Lemon No-Bake Cheesecake

Here is one of the recipes I used for my last catering job. I catered a lunch for a sweet woman's 80th birthday party. Her favorite flavors....lemon, peach and mango! So we had Peaches & Cream Cupcakes, Lemon Cheesecake, and Mango Tea. I searched for the perfect lemon cheesecake recipe. I wanted a light and airy cheesecake. Since I had to make 7 Cheesecakes, this recipe was perfect because it is no-bake (except for the crust). It looks pretty too...excuse the horrible picture quality. I didn't even get a chance to take great pictures of all the food. Hope you enjoy!

Lemon No-Bake Cheesecake

Ingredients:

Crust:

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

6 T Butter, melted

3 T Sugar

Lemon Curd:

1 egg plus 1 egg yolk

1/4 c sugar

pinch salt

2 T fresh lemon juice

1 T butter

1 T heavy cream

Filling:
1/3 c fresh lemon juice

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

3 blocks (24 oz) cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 t grated lemon zest

3/4 c sugar

Pinch of salt

1 1/4 c heavy cream

Instructions

Crust

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the 3 ingredients completely and press into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan. Bake for about 8 minutes until the crust is lightly golden brown. Cool.

Lemon Curd

Whisk the egg, yolk, sugar and salt together in a small sauce pan. Whisk in the lemon juice and cook over medium heat. Stir CONSTANTLY (you don't want the eggs to scramble), until the mixture is thick like pudding....about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the butter and cream. Put it in a bowl and refrigerate until needed.

Filling

Put the 1/3 c lemon juice in a small bowl. Sprinkle the gelatin over the top and let it stand about 5 minutes. Microwave the mixture for 30 seconds and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, zest, sugar and salt until smooth and creamy. Slowly add the cream and beat until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Add the gelatin mixture and 1/4 c of the lemon curd you prepared earlier. Beat until smooth and airy, about 3 minutes. Pour into the cooled crust and smooth the top over.

For the topping:
You can use a teaspoon and dollop the remaining curd on top of the cheesecake, or you can use a ziploc bag with the end snipped off to create lines. Drag a knife through the curd to create your desired effect.

Refrigerate for at least 6 hours. Enjoy!

Apple Cinnamon Cheesecake

This is a recipe I made over the weekend. I have to be honest...if you have tasted the Pecan Pie or Pumpkin Cheesecakes, this is good...but it doesn't even compare. I cut the recipe in half, and made 2 mini cheesecakes. I loved the gingersnap crust, and the spices in the cheesecake. Stay posted...I am baking up a storm this week. I am sending some baked goodies with my dad to take on his hunting trip up to Wisconsin. I also baked some bread to store in the freezer, so I will post that next time I get a chance!

Apple Cinnamon Cheesecake

Gingersnap Crust
2 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs {about a 14 ounce package of cookies}
2 tablespoons brown sugar
pinch of salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter; melted

Spiced Cheesecake Filling
4 {8 ounce} packages of cream cheese; room temperature
1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs; room temperature
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Apple Topping
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¾ cup apple cider
1/4 cup white sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Juice of ½ lemon
2 Granny Smith apples – peeled, cored and sliced

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Tightly wrap a 9 inch springform pan in heavy duty foil. This step prevents leaks when using a water bath.

2. Mix together the crust ingredients {gingersnap cookie crumbs, brown sugar, salt and melted butter} and press into the bottom of the pan and about 1 ½ inches up the sides. Bake for 7 minutes and cool completely on a wire rack.

3. Begin to boil a large pot of water for the water bath.

4. In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese and sugar; mix until smooth {about 2 minutes}. Add eggs, one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next. Make sure to scrape down the bowl in between each egg. Add heavy cream, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla; combine until thoroughly incorporated and smooth in texture.

5. Pour batter into prepared crust. Place pan into a larger pan and pour boiling water into the larger pan until halfway up the side of the cheesecake pan.

6. Bake 45 to 55 minutes, the edges will appear to be set, but the center will still have some jiggle to it. At this point, close the oven door, turn the heat off, and let the cheesecake rest in the oven for at least one hour, but up to 3 hours. After the recommended cooling time has passed, carefully remove the cheesecake from the water bath and place on a cooling rack to cool completely. Once the cake is completely cooled, place it into the refrigerator for at least 5 hours.

7. Three hours before serving, prepare the apple topping.

8. Mix together the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a small bowl. In another bowl, sprinkle apples with the juice of ½ lemon and toss.

9. Melt butter over medium heat; whisk in flour and stir for about one minute. Slowly whisk in the apple cider followed by the sugar and spice mixture made in the previous step.

10. Add in the apples and cook until slightly tender {about 5-7 minutes} stirring constantly. Once apples have reached a desired texture and the sauce has thickened, remove pan from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Allow apple topping to cool completely before topping the cheesecake. Arrange apples on cheesecake and chill for at least one hour before serving.

Pecan Pie Cheesecake

I was tempted to try another pumpkin cheesecake recipe...until I saw this recipe in my archives for Pecan Pie Cheesecake. Landon loves pecan pie...so I decided to go with this one. I can't believe I am saying this....it actually ALMOST rivals the pumpkin cheesecake I made a couple weeks ago. It is great...I like the flavor and crust of pecan pie, but not the the gooey texture. This cheesecake is perfect, because you get two amazing flavors in one! Now I just have to figure out which one to make for Thanksgiving dinner....

Crust

1 & 3/4 c Vanilla Wafer Crumbs 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1/3 cup butter, melted Preheat oven to 350°. Combine wafer crumbs and brown sugar. Stir in melted butter. Press into bottom and up sides of a 9″ springform pan. Bake for 6 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Pecan Filling

1 cup sugar 2/3 cup dark corn syrup 1/3 cup butter, melted 2 eggs 1 & 1/2 cups chopped pecans 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened, about 8-10 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour into crust and set aside.

Cheesecake Filling

3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened 1 & 1/4 cups firmly packed brown sugar 2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour 4 eggs 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Reduce oven to 325°. With a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat cream cheese at medium speed until creamy. Add brown sugar and flour and beat until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each one. Stir in cream and vanilla. Pour over pecan filling. Bake for 1 hour. Turn off oven and leave cheesecake in oven with the door closed for 1 hour. Remove from oven and run a knife along the outside edges to loosen cheesecake from sides of pan. Let cool. Chill for at least 4 hours before serving.

Pumpkin Caramel Cheesecake

YES...i ate this for breakfast, and NO i am not ashamed. :O) I felt that between 45 minutes with Jillian this morning, and my kitchen fiasco yesterday, I DESERVED IT. ha ha. We are going to a friends house to carve pumpkins tonight, and I thought it would be the perfect time to try this cheesecake recipe. I really didn't (okay I am sort of lying) want to cut into the cake, but I felt like I HAD to try it to make sure it tasted good. I popped the cheesecake in the oven yesterday afternoon, and finally sat down to eat lunch and work on tu-tu's. I thought my contacts were dry and foggy, but then i realized that it was actually smoke that was filling the room. The cheesecake goodness was leaking out of the bottom of the cheesecake pan. So I had to open the oven up to clean the bottom of the oven while the cheesecake was cooking. Thank goodness the girls were sleeping, because it was SMOKEY. I was worried my cheesecake wasn't going to make it. One hour later, and one burnt arm later....i crossed my fingers and pulled the cheesecake out. It is not one of the prettiest desserts I have ever made, but it sure does taste good! The Pioneer Woman never disappoints. Check out her "Caramel Pumpkin Gingersnap Cheesecake" recipe here.