Cheesecake Trees

Cheesecake Filling

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 8ounce packages of cream cheese (24 ounces total), room temperature
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1 egg yolk, room temperature
• 1/4 cup milk
• Food coloring (optional)

Chocolate Coating

• 1 1/2 pounds of chocolate, chopped (24 oz total, ~680g)
• Sprinkles or sanding sugar (optional)

Other supplies needed:

• Parchment paper
• Sticks of your choice used for dipped and/or presentation (long toothpicks, popsicle sticks, cake pop sticks, etc.)

Baking the Cheesecake

1. ‍Prepare the Pan: Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, ensuring the paper hangs over the sides for easy removal later.
2. Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 450°F
3. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, and salt. Set aside.
4. Beat the Cream Cheese: Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or a handheld mixer) beat the softened cream cheese and vanilla extract until fluffy.
5. Add Sugar Mixture: Gradually add the sugar mixture to the cream cheese, beating until well combined.
6. Incorporate Eggs: Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the eggs and egg yolk all at once. Beat until just combined.
7. Mix in Milk: Slowly pour in the milk and mix until fully incorporated. Avoid overmixing to maintain a smooth texture.
8. Color the Filling (Optional):
   • Divide the batter into three portions: ~1/3 each into two bowls and leave the remaining 1/3 in the mixer bowl.
   • Add red food coloring to one bowl and green food coloring to the other. Stir each until the colors are evenly distributed.
9. Add Batter to the Pan:
   • If coloring the batter, spoon the red, green, and white batter into the prepared pan randomly, alternating colors. Use a butter knife to gently swirl the colors, being careful not to overmix to keep the swirls distinct.
   • If skipping the coloring, pour all the batter directly into the pan.
   • Tap the pan gently a few times to release any air bubbles.
10. Prepare for Baking: Place an oven-safe dish filled with water on the lowest rack of your oven to create a moist baking environment.
11. Bake at High Heat: Place the cheesecake on the middle oven rack and bake at 450°F for 10 minutes.
12. Reduce Heat: Lower the oven temperature to 300°F and continue baking for 25–30 minutes. The cheesecake is done when the center no longer jiggles when the pan is gently shaken. Avoid overbaking to preserve its creamy texture.
13. Cool Gradually: Turn off the oven and open the door slightly. Let the cheesecake cool in the oven for about 10 minutes to prevent cracking.
14. Cool Completely: Remove the pan from the oven and allow the cheesecake to cool completely at room temperature.
15. Wrap and Chill: Cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate the cheesecake overnight.

Remove the Baked on Parchment Paper

1. Prepare Your Workspace: Ensure you have a cookie sheet or tray that fits in your freezer.
2. Remove Cheesecake from the Pan: Take the chilled cheesecake out of the refrigerator. Carefully lift it out of the baking pan using the parchment paper overhang. Avoid bending or lifting it too high to prevent cracking.
3. Flip and Replace Parchment Paper:
   • Place the cheesecake on a cookie sheet or tray. Cover the top with a fresh piece of parchment paper, then top with another cookie sheet or tray. The cheesecake is now sandwiched between two cookie sheets.
   • Hold the cookie sheets firmly together and flip them upside down to invert the cheesecake.
   • Gently peel off the original parchment paper from the bottom of the cheesecake.
   • Place a new piece of parchment paper on the cheesecake's bottom.
   • Using the same flipping method, return the cheesecake to its right-side-up position. This step ensures the baked on parchment is removed and replaced with fresh parchment paper to prevent sticking while cutting.
4. ‍ Freeze Briefly: Place the cheesecake (now on new parchment paper) in the freezer for about 10 minutes. This firms it up slightly, making it easier to cut into clean shapes.
5. Warm up Water: While the cheesecake is in the freezer, heat up a pot of water that is deep enough for your knife blade to fit inside. You want the water warm but not boiling.

