Recipes To Share

Posts Tagged ‘cheesecake’

It is definitely not yet time to assert that the elegant cocktail party of the mid-twentieth century a thing of a previous era, but there is a noticeable trend in entertaining toward less formal affairs.  Think of Clark Gable or Fred Astaire, dressed in their tuxedos; or picture Ginger Rogers in her swirling gown.  They gathered in a magnificent manor house, sipped martinis and waltzed through the night.  Can you honestly dream of your family, friends or neighbors relaxing in such an environment and actually enjoying it?

Most of us don’t have acquaintances with opulent mansions; neither do we have the budgets that allow us to bring home many bottles of imported gin and tin after tin of beluga caviar.  Furthermore, we not as happy (or romantic) in tuxedos as in unbuttoned shirts. Exquisite coffee and dessert may be more appropriate ingredients for the relaxed social evenings of our times.

The bakery around the corner has perfectly edible cheesecake, perhaps purchased from a local distributor, but you might want to opt for something a bit more titillating to the taste buds of your guests.  You might have gourmet cheesecake delivered to your door the day before your party from as far away as across the country.

Remember that people’s tastes vary, so provide a choice of cheesecake flavors.  Offer a gourmet turtle cheesecake for the chocolate lovers on your guest list.  Add a few walnuts and some dark chocolate shavings to the plate.

A nice alternative would be a strawberry or blueberry cheesecake for your friends who enjoy a fruitier taste.  You might want to venture to one of the more unusual berries such as Marionberry, unique to the Pacific Northwest.  If you opt for the tarter flavors, you can decorate with a mint sprig.

Don’t overlook those who are interested in splurging without sacrificing their dietary restrictions too much.  Magnificent sugar free, low carb cheesecakes are available with tastes and textures that can rival their traditional counterparts.  Add a couple berries or a thin slice of fresh pear. 

Create some labels for each of your alternatives, so your guests can make informed decisions.

Borrow some extra coffee makers, so that you can offer several coffees.  Choose one of the interestingly flavored roasts.  Add to that a robust, non-flavored alternative from Jamaica, perhaps.  Of course, don’t forget the decaf for anyone staying away from caffeine.

Keep the cream, non-fat milk and non-dairy creamer in an ice bath in a shallow, decorative bowl.  Throw in some cubed sugar with sterling silver tongs, for a decorative touch.

A gourmet event like this is the twenty-first century replacement for the cocktail party.  Plus, you can be confident that your beloved guests will get home safely.

Whenever you decide to add a luscious cheesecake as your dessert, make sure its appearance on the plate is as elegant as the as the sweet morsel, itself. A meal, particularly at the finish, should stimulate the visual sense too. These are some thought, although you may add your own personal creativity.

New York Cheesecake: This is what most people would think of as the plain or “unflavored” cheesecake. Frankly, it is anything but! However, the taste is one that will adjust well to almost all additions. Well, maybe not broccoli! I recommend that you should consider complimenting the richness of this versatile cheesecake by putting a generous serving of hot fudge around the serving plate.

Blueberry Cheesecake: Buy an exceptional quality blueberry preserve. Mix in a sufficient amount of fresh lemon juice to dilute the preserves so that the mixture will come off a spoon on its own. Drizzle the diluted preserves in a zigzag pattern across top of the cake. The tartness of the juice will provide a nice counterpoint to the sweet taste of the preserves and cheesecake.

Chocolate Turtle Cheesecake: This cheesecake has a variety of flavors incorporated, so it’s a good idea not to try to introduce a new one. Instead, place a few flower petals around the plate to enhance the appearance. Orange petals especially compliment the color of the cheesecake.

Pumpkin Cheesecake, a holiday time favorite, is even creamier than the more traditional pumpkin pie. Cut a festive hole in some paper–holiday tree shaped or a star. Center the paper over the top of the slice. In the hole you’ve cut in the paper, gently sprinkle cinnamon.

Sugar Free Cheesecakes–no sugar added: No matter what the flavor of the dessert, a mint sprig atop the widest part of the cheesecake wedge, will dress it up delightfully without adding any additional sweetness.

