For the Crust
1 pack of chocolate graham crackers (crushed)
1/3 C Butter (melted)
For Cheesecake
3-8 oz pkgs Cream Cheese (use philidephia and make sure it's room temp or it won't turn out)
1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/2 C Sugar
3 Eggs (room temp)
3 Tbls Lemon Juice
1 Tbl Vanilla
for the pomegranate cheesecake
whipped cream
fruit from one pomegranate
for cranberry sauce to serve with either
1 C cranberries
1/2 C sugar
2 T orange juice
1C cranberry juice
for the chocolate chip cheesecake
1/2 C mini chocolate chips
(oops forgot to take a picture before we dug in)
The Steps
- Bring cream cheese and eggs to room temp (this will take 2-3 hours). Don't skip this step.
- Break up the graham crackers (I like to stick them in a ziplock and mush).
- Melt the butter and mix with the graham cracker crumbs. Press them into a springform pan.
- Beat the cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk until smooth.
- Add sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice until well combined.
- Add eggs one by one until combined.
- for the chocolate chip cheesecake add in the mini chips (try to stir as little as possible)
- Heat a dish while preheating the oven and pour hot water in the dish when you stick the cheesecake in. Bake at 300F with steam for 1 hour and 15 minutes (until outside is set but inside is still jiggly).
- Let cool in the oven with door closed for at least 2 hours
- Refrigerate for at least 4 hours I think overnight is best, the texture and taste are much better when it's colder
- for the pomegranate cheesecake top with whipped cream and pomegranate fruit
- Cut with a knife rinsed with hot water between each slice (or else it'll look gross and moundy like my picture because I was too impatient, see how nice the first slice looks)
- cook all the ingredients over medium heat until the cranberries break down
- blend with an immersion blender
