Cheesecake

"This incredible cheesecake was made by the mother of my first boss," says Jim Carrier of Greenwich, Connecticut. "When I called Mrs. Marshall to ask if she would consider showing me how she made it, she warmly replied, 'I would be delighted to share the recipe with you, kid.' On the evening of my 'seminar,' it was a wonderful sight as I walked into her kitchen and found the stage set with all the ingredients and utensils for the important lesson. Mrs. Marshall sat on a wooden stool and directed me through the entire process. 'Pick up that wooden spoon—and save some energy for later,' she said. 'You will be beating the egg whites by hand. We don’t use any electrical appliances in this production except the oven!' I dutifully followed each step. This is a cheesecake recipe to treasure." Although Mrs. Marshall doesn't use any electric appliances to make this cheesecake, feel free to use a food processor for the crumbs and an electric mixer for the filling. The cake will rise as it bakes and fall as it cools. Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 6 1/4 hr

Dulce de leche is a soft milk-caramel confection that is yet again one of the year's top flavors. If you don't have time to make the sauce, look for it with the ice cream toppings at the market. Note that the baked cheesecake must be chilled overnight before serving.

Made with heavy cream and gelatin instead of eggs, this no-bake cheesecake has the silky texture of panna cotta. Begin preparing it at least one day ahead.

Wheatmeal crackers (sometimes called digestive biscuits) have a flavor similar to graham crackers. For this particular recipe, we prefer Carr's brand wheatmeal crackers, which are available at supermarkets and labeled as "whole wheat crackers." (Don't use Carr's Wheatolos, which are a bit too sweet.) Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 9 3/4 hr (includes chilling)

This elegant no-bake cheesecake has a smooth, airy filling similar to a mousse. To make the graham cracker crumbs, blend graham cracker pieces in a food processor.

Chill this overnight to develop the blueberry flavor and give the filling time to set.

This New York-style cheesecake — with a hidden layer of sweet peach compote — is an ideal do-ahead dessert. It also travels well: Just glaze the cake in its pan and chill. When ready to serve, release the sides, then top the cake with fresh peach slices. Begin preparing this at least one day in advance.

Tangy crème fraîche and a very grown-up rum-pineapple topping take cheesecake to an entirely new level. For best results, use Philadelphia-brand cream cheese.

At the inn, the cake is decorated with Frangelico-flavored whipped cream and garnished with chocolate-covered almonds. Begin preparing the dessert a day ahead.

New York cheesecake is dressed up for the holidays with bright cranberry topping, white chocolate in the filling and a hazelnut crust. The cake can be prepared up to two days ahead.

Prepare this sensational cake one day before you plan to serve it.

Bake this dessert ahead so it can chill overnight.

Be sure to make this dessert at least one day ahead to allow the flavors to blend.

Pureed fresh mango gives this cheesecake a light and soft texture and subtle tropical fruit flavor.

Since this cheesecake needs to chill for several hours, it's easiest to bake it a day ahead of time.

To make graham cracker crumbs, add the crackers (broken into small pieces) to processor and blend until finely ground. For best results, use Philadelphia-brand cream cheese. Bake the cheesecake at least one day and up to two days before serving.