Raspberry White Chocolate Yesplease(cheese) Cake

This is one of the first cheesecakes I ever made, and still one of my favorite. It just makes sense to pair white chocolate and raspberries together. Combine that in a cheesecake and you have a simply decadent dessert. This is always a crowd pleaser because it looks absolutely beautiful and tastes unbelievable. I have tried many cheesecakes and this recipe is hands down the best ever. Yes, there are better cheesecakes than what the Cheesecake Factory produces, PROMISE! And a heck of a lot less expensive, A whole cheesecake costs around $45 from the Cheesecake Factory. This recipe costs about $20, no brain surgery here. If you really want to impress your friends, family, or that special someone, try this recipe, you will knock their socks off : P

Raspberry White Chocolate Cheesecake


Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.

For the Crust
1/4 cup nuts (any kind you like)
6 graham cracker wafers
1 (Oats & Honey) cereal bar
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. flour
2-4 tbsp. butter-melted

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until mixture becomes crumbs. Slowly add 2 tbsp. of the butter and pulse until blended. (Crust should hold together when pressed between your fingers. If it does not, add more butter until you reach this consistency.) Press into a 9' springform pan firmly with the back of a spoon or your palm. Place into refrigerator while you make the cake.

Sometimes I want a 1-1 ratio of crust to cheesecake. If this is what your going for double the crust ingredients and press excess crust up on sides of springform pan.

For the Cheesecake
5 (8 oz. packages) Cream Cheese
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 tbsp. flour
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
5 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/3 cup whipping cream
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1 cup white chocolate chips

In an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together cream cheese, sugar, flour, and vanilla until fluffy. Add the eggs and egg yolks one at a time on low speed, to combine. Stir in whipping cream, lemon rind, and white chocolate chips. Pour into pan with crust. Bake for 1 1/2 hours. (I would check your cake at about 1 hour to see how it looks. When it's done the top will be golden brown, and the middle will be slightly jiggly still.)

Let the cake cool on a wire rack completely, about 3 hours. When cool, use a butter knife to loosen sides of cake from pan carefully. Remove sides of springform pan and place cake on a cake stand or cake decorator.

If you want a swirl of raspberry throughout cake:
Heat 1/2 cup of raspberry preserves (seedless if you can get it looks prettier) and 1 tbsp. lemon juice in a microwave for 30 seconds. Stir until smooth. Pour 1/2 of the cake batter into the pan, drizzle 1/2 the preserves, then poor the rest of the batter on top, drizzling the other half of the preserves. Using a knife, create a swirl like appearance by running it back and forth through the preserves.

For the Topping
2 cups fresh raspberries
4 oz. melted white chocolate
1 tbsp. sugar

Wash raspberries, dry, then place 1 1/2 cups on top of cheesecake. With the remaining 1/2 cup of raspberries, puree in a food processor and strain through a sieve. Once strained from seeds, combine juice with 1 tbsp granulated sugar and stir to combine and dissolve. Poor sweetened juice on top of raspberries. Heat white chocolate slowly in a microwave safe bowl in 20 second intervals, stirring between each heat. Once the white chocolate is completely melted transfer into a plastic zip lock bag and cut the tip off of one end (this is a VERY small cut, if you cut too big of a whole your cake will look messy). Be careful because the chocolate will start to ooze out the whole. Start to drizzle chocolate over raspberries using quick back and forth motions until you achieve the look you want.

Enjoy!

Verry Berry Cheesecake

I've had a lot of cheesecakes in my day, (I say that like I've been around for a while) : P I really have tried a fare share. The cheesecake Factory is one of my favorite places to eat and I've tried a good selection of cheesecakes on their menu. I'm normally pretty modest about my baking, but in this case I just can't be. THIS CHEESECAKE IS FABULOUS! Honestly, THE best cheesecake I have ever had. The fact that I made it absolutely flabbergasts me. Regardless I guess I'll take the credit. I think a lot of people might be a little weary to make a cheesecake. DON'T BE. It really is a simple dessert to make, with a far from simple outcome. I have quite a few variations of this cheesecake that I make with the same basic recipe, so versatile as well! This berry rendition is one of, if not my favorite. The creaminess of the cake paired with the tartness of the berries, and the crunchiness of the crust, is a perfect combination. The colors make this dessert a great idea for a 4th of July Barbecue or party! So if I were you, I would "favorite" this recipe and whip it out when you really want to impress your friends & family.

Verry Berry Cheesecake

Crust

6 graham crackers

1 bar Nature Valley Oats & Honey Granola Bars

1/4 cup nuts (your choice)

2 tbsp. granulated sugar

1 tbsp. all-purpose flour

4 tbsp. butter-melted (or more if needed)

Cheesecake

5 (8oz) packages cream cheese

1 3/4 cups sugar

2tbsp. flour

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

5 eggs

2 egg yolks

1/3 cup whipping cream

1 tsp. lemon rind-zested

Verry Berry Topping

adapted from Redneck Epicurean, RecipeZaar

1 (16oz.) package fresh strawberries, quartered.

2 (8oz.) packages fresh blueberries.
1/2 cup sugar
2tbsp. cornstarch
1 cup fruit juice ( I used orange.)
2 tbsp. corn syrup

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Directions

For the crust:

In a food processor combine all crust ingredients except for the butter. Pulse until crumbly. Slowly add melted butter and pulse until consistency is like damp sand (if you pinch crumbs in between fingers it should hold together). Turn over into 9' spring form pan and press down with palm or bottom of glass firmly. Place in refrigerator while assembling cake.

For the cake:

In  a medium sized bowl fitted with a paddle attachment cream: cream cheese, sugar, flour, and vanilla, until fluffy, 2-3 minutes.

Add eggs and egg yolks, mix on low to combine.

Stir in whipping cream and lemon zest.

Pour into pan and bake for 1 1/2 hours. (cake will be slightly jiggly in the middle when done, this is okay as it will set upon cooling.)

Cool on wire rack completely.

For the topping:

Bring the sugar and 1/2 cup juice to a boil.

Dissolve the cornstarch in the remaining juice. Add to the boiling juice and cook until thick.

Stir in the corn syrup. Bring back to a boil and remove from heat.

Cool, drizzle 3/4 of glaze over fruit before garnishing top of cake.

Assembly:

Remove sides of spring form pan and place whole cheesecake on a wire rack placed on top of a baking sheet. Place glazed berries on top of cake and decorate how you would like. Drizzle extra glaze over the berries (this is why you have a baking sheet under the rack, it can get a little messy). 

Slice with a warm knife & enjoy!