The holidays are stressful enough without having to prepare an elaborate dessert. As the most chaotic months of the year approach, I’ve started thinking about what I’ll put on the table for Thanksgiving and Christmas. The idea of making a bunch of desserts along with a savory spread is already stressing me out. Luckily, the arrival of the Philadelphia Cheesecake put all my worries to rest.
Yes, Philly now makes whole cheesecakes, not just a block of cream cheese. This is the brand’s first-ever foray into frozen cheesecakes, and the timing couldn’t be better.
Cheesecake is one of those desserts that is too much effort to make myself when I’m busy shopping for gifts and planning menus, but it’s always something I’m excited about, even among the plethora of cakes and other desserts that abound during the holiday season.
Philadelphia cheesecake
- The product: Philadelphia makes its frozen cheesecakes in two flavors: Original and Strawberry Swirl. Each costs a reasonable $12.99.
- Why I love it: The idea of being able to put a cheesecake on my holiday table without having to work for it is beyond exciting. Even better: both flavors are really good!
Simply Recipes / Philadelphia
My review of Philadelphia’s new frozen cheesecake
The appeal of these frozen cheesecakes is immediately obvious: Once you’ve thawed them in the freezer overnight, the dessert is on the table in seconds.
Each cheesecake is pre-cut into eight slices, so you don’t have to worry about cutting even portions for everyone at the table (or getting a knife dirty). The slices are pretty small too, which is nice – they’re perfect for a sweet after-dinner treat without being too much.
In terms of taste, I was impressed with how fresh the cheesecakes tasted straight out of the shrink wrap. Both flavors had a soft, mousse-like consistency and the filling was pleasantly rich without being overly sweet. The Strawberry Swirl flavor’s hand-crimped jam dollops added a pop of bright holiday color, and the buttery graham cracker crust surprised me with how crumbly-crunchy it was.
I also appreciate that the original cheesecake was an excellent blank canvas. With a few of your own ingredients—caramel sauce or fresh fruit, for example—you could probably convince your holiday guests that these cheesecakes are homemade. This is a brilliant idea for busy holiday hosts with hungry guests (and/or stubborn in-laws).
When (and where) to find the frozen cheesecake
Philadelphia Cheesecakes will be available in the freezer aisles of grocery stores like Walmart, Kroger and Publix starting this month. Both the Original and Strawberry Swirl flavors are $12.99.
It looks like Philly is confident of an instant hit, as the frozen cheesecakes will be a permanent addition to its product lineup. I’m officially ready to host you as a vacation host.
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