Blackberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

I was wandering online and saw something for popsicles. I felt like making a dessert but wasn't sure what kind. There's lots of variations out there of course and we love cheesecake so I looked for that. But today most cheesecake popsicles call for already made cheesecake frozen into balls and dipped in chocolate. I didn't want that .

Ive had cheesecake flavor ice cream before and that's what I was searching for. I found one eventually that I liked. I had all the stuff in the house for it and it sounded much healthier too. And then I remembered I still have one bag of frozen blackberries left from my picking in the woods , end of last summer. Those are like gold and Ive been using them sparingly. I only use them if I think something will be exceptionally good.

The recipe called for popsicles but I decided after searching around for something to use as a mold .......to just make individual ice cream desserts instead. While I could have used these and stuck a stick in them , I had nothing around here to use like that. But these are actually freezer jam containers with lids. And I thought they would be good to store individual desserts in so when we wanted one , we could just take one out. It worked well except for one thing. I have to let them soften a bit first because I cant get the lids off otherwise! lol. I filled them too much. Next time Ill just cover them with foil. Live and learn. :) And here's my recipe....

BLACKBERRY CHEESECAKE ICE CREAM Make 6 8oz. containers.
3 c. non fat Greek yogurt
6oz. cream cheese
4  (3in dia.) snickerdoodle cookies
1/3 cup honey
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 Zap  cream cheese in a microwave safe bowl for about 30sec. to soften, then whisk into the yogurt until smooth. Crumble the snickerdoodles into a bowl. A few chunks are fine. Add the cookie, honey, lemon juice, and vanilla, and stir.

( I used non  fat Greek yogurt cuz its all I had in the house but honestly I think it works perfectly. Its a good spot to cut down on the fat plus its still creamy and rich. Also you could add more cookies if you want. This just added a touch of taste and crunch here and there. I just am not fond of graham crackers and we love snickerdoodles, it was yummy tho. I use local honey that I get at our farmers markets. I buy one that is called Blackberry honey. It doesn't taste like blackberries tho, I just happen to like this one better than some of the others he carries. Most likely it from bees that frequently blackberry flowers.)  

 2 cups blackberries (frozen or fresh)
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice

Thaw blackberries a bit so they can break apart easier. Warm the honey for a few sec. in the microwave. Because the berries were frozen, if you don't do this you will get globs of honey in the berry mix that refuse to break down cuz its so cold. You could certainly use fresh berries and skip the heating step. Add the lemon juice and stir well. 

 I layered both in freezer jam containers to make individual desserts. I started with about 2 tsp. blackberry mixture on the bottom then about 2 heaping tbs. of the cheesecake mixture. Keep layering till you use it all up. Cover containers and freeze till solid.

We had some last nite....its rich and yummy. The tart of the berries is nice with the creamy cheesecake but none of it is too sweet. Next time Ill try different berries. I still have some blueberry in the freezer and raspberries. I was even going to put some finely mince crystallized ginger in it but I didn't want to add too many flavors yet since this was an experiment. 

*This will get  quite hard in the freezer so you might want to take it out a bit earlier than when you want to eat it or zap it a few seconds in the microwave...not too much tho, dont want to melt it, just soften it. :)

Valentines day and Cheesecakes

Sadly I didn't take any pictures of what I made but this picture comes close.

It was Valentines day and I was cooking up a storm. I was trying to figure out what I would make for dessert. All sorts of things I could make but I just didn't want more cake, or pie or whatever around all week. Now the man loves cheesecake and since I made lasagna for his dinner I figure cheesecake would be good. But who wants a huge cheesecake hanging around?

