Absolute Best Cheesecake Recipes

[sugarbuzz]

I used to make a really good pumpkin chsck with a fig newton base..I'll have to find that recipe again.

[Joni]

Tyler Florence has what he calls the perfect cheesecake and the recipe is at www.foodtv.com...it was on a show on Sunday of famous chef desserts...good reviews on the site.

[CanadianBakin']

Mango Cheesecake and Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake, both from epicurious.com are very good. Instead of using fresh mangoes, I just bought pureed mangoes from the ethnic section at the grocery store and they worked a treat. Edited November 30, 2005 by CanadianBakin' (log)

[k43]

Here are several very good versions:

Junior's Cheesecake

3 cups graham cracker crumbs

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons sifted cornstarch

30 oz. (3 large packages) cream cheese, softened

1 large egg

2 cups heavy (whipping) cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Generously butter the bottom and sides of an 8" springform pan. Lightly coat the bottom of the pan with the graham cracker crumbs and refrigerate.

2. In a large bowl, combine the sugar and cornstarch. Beat in the cream cheese and then the egg. Slowly drizzle in the cream, beating constantly. Add the vanilla and stir well.

3. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake until the top is golden, 40 45 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 3 hours.

Yield: 8–10 servings.

Calories: Don't even think about it.

Fred's Creamy Cheesecake

Crust

2 cups mashed honey graham crackers

1 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans

1¼ sticks sweet butter at room temperature + butter for greasing pan

Combine ingredients with fingers, a fork or a pastry blender; press to bottom and sides of a well buttered 10" spring form pan and chill in refrigerator or freezer for 30 minutes.

Filling

2 8-oz.-packages cream cheese, softened

2 8-oz. containers whipped cream cheese

2 cups sugar

1 t. salt.

2 pints sour cream

2 T. cornstarch

3 extra-large eggs

Preheat oven to 375

1. In an electric mixer, beat the regular and whipped cream cheeses together with the sugar.

2. Beat in the salt, sour cream and cornstarch.

3. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly between eggs.

4. Pour filling into crust and bake for 1 hour. Put a large pan of water into the oven to keep the top from splitting.

5. Turn off the oven and leave the cake in for 1 hour, without opening the door.

6. Cool on a rack to room temperature, and then refrigerate. Best when made the day before serving.

Extensively tested and tweaked Cheesecake

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

¾ cup sugar

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoon melted butter

1½ cups sour cream

2 eggs

2 teaspoon vanilla

1 pound cream cheese broken into small pieces

1. Blend the cracker crumbs, ¼ cup of the sugar and ¼ cup melted butter and line bottom of buttered pan.

2. Blend the sour cream and ½ cup sugar, eggs and vanilla in a blender for 1 minute. Add cream cheese. Blend until smooth. Pour the remaining 2 tablespoon of butter through the top of machine. Pour into pan.

3. Bake in lower third of 325 degree oven for 45 minutes. When baking is finished remove from oven and turn oven on to broil. Broil until the top begins to show spots of brown.

French-Style Cheesecake (Lighter, with a meringue base. Serve with dried apricots poached in sweet white wine and cherries in port.

1½ cups ground almonds

3 tablespoons brown sugar

⅓ cup butter, plus more for pan

1½ pounds cream cheese, softened

4 egg whites

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon plus ½ teaspoon vanilla

1 pint sour cream

Bee pollen (optional).

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, combine almonds and brown sugar. Melt butter, then stir in. Butter bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan, then press nut mixture into bottom but not up sides.

2. In a small pan, warm cream cheese over low heat. When very soft, remove from heat, and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk egg whites and 1 cup sugar until they hold soft peaks. Fold in cream cheese and 1 tablespoon vanilla. Pour into pan, and bake 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out only slightly moist; cake should not be brown:

3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk together sour cream, remaining sugar and vanilla. When cake comes out of oven, increase setting to 450 degrees, and carefully spread mixture over cake. Return it to oven for 5 minutes. Do not overcook or it will crack or turn brown. Remove, and let cool in pan. Chill in refrigerator. To serve, run a knife along edge of pan, and remove sides of pan. Cut into wedges, sprinkle with bee pollen (if using), and serve.

[ruthcooks]

There are at least three reasons why cheesecakes crack:

1) overbeating after adding the eggs

2) NOT running a knife around the edge when the cheesecake is done (to release the tension)

3) cooling too fast

I prefer plain or fruit cheesecakes, but I do have a Praline Cheesecake with brown sugar and pecans which is quite good. Would you like this recipe?

[TurtleMeng]

Hi

Thanks for all your help. Ruthcooks and Swisskaese, I would like your recipes, I guess you can PM them?

I actually am testing out all these recipes from Epicurious. The current project is "Sunshine Cheesecake", and I am stuck on something crazy--getting very thin orange slices to make "candied orange" to put on top. I am sure if this is done right it would be fantastic. You know the problem? "paper-thin slices"? Orange?

I am beginning to believe my old knife is better after 2 mandoline tests (even tried a very expensive one). either that, or I don't know how to use a mandoline. I am getting crushed pulp mostly.

BTW, taking the side off too early did some cracking for me too, as seen here in my cappucino cake. I told the lady to use the 2 cracked slices for her own taste test.

Edited December 1, 2005 by TurtleMeng (log)

[Wendy DeBord]

Have you tried slicing the oranges on a meat slicer? I get my best results with a slicer verses a mandoline.

