Week 18: Autumn Festival

Last cheesecake for this experiment!  It's been a good run.  I started off having never made a baked cheesecake, to making 17 baked cheesecakes in 3 months (one cheesecake I made was a no-bake).  Definitely have learned a lot, and have been able to provide others with cheesebaking tips as well.  One thing I will not miss is consuming all the extra calories each week - gotta test the product before sharing with others ;)  After this post, I will take a hiatus from blogging about baking, but will return in the future.  My next adventure is taking a class next week and applying to a Masters degree in Ed.

Here is George Geary's Autumn Festival cheesecake recipe:

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup toasted and ground pecans
1/3 cup unsalted butter melted

6 packages cream cheese softened
2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
6 eggs
1 medium baking apple, peeled and chopped fine
1/2 cup golden raisins
2 tbsp organge zest
1tsp each ground nutmeg and cinnamon
1/2 tsp each ground cloves and allspice
2 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup whipping cream
2tbsp granulated sugar
1/4 tsp orange zest
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

In a bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, ground pecans and melted butter.  Press into bottom of cheesecake pan and freeze.

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium high speed for 5 minutes.  Next, add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.  Fold in chopped apple, raisins, orange zest, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, allspice and vanilla.  Pour batter over frozen crust and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven  for 60 to 75 minutes or until the top is a light brown and the middle has a slight jiggle to it (as a reminder, every oven is a little different - my cheesecake was done at 50 minutes).  Cool cheesecake for 2 hours at room temperature, then cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6 hours.

For the decoration - whip the cream on medium high speed until soft peaks form.  With the mixer still running, sprinkle in the sugar and continue whipping until firm peaks form.  Fold in the 1/4 tsp orange zest, 1 tsp cinnamon and 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg.  Spread on cake.

Week 17: Banana Macadamia Cheese Pie

Well, my cheesecake experiment is coming to its end with only one more to go.  This has been a great learning experience!  But I'm not going to lie - I'm fine with not seeing or eating another piece of cheesecake for a long time ;)  
This week's cheesecake was another cheese pie.  This recipe was an easy one to follow and not as tedious as the recipe for the last cheesecake.  If you're a banana fan, I think you'll like this cheese pie.  The cookbook suggests serving it with whipped topping, but I also think chocolate ice cream would go well with this pie - as if there aren't enough calories in a piece of cheesecake!  LOL.  But if you bake it, there's no calories, right?

Here is George Geary's Banana Macadamia Cheese Pie recipe:

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tbsp unsalted butter melted
3/4 cup ripe mashed bananas (about 3 large)
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tbsp all purpose flour
1/4 cup macadamia nuts, toasted and ground (you can substitute with pecans which are cheaper)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp vanilla

Whipped Cream Topping
Banana Chips

In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and butter.  Press into bottom and sides of pie plate and freeze.
In a large mixer bowl, beat cream cheese, bananas and brown sugar on medium high speed for 3 minutes.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating each egg thoroughly before adding the next.  Fold in flour, macadamia nuts, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla.  Pour batter over frozen crust.  Bake in a preheated oven for 25 - 35 minutes or until the top is a light brown and middle has a slight jiggle.  Cool at room temperature for 2 hours.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6 hours.

Week 16: Herbed Gorgonzola Cheesecake

This cheesecake is considered more of a savory cheesecake that is served with crackers or party toast.  This one turned out alright, although if I were to make it again, I would add more gorgonzola to up the pugency, as this turned out a little bland for my taste.  Another recommendation is that I wouldn't bake it as long as the recipe calls for - a creamier texture would make it easier to spread on crackers or toast.

Here is George Geary's Herbed Gorgonzola Cheesecake recipe:
2 cups crackers, crushed
1/4 cup unsalted melted butter

4 packages cream cheese softened
3 eggs 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
1 tsp chopped fresh dill
1 tsp dried onion flakes
8 oz Gorgonzola cheese crumbled

In a bowl, combine cracker crumbs and melted butter.  Press mixture into bottom of cheesecake pan and freeze.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese on medium high speed for 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing each egg into mixture before adding the next egg.  Mix in lemon juice, salt, tarragon, dill and onion flakes.  with a rubber spatula, fold in gorgonzola cheese.  Pour batter over frozen crust and bake in a 350 degree oven for 50 to 65 minutes or until the top is a light brown and middle has a slight jiggle.  Cool for two hours, then cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6 hours.

