Need a fork? Or maybe a shovel. This is one ginormous piece of cheesecake. And oh boy, was it good. The cheesecake, that is. Personally, I can do without a bunch of fru fru when it comes to cheesecake. But, I wanted to dress a slice up and make it all pretty for you. This one is topped with raspberry, whipped cream, and white chocolate. It’s also the first real grown-up cheesecake I think I’ve ever made. Yay me! (Anyone else, hear London Tipton in their head when they read that? If you didn’t, don’t worry, that means the Disney Channel hasn’t infiltrated your brain.)
The only other kind of cheesecake I’ve made are these itsy-bitsy mini ones. Take a look. You’ll love how easy they are.
Anyway, when it comes to cheesecake, this is how I like mine.
Plain. Jane. No whipped cream. No whole fruit. Ever. Just dense and delicious. But, on occasion, I don’t mind a little raspberry sauce to touch it. I actually don’t mind fruit flavors at all. I just won’t eat the actual fruit. For instance, on these itsy bitsy mini ones. The cherries had to go. Cherry sauce… fine. Cherries… trash can. I know. I’m weird like that.
But, not totally weird. I do like other cheesecake flavors, like Oreo, chocolate, of course, and just about every other combination from the Cheesecake Factory – as long as it’s served without whipped cream or whole fruit. But, I usually gravitate towards the classic… and then I hope someone else orders a different flavor so I can try it.
And now that I’ve had success, I may just have to do some more experimenting on my own. This was really so easy, I don’t know why I’ve been hesitant to try making one for so long.
Start with the crust. Graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter mixed together.
Then press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a springform pan
.
Cream cheese, eggs, sugar, sour cream, vanilla, flour, and lemon juice. Dump it in.
And in a little over an hour, voila…
… cheesecake!
Now, it wasn’t perfect. It did have a crack going through the middle. From what I understand, this can be a common annoyance. You can see a hint of it to the right in this photo. But, that’s ok. You can cover stuff up like that with a sauce, or chocolate, or caramel and nuts, or (gags) whipped cream. Or just go ahead and slice the cheesecake, avoiding any defect.
For the raspberry sauce, I just used some jelly and heated it up until it was thin enough to spread on in a thin layer. Easy!
Here’s the entire recipe if you want to give it a go.
Cheesecake
Ingredients
Crust
Filling
Optional
Instructions
Now, before I let you go, I’m curious. How do you roll?
Plain Jane or Fancy Shmancy?
Or somewhere in between?
The fancier, the better!!
mmmmm, for me the cheesecake needs to be plain jane, but with a layer of CHOCOLATE across the top! Oh, and I’m watching the Suite Life of Zach and Cody right now! LOL!
I’m a fancy schmancy girl. I LOVE cheesecake and have made it many times. I donated a chocolate cheesecake covered in white chocolate shavings to our church for an auction and it raised over $100! New York style is the only way to go though. None of that no-bake stuff. :P
Raspberry sauce on the plate – sometimes a dallop of whipped cream (which in my opinion can’t hurt ANYTHING, EVER)
I love cheesecakes! I make one for every family get together and at every holiday. I bet I’ve made 100 of them at least. If the cheesecake is some kind of chocolate/fudge/peanut butter, I don’t normally put a topping on it unless there is a crack that I have to cover up, but if I make a plain new york type cheesecake, I usually put some type of fruit topping on it. What I’ve discovered helps the cheesecakes not to crack is to take the cheesecake right out of the oven when its finished cooking and run a knife around the pan, then put the cheesecake back in the oven with the door closed for a while. Maybe about 20 minutes later, I crack the oven door open a little bit. The trick is to cool the cake as slow as possible. Also if you do get a crack and don’t want to cover it with a topping, you can also heat a knife with hot water and try to smooth out the crack.
Fancy-schmancy! I use the Junior’s cheesecake recipe, with the spongecake on the bottom. Sometimes, I make half of the batter chocolate and do a swirl cheesecake that I serve with raspberry sauce. I’ve also made a margarita cheesecake that uses crushed pretzels for the crust, and key lime in the cheesecake. YUM!
Alton Brown from Good Eats had an excellent cheesecake tutorial that included a water bath to avoid cracks – I highly recommend looking at it. :)
Hm I don't get why you Americans bake the cheesecake. I prefer the non-baked version (usually a mix w/cream cheese & whipped cream) in the refrigator :) I think it's the most common cheesecake-version in Norway anyways :)
oh plain jane. unadulterated.
