Baked Cheesecake

Once in a while, as if it actually were a good thing, somebody celebrates their coming into this world. These celebrations usually involve a lot of food that symbolises the deep relationship the being in question has with the physical and life-sustaining world, and a lot of booze, which symbolises nothing really but opens the gates of oblivion (and thus allows for a however brief escape from reality and age).
One day, it was one of those once-in-a-whiles. Divine Cherry and Celestial Dragon had been invited to join the celebration of the 3000st year of life of a dear friend of theirs. Let's call that friend Baldie. And so it was that they both readied themselves: Celestial Dragon filed his claws and waxed his scales, as well as performed some preliminary party tricks like breathing cold fire or blowing rainbow-smoke from his nostrils. Divine Cherry, however, did not occupy herself with such trivial pursuits. Rather, she gave herself a thorough shine, so that her heavenly loveliness would outshine even the three thousand candles on the ca-- the cake! She had forgotten the cake! Well... not really forgotten, merely omitted to take it out of the oven. Thankfully, however, the thought had come to her just in time and the cake turned out to be all right. Actually, it turned out to be a-ma-zing (as Baldie will be able to confirm should you meet him in the street one day). And so it was that both Divine Cherry and Celestial Dragon went to Baldie's party. It was a big success, especially Divine Cherry's cake. In fact, it was so successful that, by popular demand, the very recipe for this fantastic cake can be found below. You're welcome. And happy birthday Baldie.

Baked Cheesecake inspired by GoodFood
For the cake
- 900g of full-fat soft cheese (full-fat is very important, a light version of the cheese will compromise the result!!)
- 3table spoons of plain flour
- 200g of caster sugar
- 85g of white chocolate, finely grated
- 1 vanilla pod seeds
- 4 eggs, beaten
- chocolate stars for decorate (or anything else you fancy)

For the base
-12 dark chocolate digestives
-85g of butter (melted)
-2 tsp of cocoa powder
-1 teaspoon of caster sugar

Heat the oven to 180°C.
Start by making the base: finely crush the biscuits by putting them in a plastic bag and bashing it with a rolling pin. Other methods are allowed. Avoid using a sledgehammer. Mix with the melted butter, cocoa and sugar, then tip into a 23cm springform tin that has been greased with butter and flour. Press the mix down well with the back of a spoon, then bake for 5mins. Cool. (Note, let it cool. Not "cool" as in "great".)

Using an electric whisk, mix together the soft cheese, flour, sugar, chocolate, vanilla extract and eggs until well blended. Pour into the tin and bake for 40-50mins until almost firm, but with a slight wobble in the centre. Cool in the tin. (I reckon you got it this time). The top may crack a little, but don't worry as this is normal.

The decoration is to anybody's preference, really. You may want to break some chocolate flakes into pieces and scatter them over the cake. You may also want to manufacture a chocolate and caramel swan and balance it on a lemon meringue that is being supported by ice-sculpted elephants that have been placed on a bed of whisky-sogged pastry on the wobbly centre of the cake. Or you may desire to cover it entirely in rose-scented fondant chocolate. The choice is yours. We used stars because that's where we come from. And because we can.

Cheesecake al forno  adattata da GoodFood
Ripieno
- 900g di formaggio morbido tipo filadelfia. (evitate le versioni "light", la torta altrimenti non rassoderà)
- 3cucchiai di farina
- 200g zucchero
- 85g cioccolato bianco, tritato finemente
- i semi di 1 bacca di vaniglia
- 4 uova sbattute leggermente
- stelline di cioccolato per decorare (o qualunque altra cosa vogliate...)


Per la base:
- 12 biscotti digestives coperti di cioccolato
- 85g di burro fuso
-2 cucchiaini di cacao in povere
-1 cucchiaino di zucchero

Scaldare il forno a 180.
Preprare la base: Sbriciolare i biscotti finemente (mixer o metterli dentro ad un sacchetto e passarci sopra il mattarello). Mescolare con il burro fuso,il cacao e lo zucchero. Pore il composto nella teglia precedentemente imburrata e infarinata. Schiacciare bene con il doso di un cucchiaio per ottenere uno spessore uniforme. Cuocere per 5 minuti. Raffreddare.


Con le fruste elettriche mescolare tutti gli ingredienti del ripieno, fino ad ottenere un composto omogeneo. Versare sulla base dei biscotti e cuocere in forno per circa 50 minuti. La torta è cotta quando è soda ma ancora leggermente tremolante al centro. Lasciar raffreddare nello stampo. Quando è fredda, probabilmente creperà sulla superficie: è normale, per ridurre le crepe, spegnere il forno e lasciare la torta dentro fino al completo raffreddamento.

Eventualmente decorare con quello che preferite.


Enjoy,
And Spread the Mess