Recipes that appear in Idea Alley have not been tested by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Several readers responded to Kitty Braswell's request for light and airy cheesecake like that served at Hank's Dog House many years ago.
Judy Moore, Janice Womack and Gail Wood shared similar recipes for no-cook cheesecake that call for lemon gelatin and evaporated milk. Their recipes were almost identical except for slight variations in the crust and the amount of lemon juice. One cook includes a variation for using whipping cream.
Each described the cheesecake as "airy" and "light" or "soft."
Light and Airy Cheesecake
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk, well chilled OR 1 pint whipping cream, well chilled
30 graham crackers, crushed (see notes)
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 (3-ounce) package lemon gelatin
1 cup boiling-hot water
3 to 5 tablespoons lemon juice (see notes)
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Be sure the evaporated milk is well chilled before you get ready to make this cheesecake.
To make the crust: Combine the cracker crumbs and butter and press mixture into a 9-by-12 or 9-by-13 inch baking dish; set aside.
To make the filling: In a large bowl, combine the gelatin, boiling water and lemon juice. Stir until gelatin is dissolved. Let cool.
In a separate large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy.
Fold the cooled gelatin mixture into cream cheese mixture.
Remove the evaporated milk from refrigerator or freezer and beat with electric mixer until soft peaks form (just like whipping cream). Fold into cream cheese mixture. Pour into prepared crust and refrigerate until set.
Notes: If desired, substitute 2 (9-inch) prepared graham cracker crusts to make 2 round cheesecakes. Womack likes to sprinkle the finished cheesecake with graham cracker crumbs.
As for the lemon juice: Moore uses 3 tablespoons; Womack uses 5 tablespoons; and Wood uses 4 tablespoons.
This recipe is from Beckie Smith.
It is a traditional cooked cheesecake, but lighter and not as dense, Smith notes.
"I didn't like cheesecake at all until my husband made this one," she writes.
Editor's note: Because of the long mixing time, I recommend using a stand mixer for preparing this recipe.
Cheesecake
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup PLUS 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided use
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided use
Pinch coarse kosher salt
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 eggs, at room temperature
1 cup sour cream
Heat oven to 375 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese on medium speed until smooth. Beat in 1 cup of the sugar, 1 teaspoon of the vanilla, the salt and lemon juice, beating on medium-high until mixture is very fluffy, about 30 minutes (yes, you read that correctly, beat for 30 minutes), scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula occasionally.
Reduce speed to medium and add eggs one at a time. Turn off mixer after the last egg is incorporated. Pour mixture into a 10-inch springform pan.
To prevent filling from leaking out of the bottom of the pan, wrap the outside bottom of the pan with foil. Bake on middle oven rack for 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted near the center comes out clean.
Remove the cheesecake from the oven to rest for 10 minutes. While cheesecake is resting, increase oven temperature to 475 degrees.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream, remaining sugar and vanilla extract.
Pour mixture over rested cheesecake and return cheesecake to oven and bake 5 minutes more.
Cool cake in pan, then refrigerate overnight or at least 6 hours before serving.
To serve, run a thin knife around the cake to loosen before un-molding.
Makes 1 cheesecake.
REQUESTS
• Strawberry pie and pie crust like that served at Granny's Kitchen in Huntsville for Melinda Oehlert. "The pie was not baked but the crust probably was before the filling was put in," Oehlert writes.
• Banana Nut Muffins like those at Community Bakery in Little Rock for Maria Geels.
Send recipe requests, contributions and culinary questions to Kelly Brant, Idea Alley, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, Ark. 72203; email:
kbrant@arkansasonline.com
Please include a daytime phone number.
Food on 03/25/2015