Category: CHEESECAKE

While this recipe is my traditional “COOKIES & CREAM” recipe, you can make any flavor you want – just change out the sandwich cookie flavors.

I have these awesome Sweet Lime Hatch Chile cookies that I’ve only ever found in Texas at HEB. A friend sent me several boxes this year as a wonderful gift so I decided to make this wonderful no bake cheesecake with some of them.

SWEET LIME & HATCH CHILE CHEESECAKE serves 6-8
36 chocolate sandwich cookies
5 tablespoons butter, melted
3 cups cream cheese, softened
⅓ cup sugar
1 tablespoon PURE vanilla extract
1 cup milk, warm
1 tablespoon gelatin

• Separate the cream from the cookies into 2 different bowls.
• Place the cookies into a plastic bag and crush them into fine crumbs with a rolling pin. Set aside ½ cup of the crumbs for later.
• Pour the cookie crumbs into a bowl and combine with the melted butter, mixing until the texture is like slightly wet sand.
• Press the cookie crumbs in an even layer into the bottom of a 9-inch spring form pan. Set aside.
• In a medium pot over low heat, mix together the cream cheese, sugar, the cream from the cookies, and vanilla extract, stirring until there are no lumps.
• In a measuring cup, mix the milk with the gelatin until dissolved.
• Pour the milk into the cream cheese mixture, whisking constantly until the mixture starts to bubble slightly. Remove from heat.
• Pour the mixture over the cookie crust in the springform pan. Using a spatula or a spoon, smooth the top.
• Sift the saved cookie crumbs on top of the cheesecake in an even layer, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
• Unclasp the ring of the spring form pan, slice, then serve!
• Enjoy!

It’s girl scout cookie season or at least it was when I made this cheesecake, not so much when I actually posted it. 😀 I have never seen a girl scout selling cookies here in this area though – not even sure there are any troops. 🙁 I do miss that! Since we can’t buy them, why not make our favorite flavor cookie into a RICH, CREAMY and YUMMY cheesecake? BEST OF BOTH WORLDS!!!!

SAMOA CHEESECAKE
40 chocolate wafer cookies
1/4 cup butter, melted
32 ounces cream cheese, softened at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
5 LARGE eggs
8 ounces FULL fat sour cream
1/4 cup AP flour
1 teaspoon coconut extract
3/4 cup caramel sauce
1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1/4 cup chocolate sauce

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Fill a roasting pan halfway with water and place on lower rack of oven.
• Use a food processor to crumble the chocolate wafer cookies.
• Wrap a 9 or 10 inch spring form pan with a double layer of heavy duty foil.
• Spray the inside of the spring form pan with non-stick cooking spray.
• Mix together the cookie crumbs and melted butter until well blended.
• Press crumb mixture into the spring form pan and 1 inch up the side of the pan.
• Chill 10 minutes.
• In a large mixing bowl at medium speed cream the cream cheese and sugar until smooth and fluffy.
• Lower speed to low and add eggs, sour cream, flour and coconut extract for one minute JUST until blended.
• Pour into chilled spring form pan.
• Bake on center rack 1 hour and 10 minutes until center jiggles only slightly.
• Run a knife around the outer edge to loosed the cake.
• Let cool COMPLETELY on a wire rack.
• Cover with saran wrap and chill AT LEAST 8 hours or overnight.
• JUST before serving transfer to a serving plate.
• Spread the caramel sauce over the top of the cake.
• Sprinkle with coconut.
• Drizzle with chocolate sauce.

These super simple and oh-so-scrumptious ‘cupcakes’ are quick and easy, but look and taste like they took you all day!! You can make the glaze as thick or thin as you like to change your look. I was trying for a new Easter recipe and I was looking for a new version of a hot cross bun 😀

Yields 24-26 cupcakes

CHERRY CHEESECAKE BITES adapted from REAL HOUSE MOMS

CRUST
1 1/2 cups ginger snap FINELY ground crumbs
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon QUALITY ground cinnamon

• Preheat oven to 325°.
• Line two regular sized muffin tins with cupcake liners.
  
• In a small bowl, mix together cookie crumbs, melted butter, sugar and cinnamon.
  
• Pour 1 tablespoon of graham cracker mixture into the bottom of each cupcake liner.
• Using a juice glass, press crumbs into an even packed layer.
• Bake for 5 minutes.
• Remove from oven and let rest while you make the filling.

FILLING
32 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 LARGE eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon PURE vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

• Beat cream cheese until fluffy.
• Gradually add in sugar and mix until smooth.
• Add eggs, one at a time.
• Add vanilla and salt, mixing to combine.
• Pour 3 1/2 tablespoons of the cheesecake filling into each cupcake liner.
• Tap muffin tins on the counter to bring the bubbles up to the top and pop them with a toothpick.
• Bake cheesecakes for 22 minutes.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
• Transfer to a wire rack to cool to room temperature.

