A few weeks ago at dinner, the girls and I were talking about summer and the county fair and carnivals and that conversation evolved (as it SHOULD) to foods on a stick, how so many things taste better when skewered and portable. Pumpkin and The Princess rattled off a few food items (corn dogs was mentioned more than once), and I jokingly said…cheesecake.
Sure, I figured it was possible if you battered and fried it. I don’t want a battered fried cheesecake. I want a delicious cheesecake, maybe not a huge whopping cheesecake slice. I want it portable, walk-around-with-it-able. I want it tasty enough to satisfy that sweet tooth, but not that big slab of cheesecake that makes you hate yourself ten minutes later (don’t act like you’ve never had cheesecake remorse).
I decided to modify some of the techniques I’d seen in cake pop recipes (By the way? I don’t love cake pops – the frosting and cake mixture on the inside of the pop is too gooey, too someone didn’t cook this all the way for me). I was unable to find a recipe for a cheesecake on a stick that didn’t involve either a no-bake cheesecake box mix (boxed cheesecake mix? No thanks) or store bought cheesecake (ditto). So, I did what any desperate baker who promised to make 100 cheesecakes on a stick for her mother’s 60th birthday would do:
I improvised.
Here’s how I adapted a cheesecake recipe I’d used to before to make (insert trumpet fanfare here) cheesecake on a stick!
What you need:
Crust:
1 ½ cups crushed graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup melted butter
3 Tbsp granulated sugar
Cheesecake:
3 eight-oz packages cream cheese (it can be regular, it can be the 1/3 less fat kind – both work equally well)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla (the real stuff – remember, we’re not cavemen – none of that imitation garbage)
3 eggs
The Yummy Outer Coating:
Two bags melting candies – I tried both dark and light chocolate, and yes, both were YUMMY
Also, lollipop sticks – these can be purchased at Michael’s craft stores (cookie sticks also work – but they’re taller and a little tougher to fit in your fridge. Trust me. Learned that one the hard way).
Okay, are you ready to make some cheesecake?
First – preheat your oven to 350°. Combine melted butter, graham cracker crumbs and 3 Tbsp sugar and press into the bottom of a 9″ x 13″ baking pan lined with parchment paper or foil.
Alrighty, now, on to the cheesecake.
Make sure your cheesecake blocks are softened first (this makes it so much easier and you don’t end up with globby cheesecake chunks in your batter). With your mixer, blend until creamy. Add your sugar, vanilla and mix until smooth.
(You’re doing great! Keep going!)
Then, one at a time, add each of the three eggs, blending in completely. Once that is all blended and smooth but not TOO blended, pour the batter over the crust and bake for about 30 minutes.
While that’s baking, I recommend turning up the radio and dancing in the kitchen. You have time – because once the cheesecake is done, you’ll want to let it cool for awhile before you cut it into pieces.
How big you slice that cheesecake depends on how many sticks you have, really. You can probably make 24 – 30 pieces from that pan (Of course, I’m pretty sure the sticks are sold in bags of 20 – so you can either cut bigger pieces or just suck it up and buy two bags of sticks).
Once the cheesecake is sliced and cool, you’ll want to pop the pieces in the freezer to set a bit – it only takes a few minutes. Melt a bit of the melting chocolates – I’d say maybe 1/2 cup of them.
Take your cheesecake out of the freezer – dip one end of the stick in the chocolate and then impale the cheesecake. THIS IS THE SECRET TO HOLDING THE CHEESECAKE ON THE STICK.
Then, freeze ’em again.
I know all this freezing seems tedious, but that chocolate is your glue. Your sweet, yummy, edible glue. You’ll want it to set before each step. Really.
Once it’s set again, you’ll want to melt the full bunch of chocolates in a bowl and then one by one dip each cheesecake in the chocolate covering it entirely before placing it back on a parchment lined sheet or plate. Do this in batches, so as you finish you can (yep, you guessed it) put them back in the freezer or fridge to set.
And when you’re done? You can keep them in your fridge until you’re ready to serve them – because once you take them OUT of your refrigerator and people see that you’ve got cheesecake on a stick, those suckers are gonna disappear and disappear fast. They are decadent, tasty, and best of all – great at a party because they require no plate, no fork and they’re a tremendous conversation starter (“What is that?” “Why, it’s CHEESECAKE…ON A STICK!”).
Enjoy, y’all.
I. Love. You! And now I want cheesecake, on a stick of course!
Dude. I’m not even a fan of cheesecake (cause it’s so rich) but these look AMAZING! Maybe it’s cause they look just the right size for cheesecake flavor without the heavy feeling. Maybe it’s cause they’re covered in chocolate. Whatever it is, I want.
And there was me thinking that the slightly sick feeling you get after eating a huge slab of cheesecake was the entire point of eating it 🙂
What does she mean 3 8 oz packages of cheesecake?
Whoops! You found a typo! I meant cream cheese. Sorry about that!