Post your best ever cheese cake recipe.

[madmax]

I haven't made this yet so I can't vouch for how it tastes but, it sounds yummy. I know we have some excellent cooks and even a few pro's so what do you think of this recipe. I'm planning to make it to take to my sister in law's Christmas party on the 19th.

It's from the Barefoot Contessa show on Food network. I bought a Farberware spring form pan because they didn't have Kaiser and this one seemed pretty good compared to store brands and Wilton.

Raspberry Cheesecake

For the crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (10 crackers)
1 tablespoon sugar
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
For the filling:
2 1/2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
5 whole extra-large eggs, at room temperature
2 extra-large egg yolks, at room temperature
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the topping:
1 cup red jelly (not jam), such as currant, raspberry, or strawberry
3 half-pints fresh raspberries


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
To make the crust, combine the graham crackers, sugar, and melted butter until moistened. Pour into a 9-inch spring form pan. With your hands, press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan and about 1-inch up the sides. Bake for 8 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

Raise the oven temperature to 450 degrees F.

To make the filling, cream the cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Reduce the speed of the mixer to medium and add the eggs and egg yolks, 2 at a time, mixing well. Scrape down the bowl and beater, as necessary. With the mixer on low, add the sour cream, lemon zest, and vanilla. Mix thoroughly and pour into the cooled crust.

Bake for 15 minutes. Turn the oven temperature down to 225 degrees F and bake for another 1 hour and 15 minutes. Turn the oven off and open the door wide. The cake will not be completely set in the center. Allow the cake to sit in the oven with the door open for 30 minutes. Take the cake out of the oven and allow it to sit at room temperature for another 2 to 3 hours, until completely cooled. Wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Remove the cake from the spring form pan by carefully running a hot knife around the outside of the cake. Leave the cake on the bottom of the spring form pan for serving.

To make the topping, melt the jelly in a small pan over low heat. In a bowl, toss the raspberries and the warm jelly gently until well mixed. Arrange the berries on top of the cake. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Note: Measure your spring form pan. The bottom of mine measures 9 inches, but it says 9 1/2. I put the spring form pan on a sheet pan before putting it in the oven to catch any leaks.

[chefgirl]

1. This is the one I make all the time

People always go nuts for this cheesecake, so I have to make it fairly often.
My favorite topping for it is a dollop of my homemade white peach jam. :P


1lb softened cream cheese
1lb whole milk ricotta cheese
1 1/2 c. sugar
4 lg. eggs (room temp.)
1/4 c. unsalted butter (melted and cooled)
3 Tbs. flour
3 Tbs. cornstarch
1 Tbl. vanilla
2 c. sour cream

-Preheat oven to 325 degrees-
-Wrap the outside of a 9 inch spring pan with foil-

In a large bowl, mix cream cheese, ricotta cheese and sugar.
Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each egg.
Add butter, flour, cornstarch and vanilla.
Beat until well combined.
Fold in sour cream.
Turn into ungreased spring pan.
Bake in center of oven for 1 hour.
Turn off heat.

*DO NOT OPEN OVEN DOOR*

Let cake remain in oven 2 hours.
Move cake from oven and remove foil.
Set on a rack until completely cooled.
Loosely wrap pan with plastic and chill in refrig. for at least 2 hours.
Remove from spring pan and serve....YUM!

-chef-

[madmax]

3. Sounds yummmy

The Contessa's recipe sounds good but, 2.5 lbs!! of cream cheese and so many eggs!

Since you're a pro ;) I think I'll make your cheesecake for my sister in law's party.

[cmf]

2. "Lite" Snickers Cheesecake

Even though it's reduced calorie, this cheesecake is so good. :9

Snickers Cheesecake

INGREDIENTS
2/3 cup chocolate graham cracker crumbs (about 5 cookie sheets)
Cooking spray
2 cups fat-free cottage cheese
1 (8-ounce) tub light cream cheese
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
1/4 cup fat-free caramel sundae syrup, divided
2 (2.07-ounce) chocolate-coated caramel-peanut nougat bars (such as Snickers), chopped and divided

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 300 degrees

Sprinkle crumbs into bottom and halfway up sides of a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray.

Combine cheeses in a food processor; process 2 minutes or until smooth. Add brown sugar and next 6 ingredients (brown sugar through egg whites); process just until blended. Pour half of batter into prepared pan. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons syrup; sprinkle with half of chopped candy bar. Pour remaining batter into pan; drizzle with 2 tablespoons syrup. Bake at 300 degrees for 50 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining chopped candy bar; bake 10 minutes or until almost set. Turn oven off; let cheesecake stand for 1 hour in oven with door closed. Remove cheesecake from oven; cool to room temperature. Cover and chill at least 8 hours.



YIELD: 12 servings (serving size: 1 wedge)
PREPARATION TIME: 9 hours, 20 minutes
COOKING TIME: 2 hours

NUTRITIONAL INFO
calories: 271 carbohydrates: 41.8 g cholesterol: 49 mg fat: 6.9 g sodium: 352 mg protein: 10.9 g calcium: 74 mg iron: 0.8 mg fiber: 0.3 g

[madmax]

4. I have to share this one with my daughter in law

She's a WW rep. and always looking for low calorie goodies.