Dutch apple pie meets cheesecake bars in a delicious and easy Fall-inspired treat – Apple Cheesecake Streusel Bars.

I received product samples from sponsor companies to aid in the creation of the #FallFlavors recipes. All opinions are mine alone.

Changing leaves, cool weather, pumpkin patches, hot apple cider, and Fall-inspired baked goods are my favorite part of the season.  Apples, pumpkins, and cinnamon are the typical flavors associated with Autumn. I love using pumpkin in recipes and even created #PumpkinWeek to showcase my love of pumpkin-flavored recipes.

Apple Cheesecake Streusel Bars:

I saw this recipe, from The Food Network, and immediately knew it was going on my Fall baking list. I made some adjustments to the original recipe, and it turned out to be a winner with my family and friends. Everyone raved about these apple bars so much that I have them on my Thanksgiving dessert menu this year. While I like the flavors and streusel topping of Dutch apple pies, I am not a big fan of pie crusts. Graham cracker crusts are my favorite, so when this recipe came along, minus the pie crust, I was sold.

Some family members are not fans of cheesecake, but these Apple Cheesecake Streusel Bars won them over. It’s just the right amount of cheesecake filling, spiced apples and streusel topping.

Choosing the right apples:

Granny Smith apples are tart, tangy, and have a firm flesh. They are among the most popular apples to bake with because they can stand up to the heat. If you’d like to add a different variety to the apples, Honeycrisp, Jonagold, or Braeburns are also good choices to add along with the Granny Smith apples.

There is no right or wrong answers when it comes to apples, but I prefer using Granny Smith or a combination of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp in my cooking and baking. My Molasses Apple Pie Parfaits use Granny Smith, and my Harvest Apple Grilled Cheese with bacon, cheddar, and Honeycrisp apples is always a Fall favorite.

Print

Apple Cheesecake Streusel Bars

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 15

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar plus 2 tablespoons, divided
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons apple pie spice

Streusel topping:

• 1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup quick cooking oats
• 1/2 cup butter + 2 tablespoons, softened

Instructions

• Heat oven to 350F. Line a 9x13 pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. Set aside
• In a medium bowl combine flour and brown sugar. Using a pastry blender or knives, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Press into the bottom of the baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and set aside while preparing the rest of the recipe
• In a medium bowl with a hand blender, or the bowl of your stand mixer, combine cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar on medium until smooth and combined. Add eggs one at a time and beat until combined. Mix in vanilla. Pour cheesecake over crust and prepare apples and streusel.
• Combine diced apples, 2 tablespoons sugar and apple pie spice. Spoon evenly over cheesecake mixture.
• In medium bowl, combine ingredients for streusel topping and cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle topping over apple layer and bake for 30 minutes, or until filling is set. Cool completely before cutting.

Welcome to Flavors of Fall where we celebrate all things associated with fall like squash, apples, pecans, sweaters, football; you get the idea!  Ellen from Family Around the Table and Christie from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures have gathered 24 bloggers who have over 100 recipes they’re sharing this week in celebration of cool weather and sweatshirts.  We hope you find many must make recipes so get your pinning, tweeting, and sharing fingers ready!

Here’s what we made for Monday:

Breakfast
Cinnamon Glazed Donut French Toast by Daily Dish Recipes
Cranberry Pecan Coffee Cake by Family Around the Table
Ginger Pear Muffins by Jolene’s Recipe Journal
Healthy Chocolate Pumpkin Waffles by Tip Garden
Spiced Coffee Toffee Bread by Cheese Curd In Paradise

Savory
Baked Stuffed Acorn Squash with Sausage and Apples by Simple and Savory
Door County Maple Coffee-Crusted Steak by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Fig and Brie Grilled Cheese by The Redhead Baker
Java Beef Flatbread Pizza by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
Pecan Crusted Chicken Cutlets with Pears by A Day in the Life on the Farm
Tuna Pot Pie by Palatable Pastime
Vegan Chili by Red Cottage Chronicles