The presentation is impacted not just by what’s on the plate but additionally by the nature of the platter, itself. Certainly, the small plates that are part of your china set will do the job. But the expanded storage space in modern pantries allow many hosts and hostesses to keep specialty plates. People have individual salt servers and soup crocks, as opposed to the typical bowls. Why not get special serving pieces that you use only for the special dessert celebrations?The appearance is affected not only by the contents of the dish but additionally by the nature of the platter, itself. Certainly, the small plates that are part of your china set will serve your purpose. But the additional storage areas in modern homes permit many of us to keep specialty plates. Many people have unique salsa and chip servers, instead of the old fashioned bowls. Why not get special serving pieces that you use for those spectacular dessert celebrations?

A gourmet cheesecake is certainly worth the price, even though it may not be a frequent part of your diet. Those times when you are about to splurge, party with your eyes in addition to your mouth!

Adore chocolate? Enjoy cheesecake? Think flavorful chocolate cheesecake is the best one can do to get to the incomparable ideal of delicious? You’re not alone! I believe that there are many like you and me out there: “chocolate cheesecake lovers of the world, unite!” In honor of chocolate cheesecake and all of its lovers, I have collected the following list of the most important uses of chocolate cheesecake in everyday life.

1) Fun Days and Difficult Days

Chocolate cheesecake is undeniably the perfect conclusion for both good days and bad days. What better way to end a holiday get-together than with chocolate cheesecake? Whether celebrating with family or friends, whether the evening has gone without a hitch or full of holes, whether the main course was mouth-watering or stale, providing cheesecake at the end of the holiday meal assures you that all your guests will go home talking about what a fantastic and talented host you are!

2) Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Anyone who was disciplined enough to let that last slice of chocolate cheesecake stay until morning knows just how splendid cheesecake is for breakfast. Cold cheesecake with milk is a perfect way to start off your day. Chocolate cheesecake is also an invaluable addition to any lunch menu. And little, I believe, needs to be said about the compliments cheesecake makes to even the least appetizing dinners! If you still haven’t had enough, try having some chocolate cheesecake for dessert, or even your midnight snack.

3) Monday, Friday, Whenever

Is it just me, or is that temptation for some chocolate cheesecake always around during the start of the week? And who can resist dipping in for some chocolate cheesecake at the end of a long, hard work week? Despite Monday and Friday’s tasty treats to look forward to, I often keep myself going through the week with a little slice here and there of, you guessed it, chocolate cheesecake.

Well there you have it, chocolate cheesecake lovers of the world, if this doesn’t help you feel a little better about your admirable obsession for an admirable dessert, then consider this: you can get your cheesecake sugar-free (yes, even chocolate cheesecake)! Just go and look online for sugar free cheesecake sellers and enjoy your daily dose of cheesecake—guilt free!

I grew up a bit differently from most youngsters.  I didn’t sneak sweets.  I actually ate only meat, fruit and even some spinach and green beans.  I know that might sound a bit strange to most parents.  My unusual appetite may have been related to my mother feeding me baby foods until I was about twenty-eight years old.  As I reconsider it, the folks at Gerber didn’t produce a pureed version of German chocolate cake.

I also ate very little candy.  On Halloween, I would come home from trick or treat, and  my mother and I would sit on the floor sorting my take for the evening.  We would sort my collection into three piles.  I didn’t really get to assign anything to a particular pile; I was mostly an observer in the annual ritual.  In one pile would go the things Mrs. Robertson made.  Immediately after sorting, that pile went straight into our garbage can.  My mother was sure that Mrs. Robertson let her eighty four cats walk all over the counters in her kitchen at will.  My mother knew this because Mrs. Robertson’s sister-in-law had told her this (both the number of cats and the freedom that those felines were given.)  The second pile contained a couple of apples and a small box of raisins.  That was the pile I ended the night consuming.  I can’t say for certain what happened to the third grouping–the one that contained all the candy, the caramel apples and the popcorn balls.  As soon as the sorting was finished, my mom hastily took those into my parent’s bedroom.  They never again appeared.  My only tastes of candy came when I visited my one pair of grandparents.  (My other grandparents only tried to give me buttermilk.  I resent cows to this day.)

In defense of my mother, I believe that this sort of behavior is taught in the top secret motherhood school.  I noticed that when my son was growing up, his mother hid all his candy after Halloween, too.  That was typically followed by a couple weeks of repeated, “Do I look fat to you?”  It didn’t take me long to realize that such a question demands a very rapid response; one should not even pause for a breath.

