GottaDEAL 2025 Prize Club Discussion Thread

[Gator Pam]

So, if one were to be considering entering a local amateur baking contest with a cheesecake, what flavor cheesecake would best appeal to a variety of judges one knows nothing about?

Stick to the basics and do a plain New York with a homemade fruit topping?

Freshen it up a little with a Meyer Lemon Cheesecake served with homemade lemon curd?

Go indulgent with a white and milk chocolate peanut butter cup cheesecake?

Maybe add a touch of coconut with a Samoan cheesecake?

A childhood classic of a Cookies and Cream cheesecake?

(no photo at this time)

A Pumpkin cheesecake?

Chocolate cheesecake with fresh strawberries?

Possibly a savory Smoked Salmon Cheesecake?

Or maybe a flavor I haven’t considered that would earn the judges accolades?

 

(all of these were made by me in the past)

[HanShotFirst]

On 1/13/2025 at 9:45 AM, freesia39 said:

Sigh these are the HR people ruining it for the rest of us that do the right thing...

 

I do admit I don't always answer the phone (I have way too many people calling trying to sell me crap) but I will call you back. And I always respond to an email or slack message.

Aside from my “new hire” Zoom meeting at my most recent job , the only other time I actually laid eyes on my HR people person was when she swooped in one night to lay all 20 of us in the TN facility off, back in September.   

[HanShotFirst]

43 minutes ago, Gator Pam said:

So, if one were to be considering entering a local amateur baking contest with a cheesecake, what flavor cheesecake would best appeal to a variety of judges one knows nothing about?

Stick to the basics and do a plain New York with a homemade fruit topping?

Freshen it up a little with a Meyer Lemon Cheesecake served with homemade lemon curd?

Go indulgent with a white and milk chocolate peanut butter cup cheesecake?

Maybe add a touch of coconut with a Samoan cheesecake?

A childhood classic of a Cookies and Cream cheesecake?

(no photo at this time)

A Pumpkin cheesecake?

Chocolate cheesecake with fresh strawberries?

Possibly a savory Smoked Salmon Cheesecake?

Or maybe a flavor I haven’t considered that would earn the judges accolades?

 

(all of these were made by me in the past)

Good lord have mercy! I can’t choose but if i had an opportunity to pick a slice to eat my tastebuds would lead me to the peanut butter one or the cookies and cream.  However I do love a good lemon dessert too.  

[cllehto]

6 hours ago, HanShotFirst said:

Good lord have mercy! I can’t choose but if i had an opportunity to pick a slice to eat my tastebuds would lead me to the peanut butter one or the cookies and cream.  However I do love a good lemon dessert too.  

I agree, But they all look good!

 

[Kanyon71]

You should try to make one that Cheesecake Factory makes. It’s called Adam’s Peanut butter cup fudge ripple. It’s cheesecake with swirls of peanut butter, caramel, butter fingers and peanut butter cups in it. Thing is insanely good. 

[magickallight]

On 1/3/2025 at 8:20 AM, kellis4321 said:

Happy new year!!  

 

[freesia39]

Pam, my eyes were drawn to the meyer lemon/blueberry one. I'm always trying to strike a happy medium with palates, which is why I worry something very chocolatey might be too much if you're trying to win. My absolute no is coconut, since it's a flavor/topping that has opinions (like mine, which is don't have that anywhere near my cake unless it's haupia.)

[Cubsfan23]

Gator Pam, all of those cheesecakes look so delicious and amazing!!! The Meyer lemon was the one that seemed to stand out to me. My family would love all of those, especially the peanut butter cup one. 

[Gator Pam]

woo-HOO!!!

 

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2025/01/17/statement-from-president-joe-biden-on-the-equal-rights-amendment/

[ilikefree]

We're bracing for a cold week next week in NW Ohio. Wind chills could be down to 30 below on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. I wish I could hibernate!

[HanShotFirst]

On 1/14/2025 at 9:03 PM, Kanyon71 said:

You should try to make one that Cheesecake Factory makes. It’s called Adam’s Peanut butter cup fudge ripple. It’s cheesecake with swirls of peanut butter, caramel, butter fingers and peanut butter cups in it. Thing is insanely good. 

My god this is my favorite cheesecake on the planet and I don’t. Even really like cheesecake.  I’m still sad over the Cheesecake Factory closing in Memphis.  

[Kanyon71]

52 minutes ago, HanShotFirst said:

My god this is my favorite cheesecake on the planet and I don’t. Even really like cheesecake.  I’m still sad over the Cheesecake Factory closing in Memphis.  

Oh ya it is definitely my favorite. Sooooooo good.

[amdskip]

I can't get past the texture of cheesecake so someone can have my share

[setlok73]

January post!!!

[HomeinKS]

On 1/14/2025 at 1:57 PM, Gator Pam said:

So, if one were to be considering entering a local amateur baking contest with a cheesecake, what flavor cheesecake would best appeal to a variety of judges one knows nothing about?

Stick to the basics and do a plain New York with a homemade fruit topping?

Freshen it up a little with a Meyer Lemon Cheesecake served with homemade lemon curd?

Go indulgent with a white and milk chocolate peanut butter cup cheesecake?

Maybe add a touch of coconut with a Samoan cheesecake?

A childhood classic of a Cookies and Cream cheesecake?

(no photo at this time)

A Pumpkin cheesecake?

Chocolate cheesecake with fresh strawberries?

Possibly a savory Smoked Salmon Cheesecake?

Or maybe a flavor I haven’t considered that would earn the judges accolades?

 

(all of these were made by me in the past)

Let us know which one you picked and how it went!   They all look amazing.  I would personally prefer a chocolate without peanut butter or lemon.  

[speeddiva]

On 1/17/2025 at 3:48 PM, ilikefree said:

We're bracing for a cold week next week in NW Ohio. Wind chills could be down to 30 below on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings. I wish I could hibernate!

It’s going to be brutal tomorrow and Tuesday. I’m  ready for spring! 

[Kanyon71]

1 hour ago, speeddiva said:

It’s going to be brutal tomorrow and Tuesday. I’m  ready for spring! 

Was brutal last night. Pistons, Wings and Lions lost. 

[HanShotFirst]

On 1/17/2025 at 11:40 PM, amdskip said:

I can't get past the texture of cheesecake so someone can have my share

I was the same way until I put my big girl panties on tried a piece at The Cheesecake Factory.  I don’t eat it from anywhere else.  

[Gator Pam]

On 1/18/2025 at 11:01 PM, HomeinKS said:

Let us know which one you picked and how it went!   They all look amazing.  I would personally prefer a chocolate without peanut butter or lemon.  

From input I’ve received in various places, I’m going to go with the lemon blueberry. I’ve made it before and have more confidence than with going with completely new flavors.

 

I’ll do a practice one in the next two weeks; someone suggested I swirl blueberry into the batter. I have a decent homemade blueberry pie filling I can leave the uncooked blueberries out of which I think will swirl nicely, and then I can use it in addition to the lemon curd for decorating. The practice one will test how the swirl works out, how it tastes and then to practice my decoration ideas.

 

20 hours ago, HanShotFirst said:

I was the same way until I put my big girl panties on tried a piece at The Cheesecake Factory.  I don’t eat it from anywhere else.  

Ah…

 

You probably would not care for mine then. I’m completely the opposite. I much prefer the style and texture of the cheesecakes made in Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Manhattan in the mid 20th century; Cheesecake Factory’s are tasty, but they’re too light and fluffy for me. Mine are the denser, heavier Jewish delicatessen-style cheesecake.

 

The competition is on February 8th, so I have time to hone it in.