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1.  Start by preparing your springform pan. To save the trouble of cutting parchment paper to the correct size, do the following: Place the parchment paper over the disc part of the pan, place the ring over the paper and clamp it down. The scraps of parchment paper that are sticking out from the pan can simply be torn off, leaving you with a perfectly sized piece of parchment.



2.  Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees

3.  Put the graham crackers in a gallon sized ziplock bag. Crush them initially by hand until the crackers are largely broken up. Add the crushed pecans and finish with a rolling pin, working everything into a fine dust.
Mix the confectioners sugar until the mixture is a uniform whiteish brown color.  Add the melted butter into the cracker dust and combine until the moisture of the butter is well distributed, with no dry patches left behind.

4.  Pour the cracker mixture into the springform pan and spread it around evenly. Press the crackers firmly into the bottom of the pan, forming a tight even bottom crust.

5.  While an electric mixer is not essential for making the filling, it does do the work for you much more effectively. Start with the flat paddle attachment of your mixer. Put the room-temperature cream cheese into the mixer bowl along with all of the granulated sugar. Gradually turn the speed up to medium until the mixture is well blended.

6.  With a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the sour cream, eggs and vanilla extract. Gradually return the mixer speed to medium until everything is well incorporated.

7.  Remove the flat paddle attachment. With your spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl as well as the bottom, freeing any clumps of cream cheese that may be clinging to the bowl. Switch to the wire whisk attachment. Gradually turn the speed up to high and mix for a minute or so, until the mixture is light and fluffy, starting to form stiff peaks.

8.  Pour the mixture into the springform pan, smoothing the top off with a spatula. Place the cheesecake into the oven. Bake for about 40 minutes. When the cheesecake is done, it will be firm to the touch and will jiggle slightly when gently shaken from side to side.

9.  The final step in my opinion is the most challenging. In order to get the best texture possible, the cheesecake has to be allowed to cool properly and completely. Therefore, start by letting the cheesecake cool inside the springform pan on a cooling rack for a few hours. It should be allowed to come completely down to room temperature. At this point, the cheesecake should be put into the fridge and left there for 24 hours.

10.  When the cheesecake has cooled and set up completely, it is ready to be served. I would reccomend not serving the cheesecake directly out of the fridge. Letting it sit out for 30 minutes to an hour and letting it get warmer will improve the taste a great deal.






  • 1 package chocolate graham crackers
  • 4 tablespoons confectioners sugar
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 4 packages cream cheese (2 pounds)
  • 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa
  • 2 tablespoons orange zest (taken from 2 to 3 oranges)


1. Start by preparing your springform pan. To save the trouble of cutting parchment paper to the correct size, do the following: Place the parchment paper over the disc part of the pan, place the ring over the paper and clamp it down. The scraps of parchment paper that are sticking out from the pan can simply be torn off, leaving you with a perfectly sized piece of parchment.

2.  Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees

3.  Put the graham crackers in a gallon sized ziplock bag. Crush them initially by hand until the crackers are largely broken up. Finish with a rolling pin, working the crackers into a fine dust.

4.  Mix the confectioners sugar and the melted butter into the cracker dust and combine until the moisture of the butter is well distributed, with no dry patches left behind.

5.  Pour the cracker mixture into the springform pan and spread it around evenly. Press the crackers firmly into the bottom of the pan, forming a tight even bottom crust.

6.  While an electric mixer is not essential for making the filling, it does do the work for you much more effectively. Start with the flat paddle attachment of your mixer. Put the room-temperature cream cheese into the mixer bowl along with all of the granulated sugar. Gradually turn the speed up to medium until the mixture is well blended.

7.  With a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the sour cream, eggs and vanilla extract. Gradually return the mixer speed to medium until everything is well incorporated.

8.  Remove the bowl from the mixer and with your spatula, thoroughly stir the mixture.

9.  Add the quarter cup of unsweetened cocoa. It is important to use the unsweetened variety because you run the risk of your cheesecake being too sweet otherwise. Much of the composition of chocolate is already in your cheesecake so all you really need is the cocoa. Return the bowl to the mixer and gradually turn it up to medium until the cocoa is well incorporated.

10.  Again stir the mixture with the spatula, lookng out for any pockets of cream cheese untouched by the chocolate.

11.  Finally, add the 2 tablespoons of orange zest and return the bowl to the mixer. Mix on low-medium until everything is fully incorporated.

12.  Remove the paddle attachment and switch to the wire whisk. Gradually put the speed up to high and whip the mixture for at least a good minute. As you would when making whipped cream, wait for the filling to look lighter and fluffy; with stiff peaks starting to form.

13.  Pour the filling over the crust, smoothing out the top. Place it in the oven and bake for about 40 minutes. When it is done, a somewhat firm skin will have formed over the top of the cheesecake and it will jiggle when shaken gently. The cheesecake will probably puff up a lot in the oven but it will settle back down as it cools.

14.  Cool the cheesecake on the counter on a wire rack until it is back down to room temperature. Now place it in the fridge and leave it until the next day. A long sitting period in the refrigerator is key to the final texture of the cheesecake.

Take it out of the fridge and let it sit for 30 minutes to an hour before serving to take some of the chill off. Serve and enjoy!






1.  Start by preparing your springform pan. To save the trouble of cutting parchment paper to the correct size, do the following: Place the parchment paper over the disc part of the pan, place the ring over the paper and clamp it down. The scraps of parchment paper that are sticking out from the pan can simply be torn off, leaving you with a perfectly sized piece of parchment.