Plain, Plain, Plain. Always. Heavy and dense, NY style. I’m even worse than you…don’t give me oreos, or fruit jam, or anything from the Cheesecake factory (too much whipped air for me).
Mmm now I want cheesecake.
Yummmm. Plain, rich decadent cheesecake. Don’t gum it up with whipped cream, candy pieces, cookie crumbs etc. OK, maybe a couple of fresh raspberries for tartness.
I love the fancy schmancy! I am all about things being drizzled and adorned over my cheesecake! Yum!
I’m somewhere in between… I like Plain Jane plus a little chocolate drizzled on top. I’m with you on the whole fruits, though… get rid of them! I can’t stand whipped cream, either (because of this, my mom theorizes that I’m not her child).
Cheesecake is in my top-two of all-time-favorite desserts (baklava being the other). I prefer it Plain Jane, but really when it comes down to it, I’ll take it however I can get it!
plain jane for me, it is sooo good I don’t want any others flavors to mess it up!
I looooove cheesecake!!!…. I like it plain but i love it when it has chocolate, or caramel, or strawberries… yummm!!….
I think… fancy schmancy is the one for me……
I generally like it Plain Jane! But somedays I really need a more sofisticated one…
nice but lemon zested cheesecake with blue berry in the middle is my sig dish…
I’m a Plain Jane cheesecake girl myself, I don’t even care too much for the chocolate versions. But your fancy schmancy version is MARVELOUS! So pretty!
And I made your Graduation Cup Caps this weekend to rave reviews, check out my site for the pictures. Thanks so much for the idea!!
depending upon flavor of the actual cheesecake I can go either way. I really like PB sauce or white chocolate over mine.
I like mine cherry cheesecake. You know pie filling topping. lol. Or I like flavored cheesecakes, just no plain janes for me (boring).
I like mine plain! Now, I don’t mind whipped cream or fruit toppings… I’ll eat is seperately and then eat the cheesecake. Complicated, I know!
I too hear London Tipton in my had more frequently than I would like to admit. t’s a very sad state of affairs in my house.
I like my cheesecake fancy with a preference toward cherry and raspberry.
Did you remember to clap your hands together when you said “yay me”?
Oh my gosh. I haven’t had breakfast and just drooled through this whole post. I don’t even care which way it is … I totally want some cheesecake now!
fancy shmancy = and always with some kind of chocolate
I love it just plain jane! I am exactly like you though, I dont want whipped cream or whole fruit. My hubby likes cherry, and I HAVE to throw out the whole cherries…sauce, is good though :)
Fancy schmancy cheesecake for me. But I guess I’m wierd like that too Bakerella…no fruit just the sauce. Now I can tell my hubby it’s not just me LOL
I love cheesecake. All cheesecake. The only thing I dont like on it is cherries or blueberries, other than that, bring it on!
i have a favorite cheesecake recipe, and it is perfect the way it is! if you added anything on top, it would completely ruin the entire cheesecake.
Sometime you should try making Junior’s New York Cheesecake (http://food.ivillage.com/recipefinder/display/0,,c9zt3j7p,00.html). It has a sponge cake base so it is truly cheese “cake” and tastes wonderful “plain Jane” style.
Oh man, I do love cheesecake! It’s one of my favorite desserts. How absolutely delicious. Man oh man, I could go for a slice right now. Amazing! And plain jane is fine with me. Such a rich and delicious dessert doesn’t need much jazzing up!
I’m in between. I HATE whipped cream on it, but I do love the cherry pie filling as a topper!
I’ll do either plane jane or fancy schmancy, as long as it’s cold! I think warm cheesecake is NASTY! I love blueberry, raspberry, chocolate, just no cherries!
Gorgeous presentation Bakerella. I’ve been a fan of yours for some time now and have learned quite a bit in creative food presentations. Kudos to you my friend. The cheesecake looks delicious.
Absolutely Plain Jane!
I like it fancy schmancy. I love cheesecake in all forms though…really, I’m not going to turn down a slice if it’s plain!:0)
I love cheesecake anyway it comes. I can deal with plain, dressy, homemade, boughten, even the Jello brand instant kind of thing. It’s such a treat, though, I usually save it for the big holidays. You know, like Arbor Day, Groundhog Day, the 5th of September.
Hmm… that’s a hard choice! I loooove cheesecake plain, but sometimes it’s nice to have the fancy toppings.
Now I am craving it! Maybe I should try this recipe~
As long as it’s cheesecake, I don’t care what’s on it! :P I love cheesecake, no matter what size, shape, color, or topping!
