The Broke Baker

Tag: snickers

  • Pressure Cooker Snickers Cheesecake

    Pressure Cooker Snickers Cheesecake

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    Oh, if there were any two words sweeter than “Snickers Cheesecake,” I can’t think of them right now.  All I can say that, after making this only once, it became a favorite.  How can you really go wrong with cheesecake with a chocolate crust and chunks of Snickers floating in there!?

    I have been having a lot of fun playing with my Instant Pot brand pressure cooker, in case you couldn’t tell.  And, I have to admit that it does make certain things way better and easier than the traditional way.  Converting a “conventional” recipe into a pressure cooker recipe isn’t always intuitive, but cheesecake is an exception.  Practically any cheesecake recipe can be turned into a pressure cooker cheesecake with the proper adjustments to scale and cook time.  True, making cheesecake in a pressure cooker means you have to make a smaller cheesecake, but it’s not a big deal for someone that lives by themselves or hosts small dinner parties.  And, when you have something as decadent as a SNICKERS cheesecake, it’s much safer not to keep large quantities of it lying around the house.

    Get your ingredients together.  It’s always best to start by having everything you need ready and available.

    Mix the Oreos and butter together and press into your greased cheesecake pan.  I like to pre-bake my crust for 6-7 minutes at 350° in the oven, but this is not necessary.

    To make the batter, cream the cream cheese and brown sugar until combined.  Add the eggs, one at a time, and then the sour cream and vanilla.  Once your batter comes together, fold in your chopped Snickers pieces and pour into your prepared cheesecake pan.

    The water in your pressure cooker should be simmering before you put the cheesecake in.  Then, cook for 20-25 minutes and then natural release for 10-15 minutes.  Let the cheesecake cool in the pan completely, then refrigerate at least several hours before you remove from your pan.

    So, it has a small crack, but we’ll fix that.

    Note that I made enough crust to go all the way up the side of the cheesecake.  This was a bad idea, as the condensation from the pot made the outer rim of the crust soggy.  The recipe is adjusted to account for crust on the bottom only.

    Melt some caramels on the stove with a little bit of milk or half and half, then pour over the cake.  Sprinkle with some salted peanuts.  Both of these are optional, but when has extra caramel EVER been a bad idea?

    Snickers Cheesecake

    I learned the hard way that caramel covered cheesecakes don’t travel well.  So, if you’re not eating it at home, use less liquid when melting your caramels, or don’t pour the sauce over the cheesecake until you are ready to serve.Check out all of that delicious Snickers goodness!  Cheesecake alone is great, but Snickers Cheesecake is like a glimpse of heaven in every bite.  Note that you can also make this in the oven by doubling the ingredients and baking in a 9in springform pan.  Set your pan in a water bath and bake at 350° for about an hour to an hour and a half.

    If you have a family member with a peanut allergy, try making this with Almond Snickers!

    Pressure Cooker Snickers Cheesecake

    (adapted from this recipe)

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup crushed Oreos
    • 1 1/2 tbsp butter, melted
    • 2 8oz packages cream cheese, softened
    • 1/2 cup brown sugar
    • 2 eggs, room temperature
    • 1/4 cup sour cream
    • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
    • 1 cup chopped Snickers Baking Bites (about 1/2 of a 10oz bag)
    • 1/2 bag (7oz) caramels, unwrapped (optional)
    • 1-2 tbsp milk or half-and-half (optional)
    • Salted peanuts (optional)

    Directions

    In a bowl, combine melted butter and Oreo crumbs until moistened through.  Press Oreo crumbs firmly on the bottom of a greased 7in cheesecake pan.  If you’d like, bake at 350° for 6-7 minutes before preparing the batter.  Add 1 cup of water to the liner of your electric pressure cooker and set to Saute/Brown setting.

    In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese and brown sugar until smooth.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well with each addition.  Add the sour cream and vanilla extract, and beat until just combined.  Fold in the Snickers pieces.

    Pour batter into prepared cheesecake pan, then set the pan in your pressure cooker on a trivet over the simmering water (add a little bit more water if too much has evaporated).  Hit cancel, then seal the pressure cooker and cook on Manual (High pressure) for 20-25 minutes.  Allow the pressure to release naturally, which should take 10-15 minutes.  Remove the cheesecake from the pressure cooker and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.   Refrigerate at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight, before removing from the pan.

    To make the optional topping, melt the caramels with the milk in a small saucepan over low to medium-low heat, stirring frequently.  When the caramel is completely melted, pour over the cheesecake, then sprinkly with salted peanuts.