Week 15: Citrus Cheese Pie

Okay, I'm not a huge citrus person when it comes to baked goods, but I LOVED how this week's cheesecake turned out.  This is by far my favorite one that I've made!  No cracks or hairline cracks whatsoever, perfect texture, and perfectly speckled with lime and orange zest.  The picture I took of the cheesecake (er, pie) does not do it justice.  Seriously, so yummy!

Here is the recipe for George Geary's Citrus Cheese Pie:
1 1/4 cups lemon cookie crumbs
3 tbsp melted butter

2 packages cream cheese softened
3/4 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 tbsp lemon zest
2 tbsp orange zest
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1tbsp fresh orange juice
1 tsp vanilla

Classic Whipped Cream Topping

In a bowl, combine lemon cookie crumbs and butter.  Press into bottom and sides of pie plate and freeze.

in a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar on medium high speed for 3 minutes.  Next, add eggs, one at a time, mixing each egg into batter before adding the next egg.  Add zests, juices and vanilla, and mixing until blended.  Pour over frozen crust and bake in a 325 degree oven for 25 to 35 minutes.  Cool on rack for 2 hours.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6 hours.

Classic Whipped Topping
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 tbsp sugar

In a well chilled bowl, whip cream on med-high speed until soft peaks form.  Sprinkle sugar into the cream and mix until firm peaks form.

Week 14: Dutch Apple Cheesecake Bars

I have been on a roll these last few weeks with posting late, but I am still committed to finishing out my 18 weeks of cheesecakes :)  This week we bought a new vehicle (like, last night), because our old vehicle was on its last leg... So, that is partly why I've been late with my postings.  Anyways, this week's (well, technically, last week's) cheesecake is Dutch Apple cheesecake bars.  These were so fun to make and very yummy, too! 

Here is George Geary's Dutch Apple Cheesecake Bars recipe:

2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup unsalted butter melted

3 packages cream cheese softened
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
4 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 medium apple, chopped

3 tbsp butter, cold
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
12 thin apple slices (instead of thin apple slices, I just used chopped apple)

In a bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter.  Press crumbs into the bottom of a 13x9 inch pan and freeze.
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, sour cream and 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar on med-high speed for 3 minutes.  Add eggs one at a time, mixing each egg into mixture before adding the next egg.  Mix in vanilla and lemon juice.  Then, mix in 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, and 1/4 tsp cloves.  Fold in chopped apple and pour batter over frozen crust.
In another bowl, cut cold butter into flour.  Add remaining sugar, cinnamon and cloves.  Toss in remaining chopped apples.  Sprinkle topping over the batter, and bake 40-50 minutes in a 325 degree oven.  Cool the cheesecake for 2 hours on the counter, and then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6 hours.

Week 13: South of France Lemon Cheesecake

This week's cheesecake is different from the other cheesecakes I've made up until this point.  No cream cheese used, rather, ricotta cheese.  On a positive note, this was by far the easiest cheesecake I've made to date!  On the other hand, and to be quite blunt, it is my least favorite cheesecake.  The texture was gritty, and the taste bland.  It's possible I overbaked the cheesecake, as the way to check for doneness of this cheesecake is different from those with the cream cheese base. 

Here is George Geary's South of France Lemon Cheesecake recipe:

2 lbs ricotta cheese, drained overnight (want to drain the ricotta cheese, otherwise there will be too much liquid)
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup all purpose flour
6 eggs
2 tsp orange zest
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp vanilla

In a large bowl, stir ricotta cheese with a rubber spatula until creamy.  Next, add sugar and flour, mixing until blended.  Add eggs, one at a time, until each egg is mixed in thoroughly before adding the next.  Stir in orange zest, lemon zest, juice, cinnamon and vanilla.  Pour batter into prepared cheesecake pan (make sure to grease bottom and sides of pan).  In a 300 degree oven, bake for 75 - 90 minutes or until the tip of a knife inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool for two hours and then refrigerate for 6 hours.

