Cheesecake - Rich And Creamy

When I first started making cheesecakes, I started with a basic recipe and then experimented with different ingredients, amounts, and techniques. You can do the same until you arrive at the perfect combination to suit your tastes. You will need either a spring form pan or my preference, a removable bottom cheesecake pan.

Graham Cracker Crust

1¼C Graham Cracker Crumbs

2T     Sugar

3T     Butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine Graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Mix in butter thoroughly. Press mixture into the bottom of your 9" cheesecake pan and press some crust up the sides an inch or two. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool while mixing filling.

Reduce oven temperature to 300°.

Filling

1lb. Cream Cheese, softened

1C  Sugar

8oz Sour Cream

2t    Grated Lemon Peel

¼t   Vanilla

3     Eggs

In a stand mixer, beat cream cheese, gradually adding sugar. Beat until fluffy. Add lemon peel and vanilla. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Scrape down the sides of the mixer several times. Pour into pie shell.

Standard cooking instructions would say to bake for one hour. I use a different technique that is easy and works quite well. By the way, you can use the water bath method if you like, but I do not go to that extra trouble. I simply bake the cheesecake for 45 - 50 minutes and remove from the oven. Take a sharp knife and run it around the edge of the pan to loosen the cake from the sides. As the cheesecake cooks and dries, it shrinks slightly and will crack in the center. By loosening the edges of the cake, you allow the cake to draw up toward the center without cracking.

Put the cheesecake back into the oven immediately and turn it off. Let the cheesecake cool in the oven as it cools and the cake finishes cooking. This will give you a rich, cheesy, creamy cheesecake. You can top it with your favorite pie filling or leave it plain. Maybe just sugar some raspberries ahead of time and spoon some berries and syrup over the slices at your guests' preference.

Aunt Helen's Fancy Cherry Pie

While growing up with an extended family that always gathered at holidays and in between, I always looked forward to a "special" dessert prepared by my aunt. This pie makes such a lovely presentation and it was not until recently that I learned just how easy it is to make. Use it when you want to impress someone; It can complete a special occasion dinner in style. 

CRUST:

1 ¼ C Graham crackers

3 T Butter, melted

2 T Sugar

Combine with your hands until thoroughly mixed and press into 10” pie plate.

CREAM LAYER:

1    8 oz. Package cream cheese, softened

1 Can Eagle Brand Milk. (Sweetened, condensed milk)

⅓ C Lemon juice

1t Vanilla extract

Whip cream cheese in mixer until fluffy. Add Eagle Brand milk gradually until well blended. (Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl several times during this process.) Blend in lemon juice and vanilla. Pour into pie crust and chill.

Top with 1 can of cherry pie filling.* (Get the bright red kind. It’s prettier.)

Whipped Cream:

8 oz. Heavy cream

2T sugar

Put mixing bowl and wire whisk in freezer until cold. Once chilled, pour the heavy cream in and turn the mixer up gradually so you don’t wear the cream. Add sugar and whip until the cream forms stiff peaks. Spread on top of the pie filling. (You can use store bought whipped cream.)

*Any pie filling will work. I make mine with blueberry pie filling because I grow the blueberries and make my own filling.