Love it Plain Jane. I also hate fruit on my desserts too. I love fruit by itself but if I’m going to eat a lovely dessert, I want it to be the star!
plain jane so I can enjoy all it has to offer.and otherwise its way to rich.
i baked 7 layers of white chocolate cheese cake for my wedding cake, all tiered up with dowels and flowers in between…unfortunatly you add 110′ spring day and a garden wedding and well…you can imagine what happened-it turned into the leaning tower of piza in no time flat-the top 3 tiers falling splat before the catering staff could catch the remaining tiers. but man that was tasty cheesecake! i hadnt thought of that in forever-seeing your beautiful creation makes me want to try it again! thanks! i love youe blog! L8YCHEF
I’m an inbetween gal. I like the sauce but, like you, find that the berries and such just get in the way. I like to “feel” the texture of the cheesecake when I eat it and the fruit and whipped cream just get in the way of that. Plus, they fill you up quicker and that means less helpings. Shhhhh! Don’t tell anyone! lol
I’m totally making this today. Hoping that since I’m starting early in the morning that I can cheat and serve it tonight at our BBQ. =0) Thanks for sharing!
oh it s jujst delicious.
I’ll take cheese cake ANY WAY I can get it…fancy schmancy, plain jane, it doesn’t matter to me, I LOVE it ALL! yummmmmy schmummy! (can you see the droolin’ I doin’?!?)
I don’t like it fancy shmancy OR plain jane – just put a little bit of syruped strawberries on plain cheesecake and I am happy as a lark!
(Real whipped cream is OK too.)
Gah, craving cheesecake at 8AM is not good! (But ohhh, so good.)
Plain Jane but make it chocolate
What a yummilicious pix!!!
I'm in-between; plain but with lots of whipped cream. When i'm in the USA, I must have the strawberry cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory and I'll always ask for double serve of whipped cream :) Thankfully they're not heavy-handed with the strawberry sauce.
Bakerella, this is a fantastic blog with great recipes & BEAUTIFUL pictures! I learnt about you from Martha Stewart site. I'll be looking in very often.
I didn’t realize I liked cheesecake at all until about 2 years ago. I realized I don’t like the fake stuff, I like a real cheesecake!!! That being said, I’ll take it either way but preferably with a little raspberry sauce and a dollop of real whip cream, none of this cool whip stuff.
I’m so with you on tossing the cherries. I do the same thing. Personally, I hate raspberry sauce and think it ruins everything it touches. SOOOO many yummy chocolate desserts have been ruined by a drizzle of raspberry sauce.
Plain Jane here! No fru-fru stuff for me either!
You can avoid the crack down the middle if you open the oven door when the cheesecake is done cooking. Do not remove the cheesecake. Let it cool with the door open. The slow cool will keep the major cracks from happening. I think it’s the water in the cake changing temps too quick that causes them.
PS to answer your question I am an aberration, I don’t like cheesecake. Plain is my hubby’s fav though and I make it for him.
Fancy schmancy is pretty, but I’ll go for the plain jane please.
The plainer, the better! I could bathe in plain cheesecake lol.
That. Is. Beautiful. Indulging in naughty food should be visual as well as nummy. Therefore I would always choose the fancy schmancy.
Plain jane. Definitely.
I’m a big fan of Plain Jane but I would have to make an exception for your Fancy Shmancy version! YUM!
Fancy schmansy evry time for me
I love cheesecake! I've been to Cheesecake Factory only once, but I made that piece of cheesecake that I took home last for 3 days! I can now buy a frozen one at Sam's club. I like to dress it up a little with just a strawberry syrup & melted white chocolate. I might try your recipe for my daughter's 19th birthday coming up in June-won't she be surprised?!
I do the same thing!!! My mom always used to get mad at me and tell me to eat the fruit but I wouldn’t!!!!!
You can lower the temperature of the oven and cook it longer, or keep the oven temp where it is and cook it in a water bath. Both keep it from cracking.
I like berries and sauce on mine. I can’t do plain.
I like it plain. If I want fruit I will just eat fruit.
yes please! I’l take a bit of both
I made cheesecake with a raspberry-Grand Marnier sauce! Yummy! People love it, but can’t figure out what else is in the sauce besides the raspberry taste…and strawberries…mine had strawberries on top :)
I love cheesecake!! Any kind, any way! Makes me want to go buy the stuff and make one right now! You have that way with me though! :-)
Yum, Yum…I LOVE cheesecake. If I had to choose between the two..I’d go for the fancy. Ugg…wish I hadn’t promised myself I’d start that diet today.
http://www.usingtalentsforhim.etsy.com
It’s a toss up between plain jane or just a touch of cherries on top.
