Vegan Double Chocolate Cheesecake

I made this as a treat. It is super rich, which may only hit you after you've eaten too much. The original recipe from VegNews says it serves 8, but I think it is closer to 12, 16 if you are trying to be reasonable. This is a no-bake cashew-based cheesecake. Everybody loved this recipe. It isn't the easiest recipe to make. You'll need both your food processor and your high-speed blender. I also had a teenage son to make chocolate cookies into crumbs with a rolling pin. I've written the recipe here exactly as I made it.

Ingredients:

1¾ cups Newman's Chocolate Alphabet cookies, smashed into crumbs

¼ cup coconut oil, melted
cooking spray
7 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1½ cups raw cashews, soaked in hot water for 30 minutes, then drained
1 (14-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
¼ cup agave nectar
¼ cup coconut oil, melted

Directions:

1. Soak the raw cashews in hot water for 30 minutes, then drain.
2. This is a good time to smash the cookies into crumbs.
3. Spray an 8-inch springform pan with cooking spray.
4. Transfer cookie crumbs and melted coconut oil in a food processor and pulse to combine. The mixture needs to press into the springform pan and hold, so be sure that it sticks well together. If it is too dry, add more melted coconut oil. If it is too wet, add more crumbs. 
5. Transfer the crumb mixture to the prepared pan and spread evenly. Press the mixture into the springform pan using your fingers to make a firm, even crust. Refrigerate or freeze while you make the filling.
6.  Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave. Be sure the melted chocolate stays fluid and does not harden.
7. In the blender, combine the drained cashews, coconut milk, agave, and coconut oil.
8. Blend until smooth. 
9. Add the melted chocolate and blend until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed.
10. Pour the filling into the prepared crust. 
11. Release air bubbles by tapping the pan on the counter. This may be an art because every time I tapped and released air bubbles, more seemed to form. 
12. Refrigerate until set, at least 4 hours. It may be left overnight.
13. Once set, run a sharp, thin knife along the edge and gently remove the sides of the pan.

Notes:

• Serves 12
• Top with your choice of berries, whipped cream, or chocolate curls. 
• Store leftovers tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to a week

Tiny Pumpkin Cheesecakes

A variation on the family's long-held Tiny Cheesecake Recipe. I first had these at an extended family gathering, where some cousins had made them. 

Ingredients:
12 oz cream cheese
8 oz pumpkin puree 
1 teaspoon vanilla 
2 eggs 
3/4 cup sugar 
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground cloves
24 vanilla wafers or ginger snaps
cupcake liners, preferably foil
whipped topping for garnish

Directions:

1. Combine cream cheese, vanilla, eggs, and sugar and beat until mixture is smooth. 
2. Place vanilla wafers inside foil cupcake liners and fill with mixture about half-full. 
3. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 min. 
4. Let chill at least 30 minutes. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve and top.

Notes:

• I found these Keebler mini-pie graham cracker crusts. If using these, the recipe makes fewer than 24, about 15-18. They work great otherwise.

Pumpkin Pie

The last of pumpkin season for me (runs September thru December.) I made this on the last day of 2012. Both kids enjoyed it. I liked it too and it was quite easy to make. For a reasonably easy dessert in the fall, I'll return to this recipe.

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups raw soaked cashews
1 cup maple syrup
1 can organic pumpkin puree (16 ounces) 
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice 
8 ounces Better Than Cream Cheese

optional: 1/2 tsp salt to taste (depends how much salt you soaked your cashews in)

One standard vegan graham cracker pie crust (homemade or purchased from store)

Directions:

1. Soak about one cup of raw cashews in about 2 1/2 cups of water in a large bowl. Add about 1/2 – 1 tsp of salt to the bowl – mix to dissolve.
2. Soak this cashew bowl overnight in the fridge. Soak time should be 8 hours - 48 hours. Do not exceed these times in either direction.
3. Preheat your oven to 400º.
4. Drain the water from your cashews.  Add 1 1/4 cups of cashews to Vitamix, or other blender or food processor.
5. Add in the maple syrup, vegan cream cheese, pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice. Blend on low -> high for about 3-5 minutes until the mixture is completely creamy. If your mixture is a bit thick for some reason – you can add in a few teaspoons of either water, maple syrup or even non-dairy milk. After blending, do a taste test and add a 1/2 teaspoon of salt if needed. 
6. Pour your mix into a graham cracker pie shell.
7. Bake pie at 400º for 10 minutes. Then reduce to 350º and bake for an additional 30-40 minutes. Your pie will firm up significantly upon cooling and chilling in the fridge.
8. Remove pie from oven. Cool on counter for at least 30 minutes. Then place in fridge until ready to serve, at least 2 hours. 

