Chocolate Peach Cheesecake

A few weekends ago, the farm I always go to had a one-weekend-only special of pick your own peaches. Peaches are my favorite fruit. Give me veggies every day, but fruit? It's a love-hate relationship. I rarely pick up a piece of fruit and eat it like that, where as I can eat most veggies without any seasoning. Peaches I can eat as is, although to fill me up a little more I mix it with Greek yogurt. When we arrived at the farm, we picked 8 quarts. Before we left, I noticed a contest to win 1/2 bushel of peaches. I laughed and entered, not thinking much of it. Well, later that night I got an email, saying I was the winner.







Did you know a bushel is roughly 50 pounds of peaches? So that means I now have 25 pounds of peaches to use, on top of the 8 quarts I had picked earlier. Plus the tiny peaches from the peach tree my landlord planted in the back. If you think that your family could go through that much, don't forget I live alone.







After I found out I won, I made a list of anything and everything I could make. One item I really wanted to make is a cheesecake. One girl at work loves cheesecake, and because she won tickets on my behalf to an NFL game (not Steelers *pouts*), I knew I wanted to make this first.



At first I was planning on making a cheesecake with peach puree in the batter rather than a cheesecake with peach pieces throughout it. Then as I was eating at my kitchen table browsing a cookbook (I think I have more laying around the house than on my bookcase), I found a recipe for a chocolate cherry cheesecake. It had a chocolate cookie crust with a cherry pie filling and ganache on top. I decided to make this recipe but with peaches. First thing - how do you make peach pie filling that typically comes from a can? A few weeks ago, I made cherry pie filling (which I don't think I blogged about...). I went back to this recipe and subbed peaches for the cherries. Perfect!







This cheesecake recipe is rather simple compared to other ones I've made. Most want you to beat for a total of 10 minutes then bake with a waterbath. This one you do beat for several minutes until everything is incorporated. I used crushed (stale) Oreos leftover in my pantry for the crust. I was disappointed when I sliced into it because the filling wasn't very noticeable, but I promise you noticed when you ate it! I shared it at work and didn't take long for it to disappear after lunch.







Feel free to improvise the ingredients. Make the crust with graham crackers or vanilla wafers. Change the fruit in the filling. Use white chocolate for the ganache. This recipe provides a nice foundation for a wonderful end-of-summer dessert.



If you had a bushel of peaches, what recipes would you make?



Chocolate Peach Cheesecake







Peach Pie Filling

1 1/2 pounds peaches, pitted, peeled, and chopped into 1 inch pieces

1 cup water or peach juice

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch



Crust

2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs

3 Tbsp butter, melted



Cheesecake

32 oz cream cheese, softened

3 eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream



Ganache

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1 cup (6 oz) semisweet chocolate chips



1. Make the pie filling first. In a large saucepan, combine water, sugar, and cornstarch. Stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook, stirring 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in peaches. Let cool.



2. Preheat oven to 325F. Combine the cookie crumbs and melted butter. Press them in the bottom and up the sides of an ungreased 10-inch springform pan. Place the pan on a cookie sheet for easy transportation (and to catch any possible leaks).



3. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth. Add 1/2 cup cream; blend well.



4. Spoon half of the cream cheese mixture into the pan, spreading evenly. Spoon the pie filling evenly over the layer. You may have leftover syrup in the pan, depending on the ratio of syrup versus peach pieces. Spoon the remaining cream cheese mixture evenly over.



5. Bake for 65-75 minutes or until center is set. Cool in pan on wire rack for 1 hour.



6. Ganache: bring remaining 1/2 cup cream to a boil in small saucepan. Remove from heat. Stir in chocolate chips until melted.



7. Remove the side of the springform pan. Place cheesecake on a waxed paper-lined cookie sheet. Spread ganache over the top, allowing some to flow down the sides. Refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight.



