I really enjoy baking. I’ve enjoyed reading blogs like Bakerella’s and there’s just so much you can do with decorations and style. Unfortunately, my husband was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes this year, which limits what I can bake.
I really don’t want to just make the usual with sugar substitutes, because those types of dishes always taste like a pale imitation of what they are supposed to be. I want to make dishes that are good in their own right.
This had led me to cheesecake. My husband enjoys cheesecake and it’s very simple to make cheesecakes that don’t have a high impact on blood sugar. So I am now wanting to experiment with this dessert genre. I want to learn to make a killer basic cheesecake that I can put fruits on or decorate with some syrups. And then I’d love to learn some good basic variations. I have a pumpkin cheesecake recipe, but I’d love to find a good mint cheesecake, and a solid chocolate cheesecake. Someday, I’d love to create a carrot cheesecake as well.
Anyone out there have some good go-to cheesecake recipes? Feel free to share!
The Renaissance Woman 
Check out my blog, I have quite a few cheesecake recipes. I love the chocolate one on there, and the coconut one…well, I love them all, really. I'm working on a super one that I will post after my holiday cookie madness.Just hmm…ok, so I tend to do a lot of research and be a bit of a know it all in certain areas. Cheesecake is one of them. So…some unsolicited advice?In general, an 8" cheesecake uses the basic recipe as follows:24 oz. cream cheese, softened1 to 1 1/2 cup sugar3 eggs flavorings. sometimes lemon juice or rind (depending on the flavorings)You can vary this a lot with simple flavorings, such as 1/4 c. amaretto, 1/4 c. strong espresso, etc. etc. It's really only limited to your imagination. I've made a mint variation before, and I put in 1/4 c. creme de menthe, and used a chocolate crust. I preferred the one I put mini-chocolate chips in, but I know that's a personal preference.For the crust, I start with about 1 1/2 cup any kind of cookie crumbs (I've even used crushed pretzels for a salty/sweet thing), and 5-6 T. butter. You can even add some crushed nuts to this as you see fit. If I add chocolate chips, I coat them in flour first. Old habit, but it works well. If you are adding other things, you will eventually get a feel for it, but if you add liquid, you do have to add some either cornstarch or flour to compensate, depending on which liquid. You will get the hang of it as you get some experience.Feel free to ask me any questions, and experiment around.