Recipe: Vermont Maple Syrup Cheesecake, Maple Pecan Cheesecake for John/CA

Hi John :-) Here are two recipes that I found for you on the internet. I have not tried either one. I hope that one of these recipes is what you are looking for.

VERMONT MAPLE SYRUP CHEESECAKE

Vermont's maple sugaring season is in early spring, and Vermont Grade B maple syrup-which has a more pronounced flavor than Grade A-is available by mail order in quart-size containers from Highland Sugarworks, Websterville, VT, tel. (800) 452-4012.

For crust

twenty-four 5- by 2 1/2-inch graham crackers
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1/2 cup pure maple syrup (preferably Grade B;
see note, above)

For filling

four 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup pure maple syrup (preferably Grade B)
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 cup heavy cream

Accompaniment: pure maple syrup if desired for drizzling

Preheat oven to 350F.

Make crust:
In a food processor finely grind graham crackers (you will have about 3 1/2 cups). Melt butter. In a large bowl stir together graham cracker crumbs, butter, and maple syrup and press evenly into bottom and up side of a 10-inch springform pan. Wrap bottom and side of pan with 2 layers of heavy-duty foil to avoid leakage.

Make filling:
In bowl of a standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment or in a food processor beat cream cheese on low speed, scraping down side of bowl occasionally, until smooth. Add syrup and eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and cream and beat until just combined.

Pour filling into crust and bake in middle of oven 1 hour (cake will not be set in center but will set as it chills). Cool cake in pan on a rack. Chill cake, covered, at least 8 hours and up to 4 days.

Remove side of pan. Serve cheesecake in wedges, drizzled with maple syrup.

Makes 1 cake.

Gourmet
March 1998

MAPLE PECAN CHEESECAKE
For the crust
2 cups finely ground gingersnaps
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted

For the filling
2 pounds cream cheese, softened
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup
3 large eggs, separated
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 teaspoon maple extract
1 cup pecans, toasted lightly and chopped fine

Make the crust:
In a bowl stir together the gingersnap crumbs and the butter until the mixture is combined well and press the mixture onto the bottom and halfway up the side of a 9-inch springform pan.

Make the filling:
In a large bowl with an electric mixer cream together the cream cheese and the brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy and beat in the maple syrup. Add the egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, and beat in the sour cream, the salt, the vanilla, the maple extract, and the pecans. In a bowl with the electric mixer, beaters cleaned, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they just hold stiff peaks, whisk about one fourth of them onto the cream cheese mixture, and fold in the remaining whites gently but thoroughly.

Pour the filling into the prepared crust and bake the cheesecake in the middle of a preheated 350 F. oven for 1 hour. Turn off the oven, let the cheesecake cool completely in the oven with the door ajar, and chill it, covered, overnight.

Gourmet
September 1991