Back to the Cutting Board

Cherry-topped Cheesecake Supreme

from Back to the Cutting Board

Dessert | Servings: 10″ cheesecake (10-12 servings)
Prep time: 20 min | Cook time: 3 hour 15 min | Total time: 4 hour 35 min

Ingredients

Crust:

• 2-3 cups finely ground graham crackers*
• 6-8 tbsp. of butter
• 1/3 cup of sugar
• 1/8 tsp. salt

*Note: 2 cups is fine if you only want crust on the bottom, but no sides. Use 2 1/2 – 3 cups if you want sides.

Cheesecake:

• 5 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 5 eggs, room temperature
• 2 egg yolks, room temperature
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 1/8 cup flour
• 1/4 cup heavy cream, room temperature

Topping:
adapted from Cooking Light

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 20 oz. pitted dark sweet cherries, frozen (not thawed) or fresh**
• 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 4 tsp. cornstarch
• 4 tsp. water

**Note: If using fresh, unfrozen cherries, add 1/4 cup water in with the cherries and sugar.

Process

1. Get out cream cheese, eggs, and cream ahead of time and let come to room temperature. If your cream cheese is really cold this can take 6+ hours. When you’re ready to start baking, preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F).
2. Grind up crackers in a blender or food processor if necessary. Mix crumbs, sugar, salt and butter in a bowl until combined and press into the bottom and if you want, about an inch or two up the sides of a 10″ springform pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Take out and cool completely. Turn off the oven.
3. In a mixer bowl with the whisk attachment, whisk together cream cheese, eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla. Mix on medium speed until smooth, about 3-5 minutes. (It’s okay if you still have some very small lumps.)
4. Add in the sugar, flour, and heavy cream and mix on low speed until fully incorporated, about 1-2 minutes. Do not over-mix as this will create more air bubbles which can contribute to your cake cracking.
5. Pour into the prepared crust. Gently tap the pan against your counter a few times to help get any possible air bubbles out of the batter.
6. Place in the oven and turn it on to 400 degrees (F). Full size: Bake for 15 minutes. Turn the oven down to 200 degrees (F). Bake for 3 hours. Then turn the oven off, prop open the door slightly and let cool for 1 hour. Finally, place in your refrigerator and chill for a full 24 hours.
   Small size: Bake for 5 minutes. Turn the oven down to 200 degrees (F). Bake for 45 minutes. Then turn the oven off, prop open the door slightly and let cool for 15 minutes. Finally, cover the top with plastic wrap, place in your refrigerator and chill for at least 12 hours.
7. To make topping, combine 1/2 cup sugar and cherries in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook 5 minutes or until cherries are thawed and mixture is syrupy.
8. In small bowl, whisk together juice, cornstarch, and water, until well blended.
9. Stir cornstarch mixture into cherry mixture and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes or until mixture is slightly thickened and shiny. If it becomes too thick, add a bit more water. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
10. Remove springform pan and spoon room temperature or chilled cherry mixture over the cheesecake.

Peppermint Bark Cheesecake Supreme

from Back to the Cutting Board

Dessert | Servings: 10″ cheesecake (10-12 servings)
Prep time: 30 min | Cook time: 3 hour 15 min | Total time: 4 hour 45 min

Ingredients

Crust:

• 2 – 3 cups finely ground chocolate graham crackers*
• 6 – 8 tbsp. of butter
• 1/3 cup of sugar
• 1/8 tsp. salt

*Note: 2 cups is fine if you only want crust on the bottom, but no sides. Use 2 1/2 – 3 cups if you want sides.

