Week 7 Pass it On! Sweet Things.

We had a BBQ the other night, the first of the year... Even though we have had mild temperatures all winter and spring long it  hasn't exactly translated into glorious warm weather yet. It has been a tease, warm cloudy drizzly days and cool clear ones, not quite sitting outside weather. We have had a bit of turn around this week, clear weather, warmer temperatures and a visit from a friend... To honour that I made a dessert for this weeks pass it on from Jamie's chapter Sweet Things.

I had high hopes for this dessert, just like the weather all spring long it just didn't quite do what I expected. I would not say it was a flop completely but I will say that it didn't stand up to my expectations literally. It was a kinda a runny gooey mess that tasted fabulous!

Help! let us out!

Here is the recipe for this weeks pass it on, remember to try it, blog about it, pass it on to your family and friends and link it to my blog to if you do... Maybe you will have luck than me (but I have some helpful hints to ensure that you do)!

Each step took minutes to make, but there was a longer setting time between each, something to account for, making it a great recipe for a party. You can make the crust, do other things, you can make the filling do other things and when you have an extra minute make the topping! The total active time was about half an hour, minimum resting/setting time 2 hrs but more if you have the time.

Vanilla Cheesecake With a (Rasp)Berry Topping

(I used Strawberries, Adapted From Jamie's Food Revolution)

• 13 Tbsp, butter divided, plus extra for greasing
• 1 cup rolled oats (not instant)
• 2 cups graham crackers crumbs
• 1 vanilla bean or  1 tsp extract
• 3 X 8 oz bars of cream cheese
• 3/4 cup super fine (berry) sugar
• 1 lemon, zest & juice
• 1 orange, zest
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream

Berry Topping

• 1/2 cup super fine (berry) sugar
• 4 cups raspberries or other fruit, (roughly chopped)

A couple of important notes that I will start off right away, in my quest to do most things natural and local etc, etc and so on I used an organic cream cheese from a local producer, this cheese was too soft! And or the recipe called for too much cream, I have not figured out which. Also my local Whole Foods did not have graham cracker crumbs, or even regular crackers. The choices where store brand graham bears or gluten free crackers. As none of us eating had any specific allergies I opted for the bears. As for the berries I used Strawberries to keep things relatively affordable, california strawberries are coming north by the truck load as we have no local berries right now!

First things first if you were unable to find graham cracker crumbs, make them yourself by bashing, rolling or smashing them. It was slightly theraputic crushing the little bear crackers.

The base- Grease a 9 in springform pan with butter. Put a sauce pan on medium low heat and toast the rolled oats until they are darker in colour, turn down heat to (a bear) low, add your butter and cracker crumbs, stir until everything is mixed and butter is melted. Remove from heat, spoon the mixture into the base of the springform pan, pat down to create a level packed base and let cool for an hour in the refrigerator.

The Filling- I used a teaspoon of vanilla extract so I skipped this step but, cut your vanilla bean open length wise, scrape your knife along the inside to remove the seeds and put them in the bowl with your cream cheese, sugar, lemon zest, juice and orange zest and combine. In a separate bowl whip the cream until soft peaks form. Gently fold half of the cream into the cream cheese mixture and then the other half. Once it all blended spoon over the base and let set for an hour (or more)

For the topping, macerate your berries along with the sugar, hands are best. The Strawberries I roughly chopped them first put them in a bowl dumped the sugar over top and then  squished them through my hands.

To serve, remove the cheesecake from the springform pan by gently running a blade along the inside to loosen the cheese away from the pan. Open the pan and put it on a serving platter. Spread the berry mixture over top or spoon over individual servings.

My friends and family LOVED the flavour of this cheesecake even though I was disappointed in the outcome. My cheese was too soft making the thing too soft and it was kinda a flop... a big flop... I am still cleaning the melted cheese from the patio table.

photos by me.

Remember if you pass this recipe on or if you have another that you want to share just add your link below.