Girl Scout Cheesecake Time?
One of the entries that has come in for HHDD#10 Cheesecake used a Girl Scout Cookie crust…and it got me thinking. Now, I would never use my Girl Scout cookies in that way simply because we don’t have leftovers…just ask my super tight jeans. But I was inspired to make a cheesecake that was like a Girl Scout cookie…a Samaos cookie to be exact. I of course had to do the research by eating half the box(tough job, but someone has to do it). I decided that a browned butter cookie base would be good. The cheesecake part was pretty basic with a little coconut thrown in for good measure. I know they use toasted coconut, but confession time, I am horrible at toasting coconut…so it didn’t get toasted. So the topping was non-toasted(feel free to toast yours) coconut and caramel with a few racing stripes of chocolate. HOWEVER, the hardest part about this cheesecake was cutting it…I could not get a pretty piece cut if my life depended on it(luckily no one was standing with a gun at that point… so I dodged a bullet on that one…bad pun I know). I doesn’t taste exactly like a Samoa but you definitely got what I was going for.
And speaking of cheesecake…don’t forget to enter this round of HHDD. I need your entries by March 17th! Thanks to all of you who have already entered, if what entries I have so far are any indication…voting will be very hard.
Samoas Cheesecake
For the Cookie Base: You may want to double the cookie base for a thicker crust…I did, but I’m all about crust and some people aren’t.
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup cornstarch
a pinch of salt
¼ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
¼ cup unsalted butter, for browning
¼ cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
To make the brown butter:
Cut ¼ cup of butter into pieces. Heat butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Stir the butter or swirl the pan so the butter does not get burnt. Remove from heat when butter turns light brown and gives off a nutty aroma. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, cornstarch and salt together.
Cream the remaining ¼ cup butter(at room temp) until smooth and add the sugar, beating for about 2 minutes. Beat in the vanilla extract and the brown butter. Gently stir in the flour mixture just until incorporated. Take cookie base and press down into a 10 inch spring form pan that has already been buttered/floured and lined with parchment paper.
Bake at 350F for 10 minutes. Set out to cool.
For the Cheesecake:
2 1/2 lbs cream cheese
2 1/2 cups sugar
2 TB flour
5 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup sweetened coconut
Cream the cheese until soft. Add in the sugar and mix well. Decrease the mixer speed to low and add the flour.
Add eggs in one at a time scraping bowl down to make sure that there are no lumps.
Stir in the vanilla. The coconuts can be added now; it just get stirred in.
Pour batter into the pan. Bake in a water bath at 350F for approx 1 ½ -2 hours. Let cake sit at room temperature until cool, then chill overnight.
For the Caramel:
1 ½ cups sugar
1/3 cup water
2/3 cup heavy cream
Pour the sugar into the center of a deep saucepan. Carefully pour 1/3 cup water around the walls of the pan, trying not to splash any of the sugar onto the walls. Do not stir; gently draw you finger twice through the center of the sugar, making a cross, to moisten it. Over high heat, bring to a full boil and cook without stirring, swirling the pan occasionally to even out the color, until the mixture is medium caramel in color, 5 to 10 minutes. Immediately turn off the heat and use a wooden spoon to slowly and carefully stir in the cream(it will bubble up and may splatter).
Allow caramel to cool for a few minutes then stir in 12 ounces of sweetened coconut(you can add more if you would like). Stick in the fridge for 5-10 minutes.
For the Chocolate:
6 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate chips
Melt in a metal bowl over simmering water. Once cooled put into a pastry bag.
To Assemble:
Once the cheesecake has chilled overnight. Place some of the topping on the cheesecake and spread it around to cover the top. It may be a little runny that is okay. Pipe chocolate stripes onto the cheesecake, as many as you would like and chill for another hour.
28 Responses
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March 7th, 2007 at 3:50 pm
Oh. My. Heavens.
That box of Carmel de Lites (aka Somoas) in my freezer at home just lost *any* chance it had of seeing February 8th
March 7th, 2007 at 5:19 pm
Wow, that is evil in cake form. You are brilliant.
March 7th, 2007 at 5:27 pm
WHAT IS THIS ? It is absolutely devine!!!!how delicious looking….
