karen's Cream Cheese Tart (which, by the way, is wicked good)
Cheesecake.
Doesn't the mere word make you feel like you HAVE TO HAVE SOME RIGHT FREAKING NOW??? Okay, so then you consult your cookbook, or your recipe rolladex, or the internet. Some of those cheesecakes sound so yummy, you can hardly stand it. Okay, all you have to do is choose the one that sounds nummiest...
hmm...
THREE packages of cream cheese....oh, look at this recipe....FOUR PACKAGES OF CREAM CHEESE?!? Holy crap, that's a lot of cream cheese! NO WONDER EACH BITE IS A HUNDRED CALORIES! But, it looks like all of these recipes are that way. So you make that cake, and yeah it's delicious, but every time you take a FLIPPING BITE, you feel disgusted, guilty, and by the time you've eaten your third piece, the self loathing is legendary.
WELL NOT ANY MORE, PEOPLE. I present for you my own cream cheese tart, which is so yummy, but only uses ONE package of cream cheese. Therefore, dear hearts, you can have a slice of cake with much less guilt, but still satisfy that deep down, primal need for cheesecake.
Crust
In a large bowl mix together the following:
1) 1 cup all purpose flour
2) 1/2 cup nutty multigrain cereal (I used Post "Great Grains" this time)
3) 1/3 cup very soft butter (*I always use salted butter)
4) 1/2 tsp salt
5) 3 tbsp sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
*With your fingers, work all butter into crust mixture until crumbly and well-incorporated, crushing cereal slightly if desired. Press into a small spring-form pan, or 9 inch pie plate.
*Bake for 10 minutes. Set aside. Leave oven on.
Filling
1) 1 package cream cheese, room temperature
5) 3 tbsp sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
*With your fingers, work all butter into crust mixture until crumbly and well-incorporated, crushing cereal slightly if desired. Press into a small spring-form pan, or 9 inch pie plate.
*Bake for 10 minutes. Set aside. Leave oven on.
Filling
1) 1 package cream cheese, room temperature
2) 1/4 cup good strawberry or vanilla yogurt (no glucose-fructose!)
3) 1 egg + 1 egg yolk
4) 1/2 tsp real vanilla extract
*In a large bowl, combine all filling ingredients together, and beat with electric mixer at high speed until smooth and thick.
* pour filling onto crust, smooth evenly and bake 35-40 minutes, or until cream cheese is firm and only a tiny bit wobbly. Allow to cool at least an hour before eating.
You can either enjoy plain, or with
The WORLD'S STUPIDEST, EASIEST RED FRUIT TOPPING
4 tbsp strawberry or raspberry jam (whatever you have on hand)
*In a large bowl, combine all filling ingredients together, and beat with electric mixer at high speed until smooth and thick.
* pour filling onto crust, smooth evenly and bake 35-40 minutes, or until cream cheese is firm and only a tiny bit wobbly. Allow to cool at least an hour before eating.
You can either enjoy plain, or with
The WORLD'S STUPIDEST, EASIEST RED FRUIT TOPPING
4 tbsp strawberry or raspberry jam (whatever you have on hand)
1/2 cup frozen raspberries
* in a microwave-safe container, nuke jam on high heat until very hot and bubbling (1 minute or more depending on strength of your nuker)
* in a microwave-safe container, nuke jam on high heat until very hot and bubbling (1 minute or more depending on strength of your nuker)
* dump in berries. Stir. Top tart as desired. Make swirly frou-frous around the plate. Whatever. This topping is also delicious on home-made vanilla pudding. Guests rave about it, and it's so easy it's STUPID. You can make more, or less, depending on how much you lurv it.
Now go let everyone tell you how awesome you are.
Now go let everyone tell you how awesome you are.
okay, we have everything you need pictured here...oh crap, I forgot to get the yogurt in the shot. Damn it. |
mixing in the butter by hand is SEXAY |
today I have a lovely little assistant to help make the filling while our crust buddy is baking |
smooshing cream cheese is fun |
add the sugar |
and the yogurt |
this is more fun than freaking playdoh |
the yogurt, clearly, was irresistable. Pause for a snack... |
clumsy little people do NOT get to use blenders |
bloppety blop onto crust |
don't just admire me, BAKE ME |
oooo...golden magnificence cooling on the baker's rack |
I already look totally delicious (why is the cake talking) |
drool-worthy closeup of crust |
stupidest, easiest topping |
at last! Time to eat the damn thing! |
THE MONEY SHOT |
Oh this looks yum Karen!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing. I will be making this. I know it will be good too since your bread pudding was a huge hit with my boys!!
Ella is so cute!
yes, she is! This little cheesecake is delicious, and it's big enough to get your fix, but not so huge that you're eating it for ages.
ReplyDeleteWhat a doll!
ReplyDeleteAm. Starving. Now.
yeah, pictures of cheesecake usually destroy me too. Me likey cheesecake a lot.
ReplyDelete