This past weekend we went camping at Lower Lewis River Falls, a beautiful campground located in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest between Mount St. Helens and Mount Adams and steps away from a gorgeous 200-foot wide cascading waterfall on the Lewis River. Aside from the usual hiking, biking and cocktails around the campfire, I had a great time cooking with my new cast iron Dutch oven. Sure, I have an enameled Dutch oven that I use in my kitchen, but I’ve never had the rugged variety for cooking over an open flame. You guys…I am in love. My Lodge Dutch oven can do everything!
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!To prove it, I decided to whip up cheesecake, which I aptly name my Campfire Cheesecake. It is surprisingly easy to make and turned out great. The key is to prep the cheesecake filling beforehand and use a store-bought graham cracker pie crust. Simple!
The day before camping, set out 2 blocks (16 ounces) of cream cheese and two eggs on the counter to soften and come up to room temperature. When soft, whisk the ingredients together in a large bowl with a hand or standing mixer until smooth then add ½ cup of granulated sugar, ¼ cup of sour cream, one teaspoon of vanilla and the juice of half of a lemon. Mix the batter on high speed for 5 minutes until mixture is very smooth and creamy, then pour the contents into a glass mason jar, fitted with a lid. Store the filling in the refrigerator or your cooler until ready to make the cheesecake.
Prior to baking your Campfire Cheesecake, clear a space in or around your campfire ring where you can safely cook with hot coals without risk of the fire becoming unsafe. (We’ve had enough wildfires on the West Coast in recent years, let’s not start another one.) Heat up 24 coals or briquettes in a chimney starter until the coals are very hot and glowing orange. This will take about 15 minutes.
While the coals are heating up, grab your Dutch oven. You will need a 12-inch, or 8-qt Dutch oven for this recipe. Make two parchment paper handles to place under the cheesecake for easy lifting once the dessert has baked. To do this, take two large sheets of parchment paper (about 20 inches long) and fold each into two large strips that are about 1½ inches wide. Place the strips into the bottom of the Dutch oven, making an X. Allowing the ends to stick out.
Next, place the graham cracker pie crust into the Dutch oven and overtop of the parchment paper. Make sure the handles are still sticking out and easy to grab. Shake the batter (while still in the jar) to mix one last time, then pour it into the pie crust and place the lid of the Dutch on top of the pot. Set aside.
Using tongs and welding (or very thick leather) gloves, arrange 8 hot coals on the ground in a circular pattern. Place the Dutch oven on top of the coals, then layer the remaining 16 coals on top of the Dutch oven’s lid. Bake the cheesecake for 45- 50 minutes, making sure to rotate the lid of the Dutch oven a quarter turn every 15 minutes to ensure an even bake.
When the cheesecake has baked through and is golden brown on top, carefully remove the coals and ashes from the top lid of the Dutch, then remove the lid. Set it in a safe place to cool, well out of the reach of young kids. Next, remove the pot from the fire and set it on a picnic bench or block of wood to cool. The cheesecake will remain in the Dutch oven for about an hour, to cool slowly along with the pot. When cooled, use the parchment paper handles to remove the cheesecake from the Dutch oven. Slice and serve the cheesecake. Feel free to top the cheesecake with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of cherry pie filling. Enjoy and happy camping!
Campfire Cheesecake
Ingredients
- 16 oz cream cheese
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ½ lemon, juiced
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 graham cracker pie crust
Instructions
- The day before camping prepare the cheesecake batter. Start by setting the cream cheese and eggs on the counter to soften and come to room temperature.
- Using a standing or hand mixer, whip cream cheese and eggs together. Add sugar, vanilla, juice from half a lemon and the sour cream. Mix until smooth at high speed for five minutes. You want the batter to take on a very creamy consistency.
- Pour batter into a large glass jar that has been fitted with a lid. Seal and store in the refrigerator or cooler until ready to bake.
- To bake, clear a spot within the fire ring at your campsite for your Dutch oven. Heat 24 coals or briquettes using a chimney starter.
- While the coals heat up, prepare the Dutch oven and the cheesecake. First, take to long pieces of parchment paper (about 20 inches long) and fold each into long strips about 1½ inches wide. Make an X with the parchment paper strips and lay them into the bottom of your Dutch oven with the tops sticking out. You have created handles that you will use to pull your cheesecake from the Dutch oven after baking.
- Next, place the graham cracker pie crust overtop of the X. Shake the cheesecake batter to mix one last time, the pour the contents into the pie crust. Place the lid on the Dutch oven.
- When the coals are hot, layer 8 coals on the ground within the fire ring then place the Dutch oven over top of the coals. Layer the remaining coals onto the lid of the Dutch oven. Allow the cheesecake to bake for approximately 45-50 minutes. Rotate the lid of the Dutch oven a quarter turn every 15 minutes to ensure even baking.
- When the cheesecake is baked through and golden on top, remove the lid from the Dutch oven and set aside. Next, carefully remove the Dutch oven pot from the fire and place it on wooden blocks or a picnic table to cool. Keep the cheesecake in the Dutch oven to slowly cool along with the pot. Cool for one hour.
- When cooled, use the parchment paper handles to remove the cheesecake. Slice and serve with whipped cream or a dollop of cherry pie filling. Enjoy and happy camping!
