Wow your diners with delicious spins on a fan favourite—cheesecake.
The case for menuing cheesecake doesn't really need to be made. It's a perennial favourite, and diners expect to see it on dessert menus. Indeed, when they see it, they will most likely order it: Technomic's Canadian Consumer Dessert Trend Report (2010) says that cheesecake leads all other dessert options in away-from-home dessert occasions. The challenge lies in menuing signature cheesecake—the kind that your diners yearn for—and come back for. Our chefs at the Kraft Culinary Centre have clocked many hours perfecting cheesecake, showcasing Philadelphia Cream Cheese as its star ingredient. Below are five must-have cheesecake recipes, each with its own signature twist, and all boasting the lush, rich cheesecake profile that diners know and love.
Why Menu Cheesecake? *
- 60% of consumers agree that cheesecake is the best special-occasion dessert
- Casual-dining restaurants are top of mind for cakes, especially cheesecake
Use Menu Language to Help Sell Cheesecake
Romance your customers with persuasive language. Cheesecake lends itself to rich, expressive language. Use power words to paint a sweet picture. Your well-crafted description may just lead to an end-of-meal transaction.
"Plain" Cheesecakes
- classic
- original
- luscious
- rich
- creamy
- deliciously tart
- topped with fresh fruit
- drizzled with chocolate ganache
Swirled Cheesecakes
- swirled with a ribbon of caramel
- swirled with wild blueberries
Marbled Cheesecakes
- chocolate marbled cheesecake
- dulce de leche marbled cheesecake
Layered Cheesecakes
- rich cheesecake atop a moist layer of decadent chocolate cake
- layers of creamy cheesecake and fluffy chocolate mousse
6 Stand-Out Cheesecake Recipes
Mini Raspberry Cheesecakes
menu language: a mini dessert in a soft, luxurious cheesecake, sweetened with a dollop of raspberry jam
A Healthy Living dessert perfect
for healthcare and elder-care facilities, or for any chefs looking to add lower calorie items to their dessert-menu mix. With only 110 calories, 6 grams of fat and 7 grams of sugar, it hits the sweet spot for diners following strict dietary guidelines.
Ultimate Layered Tiramisu Cheesecake
menu language: coffee-laced, rich cheesecake topped with a layer of fluffy tiramisu cream, all on a vanilla-wafer crust
Why make diners choose between two favourites? Give them the best of both—tiramisu and cheesecake come together perfectly with the help of Philadelphia Cream Cheese and Gevalia Kaffe.
Double Ginger-Chocolate Ganache Cheesecake
menu language: lush ginger-spiked cheesecake topped with decadent chocolate-ganache, all on a ginger-graham crust
Nutmeg, ginger and cinnamon add their warm, festive flavours to this creamy cheesecake. Our chefs add ginger to Christie Graham Crumbs for a unique crust, and delicious chocolate ganache crowns the cheesecake with an eye-catching flourish.
Cheesecake Brownie "Pops"
menu language: chocolaty fudge brownie layered with creamy cheesecake, dipped in rich chocolate and finished with pecans, in a fun-to-eat "pop"
Seduce your diners with both fudgy brownie and luscious cheesecake. Great for on-the-go and sit-down alike, the creamy cheesecake element is made with Philadelphia Cream Cheese for its rich, consistent flavour.
Molten Chocolate Cheesecake
menu language: a rich, chocolaty cheesecake surrounds a centre of warm chocolate ganache, all on a delicious OREO cookie crust
A perfect marriage of cool and creamy cheesecake with lush, warm chocolate, this cheesecake is a show stopper. "I wanted to reinvent the molten cake—without taking away what makes it so wonderful—the flowing chocolate in the middle," says Chef Patty Mitchell, C.M.B., senior executive chef at the Kraft Culinary Centre.
Classic New York Cheesecake
menu language: exquisitely creamy, this one's for the cheesecake purist, on a traditional graham-cracker crust
Looking to give your customers a quintessential cheesecake experience? Our chefs, turning to Philly for its flavour and consistency, developed this recipe as a standard bearer for the classic New York cheesecake—a creamy, smooth dessert with just a hint of tartness.
Cheesecake Technique: How to Avoid Cracks & Falls
Need flawless cheesecake results every time? Our chefs share their tried-and-true tips on how to bake the perfect cheesecake. Click here >
* Technomic's Canadian Consumer Dessert Trend Report (2010)