CRUST

1 pint sour cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

For crust, mix all ingredients and press evenly over bottom and sides of 9-inch cake pan. For filling, beat cottage cheese thoroughly, gradually adding sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Add vanilla. Pour into crust and bake at 350 degrees 25 minutes, or until set. Make topping while cake is baking. Whip the sour cream enough to make fluffy. Stir in sugar and vanilla and spread over top of baked cheese cake. Increase oven temperature to 500 degrees, and return cake to oven for 5 minutes.

Cheesecake (without glaze) can be chilled up to 3 days. Crust:
3 1/2 ounces wheatmeal crackers (sometimes called digestive biscuits), crumbled (1cup)
2 tablespoons sugar
Pinch salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling:
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin (from a 1/4-ounce envelope)
1/4 cup whole milk
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 large eggs
3/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup dulce de leche (12 1/2 ounces)

Glaze:
3 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), coarsely chopped
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 teaspoons light corn syrup

To make the crust: Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with 2 sheets of foil (crisscrossed), leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides.
Finely grind crackers with sugar and a pinch of salt in a food processor. With motor running, add butter, blending until combined. Press mixture evenly onto bottom of baking pan. Bake 10 minutes, then cool in pan on a rack 5 minutes.To make the filling: Sprinkle gelatin over milk in a small bowl and let stand 2 minutes to soften.

Beat together cream cheese, eggs, salt, and gelatin mixture in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until well combined, about 2 minutes, then stir in the dulce de leche gently but thoroughly. Pour filling over crust, smoothing top, then bake in a hot water bath in oven until center is just set, about 45 minutes. Cool cheesecake completely in pan on rack, about 2 hours. Chill, covered, at least 6 hours.

Glaze cake within 2 hours of serving. Heat all glaze ingredients in a double boiler or a small metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring until smooth, then pour over cheesecake, tilting baking pan to coat top evenly. Chill, uncovered, 30 minutes.

Lift cheesecake from pan using foil overhang and cut into 1-inch squares with a thin knife, wiping off knife after each cut.

1 3/4 cups flaked coconut
1 tablespoon butter, softened
2 cups ricotta cheese
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/4 teaspoon coconut extract or vanilla
1 cup sugar
2 tablesoons all purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 8-ounce carton dairy sour cream
1 tablespoon sugar

Toast 1 cup of the coconut in a 350 oven for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reserve 1/4 cup of the toasted coconut for topping.

Grease bottom and sides of an 8-inch springform pan with softened butter. Press remaining toasted coconut on the bottom of pan. Press untoasted coconut up sides of pan.

For filling, beat the ricotta cheese, cream cheese and coconut extract till fluffy. Combine the 1 cup sugar, flour and salt. Stir into cream cheese mixture. Add eggs, all at once, beating at low speed just till combined. DO NOT OVERBEAT. Stir in milk. Turn into crust-lined pan. Bake in a 375 oven about 45 minutes or till center appears set.

Meanwhile, combine the sour cream and the 1 tablespoon sugar. Spread atop baked cheesecake. Cool. Chill. Garnish with the reserved toasted coconut. Makes 12 servings.

4 eggs, separated
1 (14-ounce) can EAGLE BRAND Sweetened Condensed Milk (NOT evaporated milk)
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
12 slices zwieback toast, crushed (about 1 cup)

Preheat oven to 350. In medium mixer bowl, beat egg yolks. Add EAGLE BRAND, lemon juice and cornstarch; mix well. In small mixer bowl, beat egg white until stiff but not dry; fold in Eagle Brand mixture.
Sprinkle half the zwieback crumbs into greased 9-inch square baking pan. Pour filling evenly over crumbs. Top with remaining crumbs. Bake 30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool to room temperature. Chill thoroughly. Cut into squares to serve. Refrigerate leftovers.

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup margarine or butter, melted
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 (16 ounce) can pumpkin
3 eggs

CARAMELIZED SUGAR
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons water

Recipe Directions
Mix graham cracker crumbs, pecans, 1/3 cup brown sugar and the margarine. Press evenly on bottom and side of ungreased springform pan, 9 × 3 inches. Refrigerate 20 minutes.

Heat oven to 300º. Beat cream cheese, sour cream, 1 cup brown sugar and the spices in large bowl on medium speed until smooth. Add pumpkin. Beat in eggs on low speed. Pour over crumb mixture.

Bake about 1 hour 15 minutes or until center is firm. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours but no longer than 48 hours.

Prepare Caramelized Sugar; drizzle with fork over top of chilled cheesecake. Loosen cheesecake from side of pan; remove side of pan. Place cheesecake on plate. Refrigerate any remaining cheesecake immediately.

CARAMELIZED SUGAR:
Combine sugar and water in small saucepan. Boil mixture over medium heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Boil syrup, without stirring, until golden brown. Remove from heat and gently swirl until syrup stops cooking. Let caramel cool about 1 minute or until thick enough to drizzle from fork.

