Best 9 Makeover Traditional Cheesecake Recipes

CLASSIC CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.
• For the crust: Melt the butter, covered in the microwave, in a medium microwave-safe bowl, or a saucepan. Brush a 9-inch springform pan with some of the butter. Stir the remaining butter together with the crumbs, sugar, and salt. Press the crumb mixture over the bottom of the pan, taking care to get the crust evenly into the edges. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool. Wrap the bottom and up the sides of the pan with foil and put in a roasting pan.
• For the filling: Beat the cream cheese on medium speed with a hand-held mixer until smooth. Add the granulated sugar and beat just until light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl and beaters as needed. Slowly beat in the sour cream, then eggs, vanilla and both citrus zests; take care not to over whip. Pour into the cooled crust.
• Bring a medium saucepan or kettle of water to a boil. Gently place the roasting pan in the oven (don't pull the rack out of the oven). Pour in enough hot water to come about halfway up the side of the springform pan. Bake the cheesecake for about 1 hour and 10 minutes---the outside of the cake will set but the center will still be loose.
• For the topping: Stir together the sour cream, confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Spread over the top of the cooked cheesecake and return to the oven for 5 minutes. Turn the oven off, cook the cheesecake in the residual heat in the oven for about 1 hour. This gentle finish minimizes the risk of the dreaded crack in your cheesecake.
• Remove cheesecake from the roasting pan to a rack. Run a knife around the edges and cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.
• Bring cheesecake to room temperature 30 minutes before serving. Remove the springform ring. Dip a knife in warm water, wipe dry before slicing each piece. Serve with berries, if desired.

MAKEOVER TRADITIONAL CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Place a 9-in. springform pan coated with cooking spray on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan., In a small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and confectioners' sugar; stir in butter. Press onto the bottom and 1 in. up the sides of prepared pan. Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 325° for 18-22 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack., Place the lemon juice, vanilla, cottage cheese and 1 cup sour cream in a blender; cover and process for 2 minutes or until smooth. , In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in the remaining sour cream. Add flour and pureed cottage cheese mixture; mix well. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Pour into crust., Place springform pan in a larger baking pan; add 3/4 in. hot water to larger pan. Bake at 325° for 1-1/2 hours or until center is just set and top appears dull. Remove springform pan from water bath. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes., Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. Remove sides of pan. Garnish with caramel topping and chopped candy.

CLASSIC CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Make crust: Butter a 9-by-3-inch springform pan. In a food processor, pulse graham crackers until fine crumbs form; add melted butter, sugar, and salt, and pulse to combine. Press crumb mixture into bottom and about 1 inch up side of pan. Bake until set, 12 to 15 minutes; let cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven to 325 degrees.
• Set a kettle of water to boil. Make filling: Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese on medium until fluffy, scraping down side of bowl. Gradually add sugar, beating until fluffy. Beat in lemon zest and juice, and salt. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down side of bowl after each addition. Beat in sour cream.
• Wrap bottom half of pan in foil. Pour in filling; place in a roasting pan. Pour in boiling water to come halfway up side of springform. Bake until just set in center, about 1 3/4 hours. Remove pan from water; let cool 20 minutes. Run a paring knife around edge; let cool completely. Cover; chill overnight before serving.

CLASSIC NEW YORK-STYLE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Assemble a 9-by-3-inch springform pan with its bottom inverted, so the raised lip faces down. Butter pan.
• In a food processor, finely grind graham crackers. Add melted butter, brown sugar, lemon zest, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; pulse until mixture resembles wet sand. Press evenly into bottom and halfway up sides of prepared pan. Bake until golden and set, 12 to 15 minutes; let cool completely.
• Reduce oven temperature to 325°. Beat cream cheese on medium speed until smooth. Gradually add granulated sugar and beat until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in lemon juice and remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in sour cream and vanilla until smooth.
• Place pan in the center of a double layer of foil. Lift edges of foil up, wrapping tightly around sides of pan and folding foil under itself as needed until flush with top of pan (this will prevent moisture from seeping in). Pour filling into pan (it should come almost to top of rim); smooth top with a small offset spatula.
• Place filled pan inside a roast- ing pan and transfer to center rack of oven. Carefully pour enough boiling water into roast- ing pan to come halfway up sides of springform pan (this is safer than pouring it in and then transferring to the oven). Bake until cake is puffed and golden brown on top and slightly wobbly in center, 1 3/4 to 2 hours (it will continue to cook as it cools).
• Carefully remove spring-form pan from roasting pan; transfer to a wire rack and let cool 20 minutes. Remove foil and run a small paring knife around sides of pan to loosen cheesecake. Let cool completely. Drape pan loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, at least 8 hours and up to 3 days. Unmold cake and serve.

