Recipe Scrapbook Home Bran Buddy / HiFi Buddy Bars Chocolate Peanut Butter Prototype 1 Prototype 2 Prototype 3 Prototype 4 Prototype 5 Prototype 6 Prototype 7 Prototype 8 Chocolate Prototype 1 Prototype 2 Prototype 3 Chocolate Peanut Butter Dream Bars Prototype 1 Chocolate Cherry Prototype 1 Prototype 2 Peanut Butter Prototype 1 Prototype 2 Banana Prototype 1 Fluffernutter Prototype 1 Prototype 2 Prototype 3 Lemon Prototypes 1 & 2 Orange Prototype 1 Pumpkin Prototype 1 (plus Balls variation) HiFi Buddy Balls Orange Prototype 1 Chocolate Prototype 1 (plus Orange-Chocolate variation) Prototype 2 Peanut Butter Prototype 1 Prototype 2 Chocolate Peanut Butter Prototypes 1 & 2 Maple Prototype 1 Eggnog Prototype 1 Pancakes Eggnog Pancake Batter Notes Trader Joe's Mix Latkes Spicy Latkes Matzah Pizza Stack Basic Crust Bran Buds Pie Crust Pies Chilled Eggnog Prototype 1 Prototype 2 Prototype 3 Chilled Pumpkin Eggnog Prototype 1 Key Lime Prototype 1 Prototype 2 Pecan Prototype 1 Prototype 2 Prototype 3 Eggnog Notes Additional Eggnog Notes Cheesecakes Chocolate Prototype 10.1 Prototype 10.2 Prototype 10.3 Prototype 10.4 Prototype 10.5 Prototype 11 Prototype 12 Prototype 13 Prototype 14 Prototype 15 Prototype 16 Prototype 17 Prototype 18 Prototype 19 Prototype 20 Prototype 21 Prototype 22 Prototype 23 Prototype 24 Prototype 25 Prototype 26 Eggnog Prototype 1 Prototype 2 Prototype 3 Prototype 4 Prototype 5 Prototype 6 Prototype 7 Prototype 8 Prototype 9 Prototype 10 Prototype 11 Prototype 12 Prototype 13 Prototype 14 Prototype 15 Prototype 16 Prototype 17 Prototype 18 Prototype 19 Prototype 20 Prototype 21 Prototype 22 Prototype 23 Prototype 24 Prototype 25 Prototype 26 Prototype 27 Prototype 28 Prototype 29 Prototype 30 Prototype 31 Prototype 32 Prototype 33 Peanut Butter Prototype 1 Prototype 2 Prototype 3 Prototype 4 Prototype 5 Maple Prototype 1 Prototype 2 Prototype 3 Prototype 4 Prototype 5 Prototype 6 Prototype 7 Prototype 8 Lemon Prototype 3 Prototype 4 Prototype 5 Prototype 6 Prototype 7 Orange Prototype 3 Prototype 4 Prototype 5 Chocolate Peanut Butter Prototype 1 Prototype 2 Prototype 3 Prototype 4 Prototype 5 Prototype 6 Prototype 7 Prototype 8 Prototype 9 Prototype 10 Banana Prototype 1 Prototype 2 Prototype 3 Prototype 4 Prototype 5 Prototype 6 Pumpkin Prototype 1 Prototype 2 Prototype 3 Prototype 4 Prototype 5 Prototype 6 Prototype 7 Prototype 8 Prototype 9 Prototype 10 Prototype 11 Prototype 12 Prototype 13 Plain Prototype 4 Prototype 5 Prototype 6 Prototype 7 Prototype 8 Prototype 9 Prototype 10 Prototype 11 Prototype 12 Prototype 13 Prototype 14 Prototype 15 Prototype 16 Prototype 17 Prototype 18 Prototype 19 Prototype 20 Prototype 21 Prototype 22 Prototype 23 Prototype 24 Eggnog Pumpkin Prototype 1 Prototype 2 Prototype 3 Prototype 4 Prototype 5 Prototype 6 Cookies+Creme Prototype 1 Prototype 2 Prototype 3 Prototype 4 Prototype 5 Prototype 6 Prototype 7 Prototype 8 Prototype 9 Prototype 10 Prototype 11 Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Prototype 1 Prototype 2 Prototype 3 Prototype 4 Prototype 5 Chocolate Eggnog Prototype 1 Vanilla Prototype 1 Prototype 2 Prototype 3 Prototype 4 Orange Vanilla Prototype 1 Prototype 2 Prototype 3 Chocolate Banana Prototype 1 Prototype 2 S'mores Prototype 1 Prototype 2 Prototype 3 Prototype 4 Prototype 5 Prototype 6 Pumpkin Pecan Prototype 1 Prototype 2 Whoopie Pie Prototype 1 Prototype 2 Pecan Prototype 1 Prototype 2 Marshmallow Prototype 1 Cherry Prototype 6 Prototype 7 Fluffernutter Prototype 1 Dulce De Leche Prototype 1 Prototype 2 Prototype 3 Chocolate Cherry Prototype 3 Strawberry Prototype 1 Prototype 2 Prototype 3 Prototype 4 Prototype 5 Prototype 6 Prototype 7 Prototype 8 Almond Prototype 1 Prototype 2 Chocolate Strawberry Prototype 1 Chocolate Almond Prototype 1 Neapolitan Prototype 1 Prototype 2 Prototype 3 Prototype 4 Prototype 5 Triple-Plus Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Prototype 1 Blueberry Prototype 1 Prototype 2 Patriotic Prototype 1 Prototype 2 Prototype 3 Key Lime Prototype 1 Prototype 2 Prototype 3 Cheesecake Tips Pecan Pie Filling Prototype 1 Prototype 2 Additional Notes Name Change: Bran to HiFi Birthday Gift Replacement of Bran Buds with Regular All-Bran Batter Composition Changes (Mid-2015) Batter Composition Changes (Mid-2017) Update Since COVID-19 (Late-2021) All Recipes & Notes Red Velvet Research Project Preliminary Secondary My 1980's Cheesecake Prototypes Pitfalls to avoid: Unsuccessful recipes

