Summer Berry Cheesecake

Summer Berry Cheesecake

Just to put it all out there for you, this was a rough week for me. 

Firstly it was the anniversary of my father's passing. And for some reason I was extremely weepy about it this year. Thankfully for the most part those moments were met alone in the car while commuting. 

Secondly I was twice given, let's say, constructive observations about myself from two sources that proved to be challenging for myself to swallow (insert swallowing joke here). And while it is always good to get feedback, we need to know how to use said feedback for good. Not allowing ourselves a Cher Horowitz like shame spiral of doom to engulf us. Because of this lapse in emotional well being my week ended up being not only a disappointment to myself but to much of my life around me. Work suffered. Food suffered. Social life suffered.  

It's in these moments that my natural instinct is to lapse back to what is comfortable to me. 

Resulting in the following: 

Roughly 20+ hours of Star Trek Movie Franchise viewing. 

Multiple turkey on sourdough with nothing but mayonnaise sandwiches eaten naked over the kitchen sink as to not need a plate. 

Zero time at the gym. 

Zero coffee. 

And the desire to eat cheesecake for breakfast. 

So as the week wrapped up I dusted off my springform pans, watched some Star Trek as the cream cheese came to room temperature, and slowly came to the conclusion that I don't need to be what others think of me. They don't know my personal goals. Nor do they know the path that is right for me. So instead of making the cheesecake recipe I had mentally tattooed on my brain at birth I sought out a new recipe to challenge myself. Which ended up being an old recipe to someone else.

Below is Junior's New York Style Cheesecake. A classic since the 1950s. This cheesecake doesn't have the classic graham cracker crust. The bottom layer is sponge cake. And I've taken the liberty of adding the fruit. 

Until next time. 

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Summer Berry Cheesecake

RECIPE ADAPTED FROM  JUNIOR'S HOME COOKING: OVER 100 RECIPES FOR CLASSIC COMFORT FOOD BY ALAN ROSEN & BETH ALLEN © 2013

INGREDIENTS

For one 9-inch cheesecake

1 recipe 9-inch Junior's Sponge Cake Crust

Four 8-ounce packages PHILADELPHIA cream cheese (use only full fat), at room temperature

1 2/3 cups sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

2 extra-large eggs

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

INSTRUCTIONS

The day before you plan to serve the cheesecake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Make and bake the cake crust as directed and leave it in the pan. Keep the oven on.

2. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment if your mixer has one, beat 1 package of the cream cheese, 1/3 cup of the sugar, and the cornstarch together on low until creamy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl several times. Blend in the remaining cream cheese, one package at a time, beating well and scraping down the bowl after each.

3. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat in the remaining sugar, then the vanilla. Blend in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in the cream just until completely blended. The filling will look light, creamy, airy, and almost like billowy clouds. Be careful not to overmix! Gently spoon the batter over the crust.

4. Place the cake pan in a large shallow pan containing hot water that comes halfway (about 1 inch) up the side of the springform. Bake until the edge is light golden brown, the top is light gold, and the center barely jiggles, about 1 1/4 hours. If the cake still feels soft around the edge, let it bake for 10 minutes more (the cooking time will be about the same for both the 8- and 9-inch cheesecakes). Remove the cheesecake from the water bath, transfer to a wire rack, and let cool for 2 hours (just walk away—don't move it). Then, leave the cake in the pan, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until completely cold before serving, preferably overnight or for at least 6 hours.

On serving day:

5. Release and remove the side of the springform, leaving the cake on the bottom of the pan. Place on a cake plate. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Slice with a sharp straight-edge knife, not a serrated one, rinsing the knife with warm water between slices. Refrigerate any leftover cake, tightly covered, and enjoy within 2 days, or wrap and freeze for up to 1 month.

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Junior's Sponge Cake Crust

RECIPE ADAPTED FROM JUNIOR'S HOME COOKING: OVER 100 RECIPES FOR CLASSIC COMFORT FOOD BY ALAN ROSEN & BETH ALLEN © 2013

INGREDIENTS

For one 9-inch cake crust

Softened unsalted butter, for buttering the pan

1/3 cup sifted cake flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

Pinch of table salt

2 extra-large eggs, separated

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 drops pure lemon extract

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and generously butter the bottom and side of a 9- or 8-inch springform pan (preferably a nonstick one). Wrap the outside with aluminum foil, covering the bottom and extending it all the way up the side.

2. In a small bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together.

3. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks on high for 3 minutes. With the mixer running, slowly add 2 tablespoons of the sugar and continue beating until thick light yellow ribbons form in the bowl, about 5 minutes more. Beat in the extracts.

4. Sift the flour mixture over the batter and stir it in by hand, just until there are no remaining white flecks. Blend in the melted butter.

5. In another clean bowl, using clean, dry beaters, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar together on high until frothy. Gradually add the remaining sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form (the whites will stand up and look glossy, not dry). Fold about one-third of the whites into the batter, then the remaining whites. Don't worry if you still see a few white specks, as they'll disappear during baking.

6. Gently spread the batter over the bottom of the prepared pan and bake just until set and golden (not wet or sticky), about 10 minutes. Touch the cake gently in the center. If it springs back, it's done. Watch carefully and don't let the top brown. Leave the crust in the pan and place on a wire rack to cool. Leave the oven on while you prepare the batter for the cheesecake.

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Fruit and Glaze Topping

GLAZE INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/4 cup water

1/2 quart fresh strawberries, chopped

2 teaspoons sugar

BERRY TOPPING

1 qt Mix of Strawberries, Blackberries, Blueberries and Raspberries

Strawberries hulled and blueberries trimmed of stems.