So, a few things:

• Do not look for a jiggly center and browning edges as a sign of doneness
• Keep a close eye on the cheesecake.  I baked mine for 75 minutes (the min requirement indicated in this recipe), however, it still came out a little overbaked.
• This cheesecake has no crust, so make sure to grease bottom of cheesecake pan.

Week 12: Brownie Cheese Pie

My husband and I survived last weekend's family/friend picnic :)  It was wonderful seeing family members and friends we haven't seen in a while and catching up.  Needless to say though, we were both exhausted once Sunday afternoon rolled around.  With that, I am once again a little late with posting this last week's cheesecake submission.  This week, I chose to make Gary Geary's Brownie Cheese Pie recipe.  It turned out well, and is super yummy! 

Here is George Geary's Brownie Cheese Pie recipe:

1 cup chocolate sandwich cookie crumbs
3 tbsp butter melted
1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 1/4 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
5 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips melted and cooled
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 package cream cheese softened
2 tbsp unsalted butter softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tbsp all purpose flour
2 tbsp sour cream
1 tsp vanilla

In a bowl, combine cookie crumbs and melted butter.  Press mixture into the bottom and sides of a pie plate and freeze.
In a large mixing bowl, beat 1/3 cup butter and 1/3 cup sugar on medium high speed for 3 minutes.  Add two eggs, one at a time, mixing each one into the batter thoroughly.  Mix in 1 1/4 tsp vanilla, salt, and cooled chocolate.  Quickly beat in 1/3 cup flour.  Smooth batter into bottom of the pie plate.  Refrigerate for 3 minutes.  In a clean bowl, beat cream cheese, remaining butter and sugar on medium high speed for 3 minutes.  Add remaining egg mixing thoroughly into mixture.  Mix in remaining flour, sour cream and vanilla.  Spread batter evenly on top of the brownie layer.  Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 25 - 30 minutes (or until the top is light brown and has a slight jiggle to it).  Cool for 2 hours and then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6 hours.

So, I have to admit, again, for this recipe, I "cheated" on the crust and went with a pre-made crust.  I will hand make my next crust - for real :) 

One tip I have is to read this recipe through a few times and make sure you are not using the wrong measurements for the ingredients for the two separate batters.  I followed the instructions to a t, but still had to read and re-read the recipe before adding in the next ingredients.

Week 11: Turtle Cheese Pie

Whew wee, what a week!  It's been a busy week for my husband and me.  We're hosting a family/friends picnic this weekend...this is the first time all week I've been able to sit down and relax :)  Here's hoping next week slows down. 

This week's cheesecake was actually a cheese pie.  It's easy to make and delicious.  I made a few shortcuts as well with this recipe which I'll post at the bottom of this entry.

Here is George Geary's Turtle Cheese Pie recipe:

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tbsp unsalted butter melted

2 packages cream cheese softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
3 oz bittersweet chocolate chunks
3 oz caramels, cut into quarters
1/4 cup toasted and chopped pecans
1/2 tsp vanilla (I accidentally grabbed the peppermint extract, but it actually turned out well)

3oz bittersweet chocolate

In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs and butter.  Press into bottom and sides of 9 inch pie plate and freeze.
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar on medium high speed for 3 minutes.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating each one thoroughly into batter before adding the next.  Fold in 3 oz bittersweet chocolate, caramels, pecans an vanilla.  Pour batter over frozen crust and bake in a pre-heated 325 degree for 25 to 35 minutes or until the top is a light brown and middle has a slight jiggle to it.  While the pie is still hot, grate the chocolate over the top.  Cool pie for two hours and then refrigerate for 6 hours.

