CELEBRITY MASTER CHEF DR KAVIRAJ KHIALANI
While the concept of cheesecake goes a long back in time and history when it is said that the Romans spread the tradition of making cheesecake from Greece to all across Europe. Ever since New York created some of the world’s best variety recipes in cheesecakes it has gained popularity all across the globe being a favorite pick – n – choice for food lovers and connoisseurs.
The traditional greek cheesecake used ricotta cheese and these cheesecakes were sweetened with honey and while some used flour blended with the cheese and then baked and some used a crusty base for the cheesecake. Most Americans have grown up eating the crunchy crushed cookie or digestive biscuits or crackers being powdered and set with butter at the base of a well flavoured cheese mixture which would chill and set on the base and come out wonderfully perfect when sliced.
While technically speaking cheesecakes are a version of pies and not cakes since the base structure is usually unleavened. Most baked variety of cheesecakes use a custard base for the fillings comprising of milk, sugar, eggs,salt,vanilla and other flavorings in addition to the cheese. A small amount of flour, corn starch, arrowroot and potato starch can be found in some cheesecake recipes as well to help stabilise the mixture.
While the varieties remain numerous and versatile with the concept of cheesecakes from eggless, with egg, baked, no –bake, set and chilled, vegan and wow some keto cheesecakes and more, there is something in store for each one of us!
Here are a few simple and easy recipes to try and enjoy with Cheesecakes!
MANGO MEDLEY CHEESECAKE
Ingredients
For the mango mixture
Alphonso mango-2 med sized
Sugar-1/2 cup
For the base with biscuits
Digestive biscuits/crackers- 8-10 no
Melted butter-1/4 cup
For the cheesecake
Cream cheese-130 gms
Condensed milk- 130 ml
Vanilla essence- ½ tsp
Fresh cream- 50 ml
Mango pulp-2-3 tbsp.
For the topping
Mango pulp- ¼ cup
Corn flour-1 tbsp.
Water-2 tbsp.
Sugar-2 tbsp.
Method
- For the mango mixture- prepare a smooth pulp from the mangoes.
- Cook the mango puree and sugar on a low flame until it starts to bubble, remove and cool it down completely.
- For the biscuit base, grind the biscuits in a food processor and add melted butter and churn it well to a smooth texture.
- Place the crumb and butter mixture into a tin for the cheesecake and using a spoon press it down well on all sides, and chill the mould for 30-45 mins.
- Pre-heat the oven to 150 degrees Celsius. in a bowl combine the cream cheese, condensed milk, vanilla essence and mango puree and blend it well to a smooth texture add in the cream and blend again.
- Pour the above mixture on the biscuit base in the tin and cover the base of the tin with aluminium foil, place it in a little water bath in the baking tray and place the tin for baking in the oven 25-35 mins until the surface is firm to touch and the texture is a little wobbly.
- Remove and cool and cover it with a cling wrap and refrigerate the cheesecake for 10-12 hours. For the final topping, in a pan combine mango puree with corn flour water and sugar and stir well cook on a medium flame until it leaves the sides of the pan, cool completely. Fill into a piping bag with a nozzle and gently de-mould the chilled cheesecake and start decorating with the prepared mango topping, pipe or cover it well and allow to chill for another 2-3 hours and slice and serve garnished with fresh mango & mint leaves.
NEW ERA NEW YORK CHEESECAKE
Ingredients
For the cheesecake crust
Powdered digestive biscuits/crackers-1 cup
Melted butter-1/2 cup
Brown sugar/grain sugar-2 -3 tbsp.
For the cheesecake filling
Full cream, whipping variety-2 cups
Cream cheese, mild salted is fine-2 cups
Vanilla essence-1 and a half tsp
Sugar- ¾th cup
Yogurt/curd-1/2 cup thick
Method
- To prepare the crust, in a mixing bowl combine together the powdered crackers, melted butter and sugar and mix them well, place the mixture at the bottom of a cheesecake tin and press it well to settle, chill for 1 hour.
