Directions:

Prepare the crust:

1. Preheat the oven to 175C or 350F.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the cookie crumbs, sugar and melted butter.
3. Transfer this mixture onto a 23 cm / 9-inch springform pan, pressing down gently with the back of a spoon, or the base of a glass to create an even and flat surface.
4. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the colour starts to change slightly.
5. Remove from the oven and cool completely.

Prepare the gelatin: 

6. In a small heatproof bowl, pour the cold water, then sprinkle the gelatin granules on the surface. Let stand for 1 minute. The mixture will appear to be thick and murky.
7. Microwave for 30-40 seconds until hot, then stir to combine. The liquid will now resemble sugar syrup. Set aside.

Melt the ruby chocolate:

8. In a medium heatproof bowl, melt the ruby chocolate callets and 2 tbsp of cream in the microwave in 20 second bursts until it starts to melt.
9. Keep stirring in between bursts, as the chocolate may be very soft already but still appear whole. We don’t want to overheat it. Set aside.

10. Into a medium bowl, sift the icing sugar with the beet powder and set aside. 

11. In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, whisk the cold heavy cream for 6-8 minutes until it reaches medium firm (not stiff peaks). This is when the peaks are able to stand up firmly but still has a slight curl at the tip.
12. Transfer the whipped cream to another bowl, and keep refrigerated. 

13. Swap the whisk for a beater attachment, then using the same stand mixer bowl (don’t bother washing it), beat the room temperature cream cheese on medium high until fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
14. Add the now-pinkish icing sugar and beat on medium speed until soft and fluffy, about 4-5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
15. Add the melted ruby chocolate, gelatin, and vanilla extract, then beat on medium speed for 1-2 minutes to incorporate. Keep scraping the sides and the bottom of the bowl.
16. Add the whipped heavy cream to the mixture, and fold it in on low speed until the mixture appears homogenous. Take care not to overbeat, which may cause the heavy cream to split.
17. Pour the cheesecake onto the prepared crust, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight to set.

Before serving:

18. Make the ganache by melting the ruby chocolate and heavy cream in a heatproof measuring cup (because it has a pouring spout)
19. Stir in the beet powder until ganache is smooth and is a ‘pourable’ consistency.
20. Pour the ganache over the cheesecake.
21. Decorate with fresh berries, freeze dried raspberries and slivered almonds.

Notes:

1. Ruby chocolate has berry and fruity tones and pairs very well with almonds, so I added the amaretti cookies for the crust. You can always swap the amaretti crumbs for an equal amount of more graham cracker crumbs.

2. Gelatin gives this no-bake cheesecake a lovely texture and the required structure. I have not explored vegan or vegetarian alternatives for gelatin, but if you have, please let me know in the comments.

3. While ruby chocolate has a lovely pastel pink hue already, the amount used in this recipe is insufficient to render the whole cheesecake a colour I am shooting for. Hence the beet powder, which is a natural way to enhance the pink tones without the artificial stuff.

4. I used a 1:1 chocolate to cream ratio for the ganache, then had to adjust with a bit more cream to create a ‘condensed-milk-like’ consistency. You are aiming for it to be pourable, not too thin, and not too goopy.

Make the crust:
1. In a blender, pulse graham crackers, sugar, zest and melted butter.
2. Press this into the bottom of your 8 inch springform pan.
3. Bake for 10-12 minutes on a 350F oven, then cool on a wire rack

Cheesecake:
4. In a stand mixer, add the cream cheese to further soften, about 2 minutes.
5. Gradually add the sugar and salt, making sure to scrape down the sides.
6. Add the yogurt, vanilla and lemon zest and juice.
7. Add the eggs one at time until thoroughly mixed.
8. Pour this beautiful and healthful batter into the cooled crust.
9. Bake for 1 hour until the sides have pulled away from the pan and the middle is just a tad done.
10. At this point I usually turn off the heat and leave the cheesecake in the oven for another 20 minutes.
11. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack.
12. If it still hasn't passed the skewer test, invert a stainless steel bowl to cover the pan, propping it up on the sides so that bit of steam can escape but you are still retaining most of the heat.
13. When cool, cover with plastic wrap then refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or overnight.
14. Serve with your favorite berries.

Now just because I made four cakes two weeks prior, there was absolutely no reason to make two cakes for one little girl on her birthday. Was there? Of course not! But she really wanted it, and I'm such a sucker for a Mom and of course I caved in.

Maybe it was just the challenge. Maybe I also wanted two cakes because I couldn't decide between a cheesecake and a chocolate mousse. I think it's because I can't help but say yes when they start pleading for my cake ;) It's always nice to feel wanted. Okay, it's the cake that she wanted, not me, per se! But seriously, it feels so fulfilling to see your baked goods be devoured and disappear right before your very eyes. That's what keeps me in the kitchen. Now I wonder if this blog would have ever started if I didn't have that many fans at home. I guess not. I would still be in a corporate job, dressing smart, instead of this flour flecked apron, wining and dining out, instead of cooking and cleaning at home, and most definitely be many pounds lighter!!! Hahaha!

