cheesecake

Mocha-Chip-Fudge Cheesecake

By Cheri in Cakes, Chocolate, Creamy, Sweets 8 Comments Tags: , , ,

Mocha-Chip-Fudge Cheesecake

In all my time in Norway not once did I see a block of cream cheese. Spreadable cream cheese was everywhere but the one time I tried to make a cheesecake with it (in my desperation) it did not end well. Three years is far too long to go without a slice of cheesecake!

So you can imagine that it was at the top of my list of things to make when we moved to New York. And, I can now say, it was worth the wait! It was pretty hard to decide which one to make first but I’ve been craving coffee lately (I credit that to the exhaustion of furnishing an entire house from scratch in one week. Whew.) so I decided to go with Mocha Chip. It was a great choice.

On a whim I added a mocha fudge topping because I thought it might pretty it up a bit. In the end I can’t imagine the cheesecake without it. It gave it a much more intense chocolate flavour that I think would have been lacking without it. I don’t think I need to go into much description about how good this tastes. Mocha. Fudge. Cheesecake. Enough said right?

In order to help myself have some self-restraint and not be wasteful (who wants to waste cheesecake?), I decided to slice these into individual servings and freeze them. That way if we’ve got company, or are craving an indulgent dessert, I can just pull out as many as we need, let them thaw and then serve. I love the idea of having something in my freezer to serve guests that doesn’t take any work but is more special than just cookies (although there’s nothing wrong with “just” cookies).

I was a little nervous about making cheesecake again. It had been such a long time that I’d built it up in my head as something difficult. But it couldn’t have been more easy. I hope you try it soon.

Mocha-Chip-Fudge Cheesecake

My springform pan is almost 10 inches and it worked fine for this recipe. I just didn’t press the crumbs as far up the sides of the pan.

Crust

Combine cookie crumbs and sugar, stir in butter until evenly coated. Press into the bottom and approximately 2 inches up the sides of a 9 inch springform pan.

Mocha Chip Filling
  • 3 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon instant coffee granules
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided

Beat together cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy. Beat in flour until well combined. At low-speed, beat in eggs just until combined.

Mix together cream and instant coffee. Let sit for 1 minute, stir to dissolve. Add to cream cheese mixture along with vanilla. Stir just until evenly distributed. Stir in 3/4 cup chocolate chips.

Pour cream cheese mixture into crust. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips.

Bake at 325ºF for 50-60 minutes or until centre is almost set. Let cool completely at room temperature.

Mocha Fudge Topping
  • 6 oz. (1/2 of 12 oz. package) semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream

Put all ingredients in a bowl and microwave for 1 minute at 50%. Stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Spread on top of cooled cheesecake.

Cover cheesecake with foil and refrigerate overnight.

To serve: Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Warm a sharp knife under hot tap water, wipe it dry with a clean kitchen towel and cut one slice. Rinse it clean under hot tap water and repeat.

Makes: 14 servings

Adapted from TasteofHome.

White Chocolate Eggnog Cheesecake Pots

By Cheri in Christmas, Creamy, Sweets 3 Comments Tags: , , , , , , ,

White Chocolate Eggnog Cheesecake Pots

You know what Christmas treat I’ve missed most since moving to Norway? Eggnog. I’ve made my own, but so far I just haven’t found that perfect recipe. I used to practically live off the stuff when I was younger. That’s when you really knew that Christmas was on its way – when you saw cartons of Eggnog appearing beside the milk.

Since moving here I’ve become obsessed with eggnog flavoured things. I have to get my fix somehow! Hence the Eggnog Sugar Cookies and now these silky smooth White Chocolate Eggnog Cheesecake Pots.

Yes, it’s still Sugar Cookie Week but I thought for this post I’d share a dessert that’s great accompanied with some sugar cookies dippers. A little crunch with a smooth and creamy treat turns an already tasty dessert into perfection.

These cheesecake pots can be made in ramekins, mugs or small bowls and could alternatively be topped with the Lattice “Pie Crust” Sugar Cookies from yesterday’s post.

When I make sugar cookies as dippers I like to make them a little smaller than usual, so you can use them as a garnish or throw a handful beside. Use them beside any kind of creamy and smooth dessert and you’ve got yourself a perfect pairing.

White Chocolate Eggnog Cheesecake Pots

Make sure that the cream cheese and melted chocolate are as close to the same temperature as possible. If the cream cheese is too cold or the chocolate too hot, the chocolate will seize as you beat them together.

  • 3/4 cup white chocolate chips, melted and cooled to room temperature
  • 1 (8oz/250g) package cream cheese, softened to room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon rum extract
  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 cup cold whipping cream

Beat cream cheese into white chocolate until smooth. Beat in rum extract and nutmeg. Add cream and beat, just until peaks form and hold their shape when beaters are lifted. Spoon into serving dishes. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. Top with additional nutmeg before serving, if desired.

