Cake Madness - Day 23

Cake of the Day: Oreo Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

I know, cheesecake is technically a pie, but Boston Cream Pie is technically a cake, and cheesecake still has "cake" in its name, so since I make the rules, I say that cheesecake counts as a cake, if only for today :) 

This was the first cheesecake that I've ever made. I never had to try before because my aunt makes the most phenomenal cheesecakes in the world (trust me on this, anyone who has had her cheesecake is really ruined for anything else). I don't know what sort of magic she puts in her cheesecakes, but they are amazing and I could never endeavor to rival them. That being said, most people, including most of my coworkers, have become so used to (may I say "cheesecake complacent"?) those no-bake impostors, that a real cheesecake was sure to please, even if I knew it wasn't as good as it could be. 

Before I began making this, of course I called my aunt to gain as much cheesecake wisdom as I could. She told me that simple was best, so I decided on a chocolate chip cheesecake with an Oreo crumb crust. I had no idea how many Oreos I would need, since I couldn't find the pre-crushed Oreo crumbs, so I bought the five bag "Family-Sized" package...mmm, Oreos are so unhealthy but so tasty. I had to scrape the filling out because she also told me that my crust would turn out funky if I didn't. 

(Side note: while making this cake I was also having a video chat with two of my good friends who are living overseas right now, so I was a little distracted. This may have played a part in this cake not turning out as well as I had hoped.) 

Sad, cracked cheesecake

The crust was good, but I was so worried that the cheesecake was still too wiggly (it turns out that it hardens up quite a bit as it cools) that I think I over-cooked it a little bit. Also, despite baking it in a water bath, I still got many large cracks on top. It didn't look very pretty. This made me appreciate frosting a little bit more . . .it sure is handy for covering up ugly spots. Anyways, I did what any self-respecting baker would do and covered up the mistakes with more sugar :) I took the non-filled side of the Oreo off (and proceeded to cover those with the leftover whipped cream and eat them, mmm, good breakfast) and alternated Oreos and whipped cream to make it look a little prettier . . .I think it worked. It tasted good (but not as good as my aunt's), and I think a lot of people liked it. 

All  better

Here are the comments for the cheesecake:

• Oreo Cheesecake . . .No words to describe . . .mmm :)
• A true paleo diet breaker - awesome (Look up "Caveman Diet" if you're curious about this one)
• Your cheesecake was wonderful 
• Excellent (Said sort of in the style of Bill & Ted)
• The cheesecake looks great and tastes great. I liked it because it wasn't too sweet, it was just enough!

I'm pleased that I've finally made a cheesecake, but from now on, I'll leave the cheesecake baking to my aunt if at all possible :)