Due to this week's time constraints, I made the following shortcuts:

• I used a pre-made pie crust for a 9 inch pie pan (I so felt like I was cheating by doing this, but it sure was nice to not have to roll out the graham crackers with a rolling pin)
• Instead of baking chocolate and caramel chunks, I used bittersweet chocolate chips and caramel bits (same size as a chocolate chip).  This saved time on chopping the chocolate and caramel.
• Instead of grating chocolate over the top of the pie, I chopped up chocolate chips and sprinkled them over the top of the pie.

Also, I accidentally grabbed the peppermint extract instead of the vanilla in my cupboard.  It wasn't until I poured the 1/2 tsp peppermint extract and smelled the mint that I realized my mistake.  But really, can't go wrong with chocolate and mint :)

Week 10: Peaches and Cream Cheesecake

A little late with posting this week's cheesecake as well as last week's.  Been a hectic week with the kiddo - two trips to Urgent Care and one appointment with pediatrics.  Fortunately, he is now getting back to his energetic toddler self ;)  This week's cheesecake turned out well - similar texture to that of the pina colada cheesecake, minus the coconut.  Nice and light!

Here is the recipe for George Geary's Peaches and Cream Cheesecake:

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup pecans toasted and ground (I skipped the toasting)
3 tbsp butter melted

4 packages cream cheese softened
1 cup whipping cream
1 cup granulated sugar
4 eggs 1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp vanilla
2 medium peaches, peeled and sliced (I used 3)
1/4 cup pecans, chopped

Classic Whipped Cream Topping

In a bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, ground pecans and butter.  Press into bottom of cheesecake pan and freeze.
In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, whipping cream and sugar on medium high speed for 3 minutes.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating each one into mixture before adding the next egg.  Stir in flour and vanilla.  Pour half of batter onto frozen crust.  Place peach slices on top of batter and then sprinkle the chopped pecans over the peaches.  Pour remaining batter over the peaches.  Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45 to 55 minutes until the top is a light brown and middle has a slight jiggle to it.  Cool for 2 hours on counter, then wrap and refrigerate for 6 hours before serving.  Decorate with the classic whipped topping (or store bought will do to) and peaches.

Recipe for classic whipped topping:
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 tbsp granulated sugar

In a chilled bowl, whip cream on medium high speed until soft peaks form.  Sprinkle in the 2 tbsp sugar while the mixer is still running.  Continue whipping until firm peaks form.

Week 9: Piña Colada Cheesecake

Week 9 marks the halfway point of the cheesecake experiment!  The piña colada cheesecake is by far my favorite cheesecake so far :)  The cheesecake turned out so light and fluffy, you wouldn't guess that four blocks of cream cheese are used in this recipe.  The cheesecake was also a hit with my co-workers and friends who sampled it a few days ago. 

Here is the adapted version of George Geary's Piña Colada Cheesecake recipe:

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup flaked coconut
3 tbsp melted butter

1 20 oz can pineapple diced
3 tbsp packed light brown sugar
4 packages cream cheese softened
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 eggs
1/2 cup coconut milk
2 tsp vanilla (you can replace one of the tsp vanilla with tsp rum)

whipped cream topping
1/4 cup flaked coconut toasted

In a bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, 1/2 cup flaked coconut and 3tbsp melted butter.  Press into bottom of cheesecake pan and freeze.
In a saucepan, cooke pineapple and light brown sugar on medium heat until soft and syrupy (about 3 min).  Let mixture sit for 10 minutes, then drain the syrup from the mixture.  In a large bowl, beat the 4 packages cream cheese, granulated sugar and flour on medium-high speed for 3 minutes.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating each egg into the mixture before adding the next egg.  Mix in the coconut milk and vanilla.  Pour half of the batter into the prepared cheesecake pan.  Arrange the pineapple mixture on top and pour the remaining batter on top of the pineapple mixture.  Bake for 45-55 minutes in a 350 degree oven or until the top is a light brown (mine actually took about a full hour to bake, but our oven is on the fritz).  Cool for two hours and then refrigerate for 6 hours.  When done, decorate with homeade whipped topping and toasted coconut flakes.  To toast the coconut flakes, I spread out the flakes on a baking sheet and toasted for 6 minutes in a 300 degree oven. 

