Dreamy Midsummer Cheesecake

Welcome to the dreamer's magic. This cheesecake is full and rich of flavors, yet it contains reduced fat whipped cream and use 1 package of cream cheese. Many versions of cheesecakes, that claimed to be richy and 'dreamy' uses a lot quantity of dairy products, mainly the cream cheese and / or the sour cream, whipping cream and sometimes includes the yoghurt. Now this recipe I've obtained from my favorite cooking book, what a great cookers might like to have. The book has a good quality of illustrations, making it the first in choice for the cookers in doubt. If I have to make a quick choice when looked at the book at first place, I'll choose it. No matter the recipes inside are easy to follow, with a full description of recipes.
Ok, I don't have enough time to mention about the book alot, but I might introduce it to you the title of the book. Its called "TESCO COOKERY COLLECTION - Cheesecakes". It has a smaller size, handy to use in the kitchen with a hardcover skin.

Here I'll try to include the recipe I've just followed, and there may have be a copyright against it, but this is just the way I want to show you what I've cooked in the past, and how did I cooked it!


Dreamy midsummer's cheesecake



Serves 8

For the base:
50g (2 oz) margarine or butter, melted
50g (2 oz) caster sugar
100g (4 oz) ratafias or macaroons, crushed

For the Filling:
15 g (1 1/2 oz) sachet powdered gelatine
3 tbls water
225g (8 0z) full fat soft cheese
2 eggs, seperated
100g (4 oz) caster sugar
grated rind of 1 orange
a few drops of almond essence
142 ml (5 fl oz) carton double or whipping cream (I'm using the Emborg brand, which contains around 35% of cream)

To decorate:

225-350g (8-12 oz) mixed strawberries, cherries or raspberries and redcurrents(I've used dragon fruits, strawberries and some mangoes)
3 tbls redcurrent jelly
1 tbls strained orange juice


Grease a loose-bottomed or spring-form 18-20 cm(7-8 inch) cake tin.
Mix the melted margarine with the sugar and ratafia crumbs. (However, I've omitted the sugar for this part, and used the marie biscuits instead). Spoon into the greased tin and press evenly over the base. Chill the biscuit base in the refrigerator while making the almond-flavoured filling.
Sprinkle the gelatine over the water in a heatproof bowl and leave for 2-3 minutes until spongy. Stand the bowl in a pan of hot water and stir until the gelatine has dissolved. Set the liquid gelatine aside to cool slightly.
Beat the cheese in a bowl until softened. Beat in the egg yolks, half the sugar, the orange rind, almond essence and cream. Stir in the liquid gelatine. Leave the mixture until it is on the point of setting.
Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then whisk in the remaining caster sugar. Using a large metal spoon, fold lightly, but thoroughly, into the cheese mixture.
Turn the mixture into the prepared tin and gently tilt and tip it to level the surface. Chill in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours, or until set.
Run a round-bladed knife around the sides of the cheesecake. Melt the jelly with the orange juice in a small saucepan over low heat; cool slightly, then brush or spoon over the fruit. Transfer the cheesecake to a serving plate. Allow the glaze to set before serving the cheesecake well chilled.

Well done, do let the cheesecake to completely set before serving, as this need the usage of refrigerater even after the cheesecake has been served, and being eaten! This is because of the humidity differences, the temperature changes and also the ingredients type that may differs across a countries or regions. For example, I am using the Emborg Whipped cream, which contains 35% cream only, unlike the others that available in Malaysia, like President or Anchor, which may contain more cream. This should also taken into account when baking, because you may/may not get surprised when you saw your final product get melted into the plate after leaved for too long outside the refrigerator, and this is what happened to my very last piece!