Maple Bacon Cheesecake
Submitted by Lynn Wheeler
About the cook: I am a self taught/on the job trained professional chef originally from a small town in Ohio. I started cooking professionally when I lived in New York City and had my own catering company there for a short time. I currently live in central Florida and am working on opening a mobile food business - food truck or food cart which will feature duck in every dish.
About the dish: A creamy delicious cheesecake sweetened with maple syrup that has pieces of bacon in the crust and filling.
National Origin: American
Serves: 12
Estimated Time: Over 2 Hours
Ingredients:
Crust
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons melted butter
3 thick slices bacon cooked crispy and chopped
Filling
24 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/4 cups maple syrup
4 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup ricotta cheese or plain yogurt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 thick slices bacon cooked crispy and chopped
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and make the crust first. For the crust:
Butter a 9-10 inch spring form pan.
Combine all the crust ingredients in a bowl and mix well. The mixture should look like wet sand and hold together when pressed into your hand.
Press the crust mix into the bottom of the spring form pan and bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
For the filling: Place room temperature cream cheese in the bowl of the stand mixer and beat it with the paddle attachment until it is light and fluffy. With the mixer on low slowly pour in the maple syrup. Once the syrup is combined turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
With the mixer on low add the eggs one at a time until combined. Add the ricotta, vanilla, salt, and flour and beat on medium for 3-4 minutes to combine.
Remove from the stand and fold in the chopped bacon.
Wrap the pan with the baked crust in 3 large sheets of aluminum foil to cover the bottom and up the sides.
Pour in the filling.
Place the cheesecake in a shallow baking pan and fill it with enough hot water to come half way up the sides.
Bake at 350 for 1 1/2 hours – the middle should still be trembling slightly. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 30 minutes in the water bath. After 30 minutes remove from the water bath, unwrap, and run a knife around the edge to loosen. Chill for at least 3 hours or over night before serving. DO NOT WRAP IN PLASTIC UNTIL COMPLETELY COOL!