Holiday Cheesecake Recipes

HOLIDAY CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• To make the crostini, cut the baguettes into 1/4-inch thick slices. Using a pastry brush, brush the baguette slices with olive oil. Place on 2 foil-lined baking sheets and bake until crisp and golden, about 12 to 15 minutes. Reserve 25 of the crostini slices for the cheesecake. Cool the remaining crostini, then store in an airtight container until ready to serve.
• To make the cheesecake crust, put the 25 crostini slices in a food processor and run the machine until crostini are like bread crumbs, about 1 minute. Add the melted butter and pulse a few times to combine. Press the bread crumbs into the bottom of the cheesecake pan. Bake until golden, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.
• To make the cheesecake, wrap the outside of the cheesecake pan with 2 layers of heavy-duty foil. Place the ricotta, cream cheese, and goat cheese in a food processor. Pulse to mix. Add the eggs, sugar, and salt and pulse a few times until well mixed. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the red pepper, basil, and thyme.
• Pour the cheese mixture into the cheesecake pan. Place the cheesecake pan in a roasting pan. Pour enough hot water in the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan. Bake until the cheesecake is golden at the edges and the center of the cake moves slightly when the pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour (the cake will become firm when it is cold.)
• Transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool for 1 hour. Refrigerate until the cheesecake is cold, at least 3 hours and up to 2 days.
• To serve, combine the jam and the hot water in a small bowl and stir until the jam is liquefied. Remove the cheesecake from the springform pan by running a knife around the inside of the rim and unlatching the pan's ring. Then, run a long metal spatula under the cheesecake and gently slide onto a serving plate. Drizzle the jam mixture over the top of the cheesecake, encouraging some of the jam to run down the sides. Serve with the reserved crostini alongside.

FESTIVE HOLIDAY CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Place an ungreased 9-in. springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan. , In a small bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, pecans and brown sugar; stir in butter. Press onto bottom and 1-1/2 in. up the sides of prepared pan. Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 5 minutes. Cool on a wire rack., In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour into crust. Place in a larger baking pan; add 1 in. of hot water to larger pan. , Bake at 325° for 1-1/2 hours or until center is just set and top appears dull. In a small bowl, combine sour cream and sugar until smooth; spoon over hot cheesecake and spread to cover. Bake for 5 minutes longer or until topping is just set. , Remove springform pan from water bath. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. Remove sides of pan. If desired, top with optional garnishes.

HOLIDAY CHEESECAKE SQUARES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Mix graham crumbs, butter and 3 Tbsp. sugar; press onto bottom of 13x9-inch pan.
• Beat cream cheese, 3/4 cup sugar and vanilla with mixer until blended. Add eggs; mix just until blended. Pour over crust.
• Bake 30 min. or until center is almost set. Cool. Refrigerate 3 hours. Cut into bars. Decorate with gels and sprinkles to resemble presents.

FAVORITE HOLIDAY CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• In bowl, combine cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter till combined. Press into bottom and a little up the sides of a 10 inch spring form pan. Bake in a 325 degree oven 10 minutes; set aside. For the filling, beat cream cheese with mixer till smooth with sugar. Add zest and juice; beat till smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time till completely incorporated; add vanilla. Bake in a 325 degree oven for an hour and fifteen minutes to an hour and a half, or till filling is nearly set in the middle of cheesecake when shaken gently. For topping, beat sour cream and sugar with vanilla till smooth with spoon. Then carefully spread evenly over the baked cheesecake. Bake in a 325 degree oven ten to fifteen minutes, or till topping is nicely baked with cheesecake. Cool fifteen minutes, then cut around edges with sharp knife, cool thirty minutes and remove from spring form. When completely cooled cover with plastic wrap and chill 24 hours before serving. Chill leftovers.

HOLIDAY SHEET PAN CHEESECAKE BARS RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
• Make the crust: In a large bowl, mix together the crushed graham crackers and melted butter until the mixture resembles wet sand.
• Pour onto a baking sheet and press into an even layer. Use a spatula to draw lines in the crust crosswise, dividing it into 4 even sections. Arrange the graham cracker quarters along the lines, then press down the crust around the crackers to secure.
• Bake for 8 minutes until lightly browned. Let cool to room temperature.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 225°F (105°C).
• Make the filling: In a large bowl, use an electric hand mixer on medium speed to whip the cream cheese and sugar until slightly fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time.
• Mix in the sour cream and vanilla. Divide the filling evenly between 4 medium bowls.
• In the first bowl, mix in the sweet potato puree, ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon, and the nutmeg.
• In another bowl, whisk in the chocolate hazelnut spread.
• In another bowl, whisk in ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon.
• In the last bowl, mix in the pumpkin puree and the pumpkin pie spice.
• Pour each flavored filling into a section of the crust and smooth with a spatula.
• Scoop the apple pie filling over the cinnamon flavor and swirl into the filling with a skewer.
• Drizzle the melted semi-sweet chocolate over the chocolate flavor and swirl into the filling with a skewer.
• Sprinkle the chopped pecans over the pumpkin filling.
• Bake for 1 hour, until cheesecake is set. Let cool in the oven with the door open.
• Refrigerate overnight before slicing into wedges and serving.
• Enjoy!