Mascarpone Creamy Cheesecake
Cheesecake is a loved dessert around the world and has a history of over 4000 years. Even though it is known to have originated in the United States, the oldest known recipe comes from Greece. Today’s cheesecake has evolved into a much simpler texture from the original recipes.
There are many kinds of cheesecake with different recipes. The ingredients are what make one cheesecake different from another. The most essential ingredient in any cheesecake is “cheese”. No matter what brand cream cheese you use, buy full-fat cream cheese. In my opinion a cheesecake needs more than cream cheese, so I prefer to also add Mascarpone and sour cream that results in softening the texture. The other trick is to put a little bit of cornstarch in the cheesecake batter. It will prevent cracking and makes it easier to cut the slices and more firm. The other thing against cracking is a water bath and avoid overcooking and rapid cooling. As with all cakes, each ingredient must be at room temperature for this as well.
Prep time: 50 minutes
Bake time: 2 hours
INGREDIENTS:
FOR THE CRUST:
250 gr. finely ground digestive biscuits crumbs
100 gr. melted butter
70 gr. ground almonds
1 tbsp brown sugar (optional)
FOR THE CHEESECAKE FILLING:
4 eggs
500 gr mascarpone
400 gr cream cheese
100 gr sour cream
250 gr golden caster sugar
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
1 tbs corn starch
1 tbs lemon juice
A pinch of salt
*all ingredients should be at room temperature
INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat oven to 160C (325F). Place the parchment paper on the bottom of the 23cm (9”) springform pan. Lightly spray nonstick oil around the sides of the pan.
Pulse the biscuits in a food processor until finely ground. Put in a bowl and mix with ground almonds and melted butter until the mixture looks like wet sand.
Transfer to the lined springform pan. Use your hand or an object (glass etc) to flatten the crust.
Bake for 8-10 minutes and set aside to cool.
Using a handheld or stand mixer, beat the cream cheese and mascarpone on medium speed for 3-4 minutes. Put the sugar and beat them for 2 more minutes until creamy and smooth.
Add the sour cream, vanilla, lemon juice and starch and beat on low medium speed for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom.
On low speed add the eggs one at a time, make sure each egg is fully mixed before adding the next. Avoid over-mixing the batter as you can.
Boil a pot of water for the water bath.
As the water is boiling up wrap the aluminum foil around the springform pan.
Pour the batter on top of the crust into the pan and hit the pan on the counter a couple of times to remove any air bubbles.
Place the springform pan inside of a large roasting pan. Carefully pour the boiled water inside of the pan. Be careful not to get the water into the cheesecake.
Bake for it almost 2 hours until the middle of the cheesecake will slightly wobble when you shake the pan.
Turn the oven off, leave the pan in the oven for 15 minutes and crack the oven door and leave the cheesecake to cool for 45 minutes inside the oven.
Remove from the oven and cool it completely at room temperature. Then chill uncovered in the refrigerator overnight.
The next day run an offset spatula between the bake paper and cheesecake.
To cut for serve, run the knife under hot water after each cut, then dry it, make sure to get rid of any crumbs.
Bon Appetit
