Basil Lemon Cheesecake Appetizer For 10 Recipes

SWEET BASIL CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 4 1/2-inch diameter springform pan. Line the bottom of the pan with a piece of parchment paper. Wrap the outside of the pan with a piece of heavy-duty foil.
• Place the ricotta cheese, cream cheese, and goat cheese in a food processor. Pulse
• until mixed. Add the sugar, egg, egg yolk, and salt and blend until smooth. Add the basil and pulse until incorporated. Pour the cheese mixture into the prepared pan. Place the pan in an 8-inch by 8-inch square baking dish. Pour enough hot water in the baking dish to come halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Bake until the cheesecake is golden at the edges and the center of the cake moves slightly when the pan is gently shaken (the cheesecake will become firm when chilled), about 50 minutes. Turn off the oven and allow the cheesecake to cool in the oven for 1 hour. Remove the springform pan from the baking dish and remove the foil. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 3 hours and up to 2 days. Remove the cheesecake from the springform pan. Allow the cheesecake to come to room temperature before serving, about 30 minutes.
• Using a pastry brush, brush the top of the cheesecake with extra-virgin olive oil and serve with assorted crackers.
• Serving suggestion: assorted crackers .

MANGO CHEESECAKE WITH BASIL LEMON SYRUP

Steps:

• Special equipment: 9-inch springform pan
• For the Mango Cheesecake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Wrap the outside of a 9-inch springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides with 2 layers of heavy-duty foil. Finely grind the biscotti in a food processor. Add the melted butter and process until the crumbs are moistened. Press the crumb mixture over the bottom (not the sides) of the prepared pan. Bake until the crust is golden, about 15 minutes. Cool the crust completely on a cooling rack.
• Blend the cream cheese and ricotta in a food processor. Add the mango puree, eggs, and sugar and pulse until the mixture is smooth.
• Pour the mango mixture over the crust in the pan. Place the springform pan in a large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Bake until the cheesecake is firm and moves slightly when the pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Transfer the cake to a cooling rack to cool for 30 minutes. Place in the refrigerator and cool completely, at least 8 hours and up to 2 days.
• For the Basil Lemon Syrup: Place the sugar, water, and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat and cook until the sugar is dissolved. Cool the syrup completely. In a food processor combine the basil and the cooled syrup. Pulse until the herbs are finely chopped. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve.
• Slice the cheesecake and place on a serving plate. Drizzle with the syrup and serve.

LEMON SHORTCAKES WITH BASIL BERRIES

Steps:

• Shortcakes: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place flour, granulated sugar, lemon zest, baking powder, and salt in a food processor; pulse to combine. Add butter and pulse until coarse crumbs form, with a few pea-size pieces remaining. Transfer to a bowl; refrigerate 10 minutes.
• Stir in cream until clumps form; knead a few times until a dough forms. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a log about 12 inches long and 2 inches in diameter. Slice into eight 1 1/2-inch-thick rounds; transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush tops with cream and sprinkle with sugar. Bake, rotating pan once halfway through, until light golden brown and cooked through, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool on sheet 2 minutes; transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
• Serving: While shortcakes are cooling, toss berries with granulated sugar, lemon juice, and basil; let stand 15 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk cream with confectioners' sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form. Serve shortcakes with berries and whipped cream, garnished with tiny basil leaves.

MANGO CHEESECAKE WITH LEMON BASIL SAUCE

Steps:

• Mango Cheesecake:
• Preheat the oven to 350.
• Wrap the outside of a 9-inch springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides with 2 layers of heavy-duty foil.
• Finely grind the biscotti in a food processor.
• Add the melted butter and process until the crumbs are moistened.
• Press the crumb mixture over the bottom (not the sides) of the prepared pan.
• Bake until the crust is golden, about 15 minutes.
• Cool the crust completely on a cooling rack.
• Blend the cream cheese and ricotta in a food processor.
• Add the mango puree, eggs, and sugar and pulse until the mixture is smooth.
• Pour the mango mixture over the crust in the pan.
• Place the springform pan in a large roasting pan.
• Pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the springform pan.
• Bake until the cheesecake is firm and moves slightly when the pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour 30 minutes.
• Transfer the cake to a cooling rack to cool for 30 minutes.
• Place in the refrigerator and cool completely, at least 8 hours and up to 2 days.
• Basil Lemon Sauce:.
• Place the sugar, water, and lemon juice in a small saucepan.
• Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat and cook until the sugar is dissolved.
• Cool the syrup completely.
• In a food processor combine the basil and the cooled syrup.
• Pulse until the herbs are finely chopped.
• Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve.if desired.
• You can also just leave the pieces of basil in there for a pretty green sauce.
• Slice the cheesecake and place on a serving plate.
• Drizzle with the sauce and serve.

SAVORY CHEESECAKES

Steps:

• For the crust: Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Spray the bottom of four 4-inch springform pans with nonstick spray.
• Mix the cracker crumbs, butter and pecans in a medium bowl until evenly moistened. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom of the prepared pans. Bake until the crusts are golden brown, about 10 minutes. Cool the pans on a rack.
• Once completely cool, spray the sides of the pans with cooking spray and line with strips of parchment.
• For the Cheddar-pimento cheesecake: Add the cream cheese, Cheddar, pimentos, Worcestershire, hot sauce and some salt and pepper to a medium bowl. Beat together using an electric hand mixer until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Spoon the mixture on top of one of the cooled crusts in the pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, 4 hours.
• When ready to serve, unmold the sides of the pan from the cake and peel off the parchment. Top with the candied bacon and scallion greens.
• For the blue cheese cheesecake: Add the cream cheese, blue cheese, cream and some salt and pepper to a medium bowl. Beat together using an electric hand mixer until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Fold in the dates and shallots. Spoon the mixture on top of one of the cooled crusts in the pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate 4 hours.
• When ready to serve, unmold the sides of the pan from the cake and peel off the parchment. Top with the candied walnuts and a drizzle of honey.
• For the mozzarella-basil cheesecake: Add the cream cheese, mozzarella, Parmesan, cream and some salt and pepper to a medium bowl. Beat together using an electric hand mixer until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Fold in the chopped basil. Spoon the mixture on top of one of the cooled crusts in the pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate 4 hours.
• When ready to serve, unmold the sides of the pan from the cake and peel off the parchment. Top with the cherry tomatoes, drizzles of balsamic syrup and olive oil and a sprig of basil.
• For the goat cheese-herb cheesecake: Add the cream cheese, goat cheese, cream, parsley, rosemary, lemon zest, Worcestershire to taste and some salt and pepper to a medium bowl. Beat together using an electric hand mixer until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Spoon the mixture on top of one of the cooled crusts in the pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Spread the jam over top. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate 4 hours.
• When ready to serve, unmold the sides of the pan from the cake and peel off the parchment.

BASIL CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325F degrees.
• Butter bottom and sides of 10" spring form pan.
• Mix bread crumbs and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
• Sprinkle mixture into pan, turning to coat completely.
• Mix basil leaves, parsley, oil, salt and garlic in food processor until smooth paste forms, about 2 minutes, scraping sides occasionally.
• Put ricotta cheese, cream cheese and Parmesan in a mixer bowl and mix until smooth about 2 minutes.
• Mix in the eggs.
• Remove about 1/3 of this mixture to a small bowl.
• Into the original 2/3 cheese mixture, fold in the basil mixture until well blended.
• Pour the basil mixture into the prepared pan and carefully spread an even layer of the cheese mixture on top.
• Sprinkle with pine nuts.
• Set pan on a baking sheet.
• Bake 1 1/2 hours.
• Turn oven off and cool cheesecake about 1 hour with the oven door slightly ajar.
• Transfer to a rack and cool completely.
• Serve at room temperature, or slightly warmed.