Fat Bottomed Cheesecake

If truth be told I am not a big cheesecake fan. I think years of moussey, fluffy, soggy based concoctions at school are probably to blame. And can someone explain to me why the topping was always an odd green colour? My Mother-In-Law has worked tirelessly at trying to cure me of my cheesecake aversion. Her baked cheesecakes make a regular appearance at the banquets feasts meals when we visit. Usually alongside at least one other pudding. I have grown to truly like her cheesecake, and because I enjoy a challenge I have learnt to bake them too. Always baked. Always. Surely there is no other way? Though I was intrigued to recently read this recipe by Nigel Slater, my food hero. This cheesecake doesn't even get a whiff of baking. Dare I try it? I might have to simply because Nigel doesn't usually get it wrong. In the meantime, this is my basic cheesecake recipe:

What You Need:

For the base:

• 90g digestive biscuits
• 90g ginger nuts
• 60g grape nuts (or just add 30g more ginger nuts and 30g more digestives)
• 100g butter
• A pinch of salt

For the cheesecake layer:

• 600g full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
• 250g mascarpone cheese
• 4 tbsp cornflour
• 150g caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs

For the soured cream topping:

• 450ml soured cream
• 100g caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

What You Do:

Make the base:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C.
2. Crumb the biscuits in a food processor or by whacking them savagely with a rolling pin in a bag
3. Mix with the grape nuts (if using). 
4. Melt the butter, then add the biscuit crumbs and a pinch of salt and mix well.
5. Firmly spread the crumbs over the base of a tall 20cm cake tin (spring form is best).
6. Put this into the oven for 20 minutes while you make the cheesecake topping.

Make the cheesecake layer:

1. Put the cheese into a large bowl and stir with a whisk to get rid of any lumps.
2. Mix in the mascarpone cheese, cornflour, sugar and vanilla extract.
3. Beat the eggs together, and then gradually add them to the mixture beating until the mixture is just smooth.
4. Take the tin out of the oven and turn the oven down to 110C , you might like to keep the door open for a couple of minutes to help it to cool down more quickly.
5. Pour the mixture onto the base, and gently shake it to level it. 
6. Put it back into the oven on a baking tray and bake for about 80- 90 minutes, until it is set, but still slightly wobbly in the middle.
7. Remove the cheesecake from the oven and allow it to cool for about 20 minutes, but turn the oven up to 180C.

Make the soured cream topping:

1. While the cheesecake is cooling, stir together the soured cream, caster sugar and vanilla extract.
2. Pour the soured cream topping over the cheesecake and bake it again for 10 minutes at this higher temperature.
3. Then turn the oven off and open the door slightly to allow the cheesecake to cool completely inside before taking it out, removing from the tin and refrigerating.

All that is left after lunch.....

Cheesecake Conversion

I'm not a huge cheesecake fan. Despite my very sweet tooth it is not a pudding I often eat or want to eat.  Probably due to the school dinner variety that I was offered throughout my education. And until last week I had never made one or had a desire to do so.

I don't know what came over me therefore, but with 8 friends coming for dinner I decided I simply HAD to serve cheesecake. Baked cheesecake. Baked cherry cheesecake. With a soured cream topping. It seems that a recipe for this does not exist on the internet, so I had to combine 2 recipes and add my own twist.

It almost went horribly wrong when I discovered that the foil (above) had failed to keep the water (from the 'bain marie', what culinary sophistication) away from the tin and there appeared to be some seepage. I was imagining a very damp biscuit base but carried on regardless. Thankfully my fears were unfounded and the cheesecake was something of a resounding success.

I served it with sour cherry compote to complement the cherries in the mixture. And even I had seconds. I may be converted to cheesecake it seems. As long as it doesn't have a soggy bottom.