Posts tagged ‘cheesecake’

Jul 7

No Bake Cheesecake And A New Computer

Hallelujah! My new computer was delivered yesterday and I couldn’t be happier. It is so nice, pleasant and so much easier to write a post on my laptop. I had a Mac Air and got the same computer, I still have to go to Genius Bar at the Apple Store to see if my old computer’s hard drive is damaged, if it is, my data cannot be retrieved but if not they can transfer to the new one. Fingers crossed.

On July 4th I went to my friends house for a BBQ, I made some hummus using Ottolenghi’s great recipe, some pita bread, veggie burgers and a cheesecake. I found this recipe on Food and Wine, it looked ethereal, light and creamy and I had to give it a try. This is a no bake cheesecake so no hot oven and no eggs. It is very easy to make and the recipe calls for cream cheese, ricotta, mascarpone or sour cream (I used creme fraiche) and whipped cream, it is flavored with a little lemon juice. In the recipe they use a combination of amaretti and graham crackers, I used only graham crackers. Everyone at the BBQ said it is the best cheesecake they have ever had, I have to agree it is wonderful and this recipe will go into my must make again SOON file. They call for a 8 inch springform pan, I only had a 9 inch so I doubled the recipe. There was leftover filling which I made into a small upside down cheesecake. My cousins were in town and came over for dinner and I served it for dessert. The bottom layer was roasted rainier cherries, filing on top of the cherries and crushed graham crackers on top. This was also exceptional.

I am bringing this dessert with me to Fiesta Friday #179. This weeks co hosts are Petra@Food Eat Love and Laura@Feast Wisely. Hope you all have a chance to stop by, it’s always a fun party!!

Triple Cheese Cheesecake

Food and Wine

Makes an 8 inch cake

Graham Cracker Crust

1 1/2 cups crushed graham crackers (approx 12 crackers)

pinch of kosher salt

1/4 cup sugar

5 tbs melted butter

Mix the crushed graham crackers, salt, sugar and melted butter until fully incorporated. Heat oven to 350 degree’s. Press the graham cracker mixture into the spring form pan coming about half way up the sides of the pan. Bake approximately 12 minutes. When you smell it it’s done, it should be lightly browned. Let cool and set aside while you make the filling.

Filling

1 tsp powdered gelatin

2 tbs cold water

3/4 cup chilled heavy cream

2 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup ricotta (whole milk)

3/4 cup sugar

pinch of salt

1/4 cup mascarpone, sour cream or creme fraiche

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

In a microwave safe bowl sprinkle the gelatin over 2 tbs of cold water. Set aside.

Whip the cream into soft peaks and refrigerate.

Add the cream cheese, ricotta, sugar and salt to mixer and whip on high speed until light and fluffy about 5 minutes. Beat in the mascarpone/sour cream or creme fraiche and lemon juice until combined.

Microwave the gelatin for about 5-7 minutes until it melts. Scrape into the cheese mixture and whip until combined. Fold in the whipped cream. Spoon into the baked graham cracker crust, smooth the top, cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours but best overnight.

Serve with fresh fruit, fruit compote or roasted or poached fruit.

Upside down cheesecake with leftover filling

Mar 1

12 Comments

Italian Cheesecake

This is my Mothers recipe for Ricotta cheesecake, I stuck to the recipe for the most part but I can’t help but add my own touches, I added some mascarpone and though a minor change I feel it made for a creamier texture. The minute I tasted it it took me back to the kitchen of my childhood. The cake is flavored with lemon, rum and vanilla and it has a short crust, The original recipe calls for a 8 inch pan with 3 inch sides, I used a springform pan and only had a 9 inch. I didn’t have quite enough dough to cover the top of the cake as instructed in the recipe so I doubled the recipe so there would be enough. As you can see from my cake I didn’t have quite enough of the dough so it didn’t look like the one my Mother made but the taste was exactly as I remember it.

Short Pastry

3 cup flour

1/2 cup shortening or butter

1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs beaten

1/2 cup sugar

6 tbs ice cold water, add 4 to start and see if you need more

Mix flour, salt and sugar until combined, cut in shortening or butter. Add egg and enough water so that dough forms a ball. Add water 4 tbs to start and more if needed. I made it in the food processor, add flour, sugar, salt and butter and pulse until it resembles crumbs.Beat egg with 4 tbs water and with motor running add through feeding tube, pulse until dough forms a ball. Add more water if you notice the dough is dry. Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes. NOTE: I had to double the recipe because I used a 9 inch pan you will have some leftover dough.

