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Cheesecake
For a change of pace, you can alter a few ingredients to make variations on the theme.
An orange cheesecake, decorated with candied orange slices, goes great with a gingersnap-style crust. A bit of ginger and clove can be added to the basic crust recipe, or gingersnaps can be substituted for the nuts and crackers. The flavors go great with the orange!
The orange slices for garnishing can be a bit tricky. Prepare them six hours or so before serving; the leftover sugar mixture makes a great glaze for topping the cheesecake.
For candied orange slices, stir until dissolved in medium sauce pan:
4 c. water
2 c. sugar
Slice paper thin:
3 seedless oranges
Add slices to sugar-water, 1 at a time. Cook for 1 hr. or so, with only sides of pan bubbling. Turn slices over, letting simmer almost 1 hr. more, till translucent.
Let dry 1 hr. on wax paper, then garnish top of cheesecake with the rings.
Boil the remaining syrup about 6 minutes, until thick. Thin with a bit of orange juice if necessary, and pour over cheesecake to serve.
Best Cheesecake Recipe: New York Style Chocolate Cheesecake
There are a lot of cheesecake recipes out there, and many variations on the theme. Add pumpkin at Thanksgiving, cranberries at Christmas, or any variety of toppings. This New York Style Cheesecake can be made the traditional way, without the chocolate. But I added my own twist: A bit of chocolate swirled into the recipe before baking. Almost everyone loves this version! Serves 12 or so.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 c. almonds or pecans
- 8 stone-ground wheat thins
- 1 TBS. sugar
- 2 1/2 TBS. butter, melted
- 3/4 c. cream
- 2 tsp. vanilla
- 3 TBS. lemon juice
- 1 lb. 4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
- 3/4c. sour cream
- 1 c. + 1 TBS. sugar
- 4 room-temperature eggs
- For Chocolate Version: 1 1/2 c. chocolate chips
- For Chocolate Version: scant 1/2 c. cream
- For Topping: 16 oz. bag frozen strawberries
- For Topping: 2 TBS. sugar
- For Topping: dash of almond extract
To make crust, chop fine in a food processor (or hand-chop): > 1 1/2 c. almonds or pecans
Crush in a plastic bag to make crumbs (a rolling pin works well): > 8 stone-ground wheat thins
Add to the processor, mixing: > The chopped nuts > The crushed cracker crumbs > 1 TBS. sugar > 2 1/2 TBS. butter, melted
Butter 9" cheesecake pan, pressing above mix in pan and up sides. Bake 6 min. at 350 degrees, then cool.
Make filling, blending in a mixer: > 3/4 c. cream > 2 tsp. vanilla > 3 TBS. lemon juice > 1 lb. 4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
Add, stirring just till mixed: > 3/4c. sour cream
On low-speed, slowly add: > 1 c. + 1 TBS. sugar
Last, blend in one at a time: > 4 room-temperature eggs
Pour in cooled pie crust.
OPTIONAL (for Chocolate New York Style Cheesecake): Microwave 1-2 min. until melted: > 1 1/2 c. chocolate > scant 1/2 c. cream
Gently spoon the chocolate in a spiral-design, on top of the cheesecake batter. To get the swirl-effect, take a knife, pulling in gently across the top of the cake, starting at the center and going towards the edges.
Bake the cheesecake 1 hr. and 10 min. at 325 degrees. Leave in turned-off oven 30 min. with the door ajar. Remove, cool to room-temperature. Remove from pan and refrigerate. To serve with strawberry sauce, puree in blender: > 1 lb. bag frozen strawberries, thawed > 2 TBS. sugar > dash of almond extract
