Applesauce Cheesecake

Applesauce Cheesecake

Crust
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
    (about 20 squares)
1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup margarine, melted
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In medium bowl, combine all crust ingredients; mix well. Press onto bottom of ungreased 10-inch springform pan.

Filling
24 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons flour
3 eggs
1 cup applesauce
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar at medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add flour; blend well. At low speed, add eggs, one at a time, beating just until blended. Add remaining ingredients. Beat until well blended. Pour into crust-lined pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 50 to 60 minutes or until center is set. Cool.

Refrigerate several hours or overnight. Just before serving, carefully remove sides of pan. Store in refrigerator.

Yields 16 servings.

Amaretto-Irish Cream Cheesecake

Amaretto-Irish Cream Cheesecake

Crust
1 1/2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs
1/2 cup blanched whole almonds, toasted and finely chopped
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 tablespoon amaretto

Filling
24 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
4 eggs
1/3 cup whipping cream
1/3 cup blanched whole almonds, toasted and ground
1/4 cup Irish Cream liqueur
1/4 cup amaretto

Topping
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup sliced almonds

Combine first 4 ingredients; firmly press mixture evenly on bottom of a lightly greased 10-inch springform pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Beat softened cream cheese at high speed of an electric mixer until light and fluffy; gradually add 1 cup sugar, beating well. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in whipping cream and next 3 ingredients. Pour into pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 50 minutes; turn oven off, and leave in oven for 30 minutes.

Combine sour cream, the 1 tablespoon sugar and vanilla extract; stir, and spoon over cake. Sprinkle the 1/4 cup almonds around edge. Bake at 500 degrees F for 5 minutes. Cool; chill.

Almond And Raspberry Cheesecake

Almond and Raspberry Cheesecake


Crust
1 cup vanilla wafers
3/4 cup ground almonds
1/4 cup butter, melted

Filling
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 egg yolk
1 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 1/4 cups fresh raspberries
1/3 cup sliced almonds
Fresh raspberries for garnish
Crust: In a food processor process wafers until fine crumbs. Mix wafer crumbs, almonds and butter together. Press mixture in bottom of greased 9-inch springform pan. Chill for 1 hour.

Filling: Beat cream cheese, ricotta cheese and sugar together. Add next 5 ingredients. Mix well. Pour mixture over crust. Sprinkle top of filling evenly with raspberries and almonds. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 1 hour until center is almost set. Turn oven off. Run knife around edge of pan. Cool in oven with door ajar for 2 hours. Chill for 6 hours or overnight.

Garnish with fresh raspberries!