Serves: 6-8

No-Churn Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

By Cheri in Cool, Sweets 20 Comments Tags: , , , , , ,

No-Churn Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

Homemade ice cream is one of those things that leaves me drooling when I visit other sites. I have so many recipes bookmarked that if I ever bought an ice cream maker I wouldn’t even know where to start. The only thing that has kept me from making them is the extra effort it takes to make it yourself, without an ice cream maker. Not that it’s hard work, but on hot summer days when we’re practically living outside I have no desire to sit inside and babysit my ice cream with a bowl and whisk.

This recipe is the perfect compromise. It takes absolutely no babysitting and is a great alternative for lovers of ice cream who don’t have an ice cream maker.

I’ve seen variations of this ice cream on both Martha Stewart and Good Food. The sweetened condensed milk replaces the typical custard base making this smooth and luxurious as it melts in your mouth. My only issue with it, is that it doesn’t soften up as quickly as regular ice cream, so it’s a bit hard to scoop. But honestly, there’s none of the icy-ness that’s usually associated with no-churn ice cream and as soon as you start eating it you won’t even think about the fact that it wasn’t made in a more traditional way.

I took Martha’s basic No-Churn Vanilla Ice Cream added some cream cheese and swirled in some fresh blueberry syrup. It turned out rich, smooth and creamy. Heaven in a cone… or in a bowl. :)

No-Churn Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

  • 200g spreadable cream cheese (about 3/4 cup)
  • 1 can (14oz) sweetened condensed milk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups heavy (whipping) cream, cold
  • 3/4 cup blueberry syrup

In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese until creamy and smooth. Slowly add condensed milk, creaming between each addition to avoid lumps. Stir in vanilla extract and heavy cream. Switch to the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form when beaters are lifted.

Spread half into an 8×8 inch, square baking dish. Dollop with half of blueberry syrup. Top with remaining cream mixture, spreading evenly. Dollop with remaining blueberry syrup. Using a knife, swirl the syrup into the cream mixture. Cover with foil and freeze for 6 hours or until firm.

Makes: 9 servings

*Allow to sit out for 20-30 minutes before serving.

*This is best eaten within one week.

Adapted from Martha Stewart.

Strawberry Cheesecake Mousse Towers

By Cheri in Creamy, Fruit, Sweets, Valentine's 21 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Strawberry Cheesecake Mousse Towers

About a month ago I received an email that got me very excited. It was from Aimee, asking me to consider becoming a contributor for a new site called Simple Bites. I headed over to check it out and knew that I just had to be a part of it.

Simple Bites is a collaboration of mommy food bloggers who are passionate about simple, real food and are dedicated to “real food for the family table”. Although I’m ecstatic and extremely honoured to have been asked to be a contributor, I’m even more excited about what the others have to offer and learning tips and tricks to simplify family mealtimes.

Everyone has a different take on what works for them and the more inspiration you get, the more you can find what works for you. That’s why I’m so pumped about this site. It’s not just one person giving their viewpoint, but seven!

Another point of excitement is that Aimee, our lovely editor who was once a professional chef, will be sharing tips from her culinary training that we can apply at home through her posts on cooking school. A few other categories that may pique your interest are: quick bites, preserving, menu planning & batch cooking, kids in the kitchen, and what’s for dinner? Recipes and knowledgeable tips and tricks will abound.

The site is officially launching on Monday. I hope you will join me over there and show your support. Every new site needs a little loven’. If you wish, you can become a fan on Facebook or follow Simple Bites on Twitter. And, make sure to familiarize yourself with the other lovely contributors. There will be a huge giveaway that first week so please come and show your shining faces. I will be happy to see you there.

Now on to these valentine treats! Although this recipe may appear complicated, it’s not. The only way it could be made simpler is to purchase the wafers, cool whip, and chocolate sauce from the store and only make the mousse from scratch. There is no single mousse recipe that is simpler than this. You throw all the ingredients in a bowl and whip away. Done.

The taste and texture of these wafer cookies are identical to the ones you buy in the store. But, they really are not difficult to make from scratch. You beat it all together in one bowl, refrigerate, roll out the silky smooth dough and cut it into any shape and size you want. That is why you should make these at home. They are a lot more versatile but still have a long shelf life.

A simple recipe with super cute results.

Strawberry Cheesecake Mousse Towers

  • 12 round chocolate wafer cookies
  • 4 heart chocolate wafer cookies
  • strawberry cheesecake mousse
  • 1/2 cup chantilly cream
  • dark chocolate sauce
  1. Place one wafer on serving plate. Pipe strawberry mousse  on top leaving half an inch gap from the edge of the wafer. Place another wafer on top and repeat process until there are 3 cookies and 3 layers of mousse. Repeat with remaining wafers and mousse to make 4 servings. Refrigerate until serving.
  2. To serve: garnish with a dollop of chantilly cream and a heart wafer. Decorate plate with dark chocolate sauce.

