Kneaders 4th Of July Cheesecake Recipe 45

JULY 4TH RED, WHITE AND BLUE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• To Make the Crust:
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8-inch springform pan or cake pan with parchment.
• In a food processor combine the graham crackers, butter, sugar and salt, until the mixture resembles cornmeal. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan, and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or just until it starts to turn golden brown. Cool the crust completely, then freeze the crust.
• To Make the Cheesecake Batter:
• Cream together the cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, salt, eggs, vanilla, lemon juice and cornstarch, until very smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed. Divide the batter equally into 3 bowls. Add the raspberry preserves and a drop of red dye to one. Add the scraped vanilla bean to the next. Add the blueberry preserves and blue dye to the last bowl.
• Pour the red layer over the frozen crust and return to the freezer for about 30 minutes, or until the batter is slightly firm to the touch. While this layer is chilling, place the other bowls of batter in the freezer to allow them to set as well.
• Once the red layer feels thick, but not frozen solid, very carefully pour the white batter over the red. Do this very slowly, in small amounts, so that it doesn't break the surface of the red layer. Freeze the pan again for about 20 minutes. Check to make sure the blue batter isn't setting too firmly in the freezer; if it is, move it to the refrigerator.
• Turn the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.
• Add the blue layer in the same careful way. Place the pan on a baking sheet. Place in the oven, then pour hot water in the baking sheet, which will help the cake bake evenly. (If you are using the springform pan, you will need to cover the bottom of the springform pan with foil, to prevent any water from seeping in). Bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or when it is set in the middle.
• When the cake is set in the middle, remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for several hours.
• Run a hot knife blade around the edge before removing the cake from the pan. If you are using a regular cake pan, you will need to heat the bottom quickly over the stove, then cover the top with plastic, invert onto a plate and finally transfer to the serving platter. Refrigerate the cake while you make the topping.
• In a small bowl add the gelatin to the cold water, stir to combine and allow to bloom for several minutes. Once the water has absorbed all the gelatin, add it to the hot simple syrup. If you made the simple syrup ahead, heat it. Add the blueberry preserves and transfer to a clean bowl to cool.
• Once the glaze has come to room temperature, it will thicken, but still be pourable.
• Place the blueberries on top of the cake.
• Pour the thickened glaze over the berries. It will run down the sides, which I think is quite pretty. Refrigerate until the glaze has set a bit. If you prefer clean sides, use a hot metal spatula to scrape the excess off the sides (this is very easy to do).
• Use a hot blade to cut the cake to keep the stripes distinct, and enjoy!

NO-BAKE CHEESECAKE FLAG CAKE

Steps:

• Combine graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar, cocoa powder, and melted butter in a bowl until mixture is thoroughly combined and crumbly.
• Transfer crust mixture to a 9x11-inch baking dish. Press crust into bottom of dish until smooth and even. Cover dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes.
• Mix cream cheese and mascarpone cheese in a bowl until thoroughly combined. Stir in lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract into mixture.
• Whisk 1/3 cup sugar into whipping cream in a separate metal or glass bowl until the cream is fluffy and forms soft peaks. Add whipped cream to the cream cheese mixture and gently whisk until filling is soft, fluffy, and well combined.
• Spoon filling on top of the graham cracker crust, spreading and smoothing the top. Tap the pan gently on a work surface several times to settle the crust and filling. Cover pan tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled and set, at least 3 hours.
• Starting at the bottom long edge of the cake, arrange strawberry halves in a horizontal line with the pointed bottoms of the strawberry halves pointing to the right. Start a second stripe of strawberry halves at the top right of the cake, arranging strawberries with the bottoms pointing right in a line stretching about 2/3 of the length of the cake.
• Continue to make strawberry stripes, starting about 3/4 inch up from the bottom stripe and laying down 3 more stripes stretching the full length of the cake. Make 1 more line of strawberries beneath the short stripe to leave a square space for the blue field of stars.
• Lay a line of blueberries with the blossom ends pointing up in the upper left square space. Continue to lay down blueberries in lines, berries touching the previous line, until the square is filled with blueberries. Cut cake into squares to serve.

FOURTH OF JULY CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• 1. Mix vanilla wafer crumbs, butter, and 3 tablespoons sugar (to taste) in medium bowl.
• 2. Pat evenly on bottom of jelly roll pan, 15 x 10 inches.
• 3. Sprinkle gelatin over milk in small saucepan; let stand 2 to 3 minutes.
• 4. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until gelatin is dissolved. Cool to room temperature.
• 5. Beat cream cheese until fluffy in large bowl.
• 6. Gradually beat in milk mixture.
• 7. Beat in lemon juice and zest, vanilla and remaining sugar.
• 8. Pour mixture over crust. Refrigerate until set, 3 to 4 hours.
• 9. Before serving, decorate to look like a flag, using the blueberries for the stars, the raspberries for the stripes.

KNEADER'S 4TH OF JULY CHEESECAKE RECIPE - (4/5)

Steps:

• Crust: 1. Combine all ingredients. 2. Preheat oven to 350. Generously butter the bottom and the sides of a ½ sheet pan ( 13 inches by 18 inches rimmed) 3. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Let cool. Cheesecake: 1. Put one package of the cream cheese, 1/3 cup of sugar, and the cornstarch in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low until creamy. Cream the cream cheese one package at a time, scraping down the bowl after each use, until all has been added. 2. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat in the remaining sugar, then the vanilla. Blend in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after adding each one. Beat in the heavy cream and sour cream just until completely blended. Be careful not to over mix! Gently spoon the batter over the crust. 3. Place a dripper pan of hot water on the lower rack of the oven. Place cheesecake on the upper rack that is in the middle of the oven. Bake at 350 degrees until the edges are light golden brown and the top is slightly golden tan about 55-60 minutes. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for 2 hours. Don't move it. Let it set up. Leave the cake in the pan, cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate until completely cold, preferably overnight. Decorate: 1. Using a wet knife cut cheesecake into 48 squares (6 down and 8 across). Carefully lift squares out , decorate, and put carefully onto serving platter. 2. Decorate 4 squares across and 3 squares down with blueberries and blackberries. Starting with the top row first, decorate with raspberries lined up edge to edge. Decorate ever other row with raspberries. 3. Take out the second row, dust with powdered sugar. Decorate with strawberries that have been cut in half and dusted with powdered sugar. Replace and add strawberries that have been dusted with powdered sugar. Alternate down the rows of the flag.