[JFLinLA]

You can try my Caramel Cheesecake Squares/Bars in the eGRA. I'm sure you could convert to a round cheesecake and, yes, you do not need to use a water bath but it does come out better when you do.

Also, Turtle, you're in Los Angeles??? Where can we go check out your stuff?

[ruthcooks]

The recipe for Praline Cheesecake is now in RecipeGullet. Find it HERE

[Abra]

All of this is reminding me that many years ago I had, and loved, a recipe for a no-bake cheesecake. It didn't contain gelatin, so I have no idea what held it together, now that I think about it, but it was really creamy and tangy. Does anyone make this kind of cheesecake?

[nwyles]

I am also looking for a good no bake cheesecake recipe. As I am booking lots of Xmas parties, I realize oven space will be at a mega premium. Slow baking cheesecake is going to be a bit tough.

Does anybody out there have a fool proof ( idiot proof ! I am working with idiots ! ) cold set cheesecake recipe ?

[TrishCT]

I don't like cheesecake, but when I was in college I used to make quick no bake versions when I was entertaining. Here are two recipes. One has cool whip. Don't trash me. People actually like it.

Cherry No Bake Cheese Pie

1  can sweetened condensed milk

1  8 oz. package cream cheese

1/3 cup lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1  graham cracker pie crust

1  can cherry pie filling

Blend sweetened condensed milk and cream cheese. Gradually blend in lemon juice and vanilla.

Beat until firm. Pour into pie crust. Chill for 3 hours. Add cherry pie filling on top.

Cherry Cream Cheese Pie

8 oz. cream cheese

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

8 oz. Cool Whip

1 can Cherry Pie Filling (or any flavor you prefer)

1 graham cracker crust

 

Cream the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Stir in the cool whip. Pour into the pie crust. Cover with the Cherry Pie Mix. Refrigerate at least one hour.

Edited December 1, 2005 by TrishCT (log)

[Mottmott]

The recipe for Praline Cheesecake is now in RecipeGullet.  Find it HERE

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Looks like something I would like! Your cookbook's name is interesting; is that a place where you've lived?

[Swisskaese]

I have placed the Lemon Cheesecake with Lemon Confit in RecipeGullet.

[kaneel]

I have tried Tyler's recipe and love it.

It is however a creamy cheesecake

In my beginner days as a baker i used to make a no bake cheesecake with pineapple in it. Haven't made it in a while but it was good.

[MarkIsCooking]

Anybody want to re-energize this Cheesecake thread?

I have a great sour cream cheesecake recipe on my site: MarkCooks.com

I'd LOVE to see some great additional cheesecake recipes and tips.

-Mark-

[Kim Shook]

Shaloop has the best recipe for a Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake I have ever tasted. clickety

[Swisskaese]

I love my Lemon Cheesecake with Lemon Confit. It is very lemony.

[SushiCat]

I love my Lemon Cheesecake with Lemon Confit. It is very lemony.

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YUM, I now want to make this! Think it is appropriate for the birthday party here celebrating a lovely woman who is turning 90 ?

I have several cheesecake recipes, one is a delicious ricotta cheesecake and the other is classic. I'll do my best to add to the recipe gullet in the next few days. Great topic to bring back to life!

[Desiderio]

I love my Lemon Cheesecake with Lemon Confit. It is very lemony.

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Yes I think I really need to try your recipe Michelle , it sounds so lemony and yummy , my thing

Thank you for the recipes.

[MarkIsCooking]

I'm wondering if anyone happens to have the recipe for NYC's Eileen's Cheesecake (plain). I know that she does a seperated egg technique, where she beats the yolks and whips the whites seperately (then combines them). I'm told it results in a lighter yet still very rich version, which I'm dying to try but all the recipes I've seen add the eggs all at once.

eGulleters, can you help????

-Mark-

[miulang]

I'm wondering if anyone happens to have the recipe for NYC's Eileen's Cheesecake (plain).  I know that she does a seperated egg technique, where she beats the yolks and whips the whites seperately (then combines them).  I'm told it results in a lighter yet still very rich version, which I'm dying to try but all the recipes I've seen add the eggs all at once.

eGulleters, can you help????

-Mark-

←

The technique is probably similar to what is used in a Japanese souffle cheesecake. The yolks go in with the cream cheese and the whites are whipped to soft peaks separately (adding some cream of tartar and half of the sugar in the recipe helps stabilize the whites) and then the stiffened eggwhites are folded into the batter. In the Japanese version, the batter is then placed into a bain marie and baked (steamed). This results in a fluffy, more cakelike cheesecake (which I prefer to the more dense traditional NY cheesecake) that is less likely to have cracks on the top.

Miulang

[MarkIsCooking]

That's exactly it (I think). The question is: can I take a more traditional recipe I have and simply work the eggs in this way or do I need to alter the recipe ingredients/quantities in some way to apply this different technique????

[miladyinsanity]

I believe so, or you can try this recipe.

Edited April 9, 2007 by miladyinsanity (log)

[cheripie]

I just posted my Mom's cheesescake recipe that goes back at least 30 years. I don't honestly know where it came from. It's very creamy, but light, and uses the separated eggs as you've asked.

(Can't yet figure out how to link to the egullet recipes. It's called

Roz's Cheesecake.)