Other Details:

• Original Recipe

Dessert: Peanut Butter Cheesecake Brownies

Ryan made these one evening to use up the cream cheese he had purchased. They were a hit and he's made them a couple times. He found this recipe at Pinch of Yum.

Ingredients

Cookie Dough:
1 stick butter, unsalted (1/2 cup), softened
½ cup white sugar
⅓ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup peanut butter
1 egg
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt 
½ cup rolled oats
1 cups chocolate chips

Cheesecake Filling:
1 cup Reese's peanut butter chips
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
⅓ cup sugar
1 egg
½ teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1. Make the cookie dough: Preheat oven to 325ºF. Cream the butter, sugars, and peanut butter until smooth and fluffy. Add the egg and beat until incorporated. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add the flour mixture in with the butter and sugar, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the oats and chocolate chips.
2. Make the cheesecake filling: Cream the cream cheese, egg, sugar, and vanilla until smooth.
3. Press half to two-thirds of the cookie dough in the bottom of a 9-inch square baking dish. Pour the cheesecake filling over the dough. Crumble the remaining dough and sprinkle over the top, OR roll it into a flat layer and place it over the cheesecake layer.
4. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes; remove foil and bake for another 15-20 minutes, or until tops is lightly browned and cheesecake layer is set. Serve warm or cold and store leftover bars in refrigerator.

Other Details:

• Original Recipe
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Serves 16

Dessert: Pumpkin Cheesecake

This dessert was made several years ago over the holidays (for New Year's Eve, if I recall correctly.) I liked it. I didn't like it enough to plan to make it again. However, it was another one of those special desserts that makes it to the blog due to effort. I got the recipe from Cook's Illustrated. 

Frustratingly, I cannot access the recipe anymore, but due to the restrictive levels of the Cook's Illustrated website, I'd probably get a cease and desist. If you are a Cook's Illustrated subscriber, search for Pumpkin-Bourbon Cheesecake with Graham-Pecan Crust to get the recipe for this yummy pumpkin cheesecake.

Dessert: In Katrina's Kitchen Peanut Butter Truffle Mousse Cheesecake

Let's be honest, I will never make this cheesecake again so it really doesn't deserve to go in the Codex. However, it was a smashing cheesecake, a lot of effort, and completely deserves to show up on the blog. I (and my family) absolutely <3 In Katrina's Kitchen. I could make desserts from there every weekend, or even every day. 
I made the Peanut Butter Truffle Mousse Cheesecake for Christmas dessert 2011. It is totally worth the effort to make at least once, especially if your family is a fan of chocolate, peanut butter, and cheesecake the way my family is. 

Peanut Butter Truffle Mousse Cheesecake

Ingredients:

Crust

2 cups crushed peanut butter Oreos (approx. half a pack)
¼ cup butter, melted

Cheesecake

4 (8oz) sticks of cream cheese, room temperature
1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
4 eggs
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Peanut Butter Truffle Mousse

8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
2/3 cup peanut butter
1 tablespoon milk
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tubs (or 1 large tub) Cool Whip
Reese’s Cups (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Wrap a 9 inch springform pan in heavy duty foil.
2. Mix together crushed Oreos and melted butter and press into the bottom of your pan and up the sides. Bake for 7 minutes and cool on a wire rack.
3. Boil a large pot of water for the water bath.
4. In the bowl of your mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the sugar and cream cheese and cream together until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time making sure to scrape down the bowl in between each egg. Add heavy cream and vanilla and mix until creamy and smooth.
5. Pour batter into prepared crust. Place pan into a larger pan and pour boiling water into the larger pan until halfway up the side of the cheesecake pan.
6. Bake 45 to 55 minutes until the edges appear to be set. The center will still have some jiggle to it. Close the oven door, turn the heat off, and let rest in the cooling oven for 1 hour.
7. After 1 hour has passed, remove the cheesecake from the water bath and place on a cooling rack to cool completely. Once the cake is completely cooled, chill for at least 5 hours (overnight is better).

The next morning…

1. In the bowl of your mixer combine cream cheese, peanut butter and milk until smooth.
2. Slowly beat in powdered sugar then fold in the Cool Whip.
3. Spoon over the cheesecake then chill at least 3 hours. Garnish with peanut butter cups.

Other Details:

• Original Recipe
• There's no way I'm looking up calories on this!

