My take on a classic....

I have said it on here before I LOVVVVVVE baking…. 

well not just the baking, I love just as much the eating of the baked makes 

but that is a whole different subject for another day. 
New York Cheese Cake is one of my favourites at the moment.    
This cake is so super delicious!!!
A great simple rustic looking cake nothing fancy or complicated….  just what I like to bake. 
The only downside to this cake is you need to have a little patience with the cooling/setting time,
a minimum of 8 hours to be precise. 
I leave my cake always overnight before cutting in to it.
A big plus for this cake on the other hand is…. it is easy to adapt to what ingredients 

you have in the house.  Baking is not an exact science for me, 

I am definitely not a precise measurements kinda baker….

I'm more of a looks good.... tastes yummy.... smells great kinda baker.   

Using what is my cupboard and making it work, I don't rush out to buy ingredients.  

Fresh out of vanilla sugar  I just use brown sugar it changes the flavour of the cake a little but it’s just as scrumptious, lemon juice instead of vanilla extract,
double chocolate digestives instead of plain digestives,  a extra egg for more fluffiness…. 

you get the picture 

…long story short no two cheese cakes of mine taste the same.
There are a million and one recipes for  New York Cheese Cake out there 
for my take of this classic I used

125g soft butter I only have salted butter in the house

300g double chocolate digestives

900g cream cheese

220g fine vanilla sugar 

 I put a vanilla pod into a sugar jar, leaving it in there 

adding more sugar to the jar once it starts to run a little low 

2 table spoons flour (plain)
2 tea spoons vanilla extract

3 to 4 eggs depending on there size
2 egg yolks
I always use free range

300 ml double cream

♡ ♡ ♡ ♡

Preheating the fan oven on 180C

Crush the biscuits for the base then add most of the soft butter,

(leaving a little for greasing the baking tin) 

mix the crushed biscuits & butter through thoroughly. 
The base mixture is tightly pressed into a well greased 25 cm spring-form cake tin

Bake it for about 10 minutes on 180C

After 10 minutes remove the tin from the oven and let it cool down on a cake rack
at the same time turn the oven up to 200C.

For the filling mix (preferably with a electric mixer) the cream cheese, 

the vanilla sugar, flour and vanilla extract into a smooth mixture. 

Then add the eggs and egg yolks one at the time.  

Whisking the mixture on a high speed until smooth & fluffy, finally the double cream is added.  

The finished mixture has a smooth, light fluffy consistency.

 

 Pour it over the cooled down base mixture.  

Smoothing over the top.

Now the patience bit begins, first place the cheese cake mix in the oven 

 bake for 15 minutes on 200C then reduce the temperature to 110C 

and bake for a further 45 minutes.  

After 45 minutes turn off the oven leave the oven door closed 

and the cake inside for about 2 hours to cool.

  

Then remove the cake from the oven, it now needs at least another 6 hours to fully set.

 I always cover the cake with a fresh tea towel to let it set over night. 

I know that is not easy…. 

it smells yummy and if your family is anything like mine it will attract them into the kitchen.

 My clan loves hovering over the cake for the rest of the day 

trying to convince me the cake is ready to be eaten.

Funny how quickly they disappear again when I mention the words "cleaning up".

Trust me though the wait is well worth it.

This cake is super yummy topped with fresh fruit like 

strawberries, raspberries or blueberries.
But if there is none in the house, try drizzle some melted chocolate over the top or like me

just opt for a generous dusting of icing sugar which makes it equally scrummy!

Give it a go it’s the perfect weekend bake!
I hope you enjoy my take on this classic.

XXXX