Peggys Cheesecake Recipes

*THE BEST* CHEESECAKE RECIPE

Steps:

• Place oven racks in the center of the oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a medium sized bowl, stir graham cracker crumbs together with sugar and melted butter until well incorporated and mixture looks like damp sand. Using the bottom of a measuring cup, press crust into the bottom and half way up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake 7 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.
• Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.
• In a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, mix cream cheese 30 seconds 'til smooth. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and add in granulated sugar, sour cream and vanilla. Mix again until incorporated. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix again briefly.
• Crack eggs into a liquid measuring cup and using a fork, beat until well scrambled. With the mixer on low, slowly pour in the eggs into the cream cheese mixture and stop stirring once egg has been incorporated. Remove bowl from mixer and scrape the sides and bottom again, ensuring the entire mixture is smooth. If there are a few small lumps, try to fold in using the rubber scraper.
• Once the batter is completely smooth and ready, tap the bowl on the counter for 30-45 seconds to remove as many air bubbles as possible. You should see them popping on the surface as you tap the bowl. Pour filling into the center of the graham cracker crust and gently smooth the top. Will be very full!
• Bake for 30 minutes at 325 degrees. Reduce temperature to 250 degrees and continue cooking for 45 minutes more. Once this time has elapsed, turn oven off and keep cheesecake inside for another 30 minutes for some carryover cooking without opening the oven door. Crack oven door to let cheesecake cool slowly for one hour before removing. At this point, cheesecake should be slightly warm. Bring cheesecake to room temperature on the counter (3-4 hours) before covering with plastic wrap and transferring to the fridge.
• Refrigerate until chilled completely (6 hours to overnight). To serve, open springform pan and remove collar. Decorate as desired. Dip a sharp knife into hot water, wipe off any excess water and slice. I like to dip my knife in water between each slice to get really clean-looking pieces.

NO-BAKE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Stir the graham cracker crust ingredients together. Pour into a 9-inch or 10-inch springform pan and pack in very tightly. The tighter it's packed, the less likely it will fall apart when cutting the cheesecake. I recommend using the bottom of a measuring cup to pack it into the bottom and up the sides. You can watch me do this in the video above. Freeze for 10-20 minutes as you prepare the filling.
• Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the cold heavy cream into stiff peaks on medium-high speed, about 4-5 minutes. Set aside.
• Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and granulated sugar together on medium speed until perfectly smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the confectioners' sugar, sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Beat for 2-3 minutes on medium-high speed until smooth and combined. Make sure there are no large lumps of cream cheese. If there are lumps, keep beating until smooth.
• Using your mixer on low speed or a rubber spatula, fold the whipped cream into the cheesecake filling until combined. This takes several turns of your rubber spatula. Combine slowly as you don't want to deflate all the air in the whipped cream.
• Remove crust from the freezer and spread filling into crust. Use an offset spatula to smooth down the top.
• Cover tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 6-8 hours and up to 2 days. For best results, 12 hours is best. I chill mine overnight. The longer refrigerated, the nicer the no-bake cheesecake will set up.
• Use a knife to loosen the chilled cheesecake from the rim of the springform pan, then remove the rim. Using a clean sharp knife, cut into slices for serving. For neat slices, wipe the knife clean between each slice.
• Serve cheesecake with desired toppings (see Note). Cover and store leftover cheesecake in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

DIANA'S FAVORITE LEMON MOUSSE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Combine crushed graham crackers, melted butter and 1/4 cup sugar. Press graham cracker crust in the bottom of a 10-inch springform pan coming up about 1-inch on the sides. Seal the outside of the pan with foil and set in a baking dish. Add water to the baking dish to come 1-inch up the sides. Bake crust for 10 minutes.
• Zest lemons until you have 1 tablespoon of lemon zest. Place zest in a small bowl and set aside. Squeeze the lemons to acquire 3/4 cup lemon juice and set aside.
• In a mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, with paddle, beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add 1 1/4 cups sugar and continue to beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add egg yolks, flour, lemon juice, and zest and beat until smooth.
• In a separate mixing bowl, whip the egg whites to soft peaks. Add remaining sugar to the egg whites and continue to whip until stiff peaks have formed. Fold the egg whites into the lemon batter. Pour batter into the crust. Bake cheesecake until set and golden, about 55 to 65 minutes.
• Remove from oven and cool in the pan on a cooling rack, about 4 hours. Once cooled, refrigerate uncovered until chilled. Add pre-made Lemon Curd on top of cheesecake. Loosen sides with a cake spatula before unmolding and serve.
• Over medium heat whisk to combine yolks, zest, lemon juice and sugar in a 1 quart saucepan.
• Cook for approximately 8 minutes until the mixture thickens and looks smooth. Remove saucepan from heat and add butter, one piece at a time with a wooden spoon until it is fully incorporated. Pour mixture into a bowl and put plastic directly on top of mixture.
• Let cool on counter then refrigerate.

