Category Archives: Cheesecake

Blackberry-Mint Cheesecake Tart

Cheesecake, Dessert,

Blackberry season is in full swing, and this Blackberry-Mint Cheesecake Tart is the perfect dessert for these hot summer evenings. It’s rich and creamy from the cheesecake filling, but it’s kept light with the addition of the blackberry-mint jam.

It starts with a graham cracker and oatmeal crust. The oatmeal gives it a crisper texture and a nice nuttiness that helps to balance everything out. You can, of course, use all graham crackers, or any other cookies you prefer. A chocolate cookie crust would be delicious with this!

I wanted to make this a tart instead of a huge cheesecake to help to keep it feeling lighter. But it is a cooked cheesecake filling. You can absolutely use your favorite no-bake cheesecake filling here. I have never cared for gelatin-set fillings like most no-bake cheesecake are, so I went with a baked version.

The final element is the blackberry-mint jam. Use whatever berries are in season and sound good to you. Raspberries or strawberries would work perfectly. And feel free to omit the mint. Or, if you’re feeling adventurous, substitute basil, thyme, or even rosemary!

Print Recipe
 Blackberry-Mint Cheesecake Tart
Keyword Cheesecake, Berry
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Crust
Jam
Cheesecake
Keyword Cheesecake, Berry
Servings
servings
Ingredients
Crust
Jam
Cheesecake
Instructions
Crust
  1. Break up graham crackers slightly and place into a food processor with the oats and sugar. Pulse until graham crackers are in fine crumbs.
  2. Add melted butter and process until it is thoroughly combined.
  3. Press into an 8" round or 13"x 4" rectangular tart pan.
  4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 7 to 9 minutes or until crisp. Set aside to cool.
Jam
  1. While crust is baking, combine blackberries, sugar, and mint in a small saucepan.
  2. Stir over medium heat until berries have broken down and mixture comes to a boil. Mash blackberries slightly with a spoon or spatula if necessary.
  3. Cook, stirring often, until the jam thickens. It will thicken further as it cools.
  4. Remove from heat and strain through a fine-mesh sieve if desired to remove seeds. Set aside to cool,
Cheesecake
  1. Cream together cheese and sugar, with either a hand mixer or stand mixer, until thoroughly blended and no lumps of cream cheese remain.
  2. Add egg, sour cream, and vanilla and mix well.
  3. Pour into cooled crust.
  4. Dollop spoonfuls of the cooled jam over the cheesecake filling. You will not need all of the jam - use only about 1/2-3/4 cup in total and save the rest for toast or biscuits!
  5. Swirl the jam into the filling with a butter knife.
  6. Bake at 300 degrees F for 30-40 minutes, or until the filling is nearly set. There should be a very slight wobble to the center, but it should be firm around the edges.
  7. Cool on the counter slightly before refrigerating at least 4 hours.
Recipe Notes
  • Use any cookie crust you like - chocolate would be great!
  • Substitute your favorite no-bake cheesecake filling. Just swirl the jam in as instructed and refrigerate.
  • Use any berries you prefer. Strawberries and raspberries would work perfectly.
  • Omit the mint if desired, or be adventurous and try basil, thyme, or rosemary!
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Cookies and Coffee Cheesecake

Cheesecake, , ,

A rich mocha cheesecake with Oreo crust and cookie dough throughout! It’s a spin on my favorite flavor of ice cream.

Do you have Turkey Hill ice cream where you live? If you do, have you tried their Double Dunker flavor? They describe it as “mocha ice cream swirled with cookie dough and crunchy chocolate cookie swirl”. I describe it as perfect. They only just recently started carrying it in stores here in Kansas City, so I was driving 2 hours to the nearest store to get it. Yes, really. It’s that good. If it’s in stores near you, go get some right now. It’s ok – I’ll wait.

For those of you who don’t have this flavor available near you, or who don’t want to run right out to the store, I turned it into a cheesecake! I started with an Oreo crust to mimic the cookie swirl. Then there are the cookie dough pieces embedded in the mocha cheesecake. Somehow they all work sooo good together.

