The Eli's Cheesecake Cookbook: Remarkable Recipes from a Chicago Legend Kindle Edition

I feel compelled to write this review after reading the Kindle cookbook and reading other reviews. First, the savory recipes, Shrimp de Jonghe and House Salad Dressing, were not proofread. The shrimp recipe leaves the shells on the shrimp for a baked dish - the salad dressing directions forget to add the onion listed in the ingredients. The "unusual layout" is that all the fillings are listed under Batters, then a chapter on Crust recipes, then toppings, but the complete directions for baking are in a separate chapter called Putting It All Together. A previous reviewer noted there were no crusts nor baking times. I get it - the crusts and baking times are in different chapters from the fillings.

Whether you are a complete rookie at making cheesecakes or a pro this book is for you. It covers all of the basics on how to make cheesecake: the science behind how they come together and cook, how to size them up and down and the different types of cream cheeses and the outcomes you can expect from each. Aside from the basics however, the book also features a number of exotic types of cheesecakes featuring flavor profiles that you wouldn't typically find in a cheesecake cookbook. There is also an entertaining history of Eli's restaurant at the beginning of the book that I highly recommend reading. Great book, great recipes and great photos. It would make a lovely gift.

The liver recipe was a big and very delightful surprise. I did not expect that but their it was and the sprimp recipe also made my mouth water. Ok that said the rest of the book nothing but cheesecake. I was just overwhelmed with every kind of cheesecake you can think of. I will be spending some quality time in the kitchen at night because first thing in the morning I will want a slice of my homemade cheesecake. The book was in excellent condition it was brand new I love the books I get from Amazon I have not been disappointed yet with the quality that you get with Amazon I'm totally addicted with this company Amazon thank you thank you thank you and Eli thank you too.

The secret details of making the perfect chicago-style (Eli's) cheesecake, plus dozens of variations of fillings, crusts and toppings make it possible to make thousands of different variations of cheesecake. The Eli's salad dressing is amazing and the shrimp and fish dishes are amazing!

I like the fact that crusts and toppings were separate topics but I wish that the batters and putting all together were in one place in the book versus 2 possibly allowing for more cheesecake recipes. I made the Baked Apple Cheesecake, very good. I was also surprised to see other recipes, but I always wanted the Shrimp De Jonghe recipe which was very good.

This book is a real treasure trove of amazing cheesecake recipes. A must read for all who love baking and cheesecakes

Pet peeve of mine: books with titles that do not reflect their actual content accurately. These folks decided to make a book that contains a biography, lots of PR photos of famous people who have nothing to do with cheesecake other than eating it, non-cheesecake recipes including liver, and a bunch of cheesecake recipes and call it a cheesecake recipe book. The half of the book that IS cheesecake recipes looks great but it really annoys me when authors stuff a book with material that is utterly irrelevant to what the title of the book implies it is about. Did they need to make it longer or something? Some people might care about all the extraneous fluff, but it only serves to irritate me. I hope the cheesecake recipes are good.

I received this wonderful cookbook today, and it's fantastic. Of course the recipes look amazing (can't wait to try one) but a real cool feature is all the photos and snippets of Americana, which are fascinating. There are photos of presidents, athletes, actors, singers, old menus from the restaurant, etc. And the recipes - beautiful photos of them, and as the previous reviewer said, they're really not too intimidating. Absolutely recommended, I'm very glad to have it.

