Oreo Cheesecake

Oreo Cheesecake

Crust

1 1/2 C. Oreo Cookie Crumbs (about 23 Oreo cookies finely chopped)
2 Tbsp. Melted Butter

Filling - all ingredients need to be at room temperature
1 1/2 lb. Cream Cheese
1 C. Sugar
5 Large Eggs
1/4 tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Vanilla
1/4 C Flour
8 oz Sour Cream
5 Oreo Cookies (coarsely chopped for the batter)
10 Coarsely Chopped Oreo Cookies for the Top of Cheese Cake

Crust Butter bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan.  Mix melted butter with Oreo crumbs and press into the pan, covering the bottom and 1 1/2" up the sides.  Set aside.

Filling
Preheat oven to 325.

Beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. Keeping the mixer on low setting, gradually add sugar and continue beating cream cheese until mixed through. Add eggs one at a time and continue to beat until blended. Measure the vanilla, salt and flour; pour into cream cheese and egg mixture and beat until smooth. Add the sour cream and beat well. Turn off the mixer and stir in the coarsely chopped oreo cookies with a spoon.

Pour filling into the springform pan and sprinkle the coarsely chopped Oreo Cookies on top. Place pan on the top rack and in the middle of the preheated oven, and bake for one hour and 15 minutes. When time is up, prop the oven door open and let the cheese cake stay in the oven for one hour.

Remove from oven and let cool completely.  Refrigerate for 24 hours. It is worth the anticipation. A cheese cake should season. The flavor ripens and becomes enriched.

Key Lime Cheesecake

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
6 tablespoons butter, melted
24 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 eggs
1 tablespoon grated lime zest
2/3 cup key lime juice

Preheat oven to 300.

Combine cookie or graham cracker crumbs with butter or margarine. Press into bottom and partially up sides of 9 inch springform pan. Refrigerate.

In a large bowl, beat with an electric mixer the cream cheese, sugar, lime peel, and cornstarch until smooth and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, blending just until smooth. Add key lime juice with mixer on low. Finish mixing by hand. Do not overbeat, or cake will crack during baking. Pour batter into prepared crust.

Bake at 300 degrees for 55 to 65 minutes, or until set. To minimize cracking, place a shallow pan half full of hot water on lower rack during baking.

Turn oven off, and let cheesecake stand in oven 30 minutes with the door open at least 4 inches. Remove from oven. Refrigerate cake overnight, and up to three days.

Coconut Cream Cheesecake

Crust
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
5 tablespoons well-chilled butter, cut
into small pieces

Combine flour and sugar in large bowl. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Gather into ball. Wrap in plastic. Refrigerate 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Press dough into bottom of 10-inch springform pan. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool slightly. Reduce temperature to 300 degrees F.

Filling
24 ounces cream cheese (at room temperature)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs (at room temperature)
2 egg yolks (at room temperature)
2 cups flaked coconut
1 cup whipping cream, whipped
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Toasted coconut (optional)

Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and yolks one at a time. Mix in flaked coconut, whipped cream, fresh lemon juice, vanilla extract and almond extract. Pour filling into crust. Bake until edges of filling area firm, about 70 minutes.

Let cool completely. Remove springform. Cover with plastic. Refrigerate 4 hours. Garnish with toasted coconut. This can also be frozen.

Mocha Truffle Cheesecake

2 c chocolate graham cracker crumbs
1/3 c butter, melted
8 oz bittersweet chocolate
1 8-oz pkgs cream cheese, softened
2/3 c sugar
3 eggs
16 oz sour cream
4 tsp instant coffee granules
1 tsp vanilla
¼ tsp salt
44 square milk chocolate truffles with a smooth filling (from three 3.5-oz pkgs)
4 oz white chocolate baking bar
½ c sour cream

Heat oven to 350.

In a medium bowl, combine chocolate crumbs and melted butter; mix well. Press in bottom and 1 ½ inches up sides of ungreased springform pan.

Melt bittersweet chocolate as directed on package. Cool 5 minutes or until slightly cooled. In large bowl, combine cream cheese and sugar; beat until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating just until blended. Add cooled chocolate; mix well. Add 16 ounces sour cream, coffee granules, vanilla and salt; beat until smooth. Stir in 36 of the truffles. Pour into crust-lined pan.

Bake at 350 for 45 to 55 minutes or until edges are set. Turn off oven; let cheesecake stand in oven with door slightly ajar for 10 minutes. Cool in pan on wire rack for 30 minutes. Refrigerate 3 hours or until chilled.

Before serving, remove sides of pan. Melt white chocolate baking bar as directed on package. Add the ½ cup sour cream. Spread over top of cooled cheesecake.

Note: For more mocha flavor, add 2 tsp of coffee liqueur to the crust mixture.

Snickers Cheesecake

3 Tbsp butter, melted
1 ¼ c graham cracker crumbs
3 8-oz pkgs cream cheese, softened
3 eggs
¾ c sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 Snickers bars (2.16 oz each), chopped

Preheat oven to 350. In a small bowl, combine melted butter, graham cracker crumbs and 1 Tbsp sugar. Press into the bottom of 9-inch springform pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Allow to cool.

In a large bowl, cream the ¾ cup sugar and cream cheese together until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, and vanilla. Stir in chopped candy bar and pour into baked crust.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Let cool completely, then refrigerate.

Eggnog Cheesecake

1 c graham cracker crumbs
2 Tbsp white sugar
3 Tbsp melted butter

3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 c white sugar
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
3/4 c eggnog
2 eggs
2 Tbsp rum
1 pinch ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a medium bowl combine graham cracker crumbs, 2 Tbsp sugar and butter. Press into the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Place on a wire rack to cool.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a food processor or using an electric mixer, combine cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, flour and eggnog; process until smooth. Blend in eggs, rum and nutmeg. Pour mixture into cooled crust. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 250 and bake 45 minutes more, or until center of cake is barely firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and immediately loosen cake from pan by running a knife around the edge. Let cake cool completely before removing the springform collar.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

24 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 c. granulated sugar
3/4 . brown sugar, firmly packed
5 eggs
1/4 c. heavy cream
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cloves (I think I left these out and it didn't matter)
1 lb. canned pumpkin

With a mixer, cream the cheese, add sugars and beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each adition. Stir in cream, spices and pumpkin. Pour into prepared cheesecake pan. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 1 hour.

Topping:
6 T. butter
1 c. brown sugar, firmaly packed
1 c. coarsely chopped walnuts

Cream the butter and brown sugar with a mixer. Stir in the walnuts. When cheesecake is taken out of the oven, spoon topping gently on top. Bake 15 minutes more at 350. Cool completely, then refrigerate before serving.