Dessert
Apple Cheesecake Streusel Bars by Love and Confections
Caramel Apple Cookie Cups by Sweet Beginnings
Caramel Pecan Cookie Sticks by The Freshman Cook
Chocolate Cappuccino Biscotti with Pecans by Blogghetti
Cinnamon Maple Pecan Cookies by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
Coffee Granita by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
Irish Apple Cake by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
Pecan Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie by Crumb Top Baking
Pecan Pie Bars by Books n’ Cooks
Pumpkin Bundts with Brown Butter Glaze and Candied Pecans by Our Good Life
Vegan Coffee Layer Cake by The Baking Fairy

Make sure you like Fall Flavors on Facebook and follow the Fall Flavors on Pinterest, too!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Prize 1 – Door County Coffee and Tea Company

Founded in 1993 in Door County, WI, Door County Coffee and Tea Company is a small family owned business. Roasting a variety of flavors for 26 years, one winner will receive three full pot bags of all of their fall flavors. 21 bags in all! Their mission through the years has been to produce high quality, best-tasting coffee using only Specialty Class 1 Arabica coffee beans. Combine that with superior roasting technology and you get a wonderfully even and perfect roast every time and that means the perfect pot of coffee. A $40 value.

Prize 2 – Millican Pecan Tower of Treats Gift Tins

Originally founded as the West Texas Pecan Nursery in the late 1800’s, Millican Pecan is now in 5th generation ownership. Located in San Saba, TX, the family continues the tradition of pecan farming while also branching the business into the online world. The family also enjoys educating people about pecans. One winner will receive The Tower of Treats Gift Tins. The tower includes 3 decorative gift tins stacked on top of each other. The bottom tin includes our 2 lb. Chocolate Pecan Sampler, the middle tin is our Flavored Pecan Sampler and the top tin is a 8 oz. tin of Milk Chocolate Caramillicans (similar to Turtles). An $80 value.

Disclaimer:

Two (2) winners will be selected. The prize packages will be sent directly from the giveaway sponsors. Bloggers are not responsible for prize fulfillment. Winners have 24 hours to respond once notified by email, or they forfeit the prize and an alternate winner will be chosen. The #FallFlavors bloggers are not responsible for the fulfillment or delivery of the prize packages. Bloggers hosting this giveaway and their immediate family members living in the household cannot enter or win the giveaway.

Entries will be verified. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. Open to US Residents only. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter the giveaway. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter or any other social channel mentioned in the #FallFlavors posts or entry. Thank you to our sponsors Millican Pecan and Door County Coffee and Tea for providing prizes.

The post Apple Cheesecake Streusel Bars appeared first on Love and Confections.

Welcome to this year’s #EasterSweetWeek event hosted by Angie from Big Bear’s Wife. We’re so glad that you’ve joined us for this week long event of Springtime and Easter dessert recipes! We’re sharing tons of treats this week plus a few fantastic giveaways! You’re going to love what we have in store for you.

If you take a look into my baking supply closet, you’d see that I LOVE sprinkles. I have different colors, mixtures, holiday sprinkles, custom sprinkles, eyeballs, hearts – basically a ton of sprinkles. These Funfetti Cheesecake Sugar Cookie Cups were the perfect way to use some of my favorite baking accessory, and just in time for Easter. Spring is all about color, and these sweet treats are great for your Easter brunch or dessert table.

Lately I have been baking a lot of cookie cups. I really love them because they are bite-sized and can be made into almost any flavor. Some of my favorites are my Banana Cream Pie, Chocolate Irish Cream Cheesecake, and Creme Brulee Cookie Cups. Since cookie cups are small and packed with flavor, they are a great dessert idea for holidays, especially since they can be made in advance. We usually have big family gatherings, and I always try to make things ahead of time for holidays, especially desserts.

This year we have are 28 fantastic bloggers participating in this year’s Easter dessert event! Throughout the week we’ll be share tons of great Springtime and Easter themed dessert recipes with you. With over 75 sweet dessert recipes being shared this week we just know that you’re going to want to save some of these recipes to make again and again! We even hope that some of these recipes end up in your Easter recipe keepsake collection! Plus, don’t forget that we have 5 (five) great giveaways for you this week thanks to our amazing sponsors! Scroll down to take a look!

Check out the amazing #EasterSweetsWeek recipes from our bloggers today!