At twenty-nine, just as I was beginning to learn that meat, vegetables and applesauce do not have identical textures in their natural states, I discovered dessert in the form of a gourmet cheesecake.  Actually, I now know that the word gourmet is rarely applied to anything that comes from the discount grocery store in an ugly box with a small cellophane peep hold.  The cheesecake turned out to be mostly chemicals–delicious chemicals.  But to my mouth that was primarily accustomed to pale brown meat in almost liquid form and thoroughly mashed green beans, it was heavenly.

Some years later, as I went through my gastronomical adolescence, my recreational use of foods helped me to realize that cheesecake didn’t really taste like cardboard, as my first experience had led me to believe.  In addition, I discovered that cheesecake, the wonder food, actually comes in lots of different flavors.

Dessert is now my favorite time of day. My favorite way to complete a nutritious mean of two jars of beef, two jars of mashed peas and a pureed apple with cinnamon is with a turtle cheesecake.  But please don’t tell my mother; she’ll just take it from me.

Unfortunately, I don’t have the foggiest notion of how to go about actually making a cheesecake.  Please tell me if you have a good recipe.  Make sure that your recipe doesn’t require using either an oven or a whisk.  I do know how to use a blender, though, because I watched my mom prepare the Thanksgiving turkey one year.

Author’s notation:  I may have taken some creative liberties with slight exaggerations here and there, but I’m not concerned about being caught.  My mother is still not sure what the Internet is.

We all have a friend who is completely helpless in the kitchen.  Actually, if you don’t have a friend like that, read on, because I have enough friends who meet that description to share at least one of mine with you.

The gift recommendation that I’m about to offer for him is rather expensive, so be prepared.  I promise you, though, that you will discover it’s a very good investment on your part.  Perhaps that nameless man is your roommate, your cousin or even your own son who you can seem to get to move out of your house.

Give the gift of a romantic dinner with the person of his own choice–right there in his home.  When you get right down to it, nothing impresses an unsuspecting date more than an intimate dinner that the host has prepared himself (with your encouragement, of course.  I really do have a particular friend in mind as I write this, and he needs all the help that I can give him, and I’m sure your similar friend does, too.  You may need to be very specific when you give him your gift and the instructions to go with it.  Remind him to light candles, choose the music for him and suggest he pick up his dirty socks.

Start with a gift of a selection of gourmet cheeses for the beginning course  If he is capable of slicing a couple pears or apples, suggest that as well.  He can serve this course as a finger food or at the dining table as the formal beginning of the meal.

For the entree, present him with a certificate for a delicious gourmet dinner of lobster a different seafood dinner or perhaps a combination of steak and lobster, sometimes known as surf and turf.  As noted, this guy needs plenty of help, so the fresher the lobster the better.

Tell him to cap off the evening with a magnificent, turtle cheesecake.  Or, if he does not like chocolate, then select the more traditional New York cheesecake, decorated with a sprig of fresh mint.

You might also recommend a fine wine, if he consumes alcoholic beverages.  Lobster is sufficiently robust that it is perfectly safe to offer a bold wine.  He might consider a Burgundy or Merlot, although if he is not very adventurous, then perhaps a Chardonnay would be better for him.

Once you’ve done your part in the affair, relax until you receive the engagement announcement.  If it doesn’t arrive within six months, just find another friend.  That will be much easier.

It is a challenge to prepare a romantic night in for your girl or boy friend. You need to take responsibility for making sure that the night goes seamlessly, so that she’ll know how much she means to you. No matter whether it’s Valentines Day, her birthday, or your anniversary, preparing a romantic dinner for your loved one is an intimate and great way to tell her that you love her. To make sure that your romantic meal is a hit and not a miss, follow these easy and important tips.

It is very important to assure that your home is straightened and clean before your girlfriend arrives. Remember, there are not many turn-offs as instant as messiness. So make sure you hide your socks someplace out of sight! Once your place is clean, you’ll have to prepare it for your romantic evening. Setting the dinner table correctly is a necessary prerequisite to creating a romantic atmosphere. One of the best ways to set the table is with candles and flowers. Yes, the candle lit dinner is standard, but that is because it always works. Lay a table cloth on the table and then add some tall candles and a vase of her favorite flowers. If you don’t know which flowers she prefers, keep in mind that red roses rarely fail to delight.

It’s time to think about what to serve for the dinner itself.  Don’t worry about making her favorite food if it’s not within your expertise.  Cook her a dish that you know how to make well, and she will be happy that you catered to her.  And just as significant as the meal, is the beverage you serve with it.  Perhaps one of the most romantic drinks out there is champagne.  Or you might select a good wine that enhances the meal that you’ve prepared.  If you don’t know where to begin when it comes to choosing the right wine or champagne, ask for help at the store.  Usually they have a good idea of which drinks are most appropriate for a particular occasion or meal.

