Caramel Cheesecake

This was a special dessert I made especially for my wonderful boyfriend. He loves cheesecake and all things caramel. When I said why not make a caramel cheesecake, he starting basically worshiping me. Apparently he didn't think it was a doable thing to make? Oh well, it make me look like a hero! So I took over his kitchen and made it. He was a fabulous sous chef though=) And, whenever I needed to return home and the cake was still in the oven, he took direction very well and made it through the multistage cooling process. This so fun for us to do together and I'm sure we'll be baking more together in the future!


I had it for breakfast, for an afternoon snack, and for a bedtime treat. See how versatile this can be???? Also, I used a different crust recipe than provided because he won't eat nuts. "It's not the flavor, it's the consistency". Ughhhh. I used cinnamon graham crackers for mine which was a subtle yet nice hint.

The cake may have been a tad undercooked, but I like a lot of my baked goods that way. Hehe. I was luscious and creamy and to die for. King Arthur wouldn't steer you wrong, and neither would I!


Caramel Cheesecake
from King Arthur Flour Blog

Ingredients:
Crust
1 cup All-Purpose Flour
3/4 cup pecan meal or ground pecans
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

Filling
1 1/2 pounds (three 8-ounce packages) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 /4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon Pralines and Cream Flavor, optional (I omitted)
4 large eggs
1/2 cup Caramel Sauce
1/2 cup cream or half & half

Directions
1) Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9" spring form pan.
2) Mix the crust ingredients till crumbly. Press onto the bottom and 1" up the sides of the prepared pan; prick with a fork.
3) Bake the crust for 10 to 15 minutes, till light golden brown. Remove it from the oven; reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
4) Mix the cream cheese, brown sugar, vanilla, salt, and flavor at low speed until smooth, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl.
5) Add the eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl between additions.
6) Stir in the caramel sauce and cream.
7) Pour the filling into the crust and bake for 40 minutes. Reduce the heat to 300°F and bake 15 minutes more, until the edges of the cake are set, and an instant-read thermometer inserted 2" from the edge reads 170°F.
8) Turn off the oven, crack the door, and let the cake cool in the oven for 1 hour.
9) Remove the cake from the oven, and cool it at room temperature for 1 hour.
10) Refrigerate for 8 hours (or overnight) before serving.

Yield: 12 servings.

Pumpkin Mascarpone Cheesecake

We're on day two of Pumpkin Week, and there's no signs of slowing down! This was as indulgent as it sounds. I still had some leftover mascarpone in my fridge, and you just can't let that go to waste! Back when I made this, it had been forever since I'd baked something. I knew I had to come back with a bang, and this is what came of it.


This cheesecake was incredible! It was silky and similar to a pumpkin pie, but with the whole cheesecake component. I decided for the crust to use crushed up gingersnaps, and I really think it made a difference In a good way! The recipe gives no suggestion for a topping besides powdered sugar, so I made one up! I just whipped up some homemade whipped cream and then sprinkled cinnamon over top. That was just what it needed.


I also didn't use a spring-form pan like you do with most cheesecakes. I wanted to make this easy for myself, so I threw it in a regular ole pie pan. It worked great for me. I did have a bit of extra batter, though. But I had ideas for that..(see bottom). So without a water bath, I did get cracks on top. But aren't cracks endearing? I think so! At least for this type of cheesecake, I think the cracks worked out all right. And it's not like they affect the taste=P


I shared this with my neighbors during a Steeler's game party, and it was a HUGE hit! They really loved it. It surprises me how a lot of people I know don't like pumpkin. The particular group I shared this with did like pumpkin, but I've noticed a lot of my friends don't. Maybe it's because I appreciate and accept all foods and become obsessed with them at first bite that I find this peculiar. But, it saddens me to think people might miss out on all the glorious joys that pumpkin brings.