Oh yum. I’m all for in between. I love fruit or drizzled raspberry or strawberry. No chocolate and no whipped cream.
I learned recently that if you cook a cheesecake in a water bath (a la creme brulee) it won’t crack.
I tried it, it works!
plain is the WAY TO GO! Geesh this post made me hungry… off to have cereal, not the same, but less calories!
Plain Jane for sure! I want to enjoy all of that luscious cheesecake taste alone. If they offer strawberry topping, I get it on the side and sometimes just dip my fork in first then go for the cheesecake. That’s ok, just adds a bit of strawberry. But I prefer it all plain!
So, glad to hear that I’m not the only one who doesn’ mind the fruit sauce but can’t stand the mushy fruit. Fanch Schmancy looks pretty but give me Plain Jane. :)
~ingrid
YUMMY!! I love the fancy schmancy and the plain!
I think I’m drooling! Haha! I like mine fancy. I used to eat Cool Whip with a spoon, but I got in trouble for that! teehee So, as far as I’m concerned, the more whipped cream the better!
Can I have the fancy w/out the schmancy? I like some topping but not toooo much. Oh what am I saying! I’ll take cheesecake any which a way!
Fancy Schmancy with extra extra whipping cream- kinda makes you wnat to gag- huh?
I just moved to South Korea (Military) and of all the things that broke in the move, one of them was my spring form pan. But I am making cheesecakes in it this week anyway, hoping it will work. My husband prefers plain cheesecake with good coffee. While I also enjoy a plain cheesecake, I love to experiment. The one I get requested to make the most is my dark chocolate raspberry. I think my favorite so far has been my praline cheesecake.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Dough with whipped cream and that peanut butter ganache….The Fancier Schmancier the better!
Funny we have similar tastes in cheesecake! I love plain cheesecake with raspberry sauce – my ultimate favorite! I do like whipped cream though – but I HATE whole fruit. Give me just the sauce. My 2nd favorite is Key Lime Cheesecake from Cheesecake Factory.
Life is short! Why eat cheesecake plain?
I’ll take the fancy schmancy one!
Provided the word cheesecake is in the name I can be pretty adventurous!!!I guess Im the one that thinks that cream cheese makes everything better!!But plain jane with sour cream tops my list.Yours looks just DELICIOUS! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
I love making cheesecake – but I like a cookie crust, like they serve at Carnegie Deli in NYC. They have a recipe on their site that is amazing.
I like everything on it – fruit, fruit sauce, chocolate, chunks, whatever.
I am plain jane all the way. Very simplistic and straight to the point!!! lol the cheese point that is!!!
Plain with the sour cream topping straight out of the Joy of Cooking.
Plain Jane please…and bleck on the fruit pieces…bleck…double bleck
Pam@
http://www.pamgwillim.com
mycreativemind.pamgwillim.com
whenever i end up making cheesecake, it’s almost always chocolate-and-X fruit. the last one i made was white chocolate with raspberry preserves marbled through it, and DARNIT did that ever taste good.
i’ve also made them with Taco Bell cinnamon twists mixed in the filling. it gives it an interesting texture and a little punch of cinnamon. this is best served with baked cinnamon apples.
Plain jane… I’m not a fan of the toppings people generally put on dessert. I don’t like the stewed fruit stuff, I’m not a fan of whipped cream and I just want to be able to bite into my cheescake. Preferably chocolate chip. Gotta find a recipe since starbucks discontinued theirs!
I’m a purist – plain jane and a nice hot cup of tea.
Yum!
Fancy Schmancy for me! I love lots of chocolate or caramel sauce on mine, with real whipped cream. I was just saying yesterday, after looking at a perfect cheesecake my sister in law made, that I’ve never made a real, grown up cheesecake! I’m going to have to try your recipe so I can change that :)
As always, your photo is top notch and your cheesecake is gorgeous!
A plain Jane for me please! I love cheesecakes! AS you said, the crack on the top is quite common, it is due to excess beating when adding the eggs, it is a result of the bubbles on it… to avoid it you can beat less, or cook the cake in water bath (over top of boiling water). Anyways, who cares! it is delicious all the same!
Fancy for me! I am just drooling at the raspberries and whipped cream! I wonder where I can get cheesecake this early in the morning!
Fancy..with all the yummy toppings! Really, I like cheesecake anyway it comes!
Bakerella, my mom is a nationally recognized cheesecake creator, and it’s inherent in ALL cheesecakes – they crack. It’s not something to worry about at all. Even HER cheesecakes crack. It’s a part of making cheesecake. So don’t sweat it!
mmmmm…somewhere inbetween! I’m droolling!