GLAZE INSTRUCTIONS

1. Over medium heat bring strawberries, water and sugar to low rolling boil.

2. Mix cornstarch with 2 T cold water until dissolved.

3. Slowly pour cornstarch mixture into boiling strawberries while stirring constantly. Mixture should begin to thicken very quickly.

4. Remove from heat and pour strawberry mixture a fine mesh sieve, into a small clean bowl using back of spoon to push excess glaze through. Discard any remaining pulp.

5. Refrigerate, uncovered, until cool to touch.

6. Once berries are placed on top of cheesecake. Slowly pour glaze evenly over berries. Allow to set in refrigerator.

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FOR MORE ON MY EMOTIONAL EATING, SUMMER FUN, OR CHEESECAKE READ BELOW!

SPATCHCOCKED CHICKEN ISN'T AS DIRTY AS IT SOUNDS

AL ROKER AND I ARE BASICALLY BEST FRIENDS

THE DAY I LOST MY SUPPER SLUTS VIRGINITY

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Farmer's Markets, Jeggings and Supper Sluts

Hello Fan(s)!  I hope you are all well and that you are being blessed with wonderful Summer weather like we here in the mighty Twin Cities have had as of late. In fact just this Sunday morning the roommate and myself had a wonderfully refreshing walk to our neighborhood farmers market in a constant barrage of mist. Moist is something I do not get to experience enough in my daily ventures outside. All joking aside it has been Summer here.  The grass is green (save for the boulevard in front of our house...damn dandelions) and the dogwood has given us our Summer snow.  

In regards to the farmer's market in the new hood, it pretty much had everything a hipster farmer's market needs and nothing I wanted (kind of a lie, but a little true). Plenty of beautifully put up preserves, tasty looking baked goods, expensive salmon, and organic eggs that I'm pretty sure come covered in gold. I was really hoping for large baskets of really cheap vegetables being sold by persons whose first language is not English. But in the end I walked away with a full tummy (thanks to Chef Shack and the tasty brat they provided - see below), the roommate binged on a beautiful falafel from Foxy Falafel (see above) and the front porch now is graced with a great little Amethyst Basil.  Did you know basil can come in other colors?  

What's been going on food styling wise?  I've been extremely busy food styling the last few weeks. There have been some bi-lingual videos (of which I only understood tostadas - if there are any Spanish speaking readers with abuelita's willing to teach I'm willing to learn), some healthy options, some not so healthy options and butt cakes. 

You heard me right. Butt cakes. 

Have you seen these? After you have finished reading this post go immediately to your Google Box and type in "BUTT CAKES" and trust me when I say turn your SafeSearch Filter on moderate to strict (unless of course you're looking for something a little more adult in your cake search).

This coming week is all about homemade popsicles (they are everywhere - and I just realized how wrong it is that both Butt Cakes and homemade popsicles are top on my list of things to talk about this time...sorry). If I learn anything great about popsicles this week I'll report back.  As of right now all I can tell you is that my sister turned me on to homemade frozen Greek yogurt pops a while back. They are wonderful. And according to that little #5 container they have more protein than the usual yogurt popsicle.  

Now onto more important things...Supper Sluts. 

For those of you not in the know Supper Sluts was the brainchild of the roommate and his lady friends this past January. They wanted a way to make sure EVERYONE in the group got together more than the twice annual attempts made in the past. So the first Sunday of every month is dedicated to a little kibitz and nosh. One person hosts and provides a meal. Everyone else just shows up. It can be a classy taco dish (credit to the roommate) or an even classier buffet style Little Caesar's Pizza Party. Great idea right?!?! Well this fine month of May I was able to attend a meeting of the secret society of Supper Sluts. All thanks to the roommate and his jet set lifestyle. Because he was off eating bbq is some state south of us I was called in to be his proxy. And being that I am unable to show up empty handed I brought a cheesecake.  Which is against Supper Sluts rules I think but as I cannot show up without a hostess gift...they got a cheesecake. 

I had some leftover rhubarb, strawberries and raspberries so whipped up a berry cheesecake to go with the wonderful taco bar provided by this month's hostess. I'm crossing my fingers that I make pledge during rush week and that Supper Sluts lets me back. If not, I will make sure that the roommate fills me in and then I will just gossip about them on the blog. 

And now I am sure you are wondering where the jeggings come into play.  One of the participants in Suppers Sluts (we'll simply call her Jeggings based on her penchant for...wait for it...Jeggings) was adventurous enough to meet up with myself and the roommate this past Saturday evening for some local fare at Tugg's Tavern. And by fare I mean beer and cocktails.  You know my love of "bar food". Jeggings and her main squeeze were a good time. And that's totally me sucking up to find a sponsor for my pledge into Supper Sluts.   

With that I should sign off - This week is chock full of stuff to do and eat. Until next time. 

Oh wait...I forgot one thing.  Today there was a casualty due to food and blogging. As I nestled onto the bed to bring everyone up to date on really important food stuff I started to get a subtle hint of sweet milk chocolate wafting up around me.  At first I Googled signs on strokes. Then gave up and decided I needed a ginger ale (over 140 days Diet Coke sober beeyotches!). As I went to remove the laptop from my lap I found the source of my chocolate room freshener. Somehow (and I'm sure I can pin the blame on any of the millions of guests I have in my bedroom) a milk chocolate chip managed to adhere itself to the bottom of my fireplace of a laptop and then proceeded to make my jeans into some sort of Levi/Hershey hybrid. What can we learn from this? Make sure to midnight binge eat over the sink. And to scotchguard your jeans.  

And I'm off...

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