Sunday Sweets: Aunt Georgia’s Cheesecake

This recipe is from my boyfriend’s Aunt Georgia. Every time there was a family dinner she would make this recipe. According to the bf it is like crack and the most epic thing ever. I have to agree. It isn’t really cheesecake in the traditional sense but it does have cream cheese and is way simpler to make than the traditional style New York Cheesecake.
It does take some planning ahead. The trick to this recipe is making sure the evaporated milk is very very cold so it whips up. It can also take awhile for the milk to get to the right consistency. I don’t make it very often because of this and the fact that I only own a hand mixer. If you have a stand mixer I would recommend using that so your arm doesn’t get tired!

Also, this recipe calls for Milnot. I have never tried this recipe with other brands of evaporated milk. Milnot is difficult to find down South so my Boyfriend’s family brings some to us when they come down for a visit. Maybe Milnot is a Midwest thing?? Not sure if this recipe would work with other brands of evaporated milk and since his family swears by it I am unlikely to.

This recipe is for the lemon-flavored version. Boyfriend and I have experimented with other jell-o flavors with some success. The lemon is hands-down my favorite though.

Ingredients:

1 pkg. lemon-flavored gelatin
1 c. boiling water
3 tbsp. lemon juice
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 12 oz. can Milnot, chilled, whipped (I have only ever used Milnot evaporated milk!)
1/2 lb. graham crackers
1/2 c. butter, melted

Dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Add lemon juice. Cool. Cream together cheese, sugar, vanilla, and gelatin.


Mix well. Fold whipped Milnot into gelatin mixture.

Crush graham crackers into fine crumbs and add melted butter. Firmly pack 2/3 of mixture into bottom and sides of 9x13 inch pan.

Add filling. Sprinkle with remaining crumbs and chill.
If the pictures have you scratching your head it's because I ran out of graham cracker crumbs. I barely had enough to cover the bottom much less the top. The first image is a picture of one my Boyfriend's cousin did this past Christmas. It all eats the same but it certainly looks prettier with the crumbs on top.

If it has been allowed to set up properly there should be no leakage and the dessert will keep it's shape.
If you want to try another flavor just switch out the lemon Jello. Lime is delicious and strawberry is tasty too. I just sub out the lemon juice with a little vanilla extract but if you have any other extracts (like orange), that would certainly make it pop.