Pumpkin Mascarpone Cheesecake
from Streaming Gourmet

Serves 10 to 12

Ingredients

Crust
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs (I used gingersnaps)
2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp egg white

Pumpkin Filling
1 1/2 lbs cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup + 1 Tbsp packed brown sugar
1 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 tsp ground ginger
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground mace
Pinch of salt
9 oz mascarpone cheese
2 eggs

Method

Prepare the cake pan: Preheat the oven to 325˚F. Butter the sides and bottom of a 10-inch pie pan.

Make the crust: In a bowl, blend the graham cracker crumbs and sugar evenly with a fork. Add the melted butter and egg white and mix well. Press the graham mixture into the prepared pie pan to make an even bottom crust. Bake the crust until it is lightly toasted and set, about 8 minutes. Cool slightly.

Make the pumpkin filling: In a bowl, combine the cream cheese and brown sugar and with a hand-held mixer, mix on low speed until ingredients are very smooth. Don’t overbeat the mixture or you will incorporate too much air into the cheesecake. Add the pumpkin purée, ginger, cinnamon, mace, and salt and mix gently for 3 to 4 minutes, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl often, until the mixture is evenly blended. Add the mascarpone and mix gently for 2 to 3 minutes, scraping the bowl. Add the eggs and mix for 2 to 3 minutes, scraping the bowl as necessary.

Bake the cheesecake: Pour the pumpkin filling over the crust. Place the pan in the oven to bake. Bake the cake for an hour and fifteen minutes, or until the center of the cake is lightly set. Carefully remove the cheesecake from the oven and cool it to room temperature. Refrigerate the cake for at least 8 hours before enjoying.

Slice and serve the cake: Spread fresh whipped cream over top of the cake and garnish with sprinkled cinnamon.  To cut the cake, dip a sharp knife with a long, thin blade into very hot water. Wipe the blade dry and make a cut. For the neatest slices, repeat this process for each separate cut that is made.

With the leftover batter, I made some mini white chocolate chip pumpkin cheesecakes. I love the combination of white chocolate and pumpkin!

Hazelnut Espresso Cheesecake Ice Cream

So I think this is my 100th post? OMG that's crazayzay! I wish I'd had a better post planned... I'll make up for it later, I promise. At this point I have a bunch of drafts I'm still trying to publish before they get really old!

I FINALLY got around to using my ice cream maker again. It's about time. Now that the weather is (dare I say) sweltering, ice cream is always on my mind.

This ice cream sounds pretty fancy, but it is probably the easiest ice cream to make. EVER. If you want something that seems fancy for only a little work, this recipe has got you covered.

The components: 1st is the hazelnut. For those of you nutella lovers, this is made for you. 2nd is the espresso. Now you've got the coffee fix involved. I used the instant packets, which are so fun to watch dissolve into the mixture! 3rd is the cheesecake. I don't think anything needs to be said about the deliciousness of cheesecake. Nope, nothing.


Overall, I enjoyed trying the flavor of ice cream. It was definitely RICH. Like, I put whipped cream on it, and it was serious overload. But a drizzle of chocolate syrup is a nice touch. Plus, I added white chocolate chips, had to. I'd like to try it not as a cheesecake if I make it again.


Espresso Hazelnut Cheesecake Ice Cream
from Daydreamer Desserts

16 oz cream cheese
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons instant espresso powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup hazelnut spread

In a medium bowl combine the cream cheese, heavy cream, sugar, espresso powder, and vanilla extract.

Begin by beating on low until heavy cream has been incorporated, increase speed to medium-high and continue beating until cream cheese is smooth and creamy.

Transfer mixture to your ice cream maker and follow your manufacturer's instructions.

Approximately 5 minutes before the ice cream is down microwave the hazelnut spread for about 50 seconds at 50% power until it has reached a pouring consistency.

Pour the hazelnut spread into the ice cream maker and as soon as it has swirled through you can turn it off.

Transfer ice cream to a resealable plastic container and freeze for at least 2 hours.

(My dad wanted in this)