Dessert: New York Style Cheesecake

First, I apologize that it has been a month since I have posted anything. Work and home life got very busy and I have not been cooking nor baking much and even posting an old recipe and photo here quick was more than I could do. But I'm back. And here's a great coming back post:


I first made Cook's Illustrated New York-Style Cheesecake for a Christmas dessert. This is a great one to make. While not easy, the tips are very helpful so that it comes out just right. I forgot to take a picture when I served it with sauce and whipped cream.

Ingredients:
Graham Cracker Crust
1cup graham cracker crumbs (4 ounces, 8 whole crackers, broken into rough pieces and processed in food processor until uniformly fine)
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted, plus additional 1 tablespoon melted butter for greasing pan

Cheesecake Filling
2 1/2pounds cream cheese , cut into rough 1-inch chunks and left to stand at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes
1/8 teaspoon table salt
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (10 1/2 ounces)
1/3 cup sour cream (2 1/2 ounces)
2 teaspoons lemon juice from 1 lemon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large egg yolks
6 large eggs

Directions:

1. For the crust
: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Combine graham cracker crumbs and sugar in medium bowl; add 5 tablespoons melted butter and toss with fork until evenly moistened. Brush bottom and sides of 9-inch springform pan with most of remaining melted butter, making sure to leave enough to brush pan in step 3. Empty crumbs into springform pan and press evenly into pan bottom. Bake until fragrant and beginning to brown around edges, about 13 minutes. Cool on wire rack while making filling.

1. For the cheesecake filling
: Increase oven temperature to 500 degrees. In standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat cream cheese at medium-low speed to break up and soften slightly, about 1 minute. Scrape beater and bottom and sides of bowl well with rubber spatula; add salt and about half of sugar and beat at medium-low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape bowl; beat in remaining sugar until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape bowl; add sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla, and beat at low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape bowl; add yolks and beat at medium-low speed until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. Scrape bowl; add whole eggs two at a time, beating until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute, and scraping bowl between additions.

1. Brush sides of springform pan with remaining melted butter. Set springform pan on rimmed baking sheet (to catch any spills if springform pan leaks). Pour filling into cooled crust and bake 10 minutes; without opening oven door, reduce oven temperature to 200 degrees and continue to bake until instant-read thermometer inserted into center of cheesecake registers about 150 degrees, about 11/2 hours. Transfer cake to wire rack and cool 5 minutes; run paring knife between cake and side of springform pan. Cool until barely warm, 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, at least 3 hours. (Cake can be refrigerated up to 4 days.)

1. To unmold cheesecake, remove sides of pan. Slide thin metal spatula between crust and pan bottom to loosen, then slide cake onto serving plate. Let cheesecake stand at room temperature about 30 minutes, then cut into wedges and serve.

Other details:

• Makes one 9-inch cheesecake, serving 12 to 16. 

• For the crust, chocolate wafers (Nabisco Famous) can be substituted for graham crackers; you will need about 14 wafers. The flavor and texture of the cheesecake is best if the cake is allowed to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving. When cutting the cake, have a pitcher of hot tap water nearby; dipping the blade of the knife into the water and wiping it clean with a kitchen towel after each cut helps make neat slices.

Dessert: Chocolate Covered Cheesecake Bites

I keeping with this week's theme of the items made at Christmas, tonight's dessert is Chocolate Covered Cheesecake Bites. I first saw these last summer, but winter is when I make cheesecake and cheesecake-related desserts, so I held off on them until today. This recipe I found at Handle the Heat was apparently adapted from a Taste of Home recipe. I used the cheesecake recipe for making Tiny Cheesecakes because the sour cream for the original recipe went missing in my fridge. (I found it later.) The recipe is how I made it, tweaked from the original recipe in the chocolate coating as well as in the cheesecake recipe. I received many compliments on these.

Ingredients:

For the crust
1 cup graham cracker crumbs (from 1 sleeve or 9 crackers)
1 stick butter, melted and cooled

For the filling (This is the tiny cheesecake filling recipe)

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For chocolate coating

15 ounces semi-sweet chocolate (about two heaping cups of chocolate chips)

4 tablespoons canola oil

Directions: 

To make crust

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line an 8x8 square baking dish with foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a small bowl combine graham cracker crumbs and butter. Press mixture evenly into prepared pan. Bake 8-10 minutes, or until light golden and fragrant. 

To make filling

1. Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth, 2-3 minutes. Add in eggs and vanilla and beat until just combined. Pour mixture over crust and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until cheesecake is slightly puffed and center is set. Cool completely on a wire rack. Refrigerate until chilled, at least two hours. Freeze 8 hours or overnight.

