Light and Fluffy Cheesecake
I'm not a big fan of cheesecake. If there's a cheesecake in front of me, my sweet tooth will urge me to test it, in hopes that this bite will change my relationship to this kind of cake. It usually doesn't go beyond 3 bites. The first bite is an introductory sample, the second is the confirmation of blahness from the first and the third is to solidify the consensus that it's just "not worth the calories."
I find most cheesecakes to be blobs of too many eggs mixed with over-sweetened cheese. So you can imagine my level of excitement when Shavuot is around the corner. It's parve. I'm not particularly excited since I don't join in on the dairy hype.
That is, until Debby came along and introduced the pivotal cheesecake that made 3 bites turn into an inordinate amount I won't disclose.
She introduced me to the fluffiest, airiest, most delicate cheesecake I have ever tasted.
I wish I was exaggerating for the sake of drafting an interesting blog post, but thankfully I am not. I implore you to get your mixer and cream cheese and make this cake now. Yes, now. You won't regret it, you might even thank me profusely later.
Lucky for me, I usually get to skip the preparations since Debby makes this as a Shabbat morning treat. And this past Shabbat she even let me take a few snapshots to share with you. Since sunset was getting close and I was not in my own home to "plate" the subject, I took haphazard shots so I can share them with you straightaway.
I hope you will push yourself to try it. Believe me, it is well worth the effort (and calories).
Fluffy Cheesecake
Ingredients:
for the cake:
6 eggs, separated
3 tubs of 5%
1 1/2 cups of sugar
2 tablespoons of cornstarch
boiling water
for the topping:
1/2 cup of heavy cream
1/2 cup of milk
2 tablespoons of vanilla instant pudding
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F. In a bowl, mix the 6 egg yolks with 1/2 cup of sugar, the cheese, and the cornstarch.
2. Take two bowls that can sit one inside the other. Pour some boiling water in the larger bowl and place the smaller bowl inside, making sure water reaches up the sides of the small bowl. With a hand mixer, beat the egg whites on medium high speed for a few seconds and gradually incorporate the remaining 1 cup of sugar. Mix until peaks form.
3. Fold the egg whites into the cake mixture.
4. Take a 9 inch round springform pan and cover the inside and edges with aluminum foil, gently as not to puncture the foil. Pour the batter into pan.
5. Position one oven rack in the center of the oven and one right underneath it. Place the pan in the middle rack. Add about an inch of water to an ovenproof baking dish and place it right underneath the cakepan.
6. Bake for 65 minutes. (Don't ask me why the extra 5 minutes. I didn't write the recipe.)
7. After the cake has baked, turn the oven off and leave the cake and water-filled baking dish in the oven for 6 hours. Bedtime would be an ideal pastime while you wait.
8. Take the cake out of the oven and gently remove the springform. Slowly peel the foil from the sides of the cake. Take the bottom disc and place it over the top of the cake and flip the cake upside down. Remove the rest of the foil. This way the browned top looks like a crust.
9. Whip up the topping with a mixer and smooth over the cake.
10. Refrigerate.
{Take a bite, and maybe leave some for others. This cake is undeniably addicting.}
Notes:
- The secret key to the success of this cheesecake is the preparation and cooking time, as well as the brand of the actual cream cheese used.
- Though not everyone has access to markets that sell cheeses from Israel, the Israeli cream cheese is usually soft and creamy and a key player in the consistency of this cheesecake.
- I would suggest making this cake at night or early in the morning before going to work because it needs time to rest in the oven.