Cutting the Cheesecake into Shapes

1. Prepare to Cut: Remove the cheesecake from the freezer and place it on a cutting board lined with parchment paper.
2. Cut the Edges: Trim the edges of the cheesecake to square it off. Use a sharp knife dipped in warm water, wiping it dry after each dip, to ensure clean, smooth cuts. Warm the knife frequently to prevent tearing the cheesecake.
3. Divide the Cheesecake: Slice the cheesecake into four equal sections parallel to the short edge of the pan. These sections will determine the height of your cheesecake trees.
   • For even cuts, you can use toothpicks as spacers or guides for the initial slicing (as I did in the picture below) or you can even use a ruler. Adjust the width of the sections if you want larger or smaller trees
4. Freeze Again: Place the cheesecake sections back in the freezer for 10 minutes to firm up before cutting the triangles.
5. Cutting into Triangles: Work with one section at a time, keeping the others in the freezer.
   • Use the hot knife method (dip in warm water, wipe dry) to make clean cuts.
   • Begin by trimming the first edge at an angle to create the initial triangle shape.
   • Continue cutting the section into triangles of roughly the same size. The first and last cuts of each section will be excess. See the diagram in the tips below.
6. Store the Triangles: Place the cut cheesecake triangles onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet in the freezer. Repeat the process with the remaining sections until all triangles are cut.

Preparing the Triangles for Dipping

1. Insert Sticks: Take the well-chilled cheesecake triangles out of the freezer. Insert your stick of choice into each triangle
   • Use cake pop sticks, popsicle sticks, or appetizer skewers if you plan to leave the sticks in for serving.
   • If you plan to remove the sticks after dipping, longer (~4-inch) appetizer sticks work best as they provide a better grip than standard toothpicks.
2. Freeze Again: Place the cheesecake triangles with the inserted sticks back into the freezer for at least 1 hour. This ensures they are firm enough for dipping without breaking or sliding off the stick.

Melting the Chocolate

1. Prepare the Chocolate: Chop the chocolate (I used almond bark) into small, even pieces and place it in a microwave-safe container.
2. Melt Slowly: Microwave the chocolate in 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until fully melted and smooth with no lumps.

Dipping the Cheesecake Triangles in Chocolate

1. Dip the Cheesecake:
   • Remove one cheesecake triangle from the freezer at a time.
   • Hold the stick and dip the cheesecake into the melted chocolate, covering it completely.
   • Gently shake off any excess chocolate while keeping the cheesecake upside down.
   • Flip the triangle upright and hold it until the chocolate begins to set. This should happen quickly because the cheesecake is cold. The chocolate will lose its shine as it cools.
   • Once the chocolate sets, place the cheesecake tree on a plate or tray and you should not have any pooling chocolate around the bottom.
2. Coating for Sticks: If you’re leaving the stick in, be sure to fully coat the bottom of the cheesecake, especially where the stick is inserted.
3. Removing the Stick: If you plan to remove the stick after dipping, allow the chocolate to harden enough to set the tree down. Gently twist and pull the stick out. This will leave a small hole at the bottom of the tree.
   • To fix this, pick up the tree by hand and re-dip the bottom just enough to cover the hole, without dipping too far up the sides. Shake off the excess chocolate coating to smooth out the bottom of the tree.
4. Set and Chill: Place the chocolate dipped cheesecake trees in a single layer in a storage container and refrigerate until fully set. Repeat the process for each cheesecake tree: remove from the freezer, dip in chocolate, let the coating harden, and then refrigerate.

Decorating the Cheesecake Christmas Trees

You can keep the chocolate-covered cheesecake trees simple or go all out with decorations

1. Simple Decoration: Drizzle any leftover chocolate over the trees and add festive sprinkles for a quick and easy touch.
2. More Elaborate Options: For a more detailed look, you can make royal icing or use colored candy melts to decorate the trees.

Storage

1. Store Cold: Store the decorated cheesecake trees in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

This recipe makes approximately 30 trees (~3 inches tall).