cheesecake – Cooking Therapy

BAKLAVA CHEESECAKE

31 Dec 2021Leave a comment

As you are more than aware from my posts on this website, I love cheesecake. My inspiration for this one came from growing up in Greece and my mom making deliciously crispy baklava. The addition of pomegranate seeds add a burst of refreshing tartness to the sweet baklava. Try yours today!

Prep Time: 30 Minutes

Cook Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes

Rest/cooling Time: 4 Hours

Ingredients:

4 packages of cream cheese at room temperature

2 cups of sugar

5 eggs at room temperature

¾ cups of sour cream at room temperature

¼ cup of heavy cream at room temperature

1 ½ tablespoons of vanilla extract

1 stick of butter, melted

1 cup of pecans

1 cup of hazelnuts

1 cup of pistachios

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

14-16 sheets of phyllo dough

Pomegranate seeds for garnishing

Instructions:

For the crust:

Using a brush, spread some butter across the bottom of a springform pan
Fold 1 sheet of phyllo dough in the pan, pressing phyllo onto bottom and up sides of pan; brush with butter. Layer with remaining phyllo sheets, brushing each layer and rotating sheets slightly. It should begin like a crown forming around the pan. Trim the excess phyllo pointing up and out

In a food processor, blend the nuts and butter, until they form a moldable mixture
Pour the mixture in the pan, and using your hand spread it evenly across the phyllo dough, patting it down and pressing it against the sides of the pan very carefully not to rip the dough. Press the raised mixture around the side of pan so you can mold a “crust wall.” Let the crust sit in the fridge until the filling is ready

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

For the filling:

Add the cream cheese and the sugar into a mixer and blend until a smooth mixture forms
Add the vanilla and mix again
Using a slow setting of the mixer, add the eggs one by one into the cream cheese mixture and blend
Add the sour cream and heavy cream and mix
Pour the mixture into the crust

For the baking/serving:

We are going to do a water bath while baking
Cover the springform pan in aluminum foil so water does not enter it. DO NOT cover the top of the cheesecake. Simply cover the sides slightly so that there is no water leaking in, about halfway up the pan.
In a roasting pan add 1 inch of hot water or until the water comes up halfway up the side of the springform pan
Add the covered springform pan into the roasting pan carefully.
Place the pans in the oven and bake until the cheesecake is in the center but still has a slight jiggle when moved. About an hour and fifteen to an hour and a half
Let the cheesecake cool and rest for 3 hours
While it’s cooling, make the topping. Chop ½ cup of each of the nuts into a coarser mixture. Toast the nuts for 30 secs in a pan and shut off heat

In a small pot, add ½ cup sugar and 1 cup and water, 1 stick of cinnamon and a few dried rose petals. Bring to a high heat so the sugar dissolves and the water thickens. If the water is too thin, add more sugar. If the syrup is too thick, slowly add more water. You want a light thick consistency so the nuts are coated.

Pour over the nuts, making sure the cinnamon stick and rose buds do not pour over. Mix. Let the topping cool and pour it over the cheesecake
Place in the fridge for 1 hour
Top with the pomegranate seeds
Serve and enjoy!

BLUEBERRY CHEESECAKE

23 Jun 20201 Comment

Cheesecake has to be one of the best desserts created, and you can quote me on that. It is fluffy, it is smooth, it is buttery. What more could you ask for?! I love baking them for my friends and family. My recipe makes one of the most fluffiest cheesecakes you will ever have. It’s great by itself, but it’s even better with the homemade blueberry filling. Try this next time you want to bring a dessert to an event or gathering. I guarantee that the guests will go crazy for it.

