Sunday 18 October 2015

Hazelnut Strawberry Cheesecake


I know what's on your mind when you read the post title and then looked at my cheesecake. What strawberry? Where is the strawberry? 

The original recipe is Hazelnut Raspberry Cheesecake. And the cake in the cookbook was decorated with raspberries (a very costly commodity is Malaysia). Without the pretty raspberries, you would be asking the same questions above.


The raspberry part in the cake is raspberry conserve (jam). I had a small bottle, bought specially for the recipe quite some time ago. But when the time came to bake this cake, the darn bottle cap refused to come off. It was so tightly screwed on that I simply gave up after a few tries. My partner was not at home, or else I would have utilized his muscle power.


In my desperation, I used the strawberry conserve in the fridge. It was a very good strawberry jam and I reckon that it should be a good substitute. 


When preparing the batter, 3/4 is supposed to be poured into the pan and the remaining 1/4 is mixed with hazelnut spread (I used Nutella) and the jam. This 1/4 portion is then dropped onto the plain batter by the tablespoonfuls. 


I can never get my proportions right and ended up with more than 1/4 which resulted in too much brown batter which covered the entire plain batter. Bah! So, I simply poured all the Nutella portion onto the plain batter. Instead of  a dotted cake, I got a two-toned cake.


It turned out alright. And since I had extra ganache, I drizzled some onto the cake to decorate it. It looked quite nice to me. 

This cheesecake is good. I mean, how could it not be good with Nutella and lashings of melted chocolate? I couldn't taste the strawberry jam at all. Perhaps, the recommended amount (1/3 cup) is too little to make any difference. But I think the strawberry or raspberry for that matter is insignificant. 


Perhaps once I get my bottle of raspberry jam opened, I should re-attempt this recipe. In the meantime, I will just enjoy this version which I think is just as good as the original.











Hazelnut Strawberry Cheesecake
Recipe source : Adapted from Favourite Cupcakes and Cheesecakes (page 103)

Ingredients :

Cheesecake Base :
- 150g Digestive biscuits, finely crushed
- 50g melted butter

Cheesecake Filling :
- 500g creamcheese, at room temperature
- 200g caster sugar (can be reduced to 150g since Nutella is sweet)
- 3 large eggs
- 125ml sour cream
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 100g Nutella
- 1/3 cup strawberry jam (suggest 1/2 cup)

Method :
1. Grease an 8" springform pan and set asided.
2. In a mixing bowl, mix the crushed Digestive biscuits with melted butter.
3. Pour the mixture into the springform pan and press onto the base of the pan.
4. Place the pan in the fridge while you prepare the filling.
5. In a mixing bowl, beat the creamcheese and sugar until well blended.
6. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
7. Add vanilla extract and sour cream and continue to beat until well mixe.
8. Pour 3/4 of the batter into the prepared pan.
9. Add Nutella and jam into the remaining batter and beat until well mixed.
10. Using a tablespoon, drop spoonfuls of the Nutella/jam batter onto the plain batter. Do not swirl.
11. Bake in a waterbath at 160C for 1 hour or until the cheesecake is set.
12. Once done, leave the cake to cool in the oven with the door ajar for 30 minutes.
13 Remove the pan from the oven a let cool completely before chilling overnight in the fridge.



This post is also linked to Cook-Your-Books #27 hosted by Joyce of Kitchen Flavours.

40 comments:

  1. It looks more like butter cake to me..hahaha

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  2. Looks good but I'd pass, thank you very much.

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    1. That's ok, I know you prefer the light Japanese cheesecake :)

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  3. I don't know, I think all these jam, once you mix it into cake batter and bake it, the flavor becomes less distinct and you can hardly taste it. Might be better to just plob the jam on the cake AFTER the cake is done baking if you wanna taste the strawberry.

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    1. You are right! I'm thinking of piping the strawberry jam on top after the cake is baked.

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  4. Would loves to have a piece of it, hehe...

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  5. Without the strawberry it looks like zebra chocolate cake to me..the texture looks good.

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  6. Phong Hong, you guessed right! Ha ha I read strawberry and didn't see any strawberry or any pink colour in or on the cake. I like the way your cake turned out to look like it did. I wish I could taste it.

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    1. Nancy, it tasted good with or without strawberry hah..hah...

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  7. The cake looks good even without the strawberries!

