Ultimate Cheesecakes

Ultimate cheesecakes would be served at special occasions and for entertaining.  They can be a fancied up cheesecake or a special creation.  This is where your creativity can go wild.

 

Planning your meal is the first step. What are you serving?  Do you want a light dessert or does that matter?  What is the occasion?  What are the tastes of your guests?  Cheesecake may not be the right choice if you have a lactose intolerant guest.  In this case, an alternative cheesecake, like one made from tofu, may be a better choice or a different dessert.  What flavors will go with the meal or the occasion?  What about color?  Cheesecake is more an adult dessert, although some kids do like it.  At least, that’s my opinion.  Take into consideration if kids are among the guests.  A cheesecake modeled on a candy bar would be more appropriate than one modeled on a cocktail.

 

Once the cheesecake is chosen, how can you make it fit the occasion?  Can a special crust work, like the pretzel crust of the salted caramel cheesecake below?  How will you decorate the top?  What is your plan to make this a cheesecake that your guest will remember for a long time?

 

This Week’s Challenge – Invent an ultimate cheesecake

            Choose a flavor or combinations of flavors that you would like to make into a cheesecake.  Think about the crust that will go with your flavors.  Plan a decorative topping that reflect the flavors you used.  An example could be a pina colada cheesecake with a coconut crust and pineapple topping decorated with toasted coconut.

 

Tip for this Week – Entertaining

            Cheesecake is always an impressing dessert for entertaining.  It can be made in advance and usually only takes a few minutes to serve.  There is a cheesecake for every occasion.  Margarita Cheesecake or Pina Colada cheesecake can go with a Mexican dinner or Cinco de Mayo celebration. 
 

 

This Week in Punkin’s Kitchen

 

Amaretto Macaroon Cheesecake

 

Ready to serve

 

 

 



Frosting Pride for the Topping

Ingredients

Add caption

Crust

            7 oz.                Coconut, flaked and lightly toasted

            ½ C                 Almonds, finely chopped and lightly toasted

            ½ C                 Sweetened condensed milk

            1/3 C               Flour  

            ¼ C                 Butter, melted

 

Filling

32 oz.             Cream cheese (four 8 oz. packages) at room temperature

¾ C                 Sweetened condensed milk (the rest of the 14 oz. can)

¼ C                 Sugar

4                      Eggs

1/3 C               Amaretto or 1 t almond extract

 

Directions

Crust

Springform Pan

Coconut Almond crust

1.    Mix the coconut, almonds, and flour.

Toast the coconut and mix with
toasted almonds

Add flour

 

2.    Add ½ C sweetened condensed milk and butter.

Add sweetened condensed
milk and butter.

Mix until absorbed and press in
the bottom of the springform pan.









 

3.    Press into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan.

4.    Set aside.

Filling

1.    Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

2.    Beat the cream cheese with a mixer until smooth.

 

3.    Add the remaining sweetened condensed milk and sugar.  Blend well.

Blend well before adding the eggs.

 

4.    Add one egg and completely mixed into the cream cheese mixture.

Complete blend in the egg before
adding the next egg.  This is
essential for the texture.

 

5.    Repeat step four until all the eggs are incorporated into the cream cheese mixture.  The mixture should get thinner and glossy.

6.    Add the amaretto and blend again.

A little goes a ling way

 

7.    Pour the filling into the springform over the crust and smooth the top.

Ready for the oven

 

8.    Bake for 55-60 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.

9.    Allow the cheesecake to cool and then refrigerate at least 4 hours to overnight before serving.

Frosting Pride whipped and
ready to use
 

Add Frosting Pride to a bowl and whip.

Remove the ring of the springform
pan and frost the top of the
cheesecake

I used a cake comb to smooth the top.

 

Using a pastry bag, I piped rosettes
along the edge.

