Vanilla Cream Cheesecake With Balsamic Strawberries Food

CHEESECAKE-STUFFED STRAWBERRIES

Steps:

• Beat cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla extract together in a bowl until smooth; spoon into a piping bag or a resealabe bag with a corner snipped.
• Fill cavities of cored strawberries with the cream cheese mixture. Dip filled side of strawberries in the crushed graham crackers to coat.

STRAWBERRY BALSAMIC CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Add vinegar to 1/2 cup sugar in large bowl; stir until sugar is almost dissolved. Add strawberries; stir until evenly coated. Let stand 1 hour; drain, reserving vinegar mixture.
• Meanwhile, combine wafer crumbs and butter; press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Heat oven to 325°F. Beat cream cheese and remaining sugar in large bowl with mixer until blended. Add sour cream; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended.
• Arrange half the strawberries over prepared crust. Pour cream cheese mixture over strawberries.
• Bake 45 to 50 min. or until center is almost set, covering loosely with foil for last 15 min. Run knife around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim. Refrigerate cheesecake 4 hours.
• Bring reserved vinegar mixture to boil in small saucepan; simmer on medium heat 5 min. or until mixture is reduced to syrup-like consistency, measuring about 1/2 cup. Cool completely.
• Spoon vinegar mixture over cheesecake. Top with remaining strawberries.

VANILLA CAKE WITH VANILLA CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
• Combine the butter, oil and granulated sugar in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla and vinegar.
• Add the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the milk, beating on low speed until just incorporated. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Transfer the batter to the prepared baking dish, spreading and smoothing the top with an offset spatula. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes. Cool the cake completely on a wire rack.
• For the frosting: Combine the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until soft and fluffy. With the mixer on low speed, add the confectioners' sugar 1/2 cup at a time, beating until smooth, then beat in the vanilla.
• Spoon the frosting onto the cooled cake and spread it evenly with an offset spatula. Garnish with fresh berries if using. Cut the cake into squares and serve.

STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 160C/320F (standard) or 140C/295F (fan/convection).
• Get a 20cm/8" springform cake tin. Turn the base UPSIDE DOWN (Note 4), butter lightly and place a square piece of parchment/baking paper on the base. Then clip into the springform pan - excess paper will stick out, see photos in post and video.
• Butter and line the side of the pan.
• Break up biscuits roughly by hand and place in a food processor.
• Blitz until fine crumbs (Note 5). Add butter, briefly blitz until dispersed and it resembles wet sand.
• Pour into the prepared cake tin. Use a spatula to roughly spread it out over the base and up the walls.
• Use something with a flat base and vertical edges (I used a measuring cup) to press the crumbs up the wall almost to the top of the sides, and flatten the base.
• Use a mixer or beater to beat the cream cheese until just smooth, no longer than 20 seconds on speed 4. (You do not want to aerate cheesecake filling as it causes cracks when it bakes)
• Add flour, beat for 5 seconds on speed 4 until just incorporated.
• Add vanilla, sour cream, sugar and lemon zest. Beat until just combined (10 sec max, speed 5).
• Add eggs one at a time, beat in between until just combined (5 sec each), and after the last one, beat just until the egg is fully incorporated.
• Pour into prepared crust.
• Bake for 55 minutes. The top should be a very light golden brown, not cracked, and near perfectly flat. It should jiggle slightly when you gently shake the pan.
• Cool the cake in the oven with the door open 20 cm / 8" (Note 6), then refrigerate for 4 hours+ in the pan.
• Remove sides. Use overhang paper to slide cheesecake off the cake pan. Then slide the cheesecake off the paper.
• Place chopped strawberries, vanilla, sugar and lemon juices in a saucepan. Stir then bring to simmer over medium heat.
• Simmer for 10 minutes until strawberries breakdown.
• Mix cornflour with water, then add into saucepan and stir.
• Add halved strawberries and cook for 1 minute to soften.
• Sauce should be syrupy - remove from stove and cool. Will thicken as it cools.
• Once cool, stirl. Adjust thickness to make it the right "oozing" consistency (see video, Note 7) with a tiny touch of water (be careful!).
• Spoon onto cheesecake so it's covered with a single layer of strawberries. Flip strawberry halves so they are facedown. Refrigerate 2 hours+.
• Slice and serve with remaining Strawberry Sauce!