Brownies:

• Caramel Bunny Peanut Butter Brownies from Big Bear’s Wife

Cakes:

• Chai Apple Cake from The Spiffy Cookie
• Blueberry Almond Springtime Cake from The Food Hunter’s Guide to Cuisine
• Mini Bundt Cakes from Me and My Pink Mixer
• Strawberry Upside Down Cake from Eat Move Make
• Maple Bourbon Carrot Cake Bars from The Whimsy One
• Easter Cake Pops from That Skinny Chick Can Bake

Candy:

• Cadbury Cream Egg Patties from Sweet ReciPEAs
• Jello Divinty from Love Bakes Good Cakes
• Bottoms Up Easter Caramel Apples from For the Love of Food
• Lemon Truffles from The Domestic Kitchen
• Chocolate Sunbutter Eggs {Nut free!} from Comfortably Domestic

Cookies:

• Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cadbury Egg Cookies from 4 Sons ‘R’ Us
• Malted Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie from The Bitter Side of Sweet
• EASY Bunny Decorated Cookies from The Decorated Cookie
• Easter Monster Cookies from Cooking on the Front Burners
• Giant Sugar Cookie from Pint Sized Baker
• Funfetti Cheesecake Sugar Cookie Cups from Love and Confections

Baked Desserts:

• French Apple Tart from The Java Cupcake Blog
• Lemon Jelly Doughnuts from Nik Snacks
• Hot Cross Buns from Mildly Meandering
• Fried Apple Hand Pies from Miss in the Kitchen
• Easter Brunch Apple Fritter Casserole from A Blender Mom
• Lemon Poppy Seed Bread from Life’s Ambrosia
• Pink Lemonade Crumb Bars from My Sweet Zepol

No Bake Treats:

• No Bake Lemon Cheesecake Bars from Delightful E Made
• Waldorf Salad Apple Basket Cups from Southern From Scratch
• Coconut Key Lime Pie from A Classic Twist

PRIZE #1

PRIZE #2

PRIZE #3

PRIZE #4

Prize #4 — Anolon is giving one (1) winner a Anolon® Vesta 9-Inch Square Baker in Cobalt Blue

PRIZE #5

Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!

Disclaimer: These posts and recipes are part of the week long event, #EasterSweetsWeek but all opinions are 100% mine! We would like Thank our amazing sponsors: Dixie Crystals, Adam’s Extract, Rainier Fruit, Anolon and Microplane! These wonderful sponsors provided the prize packs for our giveaways and also sent samples and products to the #EasterSweetsWeek bloggers to use in their recipes.

The post Funfetti Cheesecake Sugar Cookie Cups #EasterSweetsWeek appeared first on Love and Confections.

Saint Patrick’s Day is always a celebration in my house. Even though I am not Irish, we almost always celebrate because Mr. L&C’s birthday is the day before. In our college years we would host a “Saint Mattrick’s Day” party full of all sorts of fun. Now we don’t celebrate as big, since having a little one, but these chocolate Irish cream cheesecake cookie cups are perfect for any size celebration!

I love the combination of chocolate and Irish cream, whether it be in cookie, cake, or drink form. These cookie cups are amazing. I fell in love with this recipe the moment they came out of the oven. They are rich like a brownie and incredibly easy to make. You can bet I have plenty of different combinations coming using these chocolate cookie cups as a base!

I played with a few different ways to use the Irish cream and cheesecake was my favorite. The cheesecake is not too rich and holds up to the Irish cream. It really is the perfect balance. Since the alcohol is not cooked out, these are for adults only. A kid-friendly version is easily made by not using the liqueur, or using a bit of heavy cream in its place.

Cheers to a happy St. Patrick’s Day. Wear green and don’t forget to make these Chocolate Irish Cream Cheesecake Cookie Cups for your celebration!

Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!

The post Chocolate Irish Cream Cheesecake Cookie Cups appeared first on Love and Confections.

We always have a New Year’s Eve party, and more often than not it’s all about the finger food and small bites. I love creating a special menu for our party, and I definitely need to plan, especially after our NYE a few years ago. We did a potluck and ended up with ALL THE CHEESE. There were two cheese trays, macaroni and cheese bites, cheese spread, and one person brought chicken fingers. There is nothing wrong with it, but I love a variety, and that’s why I created this menu.