  

TOPPING
8 ounces SMUCKERS tart cherry jam (or jam/preserves of choice)

1 cup powdered sugar
2-4 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon PURE vanilla extract

• Place 2 teaspoons of jam on top of each cheesecake where a little dip forms.
• In a mixing bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla until smooth. Vanilla glaze will be a little on the thick side, but should still drizzle off a spoon. Add more heavy cream as needed to reach your desired consistency.
• Drizzle over cheesecake tops.

• Chill for 2 to 4 hours.
• Remove from liners and enjoy!


BLUEBERRY LIME NO BAKE CHEESECAKE
CRUST
1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted

• Stir together the graham crackers, ginger and brown sugar.
• Add the melted buttered mix until well blended.
• Press the crumbs firmly into bottom of a 9 inch springform pan.
• Place in refrigerator while you prepare the sauce and cheesecake.

SAUCE
1 1/2 cups WILD blueberries
1/8 cup sugar
1 tablespoon water

• Stir together the blueberries, sugar and water in a medium saucepan.
• Cook over 5 medium heat 5 minutes until berries break down.
• Use an immersion blender to blend well.
• Pour entire mixture through a sieve into a clean sauce pan.
• Cook a few minutes on medium heat until mixture thickens slightly.
• Cool in refrigerator also while preparing cheesecake.

CHEESECAKE
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2-8 ounce cream cheese, softened at room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lime zest
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon PURE vanilla
2 teaspoons FRESH, FINELY grated ginger

• Whip whipping cream 2-3 minutes in the bowl of a stand mixer bowl until stiff peaks form.
• Transfer whipped cream to a clean bowl and refrigerate.
• Add cream cheese and sugar to stand mixer bowl.
• Mix on medium 2-3 minutes until creamy and smooth.
• Add line zest, powdered sugar, vanilla and fresh ginger, mixing 1-2 minutes until fully incorporated.
• GENTLY (so as not to deflate the whipped cream) fold in one third of the whipped cream with a spatula to lighten the cream cheese.
• GENTLY fold in remaining whipped cream until ALMOST fully incorporated.
• Pour over chilled crust and smooth out evenly.
• Drop several spoonfuls of blueberry sauce over cheesecake.
• Using a thin knife or wooden skewer, swirl sauce into cheesecake.
• Chill at least 2 hours before serving.

LIME WHIPPED CREAM
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons lime zest
1 teaspoon powdered sugar

• Whip the whipping cream on high 3 minutes until stiff peaks form.
• Add the lime zest and powdered sugar, whipping until incorporated.
• Serve the cheesecake with a dollop of whipped cream and a drizzle of blueberry sauce.

NOTE:

• Using a copper mixing bowl and beaters that have been chilled in the freezer make a for quicker whipping and fluffier whipped cream.
• Blackberries substitute really well also.

I found this recipe in an old (1960’s) cookbook put together for a lake area homeowner’s association. I have no idea what makes it “AUSTRALIAN” and Ruth Traum is unknown to me so I can’t even ask her. I tried to do research and found several recipes called “Australian), but none of them said WHY they were “AUSTRALIAN”. Best I can tell it’s just a version of a no-bake cheesecake, but it’s SUPER airy and light.

Ruth’s recipe used lemon jello, but it is a simple thing to change up the flavor to your liking. I mixed a box of cherry and lemon, using only half then and saving the other half for another time. You can also substitute ginger snaps for the vanilla wafers or mix in some pretzels for and extra crunch… The second time I made it I used a combination of lemon and lime on the jello…  The cherry was better, but we’ll try orange next time 😀

AUSTRALIAN CHEESECAKE ~ LEMON CHERRY
1 small box Vanilla Wafers (crushed to make 2 cups of crumbs)
6 tablespoons butter, melted
8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 small box lemon jello
1 teaspoon vanilla
Juice and zest of 1 LARGE lemon + hot water to equal 1 cup
1 LARGE can Carnation milk (VERY COLD) 12 ounces VERY COLD heavy whipping cream
1 can pie cherries in glaze (optional)

• Preheat oven to 300°.
• Crush wafers and mix with melted butter until well mixed.
• Press crumb mixture into the bottom of an 8 or 9 inch spring form pan.  If you use the 8 it will COMPLETELY fill the pan.  If you use the 9 inch it provides a couple more pieces, just not as tall. 😀
  
• Bake for 10 minutes and then cool.
• Whisk jello into hot water mixture until dissolved.
• Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth.
• Add in jello mixture until well blended.
• Beat carnation milk with chilled beaters until very stiff.
• Fold whipped milk into cheesecake mixture and pour into cooled crust pan.
• Chill AT LEAST 8 hours, but this cheesecake is best made 24 hours in advance!
• Top with whipped cream or pie cherries and enjoy!

