Delicious- Delectable -Dynamic

While the concept of cheesecake goes a long back in time and history when it is said that the romans spread the tradition of making cheesecake from Greece to all across Europe and ever since New York created some of the world’s best variety recipes in cheesecakes it has gained popularity all across the globe being a favorite pick – n – choice for food lovers and connoisseurs.

The traditional greek cheesecake used ricotta cheese and these cheesecakes were sweetened with honey and while some used flour blended with the cheese and then baked and some used a crusty base for the cheesecake. Most Americans have grown up eating the crunchy crushed cookie or digestive biscuits or crackers being powdered and set with butter at the base of a well flavoured cheese mixture which would chill and set on the base and come out wonderfully perfect when sliced.

While technically speaking cheesecakes are a version of pies and not cakes since the base structure is usually unleavened. Most baked variety of cheesecakes use a custard base for the fillings comprising of milk, sugar, eggs, salt, vanilla and other flavorings in addition to the cheese. A small amount of flour, corn starch, arrowroot and potato starch can be found in some cheesecake recipes as well to help stabilise the mixture.

While the varieties remain numerous and versatile with the concept of cheesecakes from eggless, with egg, baked, no –bake, set and chilled, vegan and wow some keto cheesecakes and more, there is something in store for each one of us!

Here are a few simple and easy recipes to try and enjoy with Cheesecakes!

Recipe-1] FRUITY MELANGE CHEESECAKE

Ingredients:

For the Fruity mixture

Mango pulp/ Strawberry pulp-2 cups

Sugar-1/2 cup

For the base with biscuits:

Digestive biscuits/crackers- 8-10 no

Melted butter-1/4 cup

For the cheesecake:

Cream cheese-130 gms

Condensed milk- 130 ml

Vanilla essence- ½ tsp

Fresh cream- 50 ml

Mango pulp-2-3 tbsp.

For the topping:

Fruit pulp- ¼ cup of your choice

Corn flour-1 tbsp.

Water-2 tbsp.

Sugar-2 tbsp.

Method:

1. For the fruity mixture- prepare a smooth pulp from the mangoes.

2. Cook the mango puree and sugar on a low flame until it starts to bubble, remove and cool it down completely.

3. For the biscuit base, grind the biscuits in a food processor and add melted butter and churn it well to a smooth texture.

4.Place the crumb and butter mixture into a tin for the cheesecake and using a spoon press it down well on all sides, and chill the mould for 30-45 mins.

5. Pre-heat the oven to 150 degrees Celsius. in a bowl combine the cream cheese, condensed milk, vanilla essence and mango puree and blend it well to a smooth texture add in the cream and blend again.

6.Pour the above mixture on the biscuit base in the tin and cover the base of the tin with aluminium foil, place it in a little water bath in the baking tray and place the tin for baking in the oven 25-35 mins until the surface is firm to touch and the texture is a little wobbly.

7.Remove and cool and cover it with a cling wrap and refrigerate the cheesecake for 10-12 hours. For the final topping, in a pan combine mango puree with corn flour water and sugar and stir well cook on a medium flame until it leaves the sides of the pan, cool completely. Fill into a piping bag with a nozzle and gently de-mould the chilled cheesecake and start decorating with the prepared fruity topping, pipe or cover it well and allow to chill for another 2-3 hours and slice and serve garnished with fresh mango & mint leaves.

Recipe-2] NEW ERA NEW YORK CHEESECAKE

Ingredients

For the cheesecake crust:

Powdered digestive biscuits/crackers-1 cup

Melted butter-1/2 cup

Brown sugar/grain sugar-2 -3 tbsp.

For the cheesecake filling:

Full cream, whipping variety-2 cups

Cream cheese, mild salted is fine-2 cups

Vanilla essence-1 and a half tsp

Sugar- ¾th cup

Yogurt/curd-1/2 cup thick

Method:

1. To prepare the crust, in a mixing bowl combine together the powdered crackers, melted butter and sugar and mix them well, place the mixture at the bottom of a cheesecake tin and press it well to settle, chill for 1 hour.

2.In a separate mixing bowl, combine and beat up together the cream cheese, yogurt, vanilla essence until nice and fluffy, separately whip up the full fat cream in another bowl, now fold it into the cream cheese mix and blend.

3. Pour the above mixture onto the chilled crust as prepared and spread it evenly all across the tin, allow to set and chill for 3-4 hours, remove, de-mould it and cut into wedges and top up with the berry sauce or toppings and serve.

Recipe-3] VEGAN COFFEE CHEESECAKE

Ingredients

To prepare the crust/base:

Cashews/almonds/walnuts-3/4th cup

Dates-1 cup, chopped

Raw cocoa- 2 tbsp.

Vegan coconut oil- 2 tbsp. melted

For the filling for the cheesecake:

Raw cocoa-1 tbsp.

Vegan coconut oil- ½ cup

Dates-1/2 cup chopped

Raisins-2 tbsp. chopped

Lime juice-2 tbsp.

Cashews-1 and a half cup, soaked for 2-3 hours

Coconut milk-1/2 cup

Coffee powder-2 tsp.

Warm water-1/2 cup

Method:

1. To prepare the base for the cheesecake, using a food processor combine together the nuts, dates, coconut oil and cocoa and blend it to a smooth texture, assemble it at the bottom of a removable cheesecake tin and press it well, chill the base for 30 mins.

2. To get together the filling for the cheesecake, using the blender jar prepare a paste of the dates and little warm water and then add in the drained cashews and cocoa and oil, coconut oil and blend it all well, remove into a bowl and add in the lime juice and instant coffee and mix well.

3. Transfer the prepared mixture into the chilled base tin and spread it evenly using a spatula. Continue to chill the cheesecake for 2-3 hours, remove and de-mould carefully, dip a knife in hot water and neatly slice up the cheesecake and serve with a hot cuppa coffee!

Recipe-4] THE CHOCOLATE LOVERS CHEESECAKE

Ingredients

For the crust for the cheesecake:

Chocolate cookies/crackers/biscuits- 200 gms

Almonds/walnuts-2 tbsp. chopped.

Butter- 120 ml, melted

For the chocolate cheese filling:

Powdered sugar-1/2 cup

Whipping/full fat cream- 220 ml

Dark chocolate- 250 gms, melted.

Vanilla essence-1 tsp

Cream cheese- 350 gms

For decorating the cheesecake:

Ganache topping with cream and chocolate combination can be used.

Assorted shavings/chocolate garnishes/fresh fruits etc as desired to decorate.

Method:

1. To start with this delicious cheesecake recipe let us first start with the base crust for the same by using a food processor the chocolate cookies/crackers into crumbs along with the nuts and melted butter and getting it all together.

2. Prepare a loose bottomed cheesecake tin or mould and set the prepared base mixture and spread it evenly and press it using a spatula or spoon, allow to set and chill in the fridge for 1 hour.

3. Now to continue with the filling, in a mixing bowl beat up cream cheese, vanilla essence, powdered sugar and add in the melted chocolate and using a spatula mix it all well, separately whip up the fresh cream to soft peak texture and fold it into the cheese and chocolate mixture.

4. Pour this mixture into the prepared chilled cheesecake base tin and spread it evenly all over and allow to chill and set for 2- 3 hours and then remove, carefully demould, decorate with whipped cream, ganache topping, cherries, mint etc and serve.

Brief about Writer: Chef Kaviraj Khialani