Tag: cheesecakes

Cakes · Chocolate · Desserts

Peanut Butter Candy Cheesecake

Chocolate Castles1 Comment

It is so strange that as a child I really didn’t like peanut butter. My mom didn’t like it and I’m sure I probably heard her talk about how awful it was so never even tried it. During one of my pregnancies I developed a love for peanut butter. The older I get the more I enjoy anything made with peanut butter. When I saw this recipe I knew that it would be made the next time we have people over.

Taken from All American Amazing Cakes:

Crust:

1 1/2 cups crushed chocolate graham crackers

1/4 cup granulated sugar

5 tables tables butter, melted

Filling:

4 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened

1 3/4  cups firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup creamy peanut butter

3 large eggs

2 egg yolks

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1 teas vanilla

10 fun-size (I get these at Walmart, I think you get either 8 or 10 for a dollar) chocolate covered crispy peanut buttery candy bars like Butterfinger, chopped

Garnish: crushed Butterfingers

Preheat oven to 300.

To prepare crust in a small bowl combine crushed graham crackers and sugar. Add melted butter, stirring to combine. Press mixture into bottom and 1″ up the sides of a 10″ spring from pan. Bake for 6 min. Let cool completely.

For filling, in a large bowl and beat the cream cheese, brown sugar and peanut butter with mixer until very creamy. Add eggs and egg yolks, one at a time beating just until combined before adding the next egg. Stir in cream, vanilla and chopped candy. Spoon batter into cooled crust.

Bake for 1 hour and 15 min. Turn oven off and leave cake in oven with door closed for 1 hour. Remove from oven and let cheesecake cool completely. Then cover and chill for at least 4 to 6 hours before serving. Garnish with more whipped whipping cream and crushed candy bars.

Chocolate · Cookies · Desserts

Southern Chocolate Pecan Cheesecake Bars

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Yum…these are addicting and as I am thrilled that Paula Deen announced her 20-City Tour yesterday, I thought I would post a recipe that I found in her Chocolate Celebration special edition magazine, to welcome her back.

Makes 2 doz bars
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar, divided
1/2 cup butter
2 cups finely chopped pecans, divided
2 (8oz) bars cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
4 large eggs, divided
4 (1 oz) squares semi-sweet chocolate, melted and cooled
2 teas vanilla
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/3 cup butter, melted
Preheat oven to 350. Line a 9×13″ baking pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Lightly grease the foil.
In medium bowl, combine the flour and 3/4 cup brown sugar. Cut in butter (the 1/2 cup), with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Stir in 1/3 cup chopped pecans.
Press mixture into bottom of prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes.
In medium bowl, combine cream cheese and sugar; beat on medium speed with mixer until smooth. Add 1 egg, beating until combined. Stir in melted chocolate and vanilla until smooth; pour over prepared crust.
Bake for 15 minutes; remove from oven and cool 10 minutes.
In another medium bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup brown sugar, corn syrup, 1/3 cup melted butter and remaining 3 eggs. Stir in remaining 1 1/2 cups pecans. Pour oven cream cheese mixture.
Bake for 40-45 minutes or until center is set. Let cool in pan completely before cutting into bars.

Uncategorized

Pumpkin Cranberry Cheesecake

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Quite a few years ago, at a bookstore in Dallas, there was this little paperback titled, “Holiday Celebrations Cookbook” on a table for $1.00. I bought all they had. I’ve given all of them away except I kept one as the recipes in it are really so good and some of them very unusual. This one caught my eye and I have made it to serve during the holidays. It gets great reviews, so here is the recipe.

Crust

1 1/2 cups vanilla wafers, crushed (about 33 wafers)

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 finely ground pecans

1/4 cup melted butter

Filling

1 (8 oz) softened cream cheese

1 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

2 teas lemon juice

1 teas ground cinnamon

1 teas vanilla

1/2 teas ground nutmeg

1 (8 oz) Cool Whip, thawed

Cranberry Sauce

1 1/2 cups whole cranberries

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

2 teas cornstarch

Toss vanilla wafer crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar, pecans and melted butter in a large mixing bowl. Press mixture into bottom and 2″ up sides of an 8″ spring form pan.

Bake in preheated 350 oven for 5 minutes. Cool on wire rack. In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, pumpkin, 1/2 cup sugar, the brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg. After ingredients are well blended, Fold in Cool Whip. Turn mixture into cooled crust and chill for 4 hours. Combine cranberries, water, 1/2 cup sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan. Cook until mixture boils, stirring constantly. Cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Cool to room temperature, then chill. Spoon over cheesecake. Garnish servings with additional whipped cream.

Cakes · Desserts · Fruit

Lemon Bar Cheesecake

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Friday evening we are having some friends over for dinner. When I came across this recipe from Southern Living Feb issue, I knew it would be our dessert for tonight. I love saving the magazines and going back through them. It reminds me of different scriptures that you have read a million times in the Bible, but just when you are needing a certain word from the Lord, you come across the same scripture and it just has a whole new meaning, depending on your circumstances. It is just the Word you are needing to hear. So it is with old recipes, you can read them a hundred times, but sometimes one just sticks out to you as you are going through your recipe stack and there it is…the perfect recipe you have been looking for.

As Southerners,  we love our Bible, a true treasure and God’s love letter to us. Southern Living Magazine is a gift to us also, provides us with treasured recipes, which made with love, we share with our families and friends. This will be a favorite and treasured recipe.

If you use a dark springform pan, it will ensure a golden brown crust without having to bake before adding the filling.

