Cheesecake

Torta di Cioccolata al Forno con Vaniglia e Noccio For this sophisticated cake, which will thrill any fan of bittersweet chocolate, Ferrigno took inspiration from a favorite Perugian café called Bar Sandri—Perugia being, as she puts it, the "firm historical chocolate capital" of Italy. And inspiration was all she could take: She requested the recipe from the chef several times, but he wouldn't divulge it. Desperate, she played around with the ingredients until she came up with something that tasted right.

Almonds and matzo cake meal make a wonderfully textured crust for this refreshing, citrusy cheesecake. After Passover, instead of pulling out the graham crackers again, experiment with other cookie crusts such as one made with shortbread.

Reduced-fat ingredients create a light, creamy cake.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from Carole Bloom's book The Essential Baker. One of my favorite treats when I was growing up was malted milk balls. I couldn't seem to get enough of them. I vividly remember biting through the crunchy exterior of milk chocolate to find the malt ball inside. Yum! I still love the flavor of malt and believe it goes well with milk chocolate. This cheesecake is inspired by those malted milk balls I loved as a child. It's dense and creamy, with a crunchy cookie crust and a deep malt flavor. As with other cheesecakes, this one has to be made in advance of serving because it needs hours to cool and chill. But it also freezes beautifully, so you can make it well in advance of when you plan to serve it.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from by Lauren Chattman. Here is a wonderful summer cheesecake, great after a Latin-themed barbecue. The bright and acidic Mango Sauce cuts the sweetness of the coconut and gives the cake some extra tropical flair. Be sure to stir up the cream of coconut before measuring it out, because it settles and separates in the can.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are from Feast: Food to Celebrate Life, by Nigella Lawson. There is no doubt about it, anything with chestnuts in it, even if they come vacuum-packed or canned and are perennially available, is so right for this time of year. This hums the tune, but in a subtler key. The chestnuts are present, in the form of a gritty, grainy sweetened purée: some to add to the cookie base; some to fold through the plain cheesecake filling before baking; and yet more — well, it is Christmas — to drip in a thick syrup over the cake when served. And yet, you know, the chestnuttiness is not blaring: there is something undeniably festive about this, but not in a full-on, party hat kind of a way. As with all cheesecakes, you need to bake this the day before you want to serve it.

Expect a line to form when you unveil this stunning dessert. It's swirled throughout with tangy lemon curd, which amplifies the richness of the surrounding cheesecake.

Testers refused to believe that chef Terry Conlan's ultra-creamy cheesecake was low in fat — but we triple-checked the numbers, and they're gloriously correct. Calories are still a bit high, but light butter and fat-free cream cheese drop the fat count to only 20 percent of the recipe's calories (less than half that of a regular slice), and goodies like caramel sauce and chocolate chips maximize the taste.

You can find the Neufchâtel cheese called for here next to the cream cheese at your supermarket. Don't be alarmed by the holes in your coeur à la crème molds — they allow liquid to drain out of the bottom so the hearts will be firm enough to hold their shape.

The almond biscotti for the easy crust are available at supermarkets, bakeries and Italian markets. The recipe is from chef Kimball Jones of Wente Vineyards Restaurant in Livermore, California.

A super-creamy dessert that will have cheesecake lovers begging for seconds.

"I'm a music teacher, and baking is the extracurricular activity I like most," says Sue Reddin Ellison of Edgewater, Colorado. "This cheesecake is a family favorite as well as an impressive do-ahead dessert for entertaining. I make a similar version with pecans instead of hazelnuts; either way, everyone loves the smooth filling and the nutty crust." Begin preparing this a day before serving.

Make the cake a day ahead so that it has plenty of time to chill.

"This incredible cheesecake was made by the mother of my first boss," says Jim Carrier of Greenwich, Connecticut. "When I called Mrs. Marshall to ask if she would consider showing me how she made it, she warmly replied, 'I would be delighted to share the recipe with you, kid.' On the evening of my 'seminar,' it was a wonderful sight as I walked into her kitchen and found the stage set with all the ingredients and utensils for the important lesson. Mrs. Marshall sat on a wooden stool and directed me through the entire process. 'Pick up that wooden spoon—and save some energy for later,' she said. 'You will be beating the egg whites by hand. We don’t use any electrical appliances in this production except the oven!' I dutifully followed each step. This is a cheesecake recipe to treasure." Although Mrs. Marshall doesn't use any electric appliances to make this cheesecake, feel free to use a food processor for the crumbs and an electric mixer for the filling. The cake will rise as it bakes and fall as it cools. Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 6 1/4 hr

We find that different generations have different ideas about what a typical New York cheesecake is. To us, a New York cheesecake is high, firm, and dense, with a slightly lemony flavor. The Lindy's cheesecake in our January 1991 issue, adapted here for a simpler crust, is all of that. It's also a cake that keeps for up to two weeks and lends itself easily to flavor variations.

If you can't find fresh Key limes in your area, you can substitute bottled Key lime juice. We've tried several different kinds in our test kitchen, and the only one we like so far is Manhattan brand*.

This needs to chill overnight, so plan accordingly.

Cheesecake and Champagne are a great finale. Begin making the dessert a day ahead.

Bake this at least one day ahead.

This cheesecake, a delicious contrast of sweet vanilla and tart cranberry, is a scruptious conclusion to any dinner. Whipped cream rosettes are a pretty finish.

Pureed fresh mango gives this cheesecake a light and soft texture and subtle tropical fruit flavor.