This recipe, of Joy's choice, is adapted from Smitten Kitchen, who adapted it 'from Martha Stewart’s version, just a little'




Ingredients:
Chocolate Crust:
85 g (6 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted
40 g (3 tbsp) sugar
250 g (2 cups) chocolate biscuit crumbs
Pinch of salt

Raspberry Swirl:
170 g fresh or (thawed) frozen raspberries
25 g (2 tbsp) sugar
2 tbsp blackcurrant liqueur (or any suitable liqueur of your choice)

Cheesecake:
900 g (32 oz) softened cream cheese, at room temperature
300 g (1-1/2 cups) sugar
Pinch of salt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs, room temperature

Directions:
1. Wrap the outside of a springform pan with at least three layers of aluminium foil, making sure to cover the base as well. Set aside.

2. To make the crust, stir the melted butter, sugar, and biscuit crumbs in a bowl.
3. Press this mixture into the bottom of the springform pan and 3 centimeters up the sides, making sure that it is even. You can use the bottom of a cup to firmly press.
4. Bake the crust in an oven preheated to 350ºF for around 10 minutes until it is set.
5. Cool the pan on a wire rack and reduce the temperature 325ºC.

6. To make the raspberry sauce for the swirl, mix the raspberries and sugar in a food processor for about half a minute until it is smooth.
7. Pass the mixture through a sieve, add in your liqueur of choice if you like, and set aside.

8. To make the cheesecake, mix the cream cheese in a stand mixer using a paddle attachment on a medium setting for 3 minutes until fluffy.
9. Decrease the speed to low and mix the remaining sugar slowly, scarping the sides of the bowl as you go.
10. Mix in the salt and vanilla until combined.
11. Mix in the eggs one at a time until it each is almost combined, scraping down the bowl as you go.
12. Add the cream cheese mixture to the springform pan.

13. With a squeeze bottle or a piping bag, dot the raspberry sauce on top of the cream cheese mixture.
14. Run a toothpick or skewer through the middle of the raspberry dots to create a swirling pattern.

15. Place the pan inside a large and shallow roasting pan and set inside the oven.
16. Pour boiling water onto the roasting pan outside the springform pan until it reaches halfway up the sides of a cake pan.
17. Bake cheesecake for about one hour until set, but wobbly in the centre. Test with a toothpick or skewer around the centre—it should not come out wet.

18. Let the cheesecake cool in the wire rack before removing the aluminium foil and refrigerating for at least 6 hours.
19. Before removing the cheesecake, run a knife along the edge of the cake.

20. Serve with raspberry sauce or chocolate sauce or both.

60g cake flour/ superfine flour

20g cornflour

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp grated lemon zest (optional)

1 tbsp lemon juice

6 egg yolks

6 egg whites

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

My third attempt at a cheesecake, and probably the best so far.  It was so rich, that even a dessert addict like myself could only manage half a slice. It miraculously lasted three sittings!


Fast forward 6 years to November 2015
I had to come up with dessert for an upcoming potluck my husband was attending and my daughter screamed 'Cheesecake ... Oreo Cheesecake. Mommy, you gotta make an Oreo cheesecake because the photo in your blog looks out of focus'. Really? Just because I had to update the photo? LOL! (Yep ... these are now the new pics)


I was still weighing the endless options when I opened the fridge and guess what? A 3 lb block of cream cheese was sitting on my top shelf. I realised that I got it a few days ago to make a pumpkin cheesecake, but when I announced it on the dinner table, the response was 'less than ecstatic' so I threw that out the window. Well it's crystal clear now that my husband will be carrying an Oreo cheesecake to this potluck.


Surely, you don't think that I can get away with making one cake and having the kids see it walk out the door, do you? I have to make another one for home! And for that the brief was 'Mommy, I want the crust to go up the sides'. This ... I can accomodate. Here is said cake pictured with Pierre, our resident penguin.


Easy, peasy, rich and decadent, and I still can't manage more than half a slice, this Oreo cheesecake is a family favorite and boy, am I glad we didn't make the pumpkin cheesecake ... yet!

This recipe is for one 9 inch cheesecake with a bottom crust. For more crust going up the sides, double the amount of cookies (yep! that's a lot of Oreos)

Ingredients:

24 (crust) + 12 (batter) + 6 (topping) = 42 Oreo Cookies

3 tbsp butter, melted

750g cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

3 eggs, room temperature

1/2 cup sour cream

1/8 cup cornstarch

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F, put a deep roasting / baking pan of water in a lower rack.

2. Place 24 cookies in a ziplock bag, let out all the air & crush them gently with a rolling pin.