Monday 1 December 2014

Blueberry Cheesecake


It is now the final month of the year. How time flies! Soon it will be 2015 and that time of year again for new year resolutions. I am not in the habit of making resolutions but for 2015 I think I may have a few. "I will eat less carbohydrates" is not of them though hee..hee..


Since we are at the year end, it is time to do a stock take of what is sitting in the fridge. I see two tubs of sour cream with expiry dates looming near. Then there are 3 bottles (why 3 ah???) of blueberry jam. One has got about 1 tablespoon of jam, the second 1/2 full while the third is 3/4 full. I cannot remember why I have these 3 bottles of jam and they are taking up space.


So to get rid of at least 2 of them, it would be a good idea to bake a blueberry cheesecake. As I gathered all my ingredients, I discovered to my dismay that the bottle of jam that was 1/2 full had gone bad. Look at how yucky it is. What a waste. But not totally as I emptied the contents into my compost bin and buried it.

Eeeeks!! Fungus!
I usually bake 8" cheesecakes and this time, I decided to use my cute 6" springform pan. I don't usually bake small cakes but somehow that 6" pan caught my eye and I bought it on a whim. With such a small pan, I needed only one package of cream cheese and only 1/2 tub of sour cream. I'll have to find something else to bake with the remaining sour cream.


The funny thing is that this little cake took 1 hour 10 minutes to bake, same timing as my 8" cake. I would have thought that it would be done in about 45 minutes or so. But never mind, it was a Saturday and it was a free and easy day. By the way, I had a small disaster while mopping the floor. My mop broke.


Luckily, I was already done and this happened when I was twisting the mop to squeeze out the water. I'll have to buy a new one and that handle could come in handy in the garden. I can use it as stake for those floppy plants. Oh dear, how did I get from blueberry cheesecake to broken mop?


I am happy that my little blueberry cheesecake turned out pretty well. The only thing I was not happy with is the crust. I usually bake the crust for about 10 minutes first (for an 8" cake) although it is not necessary. This time I just chilled it and I think there is a textural and taste difference between a digestive biscuit crust that is baked and non-baked. But that's just me.


I love this cheesecake though it was a tad too sweet due to the jam. The jam I used for the filling is a no-sugar added one while the one for the topping, though organic, has sugar added. Well, that was phase 1 of my stock clearance. There will be more to come!












Blueberry Cheesecake
Recipe source : Adapted from Aunty Young
(Makes one 6" cake)

Ingredients :
- 100g digestive biscuits, finely crushed
- 50g melted butter
- 250g cream cheese, at room temperature
- 125g sour cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 100g caster sugar (please adjust according to sweetness of the jam you are using)
- 2 eggs
- Blueberry jam

Method :
1. Generously grease a 6" springform pan with butter. Wrap the bottom of then pan with double layer of aluminum foil and set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl, mix crushed digestive biscuits with melted butter until mixture resembles wet sand.
3. Pour mixture into the pan and using your fingers, press the mixture evenly onto the bottom of them pan. Place pan in the fridge to chill while you prepare the filling. (I would prefer to bake the crust in future at 140C for about 8-10 minutes)
4. In a mixing bowl add cream cheese and sugar.
5. Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until it is creamy.
6. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
7. Add sour cream and vanilla extract and beat until just combined.
8. Remove about 1 cup of the cheese mixture and mix it with two tablespoons of blueberry jam. Set aside.
9. Pour the remaining plain filling into the cake pan.
10. Drop table spoonfuls of the blueberry cheese mixture into the filling and then using a butter knife, swirl the batter.
11. Place the pan into another bigger baking pan. Fill the bigger pan with boiling water until water level reaches halfway up the cake pan.
12. Bake at 140C for 1 hour 10 minutes or until the outer ring of the cake is firm but the middle is still jiggly. (Note : Your cake could be done is lesser time, check after 40 minutes)
13. Leave the cake in the oven with door ajar for 30 minutes.
14. Remove from oven and leave to cool before unmoulding the cake.
15. Once cool, spread blueberry jam on top of the cake and chill for a few hours before serving.

