Contest Winning Neapolitan Cheesecake Recipes

NEAPOLITAN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine wafer crumbs and butter. Press onto the bottom of an ungreased 9-in. springform pan. Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Reduce heat to 325°. , In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually beat in sugar and cream. Add eggs and vanilla; beat on low just until combined. Divide batter into thirds. Add melted semisweet chocolate to a third. Spread over crust. Add melted white chocolate to another third. Spread over semisweet layer. Stir strawberries and, if desired, a few drops of food coloring into remaining portion. Spread over white chocolate layer. Place pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan. , Place springform pan in a large baking pan. Fill larger pan with hot water to a depth of 1 in. Bake at 325° for 70-75 minutes or until center is just set. Remove springform pan from water bath. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove foil. Carefully run a knife around the edge of pan to loosen; cool for 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. , For topping, melt semisweet chocolate, butter and 1 teaspoon shortening in a heavy saucepan or microwave; stir until smooth. Cool 5 minutes. Remove sides of pan. Pour melted chocolate mixture over cheesecake. Melt white chocolate and remaining shortening. Drizzle over cheesecake. Refrigerate until chocolate is firm. Refrigerate leftovers.

NEAPOLITAN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a small bowl, mix together the chocolate cookie crumbs and melted butter. Press into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan. Bake for 8 minutes; cool on wire rack.
• For the vanilla-white chocolate filling: Melt white chocolate in a metal bowl over barely simmering water, or in a glass bowl in the microwave, stirring frequently; set aside. In a medium bowl, beat 8 ounces of cream cheese and 1/4 cup sugar until smooth. Mix in 1 egg and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla until blended. Mix white chocolate into the batter and set aside.
• For the dark chocolate filling: Melt chocolate in a metal bowl over barely simmering water, or in a glass bowl in the microwave, stirring frequently; set aside. In another bowl, beat 8 ounces of cream cheese and 1/4 cup sugar until smooth. Mix in 1 egg and 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla until blended. Stir in melted chocolate.
• For the strawberry filling: In a third bowl, mix together 8 ounces cream cheese and 1/4 cup sugar until smooth. Blend in 1 egg and 1/2 teaspoon of strawberry extract; stir in mashed strawberries.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Pour the white-chocolate vanilla cheesecake batter into the prepared crust. Layer with the dark chocolate and strawberry batters (see Cook's Notes).
• Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, then reduce the temperature to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C), and continue baking for 50 minutes, or until center is nearly set when jiggled.
• Remove pan from the oven, immediately run a paring knife around the edge to loosen, and let cool completely. Refrigerate until chilled before removing from the pan.