Week 8: Grasshopper Cheese Bars

Back on track again!  Well, this week's cheesecake baking started off with a hitch... it's been so hot and humid the last few days, our gas stove oven does not seem to like all the extra heat (rather ironic).  R.O. took apart the oven, did something magical, and got it up and running again.  The same thing happened a month ago when we had our last heat wave in the midwest. 
So this week I decided to make cheesecake bars with some of the excess ingredients leftover from the last few cheesecakes.  These bars turned out well, although not my favorite.  A nice finishing touch for these cheesecake bars would be whipped topping, as the book recommends.  I forgot to pick up heavy whipping cream on my last grocery run, and decided a separate grocery trip (in this heat) for just whipping cream really was not worth the effort. 

Here is the recipe for Grasshopper Cheese Bars (by George Geary):
2 1/4 cups Oreo crumbs
1/3 cup butter, melted

3 packages cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp peppermint extract (I used a full tsp as I like the extra hint of peppermint)
3 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips melted and cooled

Whipped topping (for the topping)

In a medium sized bowl, combine the cookie crumbs and melted butter.  Press into the bottom of a greased 13x9 baking pan and freeze.  In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and granulated sugar on med-high speed for 3 minutes.  Next, add eggs, one at a time, beating each egg into the mixture before adding the next one.  Mix in the flour, sour cream, vanilla and peppermint.  Next, pour the melted chocolate in a steady stream while the mixture is still running.  Pour the batter into the pan and place in a 325 degree oven for 45-55 minutes (or until the edges are brown and middle has a slight jiggle).  Again, to point out, all ovens are different, and my cheesecake was done at 40 minutes.

Week 7: German Chocolate Cheesecake

Slight delay in posting this week's cheesecake - we just returned from the West Bend, WI area last night.  This week's cheesecake was SO yummy!  The german chocolate cheesecake is (so far) my favorite one of this whole experience :)  I baked it at my mother-in-law's place over the weekend, and everyone enjoyed it. 

Here is George Geary's German Chocolate Cheesecake recipe:

1 1/4 cups chocolate sandwich cookie crumbs
1/4 cup ground pecans
3 tbsp melted butter


1 cup packed brown sugar
2 tbsp softened butter
2 egg yolks stirred
1 1/2 cups of flaked coconut
3/4 cup pecan halves
3 packages cream cheese
1 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
6 oz bittersweet chocolate melted and cooled


In a bowl, combine the cookie crumbs, 1/4 cup ground pecans and melted butter.  Press into bottom of cheesecake pan (or sprinform pan) and freeze.
In a medium saucepan, melt brown sugar and 2 tbsp softened butter for 3 minutes (on med-high heat).  Remove pan from heat an stir in egg yolks.  Return to medium heat for another 3 minutes.  Add coconut flakes and pecan halves.  Cool the mixture in the fridge for 20 min (pleas note, this mixture can be made a few days in advance of the cheesecake).  In a large mixing bowl beat cream cheese and granulated sugar on medium-high speed for 3 minutes.  Add eggs one at a time, mixing in each egg thoroughly into the batter before adding the next egg.  Stir in vanilla and melted chocolate.  Fold half of the coconut-pecan mixture into the batter and save the other half for the decoration.  Pour the batter into the cheesecake pan and bake for 45-55 minutes in a 350 degree pre-heated oven (I pulled my cheesecake out of the oven at 40 minutes).

Week 6: Chocolate Peanut Butter (cheese bars)

What better way to celebrate Independence Day than with chocolate and peanut butter?  That's what I did this last week :)  It was between the chocolate/peanut butter cheesecake bars and a more patriotic looking cheesecake decorated in blueberries, strawberries and whipped cream...  chocolate won.  These bars turned out well, though I have to caution those who do try out this recipe, that this cheesecake is very rich.  Instead of bars, these would make great cheesecake bites. 