Serves 16

Source: Pillsbury Holiday Baking Nov. 2002, p. 39

Berry Cheesecake Parfaits

Summer - a great time to buy or pick your own fresh produce. There is a farm I've been visiting for the past few years to pick berries. In June, they have strawberries. In July, they have black raspberries. Because I moved away and no longer live in the area, I was really hoping the raspberries would be ready for the Fourth of July weekend. I missed strawberries because I came home a weekend too early. Fortunately, it was the first weekend to berry pick, so I didn't miss it. Hooray!



I knew I was going to make something raspberry for our mini family cookout. Originally, I was going to do an apricot and berry pie. Apricots were moldy. Cupcakes? The gas pilot on my parent's oven only works when it wants to. Cheesecake parfaits? Works for me. Besides, who really wants to turn on the oven in the summer?



The recipe called for lemon curd. However, I made homemade raspberry curd. It also calls for cookie crumbs in the bottom. I didn't have any, so I thought about graham crackers. But wouldn't they get soggy because you chill the parfaits overnight? Plus I'm not a fan of crust. I was going to sprinkle some on top before serving, but I forgot. It didn't help that I was serving these right before making the two-hour trip back to my place before the holiday traffic.



If any of you have made homemade cheesecake, you know it takes some time. Time to beat. Time to cook. Time to set. Time to chill. These parfaits cut down on all that time by using sweetened condensed milk. At first I was concerned because just like any passionate baker, I had a taste of the batter. It didn't taste that great, so I was worried it wouldn't turn out like it should. Well I followed the recipe as directed and knew the flavor would develop more overnight, so I went with it. Hopefully the raspberry curd would cover it up if it wasn't good.



Letting it sit made a huge difference. The texture turned into the thick, smooth cheesecake filling that you'd expect, much better than the batter I tasted. Pair that with the layer of raspberry curd, and you have yourself a nice cool summer treat.

Berry Cheesecake Parfait

Cheesecake

8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp grated lemon peel
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup sour cream
4 Tbsp your favorite curd, store bought or homemade
1/2 cup amaretti or graham cracker crumbs (optional)
1/3 cup fresh berries

Raspberry Curd
1 1/3 cup black raspberries (red will work too)
3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
2 Tbsp water
1 tsp ground black pepper
Pinch of salt
6 Tbsp butter, cut into pieces

1. Curd: In a saucepan, heat together berries, sugar, eggs, water, pepper and salt. Stir with a wooden spoon. When berries start to break and the mixture bubbles, add butter. Stir until melted.

2. Increase heat, stirring constantly until it thickens. The back of the spoon should be coated.

3. Optional: Push the mixture into a sieve over a clean bowl. Discard seeds.

4. Let the curd cool while making the cheesecake: In a large bowl, beat together cream cheese, milk, lemon juice, lemon peel, and vanilla 60 seconds or until smooth. Beat in cream for 2 minutes or until thickened. Fold in sour cream.

5. In a container of your choice (I used wine glasses), place crumbs into each bottom if using. Add some of the cheesecake mixture. Add curd. Finish with another cheesecake layer. Do this for each container until all of the cheesecake mixture is gone. Be sure to refrigerate any leftover curd for future use.

6. Cover each container and refrigerate overnight to set the flavors. Serve with fresh berries on top.

Cheesecake: Cooking Club magazine Summer 2011, p. 28
Raspberry curd: French Cooking for Dummies

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars

Now that I live alone, I don't bake as often. Sure, I could take stuff into work (and I have), but it seems like everyone is on Weight Watchers. Plus I don't always have the energy. How do all you parents do it? I barely have energy to cook and clean for myself, let alone a family. I guess you get used to it? I hope so, or I'll never be able to take care of one.



My family does come up to visit, so when they do, I want to have a special treat for them. That way I can bake and get rid of the extra calories. Several months ago, I found a used copy of The Essential Chocolate Chip Cookbook. I've had this on my Amazon Wish List ever since I saw these on Bake or Break. It's more than just chocolate chip cookies. It has cookies, muffins, pies, tarts, puddings, cakes, ice cream desserts, pretty much anything with chocolate chips, including the Strawberry and White Chocolate Cheesecake I made back in June.



