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Delectable Valentine's Cheesecakes

Mmmm – who doesn’t love a smooth, delicious cheesecake? With Valentine’s Day approaching, now would be the ideal time to make this delectable dessert for your sweetie. Check out these tips for baking the perfect cheesecake, then try these recipes and indulge!

Ingredients

• Use regular cream cheese instead of the low-fat and non-fat varieties, which contain fillers that may keep the cheesecake from setting properly.
• Never use whipped cream cheese in lieu of the block cream cheese.
• Cheesecake recipes that contain flour or cornstarch will have a more cake-like texture, while those without these ingredients will be more smooth and dense.
  

Mixing

• Cream cheese should be at room temperature before mixing. Otherwise, you may overbeat, resulting in a cheesecake with grainy texture, a sunken middle, and air bubbles on top.
• If you get lumps in the batter, give it a few pulses in a blender to achieve the smooth texture required for a prize-winning cheesecake.
  

Baking

• Cheesecakes must be baked slowly and evenly without browning the top. To do this, bake it in a water bath. Place the pan into another baking pan (with sides) filled with hot water. (If you’re using a springform pan with a removable bottom, wrap aluminum foil around the bottom and sides of the pan to keep water out.) The water will remain a constant 212 degrees (if it gets hotter, it simply evaporates) regardless of how hot the oven temperature is. Check water level halfway through baking and refill if necessary. The water bath will ensure the edges of the cheesecake cook at the same rate as the center. This will prevent cracking and sinking.
• A thermometer may be used to test the cheesecake for doneness. The cake will be done when the temperature reads 160 to 165 degrees.
• Cheesecakes are actually done baking when the center is still wobbly. Even though it appears undone, it will continue to cook from the residual heat. The center will finish firming up once it cools and is chilled in the refrigerator.
• Once the cheesecake is done baking, turn off the heat and allow the cake to cool inside the oven for at least an hour. This will help prevent the center of the cake from sinking.
  

Serving

• Allow the cheesecake to chill in the refrigerator for several hours to completely set before serving.
• For clean, perfect slices, dip the knife in hot water, make one cut, wipe the knife clean, and repeat.
• When cutting, pull the knife out from the side of the cheesecake instead of the top for a smoother cut.
• Cheese wire and dental floss also work well to cut cheesecake.
• Imperfections may be smoothed out with a hot, wet knife or may be hidden with toppings.
  

Sweetheart Cheesecake
1 1/4 cups chocolate cookie crumbs
2 (8-ounces) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar (divided)
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 can (21-ounce) cherry pie filling
1 teaspoon vanilla (divided)
2 eggs

Mix cookie crumbs and butter until well blended. Press mixture into bottom of pan. Bake 8 to 9 minutes at 350 degrees. Allow to cool. Beat cream cheese, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and 1/2 cup sugar in bowl with mixer until well blended. Beat in eggs. Pour into cooled crust and bake approximately 40 minutes until center is almost set. Mix sour cream, remaining 1 teaspoon sugar, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon vanilla in bowl. Spread evenly over top of cheesecake. Sprinkle teaspoons of sauce from cherry pie filling onto sour cream topping. Pull tip of knife through cherry sauce to make hearts. Cover and let freeze for 3 hours. Serve remaining cherry pie filling over cheesecake slices.

Chocolate Caramel Nut Cheesecake
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 tablespoon white sugar
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese
3 eggs
3/4 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 (2.16-ounce) chocolate-coated caramel peanut nougat candy bars, chopped

Combine melted butter, graham cracker crumbs, and 1 tablespoon sugar in small bowl. Press into bottom of 9-inch springform pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Allow to cool. In large bowl, cream 3/4 cup sugar and cream cheese together until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, and vanilla. Stir in chopped candy bars, and pour into baked crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Let cool, and carefully remove from pan. Makes 12 servings.

Luscious Lemon Cheesecake
18 gingersnaps
1/4 pound (1 stick) butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
4 (8-ounce) bars cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon coconut extract
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 teaspoons grated lemon rind
4 eggs
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
Lemon rind curls (optional)
Mint sprig (optional)

Use rolling pin or food processor to crush gingersnaps into crumbs. Mix cookie crumbs, melted butter, sugar, and almond extract in small bowl. Spread mixture into bottom and sides of 9-inch springform pan. Chill in refrigerator until hardened. Using electric mixer, blend cream cheese on low speed in mixing bowl. Slowly add sugar, and continue to beat until creamy. Add cornstarch, lemon juice, coconut extracts, and grated lemon rind and mix until blended. Add eggs, one at a time, and continue to mix on low speed until well blended. Add heavy whipped cream and mix. Pour mixture into crust and smooth batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until center jiggles. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack. Place in refrigerator and allow to set before removing sides. Garnish with lemon rind curls and mint sprig. Makes 12 servings.

White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake
1 cup chocolate cookie crumbs
3 tablespoons white sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 (10-ounce) package frozen raspberries
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 cup water
2 cups white chocolate chips
1/2 cup half-and-half cream
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix together cookie crumbs, 3 tablespoons sugar, and melted butter in medium bowl. Press mixture into bottom of 9-inch springform pan. In saucepan, combine raspberries, 2 tablespoons sugar, cornstarch, and water. Bring to boil, and continue boiling 5 minutes, or until sauce is thick. Strain sauce through mesh strainer to remove seeds. In double boiler, melt white chocolate chips with half-and-half, stirring occasionally until smooth. In large bowl, mix cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time. Blend in vanilla and melted white chocolate. Pour half of batter over crust. Spoon 3 tablespoons raspberry sauce over batter. Pour remaining cheesecake batter into pan, and again spoon 3 tablespoons raspberry sauce over top. Swirl batter with tip of knife to create marbled effect. Bake at 325 degrees for 55 to 60 minutes, or until filling is set. Cool. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 8 hours before removing from pan. Serve with remaining raspberry sauce. Makes 16 servings.