To coat

1. Once frozen, lift cheesecake out of pan and gently peel away foil. Using a sharp knife, cut cheesecake into bite-size squares. If squares become too soft, freeze until chilled again.
2. Place the chocolate and coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 1-2 minutes, stirring every 20 seconds, until melted and smooth. Place parchment paper or a silicone baking mat on a baking sheet. Dip cheesecake squares, one at a time, in melted chocolate mixture. Let excess drip off and place on prepared sheet. Repeat for all the squares then refrigerate or freeze until chocolate is set. Store squares in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.

Other Details:

• Makes about 36 squares. 
• Original Recipe
• I found they keep better in the freezer, but taste better stored in the fridge. I'm doing a test right now to see how long they keep in either location. I'll let you know results. 

Dessert: Tiny Cheesecakes

My mother has made these tiny cheesecakes for years and it was a recipe I learned to make in high school to bring to holiday parties. When I asked a cousin for a recipe that was a derivative from this one, it had my mother's name on it. These are quick and easy and are always a favorite at holiday parties.

Not quite right Tiny Cheesecakes

This is what I'm talking about - creamy cheesecakes, perfectly done! (These are are out of the oven, not yet chilled.)

Cherry Pie Filling is a great topping for these.

Ingredients:
1 lb cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
24 vanilla wafers
cupcake liners, preferably foil

Directions:

1. Combine cream cheese, vanilla, eggs, and sugar and beat until mixture is smooth. 
2. Place vanilla wafers inside foil cupcake liners and fill with mixture about half-full. 
3. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 min. 
4. Let chill at least 30 minutes. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve and top with cherry, blueberry, or pineapple pie filling or whipped topping. 

Other Details:

• Serves 24 
• Can be frozen 
• 125 Calories per cake (no topping)
• Brands do seem to matter. I've never had troubles with Philadelphia Cream Cheese, but have had less good cakes with off-brands and natural food mart available brands. The Trader Joe's vanilla wafers are fabulous, but Nilla wafers are fine (they just don't cover the entire foot of the cake.)
• My first photo was taken of slightly burnt, bad cream cheese brand cheesecakes topped with whipped topping. They were edible, but not something I would serve. The second photo is the creamy cheesecake photo, as they should be.
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Dessert: Pumpkin Spice Caramel Chocolate Cheesecake Pie

For a couple years, I've been trying to make a recipe similar to this one. The recipe I was making calls for a specific candy that I could not find except the one year I got it. I can find it online, but it looks like it's the same candy as has been there for a couple years and it is really expensive. However, I saw Ghirardelli makes Pumpkin Spice Caramel Squares and decided these might make a good substitute. These are available in stores in early November 2011. Hopefully Ghirardelli continues to make them so I can make this in future years. I make several cheesecakes. This one was rated as one of my best. Here's a couple of slices:

Ingredients:

2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
9-10 squares Pumpkin Spice Caramel Chocolate by Ghirardelli, + extra for decoration
1 tablespoon milk
1 graham cracker crumb crust (9” pie)
whipped topping


Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350ºF. Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Set aside 1/4 cup batter; spread remaining batter in crust.
   
   
   
2. Remove wrappers from chocolates. Place 9-10 chocolate squares in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at MEDIUM (50%) 1 minute; stir. If necessary, microwave at MEDIUM an additional 10 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, until chocolates are melted and smooth when stirred. Gradually blend reserved cheesecake batter into melted chocolate. One teaspoon at a time, gradually blend milk into chocolate mixture. Pour chocolate mixture over the the vanilla batter already in the pie shell. You can try being decorative, but it ends up spreading over the entire thing. Gently swirl with a knife for marbled effect.
   
   
   
3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until center is almost set. Remove from oven to wire rack; cool completely. Cover; refrigerate until chilled. Garnish with whipped cream and extra squares if so desired. 
   

Other Details:

• Makes 6 to 8 servings. 
• Nutrition is per slice for 8 slices.
• I found my Pumpkin Spice Caramel Squares in a Ghirardelli Limited Edition Holiday Chocolate Assortment with Eggnog and Peppermint Bark Squares (on clearance). I also saw a Ghirardelli collection of their different type of caramel squares that included the Pumpkin Spice in another store.
• The recipe calls for a packaged graham cracker crumb crust. I had Keebler Graham Cracker Crumbs on hand, and so made my pie crust according to package directions. You can use whatever graham cracker crumb crust you prefer.
• Original Recipe (Not quite original, it was modified by the site given.)
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