Peanut butter cheesecake is a sweet dessert typically made mainly with cream cheese, peanut butter, and sugar. Many recipes for this dish call for the cake to be baked in an oven, but there are also no-bake recipes available. Peanut butter cheesecake usually has a crust, which is often made by combining graham cracker crumbs with melted butter. For best results, it is usually prepared in a springform pan. Whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and chocolate-peanut butter candies are often used as a garnish on this sweet treat.
A baked peanut butter cheesecake has a creamy filling, which is generally made by combining cream cheese, peanut butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. The cream cheese should be at room temperature, and the ingredients should be beaten with an electric mixer until everything is thoroughly mixed. It is recommended that a creamy type of peanut butter be used for the best texture. Cream cheese is the main ingredient, but most recipes call for enough peanut butter to color the batter, and give the finished product a strong peanut taste.
There are also recipes for no-bake versions of peanut butter cheesecake. These typically omit the eggs since the dish is not cooked. The filling is often mixed and beaten in a similar fashion to a baked version. After the filling is poured into the crust, it is usually chilled in a refrigerator until it sets. The texture of a no-bake peanut butter cheesecake is softer than one that has been baked.
The majority of peanut butter cheesecake recipes call for a crust. Prepared crusts can be purchased at a supermarket, or one can be made at home. A traditional cheesecake crust is made by combining crushed graham crackers with melted butter, and then pressing the mixture into a pan. Crusts can also be made with cookie or shortbread crumbs.
It is recommended that a two-piece springform pan be used when making a peanut butter cheesecake. This type of vessel holds the crust and batter in place during baking, and, when the cheesecake is ready to be served, the walls of the pan can easily be removed. If a springform pan is not available, this dessert can be made in a round cake pan.
After a peanut butter cheesecake finishes baking, it generally must be cooled and then chilled in a refrigerator to become completely set. The dessert may be served cold, out of the refrigerator, or at room temperature. This cheesecake is usually topped with whipped cream, chocolate sauce, or pieces of chocolate-peanut butter candies.