Palate pleasures: Say cheese cake

(A) No-Bake Oreo Cheesecake

Ingredients:

l 20 Oreo cookies
l 1 cup of cream cheese
l 2 tbsp of sour cream (optional)
l 1/3 cup of thick cream
l 1 tsp of lime juice
l 1/3 cup of sugar
l ½ tsp of vanilla extract
l ¼ tsp of salt
l 2-3 tbsp of melted butter, add more for greasing (if required)

Method:

Blend 10 Oreo cookies and the melted butter into a fine-ish powder. Press this firmly into the base of your glass or cheesecake tin. Refrigerate until needed. Using an electric beater, beat the cream until soft peaks form. In another bowl, beat the cream cheese, sour cream (if using), lime juice, sugar, salt, and vanilla together until soft and fluffy. Add the cream to this mixture and beat again to combine.
Crush the remaining Oreo cookies coarsely and fold into the cream cheese mixture. Gently layer on top of the biscuit base that you refrigerated. Refrigerate for at least 5-6 hours and serve chilled. Since we haven’t added any thickening agent to the cream cheese, it will start melting soon.

For individual cheesecakes:

Grease the inside of a dessert ring generously with butter. Place it firmly on a plate and add the biscuit base, press firmly, and refrigerate. Pile on the filling when it’s ready. Level it out as much as possible. Refrigerate it. Garnish with crushed Oreos or mini Oreos before serving. Remove the ring and you will have perfectly shaped mini cheesecakes.

(B) Classic New York Cheesecake

Ingredients:

For the crust
l 8-10 marie digestive biscuits, crushed
l 1 ½ tbsp sugar
l 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted Pinch of salt For the filling
l 480 gm cream cheese – softened
l ½ cup sugar
l 1 tsp vanilla extract
l 2 large eggs – room temperature
l ¼ cup sour cream – room temperature
l 2 tsp lemon zest
l Pinch of salt

For the topping
l Frozen raspberries
l 1 tbsp corn flour
l 1 tbsp sugar

Method:

Preheat oven to 150ºC. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners. For the crust, combine the crushed biscuits, 1½ tablespoons of sugar and melted butter in a bowl. Divide the mixture evenly among the cupcake liners and press it down with the back of a spoon. Set aside. For the filling, place ½ cup of sugar and the lemon zest into a small bowl and rub together until fragrant and slightly damp. Set aside.

Place the softened cream cheese in a bowl and beat, until creamy and smooth. Add the lemon-sugar mixture, salt and vanilla. Mix until thoroughly combined. Add the eggs, one at a time. Add the sour cream and mix until incorporated. Spoon the mixture in the muffin tins over the crust. Bake them for 18-20 minutes. Remove from the oven and set to cool completely.

For the topping, mix frozen raspberries, sugar and corn flour and heat on low flame. Keep stirring until it boils to a thick jam-like consistency. Cool and keep aside. Remove chilled cheesecakes from liners and top each cupcake with a heaped teaspoon of jam, a strawberry half or a few raspberries. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

(C) Baked Blueberry cheesecake

Ingredients:

l 75 gm butter, melted,
l 175 gm digestive biscuits
l 175 gm blueberries, plus extra for decorating
l 450 gm cream cheese
l 150 gm caster sugar
l 1 tsp vanilla extract
l 3 eggs, lightly beaten
Icing sugar, to dust (optional)

Method:

Place the biscuits in a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles rough breadcrumbs. Mix the crushed biscuits with the melted butter and press down on the base of the tin. Spread the blueberries over the base and allow to chill in the fridge. Beat the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla extract and the eggs together until smooth and creamy. Pour the mixture on top of the blueberries and bake in the oven at 180ºC for 40 minutes, or until pale golden. For best results, serve the cheesecake after freezing overnight.