Monday, September 7, 2009

Cheesecake Night

The 21st Ward Cooking Group presents Cheesecake Night.

Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake
La Tisha Wammack

* 18 OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, finely crushed
* 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
* 3 (8 ounce) packages PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
* 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
* 2 teaspoons vanilla
* 1 (12 ounce) package BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunks, melted, slightly cooled
* 4 eggs

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F if using silver 9-inch springform pan (or to 275 degrees F if using dark nonstick 9-inch springform pan). Mix cookie crumbs and butter; press firmly onto bottom of pan. Set aside.
2. Beat cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add chocolate; mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended. Pour over crust.
3. Bake 1 hour 5 min. to 1 hour 10 min. or until center is almost set. Run knife or metal spatula around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim of pan. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. Store leftover cheesecake in refrigerator.

Pumpkin Cheesecake
Joy Taylor

* 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
* 1 tablespoon sugar
* 5 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:

* 3 packages cream cheese softened
* 1 cup sugar
* 1 tsp vanilla
* 3 eggs
* 1 cup canned pumpkin
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Whipped cream

In a small bowl, combine cracker crumbs and sugar, stir in the butter. Press onto the bottom of greased 9 inch springform pan.
Bake at 350 for 5 minutes. Cool on rack.
In a bowl beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Add eggs, pumpkin, and spices, beat until just combined. Pour onto crust.
Bake at 350 for 1 hour or until center is almost set. Cool on wire rack for 1 hour. Carefully run knife around edge of pan to loosen, refrigerate until completely cooled. Serve with whipped topping.

Quick and Easy Chocolate Cheesecake Pie
Erin Roberts

* 2 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
* 3/4 cup sugar
* 2 eggs
* 1/4 cup Hershey’s cocoa
* 1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract
* 1 extra serving-size packaged graham cracker crumb crust (9 oz.)
* 2 cups frozen non-dairy whipped topping, thawed

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat cream cheese and sugar until blended; beat in eggs until well blended. Add cocoa and vanilla, blending until smooth. Pour into crust.
Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until almost set in center. Cool completely on wire rack. Cover; refrigerate. Spread whipped topping over top; garnish as desired. 8-10 servings.

Mouth-Watering Watermelon Bars
Julie John

* 1 box round vanilla wafers (12 oz.), finely ground
* 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
* 5 cups watermelon juice (from about 1/2 of a large watermelon)
* 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
* 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 large lemons)
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 1/2 cup heavy cream
* 4 small envelopes (1 oz. total) of unflavored gelatin, (see chef’s note)
* 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar or 1 cup whipped cream, for garnish

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 13-by-9-inch baking pan with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the long sides of the pan. Spray the foil with cooking spray.
2. Mix the melted butter into the finely ground vanilla wafers and add 2 Tablespoons of water. Mix well and press the crumbs onto the bottom of the prepared pan, forming a crust. Bake the crust for 20 minutes and allow to cool.
3. Set aside 2 cups of the watermelon juice in a small bowl. In a large bowl, combine the remaining 3 cups of watermelon juice with the lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar and heavy cream.
4. Sprinkle the gelatin over the reserved 2 cups of watermelon juice. Allow to sit for 2 minutes so that gelatin can dissolve and begin to absorb liquid, or "bloom." After the gelatin blooms, heat it in the microwave for 2 minutes on high, or heat gently in a small pot over low heat on the stove top, until the gelatin has completely melted into the juice and the liquid is smooth.
5. Add the watermelon juice with the melted gelatin to the larger bowl of juice from Step 3. Stir to combine. Gently pour the mixture over the prepared crust from Step 2 and place in the freezer for 2 hours or until the mixture is firm. (Alternately, place the pan in the refrigerator and allow to set for 3 to 4 hours.)
step 6 Keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Before serving, cut the watermelon bars into squares. If desired, sprinkle each serving with confectioners' sugar or a dollop of whipped cream.

Chef's Notes
To make watermelon juice, simply place the watermelon cubes in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Strain the mixture with a strainer into a bowl.
Unflavored gelatin is commonly packaged in small envelopes (one or more envelopes to a box). Look for it in the pudding and gelatin section of your grocery store.

Fruit Salad Cheesecake
Kaye Melander

Ingredients:

* 1 can (20 ounces) crushed pineapple, drained
* 1 cup sugar
* 1/2 cup cold water
* 2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
* 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, cubed
* 1-1/2 cups crushed crisp macaroons
* 2 tablespoons butter, melted
* 2 cups halved seedless grapes
* 1 can (11 ounces) mandarin oranges, drained
* 1 jar (10 ounces) maraschino cherries, drained and chopped
* 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts
* 2 cups whipped topping

Directions:
1. In a small saucepan, cook pineapple and sugar over medium heat for 5 minutes or until heated through. Place cold water in a bowl; sprinkle with gelatin. Let stand for 1 minute. Stir into the warm pineapple mixture. Reduce heat to low; add cream cheese. Cook and stir until cream cheese is melted and mixture is blended. Remove from the heat; cool completely.
2. In a small bowl, combine macaroon crumbs and butter. Press onto the bottom of a greased 9-in. springform pan; set aside. Stir the grapes, oranges, cherries and nuts into cream cheese mixture. Fold in the whipped topping. Pour into prepared pan. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Remove sides of pan before serving. Yield: 12 servings.

Cheesecake
Candice Scott

Filling:

* 1 8 oz. cream cheese softened
* 1/2 C sugar
* 1 Egg
* 1/2 t. vanilla

Topping:

* 8 oz. sour cream
* 1/4 C sugar
* 1/2 t. vanilla

* Graham cracker crust

Directions:

Mix the filling ingredients until smooth. Pour into crust and bake 30 minutes at 350. Cool 1/2 hour.
Mix the topping and spread over the filling to edges. Bake for 5 minutes at 325. Cool and chill.

Raspberry Cheesecake Bars
Jody Murdock
Crust
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 1/4 cup flour

Filling

1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 egg

Topping

4 Tbsp seedless raspberry jam

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9 inch square pan with cooking spray. Combine ingredients for crust . Mix until crumbly, press into pan. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until edges are lightly golden brown. Meanwhile mix filling ingredients, beat well. When crust is done pour filling on top. Spoon 2 Tbsp jam into the filling but do not disturb the crust. Return to oven and bake an additional 15-20 min or until filling set. Cool 30 min Spread remaining jam over bars. Refrigerate 30 min and cut and enjoy