Mushrooms are a family favorite, whether stuffed as an appetizer, in a sauce, or any variation in between. Stuffed mushrooms are a simple and easy appetizer, with little prep and ingredients needed. You can customize them for any flavor profile, add almost any protein, and just have fun when making them. I always make extra, because they usually go really fast at parties. You can serve it as-is or with a marinara sauce.

Puff pastry cheese straws are about the easiest appetizer and so delicious! These straws are light and airy, crispy and the perfect amount of cheddar cheese and spices. Like the mushrooms, these can be totally customized. I love using cheddar cheese, but mozzarella with marinara, or swiss cheese would be great too. Depending on the cheese, you could also have a dip. I opted for a ranch in case anyone wants it, but they are perfect on their own. You could make a variety of cheese straws and dips and have a whole party tray of just that.

Dessert is a must at my parties and I usually have a variety. This year I decided that Nutella would be the star of the show. I love chocolate and hazelnut together in any form. Cheesecake is always a crowd-pleaser, but I didn’t want to be in the kitchen cooking a cheesecake. No-bake cheesecakes are a favorite for parties because of how easy they come together. Anything that makes my menu easier definitely helps me out.

Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!

I have an ongoing relationship with Florida Dairy Farmers as a recipe developer. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Love and Confections possible. This post may contain Amazon Affiliate links – if you make a purchase after clicking the link, the price will not be higher, but a portion of the sale will go towards the sustainability of this website. As always, all opinions are my own.

The post New Year’s Eve Bites and Delights – Ricotta Stuffed Mushrooms, Puff Pastry Cheese Straws and Nutella Cheesecake Cookie Shooters appeared first on Love and Confections.

With St. Patrick’s Day right around the corner, everything is green, gold and rainbow. You’ll find lots of delicious recipes using Irish Cream, Guinness and Corned Beef. I decided to create a playful twist on cheesecake with these cute No-Bake Rainbow Cheesecake Parfaits.

 

 

 

LOVE & CONFECTIONS!

I have an ongoing relationship with Dixie Crystals as a recipe developer and brand ambassador. I receive product, coupons and/or compensation for posts featuring their products. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Love and Confections possible. As always, all opinions are my own.

The post Rainbow No-Bake Cheesecake Parfaits appeared first on Love and Confections.

Today I have two recipes for you, and they are delicious! With Florida strawberries in season, we eat them nearly every day. This past weekend, our family took #toddlerLnC out to a u-pick farm and picked about 15 pounds of berries. We love eating them as-is, but I decided to whip up some new recipes with Truwhip to accompany our fresh berries.

If you aren’t familiar with Truwhip, it is a 100% natural frozen whipped topping. As a kid, I grew up liking frozen whipped topping, and now that I am older, I like to pay attention to what I am eating and the ingredients I am using. Truwhip contains no high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, or GMOs. 

I am able to pronounce everything in Truwhip, like ingredients such as water, tapioca syrup, cane sugar, and palm kernel oil. Truwhip Original has 30 calories and 2 grams of fat per serving. Truwhip also has a Skinny version that has 25 calories and 1.5 grams of fat per serving.

It sounds too good to be true, and it really is delicious! I even spoon it right out of the tub. Truwhip has a list of simple and delicious Spring recipe ideas on their website and I can’t wait to try some of them – topping my morning coffee, scooping it like ice cream, and making pies with whipped topping.

For today’s two recipes, I headed to Publix and grabbed a tub of Truwhip Original. Nothing goes better with whipped topping than fresh Florida Strawberries. Strawberry season is one of my favorite times of year and Plant City, the Winter strawberry capitol, hosts the Florida Strawberry Festival every year.

This year, Truwhip is a festival sponsor and you can get a serving of yellow cake topped with a heaping spoonful of delicious Plant City strawberries and a dollop of Truwhip at the Truwhip Strawberry Tent. I seriously need to make my way to the Festival this year, because that Strawberry Shortcake is calling my name!

I hope you enjoy some Truwhip with beautiful Florida strawberries this season!

