Ummmm, sounds yummy Ken! I will give it a whirl soon! Nanahanna

Sure will Sylvia: East Coast Cheesecake 1 2/3 cup graham cracker crumbs 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup butter, melted 5 (8 oz. pkgs.) cream cheese, room temperature 1 3/4 cup sugar 3 tablespoons flour 5 large eggs, room temperature 2 large egg yolks, room temperature 1/3 cup sour cream, room temperature 1 teaspoon vanilla Coat the inside of a spring form pan with shortening. Combine crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar and butter in and press on sides and bottom of pan; refrigerate. Preheat oven to 500. Beat together cream cheese, 1 3/4 cups sugar and flour with an electric mixer until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time beating on low speed until incorporated, scraping bowl between additions. Mix in sour cream and vanilla. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Pan will be full. Place a pan of water on the rack under the cheese cake, baking the cake in the middle of the oven for 10 minutes at 500° then reduce heat to 200° and continue to bake without opening oven door for 1 hour. Check cake. It should be brown on top. Continue to bake until slightly wobbly when pan is gently shaken, about another 35 or 40 minutes. Remove from oven and run a knife around top edge of cake to loosen (this will prevent the cake from cracking as it cools). Cool cake completely in spring form pan on a rack at room temperature, about 3 hours. Refrigerate cake covered loosely with wax paper for at least 6 hours. Remove side of pan and bring to room temperature before serving. Will keep for approximately 2 weeks refrigerated. And then there is this west coast cheesecake that is just as amazing: Hollywood Two-Tone Cheese Cake CRUST: 1 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup butter, melted PART 1: 1# cream cheese; softened 1/2 cup sugar 3 eggs; room temperature 3/4 teaspoon vanilla PART 2: 2 cups sour cream; room temperature 1/4 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla Combine crust ingredients thoroughly. Grease 9-inch round pan with shortening (I use a spring form pan). Cover sides of pan with 1 cup having it come up 1-inch from the top of pan. Press remaining in bottom. Refrigerate while preparing part 1. Combine part 1 ingredients with electric mixer until smooth (beat 2 to 3 minutes). Spread into pan. Bake at 375° for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, place on rack; stand at room temperature 15 minutes. Raise oven temperature to 475°. About 2 minutes before 15 minutes standing time is up, prepare second part of filling. With a spoon mix part 2 ingredients until well blended. Pour over 1st part, starting from side to center, spread evenly and gently. Bake at 475° about 10 minutes. Let stand at room temperature on rack for 5 to 6 hours before releasing from pan. Loosen crumbs on sides of pan allowing them to drop on edge of cake. Remove cake carefully or serve from pan. Do not cut until the following day. Cover with waxed paper and store in coldest part of refrigerator for 12 hours or longer. Keeps 3 to 4 days. Cake is about 1 1/4-inch high. Tip: When baking cake, place a pan of hot water under cake on lower rack. This will prevent cake from cracking. Enjoy!!! Marilyn