Prep Time: 30 Minutes

Cook Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes

Rest/cooling Time: 4 Hours

Ingredients:

4 packages of cream cheese at room temperature

2 cups of sugar

5 eggs at room temperature

¾ cups of sour cream at room temperature

¼ cup of heavy cream at room temperature

1 ½ tablespoons of vanilla extract

1 stick of butter, melted

½ cup of pecans

½ cup of graham crackers

1 cup of ginger snap cookies

1 cup of blueberry jam (store bought or homemade is fine; See instructions below for homemade jam)

*If you do not have ginger snap cookies, increase the volume of the graham crackers to 1 ½ cups and use half a teaspoon of cinnamon powder*

For the Blueberry Jam

1 small package of blueberries

2 cups of organic, unrefined, granulated sugar

1 cap full of vanilla extract

¼ cup of lemon juice

Lemon zest

Instructions:

For the crust:

Using a brush, spread some butter across the bottom of a springform pan
In a food processor, blend the graham crackers, ginger snap cookies, pecans and butter, until they form a moldable mixture
Pour the mixture in the pan, and using your hand spread it evenly across the pan, patting it down, and press it against the sides of the pan. Press the raised mixture around the side of pan so you can mold a “crust wall.” Let the crust sit until the filling is ready
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

For the filling:

Add the cream cheese and the sugar into a mixer and blend until a smooth mixture forms
Add the vanilla and mix again
Using a slow setting of the mixer, add the eggs one by one into the cream cheese mixture and blend
Add the sour cream and heavy cream and mix
Pour the mixture into the crust
Using a spoon, add the jam in spoonfuls across the cheesecake. It will sink to the middle area of the cheesecake. Using the back end of a spoon, swirl the cream around so it moves the jam and swirls it

For the baking/serving:

We are going to do a water bath while baking
Cover the springform pan in aluminum foil so water does not enter it. DO NOT cover the top of the cheesecake. Simply cover the sides slightly so that there is no water leaking in, about halfway up the pan.
In a roasting pan add 1 inch of hot water or until the water comes up halfway up the side of the springform pan
Add the covered springform pan into the roasting pan carefully.
Place the pans in the oven and bake until the cheesecake is in the center but still has a slight jiggle when moved. About an hour and fifteen to an hour and a half
Let the cheesecake cool and rest for 3 hours
Place in the fridge for 1 hour
Feel free to top with whipped cream, fresh fruit, or any topping of your choice
Serve and enjoy!

For the Blueberry Jam:

Add the blueberries into a pot and heat over a low heat
Add the lemon juice and zest into the pot and stir
Mix in the sugar, one cup at a time, and stir until it is dissolved
Raise the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring often to avoid burning
Using a wooden spoon or ladle, softly press down and smash the fruit
Scrape off any foam bubbling on top of the mixture
Add the vanilla and stir
Let it cool down before adding it to the cheesecake

Apple Pie Stuffed Cheesecake

10 Oct 201814 Apr 20204 Comments

Autumn is a wonderful time of year to pick, eat, and bake using fresh apples as they are in-season. They are a very versatile group and can be used in both sweet and savory recipes. While I enjoy eating an apple dessert as much as the next person, sometimes I get bored with using the same old recipes. For this recipe I decided to combine two classic recipes, the apple pie and cheesecake, into one. Thus, the Apple Pie Cheesecake was born! This uses two types of apples (one tart and one sweet), cinnamon, and whiskey to create an out of this world apple pie filling. The cheesecake itself is smooth and fluffy with a crust that is packed with flavor. Try yours today!

Prep Time: 30 Minutes

Cook Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes

Rest/cooling Time: 4 Hours

Ingredients:

For the Cheesecake

4 packages of cream cheese at room temperature

2 cups of sugar

5 eggs at room temperature

¾ cups of sour cream at room temperature

1 ½ tablespoons of vanilla extract

1 stick of butter, melted

½ cup of walnuts

1½ cups of graham crackers

2 teaspoons cinnamon powder

For the apple pie filling (It is recommended that this be prepped either a few hours prior to the cream cheese filling or the night prior)

3 large apples, diced (I used Cortland and Jonagold)

2 tablespoons of butter

1 cup of sugar

2 shots of whiskey, I used rye

1 capful of vanilla extract

2 teaspoons of cinnamon

Instructions:

For the Apple Pie Filling:

In a small saucepan, add the apples, butter, vanilla, cinnamon, and sugar. Cook over a medium heat until the apples begin softening and the sugar has dissolved
Reduce to a simmer and add the whiskey. Stir using a wooden spoon
Cook until apples soften and water has evaporated, leaving behind a thick apple filling

For the crust:

Using a brush, spread some butter across the bottom of a springform pan
In a food processor, blend the graham crackers, ginger snap cookies, pecans and butter, until they form a moldable mixture
Pour the mixture in the pan, and using your hand spread it evenly across the pan, patting it down, and press it against the sides of the pan. Press the raised mixture around the side of pan so you can mold a “crust wall.” Let the crust sit until the filling is ready
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

For the cheese filling:

Add the cream cheese and the sugar into a mixer and blend until a smooth mixture forms
Add the vanilla and mix again
Using a slow setting of the mixer, add the eggs one by one into the cream cheese mixture and blend
Add the sour cream and mix
Pour the mixture into the crust
Using a spoon, add the apple pie filling, a light spoonful at a time, in a swirl/shell shape around the pan
Using a skewer or the back of a wooden spoon, slowly swirl around the cheesecake filling so that the apple pie filling gets mixed in

For the baking/serving:

We are going to do a water bath while baking
Cover the springform pan in aluminum foil so water does not enter it. DO NOT cover the top of the cheesecake. Simply cover the sides slightly so that there is no water leaking in, about halfway up the pan.
In a roasting pan add 1 inch of hot water or until the water comes up halfway up the side of the springform pan
Add the covered springform pan into the roasting pan carefully.
Place the pans in the oven and bake until the cheesecake is in the center but still has a slight jiggle when moved. About an hour and fifteen to an hour and a half
Let the cheesecake cool and rest for 3 hours
Place in the fridge for 1 hour
Serve and enjoy!

Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake

8 Oct 201714 Apr 2020Leave a comment

It’s Autumn and the end of the Summer harvest, which means it’s time for colder weather, sweaters, and pumpkin flavored sweets. This takes a classic favorite, Pumpkin Spice, and incorporates it into a sweet, and creamy cheesecake. It’s a dessert that can be served from the early days of September and even included at your family’s table for thanksgiving. It’s a sweet treat that will sure have your guests, or even yourself, asking for seconds! Bake yours today!

Prep Time: 30 Minutes

Cook Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes

Rest/cooling Time: 4 Hours

Ingredients:

4 packages of cream cheese at room temperature

1 ½ cups of brown sugar

5 eggs at room temperature

¾ cups of sour cream at room temperature

1 can of organic pumpkin puree

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (mix 2 teaspoons cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ginger, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, quarter teaspoon cloves)

1 ½ tablespoons of vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon salt

1 stick of butter, melted

½ cup of pecans or hazelnuts ( I used toasted hazelnuts)

½ cup of graham crackers

1 cup of ginger snap cookies

*If you do not have ginger snap cookies, increase the volume of the graham crackers to 1 ½ cups and use half a teaspoon of cinnamon powder*

Instructions:

For the crust:

Using a brush, spread some butter across the bottom of a springform pan
In a food processor, blend the graham crackers, ginger snap cookies, pecans and butter, until they form a moldable mixture
Pour the mixture in the pan, and using your hand spread it evenly across the pan, patting it down, and press it against the sides of the pan. Press the raised mixture around the side of pan so you can mold a “crust wall.” Let the crust sit until the filling is ready
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

For the filling:

Add the cream cheese and the sugar into a mixer and blend until a smooth mixture forms
In a separate bowl, add the pumpkin puree, eggs, sour cream, salt, vanilla and mix and whisk together
Slow fold the pumpkin mixture into the cream cheese mixture and blend over a low setting until incorporated
Pour the mixture into the crust

For the baking/serving:

We are going to do a water bath while baking
Cover the springform pan in aluminum foil so water does not enter it. DO NOT cover the top of the cheesecake. Simply cover the sides slightly so that there is no water leaking in, about halfway up the pan.
In a roasting pan add 1 inch of hot water or until the water comes up halfway up the side of the springform pan
Add the covered springform pan into the roasting pan carefully.
Place the pans in the oven and bake until the cheesecake is in the center but still has a slight jiggle when moved. About an hour and fifteen to an hour and a half
Let the cheesecake cool and rest for 3 hours
Place in the fridge for 1 hour
Feel free to top with whipped cream, fresh fruit, or any topping of your choice
Serve and enjoy!