2 cups flour

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup cold butter, cubed

2 egg yolks

1 to 2 tables ice-cold water

4 (8 oz) softened cream cheese

1 cup sugar

4 large eggs

2 teas vanilla

2 cups Lemon Curd, divided (I use already prepared lemon curd I get at grocery store)

Candied Lemon Slices (opt)

Pulse first 3 ingredients in a food processor 3-4 times or just until blended. Add butter and pulse 5-6 times or until crumbly. Whisk together 2 egg yolks and 1 tables ice-cold water in a small bowl; add to butter mixture and process until dough forms a ball and pulls away from sides of bowl, adding up to 1 tables remaining ice-cold water if necessary. Shape dough into a disk; wrap in plastic and chill at least 4 hours (up to 24 hours).

Roll dough into a 14″ circle on a lightly floured surface. Fit dough into a lightly greased 9″ dark springform pan; trim and discard excess dough. Chill 30 mins.

Preheat oven to 325. Beat cream cheese at medium speed with mixer 3 min or until smooth. Gradually add sugar, beating until blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears after each addition. Beat in vanilla.

Pour 2/3 of cheesecake batter (about 4 cups) into prepared crust; dollop 1 cup lemon curd over batter in pan and gently swirl with a knife. Spoon remaining batter into pan.

Bake at 325 for 1 hour to 1 hour 10 min or just until center is set. Turn oven off. Let cheesecake stand in oven with door closed for 15 minutes. Remove cheesecake from oven and gently run a knife around outer edge to loosen sides of pan. Do not remove sides of the pan. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack about 1 hour. Cover and chill at least 8 hours.

Remove sides of pan and transfer to a serving plate. Spoon remaining 1 cup lemon curd over top of cheesecake. If desired top with candied lemon slices and whipped cream.

Desserts

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bars

Chocolate Castles2 Comments

When I saw this on Just A Pinch Recipe site, I knew it was for me. The perfect little dessert when you just can’t put your finger on what flavor you are wanting, it combines 3 of my favorites, chocolate, peanut butter and cream cheese. You won’t be disappointed.

CHOCOLATE CRUST

1 c

sugar

1/2 c

all purpose flour

6 Tbsp

cocoa powder

1/2 tsp

baking powder

1 stick

unsalted butter

1

egg

1 c

chocolate chips

PEANUT BUTTER CHEESECAKE BATTER

1 c

heavy whipping cream

3 pkg

(8 oz. each) cream cheese

1/2 jar

(18 oz jar) creamy peanut butter

1 c

sugar

1 tsp

vanilla extract

3

eggs

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

1 c

heavy whipping cream

10 1/2 oz

semi-sweet chocolate chips   (usually the whole small bag)

1 stick

butter

3

eggs

Preheat oven to 350. Line with foil and grease a 9×13 pan.

For chocolate crust:

Mix together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder and baking powder. With beater, beat in the butter & egg. Spread with spatula in the bottom of the pan.

Sprinkle 1 cup chocolate chips onto the crust.

Cheesecake batter:

Place the bowl and beaters in the freezer for about 5 minutes. Whip the whipping cream until stiff. Set aside.

Cream together the cream cheese, peanut butter and sugar. Scrape bowl occasionally to ensure it is evenly mixed. Add vanilla and whipped cream and blend together. Add eggs, one at a time until mixed well.

Pour batter onto crust. Take butter knife and swirl just through batter (not all the way to the bottom to ensure no air bubbles is in batter. Bake at 350 for about 25 min. Turn off oven and  LEAVING DOOR CLOSED, leave in oven 35 min more.

Take out cheesecake and cool completely.

For chocolate ganache:

Heat 1 cup heavy cream over medium heat until warm, almost hot. Pull from heat and add semi-sweet chocolate chips. Do not stir. After cream has cooled, transfer mixture to mixing bowl. Beat on high until smooth and creamy. Spread over cooled cheesecake. Cut into bars after 2-4 hours of being in fridge.

Cakes · Chocolate · Desserts

Mini Peanut Butter Cheesecakes

Chocolate Castles1 Comment

I love any recipe that has the word “mini” in it. It makes me think that even if I eat them, it will make me “mini”, no matter how much butter or cream cheese are in them. My neighbor, Nancy, has given me a couple of folders in which she and her twin sister have gathered recipes for years. I am so honored that they have allowed me to look through them and pick out ones I want to use. These are the same ladies who took me to the Pasadena Ladies club you might have read about in the blog. Sally, one of the twin sisters, has written a couple of cookbooks and is such a great hostess.  So when I saw this recipe, I knew it was a good one to try.

Makes 24

1 pkg (9.5 oz) Keebler Fudge Shoppe Peanut Butter Filled cookies (now, after seeing the first ingredient, you know these are going to be good)

2  (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 tsp vanilla

3 large eggs, at room temp

Chocolate Glaze:

3 oz semisweet baking chocolate

2 tables unsalted butter

2 tables light corn syrup

1/4 cup roasted peanuts, chopped

Heat oven to 325. Line muffin pans with 24 paper baking cups.

Break cookies into a food processor. Pulse until fine moist crumbs form. Press about 1 tables crumbs into each muffin paper liner and spread over the bottom of liner. Freeze while you are preparing the cheese mixture.

Beat next 4 ingredients in a large bowl with mixer on medium until smooth. On low speed, beat in eggs, 1 at a time, just until blended. Spoon about 2 1/2 tables into each cup.

Bake 20 min or until puffed. Some may crack on top but that’s ok. Cool completely in pans on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, prepare glaze. Melt the chocolate, butter and syrup together in small saucepan until smooth. Do not boil. Cool slightly. Peel liners off each cupcake. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Spoon glaze over tops. Sprinkle with nuts. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving to give glaze a chance to set and cheesecakes to be cold.