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
8 tablespoons melted butter
For cheesecake:
2 pounds cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
Pinch salt
5 large eggs
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
4 sweet potatoes, baked, peeled, and passed through a food mill
Candied Pecans:
1 cup sugar
1 cup toasted pecans
Butter, for greasing the pan

Recipe Directions
To make the crust: Mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter in a bowl. Using a tablespoon, press this mixture into a 10-inch springform pan, and chill for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake crust for 10 minutes and allow to cool. Butter or spray a pan with vegetable spray.
To make the cheesecake batter: Raise oven temperature to 450 degrees F.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, place cream cheese. Use paddle attachment and beat until smooth. Continue to mix and add sugar and salt. Add the eggs 1 at a time, then add sour cream, flour, and spices. Lower speed and add sweet potato puree. Pour the batter into crust lined pan. Place a baking pan of hot water under cheesecake pan. Bake for 15 minutes at 450 degrees F, then lower temperature to 250 degrees F and bake an additional 1 1/2 hours or until cake center is firm.
For candied pecans: Melt the sugar and cook until temperature reaches 310 degrees F. Stir in nuts until completely coated. Pour onto buttered baking pan. Try to keep the nuts in individual pieces or pulse in food processor for praline effect.
Let the cake cool completely in pan on rack for 30 minutes, then wrap in plastic, still in pan, and refrigerate until completely chilled. Loosen pan sides and remove cheesecake. Carefully slice cake with knife dipped in hot water, then wiped. Garnish with candied pecans.

8 ounces purchased biscotti
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 (12-ounce) container fresh whole milk ricotta, drained
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup orange blossom or clover honey
1 tablespoon orange zest
4 large eggs

Recipe Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Wrap the outside of a 9-inch springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides with 2 layers of heavy-duty foil. Finely grind the biscotti in a food processor. Add the melted butter and process until the crumbs are moistened. Press the crumb mixture over the bottom (not the sides) of the prepared pan. Bake until the crust is golden, about 15 minutes. Cool the crust completely on a cooling rack.

Blend the ricotta in a clean food processor until smooth. Add the cream cheese and sugar and blend well, stopping the machine occasionally and scraping down the sides of the work bowl. Blend in the honey and orange zest. Add the eggs and pulse just until blended.

Pour the cheese mixture over the crust in the pan. Place the springform pan in a large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Bake until the cheesecake is golden and the center of the cake moves slightly when the pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour and 5 minutes (the cake will become firm when it is cold).

Transfer the cake to a rack and cool 1 hour. Refrigerate until the cheesecake is cold, at least 8 hours and up to 2 days. Cut the cake into wedges and serve.

1 1/2 cups vanilla wafer cookie crumbs (about 40 wafers)
2 teaspoons instant espresso coffee (dry)
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup whipping (heavy) cream
1/4 cup rum
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 tablespoons shortening

Recipe Directions
Heat oven to 350º. Grease square pan, 9 × 9 × 2 inches. Mix cookie crumbs, 1 teaspoon coffee and the butter thoroughly with fork. Press evenly in bottom of pan. Refrigerate while preparing cream cheese mixture.

Beat cream cheese in small bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and fluffy. Beat in sugar, eggs, whipping cream, rum and vanilla. Spread cream cheese mixture over crust. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or just until center is set.

Melt chocolate chips, shortening and remaining 1 teaspoon coffee in 1-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Pour over hot cheesecake, and spread evenly. Cool 30 minutes at room temperature. Cover loosely and refrigerate about 1 hour or until firm. Cut into 6 rows by 3 rows.

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup chopped pecans
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 (16-ounce) container cream-style cottage cheese
2 1/2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
2 cups mashed cooked sweet potatoes
1 (16-ounce) container sour cream
1/3 cup orange marmalade
Garnishes: orange rind strips, fresh mint

Recipe Directions
Combine first 5 ingredients, stirring until blended; press into bottom and 1 inch up sides of a 10-inch springform pan. Bake at 350° for 6 minutes; cool.

Beat cottage cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add cream cheese and next 4 ingredients; beat at medium speed until mixture is smooth. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Fold in mashed sweet potato, and pour into prepared crust.

Bake at 300° for 1 1/2 hours. Combine sour cream and marmalade, stirring until blended; spread over cheesecake. Bake 10 more minutes; cool on a wire rack. Cover and chill 8 hours. Garnish, if desired.

Yield: 12 servings

1 1/2 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cups sugar, plus 1 tablespoon, divided
4 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened and divided
4 large eggs
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whole buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
2 (1-ounce) bottles red food coloring
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar
Garnish: chopped toasted pecans

Recipe Directions
Stir together graham cracker crumbs, butter and 1 tablespoon sugar; press mixture into bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.

Beat cream cheese and 1 1/2 cups sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes. Add eggs and next 6 ingredients; beat until fully combined. Pour batter into prepared crust.

Bake at 325° for 10 minutes; reduce heat to 300° and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until center is firm. Turn off oven. Leave cheesecake in oven 30 minutes. Remove cheesecake from oven; run knife along outer edge of cheesecake and cool in pan on a wire rack 30 minutes. Cover and chill 8 hours.

Beat remaining 8-ounce package cream cheese and butter until smooth; gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla, beating until smooth. Spread evenly over top of cheesecake.