Baked S'mores Cheesecake—Prototype 6:
 
I decided to revisit this kind of cheesecake nearly 5 years after I last made it, but with the latest updates on the cheese blend and xanthan gum.
 
3-Cheese Blend (1CT-1NC-1YG):
Prepare ahead of time 16 ounces of yogurt cheese, derived from one 32-ounce container of nonfat yogurt. If the resulting yogurt cheese falls below 16 ounces, add back enough of the whey (that was strained out from the yogurt) to make up the difference. To this yogurt cheese combine 16 ounces of whipped, lowfat cottage cheese and 16 ounces (two 8-ounce packages) of softened Neufchatel cheese ("light cream cheese").

Grease a 9 1/2" (or 9") springform pan, but do not wrap foil around it until just before the batter is added above the crust layers (spreading the crust in an already wrapped pan can result in greater disturbance to the foil, thus increasing leakage risks).

Graham Crust—First Layer:
2 oz. melted, white chocolate
8 oz. (1 cup) 3-cheese blend (see above)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Completely blend the above ingredients first, then continue with the next one below.
4 oz. graham crackers, ground up (if these are cinnamon-flavored, omit the cinnamon shown above)
Get this fully mixed in (moistened) with the other ingredients above. Afterwards, promptly add in and fully coat the last crust ingredient below.
2 cups miniature marshmallows

Place resulting crust mixture into bottom of the springform pan and pre-bake without tub at 300 degrees for 15 minutes, then remove from oven and cool at least slightly.

Chocolate Batter:
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
3/8 cup cocoa powder
40 oz. (5 cups) 3-cheese blend (see above)
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
2 teaspoons vanilla
6 eggs

Reserve some of this batter for the second crust layer, as indicated below.

Graham Crust—Second Layer:
1 1/2 cups chocolate batter (see above)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Completely blend these three (or two if the cinnamon is excluded) ingredients first, then continue with the next one below.
3 oz. graham crackers, ground up (if these are cinnamon-flavored, omit the cinnamon shown above)

Combine these four (or three) crust ingredients and promptly place this mixture into the pan on top of the first crust layer. Try to conceal, as much as possible, every trace of marshmallow that is showing through the top of the first layer, then immediately put the pan back into the oven. Bake this, still without tub, at 300 degrees for another 15 minutes, then cool it enough to comfortably touch at least the pan's upper sidewall.

Next, wrap the pan in foil. Carefully pour the remaining chocolate batter over the second crust layer and bake this cheesecake in a hot water tub at 300 degrees for 65 minutes (if using a 9 1/2" pan). Afterward, shut the oven off, and leave its door slightly ajar, with the cheesecake still inside—and in the tub—for an hour. Next, remove the cheesecake from the oven and tub. Now, for the final chocolate touch, add a border of chocolate chips (milk chocolate strongly recommended in keeping with the s'mores tradition!) around the edge of this cheesecake (see photo below). Continue to cool it down at room temperature for another two hours. After doing so, remove the cheesecake from pan and refrigerate.

S'mores Cheesecake—Prototype 6

I made this one for a bake sale at The Home Depot, my workplace.

The crust was a bust. Not only did I have problems removing the cheesecake from the pan's bottom, but the crust ended up being too mushy or gooey, perhaps from being exposed from warm temperatures for too long. Although I have heard favorable comments from my co-workers, I still lamented the crust (furthermore, this dessert was a pathetically slow seller). The taste was good, but I had the urge to correct the soft texture for the future.
 

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