Anyway, after drooling at the pictures, I decided to make Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars. What a mouthful! And a good one too. The cookie dough layer on top ending up being almost a whole layer rather than chunks here and there, so the cheesecake layer isn't as dominant. I opted to leave off the chocolate drizzle. I enjoy them cold, preferably from the freezer. Of course my family forgot to take the extras home, so that's why they ended up in my freezer in the first place.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars



Crust
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
5 Tbsp butter, melted
2/3 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

Dough
5 Tbsp butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 Tbsp sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup flour
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Filling
10 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1. Crust: Preheat oven to 325F. Line 9-inch square pan with foil and spray with cooking spray. In medium bowl, stir crumbs and butter together until crumbs are evenly moistened. Stir in mini chocolate chips. Press crumb mixture over bottom and 1 inch up the sides of pan. Bake for 6 minutes. Cool pan and leave the oven on.

2. Dough: In large bowl, beat butter, brown sugar, sugar, salt, and vanilla until smoothly blended, 1 minute. Add flour, mixing just to incorporate it. Stir in chocolate chips. Set aside.

3. Filling: In another bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar just until smooth. Mix in egg and vanilla, beating just to blend them in. Pour cheesecake batter into the crust. Drop teaspoonfuls of cookie dough over top of the batter. Bake until top feels dry and firm and looks set if given a gentle shake, about 30 minutes.

4. Optional drizzle: Melt 1/3 cup chocolate chips until melted and smooth, either in a microwave or heatproof bowl over boiling water. Use a teaspoon to gently drizzle thin lines of melted chocolate over the top of the bars. Cool about 1 hour. Cut bars into 16 pieces. The bars can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Makes 16 bars.

Source: The Essential Chocolate Chip Cookbook, page 47-48

Black Raspberry Ribbon Cheesecake

I have so much to do and people to see, yet I'm running out of time. I'm moving July 3 and starting work July 12. That means I have to use up all the perishable food my parents won't use. That includes the freshly picked black raspberries from Sunday. What better way to use up stale Oreo cookies, black raspberries, half a lemon, and heavy whipping cream than cheesecake? I've made a lot of cheesecake in the past - Strawberry and White Chocolate Chip, Smores, Caramel Chocolate Chip, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip, even a plain one. This black raspberry cheesecake was probably one of the best ones I've made. It is a little messy with the sauce. It will stain everything, so make sure you clean up any spills before they dry.

Black Raspberry Ribbon Cheesecake



Crust
2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs
1/3 cup butter, melted
3 Tbsp sugar

Sauce
2 1/2 cups fresh berries
2 tsp lemon juice
2/3 cup sugar
2 Tbsp cornstarch

Filling
24 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp flour
1 tsp vanilla
2 egg whites
1 cup heavy whipping cream

1. Combine crust ingredients and press into bottom and up sides of greased 9 inch springform pan. Chill 1 hr or until firm.

2. Preheat oven to 375F. Puree berries in a blender. Press through strainer if desired to remove seeds. In saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, and raspberry puree. Bring to a boil and boil 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, stir in lemon juice, and set aside.

3. In large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, flour, and vanilla until fluffy. Add egg whites, beat until just blended. Stir in cream. Pour half into crust. Top with 3/4 cup raspberry sauce (refrigerate remaining sauce to pour on top later or use for ice cream, waffles, etc). Carefully spoon remaining filling over sauce. Bake 35-40 minutes or until center is nearly set. Remove from oven; immediately run a knife around pan to loosen crust. Cool on wire rack for 1 hr. Refrigerate overnight.

Source: Triple B Farms

Strawberry and White Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

Strawberry season is here!! The local farm opened their strawberry bushes to the public for picking. You can't get any fresher than this! So many thoughts running through my head - what should I make?? Jam? Pie? Cupcakes? How about cheesecake? Not only is it cheesecake, it has strawberry puree and white chocolate chips.


Look, it matches the counter!