Cheesecake:

• 5 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 5 eggs, room temperature
• 2 egg yolks, room temperature
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 1/8 cup flour
• 1/4 cup heavy cream, room temperature
• 10 oz. white chocolate
• 1/4 – 1/2 tsp. (to taste) peppermint extract
• Red food coloring

Chocolate Ganache:
adapted from Baking: From My Home to Yours ^[1] by Dori Greenspan

• 6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 2 tbsp. powdered sugar, sifted
• 4 tbsp. cold (important!), unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
• 1/8 – 1/4 tsp. (to taste) peppermint extract
• Crushedpeppermints

Process

1. Get out cream cheese, eggs, and cream ahead of time and let come to room temperature. If your cream cheese is really cold this can take 6+ hours. When you’re ready to start baking, preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F).
2. Grind up crackers in a blender or food processor if necessary. Mix crumbs, sugar, salt and butter in a bowl until combined and press into the bottom and if you want, about an inch or two up the sides of a 10″ springform pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Take out and cool completely. Turn off the oven.
3. In a mixer bowl with the whisk attachment, whisk together cream cheese, eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla. Mix on medium speed until smooth, about 3-5 minutes. (It’s okay if you still have some very small lumps.)
4. Add in the sugar, flour, and heavy cream and mix on low speed until fully incorporated, about 1-2 minutes. Do not over-mix as this will create more air bubbles which can contribute to your cake cracking.
5. Melt white chocolate on the stove over low heat or in the microwave. Mix into cheesecake batter.
6. Transfer 1/3 cheesecake batter into another bowl. Stir in peppermint extract and a few drops of food coloring.
7. Pour 1/3 of the original batter into the prepared crust. Drop in spoonfuls of the peppermint mixture on top. Pour in the rest of the original batter over that. Finally, drop in spoonfuls of the rest of peppermint mixture and swirl it all around with a knife, but don’t overmix. Gently tap the pan against your counter a few times to help get any possible air bubbles out of the batter.
8. Place in the oven and then turn it on to 400 degrees (F). Full size: Bake for 15 minutes. Turn the oven down to 200 degrees (F). Bake for 3 hours. Then turn the oven off, prop open the door slightly and let cool for 1 hour. Finally, place in your refrigerator and chill for a full 24 hours. Remove springform pan.
   Small size: Bake for 5 minutes. Turn the oven down to 200 degrees (F). Bake for 45 minutes. Then turn the oven off, prop open the door slightly and let cool for 15 minutes. Finally, cover the top with plastic wrap, place in your refrigerator and chill for at least 12 hours.
9. To make the topping, melt chocolate on the stove over low heat or in the microwave. Remove from heat and let stand for 3 minutes.
10. Using a small whisk, stir in powdered sugar, followed by the pieces of butter. Stir in peppermint extract. If the mixture is too thin to spread, place the bowl over ice water and stir for a few seconds or until it thickens.
11. Quickly spread a thin layer of chocolate on top of the cheesecake (if it gets too firm, put it back on the stove over low heat for a minute or so). Sprinkle with crushed peppermints and gently press them into the chocolate. Let set at room temperature for at least 10 minutes.
12. Remove springform pan and serve.

Oreo Cheesecake Supreme

from Back to the Cutting Board

Dessert | Servings: 10″ cheesecake (10-12 servings)
Prep time: 20 min | Cook time: 3 hour 15 min | Total time: 4 hour 35 min

Ingredients

Crust:

• 2 – 3 cups finely ground Oreo cookies, cream centers removed*
• 6 – 8 tbsp. of butter
• 1/3 cup of sugar
• 1/8 tsp. salt

*Note: 2 cups is fine if you only want crust on the bottom, but no sides. Use 2 1/2 – 3 cups if you want sides.

Cheesecake:

• 5 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 5 eggs, room temperature
• 2 egg yolks, room temperature
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 1/8 cup flour
• 1/4 cup heavy cream, room temperature
• 1 – 1 1/2 cups chopped Oreo cookies*

*Note – Feel free to add more or less Oreos, depending on how cookie-y you want it to be, but be careful not to go overboard. Brandon said mine was more Oreo than cheesecake, so I’ve reduced the amount I put in there originally. You may also want to remove the cream centers.

