Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake

Crust
1 1/2 pkg graham crackers crushed
1/3 cup sugar
5 tbsp melted butter
1 cup chopped peanuts
Cake
32 oz cream cheese (good quality)
1 cup sugar
5 jumbo eggs
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup peanut butter
8 Reese's cups ( chopped into pieces)

Crust
Mix and pat into 10 inch springform pan and set aside.

Cake
Break eggs and heat in microwave for 20 seconds. Put to side. Cream the cheese until light. Add sugar and beat some more. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Mix in peanut butter, cream, vanilla and corn starch. Blend well. Stir in candy.
Pour mixture into crust and bake at 350 for 60 minutes. or until outside edge is firm and middle is still soft.
Keep pan of water on bottom of oven to prevent cracking while baking. When cake comes out of oven run knife around the edge to loosen. Cool for several hours then top with additional Reese's and drizzle with melted chocolate.

Margarita Cheesecake

Margarita Cheesecake

Crust
enough nonstick vegetable oil spray
1-3/4 cups plain sweet biscuit crumbs
1/4 cup unsalted butter or margarine, melted
Filling
3 pkg (8 oz. each) reduced-fat cream cheese - room temperature
1-1/4 cups light sour cream
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp sugar
2-1/3 tbsp Triple Sec or other orange liqueur
2-1/2 tbsp tequila
2-3/4 tbsp fresh lime juice
4 large eggs
Topping
3/4 cup light sour cream
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tbsp sugar
very thin lime slices, cut in half
very thin lime peel strips

Crust:  Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F.  Spray 9" springform pan with 2-3/4" sides with vegetable oil spray.  Mix graham cracker crumbs and butter in medium bowl until blended.  Press crumbs over bottom and 1" up sides of prepared pan.  Refrigerate crust.

Filling:  Using mixer, beat cheese in large bowl until fluffy.  Beat in sour cream, then sugar, triple sec, tequila and lime juice.  Beat in eggs.  Pour filling into crust.  Bake until outside 2" are set and center moves only slightly when pan is shaken, about 50 minutes.  Remove from oven; turn off oven.

Topping:  Whisk sour cream, lime juice and sugar in small bowl to blend.  Spread evenly over cheesecake.  Return cheesecake to hot oven.  Let stand 45 minutes or less.  Cheesecake will look very soft, but will set up when chilled.  Refrigerate cake until well chilled, up to 1 day.  Run knife around pan sides.  Remove pan sides.  Place cake on platter.  Arrange lime half-slices and peel around top edge of cheesecake.

Amazing Blueberry Cheesecake

Amazing Blueberry Cheesecake

1 prepared graham cracker crust
Filling:
2 lbs nonfat cottage cheese
12 oz cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 large egg white
1 tbsp orange juice
Topping:
4 cups fresh blueberries
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp orange juice
1 tbsp potato starch
2 tbsp water

Filling:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Using a cheese cloth, squeeze the cottage cheese from a "bag" removing as much liquid as possible. In a large bowl, mix the drained cottage cheese and cream cheese (cut in cubes) and beat until smooth. Add sour cream, sugar and eggs one at a time, whisking slowly. Add egg white and orange juice, keep mixing.
Once smooth pour into crust and bake 45 minutes or until set.

Topping:
Combine 2 cups of blueberries, water, sugar, cinnamon and orange
juice in a small pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat, simmer 5
minutes. In a small bowl, place potato starch and water together and
mix. Add to pot of goodness already brewing and continue simmering 1 minute. Remove from heat and add last 2 cups of blueberries to the mix. Let cool and pour on top of cake. Chill overnight.

Lemon Mascarpone Cheesecake

Lemon Mascarpone Cheesecake

1/2 c. biscotti crumbs
1/3 c. butter, melted
FILLING:
2 pkgs. cream cheese, softened
2 cartons (8 oz. each) Mascarpone cheese
3/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. lemon juice
3 T. all purpose flour
2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 T. grated lemon peel
TOPPING:
3/4 c. coarsely chopped dried apricots
1/2 c. boiling water
3/4 c. cold water
1/4 c. sugar
1/4 c. orange marmalade
2 squares (1 oz. each) white baking chocolate

In a small bowl, combine biscotti crumbs and butter.  Press onto the
bottom and 1 inch up the sides of a greased 9 inch springform pan.
Place on a baking sheet.  Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cheeses, sugar, lemon juice, flour
and vanilla until smooth.  Add the eggs; beat on low speed jut until
combined.  Stir in lemon peel.  Pour into crust. 

