Easy Mother’s Day Cheesecake Recipe

We love plants and gardening and all things that make your outdoor living spaces comfy, but we also like to eat well. So many members of our staff enjoy sharing recipes here – especially when they are amazingly tasty, healthy or easy.

While this Paula Deen recipe (which we’ve been making since finding it on the Food Network in 2009) may not be dietetic – it is one of the best NY-style cheesecakes we’ve ever made. Eat it plain, with a drizzle or a lot of chocolate sauce or a dollop of canned cherries. Anyway you serve it  – for Mother’s Day or at any other gathering – it’s sure to be a hit 😉

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 55 minutes
Equipment: 8 inch springform pan, cookie sheet, hand mixer or Cuisinart

Ingredients:
Crust:  1 cup graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar,
7 tbsp butter

Filling:
-12 ounces cream cheese, softened
-1 cup sugar
-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
-3 eggs
-Chocolate Glaze for serving (recipe below)
-Canned Cherries for serving (in case someone prefers this to chocolate)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Crust Prep: In a medium size bowl combine the crumbled graham crackers with the sugar and butter. Mix well and place in the bottom and sides of the 8″ springform pan. Make sure you gently press the mixture against the sides and bottom of the pan. Put in warmed oven and bake for 8 minutes. Let cool.

Let it cool slightly before putting on the cheesecake

Filling Prep: Beat the softened cheese on medium speed, or by pulsing in a Cuisinart. Mix in sugar and vanilla while beating, until well blended. Add in eggs and continue beating until blended. Pour the mixture into the cooled crust in the springform pan. Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven when cake looks set, or tester comes out clean (use a super thin knife or cake tester.) Let cool to room temperature, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours or overnight.
NOTE: you can un-mold the cheesecake after you put the chocolate glaze on it, or before, your choice.

Chocolate Glaze Ingredients & Prep:
– 1/4 cup butter
– 2, one ounce squares of semisweet chocolate
– 3/4 cup sugar
– 1/2 cup heavy whiling cream
-1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
– 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
– 1/8 tsp salt

In a medium saucepan gently melt the butter over low heat. Add in semisweet chocolate, stirring constantly and then evenly whisk in sugar, whipping cream, cocoa powder, vanilla and salt until combined. Continue cooking over low heat for 2 minutes, whisking constantly. Wait 5 minutes for the mixture to cool slightly. Un-mold the cheesecake and gently pour the softened chocolate glaze over the entire top. Refrigerate for 20 minutes for the glaze to set, or serve immediately.

Serve and enjoy!

# # #