So without further ado, here is the adapted version of George Geary's Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheese Bars (recipe from one of his students):

2 1/2 cups peanut butter sandwich cookie crumbs
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup butter, melted

4 packages cream cheese softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 cup creamy peanut butter
8 oz bittersweet chocolate melted and cooled
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chunks

1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks

For the crust, in a bowl combine cookie crumbs, flour and melted butter.  Press into the bottom of a 13x9 inch baking pan and freeze (I recommend greasing the sides of the baking pan).  For the filling, in a large mixing bowl beat the cream cheese and sugar on med-high speed for 3 minutes.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating each egg thoroughly into the mixture before adding the next.  Blend in the 1 cup of creamy peanut butter and 8 oz melted chocolate.  Then mix in the 3 tbsp lemon juice and 1 tsp vanilla.  Fold in the 2 cups chocolate chunks.  Pour the mixture over the frozen crust and bake for 35-45 minutes (or until the top is a light golden brown and middle has a slight jiggle).  Pull the cheesecake out of the oven (keep the oven on) and let cool for 10 minutes.  While the cheesecake is cooling, make the topping:  combine the 1 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup peanut butter, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp vanilla.  Pour the topping onto the center of the cheesecake and spread to the edges.  Sprinkle some chocolate chunks on top.  Bake for another 5 minutes.  Pull cheesecake out of oven and cool for 2 hours, then refrigerate for 6 hours.

Week 5: Swiss Alps Cheesecake

First thing I have to say is, I'm glad I've picked up running!  Oherwise, I'd surely gain a ton of weight with this cheesecake experiment ;) 
This week, I chose an appetizer style cheesecake - it can be likened to a heavy cheesespread that you can put on crackers.  It's listed in the "Savory" section of George's cookbook.  This cheesecake turned out well, and our friends who had us over for brunch today seemed to enjoy it, too.

Here is the adapted version of George Geary's Swiss Alps cheesecake:

3/4 cup crushed crackers
2 tbsp melted butter

1 package cream cheese, softened (and as a reminder, cheesecake and eggs should come to room temperature before making cheesecake)
1 egg
1tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp chopped dill
1 tsp dried onion flakes
1 clove garlic minced (I just used 1 tbsp pre-minced garlic from a jar)
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

In a bowl, combine the crushed crackers and butter, then press mixture into the bottom of a cheesecake pan (if using a springform pan, make sure to grease the bottom and the sides).

In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese on med speed for 3 minutes.  Add egg, and mix until blended.  Then add the lemon juice, salt, dill, onion flakes and garlic.  With a spatula, fold in the Swiss cheese.  Pour the mixture over the frozen crust, and bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 30-40 minutes (my oven runs hot, so I only baked my cheesecake for 25 minutes).  Bake until the middle has a slight jiggle and top has slight brown color.  Cool for two hours, then wrap tightly in saran wrap and refrigerate for 6 hours. 

This can be served with crackers.  

Next week.... something chocolatey!! :)

Week 4: Lime Cheesecake

I was really excited about making this cheesecake... love keylime pie and cheesecake, and, this was a no-bake recipe, too!  Well, I have to say, I was a little disappointed with the outcome.  I'm not sure if it was because this wasn't a baked cheesecake, but this cheesecake was very dense and rich.  It was like I took a bite off of a block of cream cheese, and the cream cheese just happened to have a hint of lime to it.  It was so rich, I couldn't even finish a piece.  I brought this cheesecake over to my dad's side of the family for father's day, and the general consensus was that it was a very rich cheesecake.

However, if you do like a really dense cheesecake, here is the adapted version of George Geary's Lime Cheesecake:

1 1/4 cups butter cookie crumbs (I used graham cracker crumbs)
3 tbsp butter - unsalted and melted

1 packet powdered unflavored gelatin
1/4 tsp lime zest
1/2 cup lime juice
3 packages cream cheese softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup whipping cream whipped

Decorate with Classic Whipped Topping (you can top the cheesecake with store bought whipped cream too, or with no topping)

In a medium sized bowl, combine cookie crumbs and butter.  Press the mixture into the bottom of the cheesecake pan an freeze (if you using a spring form pan, make sure to grease the bottom and sides of pan).

