Cheesecake

October 1999 – My specialty – cheesecakes. When I am asked to bring a dessert somewhere, chances are it will be a cheesecake. When my aunt sees a cheesecake recipe in a magazine she cuts it out for me.

The classic cheesecake is a plain baked cheesecake, often served with a fruit topping, but it doesn’t stop there. There are an endless variety of cheesecakes, and even unbaked chilled cheescake desserts.

Cheesecakes are pretty easy to make, but are very elegant desserts. To keep the top from cracking after baking, run a knife around the outside of the crust to loosen it from the side of the pan. (If it cracks anyway, just top it with a nice garnish before serving, and no one will notice!)

Try to make your cheesecake the day before serving – the flavors will have time to blend and mellow overnight. And cheesecakes keep well (if they have a chance) for two or three days at least. The baked variety can also be made a couple weeks in advance and frozen.

Unbaked Cherry Cheesecake

Unbaked Cherry Cheesecake

Easy unbaked cheesecake dessert made with sweetened condensed milk and topped with cherry pie filling.

Apple Cheesecake

Apple Cheesecake

A lovely fall dessert: cheesecake in a shortbread crust, topped with apples, almonds and cinnamon.

Unbaked Cherry Cheesecake

Chocolate Turtle Cheesecake

Just like a Turtles chocolate: this chocolate cheesecake has a layer of caramel and pecans in a chocolate crumb crust.

Unbaked Cherry Cheesecake

Bailey’s Marble Cheesecake

Cheesecake with marbled white and chocolate fillings flavored with Bailey’s Irish Cream, in a chocolate crumb crust with chocolate ganache topping.

Unbaked Cherry Cheesecake

S’mores Cheesecake

Cheesecake with miniature marshmallows and chocolate chips in a graham wafer crust.