March 7th, 2007 at 5:38 pm
Holy God, that is an amazing cheesecake. I second Emily’s comment, and add that you might be a culinary evil genius.
March 7th, 2007 at 6:40 pm
Brilliant idea and beautifully done. It’s really lick the screen time with those photos. No need for bullets. The sliced piece lookes ready for my fork. Can I come over?
March 7th, 2007 at 9:20 pm
oh…..my…..I…I can’t even speak! I am picking up my GS cookies Friday. I buy a ton, mail some to my sister and freeze many of the Samoas (trying to save them, which doesn’t really work…). This cheesecake? I think I have gone to heaven.
March 7th, 2007 at 10:38 pm
wow. that is truly wicked. i mean, a serious masterpiece. perfect execution, i can only imagine how great it tastes. (samoa always were my favorite girlscout cookie!)
March 7th, 2007 at 11:39 pm
I bow to you, I’m weight watching and wishing all at the same time! The Mr. is *Drooooling* So what’s a girl to do. Next weeks points all in one sitting.
It’s on the menu for mid week.
March 8th, 2007 at 4:35 am
I’ll call yours a ultimate dessert!
March 8th, 2007 at 5:17 am
Woo that looks amazing! i’m ready for cheesecake and it’s still before breakfast.
March 8th, 2007 at 7:41 am
oh my….
If I can be of any help eating the badly cut pieces, I’ll torture myself and help you. What else are friends for?
March 8th, 2007 at 7:42 am
If this is what you make just when you get inspired and just a sample of what others have entered so far, I am so dead on this contest.
But I will press on and work on mine this weekend.
Your cheesecake is just to die for.
March 8th, 2007 at 7:57 am
Uhhh Gracie? That photo of the slice – is probably the prettiest slice of cheesecake ever.
I’d never think to make a cheesecake with the same flavors of a favorite cookie – sheer genius! I especially love the chocolate stripes, even if you hadn’t included a lil samoas tucked into the top, I knew right away what you were going for. =)
March 8th, 2007 at 8:08 am
I think I died and went to cheesecake heaven! Never thought of making a favorite cookie into a cheesecake, too bad dear hubby doesn’t like coconut or we would be eating this right now!
March 8th, 2007 at 10:45 am
Oh. My. God. My husband sent me this link, and I shall have to kill him now.
Of course, after I kill him, I’ll torture myself with grief and need chocolate. So I’ll make this cheesecake.
Yum. Meee.
March 8th, 2007 at 10:59 am
I’ve never commented before but even I have my limits. Looks very delicious! When I read the title I feared I was going to find a thin mint cheesecake. And sure, take that as a hint to develop one…
March 8th, 2007 at 12:36 pm
Peabody, I love recipes that match chocolate and caramel – they’re wonderful together.
Your cheesecake looks so delicious!
March 8th, 2007 at 12:53 pm
You are a freakin’ genius!
March 8th, 2007 at 3:23 pm
Ok, YUM! I’d take one of these over a dozen boxes of GS cookies!
March 8th, 2007 at 3:52 pm
Zazzy- I did think about making a Thin Mint one(my other favorite)…who knows I guess you will have to check back and see.
March 8th, 2007 at 6:36 pm
ahhhh peabody! what have you done?! as i type this i’m sitting here eating a box of samoas doing some research myself, and oh my are they good. i can only IMAGINE a cake. crunch, crunch, crunch…
March 9th, 2007 at 6:40 am
Magnifique! This looks utterly great…I can only imagine the taste. I think I wcould eat the whole thing in one sitting!
March 9th, 2007 at 11:26 am
Can this get any better?! Phenomenal cheesecake !
March 9th, 2007 at 11:56 am
Samoas are def. my fave….whatta swell idea!
March 10th, 2007 at 4:12 pm
Drooling over here!
March 11th, 2007 at 8:45 pm
Holy moly… what a fantastic creation!!!!
May 1st, 2007 at 10:27 am
this is my kind of cheesecake! i love samoas!
would you have to alter the recipe any in order to use a 9 inch springform instead?
April 8th, 2009 at 2:33 pm
So… I’m about two years late on this one… but I just Googled “Samoa Cheesecake” with the hopes that someone had already done the dirty work to figure out a recipe for me and found you! Needless to say I’m going to try this out very very soon! Thank you!