The story:When I was working in London years ago, there was an amazing bakery near Green Park that made the most sumptuous cheesecake I have ever tasted. It was so good I used to buy a whole one every Friday.The cake was nothing like you buy in cold food stores or supermarkets today with their oversweet taste and pork gelatine. This was good fill-you-up slightly tart (tangy) heavy set cheesecake with melt in the mouth yumminess which resonated on your taste buds to linger longer before it disappeared to the nether regions. One slice is all you could eat at a sitting, spectacular.Now that I no longer work near or am in commuting distance of this cheesecake heaven, I thought I would see if I could find a book on the subject and make my own ÜThe book:Comprising of 232 pages in hardcover, with an inviting photograph of a plain cheesecake to the front board and further photographs and commentary from reviewers to the back. Measuring H26.5cmx W21.5cmx D2cm.Eli’s Story unfortunately takes up the first 43 pages which are promptly followed by recipes for Chateaubriand, Liver Eli, Chopped Liver Eli, Shrimp á la Marc, Shrimp de Jonghe and Chicken in the pot.Any reference to cheesecake doesn’t start until page 67.Page 69-76 covers ingredients and techniques used; cultured cream cheese, sour cream, eggs, flour and vanilla; tempering and mixing, the pan, the method, transferring from the oven, cooling and cutting. Page 78-107 covers all the batters used from the Original Plain Cheesecake to Vanilla Soufflé Glacé. Each description has many good coloured photographs. Page 110-118 covers the subject of crusts from Shortbread to Toasted Almond. Finishing touches (chocolates, caramels and compotes) are on pages 120-128 from Bittersweet Chocolate Ganach to Salted Caramel; again accompanied by good quality photography. Eli’s Original Plain Cheesecake (the one that started it all) is featured on page 131 and is the beginning of the various cheesecake recipes which continue until page 199. The book continues with a Celebratory Cakes section from page 203-217. The remainder, 218-224 contain photographs depicting various celebratory occasions. The index 225-229 is followed by About the Authors for a further three pages.Being American of course the measurements are all in cups. There is no conversion chart within the book. All the ingredients are easily obtainable in the UK.Eli’s Original Plain Cheesecake, looking uncannily like the one I used to buy, triggered fond memories of me walking up the street balancing a large cake box with my scrumptious cargo inside. Precious.The verdict:Whilst I understand that originally ‘Eli’s’ was a steak house, the title of the book specifically states ‘Cheesecake Cookbook’ so the inclusion of recipes for dead animals and/or their parts is, in my opinion, totally unnecessary. To be honest, I was shocked to encounter these, particularly the sight of a walloping great tenderloin steak featured on page 43.The book has been published in memory of Eli Schulman and I suppose therefore is the reasoning behind the again in my opinion, far too long history of the man and his restaurant, interesting though it may be.That large gripe aside, from a recipe book perspective, it is an interesting and well laid out book. The recipes are clear, the photography is excellent and there are some interesting combinations. If I decide to keep the book my first port of call would be to try the Original Plain Cheesecake, followed by the Sabayon individual cakes and the Espresso.Could be problematic for those who don’t like cup measurements.

Disappointing because there are no baking temperatures, nor timings, nor directions, for baking the ‘baked cheesecake’ recipes. The recipes end, right after the cheesecake fillings’ mixing directions! It appears that there are no recipes supplied for crusts, either. Bizarre. All cheesecakes have crusts... Very incomplete and oddly structured, it (the Kindle edition) includes a lot of extraneous information along with non-cheesecake recipes! Come on, this is marketed as a ‘cheesecake recipe’ book—can I simply get ‘complete’ cheesecake recipes?I can say, from experience, that the ‘cheesecake filling’ recipes look very good. I have baked many cheesecakes over the years, so I have some experience with this.As vexing as it is, in order to create a complete recipe, I’ll have to do a ‘Frankenstein’ and cobble together external cheesecake recipes, with the cheesecake filling recipes in this book, to use them. i.e. I’ll have to use a crust recipe from another recipe book, or buy a readymade crust; and, I’ll have to ‘guesstimate’ cooking temperatures and times. It’s ridiculous that the book’s editor didn’t pick-up on these major omissions.

This was a present for a friend who likes to make cheese cake, but the format was unusual with quite a US bias. He’s had it for a month now and hasn’t made one yet!!

It’s not a book dedicated to cheesecake. It’s a recipe book about a restaurant in Chicago.

I thought it was great and will make it again