Cheesecake Parfait

It's been a while since I've posted, and I'm starting to realize how blogging is much less formal than I originally thought. I've neglected to update since I've taken bad pictures, been too sleepy (or tipsy), had little time, and few new ideas. Oh, and that I got a new doggie! That's really when my posts ceased. But from now, I will treat this as my food diary (specific to my job/passion as a cook for the elderly) and go with the flow.

I love the Food Network Magazine, it is by far the most fun and light-hearted of the cooking magazines- no stuffy pretensions of what cooking should be and how culinarians should act. It feels very true to the reason I love everything food: it's fun, exciting and makes people happy. 

I was skeptical of the cookbook they are now publishing, based on easy and quick weeknight meals. I have nothing against quick cooking, it's the desserts that peeved me. In the latest edition (April 2011), they feature 23 10-minute desserts, which on it's own is fine, I love a quick-fix sweet treat, but most of these kinda suck.

A ten minute chocolate glazed pound cake = store bought pound cake + melted chocolate. Or, sandwich ice cream between cooled toasted frozen waffels for an ice cream wafflewich. Things that are not by any means bad ideas, and actually great tricks, but nothing that deserves to be circulated in a culinary publication.

There were a few jems in the magazine section, and hopefully more to come in the cookbook (because I will buy it), including a simple microwave fudge recipe, a grapefruit brûlée and the idea of combining ricotta cheese, balsamic reduction and fresh berries for a dessert.

My favorite: Cheesecake Parfaits. Almost every [non-pastry chef] friend of mine is intimated by cheesecakes. For some reason most people think they are incredibly difficult. Maybe it's the waterbath or the excessively long cooking time at a low temperature, or the "fancy" spring-form pan needed to bake the cake,  I'm not sure, but most people I know won't bother to try it. I hope the cheesecake parfait changes their minds. It tastes as great as a cheesecake, perhaps better, and takes a mere 10 minutes to prep.

I know my seniors like cheesecake, but it is a difficult thing to fit into my day, if only because of the cooking and cooling time they require. I have never made a cheesecake at my current home- I'd gotten away with cheesecake brownies, and decided to leave the actual cakes up to the other cook and the grocery store.

Thank you Food Network Magazine for the idea of cheesecake parfaits! Basically you layer graham cracker crumbs in the bottom of a glass, top with a "cheesecake" cream layer and fresh fruit, and voila! Fantastically easy and delicious.

This is my variation of the recipe I found in the Food Network Magazine, soon to be published in their first cookbook. (Click here for original recipe.)


Cheesecake Parfaits
yield enough for 25 seniors

Pulse graham crackers in food processor until fine crumbs are formed. Put a heaping tablespoon of crumbs in each of 25 small glasses.

Beat 24 ounces softened cream cheese (3 packages) with 9 tablespoons sugar, 9 tablespoons heavy cream, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 5 diced large strawberries (or other fresh fruit, optional). Pour equal amounts in each glass.

Top with fresh fruit (I used strawberries) and whipped cream.  --I ended up topping with whipped cream first, then sliced berries.

I believe this is slightly healthier than real cheesecake, no eggs or sour cream, no butter... Could even be made with milk instead of cream and reduced fat cream cheese. But I made it the delicious way, because my audience won't be around that much longer anyways.