The original recipe calls for white chocolate to be melted and drizzled on top. I felt that although it would be more delicious, it wasn't necessary because it would cover up the juicy strawberries. The white chocolate chips were hard to detect, so if you don't have any, I wouldn't worry too much about running to the store last-minute.



I feel that this dessert is perfect for a summer get-together, but just be careful with the heat. It will soften very quickly and best to be out only when dessert is ready.

Strawberry and White Chocolate Chip Cheesecake



Crust

1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
3/4 tsp cinnamon
7 tbsp butter, melted

Filling

3 cups strawberries, washed and stemmed
32 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 tbsp flour
4 eggs, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
2 tbsp heavy whipping cream
1 cup white chocolate chips

2 pints strawberries, washed and stemmed

1. Preheat oven to 325F. Grease 9 inch springform pan. Wrap the outside of the pan with aluminum foil. Have a big enough pan ready to hold the springform pan. Put a kettle on because you will need hot water later.

2. In a bowl, stir cracker crumbs and cinnamon together. Mix in melted butter until crumbs are moistened. Press the crumbs into the bottom and sides of the springform pan. Bake for 8 minutes. Set aside with oven left on while you mix the feeling.

3. Meanwhile, process strawberries to a puree. Strain into a small bowl; discard any seeds or pulp leftover. Measure 1 cup and set aside. If there is any extra puree, save it for another use.

4. Beat cream cheese and sugar until smoothly blended. Mix in flour. Add eggs one at a time. Mix in both extracts and cream. Then mix in puree and chocolate chips.

5. Pour into baked crust. Put the springform pan into the larger baking pan. Pour enough hot water into the large pan to reach 1 inch up the sides of the springform pan. Bake until center seems firm when gently shook, 1 hr 15 minutes. Remove from oven and leave in the water bath. Cover loosely with paper towels and let cool for 1 hr. Carefully remove from the water bath. Remove paper towels and foil. Cool for another hour, or until it feels cool to the touch. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 6 hrs or overnight.

6. Don't add the strawberries on top until ready to serve. It can be refrigerated for up to 2 days before adding the strawberries. Arrange the whole berries on top until covered.

Serves 12-16

Source: The Essential Chocolate Chip Cookbook, page 78

Smores Cheesecake

After making and giving away the birthday cheesecake, I was craving cheesecake of my own. While I was searching for cheesecake recipes, I came across several that looked amazing, including a smores cheesecake. Toasted marshmallows?? SOLD!



This cheesecake is different because it uses sweetened condensed milk instead of sour cream or heavy cream. I think next time I'll stick to a mixture of heavy and sour cream because I wasn't a fan of the SCM base. The recipe didn't call for a waterbath, which I guess doesn't matter because you cover the top with marshmallows. It did rise and shrink though. And I really should test my oven because it took a lot longer to bake than the recipe says.

Smores Cheesecake


2 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
16 oz cream cheese
14 oz sweetened condensed milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
2 cups mini marshmallows
1 Tbsp shortening or butter

1. Preheat oven to 325F. In a small bowl, combine cracker crumbs and sugar. Stir in butter. Press onto bottom and up the sides of a greased 10-inch springform pan. Place on a baking sheet.

2. Beat cream cheese, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Add eggs, beat just until combined. Stir in 1 cup chocolate chips and 1 cup marshmallows. Pour into pan and bake 40-45 minutes or until center is almost set. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup marshmallows. Bake 4-6 minutes longer or until marshmallows are puffed and toasted.

3. While cooling, melt remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips and shortening. Drizzle over cheesecake. Cool for an hour. Refrigerate overnight.

Source: Taste of Home's Prize-Winning Recipes, 2006 p. 76

Caramel Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

Fact #1 - I bought a set of three springform pans with the intention of making regular-sized cheesecakes (compared to baby cheesecakes). Fact #2 - I need to buy a roasting pan big enough so I can make a waterbath. Without a waterbath, disaster strikes:


Look! The Grand Canyon!