Truwhip Cheesecake Dip
A Love and Confections recipe
Serves 4

Truwhip Cheesecake Dip Ingredients:
– 1 (8 oz.) package of Cream Cheese, softened
– 1/3 cup Powdered Sugar
– 5 ounces Truwhip
– 1-2 pounds Strawberries

Truwhip Cheesecake Dip Directions:
1. In the bowl of your stand mixer, or in a bowl with a hand mixer, beat the Cream Cheese and Powdered Sugar until smooth and there are no lumps.
2. Add in the Truwhip and beat until combined. Spoon into serving bowl and refrigerate 30-60 minutes.
3. Place serving bowl on a platter with cleaned strawberries and enjoy!

Truwhip Strawberry Brownie Trifle
A Love and Confections recipe
2 glasses serves 4

Truwhip Strawberry Brownie Trifle Ingredients:
– Prepared Brownie Bites, quartered
– Strawberries, quartered or diced
– 1 batch Truwhip Cheesecake Dip
– Truwhip and Strawberries for optional garnish

Truwhip Strawberry Brownie Trifle Directions:
1. Building the trifle from the bottom up, place Brownie pieces in the bottom of two glasses. Alternatively, you can create individual portions in a smaller dish.
2. The next layer is quartered, or diced, Strawberries.
3. Place Truwhip Cheesecake Dip into a piping bag and pipe the third layer.
4. Repeat steps 1-3. Top with additional Truwhip and garnish with a Strawberry. Enjoy!

Until next time, 
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!

This post is sponsored by Truwhip. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Love and Confections possible. All opinions are my own.

The post Truwhip Cheesecake Dip and Strawberry Brownie Trifle appeared first on Love and Confections.

Hi and welcome to day 3 of #PumpkinWeek! We are celebrating our love of the season with a whole week of pumpkin goodies, leading up to National Pumpkin Day. 17 Food Bloggers have come together to share over 65 recipes with you. In addition to homemade pumpkin puree, pie, and cookies, we are also sharing savory pumpkin dishes like hummus, chili and pumpkin corn chowder. Come back every day for #PumpkinWeek recipes. You can also find these great recipes and more on Love and Confections’ #PumpkinWeek Pinterest Board!

I already shared my Pumpkin Loaf and Baked Pumpkin Donut Holes for #PumpkinWeek and couldn’t leave these Pumpkin Pie Cream Cheese Truffles out. They are easy to make and so good. They are the perfect size when you want just one small bite of something sweet.

Scoops, or dishers, are a regularly used tool in my kitchen. I use them on everything from cupcakes to meatballs and truffles. They make portioning out recipes easy, so everything is the same size. I have at least 4 different sizes that I keep handy.

Mr. L&C could not stop eating these. I actually ran out of coating chocolate and they are scrumptious even without the topping. Perfectly pop-able and dangerously good. One thing to note, when making these, the truffles need to be chilled, but not too cold, otherwise the coating chocolate will harden and crack. Make sure you also read the directions on your white chocolate or coating chocolate for heating, it can go from good to bad in a matter of seconds.

Pumpkin Pie Cream Cheese Truffles
a Love and Confections original recipe
Click here for a printable recipe

Pumpkin Pie Cream Cheese Truffles Ingredients:
– 3 ounces Pumpkin Puree

– 6 ounces Graham Cracker Crumbs
– 3 tablespoons Confectioners’ Sugar
– 1 teaspoon Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice
– 5.5 ounces Vanilla Almond Bark, about 3 squares

– 10+ ounces White Chocolate or Vanilla Almond Bark for dipping
– 1-2 tablespoons Shortening for dipping, optional
– Sprinkles, optional

Check out all the #PumpkinWeek Bloggers and their recipes:
Pumpkin Pie Cream Cheese Truffles by Love and Confections
Pumpkin-Vanilla Bean Madeleines by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
White Chocolate Drizzled Pumpkin Scones by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
S’mores Pumpkin Pie by The Spiffy Cookie
Homemade Pumpkin Puree by Happy Food Healthy Life
Pumpkin Mole by Curious Cuisiniere
Drunken Pumpkin Seeds by Life Tastes Good
Pumpkin Roll by A Day in the Life on the Farm
Pumpkin Lasagna by My Catholic Kitchen
Cinnamon Pumpkin Bread by Making Miracles
Pumpkin Quinoa Oatmeal Bake by The Pajama Chef
Pumpkin Chocolate Swirl Pancakes by Dizzy Busy and Hungry

The post Pumpkin Pie Cream Cheese Truffles for #PumpkinWeek appeared first on Love and Confections.

