Baked Cheddar CheeseCake recipe

Once in a year, I am treated to CheeseCakes from D&N Confectionary, Japan. Thanks to my lovely brother who does not forget to get me and solely me a separate pack. Here's a link to the confectionary in Japan that makes these delicacies. 

Last year I had tried to make a similar cheesecake by following Diana's Desserts but then I think I did something wrong. I had two packs of cheddar cheese in my pantry and I've got to finish it all within the next month and so I decided to try cheese cake one more time. This time I tried it following the recipe from here. It turned out quite nice, soft, fluffy and light, melts in the mouth. However, the next time I will add vanilla essence or vanilla extract as the cake tasted too eggy. 

It being Valentine's season, I tried cutting out a heart (bleh).

Ingredients :

1. 50g/1/2 cup all purpose flour
2. 50ml milk
3. 50g butter
4. 30g cheddar cheese grated finely
5. 3 eggs - separated
6. 50g sugar - about 3 and 1/4 tablespoons
7. Vanilla Extract/Vanilla Powder - 1 tsp

How I made it : 

1. Sift the flour and keep aside. 
2. In a microwave safe bowl, place the butter and cheese.
3. Microwave on low power - about 20-40 for 1 minute.
4. Mix and repeat step 2 until the cheese has completely melted into the butter. This is a replacement for double boiling. I'm too afraid of double boiling lest I crack the little crockery that I have and also lose my precious ingredients.
5. Add the milk and let this mixture cool.
6. In a bowl, add flour, egg yolks and the cooled mixture from 5. 
7. Beat with a hand blender until well incorporated. Don't panic if this is a bit sticky and stretchy. All will be well once we add the egg whites. NO, DON'T add the egg whites yet.
8. Mix in the vanilla powder.
9. Preheat oven at 150 degree C. The time taken to preheat will be the same as the time taken to beat the egg whites.
10. Prepare your tin. Line with baking paper. I do not have baking paper and hence lined with aluminium foil. I then greased the aluminium foil lightly.
11. In another bowl, beat the egg whites on high until soft peaks begin to form.
12. Slowly add the sugar, a tablespoon at a time.  Continue beating until the egg whites are quite firm and the peaks hold. 
13. Mix in half of this egg white mixture with that of step 7. Mix well so that it is well combined. 
14. Add in the remaining. Fold it in until well incorporated.
15. Pour into round 7 inch cake tin and bake for 70 minutes. Place this cake tin in a deep tray or plate filled with water. 
16. I had covered my cake completely with anothet layer of foil once I was happy with the coloring on the top. This ensures
1. No further coloring, hardening of the top happens
2. The heat is well retained and the cake is completely cooekd through.
17. Take out of the pan as soon as the timer is done. Allow it to cool completely.

Tips :

1. Use only a 7 inch cake tin and that too a round one. The last time I had taken a chance with a square one and it did not set. 
2. Mix the whites and yolk batter well. Do not beat but fold one into the other slowly and gently.
3. Do not microwave the cheese butter mixture on high. Do it on a low power and for not more than one minute at a time. This is a replacement for double boiling.
4. Ensure that the cheese is well incoporated in the butter else you will have it all settle at the bottom of your cake.

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Strawberry CheseCake

I remember making a no bake cheese cake from a recipe book printed by the Round Table group in Bangalore. It used Panneer/cottage cheese, milk maid and fresh cream. I somehow could not remember the recipe. So I browsed through some no bake cheesecake recipes and took a little bit of that and a little bit of this and out came a really good cheese cake. Take my word for it, it is the best cheesecake that I've made so far.

Ingredients :
1. 1 and 1/2 tubs of britannia cream cheese - about 275g
2. 1 tub of Nestle Strawberry Yoghurt
3. 1 tub of fresh strawberries
4. 200g of sugar + 2 tbsp
5. 200 ml of fresh cream
6. 1tbsp gelatin
7. 100 ml boiling water in which to dissolve the gelatin
8. 1 large packet of marie biscuits
9. 125 g of unsalted butter melted.

How to make :
1. Line your tray(in which you want to set the cake) with cling wrap such that the cling wrap is now your non-stick base.
2. Crumble the marie biscuits.
3. Add the melted butter to the biscuits.
4. Push this mixture to the botton of your tray and layer it evenly. Keep in the fridge to set.
5. Cream together the cream cheese and 200g of sugar. Try not to beat too much - I used the pulse option in my food processor.
6. Dissolve the gelatin in the boiling hot water by stirring. You could use the microwave on low power too to speed the process.
7. Add the strawberry yoghurt, fresh cream and gelatin to the cream cheese mixture and beat till creamy and smooth. Again, don't beat too much.
8. Get the tray out of the fridge. Pour the cream mixture over and put it back in the fridge to set. It needs about 4 hours to set.
9. Beat the fresh strawberries with the 2tbsp sugar (add more if you like) into a rough pulp.
10. Spread the above pulp on top of the cake when set. Garnish with fresh strawberries and serve. Do take out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before serving to soften the lower layer and ease your job in cutting.

I had made this for my hubby's birthday and therefore tried to pipe the pulp onto the cake but failed at the cone. I don't have a piping bag. I therefore used a toothpick and FREEHAND.

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