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  8. maybe you should rename the cake to Hazelnut and you-don't-see-the-Strawberry Cheesecake, how about that?? haha.. true enough, I would expect like something red but all I see is brown and shades of brown only, doesn't seems any strawberry to me, haha..

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    1. hah..hah... When I bake another one, I will pipe the jam after baking. Then only it will look like a strawberry cheesecake :)

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  9. hmmm mixing the jam/conserves with Nutella?? err, my first thought would've be that the taste of Nutella will be too overwhelming, no?? or probably the jam/conserve has to be a lot more while Nutella is cut down?? dunno la, you know I know nothing about baking but common sense lah, hehehe.. until next time when you get your partner to flex his muscle to open up the raspberry conserve for you, we shall see something more colorful huh?? and oh, probably decorate the cake with some real fruits to convince (if *touch wood* it turns dark again)!! hehehe~~ :p

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    1. You are right, the Nutella will sure drown the jam flavor. I was just following the recipe but will modify next time.

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  10. actually before you told us you drizzle your leftover chocolate ganache on top of the cake, you know what I have been thinking?? I thot you said where has the strawberry gone?? and you mentioned strawberry conserve.. so I thought you drizzle them on the cake, bake it, and then the red strawberry conserve HANGUS and becomes dark!!! muahahaha.. but that thought is such an insult to the Baking Queen right?? ooopsss~~~ xD

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  11. You are so right! That was the question I ask when I saw the photo - eh, where are the strawberries? I don't think we can taste the strawberry or raspberry jam since it is mixed into the batter. The cake looks good though. I am always game to eat a small slice of cake as dessert.

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    1. Well, I'll do it differently next time so that the jam will show on the cake hah..hah..

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  12. Hee .. hee Phong Hong, you caught me searching for strawberries or raspberries. .. Oh ! It's strawberry or raspberry jam. I'm not a fan of cheesecake but this 2 tone cheesecake looks yummy-licious that I'll bookmark it to bake for my big kids. They love cheesecakes.

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    1. Karen, your kids will love this cheesecake!

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  13. When I see the title, I was thinking, bake or no-bake.. But then I think think, PH so sophisticated, won't be simple or cincai one, must be bake version one, impossible no-bake, coz no-bake so simple.. And I'm right, hehe..I always mm-seh-tak make cheesecakes, coz the cream cheese so mahal.. But I know one or two blocks can make a big cake, can eat few days la.. And yep, can't see the strawberry.. Was expecting strawberry swirls or fresh strawberries as topping.. But still look so delicious la ok.. I can finish the whole thing, no issue..

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    1. Hi Louiz! I prefer baked cheesecake. I think it tastes better. Ya lor, should have put the jam on top after the cake was baked. Then baru can see and taste the strawberry.

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  14. Anything berry is super expensive here....raspberry, blueberry, blackberry, strawberry! :'( With such prices, it's wise to replace it with something else. I'm sure your cake will taste just as nice in your able hands. By the way, why does your chocolate ganache topping has little bubbles on it....is it suppose to look this way? I had a really good slice of chocolate cake over the weekend as well.

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    1. Oh, those "little bubbles" are actually condensation because the cake was chilled. Now only I noticed hah..hah...

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  15. Hi Phong Hong, again my nephews would love to have you as their 'Ku Ku'. To me, your cheesecakes are always good. Tips to remove the cap of jam bottle - place a rubber band around the jam bottle, then turn the cap, you should be able to remove it easily. It works for me whenever I have difficulty to remove the cap with my 'smooth' palm, hehehe!

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    1. Hi Kimmy! I totally forgot about that trick. My grandpa taught me that method long ago, Thanks for the reminder!

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  16. Raspberry or strawberry, Both will be equally berrylicious!! Wish I could dug in this one.... So did u manage to get it open when your partner came back? 😄

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    1. Claire, haven't opened yet hah..hah,,,

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  17. Either way, nutella is a winner! LOL

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  18. I love cheesecake and yours is gorgeous! That drizzle is the crowning touch!!!

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  19. All types of cheesecakes are my favourite. The designs on top was well done like a piece of nice Art. Well done PH!
    Your partner must be delighted and happy always.

    Why still partnership & not...??

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    1. TM, he doesn't like cheesecake hah..hah...

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  20. Hi Phong Hong,
    Your cheesecake looks good! Yup, fresh raspberries are so costly, kiamsiap me would not use it in a bake. I'll eat them fresh instead!

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    1. Hi Joyce! I guess I will never know what fresh raspberries taste like hah..hah...

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