Now I know he would eat it several days but there's still always stuff left unless we have company. Then I remembered last yr. I bought some heart shaped silicone baking cups that you would use for cupcakes. I didn't use them yet. I thought oooooo, I could make little ones but I didn't have a recipe for it. Everything I had made a lot and I just didn't feel like sitting down and figuring out how to make it smaller. I was really busy with the rest of dinner. And so I looked online and found this recipe from the Joy of Baking. http://www.joyofbaking.com/Cheesecakes%28Individual%29.html

Individual Cheesecakes Makes 12

Crust:
1 cup (100 grams) graham cracker crumbs
1 tablespoon (15 grams) granulated organic sugar
4 tablespoons (55 grams)  butter, melted

Filling:
2 - 8 ounce (454 grams) packages of cream cheese, room temperature (use full fat, not fat free cream cheese)
2/3 cup (130 grams) granulated organic sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (I used my orange/vanilla extract that's on a recipe on my blogs)
1/2 cup (120 ml) sour cream

Garnish: (Optional):
Strawberry or Raspberry Sauce, fresh berries, or drizzle with melted chocolate ( I made a Strawberry compote)

Cheesecakes: Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Line 12  - 2 3/4 x 1 1/2 inch muffin cups with one - 2 inch (5 cm) wide x 6 inch (15 cm) long strip of parchment paper. (The ends will hang over the sides of the cups to be used as handles to lift out the baked cheesecakes.) (Can also use silicone baking cups.)

For Crust: In a small bowl combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Press about a tablespoon of crumbs on the bottoms of the 12 muffin cups lined with parchment paper. Cover and refrigerate while you make the filling.

For Filling: In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the cream cheese on low speed until smooth.  Add the sugar and beat until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, beating about 30 seconds. Add the vanilla extract and sour cream and beat until incorporated. Remove the crusts from the refrigerator and evenly divide the filling among the 12 muffin cups.

Bake for about 18 - 20 minutes or until firm but the centers of the cheesecakes still wobble a little. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack. Let cool and then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate (a few hours or even overnight).

Remove cheesecakes by first running a sharp knife around the inside edge of the muffin cups to loosen the cheesecakes. Then, taking hold of the two strips of parchment paper, carefully lift each cheesecake from the muffin cups. Gently peel off the parchment paper and place on your serving plate. Top with strawberry or raspberry sauce, fresh berries, or drizzle with melted chocolate.

*** My notes:

I had those silicone heart shaped baking cups I used but they were smaller than what is suggested here. It made 12 but I had a bit left over. I had a small 6in. pie plate so I layered the leftover crust in there and topped it with the filling. I still baked them at this temp. but only for 15min.  Let them cool.

Then for serving I loosened the sides of the silicone cups and turned them upside down over a serving dish, pushing on the bottom of the cup if it was a bit hard to get out. I put two on a plate next to each other but tilted. ...sort of like the Valentine cards you see with two hearts that love each other. I made a strawberry compote with chopped berries and some brown sugar that sat awhile. By letting them macerate it makes its own juices. Then I put a few spoonfuls over the end of the hearts and let the juice puddle there. They were adorable and so delicious! He loved them so much he went back for more.

We finished the rest last nite. The small pie plate one I intended to freeze for another time. But I often bring things over to my bfs parents house . And so I brought some of our Valentines dinner over the next day......nice chunks of lasagna with sauce and meatballs and the little cheesecake with strawberry sauce.

I will however be making these more often. Since theres just the two of us, its a nice size treat that we wont be eating forever.

Cannoli Cheesecake

This is a recipe I recently found on another site, I forget which one, sorry. But Christmas always means cannoli to me. I lived on the east coast and they were easy to get. I moved to the west coast and had to go to San Francisco to get them. They were good but not quite the same. And now Im in the Pacific Northwest and dont have a clue yet where to find them.

And so I used to order from Ferraras bakery in NYC , online when I couldnt get any. That is until now. I tasted this cheesecake batter and I am in love! Tomorrow for Christmas we will cut into it but honestly, I wanted to take a spoon to the batter and eat a bowl of it! Its THAT GOOD.

And so heres the recipe......but of course I had to change some things and this reflects the changes. They were minor but added much more flavor.