Baked Patriotic (Red, White and Blue) Cheesecake—Prototype 1:   Back in 2019, my cheesecake-making efforts took a big step forward when I made a Neapolitan one. This was my very first three-batter-flavored cheesecake. It was a big success. But another idea would come to my mind, and that would be for another triple combination. I envisioned a red-white-and-blue cheesecake—a "patriotic" one—hopefully for a July 4th occasion. So I contemplated doing so for 2020. The strawberry for the red and the vanilla for the white were ready flavors, having been used in the Neapolitan combo. However, I still needed to come up with a flavor for the blue part. That would be blueberry, and I had yet to make the first prototype for that flavor. Then COVID-19 hit, and this coronavirus set back my cheesecake plans by nearly a couple of years. In 2022, the pandemic restrictions let up enough for me to finally resume my normal cheesecake presentations at my workplace. With that, I now undertook the work on my first blueberry prototype (the texture for that one turned out to be too soft, and I felt that the flavor could be stronger; furthermore, the color was begging for blue). That, in turn, would lead to the long-awaited patriotic cheesecake presented here (with updated adjustments for the blueberry part).   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"). Blueberry Concentrate: Puree about 1/2 pint (or close to 6 ounces) of fresh blueberries, then put into a pan and cook over very low heat, until nearly 1/3 of the puree's weight has evaporated. Let the resulting concentrate (which should now be close to 4 ounces) cool slightly before using. Grease a 9 1/2" (or 9") springform pan, but do not wrap foil around it yet (see below). Crust: 2 oz. melted, white chocolate 8 oz. (1 cup) 3-cheese blend (see above) 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 2 oz. All-Bran, ground up Place the resulting mixture in the greased pan and pre-bake without tub at 300 degrees for 20 minutes, then cool enough to comfortably touch at least the pan's upper sidewall. Blueberry Batter: 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon (5/12 cup) granulated sugar 13 1/3 oz. (1 2/3 cups) 3-cheese blend (see above) 3/4 teaspoon vanilla 4 oz. (approximate) blueberry concentrate (full recipe, see above) 1/2 teaspoon heat-resistant blue food coloring 1 teaspoon xanthan gum 2 eggs (brown recommended, large) Expect close to 3 cups of the resulting batter, but do not add this to the pan all at once. Rather, the blueberry batter needs to be added in two installments. Wrap the pan in foil just before pouring in the first installment. For this installment, gently scoop about half the batter (about 1 1/2 cups) into the pan, fully covering the crust (here's a tip—scoop small amounts of batter around the edge of the pan, letting this batter flow towards the middle on its own), and then bake this pan with its contents in a hot water tub for about 30 minutes (if using a 9 1/2" pan), at 325 degrees. Afterwards, take the tub-and-pan assembly out of the oven and promptly add the remaining blueberry batter. Gently scoop it on top of the first installment and return the tub-and-pan assembly to the oven, still at 325 degrees. Resume baking for about another 30 minutes (if using a 9 1/2" pan). After this is done, take the tub-and-pan assembly out of the oven and promptly add the next batter indicated below. Vanilla Batter: 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon (7/12 cup) granulated sugar 13 1/3 oz. (1 2/3 cups) 3-cheese blend (see above) 2 teaspoons vanilla 3/8 teaspoon xanthan gum 2 eggs (brown recommended, large) Carefully scoop this (in its entirety here—the vanilla batter is added in only one installment) on top of the blueberry batter (it is best to do this around the edge of the pan and let the vanilla batter flow towards the middle) and return the tub-and-pan assembly to the oven, still at 325 degrees. Resume baking for about another 30 minutes (if using a 9 1/2" pan). Afterwards, take the tub-and-pan assembly out of the oven and promptly add the final batter shown below. Strawberry Batter: 