And don’t forget the capping moment of your romantic dinner: the dessert. Ending the meal with a delicious dessert will ensure that the dinner will be memorable. Because dessert is such an important aspect to a successful romantic dinner, consider serving a delicious cheesecake. Cheesecake is both a romantic and elegant choice. Cheesecakes are available in a variety of flavors, so you can be sure to find one that she’ll like. And with so many online vendors of gourmet cheesecakes, finding and purchasing an elegant dessert is as easy as a click of the mouse. I love a gourmet turtle cheesecake, with its variety of flavors and aromas.

No matter the event, follows these easy steps for a flawless night. I promise you she’ll remember the attention to detail for a long time. Show your gratitude to me by sending me a New York cheesecake.

There are numerous companies that are offering excellent cheesecake delivery and there are as many good reasons to take advantage of such facilities. A cheesecake offers you a chance to convey your sincerest sentiments to the recipient who in turn will be pleasantly surprised and pleased with receiving such a gift. There is in fact also something very special about having your cheesecake delivered to an office and even to a home.

As long as you are convinced about the benefits of cheesecake delivery you won’t mind forking out a hundred dollars to enjoy an extravagant gift that you can feast upon. In fact, this extra money that you have to pay will only add to the overall appeal of having the gourmet cheesecakes delivered to your doorstep.

It is a pity that people do not give serious consideration to gifting a cheesecake because sending a cheesecake as a gift to someone means giving the recipient something that is wonderful and unexpected as well as very unique.

Typically, it pays to order a basic type of cheesecake that has been created out of a New York Style recipe and which comes replete with strawberry and raspberry. Otherwise, there are also more exotic options that are worth checking out as well including cheesecakes with white chocolate pistachio.

You can choose to have the cheesecake delivered on different occasions including for birthdays, and for Valentine’s Day and you can choose between different sizes including two pound, three pound, four pound and assortment cakes. For example, for a birthday you could choose a special New York cheesecake that is covered in Chocolate Ganache and which is garnished around the edges with some chocolate sprinkles.

So, when checking out your order you will often have to inform the company as to when you want the cheesecake delivered. In case you fail to specify a date when you want the cheesecake delivered the shipment will be delayed. Many companies also do not ship on the weekends and if they do ship you will have to pay an extra cost.

Sometimes, the company may even ship your order on Saturdays – but for an additional charge. What’s more, the company also may not ship orders on Sundays though they may be willing to ship to far off places such as to Alaska and to Hawaii. Of course, to ship to Alaska and to Hawaii the company may charge you extra.

What can be more soothing to the soul, tummy-filling and sociable than having a piece of cheesecake? These are just some of the reasons why I love cheesecake. Just thinking about cheesecake sets my mouth to watering for a big piece of the light, airy confection made with a graham cracker crust and smooth creamy vanilla filling, with a favorite topping of cherries or strawberries or blueberries or streusel - - - or you can choose for yourself if you like. Then you will know why I love cheesecake.

The first documented cheesecake was at an Olympic game in the seventh century in Greece. It then spread to other European countries and eventually made its way to North America when immigrants crossed the ocean to seek their fame and fortune. Little did they know that the recipe they brought with them would eventually launch a huge following of people who love cheesecake and would balloon into a multimillion-dollar industry across the world.

The decadent taste and texture of cheesecake belies the fact that it is fairly simple to make. Cheesecake lovers know that they can have this delightful delicacy anytime they want by stirring up a few basic ingredients including cream cheese, sugar and eggs, and then pouring it into a pie shell which can be made of graham cracker crumbs or other conventional pie crusts and baked. 

So what’s not to love about cheesecake? It can be eaten anytime of the day or night, it’s easy to make and even easier to buy, it tastes divine, and on top of all this, it creates a feeling of well being that only comes from being good to yourself. So go ahead, eat and be jolly! Then you’ll know why I love cheesecakes!

Send a Cheesecake to someone special today.

About the author: Tom Venuto is an athusiast of cheesecakes and knows lots of nutrition knowledges about food. He works in a roofing contractor and works on metal roofing.

