Friday 31 May 2013

NEW YORK CHEESECAKE

“I think careful cooking is love, don't you? The loveliest thing you can cook for someone who’s close to you is about as nice a valentine as you can give.” - Julia Child
 

We have some very wet days ahead in Melbourne as Winter is well on its way. Something sweet and light for Food Friday, in order to counteract the Winter blues!
 

New York Style Cheesecake
Ingredients

250 g plain sweet biscuits
125 g unsalted butter, melted
750 g cream cheese, at room temperature
250 g caster sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
2 tsp finely grated lemon rind
2 tbs plain flour
4 eggs
300 mL thickened cream
Punnet of strawberries
 

Method
Preheat oven to 160°C. Line the base of a 23 cm spring-form baking pan with non-stick baking paper.
Place the biscuits in the bowl of a food processor and process until finely crushed. Add the butter and process until well combined. Transfer to the lined pan. Spread and press the biscuit mixture firmly over the base and side of pan, leaving 1cm at the top of the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill.
Meanwhile, use an electric beater to beat the softened cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and lemon rind in a large bowl until just combined. Beat in the flour. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition until combined. Stir in the cream until well combined.
Pour the cream cheese mixture into the base. Place the pan on a baking tray and bake for about 90 minutes or until just set in the centre. Turn oven off. Leave the cheesecake in oven, with the door ajar, for 2 hours or until cooled completely (this will prevent cheesecake from cracking). Place in the fridge for 4 hours to chill. Spread a thin layer of whipped cream on top of the cheesecake and top with the hulled, halved strawberries. Cut into wedges to serve.
 

This post is part of the Food Friday meme,
and also part of the Food Trip Friday meme.

3 comments:

  1. You have tempted my taste buds when it's too late in the day to cook! Actually, it's a wonderful recipe. We have a huge strawberry patch that is well on its way to picking the fruit. Any other strawberry recipes would be highly apprecitated.

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  2. I don't eat sweets very often, but I make a happy exception for cheesecake. Great photo :)

    Cheese cake may have had ancient origins but it was hugely popular in Eastern Europe and Russia. My mother and grandmothers loved making it.

    But New York adapted cheese cake and had to sweeten it for American taste. I would be careful with the sugar, cut out the vanilla and avoid sweet cream at all costs. If cream is required, I would only use sour cream.

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