Sprinkle gelatin over lime juice in a small saucepan, and let it stand for a few minutes.  Then place saucepan over low heat stirring constantly, until gelatin is completely dissolved.  Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
In a big bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar on medium speed for three minutes.  Slowly add the dissolved gelatin and lime juice mixture.  Mix in vanilla and lime zest and then fold in the whipped cream.  Pour mixture over frozen crust.  Chill cheesecake for 6 hours until firm.  (That's right, no baking!)

Things I learned from this experience:

• Use the recommended cookies for the crust - my crust turned out almost soggy, and crumbled to the touch.  My guess is that the crust needed to be made from a heartier cookie. 
• Allow crust to freeze longer.  The crust was only in the freezer for an hour before pouring the cheesecake mixture over it.  This, combined with the wrong crust mixture, made for a bad crust.
• Again, thou must practice patience!

Week 3: Black Forest Cheesecake

NO CRACKS!!!  More specifically, no cracks in this week's cheesecake!  Seriously, I was practically jumping up and down for joy when I peeked at the un-cracked cheesecake as it was cooling.  The verdict from those who ate this week's cheesecake is that this is the best one yet (of course you can't go wrong with chocolate and cherries).

Here is the adapted version of George Geary's Black Forest Cheesecake recipe:

1 1/4 cups chocolate sandwich cookie crumbs (I used Oreos)
3 tbsp of melted butter, unsalted

2 packages cream cheese softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
6 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips melted and cooled
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 can cherry pie filling (21 oz)

For the crust, combine the cookie crumbs and melted butter and press into the bottom of a cheesecake pan (if using a spring form pan, make sure to grease the bottom and sides of pan).  Place pan in freezer and freeze.

For the filling, in a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar on medium high speed for 3 minutes.  Then add the eggs one at a time making sure to beat each egg thoroughly into the batter before adding the next egg.  Mix in vanilla and melted chocolate.  Pour the batter over the frozen crust and bake in a 350 degree pre-heated oven for 45-55 minutes or until the top has a slight golden brown color and the middle has a jiggle to it.  Cool cheesecake on rack for two hours and then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6 hours. 

For the topping, in a well chilled bowl, whip cream on medium-high speed until soft peaks form.  With mixer still running, slowly add the 2 tbsp sugar and continue whipping until firm peaks form (I misread the directions and mixed the whipping cream and sugar all at once... it still turned out fine.  Also, I recommend doubling up on the whipping cream and sugar).

So, a few things I did differently this week:

• allowed the cream cheese and eggs to come to room temperature
• pre-heated the oven to 325 degrees, then turned it up to 350 degrees after placing the cheesecake in the oven.
• used a cheesecake pan (and wrapped the bottom in aluminum foil, just in case...)
• kept a watchful eye on the cheesecake as it was baking, and pulled it out at 40 minutes

Week 2: Mint Chocolate Cheesecake

Week 2... a little better than last week, although not without its own hiccups along the way :).  First off, I NEED to buy an actual cheesecake pan.  No more springform pans.  If you do use a springform pan, I suggest wrapping the bottom tightly with aluminum foil.  Otherwise, you will have cheesecake batter leaking out of the bottom which in turn will burn in your oven causing a very smoky house (and make your house smell like burnt pan for the next few days).

Here is the adapted version of George Geary's Minty Chocolate Cheesecake recipe:

1 1/2 cups chocolate sandwich cookies (I used Oreos)
1/4 cup butter, melted
3 packages of cream cheese softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp peppermint extract
3 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips melted and cooled
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tsp all purpose flour

For the crust, in a medium bowl combine cookie crumbs and butter.  Press into pan and freeze (make sure to grease the sides of pan if using a springform pan).

