Creole Cream Cheese Cheesecake
Creole cream cheese is lower in fat than Philadelphia-style cream cheese and resembles fine-curd cottage cheese, farmer’s cheese, or ricotta in texture. Ricotta may be substituted for Creole cream cheese in this recipe. The combination of cheeses gives the cake a very special texture.
Ingredients
- Crust
- Graham Crackers - 5 cups
- Unsalted Butter - 1 cup (2 sticks), melted
- Sugar - 1 cup
- Filling
- Cream Cheese - 2 pounds, at room temperature
- Sugar - 1 cup
- Eggs - 2, beaten
- Creole Cream Cheese - 1-1/2 cups (alt. ricotta)
- sour cream
- Sour Cream - 1 cup
- Sugar - 3 tablespoons
- Warm Caramel Sauce - 1 cup
- Milk Chocolate - 2 ounces, shaved into thin pieces
- White Chocolate - 2 ounces, shaved into thin pieces
- Mint sprigs - 10 or 12 small
Instructions
To make the crust: Preheat the oven to 225 F. Break up the crackers and grind them into a fine meal in a blender or food processor, or under a rolling pin. In a large bowl, blend together the crumbs, butter, and sugar. Press into the bottom and sides of a 10-inch springform pan.
To make the filling: In a food processor or with a mixer, blend the regular cream cheese and sugar until completely smooth. Combine the eggs and Creole cream cheese, and add to the cream cheese mixture. Combine thoroughly. Pour into the crust and bake for about 2 hours, or until the cheesecake is set and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool to room temperature, then lightly cover with plastic wrap. Chill the cheesecake for at least 2 hours before unmolding and serving.
To make the topping: In a small bowl, whisk the sour cream and sugar together until the sugar has dissolved. Spread the topping over the cheesecake, being careful not to pull crumbs from the edge of the crust onto the topping.
To serve: Slice into 10 or 12 wedges and place one on each dessert plate. Spoon a small pool of caramel sauce next to each slice. Sprinkle each slice with chocolate curls and garnish with a mint sprig.
