cheesecake filling. Make sure not to create too many dots otherwise they will blend together in the oven. Use a toothpick or a knife to lightly swirl and create a marbled effect.
9. Bake the cheesecake in a water bath, or with a pan of hot water on the lowest rack, for 50 minutes at 325 Fahrenheit.
10. Without opening the oven door, turn off the oven and let the cake sit there for another 1-1/2 hours before removing. Cool to room temperature and then refrigerate at least 4 hours, though preferably overnight, before serving.