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.