Nigella Lawson New York Cheesecake Recipes

CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• To make the base, process the graham cracker crumbs, butter and cocoa powder in a food processor until it makes damp, clumping crumbs. Tip them into a 9-inch springform pan. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan to make an even base and put into the freezer while you make the filling.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Put a kettle on to boil. Melt the chocolate either in a microwave or double boiler, and set aside to cool slightly.
• To make the filling, beat the cream cheese to soften it, and then add the sugar and custard powder, beating again to combine. Beat in the whole eggs and then the yolks and the sour cream. Finally, add the cocoa dissolved in hot water and the melted chocolate and mix to make a smooth batter.
• Take the springform pan out of the freezer and line the outside of the pan with a good layer of plastic wrap, and then another layer of strong foil over that. This will protect it from the water bath. Sit the springform pan in a roasting pan and pour the cheesecake filling into the springform pan. Fill the roasting pan with the just-boiled water from the kettle to come about halfway up the cake pan, and bake in the oven 50 minutes to 1 hour. The top of the cheesecake should be set, but the underneath should still have a wobble to it.
• Peel away the foil and plastic wrap and sit the cheesecake in its pan on a rack to cool. Put in the fridge once it is no longer hot and leave to set, covered with plastic, overnight. Let it lose its chill before unspringing the cheesecake to serve.
• To make the glaze, very gently melt the chopped chocolate, cream and corn syrup. When the chocolate has nearly melted, take it off the heat and whisk until smooth. Let it cool a little, then Jackson Pollock it over the cheesecake. Use the remaining glaze as an accompanying sauce.

NIGELLA LAWSON NEW YORK CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Crush the digestive biscuits to fine crumbs in a blender or food processor. Add the melted butter and sugar and mix. Press onto base of greased 24cm springform cake tin. Chill for 1 hour in the refrigerator.
• Mix the cornflour with the sugar and beat in the cream cheese, egg yolks and vanilla extract with an electric mixer (or by hand).
• Slowly pour in heavy cream and sour cream, beating constantly. Add the lemon zest.
• Clean and dry your whisk. In another bowl, beat the egg whites with the salt to stiff peaks, then fold into the cheese mixture carefully.
• Scoop cheese onto base. Bake in a 170°C oven 1 to 1 1/2 hours without opening the oven door until golden brown on top. Turn off the heat and let the cake stand in the oven for two more hours. Open door, stand a further hour. Then chill it in the refirgerator for a few hours.
• Serve chilled, dusted with icing sugar and decorated with berries.

CHERRY CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Blitz the biscuits in a food processor until beginning to turn to crumbs, then add the sugar and butter and whiz again to make the mixture clump. If using graham cracker crumbs, you can use a bowl and wooden spoon to mix the butter in, with the sugar added.
• Press this mixture into a 8-inch springform tin; press a little up the sides to form a slight ridge.
• Beat together the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and lemon juice in a bowl until smooth.
• Lightly whip the cream, and then fold it into the cream cheese mixture.
• Spoon the cheesecake filling on top of the biscuit base and smooth with a spatula, put it in the refrigerator for 3 hours or overnight.
• When you are ready to serve the cheesecake, un-mold and spread the black cherry spread over the top.

MANGO CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Prepare cheesecake base: Place graham crackers in the bowl of a food processor. Process until they are almost fine crumbs. Add dark brown sugar and butter. Process until mixture clumps together like damp sand. Press mixture evenly into bottom of a 9-inch springform pan and refrigerate while preparing filling.
• Prepare filling: Heat oven to 325 degrees. Bring a kettle of water to boil. Peel and cut flesh from mangoes and purée in food processor until smooth. Add cream cheese and process until smooth. Add superfine sugar, and with motor running, add eggs one at a time through the processor's feed tube. Add lime juice, and process until blended.
• Place springform pan on a double layer of strong foil. Crimp edges up around pan to make a waterproof nest. Place foil-covered pan in a deep roasting pan. Scrape filling into pan and pour boiling water into roasting pan to come about halfway up sides of cake pan.
• Bake until filling is set and wobbles slightly in the center (it will continue to cook as it cools), about 1 hour and 45 minutes. Remove springform pan from water bath. Discard foil and place pan on a cooling rack. When cool, refrigerate overnight. To serve, remove from pan and place on a serving platter before slicing.

