Red White And Blueberry Layered Cheesecake Recipes

JULY 4TH RED, WHITE AND BLUE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• To Make the Crust:
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8-inch springform pan or cake pan with parchment.
• In a food processor combine the graham crackers, butter, sugar and salt, until the mixture resembles cornmeal. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan, and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or just until it starts to turn golden brown. Cool the crust completely, then freeze the crust.
• To Make the Cheesecake Batter:
• Cream together the cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, salt, eggs, vanilla, lemon juice and cornstarch, until very smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed. Divide the batter equally into 3 bowls. Add the raspberry preserves and a drop of red dye to one. Add the scraped vanilla bean to the next. Add the blueberry preserves and blue dye to the last bowl.
• Pour the red layer over the frozen crust and return to the freezer for about 30 minutes, or until the batter is slightly firm to the touch. While this layer is chilling, place the other bowls of batter in the freezer to allow them to set as well.
• Once the red layer feels thick, but not frozen solid, very carefully pour the white batter over the red. Do this very slowly, in small amounts, so that it doesn't break the surface of the red layer. Freeze the pan again for about 20 minutes. Check to make sure the blue batter isn't setting too firmly in the freezer; if it is, move it to the refrigerator.
• Turn the oven temperature to 300 degrees F.
• Add the blue layer in the same careful way. Place the pan on a baking sheet. Place in the oven, then pour hot water in the baking sheet, which will help the cake bake evenly. (If you are using the springform pan, you will need to cover the bottom of the springform pan with foil, to prevent any water from seeping in). Bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or when it is set in the middle.
• When the cake is set in the middle, remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for several hours.
• Run a hot knife blade around the edge before removing the cake from the pan. If you are using a regular cake pan, you will need to heat the bottom quickly over the stove, then cover the top with plastic, invert onto a plate and finally transfer to the serving platter. Refrigerate the cake while you make the topping.
• In a small bowl add the gelatin to the cold water, stir to combine and allow to bloom for several minutes. Once the water has absorbed all the gelatin, add it to the hot simple syrup. If you made the simple syrup ahead, heat it. Add the blueberry preserves and transfer to a clean bowl to cool.
• Once the glaze has come to room temperature, it will thicken, but still be pourable.
• Place the blueberries on top of the cake.
• Pour the thickened glaze over the berries. It will run down the sides, which I think is quite pretty. Refrigerate until the glaze has set a bit. If you prefer clean sides, use a hot metal spatula to scrape the excess off the sides (this is very easy to do).
• Use a hot blade to cut the cake to keep the stripes distinct, and enjoy!

NO-COOK RED, WHITE, AND BLUE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• In a food processor, pulse graham crackers until finely ground (you should have about 2 cups). Add butter, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; pulse until combined. Press crumbs evenly onto the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan.
• In a large bowl and using an electric mixer on high, beat cream cheese until fluffy, 3 minutes. Add confectioners' sugar, yogurt, vanilla, and a pinch of salt; beat until smooth. With a rubber spatula, fold in whipped cream. Pour cream cheese mixture into crust and smooth top. Cover and refrigerate until firm, at least 8 hours (or overnight).
• Combine berries and remaining 1 tablespoon granulated sugar; let stand 15 minutes. Run a knife around edge of cake; release sides to remove from pan. Top with berries and juices.

INDIVIDUAL RED, WHITE, AND BLUEBERRY LAYER CAKES

Steps:

• For the cake: Prepare an ice-water bath. Combine lemon juice, 3 cups blueberries, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring gently, until sugar dissolves and juices thicken, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl, and set in ice-water bath, stirring occasionally, until cooled. Reserve 1/4 cup of cooled blueberry juice from the berries in a small bowl, cover, and refrigerate.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 18-by-13-inch rimmed baking sheet, line with parchment, and butter parchment. Whisk cornmeal, baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 cup flour in a medium bowl. Cream butter and remaining 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well to incorporate after each addition. Add vanilla, and scrape down sides of bowl. Lower the speed to the lowest setting, and beat in 1/2 the flour mixture, then the yogurt, and then the remaining flour mixture, mixing well after each addition.
• Gently fold remaining 1/2 cup flour and 2 cups blueberries into the berry mixture, until well combined. Fold the berry-flour mixture into the cornmeal batter with a spatula, until uniformly purple. Spread evenly in baking sheet, and bake, rotating halfway, until the top is golden brown and the sides pull away from the pan, 28 to 30 minutes. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack, and let cool completely. Cut 24 circles using a 2 1/2-inch round cutter; discard scraps.
• For the cheesecake: Line an 18-by-13-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment leaving a 1-inch overhang. Beat the cream cheese with a mixer on medium-high until completely smooth, 4 to 5 minutes. Beat in confectioners' sugar, honey, yogurt, and salt, and beat until smooth, about 3 minutes. Gently whisk in 1/2 of the whipped cream, then fold in remaining whipped cream until well incorporated. Scrape batter onto baking sheet, and smooth. Freeze, uncovered, until firm, at least 1 hour (or up to 1 day, covered). With the same round cutter, cut out 24 circles, dipping cutter into hot water and wiping dry between cuts.
• For the compote: Toss raspberries and blueberries with reserved 1/4 cup blueberry juice.
• Place 1 cake round, browned side down, on a plate. (Trim cakes to make level, if necessary.) Top cake round with a frozen cheesecake round; repeat to make 4 cake-cheesecake layers. Refrigerate composed cakes while quickly finishing assembly of remaining cakes. Top each cake stack with berry compote. Serve immediately.

RED, WHITE AND BLUE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.
• For the crust: Toss together the graham cracker crumbs, butter, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Press into the bottom of a 10-inch springform pan. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool completely. Wrap the bottom and sides of pan up with a large piece of foil and put in a large roasting pan.
• For the filling: Beat together the cream cheese and sugar, in a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the sour cream, and beat until just combined. Add the heavy cream and beat until just combined. Mix in the eggs, by hand, 1 at time. Mix in the vanilla and lemon juice, by hand, until just combined. (Take care not to overmix, or the cheesecake will turn into a soufflé!).
• Ladle out 2 cups of cheesecake batter and divide between 2 bowls. Color 1 bowl with red food coloring and 1 with blue food coloring. Leave the remaining batter white.
• Use an ice cream scoop or large spoon, and drop scoopfuls of the batter onto the crust, alternating between the different colors until all the batter is gone. Use a long wooden skewer and drag it through the batter, making sure the skewer reaches down to the bottom of the pan, in 4 swipes, to marble the colors for a tie dye effect. Transfer the springform pan to the roasting pan. Add enough hot water to come about halfway up the side of the springform pan.
• Bake until the outside of the cake is set, but the center is still slightly loose, about 1 hour 20 minutes. Turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake in the oven for another hour. Remove the cheesecake from the roasting pan to a cooling rack. Run a knife around the edge and cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours.
• Unmold the cheesecake and transfer to a serving plate or cake stand.