Cambridge Cheesecake with Mixed Berries

Cambridge Cheesecake with Mixed Berries

While we were away on vacation, Geoff started to complain about the distinct lack of cheesecake in his life! Can you believe this?  Let me say that his memory is short – he seems to have forgotten the White Chocolate Grand Marnier Cheesecake and Autumn Cheesecake with slivers of apples and cinnamon on top to name but a few that have graced his table. I will admit that I do not make many cheesecakes, maybe just one or two a year as I don’t really find them a challenge anymore.  One year, while living in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia I made a little extra money before Christmas by making cheesecakes for people. I was surprised by the response and ended up making about 40.  Needless to say my technique was mastered and the thrill was gone. 

There are a few things that I learned in this process that has made my success rate much higher. First, get all of your ingredients to room temperature before you begin. Trying to get cold cream cheese to blend to a silky smooth texture is like trying to turn crushed stone in to sand. This will happen but will take forever. Secondly, use a bain-marie (water bath). To do a bain-marie you need to wrap the spring form pan in layers of foil (so water does not get in) and place in a larger pan that can be filled (half way up the side of the spring form pan) with hot water. This really helps keep moist and delicious. Also, have fun with the crust. I know that graham cracker is traditional but why not try other cookies – ginger snap? Lemon? This can add a nice, easy twist to a favourite. Additionally, take the time to wait for the cake to cool completely and refrigerate, at least, over night for best results. Finally, don’t worry about little cracks in the cheese cake that it what toppings like berries, sauces, and whipped cream can solve. No one will notice – I promise!

This recipe came complements of Wolfgang Puck (http://www.wolfgangpuck.com/recipes/view/9998/Spago-Cheesecake).  He calls is Spago Cheesecake, but since it is from my kitchen and I put my own twist on it I call it Cambridge Cheesecake with Mixed Berries. I used mixed berries but you can put anything on top or even just add a little sauce on the side (chocolate, etc). And I made it for a progressive dinner with our neighbours – appetizers and entre at their house then dessert and hot tub at ours. A perfect evening!

Butter Crunch Crust

4 tbsp	Butter
½ cup	Flour
½ cup	Finely chopped pecans or walnuts
2 tbsp	Brown sugar

Filling

1 ½ lbs	Cream cheese
1 ¼ cup	Sugar
¼ tsp	Salt
¾ cup	Sour cream
1 tbsp	Dark rum
1 tbsp	Lemon juice
2 tsp	Vanilla extract
3	Eggs
2 cups	Mixed berries
1 jar	Apple jelly
1 cup	Whipping cream

Position racks in the centre of the oven and pre-heat to 350F.

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients of the butter crunch with your hands, until the mixture resembles very small pebbles. Press the Butter Crunch Crust into the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan and cover base completely.  Wrap heavy-duty foil (or 2 layers of regular foil) around the bottom and up the sides of the pan, pleating to tighten. Bake crust for 8 minutes until lightly golden.

To make the filling place cream cheese, sugar and salt in a large bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium speed until smooth, occasionally scraping down sides (this is important otherwise there will be lumps). Turn up the speed to high and beat until nice and silky smooth. Stop and add sour cream, rum, lemon juice, and vanilla. Beat on medium until blended. Add eggs and beat until smooth. Scrape the mixture into the spring form pan and set the pan in the centre of a larger pan (I use a turkey roaster). Pour enough hot water (I just use hot tap water) into the larger pan until it come half way up the side of the spring form pan (ta-da you have just done a bain-marie) but not above the top of the foil.

Carefully place both pans in the oven and bake until the top is lightly golden brown (about 1 hour and 10 minutes). Remove from oven and carefully lift out the spring form pan and place on a rack, remove the foil to help with cooling. When completely cool refrigerate, covered over night or at least 8 hours.

Once completely cool, and before removing the cake from the spring form pan, run a knife around the outside of the pan to make sure that there is nothing sticking.  Arrange berries on the top of the cake ( I like to do this before removing the ring of the spring form pan so that the berries stay in place until after the jelly is set again).  Place apple jelly in a small sauce pan and heat until smooth.  Once the jelly is smooth, brush jelly over top of the berries using a brush until all are coated. Remove ring. Whip whipping cream and either pipe around the outside or serve on the side of the cake.

If you really want to take this over the top...serve with some port! Delish!

ENJOY!