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Creamy Classic Cheesecake

2 Jan


If you like your cheesecake incredibly smooth and creamy then this is the cheesecake for you. I first made this cake several years ago when I was new to gluten-free baking; I choose it because it was the only one I could find that did not contain any wheat or sour cream. Since then I have not been able to make any other cheesecake as no other cheesecakes are as rich or creamy at this one.

I typically make this cheesecake in a 9 x 13 – inch cake pan and crustless as that is the way Jeremiah prefers it. However it is as really delicious with a nut based crust. It also serves as delicious base for other types of cheesecake, try adding a blend of citrus zest, substituting a portion of the cream with Bailey’s Irish Cream, or adding chopped berries.

This cheesecake makes a very large volume. I have tried scaling it down, but with 7 eggs, 5 blocks of cream cheese, and 1 pint of whipping cream it leads to odd measurements with either leftover cream cheese or heavy cream. Therefore, I usually just make the 9 x 13 pan; if you want to make a 9- or 10-inch spring form pan, prepare a few ramekins for the extra batter.

Creamy Classic Cheesecake

~ Serves 18 to 24 ~

INGREDIENTS:

  • 5 (8 oz) packaged cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 7.0 oz (1 cup) granulated sugar
  • 2.2 oz (1/2 cup) cornstarch
  • 7 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice

PREPARATION:

Adjust oven to the middle of the oven. Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter a 13×9-inch cake pan, place cake pan inside a large roasting pan, and set aside. Bring a pot of water to a boil.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add sugar and cornstarch and continue to beat until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beat until just incorporated. With mixer running on low gradually at the cream. Mixture will be quite thin. Add the lemon juice and vanilla extract, and beat until just incorporated.

Pour cream cheese cake batter into the cake pan, pour hot water into the outer pan until water comes an inch up the cake pan.

Bake cake for 30 minutes, rotate cake pan and back another 30 minutes until top of the cake in pale golden. The center of the cake will still jiggly and not be firm.

Remove cake from the hot water and allow cake to cool completely. Refrigerate cake for several hour s or overnight. The cake has the best flavor when refrigerate overnight.

Cut cake and serve with toppings of choice.

Adapted from Evelyn’s Cheesecake, Food.com

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Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

4 Sep


What to do when a weekend of baking has left you three-quarters of a pint of heavy cream and several egg yolks? Make ice cream of course. But why just make plain old ice cream when you can make and ice cream flavored with blueberries and cream cheese.

Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

~ Makes 4-5 cups ~

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1/2 cup 2% milk
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • Pinch of salt
  • 6 oz cream cheese
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 4.6 oz (2/3 cup) granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • Blueberry puree*
  • 2 tablespoons vodka or other mild flavored liquor or liqueur (optional)**

PREPARATION:

Heat milk and cream until just below the boiling boil point in a medium saucepan.

In a heat proof bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, and egg yolks until light and fluffy.

Gradually add the scalding milk-cream mixture  to the  into the whipped cream cheese.  Be sure to whip continuously while adding the hot milk-cream mixture to ensure the eggs do not curdle.

Transfer the custard mixture back until the saucepan.   Cook over medium-low heat whisking continuously until custard reached 170 degrees F.  Custard will be thick and coat the back of the spoon.

Remove custard from heat and whisk in the prepared blueberry puree.

Allow the ice cream base to cool to room temperature before whisking in the vanilla extract.

Transfer to a covered container and refrigerate for several hours, preferable overnight, until custard in thoroughly chilled.

Process and freeze ice cream in an ice cream maker according to manufactures’ instructions.

Stir in liquor if using

Once made, transfer ice cream to a chilled container and freeze for several hours to allow ice cream to harden.


NOTE:

*Makes approximately 1 cup of blueberry puree.

  1. Combine 2 1/2 cups frozen blueberries, 2 tablespoon lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons water in a small sauce pan.
  2. Heat over medium heat, until blueberries are soft. Mash the softened berries to release juice.
  3. Allow berries to simmer over low heat until reduced by half to two-thirds.
  4. Puree berry mixture in a blender. Allow puree to cool before whisking into custard.

** The use of alcohol is optional, but is helps prevent the ice cream from getting to icy and hard when stored in the freezer for more than several hours. Without the alcohol the ice cream will have to be left to sit at room temperature to soften for several minutes before serving.

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Cheesecake Bars

27 Jul


Jeremiah’s (my husband’s) favorite dessert is cheesecake.  He would be utterly happy if I never made anything other than cheesecake and chocolate chip cookies (coming soon).  That will never happen.   I love making him happy, but I enjoy the creative processes of making something new way to much to settle on just two recipes.  Additionally, my favorite cheesecake recipe starts with two-and-half pounds of cream cheese and a pint of heavy cream.  As much as I love it; it unfortunately also loves my thighs.  Therefore I only make it to serve a crowd.  These bars allowed me to fill his cheesecake craving while allowing me to still wear my jeans.


The next time I make these, and there will be a next time, I planning on making a few changes. The crust is a bit crumbly with just two tablespoons of butter an additional tablespoon may help firm the crust up.  

Cheesecake Bars

~ Makes 18 to 24 bars, depending on the size ~

INGREDIENTS:

Crust

  • 1.9 oz. (~ ¼ cup) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon molasses
  • 3.0 oz. (~ 3/4 cup) chopped pecans
  • 4.6 oz. (~ 1 cup + 1 teaspoon) almond-coconut flour
  • 1/8 teaspoon xanthan gum
  • 2 tablespoons melted butter*

Filling

  • 2 (8 ounces) packages cream cheese
  • 4.6 oz. (~ 1/2 cup + 2 teaspoons) granulated sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

PREPARATION:

Heat oven to 350 F. Line 9 by 13-inch pan with parchment paper.

In a food processor, combine sugar and molasses, process to evenly distribute molasses. Add the pecans and pulse to finely chop. Add flour and sprinkle xanthan gum across the top, pulse to combine. With food processor running, pour in melted butter, process until combined. Press dough into prepared pan. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until lightly brown.

For filling, process cream cheese and granulated sugar together in food processor until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, processing well after each addition. Using a rubber spatula thoroughly scrape down the sides, corners, and bottom of the processor bowl after the addition of each egg. Add milk, lemon juice, and vanilla extract, thoroughly combine.

Pour filling over crust. Bake for approximately 20 minutes, until filling is just set,

Cool completely. Use parchment paper to remove bars. Cut into squares.


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