I sprinkled reserved coconut and
almonds over the edge and center
of the cheesecake

10. Garnish with leftover coconut and chopped almonds. 

11. Loose the edges and remove the side of the springform pan before serving.

 

Makes about 12 servings

From Ultimate Philly Cheesecakes, p. 88

 

print recipe

Amaretto Macaroon Cheesecake

by From Ultimate Philly Cheesecakes, p. 88 May-5-2016

Ingredients

• 7 oz Coconut, flaked and lightly toasted
• 1/2 C Almonds, finely chopped and lightly toasted
• 1/2 C Sweetened condensed milk
• 1/3 C Flour
• 1/4 C Butter, melted
• 32 oz. Cream cheese, at room temperature
• 3/4 C about Sweetened condensed milk (the rest of the 14 oz. can)
• 1/4 C Sugar
• 4 Eggs
• 1/3 C Amaretto
• 1 t Almond extract
• 1/2 carton Frosting Pride
• 1/4 C Coconut and almonds, toasted

Instructions

1. Mix the coconut, almonds, and flour.2. Add ½ C sweetened condensed milk and butter3. Press into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan4. Set aside.1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.2. Beat the cream cheese with a mixer until smooth.3. Add the remaining sweetened condensed milk and sugar. Blend well.4. Add one egg and completely mixed into the cream cheese mixture.5. Repeat step four until all the eggs are incorporated into the cream cheese mixture. The mixture should get thinner and glossy.6. Add the amaretto or the almond extract and blend again.7. Pour the filling into the springform over the crust and smooth the top.8. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.9. Allow the cheesecake to cool and then refrigerate at least 4 hours to overnight before serving.10. Loose the edges and remove the side of the springform pan before serving.1. Frost the top of the Cheesecake and pipe rosettes around the2. Frost the top of the Cheesecake and pipe rosettes around the edge.3. Dust with the reserved coconut and chopped almonds.

Details

Prep time: 45 mins Cook time: 1 hour 15 mins Total time: 2 hour Yield: 12 Servings

Salted Caramel Cheesecake

 

Ingredients

 

Crust ingredients



Filling ingredients



Topping ingredients 

Crust

            2 ½ C              Pretzel crumbs

            ¼ C                 Brown sugar

            ¾ C                 Butter, melted

            1/2 C               Caramel ice cream topping

Filling

32 oz.             Cream cheese (four 8 oz. packages) at room temperature

¼ C                 Sour Cream

½ C                 Sugar

4-5                  Eggs (four extra-large or five large)

1 t                    Vanilla extract

3/4 C                Caramel ice cream topping

 

Topping

            1 ½ C              Caramel ice cream topping

 

Directions

Crust

1.    Make the pretzels into crumbs in a food processor.

Pretzel crumbs

 

2.    Place crumbs in a bowl and add the brown sugar.  Mix to blend with the crumbs.

Pretzel crumbs and brown sugar

 

3.    Add the melted butter.  Stir to moisten the crumbs.  It will take more butter than other crumb crusts.

Add the melted butter and stir to
moisten all the crumbs.  It will take
more butter than most crusts.

 

4.    Press into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan.  Reserve about 2 T crust for garnish later.

Press the moisten crumbs into
the bottom of a springform pan.

Reserve a tablespoon or two of the
crumbs for garnish

 

5.    Bake 5 minutes at 350 degrees.

6.    Set aside to cool.

Filling

1.    Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

2.    Beat the cream cheese and sour cream with a mixer until smooth.

Whip the cream cheese, sour
cream and sugar and mix well.

 

3.    Add the sugar.  Blend well.

4.    Add one egg and completely mixed into the cream cheese mixture.

5.    Repeat step four until all the eggs are incorporated into the cream cheese mixture.  The mixture should get thinner and glossy.

Well blend and ready for the eggs.

Eggs added and ready for
 the caramel.  

 

6.    Add the vanilla and caramel ice cream topping and blend again.

7.    Pour the first caramel ice cream topping over the cooled crust.

.

Pour some caramel topping over the
crust and add the filling

 

8.    Pour the filling into the springform over the crust and caramel and smooth the top.

9.    Bake for 55-60 minutes or until a knife comes out clean

 

Allow the cheesecake to completely
cool and the refrigerate.

10.    Allow the cheesecake to cool and then refrigerate at least 4 hours to overnight before serving.

11.     To serve loose the edges and remove the side of the springform pan.  Place on a serving plate and cover the top with caramel ice cream topping and allow it to drip over the sides.  Garnish the whole cheesecake with the reserved crumb crust or dust each serving with crumbs. 

