Cheese Cake Recipes

Cheesecake has long been one of my secret passions. I used to hunt high and low for just the perfect cheese cake. One that was creamy yet firm, with a topping that wa delightfully fruity. Of course, I never ruled out a chocolate topping. Before cheesecake came packaged in individual slice packaging I used to carefully cut and wrap slices and store them in the freezer. However, there came a time when I had to cut way back because of the sugar. I decided then that I would strt making a special homemade cheese cake every now and then - just for those really specail occassions. I still am sometimes tempted to add a few occasions to my special occassion list, like Happy Friday, but I manage to restrain myself. The cheesecakes that I make seem so special and rich that one occassionaly seems to have become enough. Anyway, I decided to share a few of my favorite recipes. I hope you like them.

 Ingredients:

16 oz cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

3/4 cup canned pumpkin

1/4 cup nflour

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Prepared pie shell

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat together cream cheese, sugar and eggs until smooth.

Add pumpkin and blend.

Stir in flour, nutmeg and cinnamon.

Pour mixture into prepared pie shell and bake for 60 minutes.

Crust

Ingredients:

1 cup sifted flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 tbsp grated orange peel

1/2 cup butter

1 egg yolk

1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine flour, sugar and orange rind.

Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal.

Add egg yolk and vanilla and blend well.

Pat 1/3 of the dough onto the bottom of a springpan (9 inch).

Bake for 5 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from oven and cool.

Pat remaining 2/3 portion of dough evenly around the sides of the pan until it is 1/2 inch from top.

Cheesecake Filling

Ingredients:

40 oz room temperature cream cheese

1 1/4 cups sugar

3 tbsp flour

1 tbsp grated orange rind

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp vanilla 5 eggs

2 egg yolks

1/2 cup thawed frozen orange juice (do not dilute)

Directions:

Combine cream cheese, sugar, flour, orange rind, salt and vanilla in a large bowl.

Beat at low speed until mixture is smooth.

Add eggs and eggyolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Stir in orange juice.

Pour mixture into prepared crust.

Place foil under pan on oven rack and bake until rim of crust turns slightly brown (about 8 to 10 minutes).

Reduce oven temperature to 225 and bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes longer.

Remove and cool.

When cool store in refridgerator.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup finely crushed Oreo cookies

3 tbsp melted butter

24 oz softened cream cheese

1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 oz)

3 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1 cup mini chocolate chips

1 tbsp flour

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Mix together crushed  Oreos and butter and press on bottom on a 9" x 13" baking pan.

Beat cream cheese until fluffy gradually adding condensed milk until mixture isw smooth.

Add eggs and vanilla and mix well.

Coat 1/2 cup chocolate chips with flour by tossing in a plastic bag and stir into cream cheese mixture.

Pour onto preparerd crust.

Spread remaining chocolate chip on top.

Bake for 1 hour.  Cheesecake is done when it springs back with a light touch.

Turn oven off and cool cheesecake in oven.

Store in refrigerator.

Ingredients:

1 stick margarine, melted

2 cups Graham cracker crumbs

2 tbsp sugar

16 oz cream cheese

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

20 pieces caramel candy

2 tbsp milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix together butter, graham cracker crumbs, and 2 tbsp sugar.

Pat into bottom of a springform pan.

Combine carmel candy and milk in saucepan over medium heat.  When all of the carmel is melted and ingredients are well blended, set aside.

Beat cream cheese and1/2 cup sugar at medium speed until soft and fluffy.

Add vanilla and 1 egg at a time beating on low until just blended.

Pour 2/3 of the batter over crust.

Combine the rest of the creamcheese mixture with the caramel mixture.

Pour on top and swirl with a butter knife.

Bake for 50 minutes, until edges are firm but middle still wiggles.

Remove from oven and cool.

Store in refrigerator.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup fine graham cracker crumbs

16 oz small curd cottage cheese

16 oz cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1/2 cup cornstarch

2 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 cup margarine

1 pt sour cream

Strawberry Glaze Ingredients:

1 tbsp cornstarch

1/4 cup water

1/3 cup light corn syrup

1 tsp lemon juice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Grease 9" springfoam pan, sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs, tilting pan to coat sides.

Mash cottage cheese through sieve, add cream cheese. Beat on high until well blended.

Beat in sugar, then in 2 eggs.

Reduce beating to low speed and beat in cornstarch, lemon juice and vanilla.

Add margarine and sour cream and beat until smooth.

Pour into prepared pan and bake for 70 minutes.

Turn off oven and let cake stand in oven for 2 hours.

Take out and chill. Remove sides of pan.

Cover with strawberry glaze.

May be stored in fridge or freezer.

Directions for Strawberry Glaze:

Mix cornstarch, water, and light corn syrup until smooth.

Add strawberries and bring mixture to a boil. Boil for 1 minute.

Strain and stir in loemon juice.

Cool slightly.

Cover top of cheesecake with strawberry glaze.

 Ingredients:

1 (80z) pkg cream cheese, softened.

1/3 cup lemon juice

1 can sweetened condensed milk

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1 prepared graham cracker crust

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1 can pie filling flavor of your choice

Directions:

Mix cream cheese, lemon juice, and sweetened condensed milk until smooth.

Pour into prepared graham cracker crust.

Chill in refrigerator for 6 hours.

Top with pie filling of your choice.

Store in refrigerator.