Chesscakes Recipes

OUR BEST CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Mix graham crumbs, butter and 1/4 cup sugar; press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan.
• Beat cream cheese and remaining sugar in large bowl with mixer until blended. Add sour cream and vanilla; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating on low speed after each addition just until blended. Pour over crust.
• Bake 1 hour to 1 hour 10 min. or until center is almost set. Run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim. Refrigerate cheesecake 4 hours.
• Top with pie filling before serving.

THE BEST CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.
• For the crust: Put the butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl, cover with a paper towel and melt in the microwave in 10-second increments. Brush a 9-inch springform pan with some of the melted butter.
• Stir together the remaining butter with the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and salt. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom of the pan, taking care to get the crust evenly to the edges. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool. Place the pan on a large sheet of foil and wrap up the sides. Place in a roasting pan.
• For the cheesecake: Beat together the cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the sour cream and vanilla and beat until just combined. Mix in the eggs by hand, one at a time, until just combined. (Take care not to overmix or the cheesecake will puff up and crack.) Pour the batter evenly over the crust, smoothing the top. Pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come about halfway up the sides of the foil-wrapped springform pan. Bake until the outside of the cake is set but the center is still slightly loose, about 1 hour and 20 minutes.
• Turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake in the oven for another hour. Remove the cheesecake from the roasting pan to a cooling rack. Run a knife around the edge and cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours.
• Run a knife around the edge of the pan once more and unlock to unmold the cheesecake. Transfer to a serving platter or cake stand and smooth the edges with a knife.

CLASSIC CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.
• For the crust: Melt the butter, covered in the microwave, in a medium microwave-safe bowl, or a saucepan. Brush a 9-inch springform pan with some of the butter. Stir the remaining butter together with the crumbs, sugar, and salt. Press the crumb mixture over the bottom of the pan, taking care to get the crust evenly into the edges. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool. Wrap the bottom and up the sides of the pan with foil and put in a roasting pan.
• For the filling: Beat the cream cheese on medium speed with a hand-held mixer until smooth. Add the granulated sugar and beat just until light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl and beaters as needed. Slowly beat in the sour cream, then eggs, vanilla and both citrus zests; take care not to over whip. Pour into the cooled crust.
• Bring a medium saucepan or kettle of water to a boil. Gently place the roasting pan in the oven (don't pull the rack out of the oven). Pour in enough hot water to come about halfway up the side of the springform pan. Bake the cheesecake for about 1 hour and 10 minutes---the outside of the cake will set but the center will still be loose.
• For the topping: Stir together the sour cream, confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Spread over the top of the cooked cheesecake and return to the oven for 5 minutes. Turn the oven off, cook the cheesecake in the residual heat in the oven for about 1 hour. This gentle finish minimizes the risk of the dreaded crack in your cheesecake.
• Remove cheesecake from the roasting pan to a rack. Run a knife around the edges and cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.
• Bring cheesecake to room temperature 30 minutes before serving. Remove the springform ring. Dip a knife in warm water, wipe dry before slicing each piece. Serve with berries, if desired.

VB'S SIMPLE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Unwrap cream cheese blocks and put in mixing bowl. Set aside to soften at room temperature.
• Once it's softened, preheat your oven to 325°.
• Beat softened cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until completely blended.
• Add your eggs and the lemon zest. Beat until blended.
• Place Graham cracker crust on a small baking sheet to keep it stabilized. Pour batter into your Graham cracker crust, smooth with a spatula. (Be sure to scrape the bowl and beaters well.) Place in your 325° oven and set timer for 30 minutes.
• While it's baking, prepare your topping. You can use the same bowl and beaters that you made your filling with. Pour your sour cream, sugar and vanilla into the bowl and beat it until well blended and completely smooth.
• After 30 minutes, remove from oven. Pour your sour cream topping gently over the top. Smooth very carefully with a rubber spatula.
• Return the cake to your oven, set your timer for 10 minutes.
• After 10 minutes, jiggle it a little bit. If it is not quite set in the very center, turn the oven off and leave it for 2 minutes and check again. You shouldn't have to do this more than once, maybe twice, if your oven is very slow. Once you're satisfied, take it out of the oven and let it cool completely.
• Refrigerate for at least 2 or 3 hours before serving.
• Notes:.
• *I remove the cream cheese from the wrapper while it's still cold, because once it's softened up it's harder to get out of the wrapper. Just leave it on the counter until the cream cheese is soft.
• *I simply use the zest from one lemon. It's easier than trying to measure one fiddly teaspoons of zest. Besides, we really like lemon. In our experience, it doesn't really make this recipe over- lemony at all.
• *I use a micro plane for zesting the lemon. The smaller grains of lemon zest blend especially well for a small batch recipe like this. If you don't have a microplane, I highly recommend you get one, they are indispensable for zesting citrus, grating garlic, et cetera. The plane itself is easy to clean, dishwasher safe, but don't put the sliding plastic cover in the dishwasher.
• *I use a simple electric handmixer for this recipe. There's no need to drag out the big heavy stand mixer for this.
• *If you want fruit, about a 1/2 cup of berries or sliced strawberries should suffice for this recipe.
• *Keep the plastic insert from the pie crust packaging to use as a lid for your cooled and finished pie.

CHESS CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour one 9 x 13 inch pan.
• In a large bowl, mix together cake mix, 2 eggs, and 1/2 cup melted butter. Put into prepared pan.
• In another bowl, Beat cream cheese until smooth. Blend in 1/2 cup melted butter and 2 eggs. Gradually beat in the confectioner's sugar. Pour over the crust mixture already in the pan.
• Bake for 1 hour. Cool.

TRADITIONAL CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine cracker crumbs and sugar; cut in butter until crumbly. Grease the sides only of a 9-in. springform pan; press crumb mixture onto bottom of pan. Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack., In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in lemon juice and vanilla. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Pour filling onto crust. Return pan to baking sheet. , Bake at 350° for 45-55 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer., Refrigerate overnight. Serve with Raspberry Sauce and Sour Cream Topping if desired. Refrigerate leftovers.