2 Recipes for Restaurant Quality Cheesecake

Chocolate Espresso Cheesecake

1 1/2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs

6 tbsp melted butter or margarine

2/3 cup sugar

3 eggs

1/3 cup milk

1 1/4 cups Hershey's chocolate kisses

4 8 ounce packages softened cream cheese

1 tbsp instant espresso powder

1/4 tsp cinnamon

Espresso Cream

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Combine butter and cookie crumbs. Press the mixture onto the bottom and 1 inch of the side of a 9-inch springform pan.

Melt 1 cup Hershey's kisses over low heat in small saucepan, stirring constantly.

Mix sugar and cream cheese together in a large bowl using an electric mixer on medium speed. Then beat in cinnamon, milk, eggs, and espresso powder until well blended.

Add in the melted chocolate and beat an additional 2 minutes.

Spoon the mixture into prepared crust.

Bake for 55 minutes, then cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes and separate cake from the side of pan.

The side of the pan can be removed after the cheesecake is completely cool.

Cover and place in refrigerator for at least 4 hours before serving.

Top with remaining 1/4 cup chocolate kisses and Espresso Cream (see below.)

Espresso Cream:

Beat together 2 tbsp powdered sugar, 1 tsp instant espresso powder, and 1/2 cup whipping cream until firm.

Creamy Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 (8 oz ea) pkgs softened cream cheese

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

pinch of salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp cloves

1 (15 oz) can pumpkin, divided

1 tub frozen cranberry-orange sauce (10 oz), thawed and pureed

1 9-inch prepared graham cracker crust

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Beat vanilla, cream cheese, and sugar with electric mixer in large bowl until smooth and well blended (medium speed).

Add one egg at a time, beating well after each addition.

Add salt, spices, and continue beating until well blended.

Spread out approximately 3/4 cup pumpkin mixture evenly into crust.

Pour 1/3 cup cranberry sauce over the pumpkin mixture.

Top with remaining pumpkin mixture and cranberry sauce.

Take a knife and swirl the cranberry sauce into the pumpkin mixture without scraping the crust.

Bake 50 to 60 minutes.

Cool completely on a wire rack.

Refrigerate 2 hours or more before serving.

Serves 8.