Recipe: TGI Fridays Vanilla Bean Cheesecake Clone

TGI Fridays Vanilla Bean Cheesecake Clone
Posted by starfish on March 08, 2002

NOTE: First off, TGI Friday's buys the dessert from the Cheesecake Factory. Here is a clone-in-progress from a poster at copykat as posted on their board:

There were a few post requesting this a while ago. I only had it recently and have attempted to clone it. First experiment, only the cheesecake came out right, crust and mousse were WAY off. I tried again with the mousse and I think I managed it. Please disregard the notes for the CRUST 'cos that's just notes to myself for experimenting next time. That has to wait 'til my hips can handle another cheesecake!
Please just use your favourite graham cracker crust...

I bought vanilla beans from a local coffee store. Just a warning, they are a bit expensive. I also used Ghirardelli white chocolate baking bar.

Clone of TGI Fridays Vanilla Bean Cheesecake

Vanilla graham cracker crust, vanilla bean cheesecake, white chocolate mousse, vanilla bean whipped cream.

(try this recipe next time)
CRUST:
1 1/2 cups finely crushed graham crackers (Maybe add some flour???)
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 egg yolk, beaten
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Crush the graham crackers. Mix in the sugar. Add the egg yolk and vanilla, then stir in the melted butter. Line a springform pan with non-stick foil. Press graham crackers into the pan. Bake at 375 for 8 minutes or until edges are slightly brown. Remove and let cool.

CHEESECAKE:
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
2 Tablespoons corn starch
1 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
vanilla beans from one pod

Combine cream cheese, sour cream, corn starch and sugar, mix until sugar is dissolved. Add butter, vanilla and beans, blend until smooth. Don't overmix.

Bake at 350F 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 1 hour.

WHITE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
1 cup whipping cream
2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
4 ounces 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
4 ounces white chocolate baking squares, melted

In a cold mixing bowl beat cream until soft peaks form. Gradually add powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Put this in a bowl in the fridge. Don't wash your mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese in it, until fluffy. Add the white chocolate and beat until smooth. Fold in the whipped cream.

VANILLA BEAN WHIPPED CREAM

1 cup whipping cream
1 Tablespoon powdered sugar?
Beans from one vanilla pod

In cold mixing bowl, beat whipping cream until soft peaks form. Gradually add powdered sugar and then vanilla beans, beating until stiff peaks form.

After the cheesecake has cooled spread the mousse evenly on top. Refrigerate for about an hour then spread the whipped cream on top. Refrigerate several hours before serving.