    Makes 1 7in cheesecake

  • Snickers Cheesecake Cake

    Snickers Cheesecake Cake

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    I honestly don’t think that I need to say anything about this cake.  The name says it all.  But, I’ll say something anyway.  You take three things that make the world a better place (chocolate cake, cheesecake, and Snickers bars), put them together, and create magic.  This cake is one of a few of the “cheesecake cake” cakes that I have made, and I am sure that it won’t be the last.

    I found this recipe for Snickers cheesecake cake when I was looking for things to do with the bags of Halloween candy that I had amassed during the post-holiday clearance sales.  I have made it twice since then, and both times it got rave reviews.  I did have to tweak the recipe a bit, but I almost always do that anyway.

    makecheesecake

    Start by making your cheesecake.  Beat the cream cheese and sugar until it’s smooth.  Add the eggs, one at a time, and then the sour cream.  Add the vanilla extract, then fold in the chopped Snickers pieces.  Pour the batter into your prepared pan and bake until almost set.  Let cool completely on a wire rack, then chill.  You will want to do this at least a few hours in advance, but preferably a day before.  Cheesecake actually freezes very well, so you could even make it a week in advance and freeze it.  The more firm the cheesecake is, the easier it will be to handle when assembling your cake.

    assemblecakeBake two chocolate cake layers in pans of the same size as the cheesecake.  Let them cool completely, then place one layer on a cake tray or serving dish.  Spread a thin layer of chocolate ganache over it, and then place the cheesecake layer on top.  Spread some ganache over the cheesecake and then place the second cake layer over it.  Pour the remaining chocolate ganache over the cake, letting it run over the sides.

     

    snickersfrosting

    One of the things that sets this cake apart is the Snickers frosting.  It’s made by melting Snickers and butter together, and then adding this melted Snickers mixture into powdered sugar with a little bit of milk.  This is where I made the biggest change to the original recipe, I think.  Following the Snickers frosting recipe exactly gave me a cake that looked like this…

    DSCN1711

    The frosting was just a runny mess.  Refrigeration didn’t help much, and neither did the whipped cream that I tried to use to hide the unsightliness of the cake.  However, halving the Snickers frosting recipe, and reducing the amount of milk added, let to my second attempt looking like THIS…

    Snickers Cheesecake Cake

    What a difference, right?!!

    This Snickers cheesecake cake is definitely a lot of work to make, but the end-result is a piece of heaven in every bite.  I suggest trying to make it at least once.  You won’t be disappointed.

    Snickers Cheesecake Cake

    (adapted from recipe on IAmBaker.net)

    Ingredients

    For the Cake

    • 1 recipe for 2-layer chocolate cake (recommended recipe here)

    For the Cheesecake

    • 2 8oz packages of cream cheese, softened
    • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
    • 1/4 cup sour cream
    • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
    • 2 cups chopped Snickers pieces (about 16 Fun Size bars)

    For the Ganache

    • 4.5oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
    • 1/2 cup heavy cream
    • 1/2 tbsp coffee liqueur (optional)

    For the Snickers Frosting

    • 5 Fun Size Snickers bars
    • 1/2 stick butter
    • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
    • 1-2 tbsp milk

    Directions

    Make the cheesecake

    Pre-heat the oven to 350° F.  Grease your round baking pan.

    In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Stir in the vanilla extract and sour cream, then fold in the chopped Snickers.  Pour into the prepared baking pan.

    Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the center is set.  Allow to cool completely, then refrigerate or freeze until ready to use.

    Make the cake

    Bake your chocolate cake according to recipe indications, then allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

    Make the Ganache

    Place the chopped chocolate in a heat-proof bowl.  In a small saucepan, heat the cream until it is just about to boil.  Pour the heated cream over the chopped chocolate, then gently stir until all of the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.  Stir in the coffee liqueur, if using.

    Make the Snickers Frosting

    Sift the powdered sugar into a medium bowl.  In small saucepan, melt the Snickers and butter over low heat, stirring often.  Pour the melted Snickers mixture over the powdered sugar, then stir until the sugar dissolves.  Add 1 tbsp of milk and stir.  If your frosting is still too thick, add the second tbsp of milk.

    Assembly

    Place one chocolate cake layer on a cake board or cake platter.  Spread a thin layer of chocolate ganache over the top of the cake, then remove the Snickers cheesecake from the milk and place it on top.  Spread another thin layer of chocolate ganache over the cheesecake layer, then quickly place the second chocolate cake layer on top (if you don’t work quickly, the ganache might harden before you can place the cake on top, and then the layers won’t stick together as well). Pour the remaining ganache over the top of the cake, allowing it to run over the sides, and then pour the Snickers frosting over that.  Garnish with whipped cream and additional Snickers pieces, if desired.  Refrigerate until ready to serve, preferably overnight.