CANNOLI CHEESECAKE

2 1/2c  vanilla wafers, finely crushed
3 Tbs. granulated sugar
8 Tbs. unsalted butter(one stick), melted
3 8-oz. packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup ricotta
2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
Table salt
1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips (I used lg. 60% dark chocolate chips and chopped them fine)
1Tb. finely grated orange zest
1 tb. finely chopped candied orange peel
1 Tbs. pure vanilla extract (*see note and recipe below)
4 large eggs, at room temperature
Confectioners' sugar, for garnish

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 375°F.


In a medium bowl, stir together the vanilla wafer crumbs and 3 Tbs. granulated sugar. Mix in the melted butter until the crumbs are evenly moist and clump together slightly. Transfer the mixture to a 9-inch spring-form pan and press evenly onto the bottom and about 2 inches up the sides of the pan (to press, use plastic wrap or a flat-bottom measuring cup). Bake until the crust is fragrant and slightly darkened, 9 to 12 minutes. Let the pan cool on a rack. Lower the oven temperature to 300°F.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, ricotta, flour, and a pinch of table salt on medium speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl and the paddle frequently, until very smooth and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Make sure the cheese has no lumps. Add the 1-1/4 cups granulated sugar and continue beating until well blended and smooth.

Add the chocolate chips, orange zest, candied orange peel and vanilla, and beat until blended, about 30 seconds. Add the eggs one at a time, beating just until blended. (Don’t overbeat once the eggs have been added or the cheesecake will puff too much and crack as it cools.) Pour the filling into the cooled crust and smooth the top.

Bake at 300°F until the center jiggles like Jell-O when nudged, 55 to 65 minutes. The cake will be slightly puffed around the edges, and the center will still look moist. Set on a rack and cool completely. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 8 hours and up to 3 days. The cake can also be frozen at this point for up to 1 month (see make-ahead tip, below).


Unclasp and remove the side of the springform pan and run a long, thin metal spatula under the bottom crust. Carefully slide the cake onto a flat serving plate.
Garnish with confectioners' sugar sifted over the cake and serve immediately. To cut, run a thin knife under hot water, wipe it dry, and cut the cake into slices, heating and wiping the knife after every slice.

Make Ahead Tips
To freeze, put the unmolded, cooled cake on a rimmed baking sheet in the freezer, uncovered, until the top is cold and firm; then wrap it in two layers of plastic and one layer of foil. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

*NOTE: I often make and use my own homemade extracts. The one I used in this one is reminiscent of the Fiori Di Sicilia Flavoring.

In a small canning jar I put several whole vanilla beans. I break them to fit the jar. Then I cover with Orange brandy. I found Grand Marnier is delicious but very expensive for this sort of thing. And so I looked for a substitute. I found a brandy with added orange liqueur sold at the local liqueur store. Its excellent for baking and cooking and much cheaper. Save the good stuff for when it counts. Grand Marnier is made with cognac. Cognac is well aged brandy. And so this cheaper alternative gives the same flavor. Let sit a few weeks. Then use for all your baking when you want a Vanilla/orange type flavor.

Pumpkin Orange Cheesecake Bread

This bread was the bomb. I didn't have the right size loaf pans, mine were 9 x 5. Because of this the cheese layer wasn't as thick as the original one they pictured.  And so I decided since we love cheesecake, the next time I make this I will just double the cheesecake layer.

I also made a glaze. These are approximate measurements because I wanted a fairly thick glaze so remember that when making it. I used about 1 1/2c. powdered sugar, 2 Tb. orange juice and a scant 1/4tsp. cinnamon. If its not thick enough add more powdered sugar, the weather could add moisture and you might need more. I'm telling you not only does it look better but it enhances the bread even more. This was the best Ive ever had and Ill be making it again and again. My bf ate it every day till it was gone and he never does that.

