Fresno Jason's California Cheesecake

Fresno Jason's California Cheesecake

There is a local restaurant that has the best cheesecake! Better than any bakery or the Cheesecake Factory. Better than everyone! The cheesecake has a thick toffee-like crust, a rich cream cheese filling and is topped off with a generous scoop of freshly whipped cream. What's not to like?

Now I have made several recipes for cheesecake. I have found some helpful tips along the way, that I am going to share with you. You know for all cooking and baking, it really isn't about the recipe. It is about the technique. Does your cheesecake crack? Well read along and you will know the right cooking temperature to prevent that. Let's begin:

My recipe starts with the crust. Wanting my crust to be like the restaurant, I doubled the amount of graham cracker crumbs you would normally use in a recipe. 

The crackers are crumbled, using a food processor. Then brown sugar is pulsed in. The cracker mixture is blended with butter.

Then pressed into a spring form pan, to bake. It is a good idea to place the spring form pan inside a baking tray. This helps with spills, and helps to remove, the pan, from the oven easier. The crust is baked at 350 for 7 minutes. Then cooled completely before filling. 

The crust can be baked ahead of time. However, if you are making this the same day, please note to turn the oven down to 275. Then proceed to making the filling:

Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature: cream cheese, sour cream and eggs. This will prevent a lumpy mixture. Start by beating the  cream cheese and sour cream; until the mixture is smooth.

Blend in the sugar/flour mixture.

Stir in eggs and vanilla. (I really like that mid air shot of the egg falling into the mixer.) 

Making sure to scrape down the sides of the mixer, before giving one final stir.

Run a knife through the filling prior to baking, to release some of the air bubbles. Wouldn't it be funny if you slammed the pan on the counter, to release the bubbles, and cracked that crust? Ha Ha! Put the spring form pan in the center of a sheet pan. Bake at 275 for approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes. The center will be slightly jiggly.

This is the trick to mastering the cheesecake. You bake low and slow, at 275. No water bath, or bain-Marie, needed.

Lets pause for a moment and look at this perfectly baked cheesecake..... Once removed from the oven, transfer to a cooling rack. Place on the counter and let it come to room temperature. This will take a few hours. Be patient! Good things come to those who wait. Once the cake has cooled, transfer to the refrigerator. Wait some more. Let it chill completely. 6 or 8 hours, overnight is preferred.

You'll need to run a knife along the inside edge of the pan, to help release. Unbuckle the spring form pan, then transfer to a cake plate. 

Since my son requests this for his birthday, I put canned cherries as a decorative topping. If you want the restaurant version you would make home made whipped topping using heavy cream and sugar. Either way this is one fine tasting cheesecake.

FRESNO JASON'S CALIFORNIA CHEESECAKE

CRUST:

2 Sleeves graham crackers, crushed

¾ Cup brown sugar

½ Cup butter, melted

FILLING:

1/3 Cup flour

1 ½ Cups sugar

5 (8 ounce) Packages Philadelphia cream cheese, room temperature

¾ Cup sour cream, room temperature

3 Whole eggs + 2 egg yolks, room temperature

1 Teaspoon vanilla

TOPPINGS:

Fresh or canned fruit

Whipped cream

Chocolate

Caramel

Nuts

DIRECTIONS:

*  Before you begin this recipe. Make sure the cream cheese, sour cream, and eggs are at room temperature. To make crust:  Combine graham crackers and brown sugar, in a food processor. Blend until crackers are a fine crumb. Add melted butter; mixing well. Press graham cracker mixture into a springform pan, covering the bottom, and up the sides; as desired. Place springform pan on a baking tray, to catch any potential leaks. Bake at 350 for 7 minutes. Remove from oven. Cool completely.  Lower oven temperature to 275. To make filling:  Sift flour and sugar, in a small bowl. Set aside. In a large mixer, blend cream cheese and sour cream, until smooth. Beat in flour mixture. Stir in eggs and vanilla. Pour mixture into cooled crust. Run a butter knife through batter, to release air bubbles. Level batter with an offset spatula. Bake at 275, for 2 hours; until the middle of the cheesecake is firm. Cool cake to room temperature. Chill completely, in refrigerator. Serve with your choice of toppings.

