Cheesecake

There's a lot of different ways to make cheesecake. I've made it with ricotta, cream cheese, and cottage cheese - both on their own or mixed. Each one is a little different, but all were quite good. 

Interestingly, cheesecake may have Greek origins. Evidence of cheese molds have been found from 2,000 B.C., and documentation suggests that cheesecake was served at the first Olympic games in 776 B.C. (appropriate, given the Olympics are currently taking place in Paris as I write this). Flour, wheat, honey and cheese were combined and baked to form a cake, and were considered a good source of energy. Back then, the cheeses were feta and mizithra, so this was not the same cheesecake we know today. But the Romans in 1545 published a recipe with a sweet cheesecake, but it was in the 1800's that cheesecake evolved into what we generally know today.

Cream cheese was added by Americans, which came about as a farmer attempting to recreate Neufchatel made cream cheese (this also let me to look up the difference between the two, and Neufchatel has less fat and more moisture. I've found it to taste sweeter, also). It was Arnold Reuben (of Reuben sandwich glory) who created the first New York cheesecake we know today, which came about once cream cheese included stabilizers that allowed it to maintain that creamy texture we know.

Looping back to the different cheeses used today, one source indicates the following: The Greeks used feta and mizithra, Romans use ricotta, Germans use cottage cheese, and Japanese use cornstarch and egg whites. I'm happy to say I've eaten all of the above, as I sought out a Japanese cheesecake in Las Vegas (it was light, airy, and delightful). While many have a cookie crumb base, some New York style cheese cakes (a la Junior's) have a cake base, which I made some time ago.

I skipped the prep photos because this was just a matter of tossing ingredients in the blender. I made the crust by tossing speculoos cookes in my blender/food processor (I have a small Ninja that is kind of both), then pressed them into two pans with butter. I baked the cookie crust for about 10 minutes in the oven to firm it up. I rinsed the blender out, then added my cream cheese, cottage cheese, eggs, lemon juice, vanilla extract. After this was blended smooth, I poured the filling into the crusts and placed in the oven.

I baked the cheesecakes for about an hour until they were set. If you have the time, I highly recommend wrapping the bases of the pans in foil, placing in a larger pan filled with water, and baking this for an hour and 30 minutes to an hour and 45 minutes at the same temperature. I've done this recipe both ways, and the second results in a perfect creaminess throughout and no browned edges.

After that, I let it cool, then refrigerated it until serving time. Of course, a regular bake still results in an excellent cake. The combination of cream and cottage cheeses result in a wondrous flavor and a light texture. It was smooth.

Full of flavor and made without a huge amount of effort, cheesecake is an excellent choice for having guests over or your partner who thinks it is the best dessert ever's birthday celebration. I can think of many reasons to enjoy this piece of Olympic history.

Cheesecake Recipe
Note: this recipe was split between two 6 inch cake pans. It will make a tall cheesecake in a regular cake pan.

Ingredients: 

1 cup finely crushed graham crackers or speculoos cookies
6 tablespoons melted butter
2 packages cream cheese (8 ounces each)
2 cups cottage cheese

3/4 cup sugar

4 eggs

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions: 
Heat oven to 325 degrees F. In a springform pan or pie dish, mix crushed up graham crackers and melted butter, then press into the dish. Place in the oven for 5-10 minutes to bake the crust. Add cream cheese, cottage cheese, and sugar to a food processor or blender and mix until smooth. Add eggs and blend again. Add in salt, lemon juice, and vanilla extract and blend to combine. Pour filling into pie dish. For best results, place pie dish into a larger pan, then fill large pan with warm water until the pie dish is 2/3 submerged (for springform pans, wrap base in foil to prevent leaks). Place in the oven for 1 and a half hours. Alternatively, bake for about 35-40 minutes, until edges pull away from pan. After baking, allow to cool for one hour, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours prior to serving.