53 comments:

  1. Seeing this post of yours made me go to my fridge...and lo and behold, I too have a soon-to-be- expired bottle of St Dalfour Four Fruits jam! I understand why you find this cheesecake too sweet coz those jam (without sugar) is sweet enough from the natural sugars already.

    P/S: Don't know why my last post (on Fri) did not show up in your blog roll (and others too)....like it was lost in Twilight Zone or something :D (it kept showing the previous post on Wed). Today, it's back to normal...yay ;)

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    1. I love the St Dalfour jams. In fact I have one bottle of the Black Cherry in my pantry. Must use it up soon!

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  2. Morning sweetie.. Uiiks, how come there's a mop picture in between the pretty blueberry cheesecake pictures? LOL.. Kam ngam I had New York cheesecake from SR yesterday, "sik dou mm kau hau" (never enough), and then, today, I see your blueberry cheesecake! A whole cake somemore! You know my favourite phrase, I could finish the whole thing you know, with just a spoon, ok no need spoon, just my fingers.. Recipe looks easy, your instructions are simple too, I think can follow, but you know what's stopping me - the water bath..Sigh..

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    1. Hi Louiz! Yup, you can finish this cake in one sitting because it is a small one. Water bath is not that difficult lah. Just sit your baking pan in another bigger pan and pour boiling water in. I used to be quite negative about water bath too but now I am OK with it :)

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  3. Omg, this cheesecake looks amazing!! I SERIOUSLY need to make cheesecake soon!

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  4. Hi Phong Hong,

    I'm a fussy person!!! And usually do my stock check regularly :p

    You are funny showing a broken mop in between pictures of nice cheesecake... Geez! You must a strong gal! Mopping is a good exercise but don't use too much strength!!! ha ha ha! :p

    Zoe

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    1. Hi Zoe! That is good practice and avoids wastage. I tend to overstock my stuff and sometimes end up wasting :(

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  5. yeah, many years ago I have already stopped with the so called "resolution" thing already.. because each year I failed and it repeated over and over again for the next years.. ah, might s well forget about it and enjoy life lah, haha!! :D

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    1. SK, no need resolutions lah, huh? Just do and live the new year as best we can :)

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  6. I am not going to comment about your broken mop (muahahaha!!) but thought you could be one KUAT lady instead, hehe! okay back to your blueberry cheesecake.. I love this, it is so classic and i like the color as well, so nice to have a slice with a cup of tea.. with blueberry toppings and blueberry fillings, sounds so so so nice and I can imagine it taste so so so good!!! :)

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    1. hee..hee.. the mop handle rusted and that's why it broke. The organic jam is pretty good as it has very high blueberry content. I only wish that they did not add sugar to it.

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  7. Ok, lots of people would love this, I know.

    Yup!!! The poor quality of things these days, terrible - happens to my mops, broom for sweeping the drains...ALL the time. Tsk! Tsk!

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    1. Yeah, things are not made to last these days. I'll have to buy a new one :(

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  8. Hi Phong Hong,
    Your cheesecake looks yummy! A great idea to use up all the leftover jams. Luckily I'm only left with a bottle, but I've just made some new ones last week! hahaha!
    Resolutions? I gave that up long ago! Never stick to my plans anyway, so less stressful if there are no plans to follow!
    Nowadays the quality of mops are not like the good old days. The handles get broken easily and even the mop bundle of yarn, are much shorter, hence it is difficult to wring them dry, because I could not get a good grasp of it when using my hands! "Lagi pendek, lagi mahal"!! same as some store-bought food, which claimed to have, 'less oil, less sugar, less salt" but more costly!

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    1. Hi Joyce! I love buying jams but I hardly eat them. So I thought why not use it with cheesecake. It is so much easier than making blueberry compote. I shall go mop hunting end of the week hah...hah...