For a Bourbon Toffee drizzle

1 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon bourbon

½ cup heavy cream

Sea salt

In a small saucepan, simmer the sugar and butter over a medium heat, swirling the pan instead of stirring, until sugar melts and forms a deep amber color
Once it has melted down, turn the flame off and add the heavy cream, swirling it. Add the bourbon and a pinch of salt and stir until the toffee starts to thicken
Let it cool and drizzle it on top of the cheesecake

Creamy New York Style Cheesecake

15 Jun 201618 Apr 2020Leave a comment

Ever since I immigrated to the United States and ate a slice of cheesecake, I fell in love. It quickly became one of my favorite desserts. A cake made of a creamy cheese filling and a nice crust? Who wouldn’t love it. Below is my recipe for a traditional New York style cheesecake. This will wow not only the guests you serve it to, but also yourself after tasting how deliciously it is made!

Prep Time: 30 Minutes

Cook Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes

Rest/cooling Time: 4 Hours

Ingredients:

4 packages of cream cheese at room temperature

2 cups of sugar

5 eggs at room temperature

¾ cups of sour cream at room temperature

¼ cup of heavy cream at room temperature

1 ½ tablespoons of vanilla extract

1 stick of butter, melted

½ cup of pecans

½ cup of graham crackers

1 cup of ginger snap cookies

*If you do not have ginger snap cookies, increase the volume of the graham crackers to 1 ½ cups and use half a teaspoon of cinnamon powder*

Instructions:

For the crust:

Using a brush, spread some butter across the bottom of a springform pan
In a food processor, blend the graham crackers, ginger snap cookies, pecans and butter, until they form a moldable mixture
Pour the mixture in the pan, and using your hand spread it evenly across the pan, patting it down, and press it against the sides of the pan. Press the raised mixture around the side of pan so you can mold a “crust wall.” Let the crust sit until the filling is ready
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

For the filling:

Add the cream cheese and the sugar into a mixer and blend until a smooth mixture forms
Add the vanilla and mix again
Using a slow setting of the mixer, add the eggs one by one into the cream cheese mixture and blend
Add the sour cream and heavy cream and mix
Pour the mixture into the crust

For the baking/serving:

We are going to do a water bath while baking
Cover the springform pan in aluminum foil so water does not enter it. DO NOT cover the top of the cheesecake. Simply cover the sides slightly so that there is no water leaking in, about halfway up the pan.
In a roasting pan add 1 inch of hot water or until the water comes up halfway up the side of the springform pan
Add the covered springform pan into the roasting pan carefully.
Place the pans in the oven and bake until the cheesecake is in the center but still has a slight jiggle when moved. About an hour and fifteen to an hour and a half
Let the cheesecake cool and rest for 3 hours
Place in the fridge for 1 hour
Feel free to top with whipped cream, fresh fruit, or any topping of your choice
Serve and enjoy!

French Toast with Strawberry Cheesecake Cream

13 Feb 201618 Apr 2020Leave a comment

This is a quick fix breakfast recipe that will take at most 30 minutes out of your day to create. It makes for a sweet beginning to any morning. The fresh strawberries and sweet cream over delicious french toast make a for a dynamite combination full of flavor that will leave you smiling all day long.

