Piece of Cake!

Hello all!

Sometimes I’m lucky and a recipe idea works out the first time I try it.
Calories!!! Who cares? Who doesn't love sampling great cheesecakes that were produced from favorite recipes? It's obvious that it is a favorite dessert for many people...just take a look at restaurant menus.
I love cheesecakes and I've been wanting to make one.
It's got sour cream, cream cheese, and heavy cream, so it's very rich and very creamy.
Let me start off by saying that I am not the best cook in the world. In fact, because of my lack of skill in that area, it is one of my least favorite things to do. An exception to that is making desserts and in particular cheesecakes. Every time I make one for family or friends to enjoy, they always seem incredulous and can't seem to believe that I actually made it.
Everyone who has tried it (friends, family, co-workers) says it's the best cheesecake they ever had!


Believe it or not, they are really not that hard to make and you end up with a dessert that is sure to delight and amaze your friends when they see what you have created.

I love cheesecakes.

And best of all, I want to share my cheesecake recipe with you all.
So, here we go...


Getting Ready
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare springform: Cover removable bottom with foil. Click sides into place and fold excess foil up the sides. Prepare waterbath: Place kitchen towel on bottom of a roasting pan or cake pan. Place one 9 inch springform in the pan to determine the water level. The water needs to be two thirds the height of the springform. Bring determined water amount to boil while the making the cheesecake.

Crust
1 1/2 cup crushed graham cracker
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
7 tablespoon unsalted butter(melted)
1. Combine graham cracker crumbs with sugar.
2. Add melted butter and blend until combined.
3. Press into pan. Set aside.

Lemon Cheesecake
(4) 8oz cream cheese, softened
1 14 oz. sweetened condensed milk
4 eggs
¼ cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

Directions
1. Beat cream cheese until light and fluffy.
2. Gradually add sweetened condensed milk and mix until smooth.
3. Add egg in one at a time, making sure to completely incorporate each egg before adding the next.
4. Add in lemon juice, vanilla and lemon zest, mix until combined.
5. Pour into prepared springform pan.
6. Bake at 325 degrees F or 50-55 minutes or until sides are set and center is just a bit jiggly when pan is tapped. The center will firm up as it cools from the permeating heat.
5. After five minutes of cooling run you’re a knife around the edge of the pan to release the cheesecake from the sides of the pan. This will further prevent any cracks that may occur.

Balsamic Blackberry Reduction Sauce
1 ½ cups fresh or frozen blackberries
1 cup water
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon turbinado sugar
3 tablespoon honey
Pinch of salt
1. In a heavy-bottom saucepan over high heat, combine blackberries and water. Macerate the berries with a potato masher or a roux whisk. Bring to a boil. Push mixture through a fine mesh sieve. Disgard solids.
2. Pour liquid back into saucepan and add balsamic, sugar and pinch of salt. Bring to a hard boil for 5minutes. Reduce heat to a soft boil and add honey. Continue on a soft boil, while stirring continuously until the sauce is reduced by half or until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
3. Let cool before pouring over cheesecake.

They can be as simple or as complicated as you want but the results are always the same...delicious!

Yes, it is as good as it sounds.

 Njam njam,

Idda van Munster