2.  Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees

3.  Put the graham crackers in a gallon sized ziplock bag. Crush them initially by hand until the crackers are largely broken up. Add the crushed pecans and finish with a rolling pin, working everything into a fine dust.

4.  Mix the confectioners sugar until the mixture is a uniform whiteish brown color.  Add the melted butter into the cracker dust and combine until the moisture of the butter is well distributed, with no dry patches left behind.

5.  Pour the cracker mixture into the springform pan and spread it around evenly. Press the crackers firmly into the bottom of the pan, forming a tight even bottom crust.

6.  While an electric mixer is not essential for making the filling, it does do the work for you much more effectively. Start with the flat paddle attachment of your mixer. Put the room-temperature cream cheese into the mixer bowl along with all of the granulated sugar. Gradually turn the speed up to medium until the mixture is well blended.

7.  With a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the sour cream, eggs, vanilla extract, lemon juice and zest. Gradually return the mixer speed to medium until everything is well incorporated.

8.  Remove the flat paddle attachment. With your spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl as well as the bottom, freeing any clumps of cream cheese that may be clinging to the bowl. Switch to the wire whisk attachment. Gradually turn the speed up to high and mix for a minute or so, until the mixture is light and fluffy, starting to form stiff peaks.

9.  Pour the mixture into the springform pan, smoothing the top off with a spatula. Place the cheesecake into the oven. Bake for about 40 minutes. When the cheesecake is done, it will be firm to the touch and will jiggle slightly when gently shaken from side to side.  Cool the cheesecake in the pan on a wire rack for several hours until it is down to room temperature.  Then put it into the fridge and leave it for up to 24 hours.  The long chill will help the cheesecake set up to a better texture.

When you are ready to serve the cheesecake, prepare the following whipped cream topping:

10.  In the bowl of a mixer, combine the cream with the sugar, lemon juice and zest. Gradually increase the speed to high and whip the cream until it is soft and fluffy, forming soft peaks.

Spread the whipped cream evenly over the cheesecake. Serve and enjoy!





  • 1 package graham crackers (9 crackers)
  • 4 tablespoons confectioners sugar
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 4 packages cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 granny smith apple
  • 1 gala apple
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • pinch nutmeg
  • pinch ground allspice
  • pinch cinnamon
  • 1 cup english toffee bits

1.  Start by preparing your springform pan. To save the trouble of cutting parchment paper to the correct size, do the following: Place the parchment paper over the disc part of the pan, place the ring over the paper and clamp it down. The scraps of parchment paper that are sticking out from the pan can simply be torn off, leaving you with a perfectly sized piece of parchment.



2.  Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees

3.  Put the graham crackers in a gallon sized ziplock bag. Crush them initially by hand until the crackers are largely broken up. Add the crushed pecans and finish with a rolling pin, working everything into a fine dust. 

4.  Mix the confectioners sugar until the mixture is a uniform whiteish brown color.  Add the melted butter into the cracker dust and combine until the moisture of the butter is well distributed, with no dry patches left behind.

5.  Pour the cracker mixture into the springform pan and spread it around evenly. Press the crackers firmly into the bottom of the pan, forming a tight even bottom crust.

6.  While an electric mixer is not essential for making the filling, it does do the work for you much more effectively. Start with the flat paddle attachment of your mixer. Put the room-temperature cream cheese into the mixer bowl along with all of the granulated sugar. Gradually turn the speed up to medium until the mixture is well blended.

7.  With a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the sour cream, eggs and vanilla extract. Gradually return the mixer speed to medium until everything is well incorporated.  Add the toffee bits, scrape the bowl down again and mix until incorporated.

8.  Remove the flat paddle attachment. With your spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl as well as the bottom, freeing any clumps of cream cheese that may be clinging to the bowl. Switch to the wire whisk attachment. Gradually turn the speed up to high and mix for a minute or so, until the mixture is light and fluffy, starting to form stiff peaks.

9.  Prepare the apples.  Peel them and cut them into thin slices.  Add the eighth of a cup of sugar along with the nutmeg, allspice and cinnamon.  Toss the apple slices until well coated.  

10.  Place the apples in a layer onto your crust, then pour the mixture into the springform pan, smoothing the top off with a spatula. Place the cheesecake into the oven. Bake for about 40 minutes. When the cheesecake is done, it will be firm to the touch and will jiggle slightly when gently shaken from side to side.

11.  Allow the cheesecake to cool in the pan on a wire rack.  When it comes out of the oven, the cheesecake will likely have risen dramatically out of the pan, but it will settle down as it cools.  

12.  As the cheesecake is cooling, you can prepare the caramel sauce for the topping:

  • 1 half stick unsalted butter
  • ½ cup light brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

13. Melt the butter in a medium sized saucepan over a medium heat.

14. Add the sugar to the melted butter and stir vigorously until incorporated. Keep stirring until the mixture is smooth and has thickened.

15. Remove the sauce from the heat and add the cream. Stir the mixture until it is smooth. The sauce should be poured into a bowl and covered with plastic. Put both the cheesecake and the sauce into the fridge and leave them until the next day. The caramel sauce will thicken further in the fridge.

16. The next day, when you are ready to serve, pour the sauce onto the cheesecake. The added moisture from the apples will give the cheeseake an extra creamy texture to it. Enjoy!




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