Filling:

2 lbs ricotta (4 cups)

1 cup mascarpone

6 large eggs at room temperature

1 1/4 cup sugar

zest of one lemon

2 tbs lemon juice

2 tbs rum or marsala

3 tsp vanilla extract

Strain Ricotta in a sieve lined with cheese cloth until the water has drained. Beat ricotta mascarpone and sugar until fluffy and smooth, add the eggs one at a time beating until each egg is combined. Add the lemon juice,zest, rum, and vanilla and stir to combine.

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees.

You will need a 9 inch springform pan, roll the dough as thin as possible and make sure it is at least double the size of your pan you will need to cover the top of the cheesecake almost all the way only leaving a quarter size hole in the center. Add filling and cover with the overhanging dough. Bake for 2 or 2 1/2 hours, believe me it takes that long my cake took a full 2 hours, it’s almost souffle like and you want the filling to be set completely before removing from the oven. The crust will be golden brown and as it bakes the filling rises almost causing a dome, it’s supposed to do that, it goes down when removed from the oven. Let cool completely in the pan. You do not have to refrigerate overnight like a regular cheesecake. Serve when cooled, and if not serving after cake has cooled cover and refrigerate.

Feb 11

12 Comments

Lemon Saffron Cheese Cake with Whole Meal,Pistachio,Cardamom Crust

This is my submission for the fabulous Abby Dodge’s “Bake Together” cheesecake challenge. I recently worked with Amanda from the blog “Dabblings and Whimsey” on some Persian food and that inspired this cheesecake. You find saffron in almost every Persian dish as well as a citrus element. The crust is made from ground roasted pistahio’s, whole meal cookies and cardamom. I used Abby’s cheesecake recipe and tweaked it a bit.To intensify the lemon flavor I candied lemon slices and arranged them on top of the cake. Here is the link to Abby’s blog, this was so much fun, join in and make a cheesecake!

http://www.abbydodge.com/2012/02/baketogether-cheesecake/

Crust:

1 1/2 cup whole meal cookies (12-14 cookies) I used Carr’s, ground in the food processor

1/2 cup roasted pistachio’s ground

3 1/2 tbs sugar

1/4 tsp cardamom

6 tbs butter melted.

Roast the pistachio’s on sheet pan in 350 degree oven for approximately 10 minutes. you will smell the nuts. Take them out and let them cool.

When pistachio’s are cool place in food processor and process until nuts are ground into a fine meal. Add the whole meal cookies that have been broken into pieces and process until they are ground into a fine meal. Change oven temp to 375 degrees.

Add pistachio/whole meal crumbs to a mixing bowl. Add the sugar,cardamom and melted butter. Mix thoroughly. Press into the bottom of the prepared 9″ springform pan that has been lined with foil (tear off a large piece of foil there should be a significant overhang) Bake for 12 minutes remove from oven and let cool. Decrease oven temperature to 300 degrees.

Pressed in crust

Lemons:

1 lemon sliced in thin slices

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

Place water and sugar in small saucepan and bring to a boil, add the lemon slices and boil until the slices are almost translucent and cooked through. Remove from heat let cool and place in covered container.

Filling:

3 8 oz packages of cream cheese softened to room temp

2 tbs flour

good pinch of salt

1 1/3 cup sugar

3/4 cup sour cream

1 tbs lemon juice

1 tbs saffron

zest of one lemon

4 large eggs at room temp

Fresh raspberries to garnish

Put the lemon juice in a ramekin and add the saffron, stir and let sit while you are preparing the other ingredients.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, flour and salt until very smooth and no lumps remain. It’s very important for the cream cheese to be lump free at this point so stop and scrape the beater and sides of the bowl frequently. Add the sugar, sour cream and lemon juice infused with the saffron and beat until well blended and smooth, stopping to scrape beater and bowl several times. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until just blended, stopping to scrape beater and bowl before each addition. (Don’t over beat the filling once the eggs have been added or the cheesecake will puff too much.) Tap the bowl several times on the counter to release some of the air bubbles. Pour the filling into the cooled crust. Using the tip of a small knife or a toothpick, pop any air bubbles on the surface.

Bake at 300°F until the center jiggles like jello when nudged, 63 to 68 minutes. The cake will be slightly puffed around the edges and the center will still look moist. Set on a rack and cool completely. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 8 hours or overnight or up to 3 days. The cake can also be frozen up to 1 month.

When you are ready to serve, arrange the lemon slices on the cake brush top of cake with some of the syrup, dip each raspberry in the lemon simple syrup and arrange on cake.