Create the #CheesecakeoftheYear to win $5000!

Cheesecake is my all time favourite dessert. I would never pass down any form of cheesecake, including cheesecake flavoured yogurt and the new cheesecake ice cream flurries they have at our local ice cream haunt. But my favourite cheesecake is the traditional New York cheesecake, without any toppings. It may me boring to some, but it’s heaven to me! My husband makes amazing cheesecakes and he loves to experiment with different flavours and varieties. He’s so good at it that I want him to enter the Philadelphia Cheesecake of the Year contest!

Anyone who can submit an original and festive cheesecake photo and recipe, made with Philadelphia Brick Cream Cheese, has a chance at winning $5000 and the title of 2014 Cheesecake of the Year! The winner will also be featured in a national print campaign. The grand prize winner will be determined from a bake off at the Kraft Kitchens , where 5 finalists are flown to Toronto to compete. A panel of Kraft judges will determine who the grand prize winner is.

Now I have only made cheesecake a couple of times and I’m nowhere near ready to win a title like Cheesecake of the Year, but I may still throw my hat into the ring. The first 250 eligible entrants receive a FREE brick of Philadelphia Cream Cheese, and I love that stuff! The contest runs until Monday, June 16th at 6pm, so it’s time to get baking! Visit the Philly Canada website to see full contest details, rules, terms and conditions.

Here is my latest attempt at a cheesecake. It didn’t look as pretty as I had hoped, but it tasted great!

Raspberry Cheesecake

Prep time:  15 mins
Cook time:  1 hour
Total time:  1 hour 15 mins

Ingredients

• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• ½ cup butter, melted
• 3 (8 oz.) packages Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
• 1¼ cup sugar
• 2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup greek yogurt
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup Raspberry Jam

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Spray a 9×13″ pan with non-stick spray.
3. Mix graham crackers crumbs and butter.
4. Press the graham cracker mixture into the pan.
5. Cream the sugar, Philadelphia Cream Cheese, and flour with a hand mixer or stand mixer until light and fluffy.
6. Add eggs one at a time to the mixer one at a time.
7. Add yogurt and vanilla and mix until combined.
8. Pour on prepared crust.
9. Warm the jam in the microwave so it will spread easily, then drop spoonfuls of jam evenly on the cheesecake batter.
10. Swirl the jam throughout the pan until you are satisfied with the results.
11. Bake for one hour or until baked.
12. Remove and cool.

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