This recipe is every peanut butter lovers dream! It’s a ROLL YOUR EYES BACK IN YOUR HEAD AND SIGH KIND OF AWESOME! I’ve included 3 choices of ganaches.

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CHEESECAKE

CRUST
15 chocolate graham crackers
3 tablespoons sugar
PINCH sea salt
4 tablespoons butter, melted

• Butter 9″ spring form pan and wrap bottom and sides of pan in a double layer of aluminum foil.
• Set rack in middle of oven and preheat to 350°.
• In a food processor grind chocolate graham crackers into VERY fine crumbs.
• Add sugar and salt, pulsing to combine.
• Transfer crumbs to a medium bowl, add butter, and use fork or fingers to blend mixture until crumbs are evenly moist.
• Press into bottom and about a third of the way up the sides of spring form pan.
• Freeze 10 minutes.
• Place pan on baking sheet and bake crust for 10 minutes.
• Set on rack to cool and reduce oven temperature to 325°.
• Bring tea kettle full of water to a boil.

CHEESECAKE
4 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened at room temperature
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoons PURE vanilla extract
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 cup creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sour cream
1 ¼ cups miniature chocolate chips
Reese’s, for garnish

• In the bowl of a stand mixer using the whisk attachment, beat cream cheese on medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until completely smooth, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add sugar and salt, beating and scraping down bowl as necessary, until smooth and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add vanilla and beat for 30 seconds.
• Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition until incorporated and occasionally scraping bottom and sides of bowl.
• Add lemon zest, beating until combined.
• Add peanut butter, heavy cream, and sour cream and beat on low until completely combined and smooth, about 1 minute.
• Fold in mini chocolate chips.
• Pour cheesecake batter into cooled crust and smooth top evenly.
• Place cheesecake in deep roasting pan and set on middle rack of oven.
• Carefully pour enough boiling water into roasting pan to come about halfway up sides of spring form pan.
• Bake cheesecake until top is just starting to brown and crack, about 1 hour and 30 minutes.
• Turn off oven, prop door open, and let cheesecake slowly cool in the water bath for 1 hour.
• Remove roasting pan from oven, carefully lift spring form pan out of water and remove foil.
• Set on cooling rack and cool to room temperature.
• Once COMPLETELY cool, loosely cover cheesecake with plastic wrap and refrigerate, AT LEAST 4 hours, or preferably overnight.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE
6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (DO NOT USED UNSWEETENED)
3/4 cup heavy cream
PINCH sea salt

• When ready to serve, carefully remove sides of spring form pan.
• Place chocolate in a clean, dry medium bowl.
• In a small saucepan, warm cream until just barely simmering.
• Pour cream over chocolate and let sit 10 minutes, then add salt and stir until smooth.
• Pour ganache over cheesecake, spreading it evenly and allowing some to drip down sides of cake.
• Sprinkle with chopped Reese’s.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE
½ cup heavy cream
1 ½ cups milk chocolate chips, FINELY chopped OR grated

• When the cake is completely cooled, run a thin knife around the edge and release the ring of spring form pan, then transfer the cake on a serving plate.
• On a medium heat bring heavy cream to boil.
• Pour hot cream on top of the chocolate and peanut butter. Cover with a plate for 5 minutes. The heat from the cream mixture will help melt the chocolate in a few minutes.
• Stir well to combine until smooth.
• Set aside to cool. The ganache should be pourable, but not too thin.
• Slowly pour the ganache around the edges and let it drip down the sides.  Let the ganache set slightly then sprinkle with chopped peanuts and pile with coarsely chopped Reese’s.
• Set in the fridge until ready to serve.

PEANUT BUTTER GANACHE

5 ounces QUALITY dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup CREAMY (NOT chunky OR crunchy) peanut butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• Place the chopped chocolate and peanut butter in a bowl and set aside.
• Heat cream and vanilla on the stove and bring to a simmer for 3 minutes.
• Pour hot cream on top of the chocolate and peanut butter. Cover with a plate for 5 minutes. The heat from the cream mixture will help melt the chocolate in a few minutes.
• Stir well to combine until smooth.
• Slowly pour the ganache around the edges and let it drip down the sides.  Let the ganache set slightly then sprinkle with chopped peanuts and pile with coarsely chopped Reese’s.
• Set in the fridge until ready to serve.

GARNISH (optional)
Chopped Reese’s cups
Crushed roasted peanuts

NOTES: The quality of your chocolate WILL have a HUGE impact on the flavor of your ganache. ALWAYS use the best quality artisan chocolate for the best flavor. Natural peanut butters are more flavorful, but their gritty texture interferes with the formation of a SMOOTH ganache – use the smoothest textured peanut butter you can find.