• Cake with a cheesecake layer: this recipe will make two cheesecake layers. 
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YouTube demonstration: Fresno Jason’s California Cheesecake

How to Deseed a Tomato

I was looking through photos, and came across this one. There is a story that goes with it. We were out to dinner, one evening, at a popular chain restaurant. It's the restaurant that spends its money on an in house butcher.

I wanted a salad, and I thought, surely their chef can make a salad, without the tomato seeds. I put in my request. 

The waitress returned to the table, "The cook said he doesn't have time to pick out each seed!" Sometimes you just have to laugh.

Just in case you don't know, or you've never thought about it, deseeding a tomato is quite easy. 

Just slice the tomato in half, vertically. Then, use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. From there you can slice, or dice, depending on your preference.

Hershey's Chocolate Frosting

The folks at Hershey's know their stuff! Hands down, they have the best chocolate cake recipe in the world. So you would expect them to have the best chocolate frosting, for their cake.

To a large mixing bowl, mix the melted butter, cocoa and vanilla.

Beat in the powdered sugar, one cup at a time. 

Stir in the milk, alternating with the powdered sugar. You may not use all the milk. Add a couple teaspoons at a time. 

You will have a smooth, spreadable frosting.

Sometimes, I make my frosting the day before I frost the cake. I just store in an airtight container, and keep on the counter. You can make your frosting weeks ahead of time, but if you choose to do that, you will need to keep the frosting refrigerated. 

If frosting a double layer cake, with a simple design. One batch of frosting should be enough.

If you choose to do piping, then you will need a double batch of frosting.

HERSHEY'S CHOCOLATE FROSTING

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 Cup butter, melted

2/3 Cup Hershey's cocoa powder

1 Teaspoon vanilla extract

3 Cups powdered sugar

1/3 Cup milk or heavy cream

DIRECTIONS:

In a large mixing bowl, stir butter, cocoa, and vanilla extract; to combine. Beat in powdered sugar, one cup at a time, alternating with the milk. Beat to a smooth spreading consistency. Store in an airtight container. 

For a simply frosted cake: single recipe

For a piped cake: double recipe

YouTube demonstration: Hershey’s Chocolate Frosting

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROeN39q1cc4

Hershey's Chocolate Cake

Every once in a while a cake comes along, that stands the test of time. This is that cake! The first time our family tried it, was a birthday celebration, where my mother-in-law made the cake. She had a knack for trying new recipes, and this became a family favorite.

I must confess, this is the base, of most of my chocolate cake creations. I hope to share more on this blog: Chocolate Mousse Cake, Chocolate Cake with a Cheesecake Layer, Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes, to name a few.

I, always, take the time to prepare my cake pans. That means: greasing, lining with parchment, and dusting with flour. I know it sounds like a chore, but I've never had a cake stick, when I make the effort, to prepare the pans. 

Start by sifting the dry ingredients, into a large mixing bowl.

Beat in: eggs, milk, oil and vanilla.

Stir in boiling water.

The batter will be thin. 

Bake at 350, for 30 to 35 minutes; or until cake tester, inserted in center, comes out clean.

This is a small cake I made for my niece, in addition to a larger cake, the family shared. She thought if she swiped her finger through the frosting, no one would want to eat the cake. I wonder how that worked out. 

HERSHEY'S CHOCOLATE CAKE

INGREDIENTS:

2 Cups sugar

1 3/4 Cups all-purpose flour

3/4 Cup Hershey's cocoa powder

1 1/2 Teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 Teaspoons baking soda

1 Teaspoon salt

2 Eggs

1 Cup milk

1/2 Cup vegetable oil

2 Teaspoons vanilla extract

1 Cup boiling water

Hershey's Chocolate Frosting (See Recipe)

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 350. Grease and flour two 9" round baking pans. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour into pans. Bake 30 - 35 minutes, or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Remove pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with Hershey's Chocolate Frosting. 

Bake your choice: 

2 layer 9" cake 

9 x 13" Sheet Cake

24 Cupcakes

Cooking times will vary. Use your cake tester, to check for doneness.