Individual Orange and Chocolate Cheesecakes

After watching Giada's video on Food Network, I just had to try these individual orange and chocolate cheesecake. My first try-out, I followed the exact recipe. They turned out great but I just think there was a little too much butter for the crust. Then this is my second time. They are still delicious even after I made some changes. I used ginger snap cookies instead of the chocolate wafers and put little chocolate chips cookies in the middle of the cheesecake. So it will still be called individual orange and chocolate cheesecake. hehe..  :)

In her video, she used the mini muffin tin. I used my silicone standard muffin pan. I wished I have my mini muffin tins here but they are still in Singapore. After the cheesecake is cooled, I had no problem when removing the cheesecake from the pan. I think maybe the secret to getting these out with a "pop" is using a silicone (mini) muffin pan. hehe.. 

These little cheesecake is super easy to make and I'm sure it will be a hit at any party. :))

Individual Orange and Chocolate Cheesecake, 

adapted from Giada De Laurentiis's recipe at Food Network

Ingredients:

6 rounds ginger snap cookies, finely crushed to about 1/3 cup

1 tbsp butter, melted

1/4 cup ricotta cheese

2 ounces cream cheese

1/4 cup sugar plus 1 tbsp sugar

1 orange, zested

1 egg

some chocolate chips

hot water

Preheat oven at 350 degrees F. Lightly spray the muffin tin with Baking Joy.

Combine the crushed cookies and melted butter. Place a tightly packed teaspoon of the mixture into each muffin cup. Press down firmly using the back of a shooter glass. Bake for 4 minutes. Remove and let it cool.

In a food processor, combine the ricotta cheese, cream cheese, sugar, half of the orange zest, and the egg. Blend until smooth. Fill some chocolate chips in the middle of the crust. Then fill the cups with cheesecake mixture. Place the muffin tin in a baking dish and pour enough hot water in the baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes. 

Transfer the muffin tin to a wire rack and let cool for 30 minutes. Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes use a small knife to gently pop the cheesecakes out of the cups. Combine the rest of the orange zest and 1 tbsp of sugar and use the mixture for the topping. 

Notes:

• Water-bath is a must when baking. This will ensure that the cheesecake bake all the way and don't turn out mushy.

Gina's Pumpkin Cheesecake - Thanksgiving Dessert

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!! For the next few days, I am posting about some of Thanksgiving dishes. To begin my first post, it will be on Dessert. I baked my first pumpkin cheesecake. At first, I was a little skeptical with the amount of cream cheese used for this recipe. I thought it would be heavy but not at all. The gingersnap cookies really goes well with pumpkin and the cinnamon whipped cream topping, that, is really a great touch!! Great recipe!

Thanks Gina for this fabulous recipe.  :)

Gina's Pumpkin Cheesecake, Food Network

Ingredients:

Crust:

30-35 squares gingersnap cookies

6 tbsp (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Add the gingersnaps to the bowl of a food processor, and pulse until crumbly. Transfer to a large bowl and add the melted butter. Stir until evenly mixed. Press the mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch spring-form pan with 3-inch sides. Bake the crust until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely while preparing the filling.

Fillings:

4 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature

1 3/4 cups sugar

1 (15-ounce) can puree pumpkin (not pumpkin mix)

5 large eggs

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 ground cloves

1/2 tsp table salt

1 tbsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp all-purpose flour

Put a teakettle filled with water on the stove top, over medium heat, and bring to a boil.

In a large mixing bowl, add the cream cheese and sugar and beat with an electric mixer at a low speed until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the pumpkin and beat until incorporated. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then add cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, salt and vanilla, and beat until blended. Add flour and beat until incorporated.

Wrap the sides and bottom of the 9-inch spring-form pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Pour filling into the pan and put it in a small roasting pan. Pour the hot water from the teakettle into the roasting pan, filling halfway up the sides of the spring-form pan, about 1 1/2 inches. Bake at preheated oven at 350 degrees F until the center of the cheesecake moves slightly when the pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Remove the cake from the water bath and let it cool on a wire rack. Once cooled, use a paring knife to loosen the sides of the cake from the pan. Chill the cheesecake for at least 4 hours before serving. Serve with Cinnamon Whipped Cream.

Cinnamon Whipped Cream

Ingredients:

1 cup heavy cream, chilled

1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp ground cinnamon

Pour the heavy cream into a large bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer until thick and frothy. Add the confectioners' sugar, vanilla and cinnamon, and beat until medium peaks form.

 Still cooling in the pan

after being chilled in the refrigerator overnight.

Spread cinnamon whipped topping.

(i also topped with grated semi-sweet chocolate)

Notes:

Avoid over-beating the batter. Over-beating incorporated additional air and tends to cause cracking on the surface of the cheesecake.

