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By Harrison Gerson ('21)
This decadent dessert became popularized last year for its lightness and jigglyness. I highly recommend it to any beginner or experienced baker! My adventure was relatively easy, as I took my time preparing the mix. The cake was satisfyingly light and airy with a deep chocolatey base.
Ingredients
1 cup (8oz/225g) cream cheese
4 tablespoons butter
7 tablespoons milk
6 large eggs, separated yolks and egg whites
1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice (fresh or bottled)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¾ cup granulated sugar, divided
⅞ cup flour
4 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar (or lemon juice)
3 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder
The product of Harrison Gerson’s baking adventure
Directions
1. Grease and line an 8 or 9-inch tin. Line a deep baking tray with a kitchen cloth. The baking tray has to be larger than the tin. Create a water bath to bake your cheesecake in by filling the tray with some water. You want to have everything ready to go so you can bake off your cheesecake straight away.
2. Melt together the cream cheese, butter, and milk in the microwave for roughly 1 minute. Whisk the mixture until there are no more lumps.
3. Next, in a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolk, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and half the sugar.
Picture from Culinary Hill depicting a proper water bath for cheesecake
4. Temper the egg yolk mixture by adding in a bit of the cream cheese mixture while mixing. Then, add all the remaining cream cheese mix.
5. Place a sieve over the bowl and sprinkle in the flour, cornstarch, and salt through the sieve into the cream cheese mix. Whisk in the dry ingredients until there are no more lumps. Set aside.
6. Using a stand mixer or a hand mixer, whip the egg whites with the whisk attachment on medium speed. When the meringue starts to take shape, add the cream of tartar. Once thick and at the soft peak stage, slowly add the remaining sugar. Whip until meringue turns glossy, has increased in volume and holds a stiff peak. You can ensure this stage is finished by slowly flipping the bowl over your head. The meringue will not fall… should not fall.
7. Using a thin-edged metal spoon, take 1/3 of meringue and fold it into the cream cheese batter to loosen the mixture. Cut and fold the meringue swiftly but gently to minimize deflation of the meringue. Fold in the remaining meringue until blended. The resulting batter should be light and airy.
8. Take ¼ of the mix and add in the cocoa powder through a sieve. Make sure to mix fully. The chocolate mix may lose air. This density will help create a chocolate base during baking.
9. Pour the plain. cheesecake batter into the prepared cake pan. Then add in the chocolate mix and use a knife to marble the cake. Place the cake pan in the larger dish then place both in the oven. Pour hot (almost boiling) water into the water bath until about halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Be careful not to splash water into the batter.
10. Bake on the bottom rack in a preheated 400°F oven for 18 min, then lower to 320°F for 12 mins. Then, turn off the oven and open the door of the oven slightly for 30 minutes only. Then remove from the oven completely to cool at room temp. If you’re feeling a little adventurous, jiggle the tin. The cake should be relatively solid.
11. Turn out the cheesecake from the pan onto a cake plate and serve. Can be eaten directly if baked correctly. Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Adapted from Bigger Bolder Baking
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