DB: Un desert primavaratic: Cheesecake cu capsuni si merisoare / DB: A fairy spring dessert: Strawberries-cranberries cheesecake

The April 2009 challenge is hosted by Jenny from Jenny Bakes. She has chosen Abbey's Infamous Cheesecake as the challenge.

Cred ca nicio alta provocare de pana acum nu m-a entuziasmat precum a reusit sa ma entuziasmeze cea de fata. Pur si simplu ador prajitura cu branza. Insa culmea: nu am preparat-o niciodata! Asa ca intelegeti bucuria mea atunci cand am vazut tema de luna aceasta.

Am respectat de aceasta data reteta oferita de Jenny deorece fiind prima data cand gatesc cheesecake mi-am zis sa ma incred in reteta oferita ca baza de pornire. Cheesecake-ul rezultat mi-a intrecut asteptarile: a iesit absoult perfect: cremos, fin, aromat… Deosebit! Sper sa fi reusit prin intermediul pozelor sa va faceti o idee despre bunatatea lui.

Ingrediente:

- PT CRUSTA -

- 180 g biscuiti graham / integrali / digestivi

- 113 g unt topit

- 24 g zahar

- 1 lg esenta de vanilie

- PT CREMA -

- 680 g crema de branza (am folosit Exquisa)

- 210 g zahar

- 3 oua mari

- 230 g smantana dulce

- 1 lg zeama de lamaie

- 1 lg esenta de vanilie

- PT ORNAT -

- capsuni proaspete

- merisoare din gem

Preincalziti cuptorul la 180 grade.

Biscuitii se macina si se amesteca cu restul ingredientelor. Se preseaza apoi intr-o forma de copt.

I must confess I am in love… in love with this month’s challenge! I simply adore cheesecake.

The funny part is that I’ve never made it before yhis challenge so I was kinda nervous. That is why I choose Jenny’s basic recipe. Happily it turned out an amazing weel done cheesecake: creamy and flluffy – just like a cheesecake should be. I choose to cover it with fresh strawberries and cranberries. Trust me: this combination is gorgeous!

And well… to be honest I must tell you that I’m proud of “my baby” challenge!

INGREDIENTS:

crust:

- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs

- 1 stick butter

- 2 Tbs sugar

- 1 tsp vanilla extract

cheesecake:

- 3 sticks of cream cheese, 8 oz each (total of 24 oz) room temperature

- 1 cup sugar

- 3 large eggs

- 1 cup heavy cream

- 1 tbsp. lemon juice

- 1 tbsp. vanilla extract

topping:

- fresh strawberries

- cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F . Begin to boil a large pot of water for the water bath. Mix together the crust ingredients and press into your preferred pan. You can press the crust just into the bottom, or up the sides of the pan too - baker's choice. Set crust aside.

Crema de branza se mixeaza bine cu zaharul. Apoi se adauga ouale, unul cate unul, apoi restul ingredientelor. Se toarna crema peste blatul de biscuiti din tava si se misca putin pentru a elimina bulele de aer.

Se pun cateva cani de apa la fiert.

Tava cu compozitia de cheesecake se pune in tava mare de aragaz. Se toarna apa clocotita pana la jumatatea formei de prajitura. Atentie daca folositi o forma de copt cu pereti detasabili: s-ar putea ca in timpul coptului apa sa patrunda inauntru. Tocmai din aceasta cauza am ales o forma de portelan.

Combine cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of a stand-mixer (or in a large bowl if using a hand-mixer) and cream together until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next. Make sure to scrape down the bowl in between each egg. Add heavy cream, vanilla, lemon juice and blend until smooth and creamy. Pour batter into prepared crust and tap the pan on the counter a few times to bring all air bubbles to the surface. Place pan into a larger pan and pour boiling water into the larger pan until halfway up the side of the cheesecake pan. If cheesecake pan is not airtight, cover bottom securely with foil before adding water.

Dati la copt pt 45-55 minute.

Inchideti focul insa lasati prajitura in cuptor pentru inca o ora. Acest lucru este absolut necesar pentru ca prajitura sa se raceasca treptat si sa nu crape. Dupa o ora, scoateti-o afara si lasati-o sa se raceasca complet la temperatura camerei. Apoi acoperiti-o cu o folie alimentara si puneti-o la frigider pentru a se intari.

Bake 45 to 55 minutes, until it is almost done - this can be hard to judge, but you're looking for the cake to hold together, but still have a lot of jiggle to it in the center. You don't want it to be completely firm at this stage. Close the oven door, turn the heat off, and let rest in the cooling oven for one hour. This lets the cake finish cooking and cool down gently enough so that it won't crack on the top. After one hour, remove cheesecake from oven and lift carefully out of water bath. Let it finish cooling on the counter, and then cover and put in the fridge to chill. Once fully chilled, it is ready to serve.

Pentru ornat am folosit capsuni proaspete si merisoare din gem.

For topping I used fresh strawberries and cranberries.

Este o prajitura fina, cremoasa si racoroasa, ideala pentru o zi de primavara sau pentru o ocazie speciala. Este mai mult decat gustoasa!

It’s a delightful desert, excellent for a spring day. You will ask for more and more and more… Trust me :)

Luna aceasta sunt Miss Measure :)

This month I am Miss Measure :)