Cheesecakeadilla Two Ways

The Cronut. The Sushi Burrito. The Turducken.

Each and every one of these crazy culinary concoctions will go down in history as one of the greatest food mashups of all time. But why are they created? Who invented these dishes and how?! Only those who have the creativity and brain capacity have the ability to create something so mind-blowingly delicious. Only a true culinary genius can create a dish that gets people all over the world ranting and raving.  And I, Jonah Yoder, am up for the challenge!

​In order to create a  truly inspirational food mashup you have to take two seemingly incompatible dishes and smash them together on one plate. When you think about it the opportunities are as endless​ as your creativity. The most impactful mashups are the ones that bring together the most differing foods. So without further adieu, I present to you the Cheesecakeadilla!

I have to give some credit to my friends who thought of this interesting food combination and challenged me to make it a reality. Now when I hear the word, "Cheesecakeadilla" there are two possible dishes that come to mind.

There's the CHEESECAKE-adilla, a sweet dessert resembling a standard quesadilla but stuffed with cream cheese filling, topped with cinnamon sugar and served with a strawberry compote for dipping.  

​Then there's the CHEESE-cakeadilla. The savory, Mexican-inspired main dish that consists of cheese quesadillas stacked on top of each other to form a "cake" which is then frosted with sour cream and garnished with guacamole and salsa. 

In order to truly appreciate the complexity of the cheesecakeadilla, I decided my first step was to create both options using my culinary skills and vast creativity. The dessert version was relatively simple. I created an easy cream cheese filling and sandwiched it between two flour tortillas and pan fried it in butter until golden brown. The outcome was wonderfully sweet and the tart flavor of the strawberry compote balanced the dish perfectly.

​With the main dish version I had more room to let my creative juices flow. I made simple cheese quesadillas and stacked them on top of each other. Between each layer I added refried beans, corn, salsa, or guacamole. After everything was assembled, I wanted it to look more like a cake, so I "frosted"  the whole thing with sour cream. The final product was savory and spicy and really hit the indulgent spot I was going for. 

Below you will find the recipes for both versions of the cheesecakeadilla. Feel free to be creative when you make them. Add your own layers or sauces! The excitement of making a dish your own, is one of the best parts of cooking! I highly recommend trying both and deciding for yourself which one is the better mashup. Good luck!

Cheesecakeadilla (Dessert)

8 large flour tortillas
8 oz. cream cheese
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tsp. vanilla
butter for pan frying

Put the cream cheese, heavy cream, vanilla and powdered sugar in a bowl and mix together until totally combined.
Take a flour tortilla and smear some of the cream cheese mixture on it, then top with the other tortilla. 
In a hot skillet add about 1 tablespoon of butter and let it melt. 
Add the prepared tortillas and pan fry on both sides until golden brown.
Top with cinnamon sugar or more powdered sugar and serve with a dipping sauce of your choice.
    (caramel, strawberry, chocolate...really anything would go great!)

Cheesecakeadilla (Main Dish)

10 large flour tortillas
Shredded Cheese
10 oz. can of refried beans
10 oz. can of corn
10 oz. can of black beans
10 oz. of sour cream
Salsa
Guacamole

Begin by making the cheese quesadillas by pan frying 2 tortillas together with cheese in between them. 
To form the cake take a round springform pan and lay 1 quesadilla in the bottom. 
Take the refried beans and spread an even layer on top of the quesadilla.
Sprinkle some corn on top of the refried beans, then place the next quesadilla on top gently pressing down on the previous layer. 
Next spread an even layer of salsa over the quesadilla layer. 
Then sprinkle some black beans on top of the salsa, then place another quesadilla on top gently pressing down on the previous layers.
Then spread an even layer of guacamole over the quesadilla layer.
Top with another quesadilla and gently press down on the previous layers.
Repeat the steps until all of the quesadillas are used and the cake is formed.
Sprinkle some cheese over the top and place in the oven set to 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes so that everything sets and is melty.
Once the top is golden brown remove the cake from the oven and let it cool.
Once it is cool enough to touch, remove the siding of the pan.
Take the sour cream and carefully spread all over the cake so that everything is covered and smooth.
Garnish with salsa & guacamole and serve immediately with a side salad.