Beautiful cheesecake! Fancy Shmancy for me.
Plain Jane Baby! I love a cheesecake you have to eat with a fork because it’s so dense. And a water bath will take care of that crack in case you want to let your cheese cake GO NAKED!
Fancy
I’m a fancy schmancy girl myself. My favorite cheesecake is tiramisu cheesecake. It’s so easy to make and when I make it, it gets eaten up right away!
Fancy Schmancy for me! And yours looks spectacular!
I love fruit with my cheesecake. . . except cherries.
I roll just plain, except if I am at the Cheesecake Factory then I am fancy schmancy..bananas, coconut, macadamia, caramel etc..but NO COMSTOCK fillings, ugh!! I love your recipes, and will be trying them this week!! Have a great Memorial Day!
Fancy Schmancy!! without whipped cream :)
I think I’m like you and didn’t know it! I’m ditching the whole berries from now on, but I do like the sauce.
But really, my favorite is a recipe I have for lime-almond cheescake. It’s plain jane (mostly) with lime in the cheese part and almond extract in a sour cream glaze (that can cover up any nuisance cracks). It’s amazing. I’ll send you the recipe if you’d like to try it. Oh yes, and it uses nilla wafers for the crust instead of graham crackers!
I would usually opt for plain jane with a dab of whatever topping on the side so that I can enjoy any delicious extras without ruining my whole piece of cheesecake.
Wonderful post, gorgeous photos.
Fancy ALL THE WAY!! That looks soooo yummy!
Fancy Schmancy all the way Baby…..
Luanne
I have made cheesecake only once and it was a total flop! you have inspired me to give it another shot and I’m excited!! Such beautiful pictures!!
Brooke
http://www.paigeandbrooke.blogspot.com
I eat mine pretty much plain jane. Sometimes adding a few cherries to the top. Mmmmmm!
We roll the same…I’m plain jane, too! Oh, and I love some thick crust. And, when my husband orders his Cold Stone Ice Cream…it’s cheese cake ice cream, grahm cracker crumbs, and only the strawberry sauce – no fruit!!!
plain jane – I prefer the crust side! oh yum…….. just looking at it makes my butt feel bigger! lol
Plain Jane! I’m like you – I don’t mind the fruit flavor, but chunks of fruit? No thank ya!
This looks delicious!!
Be still my beathing heart! I LOVE Cheesecake – especially when they look as creamy and luscious as this (and are so tall). I’m with you – I’m a plain jane when it comes to cheesecake. I wish I could reach right into my screen and grab a bite now!
I’d eat it plain if I were making it myself; but your fancy schmancy looks very drool-worthy. :)
I love plain made with mascarpone, with some chocolate shavings on top, milk dark and white.
You are not weird. I hate the fruit too. Sauce yes, chunks blechk. I LOVE cheesecake and the pictures of the plaie jane and the fancy schamnzie have likely sabotaged my plans to start my diet this week. Thanks.
how funny! i just posted about cheesecake too! i’m with you… plain cheesecake is the best way.
PLAIN JANE. Why ruin a good thing
I’ll eat cheesecake in MANY different ways, but I’m picky about fruits. My favorite is either blueberry cheesecake or plain old New York cheesecake! Yum! Now I’m hungry!
Definitely plain jane! That cheesecake looks great! The only times I’ve attempted cheesecake have been disastrous…water seeping in the springform pan from the water bath…eek! But it doesn’t look like you used a water bath…might have to try that!
You can make it plain jane or fancy shmancy and I will eat it. I adore cheesecake but I think I have only made it twice (only one of my five children like it).
And yes, I did think London Tipton. Five kids in this household~I know more about Dylan and Cole, Miley, Demme, etc than a grown woman should!
Ok…I’m totally with you on the fruit part but am ok with the whipped cream IF it’s fresh homemade only. SO….I prefer plain with maybe a touch of something fruitless….and never ever cherry anything.
***A hint to avoid cracks…bake your cheesecake in a hot water bath.
I am so with you on the fruit sauce, not whole fruit thing! Makes complete sense to me! Glad you made one…I have been THINKING about making one for some time now…I just haven’t taken the leap, thanks for the inspiration!
I’m exactly like you when it comes to eating my cheesecake. It’s so amazingly amazing on its own that it doesn’t need a whole lot of froo froo, ya know?
Yours looks DELISH :)
Plain Jane is always my pick! The only exception to this is when (I think it was Sara Lee brand) they sold the little chocolate covered cheesecake bite size squares! You know, snack size! They just didn’t last long! haha
I would have to go with Fancy Schmancy, that one looks AMAZING!