1/4 cup + 2 teaspoons granulated sugar 1/3 cup Nestlé Strawberry Nesquik drink mix (the same amount of mix that would be needed as if to make 2/3 quart of the drink itself) 13 1/3 oz. (1 2/3 cups) 3-cheese blend (see above) 3/4 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 teaspoon heat-resistant red food coloring 3/8 teaspoon xanthan gum 2 eggs (brown recommended, large) Carefully scoop this on top of the vanilla batter (again, it is best to do this around the edge of the pan and let the strawberry batter flow towards the middle; furthermore, the strawberry batter is added in its entirety here) and return the tub-and-pan assembly to the oven, this time at only 300 degrees. Bake for about 65 more minutes (if using a 9 1/2" pan). Then shut off the oven and cool the cheesecake down while still in it (and in tub), with the oven door slightly ajar, for about an hour. Afterwards, remove the cheesecake (still in its springform pan) from the oven and tub and continue to cool it down at room temperature for another two hours. After cooling down at room temperature, remove the cheesecake from its pan and refrigerate. I was quite happy with the way the strawberry layer's color came out. However, I felt that the blueberry layer's color—even though it was primarily blue—seemed to be more of a dark cyan. I was hoping for more of a purer blue, not a color leaning somewhat in a greenish direction (not so great when considering that the hue for blueberry filling, such as in blueberry pies, tends to lean more on the purple or magenta "side" of blue). This would call for a note for next time: When preparing the blueberry batter, instead of 1/2 teaspoon of blueberry food coloring, use only 3/8 teaspoon of it, and also use 1/8 teaspoon of red. Expect a dark-blueberry-pie-like purple (based upon my research while using Adobe Photoshop Elements). On a more hopeful note, the blueberry layer came out considerably firmer than my first all-blueberry prototype (see the opening comments, above). I could more easily taste the blueberry flavor as well. And this red-white-and-blue cheesecake was gone within four hours (less than 1/4 of it left after just two hours!) of my bringing it to the 2022 Independence Day cookout at The Home Depot for my co-workers to enjoy.   Baked Patriotic (Red, White and Blue) Cheesecake—Prototype 2:   Per my 2nd blueberry prototype, the blueberry layer for this patriotic prototype would get 3/8 of a teaspoon of blue and 1/8 of a teaspoon of red for the food colorings—and its sugar was destined for a 15% boost. However, after recently tasting a few blueberries and realizing how tart they could be—combined with a desire to simplify the sugar's measurement—that boost was revised to 20%.   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"). Blueberry Concentrate: Puree about 1/2 pint (or close to 6 ounces) of fresh blueberries, then put into a pan and cook over very low heat, until nearly 1/3 of the puree's weight has evaporated. Let the resulting concentrate (which should now be close to 4 ounces) cool slightly before using. Grease a 9 1/2" (or 9") springform pan, but do not wrap foil around it yet (see below). Crust: 2 oz. melted, white chocolate 8 oz. (1 cup) 3-cheese blend (see above) 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 2 oz. All-Bran, ground up Place the resulting mixture in the greased pan and pre-bake without tub at 300 degrees for 30 minutes, then cool enough to comfortably touch at least the pan's upper sidewall. Blueberry Batter: 1/2 cup granulated sugar 13 1/3 oz. (1 2/3 cups) 3-cheese blend (see above) 3/4 teaspoon vanilla 4 oz. (approximate) blueberry concentrate (full recipe, see above) 3/8 teaspoon heat-resistant blue food coloring 1/8 teaspoon heat-resistant red food coloring 1 teaspoon xanthan gum 2 eggs (brown recommended, large) Expect close to 3 cups of the resulting batter, but do not add this to the pan all at once. Rather, the blueberry batter needs to be added in two installments. Wrap the pan in foil just before pouring in the first installment. For this installment, gently scoop about half the batter (about 1 1/2 cups) into the pan, fully covering the crust (here's a tip—scoop small amounts of batter around the edge of the pan, letting this batter flow towards the middle on its own), and