VANILLA CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Mix cracker crumbs, butter and sugar; press onto bottom and 1 in. up sides of a greased 9-in. springform pan. , In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in vanilla and salt. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until blended. Pour into crust. Place on a baking sheet. , Bake until center is almost set, 55-60 minutes. Cool on a wire rack 10 minutes. Loosen sides from pan with a knife. Cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight, covering when completely cooled.

MASCARPONE CHEESECAKE WITH BALSAMIC STRAWBERRIES

Steps:

• Tightly wrap outside of 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides with 2 layers of heavy-duty foil. Mix biscotti crumbs and butter in bowl. Press mixture evenly onto bottom (not sides) of prepared pan. Chill 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese, mascarpone and 1 1/4 cups sugar in large bowl until smooth. Add eggs 1 at a time; beat just until blended. Spread cheese mixture evenly over crust in pan. Place springform pan in large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of springform pan. Bake until cheesecake is golden and center of cake moves only slightly when pan is shaken, about 1 hour 10 minutes.
• Transfer cake to rack; cool 1 hour. Chill overnight. (Cake can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before serving.)
• Mix strawberries, 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar and vinegar in large bowl. Let stand at room temperature until juices form, about 30 minutes.
• Cut cake into wedges. Spoon strawberries alongside and serve.

CHEESECAKE SUNDAE WITH STRAWBERRY BALSAMIC

Steps:

• Beat first 3 ingredients in medium bowl with mixer until blended. Whisk in COOL WHIP. Scoop cream cheese mixture into 12 balls, using about 1/3 cup cream cheese mixture for each ball; place in single layer in foil-lined pan. Freeze 2 hours.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in medium skillet on medium heat. Add strawberries; cook 3 min. or until slightly softened, stirring occasionally. Stir in 2 Tbsp. brown sugar; cook 1 min. Remove from skillet.
• Mix vinegar and remaining brown sugar in same skillet until blended; bring to boil, stirring constantly. Simmer on medium-low heat 8 min. or until mixture is reduced by half, stirring frequently. Stir into berry mixture. Cool, then refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Reserve 1 Tbsp. graham crumbs; roll cheesecake balls in remaining crumbs until evenly coated. Sprinkle reserved crumbs onto large plate just before serving; top with cheesecake balls and berry mixture.

VANILLA CREAM CHEESECAKE WITH BALSAMIC STRAWBERRIES

Steps:

• Cheesecake: Preheat oven to 120deg C (250F).
• Put cheese, vanilla, lemon zest and 115g of the sugar into a mixing bowl. Beat until you have a creamy, smooth paste. Gradually add the egg yolks and then gradually stir in the sour cream.
• Beat the egg whites to soft peaks and gradually add the remaining 35g of sugar. Continue beating to a stiff, meringue-like texture.
• Fold the egg-white mixture into the cream cheese mixture.
• Prepare your 6cm diameter (2.5in) moulds. If using non-stick pudding or dariole moulds, spray lightly with oil or cooking spray. If using ramekins (ie NOT non-stick), line with 2 layers of cling wrap, being sure it overhangs the sides.
• Transfer the mixture into the moulds and place into a bain-marie (warm water bath). Cook for 20-25minutes, until risen and firm to touch. Remove from the tray and refrigerate overnight.
• Balsamic strawberries: Cut stalks off the strawberries and then cut in half lengthways.
• Combine vinegar and sugar in a pan and boil to a light syrup. Add the wine and allow to cool.
• Pour the cooled mixture over the halved strawberries and refrigerate until needed.
• To serve: Warm a small, sharp, thin knife in boiling water and run carefully around edge of cheesecake mould. Dip the mould briefly in boiling water for 30 seconds to loosen cheesecake, then invert onto serving plate. Arrange strawberries halves around the cake and drizzle them with a little of the balsamic syrup.