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| Photo: Family Features |
From Denny: This is such a fun colorful cheesecake to make that is sure to impress for any special holiday or occasion! While it looks like watermelon it's really a strawberry flavored cheesecake supported by a delicious coconut and pistachio crumble crust that imitates the watermelon rind. How clever is that? And you know it sure tastes better than the rind. :) To imitate the look of the watermelon seeds you garnish the cheesecake with mini chocolate chips.
The beauty of this cheesecake is that you don't have to bake it. Everything is done on the stove top and then chilled. Well, I'm sold; ready to start cooking?
With some extra effort - on a slow lazy weekend when you have some time - this might be fun to make in small mini cheesecakes. It could be one of those special treats you can pull out at the last minute when unexpected company shows up for a visit and you don't have the time to stop and shop.
You could probably freeze this cheesecake (the large or the mini versions) before garnishing with the mini chocolate chips, especially if you are only cooking for two and just can't eat an entire cheesecake. I wouldn't freeze it with the chocolate chips as chocolate tends to get an unattractive bloom on it when frozen and then thawed. It's your call. I often freeze cheesecakes I make as we like smaller portions at our house to control the calories and because we find cheesecake so rich a dessert. Sometimes I freeze cheesecake in well wrapped slices or take the time to make the smaller tart size.
Kid Friendly Recipe: This recipe would be fun to do with older children to help teach them more about cooking. They could easily help make the crust and help mix the cream cheese mixture. You would have to supervise the stove top cooking of the frozen strawberries and dealing with the red food coloring as that could get quite messy. :) But kids could help sprinkle the gelatin over the pan of cooked strawberries and help you stir until dissolved. You might want to be the one to add the red food coloring and let them stir it into the mixture. Kids are definitely up to helping decorate with the mini chocolate chips - though you may find quite a few missing before they land on the cheesecake!
Check out this happy design and a blast from the retro past - Available in other sizes, also in bedding and much more!
From Louisiana artist Denny Lyon
Visit Denny Lyon Gifts @ CafePress.com - see what's new!
Visit Denny Lyon Gifts @ CafePress.com - see what's new!
Cool Fake Watermelon Cheesecake
From: Family Features
Makes: about 12 servings
Ingredients:
Crust:
11/4 cups (16 ozs.) roasted salted pistachios
2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
1/4 cup granulated sugar
4 Tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, melted
Leaf green icing color
Filling:
3 (8-oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, softened
2⁄3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon imitation clear vanilla
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 (16-oz.) pkg. frozen whole strawberries, thawed, pureed and strained (about 1-1/2 cups)
1 (1/4-oz.) envelope unflavored gelatin
No-taste red icing color
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips, divided
Directions:
1. In food processor, pulse pistachios until coarsely ground. Add coconut, sugar, butter and icing color; pulse until well combined. Press into bottom and 3/4 up side of 9-inch springform pan. Refrigerate while making filling.
2. In large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until light and creamy. Add heavy cream and beat until combined.
3. In small saucepan, bring strawberry juice just to boiling, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Sprinkle gelatin evenly over top and whisk vigorously to dissolve completely, about 3 minutes. Pour into cream cheese mixture. Add icing color and beat until well combined. Beat in 1⁄3 cup mini chocolate chips. Pour into chilled crust. Sprinkle top with remaining chocolate chips. Refrigerate until set, about 3 hours.
From: Family Features
Makes: about 12 servings
Ingredients:
Crust:
11/4 cups (16 ozs.) roasted salted pistachios
2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
1/4 cup granulated sugar
4 Tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, melted
Leaf green icing color
Filling:
3 (8-oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, softened
2⁄3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon imitation clear vanilla
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 (16-oz.) pkg. frozen whole strawberries, thawed, pureed and strained (about 1-1/2 cups)
1 (1/4-oz.) envelope unflavored gelatin
No-taste red icing color
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips, divided
Directions:
1. In food processor, pulse pistachios until coarsely ground. Add coconut, sugar, butter and icing color; pulse until well combined. Press into bottom and 3/4 up side of 9-inch springform pan. Refrigerate while making filling.
2. In large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until light and creamy. Add heavy cream and beat until combined.
3. In small saucepan, bring strawberry juice just to boiling, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Sprinkle gelatin evenly over top and whisk vigorously to dissolve completely, about 3 minutes. Pour into cream cheese mixture. Add icing color and beat until well combined. Beat in 1⁄3 cup mini chocolate chips. Pour into chilled crust. Sprinkle top with remaining chocolate chips. Refrigerate until set, about 3 hours.
Magic Coffee Fonts Woven Throw Pillow
Magic Coffee Fonts celebrate our morning cup of joe! This fun design available on many more products from bedding to t-shirts to mugs and more! From Louisiana artist Denny Lyon
Visit Denny Lyon Gifts @ CafePress.com - see what's new!
* * * Support Warriors Pearl Foundation - contributing to fund efforts to help homeless female military veterans come home. Visit Denny Lyon Gifts @ CafePress.com - see what's new!
* Check out Dennys News Politics Comedy Science Arts & Food - a place where all my other 24 blogs link so you can choose from among the latest posts all in one place. A free to read online newspaper from independent journalist blogger Denny Lyon. *
*** Check out Holiday Recipes From Dennys Food and Recipes
Magic Coffee Fonts celebrate our morning cup of joe! This fun design available on many more products from bedding to t-shirts to mugs and more! From Louisiana artist Denny Lyon
Visit Denny Lyon Gifts @ CafePress.com - see what's new!
* * * Support Warriors Pearl Foundation - contributing to fund efforts to help homeless female military veterans come home. Visit Denny Lyon Gifts @ CafePress.com - see what's new!
* Check out Dennys News Politics Comedy Science Arts & Food - a place where all my other 24 blogs link so you can choose from among the latest posts all in one place. A free to read online newspaper from independent journalist blogger Denny Lyon. *
*** Check out Holiday Recipes From Dennys Food and Recipes