I adore cheesecake, particularly plain cheesecake with chocolate chips. And just a tip to help with cracks: bring the cream cheese and eggs to room temperature before you start baking, it makes it a little easier to come together without whipping the heck out of it.
Sounds wonderful ~ I need to make a cheesecake today! I like my fance schmancy, especially with raspberry sauce (no seeds, please!) and whipped cream. Mmmm!
I’m with you…Plain Jane and dense!
Plain Jane for me. An occasional sauce is alright, but none of the other fluff.
I really can’t decide, although I am leaning more towards plain. Cheesecake is rich enough, and sometimes all the extras just makes it too sweet. Your recipe sounds so easy…and I received a spring form pan as a wedding gift, so I know what’s coming soon…..
Emily :)
I love fresh fruit with my cheesecake, but don’t really like any sauces, especially that fake tasting “strawberry” stuff they always insist on ruining things with.
Plain Jane.
To avoid cracks, here are some tips:
Wrap the bottom of the sides in foil.
Bake it in a water bath (1/4 up the sides).
Leave it in the oven an hour (or more) after the hour of baking is over.
Let it cool even more on the counter before putting it in the fridge.
No fail! No cracks!
I love them all–bring it on!
To keep from cracking just put a pan of water in the oven and then it doesn’t matter if your springform pan is waterproof. I do it all the time. Also do not over-beat the eggs when you add them to the mixture.
Sheesh, I don’t even *like* cheesecake (or any cheese, really–don’t shoot me), but that first picture made me want to take a big ol’ bite. Yowza.
Try making pumpkin cheesecake with a Ginger snap/nutmeg spice crust (instead of regular graham crackers). My sister made one and it was DEE-licious!
If I’m doing the baking, I like pumpkin cheesecake best. Plain Jane though – no fanciness to it.
And, the London Tipton reference? Ugh. Honestly, my very least favorite show on the Disney Channel. Naturally, it’s on ALL the time and my kids like it! : )
Mmm, that looks delicious. I made my first cheesecake the other day. It was a mango one and for my 2 year anniversary with my boyfriend, and it was delicious! The base was a little crumbly, but still very tasty!
xx
gingerbee says … this is a work of art! I’m a fancy schmancy kinda gal … yumm can’t wait to try it.
Plain Jane. Your Fancy Schmancy looks adorable, but I like the idea of just the cheesecake flavor and nothing else
I’d got fancy only if that was CHOCOLATE!! YUMMY!
Fancy Schmancy for me!! I love cheesecake factory’s coconut cream cheesecake. I wish I could make it at home. Mmmmm….. Your cheesecake looks awesome! I have a great recipe for white chocolate raspberry cheesecake and it is yummy………..
i love cheesecake.. yes, it’s got to be that hardcore dense plain jane for me too. there was a time more than a month ago when i baked too much cheesecake and everyone at home just wouldn’t look that way..hahahah but i wanted to try and fine tune the recipe..love it.
thanks for sharing your!
I think i prefer fancy shmancey :D
I nearly died when i saw that picture of the cheesecake, it looks delicious!
And apparently my brain has been infiltrated by the disney channel, hehe
Absolutely fabuluos :D Raspberry souce/jam is delicious:)
I love cheesecake, one of my favorite desserts! The first cheesecake I made was the white chocolate cheesecake from the Death by Chocolate cookbook, which involved making the cookies and effectively being up all night (poor planning on my part). It was wonderful and didn’t need any dressing up.
I will eat cheesecake either way, but if I have to buy it then I prefer it to be a little dressed up. Otherwise, I might as well make it myself.
Fancy Schmancy! Yum! I want some!
Plain, Plain, yes nothing else, No fruit (although the thought of raspberries does sound yummy), no chocolate (although if you had the raspberries, milk chocolate sauce would be a good match).
I do like a sour cream topping that is baked on the last five minutes, but thats it. No flavored ones (chocolate, marbled, fruit swirled) or flavored crusts.
Love both types of cheese cake, just depends on what kind of mood I’m in… but if I have plain, it’s got to be with a cuppa tea. And if it’s fancy, definitely no cherries, hate the stuff on my puds – but any other fruit is fine, expect maybe oranges (only if they’re sweet) :o)
In our house it’s Plain Jane for hubby and oldest daughter and then the youngest and I love a Fancy Schmancy or as she says..Fancy Nancy Cheesecake, provided it’s not cherry! In all honesty, I’ve never met a cheesecake I didn’t like! I’m going to have to try this one soon. Looks yummy, and yes, that dreadful crack. Happens quite often to me too. I try to cool it in the oven, ever so slightly and it still happens. But they still taste good!