There is always Tiramisu. Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table ======== This is my recipe. I have been making it this way for many years Most Tiramisu recipes are made with raw eggs. This one starts with cooked custard 1 Custard recipe (follows) 1 500g tub of mascarpone cream cheese 1/2 Cup whipping cream 1 Cup fresh strong espresso 1/4 Cup cognac or rum 1 Package ladyfingers ground chocolate 1/2 Pint whipping cream Creme Anglaise (optional) Custard 1/2 Cup sugar 3 Tablespoons flour 1/4 Teaspoon salt 1-1/2 Cups hot milk 3 egg yolks 1 Tablespoon butter 1 Teaspoon vanilla . Combine sugar, flour and salt in saucepan. Gradually stir in hot milk. Cook over low heat stirring until mixture comes to a boil. Continue cooking for 1 minute. Beat egg yolks slightly. Gradually stir in about 1/2 of thickened sauce. Add this mixture back into saucepan with remaining sauce. cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and blend in butter and vanilla. Place plastic wrap on surface and refrigerate. Cool completely. Beat Mascarpone cheese with whipping cream. Add cooled custard and mix well. Dip ladyfingers into coffee and cognac mixture and place one layer in bowl of choice. Cover with half of cheese mixture. Repeat with another layer of ladyfingers and finish with cheese mixture. Prepare one day ahead. Before serving cover with whipping cream and ground chocolate. To serve. prepare a Creme Anglaise recipe and pour some on to plate, place two scoops of tiramisu on the sauce and drizzle with warm chocolate sauce. Add a few fresh strawberries or raspberries Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table ==================================== Carmelized Pears with Tiramisu Cream This scrumptious dessert from HeartSmart Cooking for Family and Friends will make dinner guests think you're a professional chef, and the fact that it's low-fat makes it even more attractive. http://www.canada.com/vancouver/features/tasteofbc/recipes/carmel_pears.html Ingredients: 4 medium pears, firm but ripe (preferably bartlett or bosc) 2/3 cup (150 mL) granulated sugar 2 tablespoons (30 mL) chopped candied ginger 1 lemon, sliced very thin Filling 1/2 cup (125 mL) part skim ricotta cheese, drained (see note) 2 tablespoons (30 mL) granulated sugar 1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) vanilla extract 2 teaspoons (10 mL) dark rum, coffee liqueur or extra-strong coffee 2 tablespoons (30 mL) chopped bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate 1 tablespoon (15 mL) icing sugar, sifted . Preparation: Cut pears in half lengthwise. Scoop out cores (a melon baller works well). Sprinkle 2/3 cup (150 mL) granulated sugar over bottom of large heavy frypan that will hold all the pears in one layer. Cook, uncovered, on medium-high heat for 2 minutes or until sugar begins to brown and melt, stirring occasionally (be careful not to let burn). Remove frypan from heat. Add pears cut side down. Sprinkle with ginger and arrange lemon slices over top. Place over low heat and cook for about 10 minutes. Cover and remove from heat; let rest for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare filling: In small bowl, combine ricotta cheese, 2 tablespoons (30 mL) granulated sugar, vanilla and rum. Place chopped chocolate in strainer to remove any chocolate "dust" (this prevents the ricotta from discolouring). Stir chocolate pieces into filling. To serve, place a pear half, cut side up, on each plate. Spoon about 1 tablespoon (15 mL) cheese mixture on to each half. Drizzle pear and plate with any syrup remaining in frypan. Arrange a cool lemon slice on each and dust with icing sugar. Makes 8 servings. Note: Put ricotta cheese in sieve set over bowl and let drain for 1 hour before using. Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table Fresh Strawberries with Black Pepper and Vanilla Mascarpone =========================================================== Source: Gordon Ramsay Some foods are natural partners, and in the same way that fresh ginger accentuates the flavour of melon, black pepper brings a real kick to strawberries. 750g fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced in half 2 tbsp icing sugar 125g mascarpone cheese 2 vanilla pods, split, seeds removed Coarsely ground black pepper . 1 Place the strawberries in a fruit bowl and dust with icing sugar. Leave to stand for 30 minutes to allow the juices to bleed. 2 Mix the mascarpone with the vanilla seeds and season with a pinch of pepper. 3 Divide the strawberries between four serving plates and place a generous spoonful of the mascarpone on top. Season with more black pepper to taste and serve. Home Cookin Chapter: Recipes From Thibeault's Table Chicken with Pesto and Mascarpone Sauce ======================================= Adapted from a recipe by V. Little 2 Tablespoons Olive oil 1 small onion finely chopped 1 clove of garlic, minced 4 slices pancetta, chopped 1 cup fresh bread crumbs 1/2 cup parmesan cheese 3 tablespoons parsley, chopped zest from small lemon 1 egg 4 large Chicken breasts 1/2 cup white wine 1/2 to 1 cup chicken broth 2 to 3 tablespoons mascarpone 2 tablespoons homemade pesto . Saute the onion and pancetta in the olive oil until golden. Add the garlic, and stir for 30 seconds. Remove from the heat. When cool empty the mixture into a food processor along with the bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, parsley, egg and lemon zest. Pulse until well combined but not pureed. Stuff mixture until the skin of chicken breasts. Rub with a little olive oil and roast in a shallow roasting pan at 400F until done. Remove chicken from pan. Add 1/2 cup white wine to pan and simmer until reduced to a 1/4 cup. Add 1/2 the e chicken broth and simmer for a few minutes. Add the mascarpone and stir until well blended. Stir in the pesto. Add more chicken broth if you like a thinner sauce. Serve over the chicken.

I try not to put in a comment if I don't have something particular to contribute. I liked looking at your recipes. There are a lot of somewhat similar (but not) cheesecake recipes that are basically a block of cream cheese with a heap of sugar, and just reading the ingredients is a turn off for me. While your recipes have a lot of cream cheese, there's far less sugar by proportion, and some finesse. I will say, however, that the reason people use pudding is that the mixes have conditioners, thickeners, colorants, flavors, and preservatives. That makes the recipes very forgiving. And then, of course, the recipes are passed to people who could do without it, but that's the recipe, even though it was originally for people who don't know how to bake. The plain gelatin as a thickener, and none of the other chemicals, might require some sense and knowledge, such as if the cream is too watery, or the cheese too stiff. So there's my something added. I've only ever made baked cheesecakes, but if I had occasion to make a chilled one, I'd try one of your recipes. Thank-you for posting.