There’s few things that can match a delicious cheesecake as the end of a good meal. Here’s a great recipe I’d like to share with you. It’s a baked strawberry cheescake from page 13 of my cookbook 91 Cheesecake Recipes.

Crust
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 T sugar
2 Tbsp melted butter

Filling
20 oz (2-1/2 pkgs – 8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
1 c sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
3 eggs, beaten

Topping
1 cup mashed strawberries
1 cup sugar
3 Tbsp cornstarch
1/3 cup water

Mix cracker crumbs with sugar and melted butter. Press the mixture onto the bottom of a 9″ springform pan. Bake in a preheated oven at 350° for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack.

Whip the cream cheese until smooth using electrical mixer or food processor. Beat in the sugar gradually. Add beaten eggs and vanilla. Pour over the pre-baked graham craker crust in the springform pan.

Bake at 300° for one hour or until the center is set. Remove it from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack.

Strawberry Glace

Blend the cornstarch and sugar together in a small sauce pan. Stir in the water and strawberries, cook on medium heat, constantly stirring, until it thickens and begins to boil. Let boil one minute, stirring constantly. When the glace has cooled completely spread it on the cool cheesecake.

Refrigerate for a minimum of 3 hours before serving.

How To Make Great Cheesecake

Here’s some additional tips you can use to make your cheesecake a success:

To soften cream cheese means to leave it in room temperature to let it get softer than refrigerated. It’s all right to let it reach room temperature as long as you don’t leave it out for too long.

You can prevent a cheesecake from cracking by running a thin knife around the edge, between the crust and the pan, just after removing the cake from the oven.

If you use a springform pan, don’t remove the sides of the pan before the cake has cooled completely. Refrigerate before serving.

To cut a whole cheesecake into perfect slices, use dental floss instead of a knife. Make sure you have a lot of unflavored, unwaxed dental floss available.

Saw your way down through the cheesecake, using plenty of sawing motion and pressure when cutting through the crust, then let loose of one end and pull the floss out from the other end. Don’t bring it back to the top, it would just make a mess.

Change floss, and wash or wipe hands often to avoid it being slippery.

When you slice cheesecake with a knife, the knife should have a long and thin blade to make clean cuts. Remember to dip the knife in warm water and clean the blade between each slice. This way the slices gets cut nice and clean without crushing the cake.

When you are first beginning to learn how to make a cheesecake you may find the process a bit difficult. Once you have made a few cheesecakes then it won’t seem so hard. The trick to make a great turtle cheesecake is having a great recipe. The next is having very fresh ingredients. Remember, there are 2 different kinds of cheesecake. You can use cream cheese or ricotta cheese. Dense and rich cheesecakes are made with cream cheese. To make a light and fluffy cheesecake then use ricotta cheese. Cream cheese is actually easier and is what most people use. Cream cheese is used in a rich turtle cheesecake.

If you love turtle cheesecake recipes then you should look online for great recipes. There are so many variations of turtle cheesecake it can be hard to figure out which one to use. There are so many ingredients that can be used to make a good turtle cheesecake. Go by the following steps to make a great turtle cheesecake.

There are many ingredients that you will need for you turtle cheesecake. You will need whipped cream, eggs, egg yolks, cocoa, cinnamon, gram cracker crumbs, melted butter, white vanilla, salt, flour, sugar and cream cheese.

The type of pan that you will need is a springform pan to make it easier.

You will need to make butterscotch sauce for the turtle cheesecake. The ingredients to make this are pecan halves, cornstarch, butter, evaporated milk, brown sugar.

If your ingredients are at room temperature then it will turn out better.

If you use a knife and put it around the edge of the turtle cheesecake after it comes out of the oven then it will look much better.

Your turtle cheesecake should be at room temperature before you put it in the refrigerator.

Do not over mix the ingredients. Mix on low.

After you mix your ingredients then you will need to bake it for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Then reduce the temperature to 250 for an hour and a half. Make the butterscotch topping by taking out a double boiler Put the milk, butter and brown sugar into the boiler. Stir it until it gets thick. The add cornstarch and water. You will need to cook this for seven minutes and then let it cool. You can then stir in the pecan halves and drizzle onto the top of the turtle cheesecake.

Making a turtle cheesecake can be difficult. Take the suggestions listed above to make a great cake. Pretty soon everyone will be wanting you to make a turtle cheesecake at different functions that you go to. It takes practice but you will learn. Just don’t give up and have fun.  So, set your sights high and get to it.