The weekend before Christmas I got to bake with one of the cutest kids I know (we totally made a birthday cake for Jesus)...see the 2nd picture below of the three year old who totally now knows how to pose for the camera while baking. I don't get to see him, or the rest or my family in Charlotte often enough, but he is a great helper in the kitchen and helped Katie, my sister-in-law, make this cheesecake.
I was so excited when Katie sent me an email with the link to this recipe, and told me she was making it for Thanksgiving. I only wished I had been able to try it, because it looks and sounds amazing. I immediately emailed her back and asked if she would do a guest post of this recipe. I knew it would be delicious, because well Katie is a great cook! She and her mom have always been a great inspiration in the kitchen, and my brother has always raved about the food they cook. It's hard to believe sometimes how long we have been family. Even before Katie and my brother were married, I have memories of her coming to middle school plays. My brother even challenged me when I went off to college to work my butt off and be on the dean's list every semester like Katie was...which somehow I managed to do. I really couldn't ask for a better sister-in-law and truly appreciate all of the support she sends my way. Oh and I am definitely going to have to give this cheesecake a try!
Katie, Oliver(also one of the cutest little boys I know) and I.
Direct from Katie:
I am not much of a baker because I don’t follow directions well and I have two small boys who take up most of my time. I’d rather just throw together the ingredients for a soup, taste as I cook and add a little of this and a little of that. However, I was assigned dessert and this is what all of Lauren’s yummy salted caramel items on her blog inspired me to make.
I found the original recipe on foodandwine.com but it did not have a crust so I added the gingersnap crust. I also made two cheesecakes per my husband’s request, since I never bake, and I froze one. I made the other cheesecake in a springform pan. If you do it that way you can use the same ingredients…just make sure you put heavy duty foil up the sides of the springform pan and a pan underneath it because the butter leaks out of the pan, even if it is brand new. Also I think I baked the one in the springform pan for 45 minutes, then let it cool in the oven for an hour.
I am honored to be on Lauren’s awesome blog and so lucky to have such a talented sister-in-law! Enjoy!
Cameron helping prepare the gingersnap crust.
Crust ready for the pans.
Into the ramekins...
And then time for the actual cheesecake part.
And then into the oven.
Crust:
2 cups ground gingersnap cookies
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
Cheesecake:
1/2 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
Caramel:
6 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
Fleur de sel
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Set the ramekins in a small pan and set the pan in the center of the oven. Add enough hot water to the pan to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
2. Stir cookie crumbs and butter in medium bowl until evenly moistened. Press mixture onto bottom of ramekins. Bake crust until deep golden, about 12 minutes. Cool completely. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.
3. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar at medium speed until smooth. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, then beat in the sour cream. Pour the batter into six 5-ounce ramekins or custard cups.
4. Bake the cheesecakes for 10 minutes, until set at the edges but still quite jiggly in the center. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecakes in for 1 hour. Transfer the ramekins to a rack and let cool completely.
5. In a heavy medium saucepan, heat the corn syrup. Stir in the sugar and cook over moderately high heat, undisturbed, until a deep amber caramel forms, about 9 minutes. Off the heat, carefully stir in the butter with a long-handled wooden spoon. Stir in the cream in a thin stream. Transfer the caramel to a heatproof pitcher and let cool. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon of fleur de sel.
6. Pour 1 1/2 tablespoons of the caramel over each cheesecake and swirl to coat the tops. If the caramel is too thick, warm it in a microwave oven at 10-second intervals. Refrigerate the cheesecakes until chilled, at least 3 hours. Sprinkle with fleur de sel just before serving.
Make Ahead The cheesecakes can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. Notes Cooking Club Tip: If you see sugar crystals on the sides of the pot while making caramel, dissolve them with a pastry brush that has been dipped in water until well moistened.
No comments:
Post a Comment