Cream Cheese Pie
This is a no-cook recipe. It is so easy to make - takes less than 30 minutes, start to finish -- and always gets raves. It can be made fat free or full fat or any combination in between.
Cream Cheese Pie
Ingredients:
2 packages (8-oz) of cream cheese (fat free, low fat, full fat they all work)
2 cans (14 oz) Sweetened Condensed Milk (NOT evaporated milk)
2 Limes
1 package frozen (Minute Maid) lemon juice (in the frozen juice section)
1 (Ready Crust) graham cracker crust
1 package fresh raspberries (optional)
1 package fresh blueberries (optional)
Thaw frozen lemon juice. Zest and juice the limes. Crumble graham cracker crust in bowl. Sprinkle 1/3 zest over graham cracker crust mixing until thoroughly combined. Press graham cracker mix into pie pan and set aside.
Pour lime juice into a 1-cup size measuring cup. Sprinkle remainder of zest on lime juice. Fill measuring cup with thawed lemon juice to make 1-cup of lemon-lime juice total. Set aside.
Beat cream cheese with mixer or in food processor until smooth and supple. Add sweetened condensed milk, blending until completely integrated. Add lemon-lime juice and the pinch of nutmeg; scraping the sides occasionally and blending until completely combined. Pour into prepared pie crust. Top with fresh berries arranged in a seasonal pattern (star, tree, heart, etc.) or in a design of your own.
Chill for a couple of hours in the refrigerator to serve chilled, or freeze for about six hours to serve frozen. Cut into eight pieces and serve.
the Crust:
. 2 Cups Ginger Snaps, Crumbed
. 4tbs Butter, melted
. Orange Zest from 2 Oranges
For the Cheesecake:
. 2-8oz Neufchatel
. 2-8oz FF Cream Cheese
. 4-8oz Lucerne Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Spread
. 2 Cups Sugar
. 10 Eggs or Egg Replacer*
. 1 Cup Milk
. 1 Cup Sour Cream
. 1 Cup Ricotta
. Cup Flour
. 2T Vanilla
. 2 Pinches Nutmeg
- Equipment/Tools:
. 2 9" Springform Cake Pans
. 2-10" Lengths of Parchment Paper
. 2-15" Lengths of Aluminum Foil
. Hand Mixer
. Measuring Cups & Spoons
. 2 Large, Low Roasting Pans
. Large Oven
Prepare Springform Pans:
Open springform pan, line bottom with parchment paper leaving sides hanging out and snap springform back in place.
For the Crust:
Mix Ginger Snap crumbs, melted butter, and orange zest in medium bowl until thoroughly combined. Press into bottom of springform pan.
For the Cheesecake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fill roasting pans with about 2" water and place in oven.
In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly blend all cheeses with sugar until smooth. Add eggs or prepared egg replacer (*beat 5T Ener-G egg replacer with 20T water until slightly frothy) and mix until completely combined.
Add milk, sour cream, ricotta, flour, vanilla and nutmeg, mixing until smooth and fully incorporated.
Spoon cheesecake mixture into springform pans. Place each springform pan into the bain marie in the oven. For two cheesecakes, bake at 350 for 1 hour 50 minutes without opening oven door. Turn off oven and allow to set for 4 hours.
Remove from oven and remove from springform pans. May be served at room temperature or chilled. Freezes well. Enjoy!
Notes:
This can be made with plain cheese or with other flavors of cream cheese (like mixed berry or strawberry), but the pumpkin get the most raves!
Place each pan in center of aluminum foil and fold sides up. The aluminum is to keep water from the bain marie from entering the cheesecake while baking, so be sure to press the sides up.