Fried Cheesecake Bites Aka The Ultimate Comfort Food Recipes

DEEP-FRIED CHEESECAKE BITES

Steps:

• For the cheesecake mixture: Line a baking sheet with wax paper. Beat the cream cheese until smooth in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the sugar, vanilla and graham cracker crumbs and beat until well combined. Scoop 1-tablespoon balls of the cheesecake mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. Freeze for about 30 minutes.
• For the strawberry sauce: Meanwhile, combine the strawberries, sugar and lemon juice in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring often, until the sugar is dissolved and the berries begin to break down and to give off their juices, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the seeds. Set aside.
• For the batter: Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a deep, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat until the oil registers 350 degrees F on a deep-frying thermometer. Line a baking sheet with paper towels and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the milk and whisk until smooth.
• When the oil is ready, remove the cheesecake balls from the freezer. Working in batches, add the cheesecake balls to the batter a few at a time, turning to coat. Remove from the batter, allowing excess to drip off, and then carefully add to the oil. Fry, turning occasionally, until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per batch (allow the oil to return to temperature between batches). Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on the paper towels.
• Serve warm, with strawberry sauce.

FRIED CHEESECAKE BITES (AKA THE ULTIMATE COMFORT FOOD)

Steps:

• *Note - If you cannot find Cats Cookies from Trader Joes, simply use animal crackers and mix 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon with the crumbs.
• Empty the cheesecake filling into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the lemon zest, Grand Marnier, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 2 teaspoons of sugar. Mix until all ingredients are well blended.
• Prepare a cookie sheet lined with foil or parchment paper. With two spoons or with your hands make little balls using the cheesecake mixture. The size should be about the size of a cherry tomato (not grape tomato!).
• Place the balls in rows on the cookie sheet -- as many as you can fit. Don't worry about crowding them, just don't let them stick together. Put the sheet in the freezer for 2 - 3 hours.
• In the meantime, prepare your cookie crumbs. Place cookies (and cinnamon if using) in a large plastic zip top bag. Use a rolling pin or glass to crush cookies and make crumbs. Place crumbs in bowl and set aside.
• Close to the time you will remove the sheet from the freezer, prepare the batter using the flour, baking powder, egg, milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 2 teaspoons sugar. Whisk until mixture is well blended and mostly lump free.
• Heat a large deep pot with oil -- enough to go up the sides by about 3 - 4 inches. The oil should be heated to about 360 degrees. Use an attachable thermometer to ensure that this temperature is reached. If the oil is not hot enough, the balls will fall apart and melt everywhere. If too hot, they will brown very quickly and may burn.
• Make an assembly line of the cookie sheet, followed by the bowl of cookie crumbs, and then the batter.
• Pick up a cheesecake ball and gently roll it in the cookie crumbs, to cover most of the cheesecake, but not all. Then dip the cheesecake ball in the batter (you can use 2 spoons or your hands) and shake off excess gently.
• Drop ball in hot oil and wait for a very light brown color to appear. Roll the ball around to ensure even browning on all sides.
• Remove from oil with a slotted spoon and place cooked cheesecake balls on a plate lined with paper towels.
• Repeat until all are cooked. Then sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar and remove paper towels if you'd like a prettier presentation.
• Serve with a side of blueberry syrup. (RECIPE: One pint blueberries in a saucepan with 1/3 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon vanilla. Cook over medium heat for a few minutes until dark and shiny, constantly keeping berries moving by gently stirring or shaking the pan. Strain out the fruit and pour remaining syrup in a container).

FRIED CINNAMON CRUNCH CHEESECAKE BITES RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and vanilla with an electric hand mixer until smooth, then add the sugar and beat to incorporate.
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, then add the heavy cream. Beat on high speed for about 2 minutes, or until the batter is thick and smooth.
• Freeze for 45 minutes.
• Use a small ice cream scoop to scoop out balls of batter and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Freeze for 2 hours.
• Add the cinnamon crunch cereal to a food processor and blend until super-fine crumbs form.
• Place the cinnamon crunch crumbs, flour, and eggs in 3 separate shallow bowls.
• Take a cheesecake ball and toss it in the flour. Tap off any excess flour, dip in the eggs, and then toss it in the cinnamon crunch crumbs. Dip it back in the egg again, then again in the cinnamon crunch crumbs.
• Repeat with the remaining cheesecake balls, placing them back on the baking sheet. Return to the freezer while the oil heats up, about 15 minutes.
• Heat the oil in a large pot until it reaches 350°F (180°C).
• Fry the cheesecake balls, 4 at a time, until golden brown, about 1 minute.
• Drain the cheesecake balls on a wire rack or paper towels.
• Sprinkle powdered sugar over the cheesecake bites and serve warm.
• Enjoy!

DEEP-FRIED CHEESECAKE BITES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Grease 8-inch square pan with butter; line with parchment, allowing edges of parchment to extend over sides.
• Beat cream cheese, granulated sugar and flour in large bowl with mixer until blended. Add sour cream and vanilla; mix well. Add 3 eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended; pour into prepared pan. Place in larger pan on oven rack. Pour hot water into larger pan to come halfway up sides of square pan.
• Bake 40 to 45 min. or until center is almost set. Remove pan from water bath; cool on wire rack 30 min. Refrigerate 3 hours.
• Heat oil in deep fat fryer to 350ºF. Remove cheesecake from pan; cut into 25 squares. Whisk remaining egg and milk until blended. Lightly brush 1 egg roll wrapper with egg; top with 1 cheesecake square and 1 tsp. preserves. Gather corners of wrapper over cheesecake square, then twist to form purse. Repeat with remaining cheesecake squares.
• Fry purses, in batches, in hot oil 2 to 3 min. or until golden brown; drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve warm.

TRIPLE CITRUS CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Gather filling ingredients aside to bring to room temperature.
• CRUST:.
• Grease and "sugar" a 9-inch springform pan (like you would grease and flour a cake pan).
• In small mixer bowl, mix crust ingredients (best to chop the wafers and nuts in a food processor. Press mixture onto bottom of prepared pan. Bake 10 minutes at 325 degrees F.
• FILLING:
• Increase oven temperature to 500 degrees F. Place a pan of water on the lowest oven rack and spritz the top and sides of the oven with water.
• Melt chocolate and set aside.
• Beat cream cheese until fluffy on low speed. Scraping sides of bowl constantly, slowly incorporate the other ingredients in this order: sugar, chocolate, extract, zest, juices, food coloring, eggs (one at a time), and flour.
• Pour into prepared pan and bake for 10 minutes. Decrease temperature to 215 degrees F and cook for another 50-60 minutes or until the sides look firm and the center is still jiggly.
• Leave in the oven with the door slightly propped open until the pan is cool, and then transfer to the refrigerator (do not cover). Flavors peak after about 24-36 hours of refrigeration.
• DECORATE (before serving):
• Melt the remaining chocolate and drizzle over the top with a fork.
• Whip the cream and flavor with lemon peel and vanilla. Sweeten to taste. Pipe around the edge of the cheesecake.
• Tips:
• Do not open the oven door until close to the end of the baking time.
• Before baking, drop the cake on the counter repeatedly to bring air bubbles to the surface. Draw a sharp knife in the filling in a "S" shape to draw up bubbles.