Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Baked Cheesecake


Before I finished up for Christmas, I made my best efforts to use up everything perishable in my fridge so that I didn't have to needlessly throw it away.  Among the items that I needed to use up were a large pot of cottage cheese and a carton of cream.  What better to make with those items than a cheesecake.  I did have to invest in some biscuits and cream cheese to make it, but the luxury of a cheesecake is surely worth it.

The recipe I decided to use for my cheesecake was a handwritten one that I had scrawled down years ago from a cookbook owned by my flatmate.  He happened to own the only cookbook that  anyone possessed at that stage in our lives, so I made the most of it by copying down any recipes that took my fancy.  Sadly, I have no idea what the cookbook was called.

It has been years since I made this particular cheesecake, so it was a pleasure to dust off the old recipe, use up my kitchen leftovers, and reminisce about days long past.

The cheesecake cracked on top, despite my leaving it in the oven to cool, but it still tasted smashing.  I could have made a sour cream topping to cover it up, but it didn't matter so I didn't.




To make this cheesecake, you will need:

Crust

125g melted butter
1/2 packet plain biscuits, crushed (I used gingernuts)
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Filling

250g cream cheese
250g cottage cheese
1/2 cup cream
1 cup sour cream (I flipped the proportions of sour cream and cream because  that is what I had)
3 eggs
1 tablespoon cornflour  
2 tablespoons lemon juice
zest of half a lemon (I skipped this)

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

Grease and line a 20cm springform pan. 

Mix the melted butter, cinnamon and biscuit crumbs together in a bowl and press into the base of the prepared springform pan.  (I found the butter was a little too much - you may want to add it gradually and only use what you need to make a moist crumb.)  Place the base into the refrigerator to cool while you make the filling.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the chopped cream cheese and cottage cheese until smooth.  Beat in the eggs, one at a time.  Add the cornflour, lemon juice and lemon zest and beat until just combined.  Switch to a rubber spatula and fold in the sour cream and cream. 

Pour the cheesecake filling into the chilled base, then place in the oven to cook for 45 minutes - 1 hour (it will be only slightly jiggly in the centre once done).

Leave the cheesecake in the oven with the door slightly ajar to cool completely, then refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 6 hours or overnight before serving by removing the outer ring of the springform pan and slicing the cheesecake into generous pieces.  Serve with fresh cream and fruit, or as is.

11 comments:

  1. This is the real thing... I would just call it "cheesecake" and let all the others define themselves as something else! Sounds wonderful. I haven't baked or eaten one of these in ages.

    I hope you are off to somewhere nice and will enjoy a great New Year's Eve celebration!

    best... mae from maefood.blogspot.com

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  2. I think this sounds wonderful - am almost halfway there with all the stuff in my fridge leftover from christmas - reminded me to check due dates esp with this hot weather - have a great new year and wish you much baking to come

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  3. I love classic cheesecakes like this! No matter about the cracked top. It still looks scrumptious! :D

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  4. I'm working on my fridge too, have come up with some pretty imaginative things, notice I did not say delicious, haha! anyway, this is my favorite type of cheesecake, love it!

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  5. Dear Gaye, your lovely cheesecake reminds me of the ones we so enjoy around here - thick, rich and utterly decadent!
    What a wonderful recipe!
    Wishing you a very Happy New Year and all the very best!
    Andrea

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  6. Mmmmm....I'm making a cheesecake for a gathering this weekend. Yours is so thick and creamy---I think I'm drizzling mine with caramel so it shouldn't matter if it cracks :) Happy New Year, Gaye! zo

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  7. I have had such a craving for Cheesecake, Gaye! Yours looks amazing, crack and all. I sure wish I had just a nibble:)

    Thank you so much for sharing, Gaye...Wishing you a Safe, Happy and Healthy 2016!!!

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  8. I like the thought of this being summoned up from an old scrap of paper - clearly it was worth jotting down and I hope you enjoyed the nostalgia of making it again.

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  9. Cheesecake is by far my most favorite dessert! Yours looks so wonderfully creamy…perfect!
    Thank you for your sweet comment on my blog! I am quite well and looking forward to 2016!
    Wishing you a very Happy and Healthy New Year, Gaye! Hugs!

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  10. Happy New Year Gaye and wishing you all the best! Your cheesecake is making me drool and I would gladly eat a piece even if I just woke up. Baked cheesecake is one of my favourites. I haven't made it for a very long time and I am that now I will make it soon!

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  11. Snap, I made a cheescake for a gift, they has 2kg blocks of Philly in the supermarket but I restrained myself, though Jamie's cheesecake has 900g. I still have my mum and nan's recipes written out, not as many as I like. I do remember the days before The Internet when you really has to remember recipes. It does look delicious. I must make one for ME!!!

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