My best friend's birthday was this past weekend. When I asked what kind of cake she wanted, she instantly said "cheesecake." After getting more details, she decided on a caramel chocolate chip cheesecake. I thought, ok just need to find a turtle cheesecake and instead of nuts, use chocolate chips. After much research, I wasn't satisfied with any recipe, so I went out on a limb and created my own. Really all I needed to do was fold in caramel sauce and chocolate chips.


So much better than last year's birthday disaster

I chose Dorie's recipe because I made it once before. Then at the end, I folded in caramel sauce and chocolate chips. Then after pouring into the pan, I plopped some more caramel on top and swirled it around. However, using my 9 inch pan meant no pan big enough for a waterbath. I can still bake without it, right? Wrong! I mean I could, and I did, but as you can see, it's not pretty. I lost my swirling (although the cracks did swirl nicely) and the cheesecake shrunk. Like, it was at least two inches above the pan (think souffle) and shrunk after cooling. But the important part was it tasted good.


Apparently we don't have a #2 candle

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

Hope everyone is having a nice Thanksgiving. Mine could've been better - my dad is sick, my mom is incompetent in the kitchen, and the chicken is taking longer than expected. Oh and I have to be at work 4:30 tomorrow morning for you early birds, so you all better be nice and drop the attitude. It's not our fault if we are sold out of your stupid zhu zhu pets. And please don't trash the store either because the closing crew usually stays an hour after closing just to clean up after you. Trust me, they don't pay us THAT much.

Moving on, I made this cheesecake last week since my dad insisted on making pies for Thanksgiving dinner. In case you haven't heard, Libby's is having a pumpkin shortage. Once all the cans are gone on the shelves, that's it. No more pumpkin until next year. Good thing we have three large cans in the cupboard. Plan ahead when making this cheesecake because like most cheesecakes, this needs a long chilling time.

I cut this recipe in half because I have three small heart pans. Regular springform pan is on my wish list. That is partly why the piece in my picture is so small. That and it was almost gone.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cheesecake



Crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (either in food processor or crushed by rolling pin)
4 Tbsp powdered sugar
6 Tbsp butter, melted

Filling:
16 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla or maple extract
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 cup chocolate chips

1. For crust: Mix together crumbs, sugar, and butter. Press evenly over bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Chill until needed.

2. Preheat oven to 350F. Beat cream cheese and sugar together until smooth. Add eggs and extract. Add pumpkin and spices, and continue mixing until combined. Any lumps in the batter will not disappear during baking. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour filling into chilled crust.

3. Bake 30-40 minutes. No covering or water bath needed. The center should feel somewhat firm to the touch. Let the cheesecake cool to room temperature. Then cover and place in refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight.

Makes one 9-inch cheesecake

Source: Bake Space

Tuesdays With Dorie - Tall and Creamy Cheesecake

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. For Christmas dessert, I made Dorie's Tall and Creamy Cheesecake. And boy did she mean tall. She called for a 9 inch pan with 2 3/4 inch tall sides. Otherwise, you'll be left with extra filling. And look how much filling mine made:


9 inch cake pan, 3 small springform heart pans, and 4 ramekins

So if you don't have the appropriate pan and not feeding a crowd, I suggest cutting the recipe in half. Since I wasn't accounting for the extra pans, I only made the crust for the small heart pans (which I was originally planning to serve). I don't know if water accidentally got into the bottom of the pans, but my crust was a little soggy. The filling was amazingly creamy (and rich!) I used all heavy cream, but next time I may do 2/3 heavy cream and 1/3 sour cream. Also, I opted for plain cheesecake. Now that the recipe is successful, I will experiment with the flavors. It did take a lot of time and beating though! Since I only have a hand mixer, my arm was sore.

Some of the TwDers experienced cracked tops. Fortunately (and surprisingly!), mine weren't. This was my first cheesecake completely from scratch.


Tall and Creamy Cheesecake




Thanks for this week goes to Anne of Anne Strawberry for picking the recipe. You can find it on page 235-237 of Baking: From My Home To Yours or on Anne's blog.