And LOL, yes, Disney Channel has infiltrated my brain too because I thought of London Tipton before you even mentioned her!
Not cheesecake related but I thought of you when watching the Unwrapped program on the Food Network the other night and saw how they make cookie cutters. Here’s a link to a neat place that makes ALL kinds of cool cookie cutters. I can’t wait to place an order and make some sugar cookies with my girls!
http://www.foosecookiecutters.com/store/christmas_and_holidays.html
Plain jane all the way! The wonder of cheesecake is that it’s so rich and the flavour of the cheese is so good that it’s a crime to mask it with sauces and extra fancy things.
That said, I do like a triple chocolate layered cheesecake for special occasions :-)
plain jane! i love to enjoy the simple flavors of the cheesecake & the crust. :)
I can’t believe you don’t like the whipped cream and fruits on your cheesecake! Okay, normally I don’t like it either and plain jane is totally my first choice. But at the cheesecake factory it tastes so good with strawberries and whipped cream! That’s all I like though, I can’t really say I like other flavored cheesecakes that I’ve tried.
So Plain Jane with some Shmance on the side!
Give it to me plain, Jane.
I thought I wasn’t a cheesecake girl until recently. Then I found the perfect formula.
Plain cheesecake, with a layer of sour cream, topped with cherries.
Yum. Perfection.
Oohhpps there goes my calories again this absolutely mouth watering. What could I use instead of grahams crackers could i use a digestive or gingernut base biscuite!
Tracy
Fancy Schmancy looks so delightful – the kind of cake that could change your entire day – but I am more of a Plain Jane when it comes to cheesecake, and it so frequently does come to cheesecake.
Personally I like mine fancy schmancy!!!! My son loves it plain! Funny we just bought a NY style and I tell you even my poor baking attempts is better then the store bought one and it was expensive!!! So I will definitely try yours on the weekend. Thanks for all you do! Why don’t you have your own TV show on the Food Network? You should be a STAR!!!!
You reminded me that I’ve not baked a cheesecake in forever! No raspberries for me, but I’m sure I can find another shmancy topping or not.
Most people I know think cheesecake is from a box and can’t appreciate the real thing.
My son and I love the richness of a freshly baked and will take it over the box any day.
Yummy yummy yummy….
I have a cheese cake recipe that is different from most.. It is baked but not like this and not as dense. There are three layers to be baked seprately if I remember correctly..and it is Lemon flavoured…I love it with mixed fresh berries at about this time of the year.
But..your kind of cheesecake…I like to just have a just a bite of someone elses..and only fresh berries not canned styled ones. LOL..bottom line..I like my light cheescake not dense ones like these.
The fancy one does look beautiful tho!
Yummy. I like mine with fruit.
Plain Jane. Always.
Ah, you make me happy :-p Just staring your photos is sooooo good… And I’d go both ways… Cheesecake is cheesecake… always yummy!
I can totally appreciate both. I love cheesecake so much I don’t care how it’s prepared, as long as I get some!
I’ve not made a baked cheesecake before, I might try this recipe! Wish me luck!
I’m a cheesecake purist for sure. Basic (with just a hint of lemon zest) and red berries (straw, or cherries) with sauce and fresh whip cream. It’s time for a midnight snack – wonder if the Cheesecake Factory is still open?
Fancy Schmancy – 1st round , followed by Plain Jane!!
I love cheesecake as well and have been making a pumpkin cheesecake at Thanksgiving time for the last few years. (Thanks to Paula Deen.) Cracks have always been a problem and you can’t really do a water bath in a spring form since they leak terribly. Though I just recently make a lemon cheesecake (also thanks to Paula) that was just divine. If you make your spring form water tight by layering tin foil on the outside bottom you can then cook it in a water bath for the whole time it is baking. You just need a container that is bigger than your pan, put water in it just shy of the top of your tin foil and bake as directed. Do check the level of your water about half way through. Mine evaporated completely. Good luck!
That is one beautiful cheesecake! I confess I prefer mine with some fru fru, like a layer of Tiramisu cream or a few toasted hazelnuts.
I’m not a huge cheesecake fan. When I do have a slice I need some toppings. I LOVE whipped cream and/or puree fruit topping. I make an oreo cheesecake that is pretty popular with my family. :)
I’m a plain jane like you. But i can handle the sauces as long as they aren’t lumpy…Like with fruit. It’s a texture thing not a taste thing.