Process

1. Get out cream cheese, eggs, and cream ahead of time and let come to room temperature. If your cream cheese is really cold this can take 6+ hours.
2. Grind up cookies in a blender or food processor. Mix crumbs, sugar, salt and butter in a bowl until combined and press into the bottom and if you want, about an inch or two up the sides of a 10″ springform pan. Place in refrigerator to chill while you make the cheesecake.
3. In a mixer bowl with the whisk attachment, whisk together cream cheese, eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla. Mix on medium speed until smooth, about 3-5 minutes. (It’s okay if you still have some very small lumps.)
4. Add in the sugar, flour, and heavy cream and mix on low speed until fully incorporated, about 1-2 minutes. Do not over-mix as this will create more air bubbles which can contribute to your cake cracking.
5. Gently fold about 2/3 of chopped Oreos into the cheesecake batter.
6. Pour batter into your prepared Oreo crust. Sprinkle with remaining Oreos. Gently tap the pan against your counter a few times to help get any possible air bubbles out of the batter.
7. Place in the oven and then turn it on to 400 degrees (F). Full size: Bake for 15 minutes. Turn the oven down to 200 degrees (F). Bake for 3 hours. Then turn the oven off, prop open the door slightly and let cool for 1 hour. Finally, place in your refrigerator and chill for a full 24 hours.
   Small size: Bake for 5 minutes. Turn the oven down to 200 degrees (F). Bake for 45 minutes. Then turn the oven off, prop open the door slightly and let cool for 15 minutes. Finally, cover the top with plastic wrap, place in your refrigerator and chill for at least 12 hours.
8. Remove springform pan and serve.

Red Velvet Cheesecake Supreme

from Back to the Cutting Board

Dessert | Servings: 10″ cheesecake (10-12 servings)
Prep time: 30 min | Cook time: 3 hour 15 min | Total time: 4 hour 45 min

Ingredients

Crust:

• 2 – 3 cups finely ground chocolate graham crackers*
• 6 – 8 tbsp. butter
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/8 tsp. salt

*Note: 2 cups is fine if you only want crust on the bottom, but no sides. Use 2 1/2 – 3 cups if you want sides.

Cheesecake:

• 5 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 5 eggs, room temperature
• 2 egg yolks, room temperature
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 1/8 cup flour
• 1/4 cup heavy cream, room temperature
• 3 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa
• Bottle of red food coloring

Cream Cheese Frosting:
adapted from Southern Living

• 3 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Process

1. Get out cream cheese, eggs, and cream ahead of time and let come to room temperature. If your cream cheese is really cold this can take 6+ hours. When you’re ready to start baking, preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F).
2. Grind up crackers in a blender or food processor if necessary. Mix crumbs, sugar, salt and butter in a bowl until combined and press into the bottom and if you want, about an inch or two up the sides of a 10″ springform pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Take out and cool completely. Turn off the oven.
3. In a mixer bowl with the whisk attachment, whisk together cream cheese, eggs, egg yolks, and vanilla. Mix on medium speed until smooth, about 3-5 minutes. (It’s okay if you still have some very small lumps.)
4. Add in the sugar, flour, and heavy cream and mix on low speed until fully incorporated, about 1-2 minutes. Do not over-mix as this will create more air bubbles which can contribute to your cake cracking.
5. Mix in cocoa and red food coloring.
6. Pour batter into your prepared chocolate graham cracker crust. Gently tap the pan against your counter a few times to help get any possible air bubbles out of the batter.
7. Place in the oven and then turn it on to 400 degrees (F). Full size: Bake for 15 minutes. Turn the oven down to 200 degrees (F). Bake for 3 hours. Then turn the oven off, prop open the door slightly and let cool for 1 hour. Finally, place in your refrigerator and chill for a full 24 hours.
   Small size: Bake for 5 minutes. Turn the oven down to 200 degrees (F). Bake for 45 minutes. Then turn the oven off, prop open the door slightly and let cool for 15 minutes. Finally, cover the top with plastic wrap, place in your refrigerator and chill for at least 12 hours.
8. To make topping, beat together cream cheese and butter. Add in powdered sugar and vanilla and mix until smooth. Spread on top of cheesecake.
9. Remove springform pan and serve.