then bake this pan with its contents in a hot water tub for about 30 minutes (if using a 9 1/2" pan), at 325 degrees. Afterwards, take the tub-and-pan assembly out of the oven and promptly add the remaining blueberry batter. Gently scoop it on top of the first installment and return the tub-and-pan assembly to the oven, still at 325 degrees. Resume baking for about another 30 minutes (if using a 9 1/2" pan). After this is done, take the tub-and-pan assembly out of the oven and promptly add the next batter indicated below. Vanilla Batter: 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon (7/12 cup) granulated sugar 13 1/3 oz. (1 2/3 cups) 3-cheese blend (see above) 2 teaspoons vanilla 3/8 teaspoon xanthan gum 2 eggs (brown recommended, large) Carefully scoop this (in its entirety here—the vanilla batter is added in only one installment) on top of the blueberry batter (it is best to do this around the edge of the pan and let the vanilla batter flow towards the middle) and return the tub-and-pan assembly to the oven, still at 325 degrees. Resume baking for about another 30 minutes (if using a 9 1/2" pan). Afterwards, take the tub-and-pan assembly out of the oven and promptly add the final batter shown below. Strawberry Batter: 1/4 cup + 2 teaspoons granulated sugar 1/3 cup Nestlé Strawberry Nesquik drink mix (the same amount of mix that would be needed as if to make 2/3 quart of the drink itself) 13 1/3 oz. (1 2/3 cups) 3-cheese blend (see above) 3/4 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 teaspoon heat-resistant red food coloring 3/8 teaspoon xanthan gum 2 eggs (brown recommended, large) Carefully scoop this on top of the vanilla batter (again, it is best to do this around the edge of the pan and let the strawberry batter flow towards the middle; furthermore, the strawberry batter is added in its entirety here) and return the tub-and-pan assembly to the oven, this time at only 300 degrees. Bake for about 65 more minutes (if using a 9 1/2" pan). Then shut off the oven and cool the cheesecake down while still in it (and in tub), with the oven door slightly ajar, for about an hour. Afterwards, remove the cheesecake (still in its springform pan) from the oven and tub and continue to cool it down at room temperature for another two hours. After cooling down at room temperature, remove the cheesecake from its pan and refrigerate. The blueberry layer's appearance for this cheesecake turned out surprisingly dark. But then again, my decision to use 3/8 teaspoon of blue and 1/8 teaspoon of red was likely based more on the appearance of blueberry pie filling, as opposed to the blue more easily associated with the American flag. In light of this, I felt that next time, perhaps I should use just 1/4 teaspoon blue and no red at all, even if there might be a cyan or greenish risk. Maybe this lighter approach would avert my green concerns. I also struggled somewhat to pick up the blueberry taste. Perhaps I sweetened this layer a little too much and needed to make more way for the tartness. How about 1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons (11/24 cup) of granulated sugar for next time as a compromise? On a more favorable note, the crust was not unusually sticky (bringing on pan separation problems) like my two previous cheesecakes (one was key lime, the other was blueberry-only). My guess? Perhaps the brown sugar used in those was getting too old ("BEST BY: MAY/28/2023"). With that consideration, I opened up a new package of this ingredient for this latest cheesecake, and I think that may have solved the problem. I provided this one to my co-workers at the Home Depot cookout on Independence Day in 2023. It was well-received, like the first patriotic cheesecake that I served there a year earlier.   Baked Patriotic (Red, White and Blue) Cheesecake—Prototype 3:   The cheesecake's crust (more white chocolate for firmness) and blueberry batter (reduced sugar for taste, food coloring adjustments for appearance) get updated here.   