Bay Area entrepreneur bakes cheesecake in a jar

TAMPA (FOX 13) - A local entrepreneur has been selling cheesecakes in a jar for a few years, but the recipes have been around for a century.

Le’Ann of “Le’Anns Cheesecakes N More” always knew her recipes were something special, passed down from her family for more than 100 years. Friends told her for a while, “You should sell these!” So, she started doing just that, but quickly realized it was tough to keep the dessert at the proper temperature and consistency when selling outdoors at farmer’s markets. 

So, she started baking them in small jars, and it worked. It had the same great taste, and a better way to keep it cool and firm. The desserts are sold in about 60 Bay Area businesses, including Kahwa Coffee, Mastry's Brewery Co., Ginger Beer Coffee, and even in four terminals at Tampa International Airport.

They have a variety of flavors, including guava, chocolate, guava, peanut butter, strawberry and more. There's even a "meal replacement" cheesecake, that has 31 grams of protein.

It's a three-person operation and they work out of a rental kitchen in Tampa. In a single, 8-hour work day, they can produce 900 to 2,500 cheesecakes in a jar. First, they use a stamper to flatten the bottom "crust" and use a pancake dispenser to pour in the cheesecake mix on top. The mixture is baked inside the mini-jars for almost 30 minutes. Finally, they place the topping after it cools.

What's the "more" in the business name? Le'Ann told us we have to stay tuned.

You can find them in various farmer’s markets and businesses across the Bay Area, including inside the Tampa International Airport. To search for their next and nearest location to you, head over to their website.