Easiest Cheesecake
A basic cheesecake that comes together quickly, bakes fast, and can easily be dressed up to be quite impressive.
Pan
9 inch springform pan
Preheat:
350 °F
Prep time: 10 min
baking time: 20 min
Inroduction
About this Recipe
I had stopped making cheesecakes a long time ago but one Christmas I got a request for a cheesecake. Christmas dinner tends to be rather exhausting, if rewarding so the prospect of making a complicated desert wasn’t great so I asked my sister for the easiest cheesecake recipe she had. She sent me this and it is GREAT! I’d recently picked up an easy ganache recipe as well and in combination it makes a fantastic looking and tasting dessert.
Ingredients
-
8 oz package softened cream cheese
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup sugar (1/4 is okay)
- 1/8 teaspoon vanilla
Crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup icing sugar
1/4 cup + 1 Tbs. melted butter
1/8 teaspoon salt (optional)
Topping
Chocolate Ganache
- 1/3 cup butter
- 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/3 cup + 1 Tablespoon powdered sugar
- 3 Tablespoons cocoa powder
OR
Slice apples peaches or pears, sprinkle with sugar and spices (to taste) and lemon and arrange on top of cream cheese filling.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°F. and have a 8 or 9 inch springform pan ready.
Step 2
If adding a fruit topping, prepare you fruit first, slice as needed, adding sugar and spices to taste.
Step 3
Prepare the crust. Mix all crust ingredients together in a bowl and press down into the bottom of your springform pan.
Step 4
For the cheese filling, place cheese into a bowl, blend til smooth, add the rest of the ingredients and mix til smooth. Pour over the crust.
Step 4
Bake for 20 minutes, a little more if you’re using fruit and allow to cool completely before serving. It really does taste better that way. If you’re topping with ganache, add the ganache once fully cooled. Make it look more interesting with layering, This cheesecake bakes and sets very quickly so it’s a little on the thin side which is alright with the fruit but a little plain otherwise. You can give it a little height and pizzazz by adding the ganache, then cutting the cheesecake in half and layering the halves on top of one another, or if its for a larger group, make two cakes at once and layer. serve with fruit or edible flowers to create a delicious show stopper.
Step 5 (ganache – optional)
Place butter and chocolate chips in a microwave proof dish. Microwave at 50% power for 1-2 minutes until chocolate is melted. Sift in the remaining ingredients and stir. Let cool before using.
,
Easiest Cheesecake
-
8 oz package softened cream cheese
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup sugar (1/4 is okay)
- 1/8 teaspoon vanilla
Crust:
1 1/2 cups graham (or chocolate cookie) cracker crumbs
1/4 cup icing sugar
1/4 cup + 1 Tbs. melted butter
1/8 teaspoon salt (optional)
2 Tablespoons ground roasted almonds (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 °F. oil and line 8 inch round cake pan. In a large bowl sift together dry ingredients. Whisk together. Stir in egg, water buttermilk, oil and vanilla until smooth.
Pour into pan and bake, rotating once for 35 -45 minutes. Let cool on rack – 20 mintues – then invert and cool longer.
Ganache:
- 1/3 cup butter
- 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/3 cup + 1 Tablespoon powdered sugar
- 3 Tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon (you can leave this out if your not a cinnamon fan)
Place butter and chocolate chips in a microwave proof dish. Microwave at 50% power for 1-2 minutes until chocolate is melted. Sift in the remaining ingredients and stir. Let cool before using.
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