[Sca-cooks] Re: Playing with cheesecake...

[elisabetta at klotz.org]

>> So there is cream cheese-based NY style, which is purely American,
>
> I've heard it said that the New York style is derived from Russian
> Jewish versions... it's not something I can easily verify, though.
>
> Adamantius

I wouldn't say Russian, but Eastern-European Jews... and that is correct.
The ricotta version is Italian Jews, but Eastern-European Jews would use a
soft curd cheese (homemade) and sour cream. It's the sour cream and cheese
mixture which makes it's Eastern European. It's not our fault that the
Sephardics have all the good food.

According to the Joy of Cooking there are 2 types of cheesecakes: ricotta
and curd. Cream cheese came into play and replaced the curd cheese. Unless
cream cheese is a form of curd cheese? I don't know much about cheeses;
only like the white ones- ricotta, mozzerella, munster, swiss, gouda...

Anyway, as promised:

Aunt Jeannie's Famous Cheesecake Cupcakes

2 lbs of cream cheese (6 packages)
2 cups sugar
1 to 2 eggs
2 gurlgs of vanilla (about 1.5 to 2 tblspn)
alum. cupcake foil holders
cookie crumbs, graham crakces, crushed almonds, or nothing for bottom

Heat overn to 350. Line 2 to 3 dozen cupcake tins with alum cupcake foil.
If crust is wanted, add to bottom. you can use anything. Even an oreo
would work.
Mix softened cream cheese, sugar, egg(s), and vanilla. Blend with electric
mixure until all lumps are gone and blended smoothly. Fill cupcake foil
about 2/3s. Bake for 50 minutes (until tops brown). Turn off oven and open
a crack. Leave cupcakes in for at least 2 hours (overnight is fine.)
These can be frozen (you can eat them that way also).
Fat-free or low-fat or a combination of cream cheeses can be used. If
using Splenda, add another 1/4 cup (2.25 cups total). You can also add
chips or other things. I freeze these guys for war. Makes about 2 to 3
dozen.

Chocolate whiskey cheesecake

1.5 lb cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tbspn cocoa powder
2 teaspn ground ginger
2/3 cup whipping cream
8 oz semisweet choc, broken in piecs or chips
1/3 cup whiskey

I buy the pre-made crusts, but if you want to make one it's 1/4 cup butter
and 1.75 cups crushed ginger snaps. Melt butter, stir in ginger snaps.
press into bottom of greased 8 inch springform pan.
Heat overn to 350. Beat cream cheese, brown sugar, cocoa, ginger and eggs
until smooth. Bring the cream to a boil, remove from heat and add in
chocolate, stir untile melted. Stir whiskyer into cream/chocolate mixture.
Mix into cream cheese mixture. Spoon into crust.
Bake for 45 minutes or unitl sets.

Torta Ebraica di Ricotta (Italian Jewish Cheesecake)
(period style; create from historical evidence and other period recipes)

32 ounces ricotta cheese
6 eggs, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
dash of lemon juice (optional)

Directions:
Grease 2 8-inch aluminum pans. Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Beat the ricotta cheese with an electric beater until fluffy.
Add the eggs, one at a time.
Then add the sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, and lemon juice.
Pour batter into the prepared cake pans.
Bake until cheesecake is golden, and firm in the middle - about 1 hour.
You can add pine nuts, raisins, cherries, and liqueur to this cake.

If you decide to go fat-free or low-fat and splenda, I suggest adding some
lime juice. This hides the low-fat taste very nicely.

Enjoy!
:)
Elisabetta