Serves: 4

* You can serve these right away but then you will have to pick up the cookies to eat them because they will be too firm. If you refrigerate them for a couple of hours first the mousse will soften up the cookie just enough to stick a fork through without it becoming a sloppy mess.

*To amp up the chocolate factor you could always add a layer of chocolate sauce to the cookie before topping it with mousse.

Chocolate Wafer Cookies

adapted from Sugar

  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temp.
  • 1 cup icing sugar
  • 6 Tbsp. cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 Tbsp. milk
  • 1.5 cups flour
  • dash salt
  • dash baking powder
  • additional icing sugar, for rolling out
  1. Beat butter until creamy. Sift in icing sugar and cocoa powder. Beat until incorporated.
  2. Add vanilla, egg yolk and milk. Stir well.
  3. Mix in flour, salt and baking powder. Beat until mixture is very well incorporated.
  4. Form dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 min.
  5. Dust work surface with icing sugar. Roll out dough until 1/8 inch thick. Cut out circles with 2.5 inch round cutters (or a cup) and hearts with 1.5 inch heart cutters.
  6. Transfer with a large spatula to a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Gather scraps into a ball and repeat the process.
  7. Bake for 12-15 min at 325ºF until cookies lift easily off of the parchment paper. Remove parchment from baking sheet and allow cookies to cool on the parchment.

*It’s important to roll the dough out in icing sugar as flour will absorb into the dough and dry it out.

*Cookies will store for 2-3 weeks in an airtight container at room temp.

Strawberry Cheesecake Mousse

  • 1/2 cup (4oz) cream cheese, room temp.
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 strawberry puree
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  1. Beat cream cheese to soften. Add sugar and beat until smooth. Add strawberry puree and heavy cream. Beat until peaks just hold their shape when beaters are lifted.
  2. Place in a resealable plastic bag and refrigerate until using.

*When ready to use simply cut off one corner and use as a piping bag.

Dark Chocolate Sauce

  • 2 oz. dark chocolate
  • 3 Tbsp. heavy cream
  • 1 Tbsp. sugar
  • 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla
  1. Place all ingredients in a bowl set over simmering water (but not touching the water), making sure to stir the cornstarch with the cream first to ensure that there will be no lumps. Stir occasionally until chocolate has melted. Remove from pot and allow to cool. The cooler it gets the thicker it will be.

*This thick chocolate sauce is perfect for decorating because it stays put with no spreading.

*Once refrigerated this becomes firm like ganache, so it will need to be reheated to become a pourable consistency.

*You could also do this in the microwave but keep a close eye or the chocolate may burn.

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Dreamy Sour Cherry Cheesecake

By Cheri in Creamy, Fruit, Sweets 3 Comments Tags: , , , ,

Dreamy Sour Cherry Cheesecake

I have a very talented little boy. Today is the second time that he has peed on me with his diaper on. Talk about a straight shooter! So, he had the fun of going through the grocery store in only his diaper and shirt (which magically were not wet at all), while his mother tried to cover him with his blanket so that no one would call child services for bringing a baby out it the snowy weather with merely a diaper, and he was giggling the whole way. Yes, it is snowy today. It is May long weekend in western Canada after all. It should really be no surprise as it seems to be a tradition. Yesterday I got a sunburn and today I had to bundle up to head into the great white world to go shopping with my mother and my (then fully clothed) son.

It has been so much fun being able to get together with my family at a “moments” notice. The other night we went to Nathanael and Brandy’s for supper. They made us a wonderful meal of Hamburgers and Pasta salad. And, for desert, Brandy made her light, luscious  and Dreamy Sour Cherry Cheesecake. It is not overly sweet, as a lot cheesecakes seem to be, and has a hint of tartness from the cream cheese and cherries. In the words of my nephew Joey, “Mmmm Mommy, this cake is good.”

cherry-cheesecake

Dreamy Sour Cherry Cheesecake

recipe from Brandy Werdal

  • 2- 9 inch graham cracker pie crusts
  • 2- 250g tubs cream cheese spread
  • 2 cups whipping cream
  • 2 cups icing sugar
  • 2 tsp. vanilla
  • 1 can cherry pie filling
  1. Put cream cheese spread in large bowl. Whip with electric mixer until soft. Continue whipping as you add the cream then the icing sugar and vanilla. Whip until soft peeks form.
  2. Pour equally into crusts. Top with cherry pie filling. Refrigerate until serving.

Serves: 12

* If you prefer you can make your own graham cracker crust and make it all in a 9×13 pan. To make your own crust mix together 2 cups of Graham Cracker Crumbs and 1/3 cup melted butter, press into the bottom of the pan and refrigerate while you make the rest of the filling.

* This recipe can be easily halved to make 1 pie.

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Thanks for having us Brandy! And, thank you  for sharing this yumminess with us.

cherry-cheesecake-drop

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