LEMON CHEESECAKE DESSERT

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, pecans and sugar. Add butter; mix well. Set aside 1/2 cup. Press the remaining crumb mixture into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Bake at 325° for 8 minutes., Meanwhile, in a small bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the milk, eggs and lemon juice; beat until smooth. Spoon over crust. Sprinkle with the reserved crumb mixture. , Bake for 30 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack. Store in the refrigerator.

KENTUCKY DERBY PECAN PIE CHEESECAKE RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F (170°C).
• In a bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter. Stir to combine.
• Pour the mixture into a 9-inch (23 cm) springform pan and press it evenly into the bottom and halfway up the sides. Transfer to the refrigerator to chill.
• In a large bowl add the cream cheese, sugar, and milk. With a hand mixer, beat until fluffy and fully incorporated.
• Add in the sour cream, flour, 2 teaspoons of the bourbon, and the two eggs and gently continue to mix until the cream cheese filling is smooth.
• Pour the mixture into the springform pan with the graham cracker crust and bake for 1 hour, or until the cheesecake no longer jiggles.
• While the cheesecake is cooking, prepare the stove-top pecan pie filling.
• In a bowl combine the brown sugar, cornstarch, and salt, stir together and pour into a medium saucepan on low heat.
• Pour in the egg yolks, maple syrup, and warm cream and whisk until smooth.
• Cook on low heat until the mixture thickens like a pudding, 5-10 minutes. Remove from the heat.
• Stir in the cold butter and the final teaspoon of bourbon and whisk until fully emulsified. The pudding-like mixture should be around room temperature.
• Fold in the roasted, chopped pecans and then pour the mixture over the cooked cheesecake and spread it out as an even layer.
• If you like, sprinkle with extra chopped pecans or garnish with whole pecans.
• Let the cheesecake chill in the refrigerator until completely set.
• Slice and serve cold or at room temperature.
• Enjoy!

RUGGLES REESE'S PEANUT BUTTER CUP CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Please Note****Plan ahead--cheesecake needs to chill for at least 4 hours.
• To Make The Crust:.
• Combine crushed Oreo cookies and peanuts that have been ground in a food processor with the melted butter.
• Pat the crust mixture onto bottom and sides of a 10-inch springform pan.
• To Make The Filling:.
• Beat cream cheese in bowl of electric mixer until smooth.
• Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Add sugar, peanut butter and cream; mix until smooth.
• Stir in vanilla, then fold in peanut butter cup pieces with a rubber spatula.
• Pour filling into prepared crust.
• Place springform pan into a larger baking pan.
• Pour hot water into the larger pan so that the water comes 1 inch up the sides of the springform pan.
• Bake at 275°F 1-1/2 hours, or until firm and lightly browned.
• For The Topping:.
• Combine the sour cream and sugar and spread on the cheesecake.
• Return the cake to the oven for 5 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for one hour.
• You may run a knife along the edge of the cake to loosen it from the pan somewhat.
• Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

FRUITY PEBBLES® CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Melt butter in a pot over medium-low heat. Add marshmallows and heat until melted, about 5 minutes. Add cereal and mix well.
• Press mixture into a 9-inch pie pan and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, beat cream cheese in a bowl with an electric stand mixer. Add powdered sugar while continuing to beat; beat in 1 cup cereal. Combine hot water and gelatin in another bowl and mix well. Add gelatin to cream cheese mixture. Mix until smooth and creamy.
• Pour mixture over the crust and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
• Crush the remaining cereal and sprinkle on top of cheesecake.