New York Cheesecake

This New York Cheesecake recipe is from Kitchen Queen in Allrecipes. I was very happy how my New York Cheesecake turned out. It was fast and easy to make. I wanted to baked in the water bath  but some how I only remember after I put it in the oven.. hahah... ohh well.. it still does turned out very good!!! There was no crack on top and turned out very smooth. Both of us really like it. Yum-Yum :)

Here are some changes I made to the recipe: Instead of using graham crackers crumbs, I used cornflakes crumbs/sugar/butter as the base. I was out of sour cream, so I used blueberry pie filling & topping and whipped cream instead.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups graham crackers crumbs

1/4 cup white sugar

1/3 cup butter, melted

3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature

4 eggs, room temperature

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 cup white sugar

1 tsp cream of tartar

Top layer

1 pint sour cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup white sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C)

Mix together the cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter in a bowl until evenly moistened. Press into the bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan.

In a large bowl, mix together the cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer until smooth. Blend in the eggs, 1 tbsp of vanilla, and cream of tartar. Pour over the pie crust.

Bake in preheated oven until the center is set, about 50 minutes, Allow to cool on the counter for 5 mins.

Mix together the sour cream, 1 tsp vanilla, and 1/2 cup sugar in a bowl until smooth; carefully pour over cheesecake starting from the sides of the pan and working your way to the center.

Return to oven for another 5 minutes. Allow to cool in pan to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours before serving.

Notes:

• Professional pastry chefs bake cheesecakes in a water bath. This method bakes the cake very gently so that it does not darken, curdle, or crack. A springform pan is the best choice for baking cheesecakes because you can remove the cake from the pan easily.
• To prevent water from seeping into the removable bottom of the springform pan, wrap aluminum foil completely around the bottom and halfway up the sides of the pan. Place the cheesecake into a jellyroll pan (or any baking pan with sides) and place the pans into the oven. Use a teakettle to fill the outer pan with hot water. Cheesecakes usually bake for about 1½ hours, so check the bath after the first hour and refill if necessary.
• Because cheesecake is very soft, it can be difficult to judge when it is done cooking. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake in it for an additional hour to ensure that it sets completely.
• For a seamless look, you can smooth the sides of the cheesecake with a hot, wet knife.

Mocha Cheesecake

This lovely recipe is from my friend in VA. She said she and mocha have something in common... LMAO!!!!

My hubby drinks a lot of coffee and this cheesecake is good for him. When he came home for lunch today, I just had to let him try the cheesecake before he goes back to work. So... after he takes the first bite, he gave me, thumbs up and said "bake this cheesecake from now on..."  I was so happy that he likes it.

But initially... After I took out the cheesecake from the oven, I thought I had baked it too long, that's why there were some cracks. It also rose high, then I left it to cool down and later, when I checked on it again, it already shrunk.. lol.. I thought my cheesecake won't be any good.. It was funny too because, I didn't take the first bite, I let hubby do the honor. Lol!!(dont tell him, he is my "guinea pig" to try all my cookings.. just kidding hun... but I guess he already know... hehe). Then I took my first bite and I really think the mocha cheesecake is so yum yum delicious!!  It tasted like the store cheesecake or perhaps even better than the store cheesecake.. Lol!!! Although the top is not pretty as the ones at the stores, the taste, was superb. We really enjoy a good cheesecake!

Many thanks Zee.♥♥♥  I'll bake one for you when you come visit..;)

Mocha Cheesecake

Crust

2 cups chocolate wafer crumbs (about 32 wafers) (I used vanilla wafers and add 2 tsp of cocoa)

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter, melted

Filling

3 packages (8ounces each) cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

3 tablespoons all purpose flour

4 eggs

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

1 tbsp instant coffee granules

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup (6 ounces) miniature semisweet chocolate chips, divided

In a bowl, combine crumbs and sugar; stir in butter. Press onto the bottom and 2 in. up the sides of a greased 9-in. springform pan; set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add flour and beat well. Add eggs, beating on low speed just until combined.

In a small bowl, combine cream and coffee; let stand for 1 min.

Then add to the cream cheese mixture with vanilla; beat just until mixed. Stir in 3/4 cup choc chips. Pour into crust. Sprinkle with the remaining choc chips.

Bake at 325 F on the middle rack for 50 mins or until center is almost set.

Cool on wire rack for 1 hr. Refrigerate overnight. Removes sides of pan let stand at room temperature for 30mins before slicing.

Notes:

1. If you want to bake this cheesecake, I would advise to bake it one day earlier since you need to bake and keep it in the refrigerator for few hours (at least) or overnight before you finally slice the cheesecake.

DB April Challenge: Abbey's Infamous Cheesecake ( No bake cheesecake).

The April 2009 challenge is hosted by Jenny from Jenny Bakes. She has chosen Abbey's Infamous Cheesecake as the challenge.

As I am very busy preparing for my wedding next month, lately it has been really crazy days for me.. Since I did not participated in the last month's challenge, I had to bake this month. From the photo, I admitted that it is not oven-baked cheesecake. I hope I get no penalty because I did not actually followed the recipe that Jenny chosen. I have made a no-bake cheesecake instead. But after the wedding is over and everything else is running smoothly, I will definitely be back in the kitchen and also bake Abbey's Infamous Cheesecake. :)

Check out for the rest or DB blogs and Abbey's Infamous Cheesecake recipe in here!