 

Yes, there are a lot of steps in this. Yes, it is worth it. It’s probably not something you’ll make for a simple weeknight dessert, but it would be great for a party or other get together. It can easily serve 12, so there is plenty to go around. Plus, you can make it over several days so there is no last minute rush. 

I like to toast the flour in the cookie dough since I keep a bit to top it with that is completely uncooked. You don’t have to do this, but since there is a chance that raw flour can contain E. Coli, I usually do if I am serving it to guests. I cook the cheesecake at a low temperature, so there is no need for a water bath. And I don’t really like springform pans, so I use Alton Brown’s method and bake it in a regular cake pan. Yes, it does come out. Promise. You can use a springform if you prefer.

You say you don’t like coffee? Leave out the coffee for a straight chocolate cheesecake. Don’t want to make the cookie dough (or not a fan of raw dough), then use chopped chocolate chip cookies instead. And if you want a cookies and milk cake instead, use your favorite vanilla cheesecake batter with the Oreo crust and cookie dough pieces. However you make it, make this soon. And make sure to try the ice cream too!



Print Recipe


Cookies and Coffee Cheesecake

A rich mocha cheesecake with an Oreo crust and cookie dough pieces.

Servings
people


Ingredients
Cookie Dough

Crust

Servings
people


Ingredients
Cookie Dough

Crust


Instructions
Cookie Dough
  1. Spread flour onto a baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees F for 6 minutes or until very lightly browned. This step is optional but insures the raw flour is safe to eat.

  2. Combine butter and sugars until well combined.

  3. Stir in water and vanilla.

  4. Stir in the flour until fully combined. Add additional water if your dough is very stiff, 1/4 teaspoon at a time.

  5. Stir in the chocolate chips.

  6. Divide the dough in half and place each half on a piece of waxed paper. Form each into a 3/4-inch round log and wrap fully with the waxed paper. Refrigerate or freeze until firm.

Crust
  1. Place cookies in a food processor and pulse until it reaches fine crumbs.

  2. Add melted butter and pulse until combined.

  3. Line a 9"x2" cake pan with parchment paper on the bottom (with a round) and the sides (with a strip). Use baking spray below the parchment to keep it in place, and spray parchment with baking spray before adding crust. You may also use a 9" springform pan. Use only a parchment round on the bottom and spray with baking spray.

  4. Press crumbs onto the bottom and 1" up the sides of the pan.

  5. Bake at 300 degrees F for 10 minutes. Cool.

Filling
  1. Combine chocolate chips, cream, and instant coffee granules in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 40 seconds, stirring halfway through. If chips are not fully melted, microwave additional 10 seconds. Set aside.

  2. Beat cream cheese and sugar with a mixer until smooth.

  3. Add cocoa powder and beat until combined.

  4. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

  5. Add the vanilla and reserved chocolate-coffee mixture and mix until combined.

  6. Pour mixture into cooled crust.

  7. Remove cookie dough from refrigerator or freezer and slice into 1/2-inch pieces. Press pieces into cheesecake filling, distributing evenly and making sure all cookie dough is covered by the cheesecake batter.

  8. Bake cheesecake at 250-degrees F (no water bath needed!), for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes. Cheesecake is done when the center 4 inches is still slightly wobbly. The chocolate will ensure it sets completely once cooled.

  9. Cool cheesecake until near room temperature and then refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight,

  10. To remove from cake pan, fill sink with about 1/2-inch of very hot tap water. Set pan into water for 1 minute. The strip of parchment around edge of pan should slide out. Slide a knife around the edge after removing paper to assure everything is released from the sides. Place a piece of parchment paper on top of the cheesecake, and turn it over onto a large plate or extra serving platter. Cheesecake should release from the bottom and fall onto the plate. If it does not, return to hot water for additional 30 seconds. Remove parchment from bottom of cheesecake and invert onto final serving platter.


Recipe Notes
  • You can omit the coffee if you prefer a regular chocolate flavor.
  • Use store-bought or homemade chocolate chip cookies instead of the cookie dough.
  • For a cookies and milk cake, use your favorite vanilla cheesecake batter with the Oreo crust and cookie dough filling.


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