New York Cheesecake
Spring is here which means goodbye winter comfort food and hello yummy, fresh spring foods, like this delicious New York Cheesecake from Grace Stevens.
Grace’s top 3 ways to lace your meals with spring
1. Smell the scent of spring
Aromas play a central role in our perception of food. This is the first spring after a few years where we are finally mask free and able to inhale the fresh fragrance of spring. I absolutely love to see how my garden comes to life at this time, with all the spring bulbs that I planted in Autumn beginning to blossom and bloom.
Don’t be afraid to bring these outside smells and flavours indoors, into your homes and into your kitchen. This is the ideal time to experiment with fragranced baking, incorporating a combination of zesty, citrus flavours in your batters. Not only does it create an intoxicating aroma, but it is also an unexpected flavour explosion in the mouth.
2. Foster a fondness for fresh fruits
Fruity flavours always pop in springtime, and I love how light and fresh they are on the palate. Although I have always associated lemon verbena with spring, as well as dainty freesias and juicy raspberries, I am very much inspired by the new spring produce on the shop shelves which gives me so many ideas for new dishes.
Including fruits into your meals doesn’t have to be a scientific trial and error either. Simple things like adding a handful of fresh blueberries to a vanilla cake or muffin batter or tossing some raspberries into a fresh salad can do wonders for elevating a dish.
3. Add vibrancy to the look and taste
Spring is such a beautiful season in that it slowly but happily prepares you for the hot summer days ahead. I really like the brightness of a spring day; it is such a contrast to the dull and dreary winter and definitely inspires me to use lighter, but brighter hues in my dishes.
I like to start cooking earlier in the morning when it’s warmer and sunnier, and I seem to be far more productive. I also draw inspiration from everything and anything around me – from the burst of colour on my nails to the pretty patterns on my summer dress.
In the kitchen, I love nothing more than to dust a salad with some fresh micro greens, splash a generous squeeze of lemon to a tart, or shell some springtime garden peas on the side of a plate to really help savour that spring sentiment for a little longer.
Grace’s top 3 spring-time recipes
Baked cheesecake with roasted raspberry coulis
This New York cheesecake is the ultimate crowd pleaser and a real classic. The roasted raspberry coulis takes it up a notch, adding indulgence and a much-needed tang that cuts through the rich body of the cheesecake. I like to make an extra batch of the coulis and keep it in the fridge, to swirl into yogurt or pour over ice cream.
Caramelised onion and rosemary focaccia
If you’re not quite ready to let go of the cold winter, then this rustic focaccia is the one for you. Bake a huge batch and enjoy it in the cooler evening with a fresh salad on the side. The sweet, stickiness of the caramelised onion pairs so well with the lemony flavours of rosemary.
Vanilla sponge with Jasmine buttercream
Nothing can beat a simple but delicious vanilla sponge. To add a tinge of sweet and floral springtime aroma, I turn to jasmine. The trick here is to steep the beautiful flowers in a simple sugar syrup and let it simmer for about thirty minutes. Strain and let cool slightly before combining into the buttercream and you have a sumptuous end to a springtime meal. This
New York Cheesecake
Ingredients
Crust
- 150 g crushed tennis biscuits/Marie biscuit
- 50 g ginger biscuits
- 70 g unsalted butter melted
- 30 ml sugar
- 1 ml salt
Filling
- 900 g full cream cream cheese at room temperature
- 400 g castor sugar
- 45 ml flour
- Zest of one lemon
- 10 ml fresh lemon juice
- 2 ml salt
- 6 large eggs
- 120 g sour cream
Instructions
- 24cm Spring form pan; Heavy-duty aluminium foil, roasting pan big enough in which to place spring form pan.
Topping
- Roasted Berry Coulis (Make ahead)
- 450g berries
- 10ml castor sugar
- 3ml vanilla extract
Crust
- Preheat the oven to 180°C and set an oven rack in the lower middle position. Wrap a 23- or 25-cm spring form pan with one large piece of heavy-duty aluminium foil, covering the underside and extending all the way to the top so there are no seams on the bottom or sides of the pan. Repeat with another sheet of foil. Spray the inside of the pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, combine the tennis biscuit crumbs, melted butter, sugar, and salt. Stir until well combined. Press the crumbs into an even layer on the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and set aside.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 160°C (130°C fan). Boil a kettle
- Make the filling: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment , beat the cream cheese, sugar, and flour together on medium speed until just smooth, about 1 minute. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt. Beat on low speed until just combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed until incorporated, scraping the bowl as necessary. Mix in the sour cream. Make sure the batter is uniform but do not over-mix.
- Check to make sure your oven has cooled to 160°C (130°C). Set the cheesecake pan in a large roasting pan. Pour the batter on top of the crust. Pour the boiling water into the large roasting pan to come about ¾ up the side of the cake pan.
- Bake until the cake is just set, 1 hour and 30 minutes to 1 hour and 45 minutes (The centre should wobble just a bit when the pan is nudged; it will continue to cook as it cools).
- Carefully remove the roasting pan from the oven and set it on a wire rack. Cool the cheesecake in the water bath until the water is just warm, about 45 minutes. Remove the spring form pan from the water bath and discard the foil. If necessary, run a thin-bladed knife around the edge of the cake to make sure it's not sticking to the sides (which can cause cracks as it cools), then cover with plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator to cool for at least 8 hours or overnight.
- Make the Berry Coulis: Place all ingredients in a roasting dish and roast at 180°C for 20 to 25 minutes. Strain through a sieve and set aside.
- For serving: Slice with a sharp knife, wiping the knife clean between slices. Serve with berry coulis.
- Storing: The cheesecake can be made and stored in the spring form pan in the fridge, tightly covered with plastic wrap, up to three days ahead of time.
You can check out more recipes from me here.
