Contributed by Info Guru Angela Bushong

Cheesecake—one of those quintessential desserts that makes chefs and lay people alike swoon with delight.

It is also incredible versatile, playing as a backdrop for all sorts of styles and flavors. It’s no wonder there are so many variations on this beloved dessert.

10. Classic New York Style Cheesecake

Let’s start this off with the mother of all cheesecakes, the New York style cheesecake. Pure and unadulterated, it can be topped with anything from fruit to chocolate, but even all on its own the New York style is creamy and decadent as anything you’d want to put in your mouth. All great cheesecakes start here.

9. Turtle Cheesecake

Here is a genius little number which showcases the great turtle triumvirate–pecans, caramel, and chocolate–with fresh soft cheeses and, usually, a graham cracker crust. It’s hard to imagine a comfort food more comforting than this.

8. Pumpkin Cheesecake

This is one seasonal favorite fans watch for every autumn. With all the spice and pumpkin-goodness of the holidays, it’s like pumpkin pie, but crank it up to a cream-cheesy eleven.

7. Cheesecake Ice Cream

I don’t know who thought of it, but pairing cheesecake with ice cream is just pure, cheesy creamy frozen dairy genius. It transforms regular ice cream into a smooth silkiness that is reminiscent of frozen custards, but with an extra richness that is beyond compare. Like its namesake, this frozen concoction comes in a variety of flavors.

6. Berry Cheesecakes

Think berries and cream–any kind of berry, pick your favorite. Blueberries, strawberries, cherries, raspberries, and blackberries all have found their way to feature in cheesecake desserts. It’s hard to beat this natural summer pairing.

5. Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake

Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake is for the chocolate lovers of the world. Take your basic chocolate cheesecake, but make it smoother and top it with a rich chocolate ganache. This is not a cake for amateurs.

4. Deep Fried Cheesecake

Inspired by ‘everything deep fried and on a stick’ carnival cuisine, deep fried cheesecake has made quite a hit with American culture. Internet recipes abound, submitted by the likes of Paula Deen and other noteworthy chefs. This is a cheesecake you can eat with your hands, since it is cocooned within a pastry crust, then fried to golden perfection.

3. Japanese Cheesecake

Actually referred to as “soufflé cheesecake” in Japan, Japanese cheesecake is sort of like its American counterpart except that it is light and airy, owing to the addition of cornstarch and eggs into the mix. For those who love the flavor, but not the richness of the New York style version.

2. Cheesecake Bites

Cheesecake bites are perfect morsels for entertaining or treating yourself to “just a little something.” They are just what they sound like—cheesecake, bite sized. Here is another one of those rare preparations which renders our beloved dessert a finger food. And, if you want to shake things up a bit, you can serve them with an assortment of dips, from chocolate to raspberry sauce.

1. Cheesecake Sampler

This dessert menagerie made it to number one on our list because it is the best of all possible cheesecake worlds. The cheesecake sampler has a little bit for everyone. Great for parties or office gatherings, this is what you present when you want to have your cheesecake and eat it, too.