THE ULTIMATE MAKEOVER: NEW YORK CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Line a 20cm loose-bottomed or springform tin with baking parchment and stand it on a baking sheet. Melt the butter and stir in the biscuit crumbs. Press the mix into the base of the tin, then bake for 10 mins. Remove from the oven and raise the temperature to 240C/fan 220C/gas 9.
• For the filling, beat the soft cheese just until smooth with an electric hand mixer on low speed. Gradually add the sugar, also on a low speed, then the cornflour without overbeating. Scrape the sides of the bowl. Slowly whisk in the lemon zest and juice, the vanilla, then the eggs. Scrape the sides of the bowl, then finally whiskin the fromage frais. The mixture should be smooth and quite runny.
• Pour the filling over the crumb base. Jiggle the tin to level the mix and squash surface bubbles with the back of a teaspoon. Bake for 10 mins, then lower the heat to 110C/fan 90C/gas ¼. Bake another 25 mins and, if you are using an electric oven, leave the oven door slightly ajar for the first 3 mins. After the 25 mins, shake the tin and there should be a wobble in the centre of the filling. If left until firmer it is more likely to crack later. Turn off the oven, keep the door closed and leave the cake in for 2 hrs. Open the door, loosen the top edges of the cake with a round bladed knife, then leave in the oven to cool gently for another 1-1½ hrs.
• Meanwhile, put the sugar for the topping in a small pan with 3 tbsp water. Bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar, then let it bubble for 1-2 mins to make a thin syrup. Tip in the blueberries, gently stir and cook for about 1 min, just to slightly burst the fruit and release the purple juices. Stir in the lime zest, then leave to cool.
• Spread the fromage frais over the top of the cooled cheesecake. Cover with foil and chill for at least 4 hrs (or overnight). Remove from the fridge 1 hr before serving, loosen the sides of the cheesecake completely, remove from the tin, then slide onto a plate, peeling off the paper as you do. Slice with a sharp knife and serve each wedge topped with a spoonful of syrupy blueberries.

CHEESECAKE HEALTHY MAKEOVER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In 9-inch springform pan, stir crumbs with spread until moistened. With hand, firmly press mixture onto bottom of pan. Bake crust 15 minutes or until deep golden. Cool 5 minutes on wire rack.
• Meanwhile, in large bowl, with mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese until smooth. Combine sugar and cornstarch. Slowly beat sugar mixture into cream cheese. On low speed, beat in sour cream and vanilla. Add eggs and egg whites, 1 at a time, until blended.
• Pour batter over crust in pan. Bake cheesecake 1 hour. Edge will be set, but center will still jiggle. Turn oven off; let cheesecake remain in oven 1 hour. Transfer to wire rack. Run thin knife around edge of cheesecake to prevent cracking during cooling. Cool in pan, about 2 hours. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Remove side of pan to serve.

IMPRESSIVE TRADITIONAL CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs and sugar; stir in butter. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of a greased 9-in. springform pan. Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 325° for 18-22 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack., In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, lemon juice and vanilla until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Pour into crust. Place pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan., Place in a larger baking pan; add 1 in. of hot water to larger pan. Bake at 325° for 1-1/2 hours or until center is just set and top appears dull. Remove pan from water bath. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes., Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. Remove sides of pan. Garnish with caramel topping and candy bar pieces.

MAKEOVER TRADITONAL CHEESECAKE RECIPE

Steps:

• Place a 9-in. springform pan coated with cooking spray on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan. In a small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and confectioners' sugar; stir in butter. Press onto the bottom and 1 in. up the sides of prepared pan. Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 325° for 18-22 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack. Place the lemon juice, vanilla, cottage cheese and 1 cup sour cream in a blender; cover and process for 2 minutes or until smooth. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in the remaining sour cream. Add flour and pureed cottage cheese mixture; mix well. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Pour into crust. Place springform pan in a larger baking pan; add 3/4 in. of hot water to larger pan. Bake at 325° for 1-1/2 hours or until center is just set and top appears dull. Remove springform pan from water bath. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. Remove sides of pan. Garnish with caramel topping and chopped candy.

MAKEOVER CHEESECAKE BARS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the flour, walnuts and brown sugar blend; cut in butter until crumbly. Set aside 2/3 cup for topping; press remaining crumb mixture into an 8-in. square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 9-11 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, beat the cream cheeses, sugar and flour until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg substitute, milk, lemon juice and vanilla just until blended. Pour over crust; sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture.
• Bake for 12-15 minutes or until filling is set. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Cut into bars. Refrigerate leftovers.