Cheesecake

On Sunday evening, I decided to try to make another cheesecake. I put out everything I would need and left them on the counter to warm to room temperature. When I was ready, I got a recipe on my phone and realised that I had a big problem - I only had 10 oz. of cream cheese and I needed 2 lbs. Now, the reason that this didn't dawn on me earlier is because I usually made very small cakes using a few different, smaller scale recipes. While I wouldn't doubt Paula Deen or Martha Stewart, my version of their cakes were VERY sucky. The one I found on Sunday evening seemed like it might work.

My mother mentioned that my aunt called to send some cheese that she bought too much of sometime ago (which is why I had cake on the brain in the first place) so we called her about it and them my mom and sister went to get it. I sent the money. My aunt sent 3 lbs of cheese in this giant-ass block. Am I grateful? Heck yeah! My cousin didn't take the money and now I could get started. by that time, it was like 7 p.m.

The recipe I adapted was from an allthecooks app. It comes up as the first cheesecake. I edited it to make a chocolate and vanilla swirl cheesecake with oreo crust and whipped cream topping. It tastes divine. I just added cocoa powder to some of the filling without adding more sour cream or cheese and it caused those parts of the cake to be a bit drier than the rest, so I will remember to add about 1 tsp of each to each tbsp of cocoa powder next time. Isn't it pretty? I can't cut straight with a plastic knife so it looks a little wonky.



Here is what I used:

Ingredients
Crust
6 packs of oreos with the cream removed
3 oz butter (If Graham crumbs were used, 4 oz butter would be needed.
1 tbsp granulated sugar

Filling
2 lbs cream cheese + 1tsp for the chocolate swirl
2 eggs slightly beaten with lime/lemon rind to remove freshness 1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 cup sour cream + 1 tsp for the chocolate swirl
1 tsp almond extract
1tbsp cocoa powder

Topping
1 pack of whipping cream, about 200 mL or 1 cup
1 tsp vanilla essence 1 pack of oreos with the cream removed

Method 1. Mix the ingredients for the crust in a food processor until well mixed. Place in a 9 inch springform pan (about 1 inch or so from the top of the pan. This will be about the height of the cake. Place the pan, covered in the freezer.
2. Preheat the oven to 450F. Beat 2 lbs cream cheese with sugar, eggs, vanilla essence and cornstarch until very smooth. Add 1 cup sour cream and almond extract.
3. Take out about 2 cups of the mixture and add to another bowl. Add 1 tbsp of cocoa powder and 1 tsp each of cream cheese and sour cream. Beat until smooth.
4. Pour 1/2 of the vanilla filling into the chilled crust and then add dollops of the chocolate filling. Swirl with a knife. Pour the rest of the vanilla filling carefully to cover all the chocolate.
5. Bake for 10 - 15 minutes. Place a pan/ oven-safe bowl with water on the shelf below the cheesecake while it is baking to keep it moist. After that time, reduce the temperature to 250-300F and bake for 45 - 60 mins more.
6. Turn off the oven and leave the cake for an hour before taking it out and letting it cook for another hour. Remove from the pan. (My cake was stuck to the base of the pan so I left it there until the cake hardened in the fridge overnight and I could lift it off)
7. Chill.
8. Mix the whipping cream and vanilla and whip until stiff peaks form. Spread on the chilled cake.
9. Break the cookies into smaller chunks and sprinkle over the top.