Truth-be-told, sometimes I don’t like cheesecake. Some cheesecakes are too sweet or too heavy and just not that flavorful. I am partial to Italian Cheesecake, though, because may Dad and I make it every year for Christmas.

That is definitely not the case with this cheesecake. This Florida girl loves citrus – Key Limes being my favorite – so a Key Lime Pie Cheesecake was undoubtedly the first one I turned to for National Cheesecake Day. I have a love for Key Limes and often make Key Lime Curd, Key Lime Cupcakes and even Key Lime Pie Ice Cream!

This cheesecake tastes just like a Key Lime Pie, but doesn’t have a drop of sweetened condensed milk in it. I added toasted meringue, but you could easily have whipped cream or leave it plain. For an added flair, you could even top it with toasted coconut.

Key Lime Pie Cheesecake
a Love and Confections original
Click here for the printable recipe

Key Lime Pie Cheesecake Ingredients:
– 115 grams Graham Cracker Crumbs
– 40 grams melted Unsalted Butter
– 45 grams Granulated Sugar
– 445 grams Cream Cheese, at room temperature
– 20 grams Cornstarch
– 125 grams Granulated Sugar
– 150 grams large Eggs, at room temperature
– Zest of 4 Key Limes
– Juice of 4 Key Limes
– 1-2 teaspoons Key Lime Extract, optional
– 50 grams Milk
– 100 grams Heavy Cream
– Hot Water for water bath
– 150 grams Egg Whites
– 150 grams Granulated Sugar

Graham Cracker Crust Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F and spray the inside of a 9 inch spring-form pan with cooking spray.
2. In a small bowl, mix the Graham Cracker Crumbs, Butter and first measure of Sugar together. Pour into the pan and smooth out with the back of a large spoon.
3. Bake for 10-12 minutes, then set aside while making the filling.
4. Reduce oven to 300°F.

Key Lime Pie Cheesecake Directions:
1. In a medium bowl with a hand blender or in the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the Cream Cheese and Cornstarch. Add in the second measure of Granulated Sugar and mix until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary.
2. Add in the Eggs, one at a time, making sure it is combined before adding each additional egg. Add the Zest and Juice of 4 Key Limes along with the Key Lime Extract. Mix to incorporate.
3. Being careful not to over mix, add in the Milk and Heavy Cream. You do not want to whip the cream too much.
4. Pour batter into pan and place pan into a large, sided baking dish. Place the baking dish onto the oven rack, then fill with Hot Water, being careful not to get any water inside the foil or the spring-form pan.
5. Bake for 60-70 minutes, or until the sides are set and the middle “jiggles” a little when the pan is touched. Be extremely careful when taking the baking dish out of the oven! I sometimes just take the spring-form pan out to cool and leave the baking dish in to cool before attempting to take it out.
6. Let the Cheesecake cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate a minimum of 8 hours, but overnight is preferable. Run a paring knife that had the blade in hot water (and wiped off so it isn’t wet) around the edge of the cheesecake before releasing it, to insure that it separates from the side.
– If you are making meringue or whipped cream for a topping, leave the cheesecake in the refrigerator until those are made.

Swiss Meringue Directions:
1. In the bowl of your stand mixer combine the Egg Whites and third measure of Granulated Sugar. Place it on top of a small pot of water, making sure the water does not touch the bottom of the mixing bowl.
2. Heat the water on medium and whisk the Egg Whites and Sugar until it is warm and the sugar is all dissolved. If you run your finger through the mixture and rub your finger and thumb together, it should feel warm and not feel grainy.
3. Immediately, place the whip attachment on your stand mixer and whip the mixture on high. Place foil around the bowl’s opening – warm eggs whip up better.
4. Once the meringue is whipped to stiff peaks, you can pipe or spread it on the cheesecake and torch the top. Enjoy!

Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!

