This recipe is delicious, bright and lemony. It goes together quickly, and after it freezes, I cut it into squares and wrap each one in plastic, so that we can grab a piece “whenever” (no need to thaw out a whole cheesecake). The squares keep very well in the freezer, and have the consistency of ice cream. We love this recipe!!!

3 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup melted butter

3 ounce box lemon Jello
1 cup boiling water
8 ounce cream cheese (room temperature)
1 cup sugar
5 tablespoons FRESH lemon juice
1 1/2 cups whipping cream

Line a 9” x 9” pan with parchment or wax paper, leaving the edges long enough so that you can grab and lift the whole frozen cheese cake out of the pan.

Mix the graham cracker crumbs + 1/3 cup sugar + 1/3 cup melted butter, then  press into the bottom of the prepared pan (reserving 1/2 cup for later in the recipe).

Mix the lemon jello powder and boiling water until completely dissolved. Chill until only slightly thickened.

Whip 1+1/2 cups whipping cream and chill until it’s time to use.

Beat the room temperature cream cheese + 1 cup sugar + 5 tablespoons FRESH lemon juice until very well mixed, then beat in the slightly thickened jello. When it’s all well mixed and smooth, gently fold in the whipped cream with a spatula. 

Pour over the crumb crust, spreading out evenly. Sprinkle the reserved 1/2 cup of graham cracker crumbs over the top.

Chill for an  hour or so, then freeze completely.

Cut FROZEN cheesecake into serving size pieces and wrap them in plastic wrap. Store wrapped pieces in a big zip lock bag or freezer container.  NO need to thaw these before eating.

ENJOY !!!

0

April 07, 2021

We just love mini desserts, don't you? No extra plates and forks (we use napkins), no "commitment" to a big slice of something; instead two or three different mini-desserts is more to our liking.

This recipe is a combination of two of our favorite holiday treats. It has a bottom layer of moist, spicy pumpkin CAKE and a top layer of rich and creamy CHEESECAKE; what could be better for your holiday buffet table?

 

CAKE LAYER

 

1/2  cup Libby pumpkin puree (NOT the pre-spiced kind)

3/4  cup all purpose flour

1 1/2  teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 large egg

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

Mix the flour, spice, salt and baking soda and set aside.  In another bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, egg, sugar, oil and vanilla until smooth, then add the dry ingredients from the first bowl. Whisk just until well mixed and set aside.

 

CHEESECAKE LAYER

 

(2) 8 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)

2   large egg

4 teaspoons all purpose flour

2 cups powdered sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

 



Beat the cream cheese with electric mixer until smooth, then add the egg, flour, sugar and vanilla and beat until smooth, but don't over beat.

ASSEMBLY

Super simple: place cupcake papers in cupcake pan and very lightly mist them with cooking spray.

Put a small amount of cake batter into each paper and make sure it covers the bottom. Top with cheesecake filling(dividing evenly between the 24 desserts).

Bake in pre-heated 350° oven for 25 minutes or until set (my electric oven takes exactly 25 minutes).

Cool to room temperature then chill for at least a couple hours.

NOTE:  These little gems can be made two or three days ahead of time which is a huge help during the holidays. As a matter of fact, they taste even more moist after a couple days in the fridge.  Just make sure that you store them chilled in an airtight container.

NOTE: This cake batter raises nicely, so don't put too much in the bottom of each one...sort of spread it around but not too terribly thick or you will get all cake and less cheesecake.

0

December 02, 2020

Easy to make and delicious to eat, COLD AND CREAMY cheesecake bites.

CRUST
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup melted UNSALTED butter

Mix well and press into a PARCHMENT LINED* 8" X 8" baking pan then set aside.

16 ounce regular fat cream cheese (room temperature)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons corn starch
1/4 teaspoon salt (delete salt if you use salted butter)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat the room temperature cream cheese until light and fluffy (takes 1 or 2 minutes). Add the sugar, cornstarch, salt, eggs and vanilla. Beat on low until well mixed but don't over-beat. Spread evenly over crust.

