The Authentic Woolworth Cheesecake

         I do not know if any of you remember the Woolworth stores, or if you were lucky enough to sit at the counter and have a piece of the famous Woolworth Icebox Cheesecake. I was never lucky enough. I sure had heard about it often enough from my friends. I had to search the internet to find something that was called Woolworth cheesecake.

I do not know if, in fact, the recipe was the original version or just one someone posted.

            Well, I went ahead and made it. The whole time I was sitting there thinking that this was huge. So I invited some friends over to have a slice. You know what, I regretted that after! I found that I did not want to share. Either way, this recipe is delicious and I will be making it more often.

            Woolworths supposedly made a phenomenal icebox cheesecake. I fully understand it now.

Frequently Asked Questions:

            Can I buy a prepared crust?

You could, I am going the full homemade route for this one.

            Can I use heavy cream instead of evaporated milk?

Yes, either one works well for this. I have tried it both ways and did not notice much of a difference at all.

            What makes this so fluffy?

I believe it is the lemon jello that gives it the aeration and the stability.

            Can I add toppings?

You certainly can if you would like to. Any fruit topping would taste good with this cheesecake. Personally, I would go for the strawberries on top. You could use blueberries, cherries, apple or even peach topping. I know that many people prefer this plain, and some like it with a chocolate or caramel  syrup drizzled on.

What do you need to make The Authentic Woolworth Cheesecake

            1 -3 ounce box of instant lemon jello mix

            1 cup boiling water

            3 cups of crushed graham crackers

            1 stick butter, unsalted and melted

            8 ounces of cream cheese, softened

            5 tbsp lemon juice

            1 cup granulated sugar

            1 can evaporated milk, or 1 ½ cups of heavy whipping cream

How to make The Authentic Woolworth Cheesecake

FIRST STEP:

Combine the jello powder mix with 1 cup of boiling water, stir until dissolved

Chill in the refrigerator until it is slightly thickened.

SECOND STEP:

Mix ¾ of the crushed graham crackers with the melted butter

Press into the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish

THIRD STEP:

Save the remaining crumbs for using as a garnish

Beat the heavy whipping cream or evaporated milk until it is light and fluffy

FOURTH STEP:

In another bowl, beat the cream cheese with the sugar and the lemon juice until it is completely smooth

a)

b)

c)

Combine well

Add the thickened jello and slowly mix in with the whipped evaporated milk.

a)

b)

c)

d)

FIFTH STEP:

Spread the filling over the prepared crust and sprinkle remaining crumbs over the top

Chill for two hours before serving.

Enjoy!

Notes

If you want to have some for yourself at a later time, cut into smaller pieces. I kind of wish I would have thought of that when I invited guests over for a taste. However, I am really happy that they came over to visit and taste the recipe. We did enjoy the visit immensely.