Cream cheese is a relatively new invention that was first created in the US in the late 1800s but this tasty soft and unripe cheese eventually made its way south of the border to Mexico. Cream cheese is featured prominently in many mouthwatering dessert recipes ranging from the simple to the complex.
This cheese is actually a combination of cream and milk along with lactic acid. Some brands include guar gum as a stabilizer to create firmness and to allow the cheese to spread better. Guar gum also keeps the cream cheese from crumbling and lengthens its shelf life.
Today you can find a wide variety of flavored cream cheeses available for making desserts including chocolate, blueberry, pineapple, and strawberry. You can also make your own flavored cream cheeses by adding in the ingredients of your choice and then blending together.
Make the most delicious empanadas with softened cream cheese, butter, sugar, and ground cinnamon then fill with strawberries, blueberries, or apple filling for a fruity dish. Also, use cream cheese to create a wonderful frosting for cakes and cookies and other treats.
A simple but incredibly sweet Mexican chocolate cheesecake makes for a wonderful dessert. Use crushed graham crackers for the crust along with melted butter. Then use softened cream cheese, heavy whipping cream, Mexican chocolate, almond, and vanilla extracts, and sugar and mix together then chill for a few hours before serving. You can also garnish your cheesecake with finely chopped walnuts or almonds.
Desserts for the adults with a few dashes of alcoholic beverages are a popular treat especially during the holidays, just be sure everyone knows they are off limits for the younger guests. Margaritas, for example, are the drink most associated with Mexico and you can easily incorporate the beverage into a variety of desserts.
A Bundt style cake with vanilla pudding mix, flavored cake mix, and a few drops of tequila and triple sec along with lime juice will definitely be the hit of any Mexican themed party. In addition, do not forget to ice the Bundt cake with a sugary cream cheese frosting and a few drops of any color food coloring for visual appeal.
Margarita Cheesecake Corn Chips Recipe
What You Need
14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup tequila
1/4 cup triple sec
6 ounce can frozen limeade concentrate
1 bag large, scoop type corn chips
1 can whipped topping
Lime zest for garnish
How to Make It
In a large mixing bowl, combine the can of condensed milk and the softened cream cheese and stir together until mixed well. Add in the alcohol, and the frozen limeade concentrate and stir well.
Spoon 1 tablespoon of the mixture into each corn chip and place on a baking sheet and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
Just before the corn chips are done chilling prepare the lime zest to be used as a garnish.
Dab a bit of whipped topping on each chip and sprinkle the lime zest on top just before serving the margarita cheesecake corn chips.
Serves about 12.