CHEESECAKES.

Pumpkin Walnut Cheesecake

It was just around a year ago that I started to work at Baires, and it wasn't too long after that when I volunteered to start making desserts to sell at the restaurant every Friday. I don't remember the exact situation, but somehow while talking to Marcela and one of my co-workers, cheesecake came up, and I mentioned that I've been using my grandmother's cheesecake recipe for as long as I can remember, which eventually led to me being asked to make one. Things have snowballed ever since, and I have LOVED using that time tested recipe as a base for the many kinds of cheesecake I make these days.

Peanut Butter Cheesecake-drizzle it with Dark Chocolate for some extra YUM!

I don't know when it was that I tried my first cheesecake, but I know that it was at my Grandma Davis' house one Thanksgiving or Christmas Eve. Her cheesecake recipe isn't fancy or frilly, but its simplicity is what makes it SO good. It has a wonderful vanilla flavor and a creamy rich texture that is hard to come by in store bought cakes. At some point in my childhood, my dad copied down the recipe in his nearly illegible writing, and over time, I copied it down for myself. I remember how we would make one every Christmas for his boss, and I loved going with dad and David to deliver it. Any food that reminds me of my favorite holiday is a winner in my book!

This Turtle Cheesecake is DEFNITELY turtley enough for the Turtle Club!

A unique feature about my Grandmother's cheesecake is that she always baked hers in an angel food cake pan. I really didn't know how much this affected the lightness of the cheesecake until last fall. I had baked a Pumpkin Walnut cheesecake for work, and had used an angel food cake pan, like I always do. Marcela suggested for my next one that I try using a springform pan, because that would produce a nicer looking slice of cake and I agreed. A woman had tried my Pumpkin Walnut cake and ordered one for the following weekend. I baked hers in a springform pan instead of an angel food cake, and she was able to tell the difference. My guess is that the cylinder in the center of the angel food cake pan allowed for more air to circulate throughout the cake, thus resulting in a fluffier texture. Although it goes against the tradition I grew up with, I continue to use the springform pan and have gotten rave reviews from my regulars at Baires!

White Chocolate Raspberry Swirl with a Dark Chocolate crust

There is a lot of science and know how behind baking a good, crack-less cheesecake, which dianasdesserts.com spells out very nicely. I've baked so many cheesecakes in the past year that I don't really follow a recipe anymore, but for someone who doesn't have a lot of experience, research and practice will be your best keys in baking a successful and deeeeelish cake. Because of my 1930s SUPER hot gas oven, I've had to modify the way I bake my cakes. I now use the "water bath" method, and only turn the oven up to 290 degrees instead of the usual 350. Typically, my cheesecake is done in about 45-55 minutes, which isn't too far off of the normal baking time.

Salted Caramel Cheesecake...a favorite at Baires!

Another thing I do now is that after my cheesecake is done, I turn off the oven and let it rest with the oven door closed for an hour. Why? Because it actually continues baking in the pan! According to my dad, a cheesecake is done when it "jiggles like a baby's bottom" as you gently shake the pan. Funny, none of the websites I looked on said that, but they did say that the cake is done when 2-3'' of the center of the cake is still slightly jiggly. After it's done resting, I leave the foil on the bottom of the pan and transfer it to the fridge, where I immediately cover it with foil. That seals in some of that hot air and allows the cheesecake to cool at a slower pace, thus (hopefully) preventing cracking. Don't freak out if you see cracks around the edge of your cake as it cools. The whole thing will kinda sink and fall towards the middle, sealing some of the cracks. If not, drizzle a yummy topping over it and no one will ever know!

Double Dark Chocolate Cheesecake...Marcela's favorite!

I feel like cheesecakes have a reputation for being difficult, and it's true, sometimes they are a bit temperamental. But like almost any dessert, they lend themselves to SO much creativity and I have really enjoyed straying from the recipe I grew up using. I am reminded of my grandma every time I make a cheesecake, and I only wish that she could be here to see me use her recipe and grow deeper in my love of baking. I don't want to sound conceited, but I know she would be proud of me.

Healthy (and easily made Vegan) Peanut Butter Cheesecake

Happy cheesecake baking, friends!

-xoxo

Cheesecake bars-the perfect amount of cheesecake!

Amaretto Cheesecake

(For some reason I don't have a picture of it, but I've also made a Lemonberry Cheesecake, which is a delightful summer treat!)