Featured on A Southern Fairytale’s Moutwatering Mondays

Here are all the Bloggers participating in Cheesecake Day:


Baked Cheesecakes:

• Apricot Ricotta Cheesecake from Diethood
• Blackberry Goat Cheese Cheesecake from Baking a Moment
• Blueberry Ricotta Cream Cheesecake from Hungry Couple
• Caramel Macchiato Cheesecake from Wishes and Dishes
• Cheesecake Factory Vegan Copycat Oreo Cheesecake from Namely Marly
• Chocolate Cheesecake w/ Whisky Toffee Shards from girlichef
• Chocolate Chip Cookie Mini Cheesecakes from My Sweet Zepol
• Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Cheesecake from Savvy Eats
• Coconut Cheesecake with Macadamia Crust from All Day I Dream About Food
• Gluten-Free Mini Cheesecakes with Toasted Coconut Crust from Quarter Life (Crisis) Cuisine
• Hawaiian Chantilly Layer Cheesecake from Wallflour Girl
• Key Lime Pie Cheesecake from Love and Confections
• Lemon Cheesecake from Shugary Sweets
• Lemon Ginger Panna Cotta Cheesecake + Blueberry Sauce from Girl Versus Dough
• Lightened Up Apricot-Swirl Cheesecake from Take A Bite Out of Boca
• Lilikoi Cheesecake with Macadamia Nut Shortbread Crust from Dieter’s Downfall
• Mini Hawaiian Cheesecakes from Pint Sized Baker
• Mini Mascarpone Cheesecakes with Strawberry Balsamic Topping from Boulder Locavore
• Mom’s Cheesecake from Magnolia Days
• New York Style Cheesecake from URBAN BAKES
• Oreo Ripple Cheesecake from Overtime Cook
• Peanut Butter Cheesecake with Nutella Ganache Topping from The Redhead Baker
• Pear cheesecake with gingersnap crust from Roxana’s Home Baking
• Pumpkin Cheesecake from Lady Behind The Curtain
• Rainbow Cheesecake from In Katrina’s Kitchen
• Raspberry Cheesecake with Oreo Crust from Hip Foodie Mom
• Ricotta Cheesecake with Strawberry Basil Sauce from French Press
• Salted Caramel Apple Cheesecake from Jane’s Adventures in Dinner
• Snickers Cheesecake from Life, Love and Sugar
• Sugar Cookie Cheesecake from Munchkin Munchies
• Vanilla Bean Cheesecake from Wine & Glue
• Vegan Mango Coconut Cheesecake from Jessiker Bakes
• Very Berry Cheesecake from JavaCupcake
• White Chocolate Cheesecake with Macadamia Nuts and Caramel from Taste and Tell
• White Chocolate Frangelico Cheesecake from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• White Chocolate Raspberry Swirl Cheesecake from Will Cook For Smiles

No Bake Cheesecakes:

• Butter Pecan Caramel No-Bake Mini Cheesecakes from Simply Southern Baking
• Cherry and Pistachio No Bake Cheesecake with Animal Cracker Crust from Cravings of a Lunatic
• Mini No Bake Lime Cheesecakes from Miss in the Kitchen
• Neapolitan No Bake Cheesecake from Grandbaby Cakes
• No-Bake Berry Cheesecake from Food Lust People Love
• No Bake Blackberry Cheesecake from You Made That?
• No Bake Dulce de Leche Cheesecake with Caramelized Peaches from The Food Charlatan
• No-Bake Limoncello Cheesecake from Cake Duchess
• No Bake Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake from White Lights on Wednesday
• No Bake Peanut Butter Cheesecake from Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts
• No-Bake Peanut Butter Cheesecake from Crunchy Creamy Sweet
• S’mores Cheesecake from The Gunny Sack

Cheesecake Beverages:

• Black Raspberry Cheesecake Milkshake from Blahnik Baker
• Caramel Cheesecake Martini from Happy Food, Healthy Life

Cheesecake Cookies and Bars:

• Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars from Cooking with Jax
• Caramel Overload Cheesecake Bars from Crumbs and Chaos
• Cherry Cheesecake Brownies from Inside BruCrew Life
• Chocolate Brownie Cheesecake Cookies from Lemons for Lulu
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bars from Chez CateyLou
• Healthier Peanut Butter Cheesecake Brownie Bars from Texanerin Baking
• Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Bars from Cooking In Stilettos
• No Bake Coconut Lime Cheesecake Bars from Beyond Frosting
• No Bake Cookies and Cream Cheesecake Bars from Garnish with Lemon
• Strawberry Chocolate Ganache Cheesecake Bars from A Kitchen Addiction