- In a separate mixing bowl, combine and beat up together the cream cheese, yogurt, vanilla essence until nice and fluffy, separately whip up the full fat cream in another bowl, now fold it into the cream cheese mix and blend.
- Pour the above mixture onto the chilled crust as prepared and spread it evenly all across the tin, allow to set and chill for 3-4 hours, remove, de-mould it and cut into wedges and top up with the berry sauce or toppings and serve.
VEGAN COFFEE CHEESECAKE
Ingredients
To prepare the crust/base
Cashews/almonds/walnuts-3/4th cup
Dates-1 cup, chopped
Raw cocoa- 2 tbsp.
Vegan coconut oil- 2 tbsp. melted
For the filling for the cheesecake
Raw cocoa-1 tbsp.
Vegan coconut oil- ½ cup
Dates-1/2 cup chopped
Raisins-2 tbsp. chopped
Lime juice-2 tbsp.
Cashews-1 and a half cup, soaked for 2-3 hours
Coconut milk-1/2 cup
Coffee powder-2 tsp.
Warm water-1/2 cup
Method
- To prepare the base for the cheesecake, using a food processor combine together the nuts, dates, coconut oil and cocoa and blend it to a smooth texture, assemble it at the bottom of a removable cheesecake tin and press it well, chill the base for 30 mins.
- To get together the filling for the cheesecake, using the blender jar prepare a paste of the dates and little warm water and then add in the drained cashews and cocoa and oil, coconut oil and blend it all well, remove into a bowl and add in the lime juice and instant coffee and mix well.
- Transfer the prepared mixture into the chilled base tin and spread it evenly using a spatula. Continue to chill the cheesecake for 2-3 hours, remove and de-mould carefully, dip a knife in hot water and neatly slice up the cheesecake and serve with a hot cuppa coffee!
THE CHOCOLATE LOVERS CHEESECAKE
Ingredients
For the crust for the cheesecake
Chocolate cookies/crackers/biscuits- 200 gms
Almonds/walnuts-2 tbsp. chopped.
Butter- 120 ml, melted
For the chocolate cheese filling
Powdered sugar-1/2 cup
Whipping/full fat cream- 220 ml
Dark chocolate- 250 gms, melted.
Vanilla essence-1 tsp
Cream cheese- 350 gms
For decorating the cheesecake
Ganache topping with cream and chocolate combination can be used.
Assorted shavings/chocolate garnishes/fresh fruits etc as desired to decorate.
Method
- To start with this delicious cheesecake recipe let us first start with the base crust for the same by using a food processor the chocolate cookies/crackers into crumbs along with the nuts and melted butter and getting it all together.
- Prepare a loose bottomed cheesecake tin or mould and set the prepared base mixture and spread it evenly and press it using a spatula or spoon, allow to set in and chill in the fridge for 1 hour.
- Now to continue with the filling, in a mixing bowl beat up cream cheese, vanilla essence, powdered sugar and add in the melted chocolate and using a spatula mix it all well, separately whip up the fresh cream to soft peak texture and fold it into the cheese and chocolate mixture.
- Pour this mixture into the prepared chilled cheesecake base tin and spread it evenly all over and allow to chill and set for 2- 3 hours and then remove, carefully demould, decorate with whipped cream, ganache topping, cherries, mint etc and serve.
Celebrity Master Chef Dr Kaviraj Khialani is a Mumbai-based hotel-restaurant and food consultant. He is specialised in over 33 international cuisines and has quality experience with hotels and airlines as a part of his long journey of over two decades in his chosen field. Chef Kaviraj is a renowned author, academician, food designer, writer and has also been awarded several national awards and global recognitions for his talent & outstanding achievements. Besides having been featured on several food shows on ColorsTV and Star Plus he is a mentor, coach and guide to aspiring to be future chefs and hoteliers of tomorrow.
He can be contacted at twitter: @kaviraj_chef, Mobile: 91 9820939336.
