New York Cheesecake With Rose Petal Syrup Food

THE BEST NEW YORK-STYLE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• For the crust: Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.
• Mix together the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, brown sugar and salt in a medium bowl until evenly moistened.
• Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and halfway up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake the crust until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes.
• Cool completely on a rack. Wrap the bottom and up the sides of the pan with foil and place in a roasting pan.
• For the filling: Add the cream cheese to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed until smooth. Add the granulated sugar and beat, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed, until light and fluffy. Gradually add the cream, beating until combined. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the lemon zest and juice, vanilla and salt and beat just until combined, taking care not to over whip. Pour into the crust.
• Bring a kettle of water to a boil. Carefully place the roasting pan in the oven (don't pull the rack out of the oven). Pour enough hot water in the roasting pan to come about halfway up the side of the foil-wrapped springform pan.
• Bake until the top of the cheesecake is lightly browned around the edges, but the center still jiggles slightly, about 2 hours.
• Remove the cheesecake from the roasting pan to a rack. Run a knife around the edges and cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours and up to overnight.
• Bring the cheesecake to room temperature 30 minutes before serving. Remove the springform ring. Dip a knife in warm water and wipe dry before slicing each piece.

NEW YORK CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
• Mix the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and butter together in a mixing bowl. Pour the mixture into the springform pan and using a mixing cup press the crumbs into the base. Using your fingers gently press crumbs into the sides of the pan. Bake for 6 minutes. Let cool.
• Filling:
• In a food processor, cream the cream cheese and the sugar together. Add the zest and vanilla, Blend until smooth. Add 5 egg yolks and heavy cream, pulse until smooth. Pour into a large clean bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until a soft froth forms. Add 2 tablespoons sugar slowly to the egg whites and continue to whisk until soft peaks form. Fold into cream cheese, a little bit at a time until fully integrated. Pour into the prepared springform pan. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until firm. Let cool for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
• Topping:
• Mix the creme fraiche and sugar together and gently spread over the top of the cooled cheesecake. Bake for 5 minutes. Let cool until the topping is set or chill overnight and serve. Best served at room temperature.
• Serve with Cherry Confit.
• In a medium non-corrosive saucepan place water, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and thyme. Bring to the boil, turn down heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Add cherries and simmer for 1 hour. If more liquid is needed add water. Continue to simmer until the cherry mixture is thick and the cherries are soft. Pour into a clean container and refrigerate until ready to use.
• Yield: 6 servings
• Cooking time: 1 hour 20 minutes

ROSE CHEESECAKE TART

Steps:

• For the crust: Position a rack in center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Pulse the shortbread cookies and salt together in a food processor until fine crumbs form (you should have about 2 cups). Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is the consistency of wet sand. Transfer to a 9-inch tart pan and, using a measuring cup, press the crumbs firmly into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Bake until the edges are lightly golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool.
• For the filling: Sprinkle the gelatin over 2 tablespoons warm water in a small microwave-safe bowl and stir to combine, then set aside to soften, about 5 minutes. Microwave on high, stirring every 10 seconds, until completely melted.
• Combine the cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, vanilla, orange zest and salt in a food processor and process until the sugar has dissolved and no lumps remain. Add the melted gelatin and process until the gelatin is incorporated and the mixture is completely smooth.
• Pour the cream cheese mixture into the cooled crust and spread evenly with an offset spatula. Refrigerate, uncovered, until the cheesecake is just set but still soft, about 30 minutes.
• For the rose: Peel the mangoes using a vegetable peeler. With a very sharp knife, carefully cut each mango in half, tracing your knife around the pit. Slice the halves lengthwise as thinly as possible, about 1/8 inch thick. Halve the plums and remove the pits. Slice the halves as thinly as possible, about 1/8 inch thick.
• Fan out small stacks of about 6 to 7 mango slices into 8-inch-long strips. Arrange around the outer edge of the tart, leaning the slices upright against the crust. Overlap the strips slightly, making two rings of mango. Fan out a stack of about 6 to 7 slices of plum into 6-inch-long strips. Arrange the plum slices inside the innermost ring of mango, repeating with additional slices to create a ring of plums. Repeat with the remaining mango and plum slices creating alternating rings until you reach the center. Shingle 4 slices of mango to form a 4-inch-long strip; tightly roll it up and place it in the center of the cheesecake to create a rose bud.
• Refrigerate uncovered for at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours. Drizzle with honey before serving.

QUAIL IN ROSE PETAL SAUCE

Steps:

• For the sauce: Make an X over the flat ends of the chestnuts with a small sharp knife. Toast in oven at 350 degrees F 10 to 12 minutes. Bring 1 quart water to a boil and drop in the chestnuts. Boil, uncovered, for 20 minutes and drain. Set aside to cool. When the chestnuts are cool enough to handle, peel the shells and remove the skins. Place them in the blender.
• Melt the butter in a large skillet and saute the garlic and anise seed until lightly browned. Add the rose petals, and the cactus or plums and saute 1 to 2 minutes. Add to the blender with honey, salt and pepper and puree while slowly adding 1 cup stock or water.
• Strain the puree into a skillet and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring. Add red food coloring if desired and set aside, covered.
• For the quail: Season quail with salt and pepper and stuff each with an onion slice and garlic clove. Tie legs together with string. Saute the quail in butter to brown, then pan roast for 8 to 10 minutes at 400 degrees F.
• Reheat the sauce if necessary. Add the quail to the sauce and stir, covering the birds completely, for 3 minutes. Serve 2 quail per person with plain white rice to absorb all the lovely, perfumed sauce.

THE ULTIMATE MAKEOVER: NEW YORK CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Line a 20cm loose-bottomed or springform tin with baking parchment and stand it on a baking sheet. Melt the butter and stir in the biscuit crumbs. Press the mix into the base of the tin, then bake for 10 mins. Remove from the oven and raise the temperature to 240C/fan 220C/gas 9.
• For the filling, beat the soft cheese just until smooth with an electric hand mixer on low speed. Gradually add the sugar, also on a low speed, then the cornflour without overbeating. Scrape the sides of the bowl. Slowly whisk in the lemon zest and juice, the vanilla, then the eggs. Scrape the sides of the bowl, then finally whiskin the fromage frais. The mixture should be smooth and quite runny.
• Pour the filling over the crumb base. Jiggle the tin to level the mix and squash surface bubbles with the back of a teaspoon. Bake for 10 mins, then lower the heat to 110C/fan 90C/gas ¼. Bake another 25 mins and, if you are using an electric oven, leave the oven door slightly ajar for the first 3 mins. After the 25 mins, shake the tin and there should be a wobble in the centre of the filling. If left until firmer it is more likely to crack later. Turn off the oven, keep the door closed and leave the cake in for 2 hrs. Open the door, loosen the top edges of the cake with a round bladed knife, then leave in the oven to cool gently for another 1-1½ hrs.
• Meanwhile, put the sugar for the topping in a small pan with 3 tbsp water. Bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar, then let it bubble for 1-2 mins to make a thin syrup. Tip in the blueberries, gently stir and cook for about 1 min, just to slightly burst the fruit and release the purple juices. Stir in the lime zest, then leave to cool.
• Spread the fromage frais over the top of the cooled cheesecake. Cover with foil and chill for at least 4 hrs (or overnight). Remove from the fridge 1 hr before serving, loosen the sides of the cheesecake completely, remove from the tin, then slide onto a plate, peeling off the paper as you do. Slice with a sharp knife and serve each wedge topped with a spoonful of syrupy blueberries.