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  9. Your cheesecake (minus the mop, ha ha) looks so mouth watering.....its a real torture for me looking at your cheesecake and not able to eat it.

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    1. hah..hah... Nancy, I was hoping that moping the floor would burn off some calories from the cheesecake :D

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  10. Will be nice if i were your neighbour, hehehehe...

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  11. it look good!I must finally do some research in my fridge to see what treasures it has:)

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    1. Ola, there are lots of treasures in my fridge and freezer!

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  12. I was slowly scrooling down admiri g your delicious cheesecake.....then suddenly.....eh....what is the mop doing here in a food post ah....alamak!! Nevertheless.....love the bluberries topping on your cheesecake

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    1. Hi Mel! hah..hah.. just sharing that my mop broke LOL!

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  13. Your cheesecake looks perfect.Thumbs Up!

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    1. Thank you, Ann! I am thinking of baking another one soon.

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  14. Haha you just reminded me that I should do a spring clean of my fridge before 2015 arrives. Your cheesecake looks good :)

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    1. Thanks, Yen! I have a few more clean ups to do. Note to self : Must not overstock!

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  15. Long time never bake cheesecake, hmm see if I can find mojo this week ;)

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    1. Hayley, if you do bake, please share hee..hee..

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  16. Hahaha, thanks for showing off to me How to Properly Bake a Blueberry Cheesecake :D

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    1. hee..hee... You should try this one :)

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  17. Hee hee ! Phong Hong, you are so funny ... out of the blue (well, Blueberry Cheesecake), you showed a broken mop.
    The slices of Blueberry Cheesecake looked so yummy although I'm not a big fan of cheese cake.

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    1. Hi Karen! hee..hee... I thought it would be nice to share my weekend mopping disaster.

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  18. Yearning for one piece exactly like yours here!! Yummmmsss!!

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    1. Claire, can buy at the bakery hee..hee...

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  19. So any more pieces left in your fridge? If yes, please send some over. Thank you very much! :D

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    1. Mun, these things don't last very long LOL!

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  20. ya wor...i was wondering too why mop leh...the cake drop or what LOL. I have encounter broken mop too. The batang i dont throw. Put in the garden to hold up my plants

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    1. Meow, I also intend to use it in the garden :)

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  21. Hi Phong Hong, U showed how to use up the bottles of jams stashed away in the fridge and I super likey! I should start on the clearing-jam project too :)

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    1. Hi Janice! Yeah, can also use for muffins :)

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    2. Oh ya! Spot on Phong Hong, you are one good baker! Thanks :D

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  22. Cheesecake is always my favourite, you reminded me I didnt bake it for so long :p

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  23. Hi friend,
    Just by looking at your poor mop I can tell how rajin you are! As your reward, I'll inform Santa to throw a new mop down the chimney for you. Hahahaha! XD
    On a different topic, great job with the cheesecake! Also, thank you for linking back to my blog. :)

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    1. Aunty Young, I shall look forwards to a mop with a ribbon tied to the handle on Christmas day LOL! I have not baked a 6"cheesecake before and I used your recipe as guidance. Many thanks!

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  24. Hi Phong Hong, this blueberry cheesecake is very tempting and beautiful. yeah, you are right, it's the end of the year, I need to clear my fridge too, hahaa... Well, your mop is telling you to change a new one to welcome the year 2015! So, do enjoy the last month of 2014 and start preparing for 2015!

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    1. Hi Ivy! There are many more things in the fridge and freezer. Some I don't even know what they are hah..hah...

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  25. i love blueberry cheesecake, it's one of my favourites! i nvr tried with blueberry jam tho, only with blueberry pie filling! cheesecake and a broken mop..hehe...you are funny , my friend!

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    1. Lena, it's my favorite too but I don't want to buy blueberry filling. By the way, I already bought a new mop hee..hee..

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