Contest Winning Neapolitan Cheesecake Recipes

NEAPOLITAN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine wafer crumbs and butter. Press onto the bottom of an ungreased 9-in. springform pan. Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Reduce heat to 325°. , In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually beat in sugar and cream. Add eggs and vanilla; beat on low just until combined. Divide batter into thirds. Add melted semisweet chocolate to a third. Spread over crust. Add melted white chocolate to another third. Spread over semisweet layer. Stir strawberries and, if desired, a few drops of food coloring into remaining portion. Spread over white chocolate layer. Place pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan. , Place springform pan in a large baking pan. Fill larger pan with hot water to a depth of 1 in. Bake at 325° for 70-75 minutes or until center is just set. Remove springform pan from water bath. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove foil. Carefully run a knife around the edge of pan to loosen; cool for 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight. , For topping, melt semisweet chocolate, butter and 1 teaspoon shortening in a heavy saucepan or microwave; stir until smooth. Cool 5 minutes. Remove sides of pan. Pour melted chocolate mixture over cheesecake. Melt white chocolate and remaining shortening. Drizzle over cheesecake. Refrigerate until chocolate is firm. Refrigerate leftovers.

THE ULTIMATE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• For the Crust:
• In a mixing bowl, combine the ingredients with a fork until evenly moistened. Lightly coat the bottom and sides of an 8-inch springform pan with non-stick cooking spray.
• Pour the crumbs into the pan and, using the bottom of a measuring cup or the smooth bottom of a glass, press the crumbs down into the base and 1-inch up the sides. Refrigerate for 5 minutes.
• For the Filling:
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese on low speed for 1 minute until smooth and free of any lumps. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and continue to beat slowly until combined. Gradually add sugar and beat until creamy, for 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add sour cream, lemon zest, and vanilla. Periodically scrape down the sides of the bowl and the beaters. The batter should be well-mixed but not over-beaten. Pour the filling into the crust-lined pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
• Set the cheesecake pan on a large piece of aluminum foil and fold up the sides around it. Place the cake pan in a large roasting pan. Pour boiling water into the roasting pan until the water is about halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan; the foil will keep the water from seeping into the cheesecake. Bake for 45 minutes. The cheesecake should still jiggle (it will firm up after chilling), so be careful not to overcook. Let cool in pan for 30 minutes. Chill in the refrigerator, loosely covered, for at least 4 hours. Loosen the cheesecake from the sides of the pan by running a thin metal spatula around the inside rim. Unmold and transfer to a cake plate. Using a spatula spread a layer of Warm Lemon Blueberry topping over the surface.
• Slice the cheesecake with a thin, non-serrated knife that has been dipped in hot water. Wipe dry after each cut.
• In a small saucepan add all the ingredients and simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes or so until the fruit begins to break down slightly. Leave to cool before spreading on cheesecake.

CONTEST-WINNING NEAPOLITAN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Place a greased 9-in. springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan. , In a small bowl, combine the cookie crumbs, sugar and butter. Press onto the bottom of pan; set aside., In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in the flour, cream and extracts. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Divide batter into thirds., In a microwave, melt chocolate chips; cool to room temperature. Stir melted chocolate into one portion of batter; pour over crust. In a food processor, puree strawberries. Add pureed strawberries and food coloring if desired to another portion; gently spread over chocolate layer. Place springform pan in a large baking pan; add 1 in. of hot water to larger pan., Bake at 325° for 40 minutes or until center is just set and top appears dull. Gently spread remaining batter over top. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until top appears dull. Remove springform pan from water bath. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight., Remove sides of pan. Drizzle jam over cheesecake; garnish with strawberries and whipped cream.

NEAPOLITAN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a small bowl, mix together the chocolate cookie crumbs and melted butter. Press into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan. Bake for 8 minutes; cool on wire rack.
• For the vanilla-white chocolate filling: Melt white chocolate in a metal bowl over barely simmering water, or in a glass bowl in the microwave, stirring frequently; set aside. In a medium bowl, beat 8 ounces of cream cheese and 1/4 cup sugar until smooth. Mix in 1 egg and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla until blended. Mix white chocolate into the batter and set aside.
• For the dark chocolate filling: Melt chocolate in a metal bowl over barely simmering water, or in a glass bowl in the microwave, stirring frequently; set aside. In another bowl, beat 8 ounces of cream cheese and 1/4 cup sugar until smooth. Mix in 1 egg and 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla until blended. Stir in melted chocolate.
• For the strawberry filling: In a third bowl, mix together 8 ounces cream cheese and 1/4 cup sugar until smooth. Blend in 1 egg and 1/2 teaspoon of strawberry extract; stir in mashed strawberries.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Pour the white-chocolate vanilla cheesecake batter into the prepared crust. Layer with the dark chocolate and strawberry batters (see Cook's Notes).
• Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, then reduce the temperature to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C), and continue baking for 50 minutes, or until center is nearly set when jiggled.
• Remove pan from the oven, immediately run a paring knife around the edge to loosen, and let cool completely. Refrigerate until chilled before removing from the pan.

NEAPOLITAN CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Combine crumbs and 3 tablespoons of butter; press onto the bottom of an ungreased 9-in.
• springform pan.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes; Cool.
• In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
• Beat in eggs, one at a time.
• Add vanilla.
• Divide into three portions, about 1 2/3 cups each.
• Melt 2 squares semisweet chocolate (I microwave them at 50% power for 1-2 minutes to get them melted); stir into one portion of the batter.
• Melt 2 squares of white chocolate; stir into second portion.
• Stir strawberries into the remaining batter.
• Spread semisweet mixture evenly over crust.
• Carefully spread white chocolate mixture onto chocolate mixture, then strawberry mixture.
• Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes; reduce heat to 300 degrees.
• Bake 50-55 minutes or until center is nearly set.
• Remove from oven; immediately run a knife around edge.
• Cool; remove from pan.
• Melt remaining semisweet chocolate, remaining butter and 1 teaspoon of shortening; cool for 2 minutes.
• Pour over cake.
• Melt remaining white chocolate and shortening then drizzle over glaze.
• Refrigerate until cold before serving.