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Cook Time: 15 Minutes

Ingredients

1 cups of finely chopped strawberries

Thickly slices of bread, preferably sweet, I used cinnamon raisin

3 eggs

Heavy cream

1 Teaspoon of cinnamon

4 Teaspoons of vanilla extract

1 package of cream cheese at room temperature

½ cup of powdered sugar

Instructions:

For the Cream:

In a bowl add the cream cheese and sugar and using a hand mixer, or whisk, blend them until nicely combined
Add 2 teaspoons vanilla and the strawberries until the mixture forms a more whipped consistency and the cream cheese begins turning pink from the strawberries. If you want a sweeter flavor, add more sugar and vanilla depending on personal taste
In a separate large metal bowl, whisk ½ a cup of the heavy cream until it begins to thicken
Add the heavy cream into the cheesecake mixture and using a whisk, blend
Leave this to the side

For the French toast

Melt a tablespoon of butter in a frying pan over a medium-low heat
In a bowl, add the eggs, cinnamon, remaining 2 teaspoons of vanilla, and a quarter cup of heavy cream, and whisk
Dip the bread in the egg mixture on both sides, but not too much as it will get soggy
Transfer it to the frying pan and cook on each side over a low heat until each side crisps slightly
Plate the bread, sprinkle powdered sugar and add drizzle the cream and add the remaining of the diced strawberries
Enjoy!

“Hot Chocolate” Swirl Cheesecake

26 Dec 201519 Apr 2020Leave a comment

You don’t have to wait until the colder months to enjoy this dessert. The semisweet chocolate swirls blended with the creamy sweet cheesecake filling make for mouthwatering combination. Like any traditional hot chocolate, I topped the dessert with marshmallows, toasting them into a gooey morsel under a blow torch. This will be your go to dessert to enjoy at home or make for someone.

Prep Time: 30 Minutes

Cook Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes

Rest/cooling Time: 4 Hours

Ingredients:

4 packages of cream cheese at room temperature

2 cups of sugar

5 eggs at room temperature

2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour

¾ cups of sour cream at room temperature

¼ cup of heavy cream at room temperature

1 ½ tablespoons of vanilla extract

8oz bar of semisweet chocolate

1 stick of butter, melted

½ cup of pecans

½ cup of graham crackers

1 cup of ginger snap cookies

1 cup of marshmallows (If using large marshmallows like I did, cut them in ¼ s)

Instructions:

For the crust:

Line a springform pan with parchment paper and using a brush, spread some butter across the paper
In a food processor, blend the graham crackers, ginger snap cookies, pecans and butter, until they form a moldable mixture
Pour the mixture in the pan, and using your hand spread it evenly across the pan, patting it down, and press it against the sides of the pan. Press the raised mixture around the side of pan so you can mold a “crust wall.” Let the crust sit until the filling is ready
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

For the filling:

Melt the chocolate using a double boiler. In a small pot add about 1 inch of water. Place over a medium heat. Add a glass bowl into the pot so that it covers the pot but does not touch the water. Add the chocolate in the glass bowl. The steam from the pot will melt the chocolate without burning it. Using a silicone spatula, stir the chocolate occasionally so that the parts that have not melted will melt as well
Add the cream cheese, the flour and the sugar into a mixer and blend until a smooth mixture forms
Add the vanilla and mix again
Using a slow setting of the mixer, add the eggs one by one into the cream cheese mixture and blend
Add the sour cream and heavy cream and mix
Pour the mixture into the crust
Using a spoon, drizzle and add dollops of the melted chocolate on the cheesecake
Using the back end if the spoon, carefully stir the chocolate in the cheesecake mixture so it forms a marbled appearance

For the baking/serving:

We are going to do a water bath while baking
Cover the springform pan in aluminum foil so water does not enter it. DO NOT cover the top of the cheesecake. Simply cover the sides slightly so that there is no water leaking in, about halfway up the pan.
In a roasting pan add 1 inch of hot water
Add the covered springform pan into the roasting pan carefully.
Place the pans in the oven and bake until the cheesecake is in the center but still has a slight jiggle when moved. About an hour and fifteen to an hour and a half
Let the cheesecake cool and rest for 3 hours
Place in the fridge for 1 hour
After the cheesecake has cooled down, add the marshmallows on top, leaving a slight space in between, until the cheesecake is covered
Using a cooking blow torch, toast the marshmallows, but careful to not burn. If you do not have a blow torch you can use a long necked lighter but the process will take longer
Slice, serve and enjoy