Pumpkin Orange Cheesecake Bread

Yield  2 - 8x4 inch loaves

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 egg
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 cup pumpkin puree
1c. chopped pecans
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups white sugar

   1.   Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Lightly grease two 8x4 inch loaf pans.
   2. In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon flour, 1 egg and orange zest; beat until smooth. Set aside. Sift together 1 2/3 cup flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves and pumpkin pie spice; set aside
   3. Place pumpkin, vegetable oil, 2 eggs and 1 1/2 cup sugar in a large bowl; beat well. Stir the pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture just until combined. Fold in the pecans if desired. Pour 1/2 of the pumpkin batter into the loaf pans. Spoon cream cheese mixture on top of this layer and then pour on the remaining batter.
   4. Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool bread in pans for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Non-fat Cheesecakes

For those watching their diets here are some non fat versions. I used to make these at the health food deli I worked at and they were yummy. You wouldn't know something like this could taste so good! The fat content is so minimal these are considered fat free.

AMARETTO OR LAVENDER NON FAT CHEESECAKE MAKES 1 SMALL 6IN. CAKE

12 oz. non fat cream cheese

1c. non fat cottage cheese

1/2c. flour

1 egg

1/4c amaretto or lavender vanilla infusion*

1c. sugar

4 tb. cookie crumbs

First if your making lavender cheesecake you must make an infusion before you start. Soak 2 tb. lavender (must be culinary lavender) and scrape out seeds from a vanilla bean (or just use vanilla extract) in 1/4c. skim milk (warm). Then strain. If not 1/4c. add some water to equal that.

Mix all ingredients well. Spray inside of 6" spring form pan with Pam or a spray like that. Sprinkle cookie crumbs on bottom of pan and pour cheesecake mixture over it . Bake about 70min.

Variation--

CHOCOLATE KAHLUA NON FAT CHEESECAKE

1 1/2c. non fat cream cheese

1c. non fat cottage cheese

1c. sugar

1/4c. + 2tb. cocoa

1/4c. flour

1/4c. Kahlua liqueur

1 tsp. Vanilla

1 egg

Follow directions for previous non fat cheesecake.

No Bake Lemon Cheesecake

This one I love to make in the summer because you don't have to bake it. Its a luscious lemon one and to make it even yummier I top mine with Lemon Curd. I adore lemon anything so anytime I can add more , Ill do it. (The bf does not like my fondness for lemon either, says damn you put lemon on anything! No I don't!)

NO BAKE LEMON CHEESECAKE MAKES 12 SERVINGS

1 c. brown edged lemon wafer crumbs (about 18 wafers) Or I sometimes use Nilla wafers

1/4c. (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, melted

2 tb. sugar

2 envelopes unflavored gelatin

3/4c sugar

3 eggs, separated

1c. milk

1 lb. creamed cottage cheese

2 tsp. grated lemon rind

1/3c lemon juice

1 c. heavy cream

Lemon Curd to top (opt. but I added this to mine,yum!)

Combine crumbs, butter and the 2tb. sugar in a sm. bowl. Press into bottom of a 9in. spring form pan, reserving 2tb. for the top. Combine gelatin, 1/2 c of the remaining sugar and egg yolks in a med. size saucepan. Beat with mixer till well mixed. Stir in milk till well blended. Cook over med. heat, stirring constantly, till sugar and gelatin are dissolved and mixture is slightly thickened, about 5min. Cool.

Press cheese thru a sieve or process in a food processor till smooth. Stir in cooled gelatin mixture, lemon rind and juice. Beat egg whites till foamy-white in a sm. bowl. Beat in the remaining 1/4c. sugar gradually, till meringue forms soft peaks. Beat cream in a sm. bowl till stiff. Fold cream, then meringue, into cheese mixture. Spoon into prepared pan. Chill 4hrs till or till set. Top with Lemon curd if your using it and the reserved crumbs. Carefully remove the side of the spring form pan to serve.

Totally Decadent Cheesecake Brownies

My bf loves brownies but he also loves cheesecake.........so when I saw this recipe I had to make it. It combines the best of both!

BLACK AND WHITE CHEESECAKE BROWNIES MAKES 16 2 1/4IN. BROWNIES

1 12oz pkg.(2c.) semi sweet chocolate mini bits, divided

1/2c. sugar

1/4c. butter, softened

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. salt

2/3c. all purpose flour

.............

