Original Cheese Cake

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I have a gift for you all, today in my page I shall share a great recipe. There is a thousand method you can find over the net, this one is a tried and tested version and I do all the time. Lets make Cheese Cake. Yaaaaay!
Cheese Cake is a sinful and delicious dessert. Everyone likes a slice. It goes beautiful with a strawberry, blueberry topping or keep it simple with a sour cream top. However as we have strawberries in the market right now, so make a strawberry topping…
Cheese cake is made in three stages, you prepare the crust, make the filling bake, chill over night and do the topping. So if you are planning to have cheese cake over the weekend you better start it now.

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My love for a delicious slice of cheese cake tops my love for diamond. I love making cheese cakes. There are many versions. You can make it with Ricotta or even no bake. This recipe is a very popular original New York style cake.
For Cheese Cake you need cream cheese, you will find Philadelphia cream cheese in most of the big super markets, Dhali, Gulshan DCC Market etc. You’ll also get all these ingredients in the same place.

imageWhat do you need:

For the crust

85g butter melted, plus extra for tin
140g digestive biscuits, made into fine crumbs
1 tbsp sugar

For the cheesecake filling

3 x 250g Philadelphia cheese
250g sugar
3 tbsp plain flour
1½ tsp vanilla extract
finely grated zest of 1 lemon (about 2 tsp)
1½ tsp lemon juice
3 large eggs, plus 1 yolk
284ml carton soured cream

For the  topping

1 kg strawberries
½ cup granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
1 cup strawberry jam
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Method

Position an oven shelf in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 180c. Line the base of a 23cm springform cake tin with parchment paper. To make the crust, melt the butter in a medium pan. Stir in the biscuit crumbs and sugar so the mixture is evenly moistened. Press the mixture into the bottom of the pan and bake for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack while preparing the filling.
For the filling, increase the oven temperature to 240C. Beat the soft cheese at medium-low speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. With the mixer on low, gradually add the sugar, then the flour and a pinch of salt, scraping down the sides of the bowl and the paddle twice. It is better if you have a mixer with paddle attachment. You can always use your hands or hands mixer will also do fine.
Continue by adding the vanilla, lemon zest and juice. Whisk in the eggs and yolk, one at a time. Remember to scrape the bowl in every 1 minute. Measure 200ml sour cream and give it in. The batter should be smooth, light and airy, beat just until well incorporated. Do not over mix.
Brush the sides of the springform tin with melted butter and put on a baking sheet on the sides. Pour in the filling, the top should be as smooth as possible,use a spatula or knife to evenly spread. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 110C and bake for 30 minutes more. Check if the middle is wobbly, like if you gently shake the tin, the filling should have a slight wobble. Turn off the oven and open the oven door for a cheesecake that’s creamy in the centre, or leave it closed if you prefer a drier texture. Let cool in the oven for 2 hours. The cheesecake may get a slight crack on top as it cools, and that is absolutely fine. Cover loosely with foil and refrigerate for overnight.

Strawberry Topping:

Clean the strawberries thoroughly. Slice the fruits vertically, in thin slices and in a large bowl, toss together the sliced strawberries and the sugar. Let sit for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to combine. I always keep it in sunlight to combine well. In the meantime, whisk the jam vigorously (I will soon post a jam recipe as well) until it is completely smooth. Place the jam in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.

Cheese cake slice
Creamy and delicious.

 

Stir frequently, until the jam is dark and no longer frothy. Stir in the lemon juice. Cook for 2 more minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, best over night.

When you decide to serve the cake, bring the cake out of the tin gently using knife to loosen the sides.  And decorate it with the home made Strawberry topping and top it with a mint leave or two.

Make your weekend special.

(Original Recipe Idea: BBC GoodFood, Brown Eyed Baker)