Pineapple Cheesecake Recipe

Pineapple Cheesecake Recipe

1 ½ cups crushed graham crackers
4 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:
1 X ½ lb package cream cheese
2 eggs, beaten
½ cup sugar
2-3 drops of vanilla extract
1 X ½ lb can pineapple chunks, drained and chopped

Topping:
2/3 cup sour cream
Canned or candied pineapple
Candied cherries

Mix the biscuit (cracker) crumbs with the butter and press over the bottom of a greased loose-bottomed 18 cm/7 inch square cake pan. Chill.

Beat together the cream cheese, eggs, sugar and vanilla , then fold in the pineapple. Pour over the crumb base.

Bake in a preheated moderately hot oven (190*C/375*F, Gas mark 5) for 1 hour. Cool. Spread the soured cream over the top of the cheesecake and decorate with the pineapple and cherries.

Soured Cream Cheesecake Recipe

Soured Cream Cheesecake Recipe

2 cups crushed graham crackers
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter melted
1 X ½ lb package cream cheese
1 cup cottage cheese
3 eggs
¼ cup cornstarch
Grated rind of 2 lemons
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Mix together the biscuit (cracker) crumbs and butter and press onto the bottom and sides of a greased 20 cm/8 inch springform pan.
Beat the cheese together until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add the cornflour (cornstarch) and sugar and mix well. Stir in the milk, soured cream and lemon rind and juice. Pour into the crumb crust.
Bake in a preheated moderate oven (160*C/ 325*F, Gas mark 3) for 50 to 60 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake inside to cool. Chill for several hours before serving.

Variation: Chocolate cream cheese cake: Make the rumba crust as above. Beat 1 X 225 g/ 8 oz package cream cheese with 150 ml/ ¼ pint (2/3 cup) whipping cream until thick. Stir in 75 g/3 oz melted plain (dark sweet) chocolate. Beat 3 eggs with 175 g/ 6 oz ( ¾ cup) until pale and very thick and fold into the chocolate mixture with 2 tablespoons rum and teaspoon vanilla essence (extract). Sift together 40 g/ 1 ½ oz plain flour (6 tablespoons all-purpose flour), a pinch of salt and a pinch of bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) and fold into the chocolate mixture. Pour into the crumb crust. Bake in a preheated cool oven (150*C/300*F, Gas mark 2) for 55 to 60 minutes. Cool then chill. Top with sweetened whip cream and drizzle over melted chocolate.