Return pan to baking sheet.  Bake at 350 for 45-55 minutes or until
center is almost set.  Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.  Carefully
run a knife around edge of pan to loosen.  Cool for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, soak apricots in boiling water for 10 minutes.  Drain and
discard liquid.  In a small saucepan, bring apricots, cold water and
sugar to a boil.  Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 12-14 minutes or until water is absorbed.  Remove from the heat; stir in marmalade.

Cool to room temperature.

Carefully spread topping over cheesecake; cool 30 minutes longer.
Refrigerate overnight.

Remove sides of pan.  In a microwave safe bowl, melt white chocolate at 70% power; stir until smooth.  Drizzle over cheesecake.  Let stand for 15 minutes.  Refrigerate leftovers.

Seven Layer Cheesecake

SEVEN LAYER CHEESECAKE

STRAWBERRY FILLING:
  2 1/2 c. chopped strawberries
  1/2 c. sugar
  2 1/2 tbsp. cornstarch
COOKIE CRUST:
  2 (5 1/2 oz.) pkgs. Pepperidge Farm shortbread cookies
  3 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
  2 tbsp. water
  1 tsp. vanilla
  2 oz. bitter-sweet or semi-sweet chocolate, melted
CHEESECAKE BATTER:
  4 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, room temperature
  1 1/2 c. sugar
  4 lg. eggs, beaten to blend at room temperature
  2 tsp. vanilla
  Squeeze of a lemon (optional)
SOUR CREAM TOPPING:
  1 1/2 c. sour cream
  3 tsp. sugar
  1 tsp. vanilla
  1 oz. bitter-sweet or semi-sweet chocolate, melted

Strawberry Filling: Bring all ingredients to boil, stirring
constantly, crushing berries with back of spoon. Pour in
bowl and cool.

Crust: Position rack in lowest 1/3 of oven and preheat to
350 degrees. Butter 9 inch spring-form pan with 2 1/2
inches sides. Blend cookies in processor about 3 minutes.
With machine running, add butter, water, and vanilla
through feed tube until mixture adheres to side of work
bowl. Press into bottom and sides (1 3/4 inch up) of pan.
Refrigerate 15 minutes. Bake crust 10 minutes. Transfer pan
to rack and cool. Reduce oven to 325 degrees.

Pour melted chocolate into bottom of crust. Spread with back
of spoon. Chill 10 minutes until firm.

Cheesecake Batter: Using electric beaters, beat cream cheese
in large bowl until smooth. Gradually add sugar and beat
until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until smooth.
Ladle half of filling into crust. Place cake on baking
sheet. Bake about 35 minutes (barely set). Cool 20 minutes.
Leave oven on.

Gently ladle remaining cheesecake batter over strawberry
layer, beginning at outer edge (filling will be higher than
crust sides). Bake until edges are set, about 50 minutes.
Prepare Topping: Mix sour cream, sugar, and vanilla.

Cool cake 5 minutes. Spoon on topping. Bake 10 minutes.
Transfer cake to rack. Run knife around edge. Refrigerate
overnight.

Melt chocolate and drizzle attractively over cake.

Irish Cream Chocolate Cheesecake

Irish Cream Chocolate Cheesecake

If you like Irish cream and chocolate, you'll love this recipe. After numerous attempts with the ingredients this is the recipe I now use.

Prep Time 20 Min
Cook Time 1 Hr 20 Min
Ready In 9 Hrs 20 Min

1 1/2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup butter
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 cups white sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup Irish cream liqueur

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a large bowl, mix together the cookie crumbs, confectioners' sugar and 1/3 cup cocoa. Add melted butter and stir until well mixed. Pat into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes; set aside. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, white sugar, 1/4 cup cocoa and flour. Beat at medium speed until well blended and smooth. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Blend in the sour cream and Irish cream liqueur; mixing on low speed. Pour filling over baked crust.

Bake at 450 degrees F (230 degrees C) for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C), and continue baking for 60 minutes.

With a knife, loosen cake from rim of pan. Let cool, then remove the rim of pan. Chill before serving. If your cake cracks, a helpful tip is to dampen a spatula and smooth the top, then sprinkle with some chocolate wafer crumbs.

Source: AllRecipes

Oreo Cheesecake

Amy's Note: There are so many flavors of Oreos these days that the variations are almost endless.

Oreo Cheesecake

1 lb. pkg. Oreo cookies
2 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted
FILLING:
4 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, softened
1-1/4 cups sugar
2 Tbs. flour
5 eggs
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
TOPPING:
1 cup sour cream
1 Tbs. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract.