 

Makes about 12 servings

 

print recipe

Salted Caramel Cheesecake

by Grace Barnes May-7-2016

This based on my Basic Cheesecake recipe posted on April 23, 2016. It can be simple or fancy depending on the occasion.Pretzel cubs

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 C Pretzel crumbs
• 1/4 C Brown sugar, firmly packed
• 3/4 C Butter, melted
• 1/2 C Caramel Ice Cream Topping
• 32 oz. Cream Cheese at roo temperature
• 1/4 C Sour cream
• 1/2 C Sugar
• 4 Eggs
• 1 t Vanilla extract
• 3/4 C Caramel Ice Cream Topping
• 1 - 1 1/2 C Caramel Ice Cream Topping
• 1/4 C Pretzel crumbs

Instructions

1. Make the pretzels into crumbs in a food processor.2. Place crumbs in a bowl and add the brown sugar. Mix to blend with the crumbs.3. Add the melted butter. Stir to moisten the crumbs. It will take more butter than other crumb crusts.4. Press into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan. Reserve about 2 T crust for garnish later.5. Bake 5 minutes at 350 degrees.6. Set aside to cool.7. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.8. Beat the cream cheese and sour cream with a mixer until smooth.9. Add the sugar. Blend well.10. Add one egg and completely mixed into the cream cheese mixture.11. Repeat step four until all the eggs are incorporated into the cream cheese mixture. The mixture should get thinner and glossy.12. Add the vanilla and caramel ice cream topping and blend again.13. Pour the first caramel ice cream topping over the cooled crust.14. Pour the filling into the springform over the crust and caramel and smooth the top.15. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.16. Allow the cheesecake to cool and then refrigerate at least 4 hours to overnight before serving.17. To serve loose the edges and remove the side of the springform pan. Place on a serving plate and cover the top with caramel ice cream topping and allow it to drip over the sides. Garnish the whole cheesecake with the reserved crumb crust or dust each serving with crumbs.

Details

Prep time: 40 mins Cook time: 1 hour Total time: 1 hour 40 mins Yield: 12 Servings

Vegetable of the Week

 

Oven Roasted Brussel Sprouts

 

Oven Roasted Brussel Sprouts served with
baked chicken and petunia pasta with
garlic butter and basil.

I lb.      Brussel sprouts (Try to choose the all the same size)

            Olive oil

            Garlic powder

            Salt and pepper to taste.

 

The ingredients

1.    Line a baking sheet with foil and preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2.    Wash and trim the Brussel sprouts.  Cut each sprout in half.  If large sprouts are used, they can be cut in quarters.

Trim off the stem end

A closer view.



Remove any loose leaves or leaves
that are discolored or damaged.

Cut each sprout in half lengthwise.

3.    Sprinkle a little olive oil over the foil and place the Brussel sprouts over the baking sheet so that they do not overlap.

 

 

 

4.    Sprinkle a little more oil over the sprouts.

5.    Season with the garlic powder, salt and pepper.

 

 

 

6.    Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake 20 minutes.  Shaking the pan a few times during the baking.

7.    The Brussel sprouts should have a little char, but not overly charred.

 

 

8.    Serve immediately.

 

Brussel Sprouts were not a popular vegetable with me, until my niece served them this way.  Now my least favorite vegetables are turnips and rutabagas. 

 

 

 

print recipe

Oven Roasted Brussel Sprouts

by Unknown May-7-2016

Brussel Sprouts were not a popular vegetable with me, until my niece served them this way. Now my least favorite vegetables are turnips and rutabagas.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. Brussel sprouts
• Lightly sprinkled Olive oil
• Lightly sprinkld Garlic powder
• to taste Salt and Pepper

Instructions

1. Line a baking sheet with foil and preheat the oven to 375 degrees.2. Wash and trim the Brussel sprouts. Cut each sprout in half. If large sprouts are used, they can be cut in quarters.3. Sprinkle a little olive oil over the foil and place the Brussel sprouts over the baking sheet so that they do not overlap.4. Sprinkle a little more oil over the sprouts.5. Season with the garlic powder, salt and pepper.6. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake 20 minutes. Shaking the pan a few times during the baking.7. The Brussel sprouts should have a little char, but not overly charred.8. Serve immediately.

Details

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 20 mins Total time: 30 mins Yield: 4-5 servings

Also this week

We celebrated Cinco de Mayo with a taco bar potluck at work. I provided ground turkey taco meat and cheesy refried beans.  Everyone else brought something to go on the tacos.  It was quite a spread with choice of flour or corn tortillas, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, diced avocados, grated cheese, sour cream, chopped onions mixed with cilantro, green salad, fresh strawberries, pan dulce, chocolate dipped strawberries and raspberries, and a selection of salsa that was fantastic.  It was a very easy potluck.

 

Happy Cooking!