Shared Recipe #1 - Cheesecake

I love food and so are you. I am sure you're going to love a shared recipe, like this one; Cheesecake! It's the cousin of pudding and pie but the topping is based from fresh cheese (usually white, unsalted ones) with its base from crumbled biscuits, pastry or even sponge cake crumbs. Just let your imagination flow or the availability of the ingredients.

All food enthusiasts from the seven continents have different versions of it. When I was on board Greek vessel, the chef and I used to help in making cheesecake for the officers and even Filipino crew. Little did I knew that it basically one of their earliest food recipes.

I reviewed my recipes and found a Quick and Easy Favorites recipe booklet that was mailed to me from Durban, South Africa. I even photographed the photo of the cake to inspire you how good an easy to make this recipe.

This is my authentic shared information to all hubbers and readers who would want to try their hands making their own version of cheesecake.

By the way, for diabetics, you can omit or substitute eggs, sugar for low or zero calorie versions of it.

(Note: I have to namedrop Ms. Treathyl (aka mib56789) for inspiring me to share this cheesecake hub with you guys. )

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pkt biscuits (usually Marie brand), crushed

• 80 g (half-bar) butter, melted

• 10 ml (2 tsp) sugar, brown sugar preferred

• 2 ml (1/2 tsp) cinnamon

• 500 g creamed cottage cheese or fresh white cottage cheese

• 2 eggs

• 30 ml (2 tbsp) flour

• 10 ml (2tsp) custard powder

• 1 ml (1/4 tsp) salt

• 1 can (310 g) dessert cream (usually Nestle)

• 30 ml (2 Tbsp) lemon juice

• 125 ml (1/2 cup) sugar (white)

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Centigrade.
2. For the base: Mix biscuit crumbs, butter, brown sugar and cinnamon together. Press into a greased loose-bottomed cake pan.
3. For the filling: Mix cottage cheese, eggs, flour, Custard Powder and salt together.
4. Add Cream and lemon juice and mix it well.
5. Add sugar gradually and beat. Pour mixture unto base.
6. Bake for 30 minutes, then reduce heat to 150 C for 30 minutes. Switch off oven and allow cheesecake to cool in oven.
7. When cool, chill well in fridge. Remove from pan and serve decorated with fresh fruit if desired.

For further enjoyment on cheesecake, I'm recommending you (with lots of praises) Ms. Sue McMahon for her uploaded video on YouTube teaching us on how to bake an American cheesecake.

Ms. McMahon is the cookery editor of Woman's Weekly magazine, where you can have an ample source of cooking techniques, new recipes and food tips.

Her show is based at UK through her channel goodtoknow.co.uk. I am learning so much on her channel, aside from additional information on baking.

Like I said, cheesecakes have different versions throughout the world.

1. In the USA and Canada or North America, cheesecakes can be premade and basically baked before serving (as you ordered it) but the version will depend on the background of the baker. Every state has its own version, ranging from using sour cream or lactose-free cheese or chocolate cover to entice buyers to eat it.
2. In Europe, fruit compote is usually put as adornment in UK or it can be gelatin-based in France. Italian cheesecake are typically drier than in North America. Greeks prefer more saltiness on it (the basic phyllo leaves as base is apparent in tiropita). UK's cheesecake is the same in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
3. South America, especially in Brazil has guava marmalade on it, while in Argentina it has strawberry or berry marmalade on it.
4. In Asia, Japanese cheesecakes are hot-sellers due to its lighter taste. It is because of the emulsion of cornstarch and eggs just to make it flan-like in texture.