CHOCOLATE LIME CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place a large overlapping piece of aluminum foil over the bottom of the springform pan, and then insert pan ring over it. Fold the foil extra foil up and around the pan and place the whole thing on a second piece of foil, also folding it and pressing it securely around the pan, having a water tight covering.
• In a food processor, process cookies until they are crumb-like, add melted butter and continue to process. Pour crumb mixture into springform pan and press with your fingers to line the pan. Place the pan in the refrigerator to set while you prepare the cheesecake.
• Place a kettle of water on for water bath. In a food processor beat the cream cheese until smooth, add the sugar, eggs, egg yolks, and lime juice.
• Take crumbed pan from the refrigerator and place it in a roasting pan. Pour the cheesecake mixture into the crumb pan, and then carefully pour the hot kettle of water into the roasting pan so the water reaches 1/2 way up the pan so the water does not splash into cheese cake.
• Place roasting pan in oven for 1 hour, checking after 50 minutes. It should feel set, but still wobbly in the center. Take the roasting pan out of the oven, carefully remove the springform pan from the roasting pan and place it on a rack. Peel off the outer layer of foil, and tear away the side bits of the first layer of foil and leave the pan to cool. Once the cake comes to room temperature, place it in the refrigerator for 20 minutes before serving. Transfer to the plate you're going to serve it on, a plate without a lip, or a cake stand. Unclip the springform pan and remove the outer part. Carfully lift the cheesecake removing the metal bottom. The aluminum foil can stay on the cake. Serve chilled.

CLASSIC DELICIOUS NEW YORK CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• To make the crust, mix graham crackers crumbs, butter, and 2 tablespoons of sugar in bowl.
• Press mixture in bottom and sides of 9 inch springform pan.
• In mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and remaining sugar for 2 minutes.
• Add eggs and vanilla to mixture and mix until well blended.
• Then stir or fold in sour cream.
• Pour mixture in crust filled pan and bake for 10 minutes.
• Then reduce to 200 degrees to bake for 45 minutes.
• From here the cheese cake just needs to be chilled, but I recommend doing the following step if you have a few extra hours- Leave in warm oven, once you turn it off but leave door slightly open.
• Let sit and cool for 2 hours and remove from oven.
• Remove sides from pan and chill in refrigerator.

THE ULTIMATE MAKEOVER: NEW YORK CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Line a 20cm loose-bottomed or springform tin with baking parchment and stand it on a baking sheet. Melt the butter and stir in the biscuit crumbs. Press the mix into the base of the tin, then bake for 10 mins. Remove from the oven and raise the temperature to 240C/fan 220C/gas 9.
• For the filling, beat the soft cheese just until smooth with an electric hand mixer on low speed. Gradually add the sugar, also on a low speed, then the cornflour without overbeating. Scrape the sides of the bowl. Slowly whisk in the lemon zest and juice, the vanilla, then the eggs. Scrape the sides of the bowl, then finally whiskin the fromage frais. The mixture should be smooth and quite runny.
• Pour the filling over the crumb base. Jiggle the tin to level the mix and squash surface bubbles with the back of a teaspoon. Bake for 10 mins, then lower the heat to 110C/fan 90C/gas ¼. Bake another 25 mins and, if you are using an electric oven, leave the oven door slightly ajar for the first 3 mins. After the 25 mins, shake the tin and there should be a wobble in the centre of the filling. If left until firmer it is more likely to crack later. Turn off the oven, keep the door closed and leave the cake in for 2 hrs. Open the door, loosen the top edges of the cake with a round bladed knife, then leave in the oven to cool gently for another 1-1½ hrs.
• Meanwhile, put the sugar for the topping in a small pan with 3 tbsp water. Bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar, then let it bubble for 1-2 mins to make a thin syrup. Tip in the blueberries, gently stir and cook for about 1 min, just to slightly burst the fruit and release the purple juices. Stir in the lime zest, then leave to cool.
• Spread the fromage frais over the top of the cooled cheesecake. Cover with foil and chill for at least 4 hrs (or overnight). Remove from the fridge 1 hr before serving, loosen the sides of the cheesecake completely, remove from the tin, then slide onto a plate, peeling off the paper as you do. Slice with a sharp knife and serve each wedge topped with a spoonful of syrupy blueberries.