Name: The ultimate makeover: New York cheesecake
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 4 h 40 min
Yield: Cuts into 10 slices
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 35g butter; 85g reduced-fat digestive biscuit finely crushed; 2 x 300g/11oz tubs light soft cheese, we used Philadelphia cheese at room temperature; 175g golden caster sugar; 3 tbsp cornflour; 1 ½ tsp finely grated lemon zest preferably using a Microplane grater; 1 tsp lemon juice; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 3 eggs room temperature, beaten; 150g fromage frais; 25g golden caster sugar; 225g punnet blueberry; ½ tsp finely grated lime zest; 100g fromage frais

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The ultimate makeover: New York cheesecake

The ultimate makeover: New York cheesecake

Angela Nilsen

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Cuts into 10 slices

Easy

Prep: 25 mins

Cook: 45 mins

Plus 3½ hrs cooling and overnight chilling

A star rating of 4.7 out of 5.57 ratingsRate

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Angela Nilsen rises to the ultimate challenge - keeping a cheesecake creamy and decadent while making it healthier and lighter

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Ingredients

Nutrition

Units:

MetricUS

For the base

35g butter
85g reduced-fat digestive biscuit

finely crushed

For the filling

2 x 300g/11oz tubs light soft cheese, we used Philadelphia cheese

at room temperature
175g golden caster sugar
3 tbsp cornflour
1 ½ tsp finely grated lemon zest

preferably using a Microplane grater
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs

room temperature, beaten
150g fromage frais

For the topping

25g golden caster sugar
225g punnet blueberry
½ tsp finely grated lime

zest
100g fromage frais

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Nutrition: per serving

kcal315
fat15g
saturates8g
carbs37g
sugars28g
fibre1g
protein9g
salt0.89g

low

Method

step 1

Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Line a 20cm loose-bottomed or springform tin with baking parchment and stand it on a baking sheet. Melt the butter and stir in the biscuit crumbs. Press the mix into the base of the tin, then bake for 10 mins. Remove from the oven and raise the temperature to 240C/fan 220C/gas 9.
step 2

For the filling, beat the soft cheese just until smooth with an electric hand mixer on low speed. Gradually add the sugar, also on a low speed, then the cornflour without overbeating. Scrape the sides of the bowl. Slowly whisk in the lemon zest and juice, the vanilla, then the eggs. Scrape the sides of the bowl, then finally whiskin the fromage frais. The mixture should be smooth and quite runny.
step 3

Pour the filling over the crumb base. Jiggle the tin to level the mix and squash surface bubbles with the back of a teaspoon. Bake for 10 mins, then lower the heat to 110C/fan 90C/gas ¼. Bake another 25 mins and, if you are using an electric oven, leave the oven door slightly ajar for the first 3 mins. After the 25 mins, shake the tin and there should be a wobble in the centre of the filling. If left until firmer it is more likely to crack later. Turn off the oven, keep the door closed and leave the cake in for 2 hrs. Open the door, loosen the top edges of the cake with a round bladed knife, then leave in the oven to cool gently for another 1-1½ hrs.
step 4

Meanwhile, put the sugar for the topping in a small pan with 3 tbsp water. Bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar, then let it bubble for 1-2 mins to make a thin syrup. Tip in the blueberries, gently stir and cook for about 1 min, just to slightly burst the fruit and release the purple juices. Stir in the lime zest, then leave to cool.
step 5

Spread the fromage frais over the top of the cooled cheesecake. Cover with foil and chill for at least 4 hrs (or overnight). Remove from the fridge 1 hr before serving, loosen the sides of the cheesecake completely, remove from the tin, then slide onto a plate, peeling off the paper as you do. Slice with a sharp knife and serve each wedge topped with a spoonful of syrupy blueberries.

RECIPE TIPS

MAKING IT HEALTHIER

A slice of traditional cheesecake contains 519 kcalories, 38g fat (21g of which is saturated fat). My version contains 315 kcalories, 15g fat (8g is saturated fat). We made a thinner crust, used low-fat creme cheese and fromage frais instead of sour cream.

Recipe from Good Food magazine, May 2008

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A star rating of 4.7 out of 5.57 ratings

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