My sister's birthday just recently passed. Instead of my family buy her a cake, why not I just make one for her! She isn't that fond of cake, so I chose to make her a Samoa Cheesecake. This was my first time making it. It turned out really well, except I forget to wrap aluminum foil around the pan from preventing water to get in it, so the crust was kind of soggy. My bad! My family members and friends loved it though, which was good. And the best thing is that this cheesecake is pretty much healthy compared to the other cheesecakes because it uses greek yogurt, and low fat cream cheese and it's super easy to make! Hope you guys like it!
Crush the oreos and mix with the melted butter.
Press it firmly into the pan and set aside.
Mix the cream cheese for about 3 minutes until smooth.
Mix in the sugar.
Add in the Greek yogurt and vanilla.
Mix in the eggs one at a time.
Bake for about an hour and a half at 325 degrees. Wrap the springform pan with aluminum and place it in a roasting pan. Once the pan is placed in the oven, fill it with hot water.
Let it cool and put it in the fridge for at least 4 hours.
For the topping, place the coconut evenly and at 350 degrees making sure it doesn't burn.
I made my own caramel, but you can buy the ones from the store too.
Mix the coconut with the caramel.
Add a layer of caramel onto the cooled cheesecake.
Layer the coconut/caramel mix on top and let it chill for at least 15 minutes.
This is optional, but I drizzled chocolate and caramel on top.
And this is how it turned out!
Samoa Cheesecake
Cheesecake Ingredients:
24 Oreo cookies
4 Tbsp butter, melted
Pinch of salt
1 C granulated sugar
3 (8-ounce) bricks neufchâtel (low-fat) cream cheese, softened
1 C plain or vanilla Greek yogurt
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs
Topping Ingredients:
2 C shredded coconut
2 C caramel sauce
4 oz dark chocolate
Caramel Ingredients:
1 1/2 C sugar
3 tbsp light corn syrup
3 tbsp water
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 + 1/4 C heavy cream, heated * (just warm up the milk, do not boil)
1/2 tsp + 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp butter, softened
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees, and grease the springform pan. Carefully wrap the pan with aluminum foil in 2 layers making sure there is no room for water to seep through.
2. Add the oreos into a food processor or into a ziploc bag and process until completely crumbled. Add in the melted butter and process until evenly mixed. Press the oreo mixture into the pan, then place it into a roasting dish. Prepare a pot of water to a boil for the water bath, and set aside.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese for about 3 minutes until smooth. Add the sugar and beat for another minute until well blended.
4. Add the greek yogurt and vanilla and beat for another minute, stopping halfway and scrape down the sides. Add eggs one at a time beating on low speed until just combined. Do not over mix. Pour into crust.
5. Place the double pans into the bottom third of the oven. Very carefully pour the hot water into the roasting pan so that it comes up about 1-inch around the springform. Close the oven door and bake for about 1 hour 30 minutes or until center is set.
6. Turn off the oven and open door slightly. Let the cheesecake set in the oven for 1 hour. Then remove cheesecake from the oven. Carefully run a knife around the edges of the cake, and then let cool to room temperature..
7. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. Remove springform rim, and top cheesecake with Samoa topping. Return the cheesecake to the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes for the topping to set. Then serve, or cover and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Topping Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread shredded coconut out in an even layer on a parchment-covered (or aluminum foil-covered) baking sheet. Bake for about 6 minutes, or until the top layer of coconut is toasted and lightly golden, then remove the tray and stir in the coconut.
2. Bake for an additional 3-4 minutes or until the new layer of coconut is lightly golden. (Keep a close eye on it so that the coconut does not burn.) Remove the pan, and pour coconut into a mixing bowl.
3. Add 1 C caramel sauce to the bowl with the coconut, and stir to combine. (If your caramel is not very pour-able, heat it in the microwave or in a small saucepan until it is just slightly warmed.)
4. Using a spoon, spread a separate 1/2 C of caramel sauce onto the chilled cheesecake. Then top with caramel/coconut mixture, and press it down until the top of the cheesecake is covered.
5. Pour the melted chocolate into a piping bag or Ziplock bag with the corner snipped off, then pipe it onto the top of the coconut/caramel mixture in even lines. Repeat with caramel sauce.
Microwave Caramel Sauce Directions:
1. Whisk together the sugar, corn syrup, water, and lemon juice in a microwave-safe measuring cup or glass bowl until combined. Microwave on high for 5 to 8 minutes, until the mixture ever so slightly begins to turn a light golden color. Watch carefully--if you wait even a few seconds too long, it will turn too dark, and will thus overcook and turn slightly bitter.
2. Carefully remove the measuring cup form the microwave and place it on a dry surface. Let it rest untouched for about 3-5 minutes, or until the mixture turns a deep amber color.
3. Then add in about a tablespoon of the heated cream, and immediately whisk to combine. The caramel will bubble furiously, but whisking will keep it from overflowing. Continue adding the cream slowly in small increments until is is all whisked in. Then add in the vanilla and butter and whisk to combine. Serve immediately warm, or let it sit and come to room temperature to thicken slightly.
4. Store in a jar or sealed container and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
Enjoy!
