Perfect Harmony
Did you know that there is a food holiday every day of the year? Some may not be terribly appealing to me, like Bratwurst Day and Chop Suey Day, but July’s Raspberry Day and Cheesecake Day were winners in my book.
The combination of these last two ‘holidays’ reminded me how much I love Raspberry Cheesecake. I blogged mine a ways back, but was in the mood to mix things up a bit.
When I first attempted my Raspberry Ginger Cake, I did not know how these flavors would work together. Happily, I found they complemented each other beautifully, which brings me full circle to today’s recipe, Raspberry Ginger Cheesecake. Starting to follow how I think?
Ginger can be very strong and I did not want to make the mistake of having it take over the cheesecake, but I wanted each bite to offer a blend of the two flavors. I decided to try a ginger cookie crust with delicious cookies I bought at Whole Foods.
Fresh raspberries are folded into the cream cheese filling and also placed on top of the raspberry jam that covers the top of the cooled cheesecake.
Ginger on the bottom is good. Ginger on top, as well, is superb. I chopped up crystallized ginger and placed pieces around the top both over and next to the raspberries. The end result is a delicious harmony of flavors in each and every bite.
I shall leave it to others to celebrate Rarebit Day, TV Dinner Day and Roast Pheasant Day. I am ready for next years Cheesecake Day and Raspberry Day.
| Raspberry Ginger Cheesecake | | Print |
- Crust:
- 16 ounces (1 pound) ginger cookies
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- Cream cheese filling:
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 4 - 8 ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
- 1¼ cups sugar
- 4 eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ pint raspberries, washed and dried
- Topping:
- ¾ cup seedless raspberry jam
- 1 pint raspberries, washed and dried
- 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped crystallized ginger
- For the crust:
- Preheat the oven to 325°. Set aside a 10" cake pan.
- Combine the cookies a food processor fitted with a metal blade and process until they are the consistency of powder. Add the melted butter and pulse on/off until well blended. Grease the cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. Transfer the crust mixture to the pan and pat evenly onto the bottom and up ¼” of the side. Set aside.
- For the cream cheese filling:
- Beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes, scraping the bowl down as needed. Add the eggs one at a time and mix until smooth. Add the vanilla. Remove from the mixer and gently fold in the raspberries.
- Pour the filling into the pan and bake at 325° for 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely on a cooling rack. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
- Cover a 12” round cakeboard round with plastic wrap. Place the cheesecake in a larger pan. Fill halfway up the side of the cheesecake pan with very warm water. Let sit for about 20 seconds. Take cheesecake out of the water and dry the pan. Cover with the 12” covered cakeboard and turn upside down. Tap firmly once or twice against the countertop to loosen the cake from the pan. Remove the cake pan. Place a serving plate over the bottom of the cheesecake and invert. Prepare the topping.
- For the topping:
- Place the jam a small saucepan. Cook over low heat just until the mixture is smooth. Cool to room temperature. Pour evenly over the top of the cheesecake, leaving a ¼” rim of cheesecake showing. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Place the raspberries on the top of the cheesecake, starting on the outside and working towards the center. Place the pieces of ginger around the top both over and next to the raspberries. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 hours.
- Betsy's tidbit:
- Raspberry Ginger Cheesecake may also be prepared in a springform pan. Once the cake cools, remove the side of the pan and refrigerate for several hours or overnight before topping.
If I say this is your best ever, I may look back upon other comments I have made and find it’s redundant. But, I just have to say it, anyway. Why? Because it was my first reaction when I ate it; but then I waited for the comments of those to whom I had given the rest of the cake and every single person without knowing what the others had said summed it up the same way.
No one could decide what part of the cake they liked the best: the crust, the filling, the raspberries, the jam or the bits of ginger. And finally they all concluded it was absolutely the most perfect blend of all the ingredients that you could have created.
If people shy away from the recipe, because they don’t like ginger, try it. Because the ginger is so subtle when mixed with the other ingredients that you barely notice it. This is too outstanding too pass up.
S.,
Thank you. What glowing reviews from everyone. I LOVE IT!