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"). Blueberry Concentrate: Puree about 1/2 pint (or close to 6 ounces) of fresh blueberries, then put into a pan and cook over very low heat, until nearly 1/3 of the puree's weight has evaporated. Let the resulting concentrate (which should now be close to 4 ounces) cool slightly before using. Grease a 9 1/2" (or 9") springform pan, but do not wrap foil around it yet (see below). Crust: 4 oz. melted, white chocolate 8 oz. (1 cup) 3-cheese blend (see above) 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 2 oz. All-Bran, ground up Place the resulting mixture in the greased pan and pre-bake without tub at 300 degrees for 30 minutes, then cool enough to comfortably touch at least the pan's upper sidewall. Blueberry Batter: 1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons (11/24 cup) granulated sugar 13 1/3 oz. (1 2/3 cups) 3-cheese blend (see above) 3/4 teaspoon vanilla 4 oz. (approximate) blueberry concentrate (full recipe, see above) 1/4 teaspoon heat-resistant blue food coloring 1 teaspoon xanthan gum 2 eggs (brown recommended, large) Expect close to 3 cups of the resulting batter, but do not add this to the pan all at once. Rather, the blueberry batter needs to be added in two installments. Wrap the pan in foil just before pouring in the first installment. Or as an alternative to using foil, place this pan in an Easy Bath Cheesecake Wrap—and don't bother waiting for the pan to get comfortably cool to do so. For this installment, gently scoop about half the batter (about 1 1/2 cups) into the pan, fully covering the crust (here's a tip—scoop small amounts of batter around the edge of the pan, letting this batter flow towards the middle on its own), and then bake this pan with its contents in a hot water tub for about 30 minutes (if using a 9 1/2" pan), at 325 degrees. Afterwards, take the tub-and-pan assembly out of the oven and promptly add the remaining blueberry batter. Gently scoop it on top of the first installment and return the tub-and-pan assembly to the oven, still at 325 degrees. Resume baking for about another 30 minutes (if using a 9 1/2" pan). After this is done, take the tub-and-pan assembly out of the oven and promptly add the next batter indicated below. Vanilla Batter: 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon (7/12 cup) granulated sugar 13 1/3 oz. (1 2/3 cups) 3-cheese blend (see above) 2 teaspoons vanilla 3/8 teaspoon xanthan gum 2 eggs (brown recommended, large) Carefully scoop this (in its entirety here—the vanilla batter is added in only one installment) on top of the blueberry batter (it is best to do this around the edge of the pan and let the vanilla batter flow towards the middle) and return the tub-and-pan assembly to the oven, still at 325 degrees. Resume baking for about another 30 minutes (if using a 9 1/2" pan). Afterwards, take the tub-and-pan assembly out of the oven and promptly add the final batter shown below. Strawberry Batter: 1/4 cup + 2 teaspoons granulated sugar 1/3 cup Nestlé Strawberry Nesquik drink mix (the same amount of mix that would be needed as if to make 2/3 quart of the drink itself) 13 1/3 oz. (1 2/3 cups) 3-cheese blend (see above) 3/4 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 teaspoon heat-resistant red food coloring 3/8 teaspoon xanthan gum 2 eggs (brown recommended, large) Carefully scoop this on top of the vanilla batter (again, it is best to do this around the edge of the pan and let the strawberry batter flow towards the middle; furthermore, the strawberry batter is added in its entirety here) and return the tub-and-pan assembly to the oven, this time at only 300 degrees. Bake for about 65 more minutes (if using a 9 1/2" pan). Then shut off the oven and cool the cheesecake down while still in it (and in tub), with the oven door slightly ajar, for about an hour. Afterwards, remove the cheesecake (still in its springform pan) from the oven and tub and continue to cool it down at room temperature for another two hours. After cooling down at room temperature, remove the cheesecake from its pan and refrigerate. I baked this one for The Home Depot's Independence Day cookout in 2024 for my co-workers to enjoy. If I remember correctly, the cheesecake was nearly 3/4 of the way gone by late in the day. I still had some issues with the blueberry layer, including my struggles to pick up this fruity flavor. And the color was—as I feared—too "cyanny", as well as too dark. Maybe I should still stick with only the blue coloring, but further reduce it next time (maybe to 1/8 of a teaspoon?).