All of the above! I just like cheese cake. But like you I haven’t tried making my own. I have bought cheese cake cook books though. Does that count for something. ;)
For taste? Definitely Plain Jane.
It depends on my mood… there are days when i want just a nice plain slice and there are days I want all the fancy schmancy stuff on it… :p
somewhere in the middle!! No cream, but i do love a bit of fruit… it looks really delicious, I’m surprised that it’s easy – i may just have to try it!!
well…most of the time i am all about fancy smancy but with cheesecake i am so plain jane that i don’t even really want the crust, just give me CHEESECAKE!!! :D yum
I always have my cheesecakes plain jane…..YUMMM!
Your cheesecake is just beautiful! Nice job! I will usually go for the plain version but the fancy one sure looks delicious as well. I think I will have to flip a coin to choose!
This looks gorgeous! I am with you- plain Jane is my cup of tea. But my fav is the Italian cheesecake my mom taught me how to make. If you ever get a chance, try it- it is an Italian cheesecake: http://laduecrew.blogspot.com/2009/04/marian-antoinette-deciccos-cheesecake.html
Plain jane for sure!
Fancy Shmancy for me!!!
Your cheesecake looks beautiful!!
I am a PLAIN JANE, cheesecake is ruined with anything!
Plain Jane. But with sour cream topping!
Load on the junk! Chocolate? Yes please! Whipped cream? For SURE! Caramelcherriespeanutbuttercookiebits? Yeppers!! I’ll eat almost any flavor and almost any topping. I draw the line at NUTS, however. Yeck.
Fancy Schmancy, all the way! I love your photos…the cuts are all so clean!
For a fancier raspberry sauce than just jelly, try this: Cool Raspberry Soup. It goes great with plain or lemon cheesecake, and it’s also a great topping for brownies and vanilla ice cream.
that looks so delicious!
Inbetween. Chocolate on top is the best. I used to love these little frozen cheesecake squares covered in chocolate, but they stoppped making them =[
I guess I am anti-fruit as well. You really can’t go wrong with Plain Jane with maybe a slight drizzle of caramel. I could officially live on caramel if they would let me! The Cheesecake Factory is by far my favorite restaurant. I rarely can justify $8 for a slice of dessert, but they get it from me every time. And it’s well worth it! Honestly, though? You just can’t go wrong with cheesecake in general! Your dressed-up one looks yummy. How did you make your white chocolate swirls for garnish? Simply lovely! You rock, Bakerella!
I can enjoy cheesecake plain jane, fancy schmancy, or anywhere in between. Looooove cheesecake. It’s the kind of cake my oldest son always wants for his birthday, with strawberry sauce and an oreo crust.
I have read that the cracks occur because of the abrupt change in temperature when the cheesecake is removed from the oven, or if the cheesecake is not cooked thoroughly. Yours looks beautifully cooked, though.
You can try turning off the oven maybe 15 minutes before it’s done and cracking the door open with a wooden spoon to ease the temperature change before removing it from the oven.
You can also try a water bath and that will cook it like a custard.
OMG, I have to make that, looks so yummy, I love cheesecake! Thanks for sharing!
I only make one “real cheesecake” every year, for my husband on his birthday, it usually lands somewhere in between and usually includes cherries and whip cream :)
I’m a fancy schmancy girl. And I love a bit of tart fruit to compliment my schmancy.
If you give the cheesecake a water bath right after pulling it out of the oven it helps with no cracks in the cakes.
I’ll have to go with the Fancy Schmancy! Of course my mom always said I like things “foo-foo” =)
I don’t really even like cheesecake, but you make everything you touch look delicious and beautiful!
Glory
(flickr name Glorious Treats)
Yum. I just made Cheesecake last week, made homemade caramel & chocolate sauces, topped off with toasted pecans – totally delectable!! Yours is so pretty!!
Total plain jane here. Nothing like biting into that cheesecake and tasting what makes it cheesecake in the first place.
I’m not into Cheesecake at all but if I did have some it would have some fruit sauce, strawberry, with no whole bits in, unless it was my home made strawberry jelly- Liz in Greece
Plain Jane. But with sour cream topping!
I’m with you here, I really enjoy it Plain Jane style!
Cheesecake is one of my all-time favorite foods EVER, but nobody else in my house really likes it. As a result, when we have it, it’s this fake kind thats just cool whip, cream cheese, and sugar blended together and put in a store bought grahm cracker crust. I know, I know, its a shame to even call it cheesecake.
Now I’m really craving a piece of REAL cheesecake! If only I had a springform pan…
If I’m going to splurge and eat cheesecake…I want it to be fancy schmancy. But no cherries.