Tuesday, November 08, 2011

Cheesecake with Lavendered Blackberries


This is my favorite creamy classic cheesecake recipe. It takes a summery turn with glorious blackberries heightened with lavender.

It takes a while to make, but waiting the full 2 hours to cool, and then 2 hours to chill will keep it together and beautiful. This also involves a hot water bath... I had to google it, and ended up using my turkey roasting pan because it was the only thing big and deep enough.

You can improvise and use any other oven safe container to hold the water and set your cheesecake pan into. The water only needs to come up to the level of the cheese cake in the pan. Just about 1 1/2 inches. To help it go faster, you can boil the water on the stove first, then pour it into the larger pan when you're ready to bake.

FOR CRUST
3/4 stick unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup blanched almonds, finely chopped

FOR FILLING
3 (8-oz) packages cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup half-and-half
3 large eggs

ACCOMPANIMENTS: fresh ripe blackberries mixed with a little sugar, lemon juice and a pinch of dried lavender

MAKE CRUST:
Preheat oven to 350ºF with rack in middle.
Line a 9-inch square baking pan with 2 crisscrossed sheets of foil, leaving an overhang on 2 sides, then lightly butter foil.
Beat together butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
Reduce speed to low and add flour and almonds, mixing until combined and dough begins to clump together.
Press onto bottom of baking pan with floured fingers.
Bake just until a shade darker and edges begin to pull away from pan, 20 to 30 minutes. Cool crust completely in pan.

MAKE FILLING AND BAKE:
Reduce oven temperature to 325ºF.
Beat together cream cheese, sugar, and flour with cleaned beaters at medium speed until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.
Reduce speed to low and add half-and-half, then eggs 1 at a time, mixing until incorporated.
Pour filling into crust.
Bake in a hot water bath until set 1 1/2 inches from edge but center is still wobbly, 40 to 45 minutes. (Center will set as it cools.)
Transfer pan to a rack and cool completely, about 2 hours.
Chill, uncovered, at least 2 hours.
Using foil overhang, lift cheesecake from pan and peel off foil before cutting into small rectangles.

NOTE: Cheesecake can be chilled (loosely covered once cold) up to 3 days.

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