Lemon Cheesecake

An exclusive from Niloufer's Kitchen
Lemon Cheesecake



Cheesecake  is a popular dessert all over the world. Here is one that can be made in your own Kitchen and shared with your family and friends. It can be made well ahead of a party; simply keep it well covered refrigerated. Do not freeze.
Here I share my family recipe which has been appreciated for over 50 years. Make it your own with any topping you enjoy like fresh berries, lemon curd, passion fruit curd, black cherry topping or just on its own.
The trick to a perfect cheesecake is to allow it to set while cooling down in the oven. Turn the oven off while there is a generous jiggle in the center of the cake.It will gradually set to perfection!!
Clementine Orange Cheesecake is another alternate.
Or go all out and make a baklava cheesecake

The texture of the cheesecake should be soft and creamy

Dressing up the cheesecake with fresh berries makes it look scrumptious.

Prepare a 9 inch spring form pan with a parchment paper at the bottom.

Pastry
The pastry can be made by hand with your finger tips, by using two butter knives or simply in a food processor using the pulse button.

In a bowl cut together with two knives, until it resembles crumbs

1 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
125gm/4oz salted butter
zest of one lemon

Mix together in a small bowl and add to the dough

1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Knead together and leave it to rest. 

Cut into 3 equal pieces. Use 2/3 to cover the base of the pan, pressing it down with your finger tips. ( It is simpler to do this with your hands over a rolling pin.)

Bake in a preheated oven of 325F/160C for 8 to 10 minutes until a slight colour shows on the pastry.
Allow it to cool.
Using the rest of the  1/3 pastry, cover the sides of the pan. Using your thumb go around the edge to make it equal in height.

Filling

In the food processor blend until smooth
500 gm/ 1.1lb Paneer ~ home made ricotta
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup cream
3 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp plain all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup fresh lemon and/or lime juice


Once it is smooth pour into the prepared shell.
Place in a hot oven of 400F/200C and immediately reduce the heat to 275F/140C. Allow it to set for 40 minutes.Turn off the oven and let the cheesecake cool for an hour until it sets.Chill and serve.

The cake must jiggle in the center.  It will then set as it cools and that softness  is what the creaminess depends upon that tastes delicious.

Tips

The texture of this cheese cake is dependent on two things. The smoothness of the filling. So make sure its silky and not at all grainy. This in turn is dependent on the cottage cheese you are using. For best results use freshly made paneer while its warm or bring it to room temperature before use.
Secondly the baking. Over baking makes the texture grainy. Allowing it to set on a lower temperature slowly ensures that the mixture does not curdle, or get too hot at any point. The "Jiggle in the Middle" is crucial when you finish. 

The cheese cake is delicious on its own but a  mixed berry compote makes it look prettier and tastes even better. Lemon curd topping for the lemon lover, and dark cherries topped all over can be absolutely amazing. Passion fruit curd is my very favourite. It is a strong taste and start with mixing lemon and passion fruit to avoid the pungent flavour which may be not to everyone's delight.

A splash of Yuzu adds to its flavour -adding a tablespoon should do the trick to start off with. 

Do not freeze this cake as the texture is ruined.

This crust can be made in minutes when you use the food processor and the texture remains the same. Use the pulse button for best results.

Place the spring-form pan on a tray to avoid having to clean up  any "drip" from the pan.

For more recipes from the Parsi Cuisine and its origins read the cookbooks The World of Parsi Cooking: Food Across Borders and
The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine.

For more delicious recipes from Niloufer's Kitchen click on
Niloufer's Kitchen : French Bistro from read.amazon.com

and
Niloufer's Kitchen : Spanish Tapas from read.amazon.com

Tiramisu With A Twist

An exclusive from Niloufer's Kitchen

Lemon and Passionfruit Tiramisu 

This tiramisu is easy to put together as most ingredients are bought ready made. 
Cheating? I guess I must agree; but a delicious cheating no doubt.

On a double boiler melt 
100gms/3 1/2ozs white chocolate

In a bowl mix 
1 1/2 cups sugarcane syrup
1/2 cup Limoncillo
Juice from one lemon

In another bowl whip chilled 1 1/2 cups whipping cream

In a third bowl  beat with electric beaters
1 1/2 cups cream cheese at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
dash of salt
Mix in 
1 cup/250ml passion fruit curd at room temperature
1 cup/250ml lemon curd at room temperature
Fold in the whipped cream
Fold in the melted white chocolate

Assemble
Soak 24 savoyardi biscuits in the lemon and sugar syrup
In the bowl spoon a 1/4th of the lemon cream mix.
Lay over the soaked biscuits, top with more cream and repeat the cream.
Tuck the biscuits on the side of the bowl and over the cream for a second time and finish off with the rest of the cream and curd mixture. 
Cover and chill overnight.

Tips:
The biscuits are ready made available in most supermarkets. Simply make the syrup mix in a flatter bowl and quickly tumble them over 3 at a time.
The curd is ready in a bottle of 250ml.
This should serve 20 persons.
Use clean beaters to whip the cream. Use only 35% and not table cream.
The same beaters can be then used to beat the cream cheese and sugar. It will not work the other way around!
Limoncillo is an Italian lemon liquor made with lemon and vodka. You can substitute it for half lemon vodka and half lemon juice.
Sugar cane syrup is available in most Liquor stores.
Cream cheese must be plain and not flavoured. Mascoporne is the best alternate.

For the original click here Tiramisu

Recipes from my cookbook The Art of Parsi Cooking; reviving an ancient cuisine available here.


Comment

Smita Byramji Mama LOVED it - Niloufer Mavalvala made it for us yest - def a winner!

June 1 at 11:03pm