1 8oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

1/2c. sugar

2tb. butter, softened

2 eggs

2tb. milk

1tb. all purpose flour

1/2tsp. almond extract

3/4c. semi sweet mini chocolate bits reserved from the above 12oz.pkg.

BROWNIE BASE:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt over hot (not boiling) water, 1 1/4c. semi sweet bits; stir till smooth. Set aside. In large bowl, combine sugar and butter; beat till creamy. Add eggs, vanilla and salt; mix well. Spread into foil lined 9in. square baking pan.

CHEESECAKE TOPPING:

In large bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar and butter; beat till creamy. Add eggs, milk, flour and almond extract; beat well. Stir in remaining mini 3/4c mini bits. Pour over brownie base. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 min. Cool completely; cut into squares.

The only thing I did different was I didn't add all those mini bits to the cheesecake layer. I felt it would be way too much chocolate. I just sprinkled a few on top to decorate before baking. They were awesome!

PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE

I love Junior League cookbooks. They are usually well tested recipes compiled by the Junior Leagues themselves ,of course to raise money. But many of these have become award winners.

I chose this one because altho its an older book, many of the recipes are typically Californian and awesome.This is one of my favorite recipes from this book. Ive made it many, many times.
PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE MAKES 1 9in. cake

Crust:
3/4 c.graham cracker crumbs(about 12 single crackers)
1/2 c. ground pecans
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1/4 c. butter, melted

Filling:
3/4 c. granulated sugar
3/4 c. pumpkin puree
3 egg yolks
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground mace
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 lbs. cream cheese, softened
6 tb. granulated sugar
1 egg plus 1 yolk
2 tb. whipping cream
1 tb. sifted cornstarch
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. lemon extract

Whipped cream and whole pecans for garnish

To prepare Crust: Combine all ingredients and mix well, coating crumbs completely with butter. Pat crumb mixture firmly into bottom of a 9in. springform pan. Place in freezer while preparing filling. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To prepare Filling: Mix 3/4c. sugar, pumpkin puree, 3 egg yolks, cinnamon, mace, ginger and salt in a bowl. Set aside. With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and 6 tb. sugar till smooth. Add the egg plus egg yolk and the whipping cream. Mix again till smooth. Add cornstarch and blend well. Add vanilla and lemon extracts. Mix again till very smooth. Add spiced pumpkin puree to cream cheese mixture. Mix until no traces of white remain. (The smooth texture of this cheesecake depends on the thorough mixing.)

Pour filling over crumb crust in springform pan. Bake 45 min., or until sides have risen. The center will be somewhat soft. Remove from oven. Cool to rm. temp., then refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. Run knife around edge of pan and release the sides. Remove cheesecake from pan bottom. Garnish with whipped cream rosettes and pecans.

Sweet basil cheesecake

I posted this because several people have asked me for some other uses for basil . Some are growing lemon basil or cinnamon basil and these would be delicious in this too. If you use lemon basil how about topping this with lemon curd or a lemon sauce. I bet the cinnamon basil one would be lucious with a chocolate cinnamon sauce.


SWEET BASIL CHEESECAKE Serves 10
2 Lbs Cream Cheese, room temperature
1/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
1 Cup Sour Cream
2 Large Eggs, lightly beaten
1 Cup French Fine-leaf Basil, destemmed
2 Tbsp Lemon Juice (optional)
1 Tsp Vanilla
2 Tbsp Cornstarch
1 Cup Crushed Vanilla Wafers, or graham crackers
2 Tbsp Butter

Preheat oven to 450* F. In a food processor or mixer, lightly beat the eggs. Add sour cream, sugar, basil, cornstarch, lemon juice, and vanilla. Process until smooth. Add cream cheese, 1/2 lb at a time, and process to incorporate. Spread softened butter on the bottom and halfway up the sides of a 9-or 19 inch springform pan. Cover butter area with cookie crumbs, pressing to be sure they stick.

Pour in cheesecake batter and bake for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Knife the edges of the cake as soon as it is removed from the oven. Cool on wire rack about 5 minutes, then remove the side of the pan. Finish cooling, if you can wait. Cut with dental floss into thin wedges.