Chocolate Toffee Cheesecake

One of my favorite desserts is cheesecake.  I admit, I've come a long way when it comes to making dessert.  I remember the first time I ever made cheesecake.  I tried to make a cherry cheesecake for my first husband.  He tried to be sweet about it, but it was terrible!  I made him throw it away!

If he could have piece of this now, even he would be impressed!  Here are the ingredients:

Crust:

2 packages of chocolate graham crackers
4 tablespoons melted butter
1/4 cup sugar

Filling:

4 packages cream cheese
1 1/2 cups sugar
6 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup heavy cream
Pinch salt
1/2 cup cocoa
1 bag toffee bits 

1/4 cup flour
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted

 Topping:

1/2 jar caramel topping
1 cup toffee bits

In your food processor, crumble the chocolate graham crackers and sugar.  Slowly add the melted butter.  Press this mixture into a large cheesecake pan that has been well greased.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.  Let cool.

Clean out the food processor and add the cream cheese and sugar.  Turn on high speed and add eggs, one at a time.  Add vanilla, cream, salt, flour and cocoa.  Cream together.  Slowly add melted chocolate.  Cream together.

Remove to a bowl.  Stir in toffee bits. 

Pour into the crust.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.  Reduce heat to 300 and bake an additional 50 minutes or until the center is set.  Remove and cool.  Take a knife and run it around the edge.  This will help decrease the chances that the cheesecake will split.  Refrigerate overnight.

Before serving, sprinkle caramel and toffee bits over the top.

Enjoy!

Lemon Ricotta Cheesecake

The best cheesecake I ever had was from Tony's restaurant, here in St. Louis, MO.  It was a light, fluffy ricotta cheesecake, with a hint of lemon.  Cheesecake is my downfall..............ok, one of many!

Here are the ingredients:

Crust:

1/2 cup macadamia nuts
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, cold
1 1/4 cup flour
Pinch of salt
2-4 tablespoons of ice cold water

In your food processor, chop the nuts.  Add the flour, sugar and salt.  Cut the butter up into cubes and add.  Pulse until the mixture is crumb-like.  Add the water (make sure it is cold) 1 tablespoon at a time.  Add enough until a dough forms.

Press into the bottom of a cheesecake pan.  Cook for 8-10 minutes in a 350 degree oven until golden brown.

For the filling:

2 packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
15 oz. ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons lemon curd or lemon zest
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream

In your mixer, cream together cream cheese and sugar.  Add the ricotta cheese and eggs, one of a time.  Add lemon curd, vanilla and heavy cream.

Add the cheesecake filling to the cheesecake pan.

If your cheesecake pan is small enough to put inside another pan,  wrap the outside in foil so water can't get in.  Put the pan inside the larger one and fill it with water, creating a water bath.  This will help the cheesecake cook with steam so that cracks will not be created.

My cheesecake pan was too large to fit inside another pan.  Instead, I filled another bowl full of water and put it below the cheesecake pan in the oven.

Cook at 325 for 1 hour-1 hour and 20 minutes.  Take out of the oven when the middle of the cheesecake is set and the sides begin to brown.

Let the cheesecake cool completely.

Ingredients for the lemon curd:

4 eggs
1 1/2 cup sugar
2/3 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup flour
Pinch salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons lemon zest

Make sure you get fresh lemon juice!

Mix all ingredients together and cook until slightly boiling.  Whisk constantly.  Remove from heat and let it cool.

Cook the curd until slightly boiling.  Remove from heat and let cool.

Top the cheesecake with a layer of lemon curd and whipped cream.

Don't forget to save your extra lemon curd!  It freezes well!

Enjoy!  This recipe is listed on Chic and Crafty Party