(BPT) – Cheesecake is having a moment — and it’s not just after a celebratory steak dinner in a fancy restaurant. That’s right, you can have cheesecake anytime morning, noon or night. Feeling peckish before lunch? Use Krusteaz Cheesecake Muffin Mix to whip up a mid-morning snack to tide yourself over. Or maybe it’s an afternoon pick-me-up you need? Cheesecake is here for that, too. In fact, research shows that 80% of consumers like or even love cheesecake.
Here’s how to capitalize on this sweet trend and incorporate the creamy, rich goodness of cheesecake into your life more often:
1. Cheesecake is simple to make — why limit it to dessert?
Classic cheesecake is made of three ingredients: cream cheese, sugar and eggs. Everything else is optional. You can buy a ready-made crust or crush graham crackers with brown sugar and butter, if you’ve got those on hand. A spring-form cheesecake pan is ideal, but you can make do by lining a regular pan with overhanging parchment paper so you can lift your cheesecake out after you bake it. For a fresh take, you can substitute ricotta for cream cheese or crushed cookie crumbs for graham crackers.
To bake or not to bake? It’s the age-old cheesecake question. No-bakes get their texture from gelatins or puddings and are lighter and fluffier than regular cheesecake. But if it’s a denser texture and fuller flavor you’re craving, then baked cheesecake is the way to go.
2. Cheesecake plays well with seasonal fruits and berries.
Spring brings fresh strawberries, which may be your cheesecake’s best friend — sliced, diced, folded into whipped cream — the possibilities are endless. Summer’s blueberries, blackberries and cherries invite makers to create glorious trifles. Just layer fruit, bite-sized pieces of angel food cake and a mixture of cream cheese, sour cream, whipped cream and powdered sugar, plus a little vanilla or almond extract. Apples, pears and figs come to fruition in the fall. Whether you slice them fresh or make a warm fruit compote with sugar and honey, your cheesecake will pair nicely with these autumn fruits. Winter is the time to add grapefruit, kiwis and pears to your cheesecake toppings portfolio.
3. Cheesecake is versatile enough to fit every craving!
Oh the joys of this delicious, all-purpose treat! Cheesecake can be decadent or light, depending on the recipe and your palate. It can come in any size — from balls to bites to full-on towering slices. Wait, what if the cheesecake were the filling? Krusteaz has created a cheesecake-filled muffin mix that combines the sweet and tangy cheesecake flavor with the soft, fluffy muffin texture Krusteaz consumers have come to love. The muffin base has warm notes of vanilla, cinnamon and honey to mimic the flavor profile of a traditional cheesecake crust. Simply add water, oil and eggs. For an even richer filling, add in an extra four ounces of cream cheese.
So treat yourself to cheesecake whenever you crave it! And check out featured recipes straight from the Krusteaz Kitchen, so you can have your cheesecake and eat it, too!