*1. Make crust: Heat at 425. Crumble 25 cookies into food
processor; process until finely ground. Add melted butter; process
until blended. Pour into 9-inch springform pan; press over bottom
and 3-inches up sides. Refrigerate until firm.

*2. Meanwhile, make filling: In large bowl of electric mixer, at
medium-high speed, beat cream cheese, sugar and flour 1 minute or
until blended and smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat in
heavy cream and vanilla.

*3. Crumble remaining cookies into food processor; pulse just until
coarsely chopped. Remove; finely grind and reserve some for
garnish. Pour half of the cheese-cake batter over crust in prepared
pan; sprinkle evenly with the chopped cookies. Top with remaining
batter. Set on jelly-roll pan; bake 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 225F
and bake 50 to 55 minutes, until firm around sides but still jiggly
in center.

*4. Make topping: In small bowl, combine sour cream, sugar and
vanilla; mix well. Spread over top of cheesecake. Increase oven
temperature to 350. Bake cheesecake 7 to 10 minutes; place on rack.

Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate several hours or overnight.
Sprinkle with reserved ground Oreos before serving. Makes 16
servings.

-McCall's , May 1994

Apple Streusel Cheesecake Bars

Apple Streusel Cheesecake Bars (Cookie Mix)

Prize-Winning Recipe 2007! Oatmeal cookie mix and pie filling make it easy to get a delicious apple pie-like bar.

Prep Time:20 min

Start to Finish:3 hr 40 min

Makes:24 bars

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® oatmeal cookie mix

1/2 cup firm butter or margarine

2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

1 can (21 oz) apple pie filling

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray.

2. Place cookie mix in large bowl. With pastry blender or fork, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly and coarse. Reserve 1 1/2 cups crumb mixture; press remaining crumbs in bottom of pan. Bake 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, flour, vanilla and egg with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth.

4. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over partially baked crust. In medium bowl, mix pie filling and cinnamon. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle reserved crumbs over top. Sprinkle with walnuts.

5. Bake 35 to 40 minutes longer or until light golden brown. Cool about 30 minutes. Refrigerate to chill, about 2 hours. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Bake 40 to 45 minutes.

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Nutrition Information

1 Serving: Calories 240 (Calories from Fat 110); Total Fat 13g (Saturated Fat 7g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 40mg; Sodium 170mg; Total Carbohydrate 29g (Dietary Fiber 0g, Sugars 19g); Protein 4g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 8%; Vitamin C 0%; Calcium 2%; Iron 4% Exchanges: 2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 1/2 High-Fat Meat; 1 1/2 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 2
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Chips Ahoy Peanut Butter Cheesecake Squares

Chips Ahoy Peanut Butter Cheesecake Squares
20 Peanut Butter Chips Ahoy Chocolate Chip Cookies, finely crushed
3 Tbsp. margarine or butter, melted
2 pkg. (8 oz. each) Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix crumbs and margarine; press firmly onto bottom of 9-inch square baking pan.

Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended.

Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended. Remove 1/2 cup of the batter; set aside.

Spread remaining batter over crust. Stir peanut butter into reserved 1/2 cup batter. Spoon over cheesecake. Cut through batter with knife several times for marble effect.

Bake 35 to 40 min. or until center is almost set. Cool completely on wire rack. Cover.

Refrigerate 3 hours or overnight. Cut into 25 squares. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

Apple-Pecan Cheesecake

Apple-Pecan Cheesecake

Prep Time: 15 min
Total Time: 5 hr 40 min
Makes: 16 servings
From: Kraft.com
1-1/2 cups HONEY MAID Graham Cracker Crumbs 
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted 
2 Tbsp. brown sugar 
4 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened 
1-1/2 cups packed brown sugar, divided 
1 tsp. vanilla 
1 cup BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream 
4 eggs 
3 apples, peeled, chopped 
3/4 cup PLANTERS Chopped Pecans 
1 tsp. ground cinnamon 

HEAT oven to 325°F. Line 13x9-inch baking pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan. Mix graham crumbs, butter and 2 Tbsp. brown sugar; press onto bottom of prepared pan. 

BEAT cream cheese, 1 cup brown sugar and the vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer until well blended. Add sour cream; mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended. Pour over crust. Mix remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar, the apples, pecans and cinnamon; spoon evenly over cheesecake batter. 

BAKE 55 min. or until center is almost set. Cool completely. Refrigerate 4 hours. Use foil handles to lift cheesecake from pan before cutting to serve.