For the filling, in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar and medium-high speed for 3 minutes.  Next, add eggs one at a time beating thoroughly after each addition.  Mix in 1/4 cup of flour.  Then, mix in the sour cream, vanilla and peppermint.  While the mixer is running, pour in the melted and cooled chocolate in (if you have a hand-held mixer like I do, you may need the assistance of another person).  In a small bowl, combine the chocolate chips and remaining flour.  Toss this into the batter and pour batter over frozen crust.  Bake in a 350 degree pre-heated oven for 45-55 minutes (IMPORTANT -- all ovens are different... my oven has a tendency to run hot, so my cheesecake was done in 37 minutes).  Bake until the top is a light brown and the middle has a slight jiggle.  Cool for two hours, and then refrigerate for 6 hours.

This cheesecake turned out better than my first, although it still had some pretty deep cracks on the top.  According to George Geary, the cracks are caused by not allowing all ingredients to come to room temperature.  Now, I know that he is the expert, but this time around I did allow the cream cheese, sour cream and eggs to come to room temperature.  So, who knows. 

Here is a picture of the final product.  I decided to add crumbled Oreos as a topping/decoration to my cheesecake. 

Week 1: Blue Ribbon Cheesecake

Okay, so this was my first real attempt at making a baked cheesecake.  And do I have a lot to learn!  I decided to start with George Geary's "Blue Ribbon Cheesecake".  Nothing too fancy about this cheesecake, but it sure is tasty.

Here is the adapted version of George Geary's Blue Ribbon Cheesecake:

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup melted butter (unsalted)
4 packages cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp vanilla
Decoration:  2 cups sliced strawberries


For the crust, mix 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs and 1/4 cup melted butter in a bowl.  Press the mixture into the bottom of a cheesecake pan or springform pan and freeze.
For the filling:  In a large mixing bowl beat the cream cheese and 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar on medium to med/high speed for 3 min.  Add 4 eggs one at a time, beating each one thoroughly into the mixture before adding the next one.  Stir in 3 tbsp lemon juice and 1 tsp vanilla.  Pour mixture over the frozen crust.  Bake in a pre-heated oven (350 degrees) for 45-55 minutes, or until the cheesecake has a light brown color and the middle has a slight jiggle to it (really important, let me tell you).  Pull cheesecake out of the oven and let cool for 10 minutes (do not turn the oven off).  While the cheesecake is cooling, mix 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 tbsp lemon juice and 1/2 tsp vanilla in a small bowl.  Once cheesecake has cooled for ten minutes, pour topping mixture onto the center of the cheesecake and spread out to the edges with a spatula.  Return cheesecake to the oven for an additional 5 minutes.  Once the final baking is done, pull cheesecake out of oven, and cool on counter for two hours.  Then cover cheesecake tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6 hours before serving. Before serving, you can decorate the cheesecake with strawberries or whatever topping you so desire (I chose to not add a topping to my cheesecake).

Seems simple enough, right?  Well, good news is the cheesecake tasted better than it looked.  Bad news...my cheesecake had HUGE cracks in it.  And, it also didn't have the slight jiggle in the middle - this means it may have been overbaked, which in turn gives you a dry cheesecake.   

A few things I learned from my first cheesecake baking experience:

• Allow all refrigerated ingredients to come to room temperature, otherwise you will wind up with cracks in your cheesecake.  This takes about 3 hours.
• Keep a close eye on on the cheesecake during the baking process.  All ovens are different!  I baked my cheesecake for 50 min, but that was probably about 5 min too long.
• Mix all ingredients for the filling thoroughly
• Have patience!

The Plan

I'll be exploring different cheesecake recipes from George Geary's 125 Best Cheesecake Recipes cookbook (2002).  The plan is to select a different recipe each week for the next four months.  Due to time constraints, it will average about one cheesecake a week for a total of 18 different cheesecake recipes over the next four months.  I will document my progress with each recipe through pictures and written commentary.

The Inspiration

I love to bake and cook, although don't do so as often as I'd like.  After watching the movie "Julie and Julia" last winter, I thought to myself, "I could do something like that."  Unlike the movie, my focus will be tied specifically to cheesecake, and over a shorter span of time:  one cheesecake a week for four months.  I'll be documenting my progress through posts and pictures.

Also, I would love to make this interactive and share tips/comments/recipes with others who love to bake!

Jenn