Cheesecake Desserts and Treats:

• Banana Foster No Bake Cheesecake Shooters from Mind Over Batter
• Chocolate Nutella Cheesecake Cake from gotta get baked
• Key Lime Cheesecake Trifles from Hoosier Homemade
• Strawberry Cheesecake Pots from Barbara Bakes
• Triple Brigadeiro Cheesecake Tart from From Brazil To You

Frozen Cheesecakes and Treats:

• Blackberry Cheesecake Popsicles from The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen
• Chocolate Caramel Cheesecake Ice Cream from Chocolate Moosey
• Frozen PB&C Cheesecake from Noshing With The Nolands
• No Bake Frozen Peanut Butter Cheesecake {Nutter Butter Crust} from Crazy for Crust

The post Key Lime Pie Cheesecake appeared first on Love and Confections.

Just in time for your fall festivities… and who doesn’t love cheesecake?

After making pumpkin cake and pumpkin pies at my internship, I decided to tackle pumpkin cheesecake on my day off. I really do bake 6-7 days out of the week. The difference is that I love baking at home, because I can make a variety of small things; as opposed to work, where I need to make sure I have enough to feed about 3,000 people per day. That, in and of itself, is not easy, and gourmet pastries, cakes, etc., in mass quantities with limited time and space is difficult.

Baking with family has always been some of my best memories. Being in the kitchen with my mother and grandmother was a requirement for most holidays. With my grandmother gone, and my mother a few hundred miles away, I still try to do holiday baking, even though they’re not with me – but they’re always on my mind. Fall was always the start of the big baking season for us. Halloween, followed by Thanksgiving and then Christmas, meant that we would spend a lot of time together in the kitchen. Because of them, there is no longer a “want” to bake for the holidays; now its a “need.” I need to keep the family traditions. I need to keep the memories alive. I need to keep them close, and if baking and being in the kitchen helps, then that’s what I need to do.

The smell of pumpkin and spices filled my apartment and it truly felt like Autumn – all we need is the cooler weather here in Florida. Yesterday it was 91 degrees! In October! I have a friend in Colorado that already shared a picture of the “first snow of the season” – can you say jealous. We are supposed to get a cold front next week. The temperature might make it down to the 50s!

Even with the warmer weather, I have been getting in the Fall spirit. I unpacked some Halloween/Autumn decorations, bought myself some mini pumpkins, and indulged in a bag of candy corn. I also bought myself some flowers, just because I wanted some, and to accentuate my Fall decorations. Sunflowers are one of my favorite types of flowers, and they look great next to the bright orange mini pumpkins.

This recipe is simple and delicious. It is creamy, rich, and perfect for any holiday gathering you plan to have this season. I hope you enjoy making it as much as I did.

Pumpkin Cheesecake
adapted from verybestbaking.com

Pumpkin Cheesecake Ingredients:
Crust
– 1 & 1/2 cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
– 1/3 cup unsalted Butter, melted
– 1/4 cup granulated Sugar

Cheesecake
– 3-8 ounce packages Cream Cheese, softened
– 1 cup granulated Sugar
– 1/4 cup packed Light Brown Sugar
– 2 large Eggs
– 1-15 ounce can 100% Pure Pumpkin
– 1-5 fluid ounce can Evaporated Milk
– 2 tablespoons Corn Starch
– 2 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice
Pumpkin Cheesecake Directions:
Crust
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Combine Graham Cracker Crumbs, Butter, and granulated Sugar in a medium bowl.
3. Press into bottom and 1 inch up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. A little trick I use do is use the bottom and sides of a solid measuring cup to press down and around the sides – much easier and more precise than using your hands.
4. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes (do not allow it to brown)
5. Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes

Cheesecake
1. Beat Cream Cheese, granulated Sugar, and Brown Sugar in a large mixing bowl, until fluffy.
2. Beat in Eggs, Pumpkin and Evaporated Milk.
3. Add Corn Starch and Pumpkin Pie Spice, and beat well.
4. Pour into crust
5. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes – the edge will be set, but the center will still move slightly
6. Cool on wire rack and then refrigerate overnight – keep springform pan sides on while cooling and refrigerating

You can serve this by itself, but it would also be great with some freshly whipped cream or homemade ice cream! Yum!

Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!

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