Bake in preheated 325° oven for 30 minutes (*see note at bottom).

Let baked bites sit at room temperature for 45 minutes, then freeze them for 2 hours  before you cut them. At the end of 2 hours, lift out of baking pan and cut into 2" squares.

Melt 1 cup of your favorite flavor chocolate chips in microwave (20 second bursts, stirring in between bursts). Mix well and dip tops of the frozen "bites" into the warmed chocolate.

Put back into the freezer just long enough to "set" the chocolate. Store in refrigerator.  Makes 16.

ENJOY !!!

* Lining your pan with parchment paper is important. It not only keeps everything from sticking, but it allows you to lift out the baked cheesecake without any trouble.

* This cheesecake cooked up very nicely. As far as baking time, the original recipe said 20-30 minutes in a glass pan. I found that it needed another 10 minutes in a metal pan. Just keep an eye on it. If the surface of the cheesecake is still super shiny, then it's not quite done yet. It loses that super shine when it done cooking. Hard to explain, you you'll see it.

0

July 03, 2017

As empty nesters, we are easily overloaded by a full size cheesecake, so I have been experimenting. I finally got it down to six cupcake size cheesecakes which suits us perfectly.

These little guys ALWAYS turn out perfect.....no cracks, no sink hole in the center and they are smooth, rich and addicting!!

Place six foil (or paper) cupcake liners in a cupcake pan. Preheat your oven to 325°.

CRUST
1/3  cup graham cracker crumbs
2    teaspoons sugar
2    teaspoons melted butter

Mix together and split evenly between the six cupcake liners, and press the crumbs into a flat layer.

FILLING
8 ounces of full fat cream cheese (room temperature)
6 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 teaspoons flour
2 large egg whites

Beat the room temperature cream cheese with electric mixer for three minutes. Add the sugar and beat for another two minutes.

Add the vanilla, flour and egg whites and mix until well incorporated, but don't over mix.

Pour the batter over the crumb crust, filling almost to the top (I use an ice cream scoop).

Bake at 325° for 25 minutes (the cheesecake should be just "set" and barely jiggle when you tap lightly on the side of the cupcake pan.

Remove from the oven and let sit at room temperature about 20 minutes, then put in the fridge and chill for at least a couple of hours.

Before serving, I like to add a swirl of raspberry jam on the surface of the COLD cheesecake (any jam will work, see note below).

ENJOY !!!

Note:  I like to use the foil cupcake liners because they release the cheesecake so easily, but paper ones work great as well.

Note: Any jam or spreadable fruit works well in this recipe. To make the jam super spreadable, I just put a couple of heaping tablespoons into a small bowl and stir it vigorously until it is smooth and soft.

Note: I never seem to remember to bring the cream cheese up to room temperature, so I just put it in the microwave for 10-15 seconds (to take the chill off) and it works fine.

0

August 02, 2016

If you are looking for a quick and easy (but super tasty) dessert recipe, this is it: Mini peanut butter cheesecakes, using ingredients you probably already have in the pantry. 

The easy-peezy crust is simply 2 Ritz crackers (per cheesecake) sandwiched together with a thin skim of peanut butter. The filling mixes up in seconds and two hours after they are baked, they are ready to devour!!

16 ounces regular cream cheese (room temperature)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter (creamy style)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs

Beat the room temperature cream cheese until it is smooth
and creamy (30 seconds or so).

Add the sugar, peanut butter, sour cream and vanilla and beat until well incorporated. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until everything is well mixed but don't overbeat.

Line a cupcake pan with paper liners, then sandwich two Ritz crackers together with a little peanut butter (spreading to the edges) and put it in the bottom of each paper liner.

Spoon the filling onto the cracker crust (filling about 3/4 full).
Top with a sprinkle of crushed Ritz crackers.

Bake in preheated 275° oven (recipe said 22 minutes but my electric oven took 27 minutes).

Cool to room temperature, then chill for 2 hours. Makes 20-24 depending on how full you make the paper liners.

 

0

March 24, 2016